It's a rainy weekend in NYC, and if it's also rainy where you are, I hope you are dry enough to set aside time (with a cup of something hot) to read this month's Streetbeat, where we talk fare evasion, the future of
, and lots of other stuff.
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John Surico
@JohnSurico
Cities and their discontents. In etc. Prof-alum . Grad . Chair . Author of Streetbeat, a newsletter 
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But knowing how this goes, planners are going to take this info + present zones to community boards, businesses are going to say they don't want to lose parking, and we're gonna end up with the same old congested streets we have now. Because the system is... 🫠
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Much love to Astorians for taking the new portal to report double-parked cars (for loading zone planning) and really running with it. This is just one avenue.
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The Jordan Neely situation strikes me as profoundly sad, and I don't see nearly enough sadness in the way people are talking about it. Lots of righteous anger, lots of unrighteous anger, lots of focus on, like, culture-war posturing and point-scoring.
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"How will being at one with the Force prepare me for today’s job market?" #MayThe4thBeWithYou
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May the 4th be with you, and also: Andor is the GOAT; the third season of Mando was mediocre; Bad Batch is fun; Star Wars Visions, too; Jedi Survivor looks amazing (but I don't have the right console); another Simpsons mashup is here; and, wow, this content machine is endless.
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We’re looking for feedback to improve safety, public space & #BikeNYC connections in Astoria, #Queens!
Check out this survey (& send it to your neighbors) to give input on 31st Ave & also share ideas for new north/south routes: surveymonkey.com/r/astoriaplann
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On climate change, we often assume people are either believers or deniers.
I don't like either label, because climate change is not a religion.
Instead, I prefer the 6 categories identified by for the US. climatecommunication.yale.edu/about/projects
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TODAY — Join our Global Beat class for this conversation on the challenges of reporting on cultures & communities in Morocco | Event begins at 6pm ET
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Like the 1970s, New York City today is unjustly vilified over and over again in mass media and culture for being a hotbed of crime and dysfunction, with mental health and homelessness painted in the same shade.
And we should know by now: words matter.
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A 30-year-old man died on the subway on Monday after he was placed in a chokehold, the police said. Witnesses said the victim had been acting in a “hostile and erratic manner” toward passengers on the train when the other man, 24, moved to restrain him. nyti.ms/3nnP0RL
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Ten years later, being the person on the other side of the equation—and that awkward conversation I remember *hating* as a student—is ~wild~, folks.
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Just closed our last @nyu_journalism class of the semester Lots of uncertainty about how to use this degree in 2023. Lots of fear over recent layoffs. Lots of exhaustion over multiple deadlines. But also, lots of high hopes about covering the city and its constant struggles.
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Just closed our last class of the semester Lots of uncertainty about how to use this degree in 2023. Lots of fear over recent layoffs. Lots of exhaustion over multiple deadlines. But also, lots of high hopes about covering the city and its constant struggles.
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This is an argument I hadn't thought about. Pegging the operating budget more to taxes could help the MTA weather headwinds of all kinds. The city contribution—and a tax falloff—could be less stable, though. (This is why congestion pricing is appealing for advocates.)
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Replying to @JohnSurico
The more MTA shifts to tax subsidies and away from the farebox, the more stable and predictable revenues will become; improving long-range planning.
backofthebudget.com/p/public-trans
According to advocates with this latest state budget, the answer is...
We're getting there!
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Montreal installed 40 outdoor coworking spaces in neighborhoods across the City complete with free WiFi and charging. A great way to activate the streetscape while providing new community third spaces and drawing daytime activity back into commercial districts.
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E-bikes and scooters—relied upon by some commuters to get them to & from their train station, and hated by others for getting in their way — are now officially allowed on the LIRR.
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This is legitimately incorrect lol
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"More than one in three traffic deaths in the city this year have taken place in Queens."
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More than one in three traffic deaths in the city this year have taken place in Queens.
In the first three months of 2023, 18 people were killed in Queens.
This is 33% more fatalities than the average first quarter from 2014-2022.
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“2022 is likely to mark a turning point when global fossil fuel electricity generation peaked and began to fall. The thinktank forecasts that, by the end of 2023, more than 100% of the growth in electricity demand will be covered by low-carbon sources.”
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Thrilled that could sign onto this letter to , backing a district-wide plan for safer streets in Astoria.
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Just sent the following letter to @ydanis of @NYC_DOT (threaded below for accessibility), urging him to work with us to expedite a neighborhood-wide Astoria street safety plan.
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MTA free bus pilot will be for one bus line per borough. Lawmakers had pushed for two. Importantly, making the bus free will not make it faster or more reliable.
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Damn, , I know times are tough for ad dollars in media, but do we really have to stoop this low?
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Imagine convincing enough people to build huge tunnels that shoot cars around, and then telling the folks that operate other tunnels—at a grander scale, and more effectively—that the only way they can tell people about *their* tunnels is to pay $50k/month.
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Want to help make our streets safer? Come join me, , , & on SUNDAY, as we talk to neighbors about adding 2 protected bike lanes in Astoria, and guide them thru the DOT's survey.
Sign up at actionnetwork.org/events/astoria and I’ll see you there ☺️
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Gotta say, is not lying about how lovely the 34 Av Open Street is, especially if you’re Biking To The Mets
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Hey - yes John and I used to be married. We are now friends and share a wonderful son together. In this context I am not an “ex wife,” I am a veteran journalist with decades of experience who worked hard for this role. Do better please.
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"We stand united in demanding Evan’s release and we won’t rest until he is safely brought back home."
The publishers and top editors of , and released a joint letter on Evan Gershkovich in today's edition of their respective papers. #IStandWithEvan
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People remember when Biden was *also* quite old just a few years ago and won, right?
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Saying it over and over again:
The kids will be alright.
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The son of a disabled parent, I'm angered by the accessibility complaints to Open Streets. The built world disabled my mom: double-parked cars; blocked crosswalks; restaurants w/o ramps. It's shit she isn't alive to see —a rare public place we could've enjoyed together.
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*NEW* Mayor Eric Adams Calls Off Unpopular Library Budget Cuts:
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Thanks for receiving our responses, and changing the photo in the article. Much appreciated!
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👋👋 - thanks for using a photo of without attribution or even asking for comment. Let alone us not being listed in the lawsuit.
This is what I teach as journalism malpractice to my students. Please do better!
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The lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn Federal Court Monday, says everything about Open Streets is a ruse down to its name, deeming it “Orwellian Newspeak” amny.com/transit/city-f
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Local problems don’t get solved without local journalism. That’s why ’s reporters dig into complex issues across New York. Help us build a newsroom that provides free, high quality news by donating to our Spring fundraising drive today:
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NY Times' 100 best restaurants list featured 65 Manhattan eateries.
Of that, just ONE was located above 87th street in Manhattan.
None above 112th Street.
Too often these food review lists buy into the perception that Manhattan ends at 96th Street.
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Half of N.Y.C. Households Can’t Afford to Live Here, Report Finds
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First year of my life having allergies (cat + pollen combo), and now I understand all of the tweets.
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