Brooklyn Today: On measles: “We’re cautiously optimistic.”

August 26, 2019 Brooklyn Today

Eagle file photo by Paul Frangipane

Share this:

THE LEDE: Good morning! It’s that time of the year again, the Feast of Santa Rosalia has kicked off on 18^th Avenue in Bensonhurst, which means every night until September the street will be transformed into a buffet of Italian street food. Before you head over for yourself, take a tour of the festival’s best culinary delights with us.

Think there’s something we should cover? Let us know. Also, if you like what we’re doing, tell a friend, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

THE RUNDOWN

~HOUSING POLICY CHANGES WILL OPEN UP ACCESS TO UNDOCUMENTED NEW YORKERS: A housing policy change announced this week aims to increase access to the city’s affordable housing lottery and make it easier for undocumented immigrants to qualify.

~MEASLES OUTBREAK CONTINUES TO SLOW, WITH NO NEW CASES IN AUGUST: The number of confirmed measles cases in New York City has risen to 654 since September 2018, but there haven’t been any new cases of the disease this month, continuing a steady decline from previous months and a sharp drop-off from the spring.

~18^TH AVENUE FEAST: THE FOODS AND FLAVORS: The annual Feast of Santa Rosalia — known by locals as the 18th Avenue Feast — is a celebration to honor the patron saint of Palermo, Sicily, with entertainment, music, rides, carnival games and most importantly: food.

~WHAT’S GOING ON WITH OMNY, PUBLIC TRANSIT’S NEW FARE-PAYMENT SYSTEM?: Why do New York City subway and bus riders have to soon give up their MetroCards and switch to MTA’s incoming OMNY “contactless” fare payment system? Because MetroCards are 25 years old and run on OS2 — an operating system some programmers of today have never even seen.

~CITY AGENCY HELPS VULNERABLE VETERANS FIND STABLE HOUSING: As the general veteran population faces a high risk of homelessness, dishonorably discharged veterans struggle even more with finding housing stability. A new program in New York seeks to change that.

~NEW YORK’S ‘RED FLAG’ GUN BILL GOES INTO EFFECT: After years of efforts from gun control advocates, New York State’s “red flag” gun bill has gone into effect. The bill allows a new type of order of protection to be served on people thought to be dangerous to themselves or others.

MORE BROOKLYN NEWS

~ Preparations have begun for the 52nd annual West Indian American Day Parade (NY1)

~ The new Kosciuszko Bridge span is opening to traffic this Thursday. (New York Daily News)

~ New bike lanes are being planned after a cyclist’s death on Coney Island Avenue (amny)

~ SEE: The Brooklyn borough president released a video urging cops to seek help if they’re contemplating suicide (New York Daily News)

STAFF PICKS

~ READ: “How the plastic bottle went from miracle container to hated garbage” (National Geographic)

~ DRINK: Here’s some creative lemonade to drink around the city. And half of the glasses are in Brooklyn. (Grub Street)

~ CARTOON: Horses are forced to go on vitamins (The New Yorker)

~ TECHNOLOGY: “The fight against robocalls gets powerful new allies” (Wired)

WHAT’S HAPPENING

6:30PM – 8:30PM — Climate-Resilient Smart Cities: Panel Discussion at Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch. Details.

8:30PM – 11:00PM — Free Rooftop Movie Monday: Dirty Dancing! at Our Wicked Lady. Details.

9:00PM – 11:30PM — Comedy Monday at Freddy’s Bar. Details.

THE WRAP

⌛ ON THIS DAY

In 1939, the Eagle reported, “Sir Neville Henderson, British ambassador to Berlin, bearing the latest views of Adolf Hitler on the European crisis, arrived by airplane today to report to King George and the government.”

📔 IMPRINT

Musician Iggy Azalea is ready for a comeback on the cover of Cosmopolitan.

👑 ROYAL WATCH

“Then and now: What 8 royals looked like in their 20s” (Insider)

🏀SPORTS

“The Brooklyn Nets could be the best three-point shooting team in the NBA next season” (Fansided)

BIRTHDAYS

Happy birthday to Chris Pine, Christopher Burke, Melissa McCarthy, Mike Colter, James Harden, Branford Marsalis, Macaulay Culkin and John Mulaney!