Friday’s Headlines: Cold and Flew Season

The city is so quiet today (except if you’re near a highway watching the “I-only-use-my-car-to-get-to-my-country-home” crowd fleeing the city for the holiday weekend/week).

Well, we just want you to know that we’ll be here all day, cranking out the last of the 2022 stories (agencies love to dump news when there are fewer reporters around to cover it) and making your days merry and bright (no matter how crazy cold it gets today).

Which reminds us of our exceptionally generous benefactors who contributed yesterday to our annual donation drive (click the logo above if you want to join their esteemed ranks). While we appreciate all our donations, we were really touched by a note we received from Sam Chodoff, who said, “Please continue your principled, clear coverage of New York City. I appreciate that Streetsblog does not try to hide its point-of-view while remaining true to fact-driven, evidence-based journalism. That is a hard balance to maintain, and to me, your success at maintaining it makes you a key part of the New York City media environment. Thank you, and keep up the good work.”

That felt good. We’d also like to thank yesterday’s other donors: Thanks, Bryan! Thanks, Thomas! Thanks, Kurt (who also wrote a nice note)! Thanks, Lindsay! Thanks, Gary! Thanks, Yosef!

In the spirit of giving, we’d like to offer you a little Christmas carol to sing to your neighbors on Christmas Eve (especially your neighbors on the Upper West Side):

My Most-Hated Things
(To the tune of “My Favorite Things”)

Cops busting women who sell gum and churros
High-ranking cops who are stubborn like burros
Squad cars in bike lanes lined up in a string
These are a few of my most-hated things

Filthy rich neighbors with blue in their blood stream
Free curbside parking is their only wet dream
People who fear what more biking can bring
They are a few of my most-hated things

CHORUS
When I’m angry
Or I’m let down
By my City Hall
I simply remember my most-hated things
And once again feel … appalled

Eloquent words are spewed out by the mayor
But to get ‘cross a street you must say the Lord’s Prayer
So many bus riders just want transit that zings
These are a few of my most hated things.

All of the students walking to their classes
Are dodging the drivers who recklessly pass them.
Kids should not worry about anything
But to be safe they would need to wear wings

CHORUS
When I’m angry
Or feel let down
Or I pay my tax
I simply remember my most-hated things
And blame the elected hacks!

In other news:

• Here’s something funny-not-funny: On the same day he announced an effort to keep kids safe from drunk drivers (Streetsblog, NYDN), Mayor Adams revealed that he opposes a state bill to ban the construction of schools near highways. Dude, read the room. (NYDN)
• Teens + cars + suburbs = carnage. (NY Post)
• Our pal Ben Brachman was a day late on the “three Council members want Prospect Park to repeal the e-bike ban” story that we had yesterday. (amNY)
• Brachman was obviously busy with the bigger story: Speed cameras work, part 54. (amNY)
• Speaking of Council members, Lincoln Restler wants more composting bins. (Brooklyn Paper)
• And, finally, our old man editor’s “criminal mischief” campaign made the pages of Road.cc magazine. But that was before he may have announced his retirement from the campaign: