Friday’s Headlines: Trouble in Paradise Edition

By Streetsblog
Mar 8, 2019

It was an incredibly slow news day yesterday … for the mainstream media, that is. We at Streetsblog were burning the (carbon-free) candle all day with stories about a woman run over by a reckless, uncharged driver, trouble for the 14th Street “busway,” a great new speed camera bill from newly elected State Senator Andrew Gounardes and a story every other media outlet should pick up: How Mayor de Blasio’s plan to build or buy parking for cops will fail on multiple levels.

We even had time to cover a press conference featuring Jimmy Van Bramer’s Mets winter gloves. (This is our year.)

And now the other news:

The Daily News had touching details about the woman who was fatally run down by a driver going in reverse on Avenue S so he could park in his driveway. Our story pointed out the multiple laws the driver broke, even though he was not charged.
In an op-ed, our friends at Reinvent Albany took Cuomo to task for all his MTA meddling. (Gotham Gazette)
The MTA really isn’t giving good answers for why debris keeps raining down on Queens residents from the elevated 7 train. (amNY) Dana Rubinstein’s piece in Politico (subscription only) had a nice, poetic feel to it.
Mayor de Blasio didn’t get his “millionaire’s tax,” but he may get something close to it: A tax on non-resident luxury apartments, which could raise $9 billion for transit bonds. (Bloomberg)
Two questions: Why are Customs and Border Patrol officers driving on the sidewalk? And why do we need Customs and Border Patrol officers in New York? (NYDN)
NY1 tried to pick apart Gov. Cuomo’s numbers on how few New Yorkers commute by car into Manhattan, but others have also said it is a very small percentage of the total.
And, finally, we read Gridlock Sam for one reason only: to enjoy the pain drivers will feel all weekend long. (NYDN)