New York on the eve of Superstorm Sandy in 2012. (Getty Images) Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images
Some experts are saying that Hurricane Joaquin, which is on its way to the East Coast, is starting to look a lot like Superstorm Sandy. While it remains uncertain whether the storm will make landfall, coastal flooding is a possibility and Joaquin has now been upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane. “I hate to compare anything to Sandy, but the setup isn’t all that different,” WeatherWorks meteorologist Rob Reale said. “I know a lot of things can get overhyped, but this, I actually think, may be underhyped.” Gov. Cuomo said earlier today that the state is doing everything it can to prepare for the possibility. (New York Post)
The Stonewall Inn, which has been a long running symbol of the LGBT rights movement, has now officially been deemed a city historical landmark. The City Council voted to grant the location the status on Wednesday, which will protect it from both being torn down and having the bar’s exterior changed. “Because of the real estate boom and pressures we’ve seen in the Village and all across Manhattan, we needed this further level of protection,” said Councilman Corey Johnson, a gay representative of the district. (Daily News)
Apparently Juice Crawls are now a thing. The Post reported on the latest millennial fad yesterday, describing twenty-somethings spending a Thursday evening in the East Village sampling juices at places like Rawpothecary and Agavi, while dancing and “quiet clubbing” ensued. The Juice Crawl trend promotes having a good time in a social setting without the necessary presence of alcohol.“It’s better without booze because you’re using your natural life-force energy, and I think that’s so important,” Leora Edut, 37, told the paper. (New York Post)
Mayor de Blasio donned his hard hat Wednesday night to help Department of Transportation workers repave part of Arthur Kill Road in Staten Island. Borough President James Oddo and two Assemblymen joined him during his late night visit to the work site where the workers have been repaving the section of the road from Richmond Avenue to Bloomingdale Road. The visit ties into the mayor’s efforts to champion the cause of crumbling city streets. (DNAinfo)
A new set of rules, which aims to ensure that all instances of excessive force are recorded, must now be followed by the NYPD. These instances include not only arrests but also other encounters with the public, such as any type of brief, violent detention. “What we’re developing here could become the national template for how do you not only investigate all levels of use of force, but how do you report it in a way that it is transparent,” Commissioner William J. Bratton said of the new regulations on Wednesday. (The New York Times)
