Weather: A chance of showers with a height in the mid 80s. Saturday it will be sunny, and then rain may return on Sunday.
Alternate parking: In effect until Saturday (Feast of Assumption). Read here about the changed regulations.
Two columns of light rising every September 11 from a page at ground zero show who is missing. This year, those beams will also be gone.
Since 2002, the Tribute in Light has marked the attacks on the Twin Towers: It contains 88 custom-made lights that are used to make the projections, which rise above New York City Tower until morning on Sept. 12. But on Thursday, the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, which is responsible for the tribute, announced that it was canceling the display this year due to the coronavirus crisis.
Although people usually do not scramble to view the lights – which can be seen on a clear night from 60 miles away – a team of about 40 stage hands and electricians work closely on the installation for more than a week, Colin Moynihan reported in The Tiden.
The decision to cancel was made “after the closure of the health risks during the pandemic were far too great for the large crew,” said Michael Frazier, a memorial and museum spokesman, in a statement.
What we read
A 115-year-old legal precedent gives the state of New York the authority to impose it travel quarantine restrictions, a federal judge found. [NBC New York]
Teachers at a school in Queens with virtually no windows said they were concerned about a lack of ventilation when their classrooms reopened in September. [Gothamist]
What we see: The subway has to deal with its worst financial crisis in decades. Christina Goldbaum of The Times will discuss the transit system and the effect of the pandemic on it on The New York Times Close Up With Sam Roberts. ‘The show will air on Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 1.30pm and Sunday at 12:30 pm [CUNY TV]
And finally: A virtual social weekend
Melissa Guerrero of The Times writes:
Although most performance spaces, museums and community centers are closed, people are looking for creative ways to connect through virtual events and programs. Here are suggestions for maintaining a social life in New York this weekend while keeping a safe distance from other people.
The coronavirus breaks out>
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated August 12, 2020
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Can I travel in the United States?
- Many states have travel restrictions, and many of them are taking active measures to enforce those restrictions, such as issuing fines or requiring visitors to be quarantined for 14 days. Here is an ever-updating list of restrictions across statewide. In general, travel increases your chances of getting and spreading the virus, because you will encounter more people than if you stayed at home in your own ‘pod’. “Staying at home is the best way to protect yourself and others from Covid-19,” the CDC said. However, if you are traveling, take precautionary measures. If you can, drive. If you have to fly, be careful when choosing your airline. But know that airlines are taking real steps to keep planes clean and limit your risk.
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I have antibodies. Am I immune now?
- At the moment, that probably seems like at least several months. There have been horrific accounts of people suffering from what appears to be a second bolt of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a prolonged course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last only two to three months in the body, which may seem worrying, but that is perfectly normal after an acute infection progresses, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It could possibly get the coronavirus back up, but it is highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or the second time safe.
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I am a small business owner. Can I get relief?
- The incentive bills introduced in March provide assistance to the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for support are non-profit organizations and organizations with less than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some sectors are also eligible. The assistance provided, which is managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Damage Disaster Program. But many people have not seen payments yet. Even those who have received help are confused: the rules are draconian, and some are stuck on money they do not know how to use. Many small business owners get less than they expected or heard nothing at all.
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What are my rights if I am worried about returning to work?
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What will school look like in September?
- It is unlikely that many schools will return to a regular schedule this fall, requiring the grinding of online learning, easy childcare and stunted workdays to continue. The two largest public school districts of California – Los Angeles and San Diego – said on July 13 that instruction will be remote only in the fall, citing concerns that growing coronavirus infections in their areas pose too great a risk to students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll about 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country to date to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classes when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution will not be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are creating hybrid plans that include some days in classrooms and other days online. There is no national policy yet, so check regularly with your municipal school system to see what is happening in your municipality.
‘In Plain Sight: The Mansions of Midtown’
Op Friday at 5:30 p.m., the New York Adventure Club will explore more than a dozen former Midtown hostels during a virtual tour and Q. and A. Author and historian Tom Miller will share the stories behind buildings, show what they once looked like and explain how ‘they’ are now used.
Buy a ticket ($ 10) for the webinar on the event page.
Great spaghetti dinner from Small Works: ‘Art, Justice and Pasta’
Join Great Small Works on Friday at 7.30pm for a live cabaret that includes artists, activists and community groups. A cooking show with a pasta dish will kick off the free event.
Access the broadcast on Facebook.
‘The six triple eight’
Op Saturday at 7 p.m., watch a free screening of “The Six Triple Aight”, a documentary about the only all-Black female battalion that served in Europe during World War II. Participants can attend a Q and A. post-screening with the producers of the film and the daughters of a Six Triple Aight member.
RSVP on the event page.
It’s Friday – relax.
Metropolitan Diary: Rainy day
Dear diary:
My wife and I live in a small town in Texas, and our daughter has lived in New York since she started college 10 years ago.
On one of our trips to the city to visit her, we left the East Village store, where she was working at the time, and were walking to the Astor Place subway station when a heavy rain suddenly began to fall.
We hid under a tent, and I ran into a small kiosk to buy an umbrella that I assumed would be reasonably expensive.
The clerk could see my wife waiting outside. He asked how many umbrellas I wanted.
“Just one,” I said. “We only have to go two blocks.”
“That will be $ 5,” he said.
That was much less than I had expected.
“OK,” I said, “I’ll take two.”
He looked at me.
“Oh,” he said. “One per block?”
– Clyde Neal
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