Thursday’s Headlines: Fourth of July Hangover Edition
How long is the Fourth of July?
In Eric Adams’s New York City, it lasts until at least July 9th — that’s judging from the NYPD’s concrete barriers still lying at the corner of Joralemon Street and Columbia Place from Hizzoner’s “total fiasco” Independence Day fireworks bonanza.
Adams offered 100,000 free tickets to anyone who wanted to watch the fireworks in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and closed the promenade to everyone but city workers. It was a recipe for disaster. As the Brooklyn Eagle reported, “Lines that wove for hours through Brooklyn Heights merged into mob scenes at the park’s entrances.”
Thank god the cops had all that concrete, I guess. A local tipster tells us the restaurant at the corner where it was still sitting as of Wednesday — River Deli — has tried to no avail to get someone to retrieve the massive hunks of cement.
Maybe today’s the day. And maybe the next mayor can get the greatest city in the world a few more Fourth of July fireworks shows.
With reporting from Amy Sohn
In other news:
- Several outlets followed our coverage of the mayor’s success in court over bike advocates suing to stop him from ripping up the Bedford Avenue bike lane. (Daily News, Gothamist, Brooklyn Paper, News12 Brooklyn, NY1)
- ICYMI — Streetsblog spoke to outraged cyclists on Bedford Avenue immediately after Wednesday’s ruling:
- Zohran Mamdani may keep Jessica Tisch on as NYPD commissioner. (NY Times)
- Chris McCreight will run against Republican Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny in a rematch from 2024. (City & State)
- An SUV driver struck and killed a moped rider in Astoria on Monday. (amNY)
- Driggs Avenue will go car-free through McCarren Park on Saturday. (Transportation Alternatives via X)
- Let Council Member Chi Ossé explain street vendor permit reform to you. (Chi Ossé via Instagram)
- An ex-G.M. exec is out with an op-ed in the Times calling for an electric car “Manhattan Project.” (NY Times)
