Should Williamsburg's Bedford Ave Be Pedestrian-Only?

An idea to make part of #Williamsburg's busy Bedford Avenue a pedestrian-only throughway isn't necessarily new, but with a recent shout-out by #NYCCouncil Speaker #CoreyJohnson, it could finally be time for the proposal to gain some traction, transit advocates said. Johnson included the pedestrianization of Bedford Avenue — or closing the road to cars and making it only accessible by pedestrians and bicyclists — as one of many proposals in the 104-page transit report that accompanied his first State of the City address earlier this month.

The avenue, like others mentioned in report, is one of a few in the city that is "ripe for pedestrianization" given its increase in crowding and history of closing to cars for summer events or block parties, Johnson said. The mention has already started to revamp a local conversation about the idea, which has floated around the neighborhood for several years.

Bed-Stuy Mugger Shoots And Pistol-Whips Man For Cellphone: Cops

#Brooklyn: A #BedStuy mugger pistol-whipped and shot a man then ran off with his cellphone Saturday, police said. The mugger first asked the 22-year-old a question on the corner of Tompkins and Park avenues, then shot him in the arm and clocked him in the eye with his gun just before 5:45 a.m., police said. The armed robber then grabbed the man's cellphone and ran away, said police.

Medics took the injured man in stable condition to Kings County Hospital where he was treated for a black eye and a gunshot wound, said police. Police are now looking for a man in his 20s last seen wearing a Puma sweatshirt and Timberland boots.

Prospect-ive delays: Park fixes could be stalled due to problematic contractor

Contractors failed to meet their November deadline for a $2.4-million project to repair sidewalks and install other beautifying elements along Flatbush Avenue bordering #ProspectPark, according to a Parks Department spokeswoman, who said the agency chose not to fire the company behind the job, which could lead to additional delays.

The so-called Flatbush Avenue Perimeter project is one of several capital initiatives meant to improve the borders of #Brooklyn’s Backyard, and was originally set to be completed well before a roughly $3 million scheme to construct two additional Flatbush Avenue entrances to the park between #GrandArmyPlaza and the Prospect Park Zoo kicked off this summer, according to spokeswoman Maeri Ferguson.

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Rockland County declares state of emergency over measles; unvaccinated minors to be banned from public places

#Rockland County will declare a countywide State of Emergency in connection to the ongoing #Measles outbreak. Effective midnight, Wednesday Mar. 27, anyone under the age of 18 and unvaccinated against the measles will be barred from public place until they receive the MMR vaccination or when the declaration expires in 30 days.

The declaration was given under the #NY Executive Law. As of Mar 21, there are 151 confirmed reported cases of measles in the county. Measles is a highly-contagious, airborne virus that easily spreads through coughing and sneezing. According to the #CDC, symptoms of measles generally don’t appear until 7 to 14 days after a person is infected, and begin with high fever, cough, runny nose, and rash spots.

County and health officials are expected to hold an emergency press conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Bed-stuy man busted for illegal gun accessory: Feds

A #BedStuy man busted earlier this month on weapons charges was allegedly toting an assault rifle rigged for automatic fire, which used the same tech employed by a Nevada mass murderer during his 2017 shooting spree that slew 58 people in #LasVegas, court documents show.

Cops spotted the suspect’s rifle protruding from a bag on Halsey Street near Nostrand Avenue on March 1 at 10:55 p.m., and cuffed him following a chase, during which the man hurled his luggage at Brooklyn’s Boys in Blue after failing to pull out the gun, according to a Federal complaint document released on March 25.

In addition to several spare magazines and the nearly 90 rounds of .556 and 9 mm ammunition found in his bag, the suspect’s AR-15 rifle — a civilian version of the military’s M16 — was equipped with a bump stock, which uses the weapon’s recoil to allow it to function like a fully automatic machine gun, court documents show.

#Brooklyn

Fire Threat High In NYC As Winds Rise And Humidity Drops

Wind gusts and lower humidity Tuesday afternoon might mean fire will spread more quickly in #NYC, weather experts warned.

The city's emergency notification system alerted #NY'ers around 9:30 a.m. that a "special weather statement" had been issued by the #NationalWeatherService for parts of #StatenIsland, #Brooklyn and Southern #Queens. The warning was expanded citywide just a few hours later.

The #Weather statement now applies to all of New York City as well as parts of #CT, #NJ and #Westchester. It warns that humidity levels fall into the teens or lower 20s and wind gusts stay around 20 to 25 mph that there is an enhanced potential for fire spread, according to the NWS statement.

Water Main Break Floods Part Of 7th Ave, Chelsea Subway Station

#Manhattan: A water main broke in #Chelsea, causing subway tracks to flood and a part of Seventh Ave. to close Tuesday afternoon, city officials said and videos from straphangers show. About 10 firefighters responded to a water main break at Seventh Ave. and 26th St. after a call came in about 2:55 p.m., a #FDNY spokesman said. Three units and about 10 firefighters were at the intersection about 4 p.m., the spokesman said.

Seventh Ave. between 25th and 26th Sts. closed, with a detour at Seventh Ave and 34th St., according to a #NYPD spokesman.

Early Morning Fire Burns 3 Buildings In Jersey City

#NJ: Three homes caught #Fire in #JerseyCity Tuesday morning in a blaze which quickly escalated to a 5-alarm call for firefighters. Twenty one people including five children were displaced, officials said. “Smoke alarms were going, so that was good. Everybody self-evacuated from the buildings prior to our arrival,” Jersey City Fire Chief of Department Steven McGill.

One firefighter suffered second degree burns to the back of the neck. He was taken to the hospital, treated and is being released. The Red Cross is responding on the scene to help those affected by the fire.

Annoying Robocalls Could Be Banned In NY

Some #NY lawmakers want to put speed-dialing robots out of work. State Sen. #BradHoylman and Assemblywoman #YuhLineNiou are pushing a bill to ban annoying robocalls in the Empire State.

The #Manhattan Democrats' Robocall Prevention Act would make it illegal for any person or entity to make robocalls to any New Yorker's phone number without permission, unless there is an emergency. The bill passed the Senate's Energy and Telecommunications Committee on Tuesday. The legislation aims to strengthen regulations governing the mysterious and ubiquitous calls, which often try to scam seniors, immigrants and others, the lawmakers say. "There isn't an issue I hear more about from constituents than the proliferation of robocalls," Hoylman said in a statement. "These calls aren't just annoying — they're dangerous, and often used to defraud unsuspecting consumers, seniors, and vulnerable New Yorkers."

Spotted on the #DLine train in #NYC

WhatsApp me anytime about your gourmet needs

Measles Outbreak: Reaching Hasidic Moms Afraid Of Vaccines

In its 26th week of a #Measles outbreak, Rockland is now under a State of Emergency banning all unvaccinated children from public places such as stores, restaurants, offices and recreational facilities. Efforts are starting to combat anti-vaccination sentiment in the Ultra-Orthodox community in #Rockland and in #NYC. Rockland's outbreak has now reached 153 cases, and uncooperative families of measles victims are contributing to its continuation, Rockland officials said.

Anti-vaxxers are also contributing to the outbreak in New York City, which has exploded in the past month. There have been 181 cases confirmed in NYC as of March 19. That's 60 more cases since February. City health officials learned that parents and school officials had ignored rules keeping unvaccinated children home from yeshivas with low vaccination rates. Misinformation put out by Ultra-Orthodox anti-vaxxers is part of the problem, according to an article in Gothamist.

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Anti-Vaxxers Staging Protest At Mall In Rockland County

An anti-vaccination rally publicized on social media drew only a small crowd of protesters to the Palisades Center in #WestNyack this morning in response to #Rockland's state of emergency amid the #Measles outbreak. About 10 people protesting the county's vaccination mandate met at the mall's carousel around 10 a.m., in response to a Facebook event called "Rockland County — Unvaccinated Civil Disobedience." By just after 10 a.m. the number of protesters was nearly matched by the number of media covering the event.

Why no pics of the protest?
The @Z9Network has a policy against providing coverage to terrorist (and others spreading harmful or radical ideology) activities, so not to promote hatred and hurt.

Crown Heights councilman nets Guinness record as world’s tallest politician

He’s taking Kings County politics to new heights!

#NYC’s tallest mayor honored the world’s tallest politician at City Hall on Wednesday, where Mayor #BillDeBlasio presented #CrownHeights Councilman #RobertCornegyJr with a plaque commemorating his induction into the 2019 Guinness Book of World Records. “It’s true, I’m the tallest person to ever serve as mayor, but today we’re going to recognize someone even taller,” said de Blasio, who is 6 feet 5 inches tall. “Even at my size, I look up to Robert Cornegy.”

The prestigious world-record keeper officially recognized the #Brooklyn legislator as the world’s tallest elected official on Jan. 14, when, following an exhaustive, 12-hour measuring process overseen by doctors at Interfaith Medical Center, the councilman’s height was pegged at a neck-craning 6 feet 10 inches tall.

Prisoner Bus From Orange County Breaks Down On I-87, Stranding Inmates

A group of prisoners from the #OrangeCounty Correctional Facility being transported in a bus had to be brought back to the jail in vans after the bus broke down on #I87 leaving them stranded. The incident took place around 8:46 a.m., Thursday, March 28, northbound on the interstate in #Wallkill, said Capt. Paul Arteta with the Orange County Jail.

The bus, owned by Transcor, which transports inmates state-to-state, became disabled and had to pull over near mile marker 22.8. Sheriff's officials responded to the scene in vans to remove the prisoners and transport them back to the jail, he said. "No prisoners were injured and there was no danger," Arteta said. The prisoners were being fed and kept warm until another bus could respond, he added.