Thursday’s Headlines: Setting a Date Edition

The big story yesterday was the revelation that the Trump administration has sent a letter to the MTA demanding that it turn off the congestion pricing cameras on March 21.

Everyone covered it — NYDN, NY Post, NY Times, amNY, Gothamist and The City, for starters — but the story is sort of moot because the cameras are, in fact, on, and Gov. Hochul says she won’t turn them off until she’s ordered to do so by a judge.

Meanwhile, the judge in the MTA’s lawsuit against the Trump U.S. DOT hasn’t even set a date for a hearing on the case. But we’re guessing that Judge Lewis Liman will get snapping now that FHWA Executive Director Gloria Shepherd has put “March 21” in writing.

The real story from yesterday came almost as an aside: Retails sales are way up in the congestion relief zone, debunking President Trump’s main argument against the tolls. Dave Colon had that story.

In other news from an exceptionally slow day:

• MTA to joy riders: Stop stealing our subways. (NYDN)
• The NYPD is going to lower its educational standards. Sure, perhaps that will increase the pool of candidates, but here’s hoping NYPD Commissioner Tisch increases the intensity of training from a mere six-month “academy” to something more professional. (NY Times, amNY)
• Fair Fares is now on OMNY. (Gothamist)
• An MTA bus driver killed a cyclist in the Bronx. (Gothamist)