Tuesday’s Headlines: Some Ferry Good Questions

Like you, we’ll be inside all day, which means the mind wanders.

Also like you, we saw this story in the Indian Express about how a ferry company in Kerala state was using a cool solar-powered ferry to transport 580,000 people, prevent the burning of 15,320 gallons of diesel fuel and save the company about $62,000 of our dollars every year.

When we see such stories, we think, “Why can’t we have nice things like that?” So we reached out to the Economic Development Corporation, which runs Mayor de Blasio’s money-losing ferry system — one that runs on highly polluting fossil fuels. And we asked a lot of questions like, “Why can’t we have nice things like that?”

When we hear back, we’ll post a story.

In the meantime, yesterday was a news-filled day:

• Everyone covered the arrest of a Queens pharmacist who federal authorities claim was not only burning up DOT speed cameras, but was also plotting a mass hate crime. The Daily News played up the suspect’s potential as a murder, while the Post, breaking character, leaned toward sympathy for the arrested man. We had it, too (questioning why the feds are even involved.)
• The other big news of the day was the mayor’s announcement that curbside dining would return next year, COVID or not — a new tradition that we played as one of the most revolutionary redistribution of public space since car drivers took the curb to store their cars 70 years ago. The Post and the Daily News didn’t go that far!
• Guse from the Newsuh and Gothamist got a second day out of the MTA debris catcher that itself ended up as debris.
• Mayor de Blasio admitted that he never got the required permits to paint the Black Lives Matter murals on six roadways. The Post pointed out that this is a bit of an issue because other groups that now want their own murals are being told they need permits.
• All around the world, the coronavirus pandemic is leading cities to accelerate plans to encourage commuting by bike. (Wall Street Journal)
• The state submitted a plan to the Federal Highway Administration to remove I-81 through downtown Syracuse. (WSYR)
• Kudos to the Times’s Emma Fitzsimmons for questioning how Dermot Shea still has a job given how openly critical he’s been of his boss-on-paper, Mayor de Blasio.
• Times restaurant critic Pete Wells certainly enjoyed the open streets dining experience in Chinatown. Gothamist grabbed a bite, too.