Brooklyn Today January 4: Cuomo Cancels the L-Train Shutdown

The Lede

Happy Friday! Gov. Cuomo cancels the L-train shutdown, the city puts an ad barge company on notice, and the angry breakfast sandwich customer gets arrested. Plus, Nathan’s is closing in Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights, the public advocate race heats up, and Coney Island may soon see a real estate boom. Finally, we look back at Andrew Carnegie’s influence on Brooklyn libraries, the “Bird Box Challenge” leaves a resident injured, and we recommend the city’s best restaurants for vegetarians.

Imprint

Mahershala Ali holds Amy Adams on the most recent cover of W Magazine.

The Rundown

CUOMO CANCELS THE L-TRAIN SHUTDOWN

Gov. Andrew Cuomo surprised commuters during a press conference Thursday by announcing that the long-planned 15-month shutdown of the L-train will not happen as originally planned. Construction had been scheduled to begin April 27 to repair the damage sustained by the Canarsie Tunnel in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy. Instead, new tunnel construction technology — proposed by Columbia and Cornell Universities’ engineering departments — will be used, eliminating the need for a full closure, something Cuomo called “a major breakthrough.”(via Brooklyn Eagle)

CITY TO AD BARGE COMPANY: FLOAT OFF, YOU’RE BREAKING THE LAW

It’s not all smooth sailing for Ballyhoo Media, the company responsible for operating New York City’s new 60-foot-wide advertising barge. On Tuesday,Zachary Carter, corporation counsel for the New York City Law Department, sent a letter to Adam Shapiro, CEO of the Miami-based business, alerting him that he was breaking the law. The vessel, which many residents have labeled an “eyesore,” has been seen traveling down the Brooklyn waterfront on the East River from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge, as well as along the Hudson River.(via Brooklyn Eagle)

FURIOUS BUSHWICK BREAKFAST SANDWICH CUSTOMER NABBED

A 24-year-old Bushwick man was arrested on Thursday for assaulting a deli worker with loaves of bread and a bell while waiting for an unconventional New York City breakfast sandwich. Edilberto Burgos faces up to 7 years in prison for going ham on a worker at the Hi Mango Natural Market on Nov. 25 when his bacon, egg and cheese on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel wasn’t ready. The loaves of bread and the metal bell — normally used to get an employee’s attention with a ring, not a toss — hit the worker on the head and torso, causing bruising and swelling. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

STORIED NATHAN’S TO CLOSE THIS WEEKEND, MARKING END OF ERA IN BAY RIDGE, DYKER HEIGHTS

Franks for the memories. After more than four decades on 86th Street, the storied Nathan’s Famous franchise on the Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights border will serve its last meals on Sunday. The nearly 20,000-square-foot property has been home to Nathan’s since the late ’70s. The property also includes an Arthur Treacher’s, which specializes in fast food fish and chips and will close this weekend also. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

PUBLIC ADVOCATE RACE HEATS UP

Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed this week that he has set Feb. 26 as the date for the special election for New York City public advocate in the hope that the city can boost voter turnout. “We chose this date to maximize voter participation,” de Blasio said. “This was the latest date available under the legal limit that also would fall on a Tuesday that was not a vacation day [and] was a regular work day.” Under the City Charter, the public advocate’s role is to serve as a watchdog over city government and an ombudsman on behalf of city residents. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

CONEY ISLAND MAY SOON SEE A REAL ESTATE BOOM

Coney Island, neglected for decades, may be experiencing a real estate boom in the near future. Management consultant John Boyd said that demand for development will come from millennials, “nostalgic baby boomers” who enjoyed the area during the 1950s and ’60s and Russian investors. In 2005 after a rezoning proposal was approved, Coney Island appeared headed in the same direction as Williamsburg and DUMBO. However, after the 2008 financial crisis, the neighborhood was hit hard by job losses. (CNBC via Brooklyn Eagle)

BROOKLYN’S CARNEGIE LIBRARIES: PART OF BROOKLYN’S LIVING HISTORY

When book readers visit any of Brooklyn Public Library’s Park Slope, Pacific or Carroll Gardens branches, they may not be aware that each of these branches, as well as the now-demolished original Red Hook branch, are the architectural legacy of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie’s endowment in the early years of the 20th century. Carnegie, who also built public baths and playgrounds, believed that free public libraries were essential for a functioning society. In 1902, he donated $1.6 million to Brooklyn to build 20 libraries. (Bklyner via Brooklyn Eagle)

‘BIRD BOX CHALLENGE’ LEADS TO POSSIBLE INJURY IN BROOKLYN

In the week since the release of “Bird Box,” a film in which two children navigate a forest blindfolded to avoid supernatural entities who cause people to die by looking at them, fans have taken the #BirdBoxChallenge, which involves walking around blindfolded. However, when a group of people from Bed-Stuy took the challenge, one of them had an accident. In a video posted on Twitter, the group shuffles along the sidewalk until one man runs around the corner. When the cameraman catches up with him, the man is seen lying on the ground at the bottom of a subway stairway. (NBC New York via Brooklyn Eagle)

Staff Picks

LONG READ

“The Real Roots of American Rage: The untold story of how anger became the dominant emotion in our politics and personal lives—and what we can do about it.” (via The Atlantic)

POLITICS

Joe Biden has the resources, experience and network to run for president in 2020. Now he just has to commit to the race. (via NYT)

EAT

Here are the 18 best restaurants for vegetarians in New York City, including seven spots in Brooklyn. (via Eater)

CARTOON

Newly elected politicians get acclimated to life in Congress. (via The New Yorker)

NATIONAL BULLETIN

A former employee at Trump’s New Jersey golf course was an undocumented immigrant…The U.S. national debt reaches an all-time high under Trump…And women’s magazines are disappearing(via NYT, CNN and WaPo)

FOREIGN FLASH

tropical cyclone is expected to hit Thailand today…Disney made $41.7 billion globally in 2018…And Cathay Pacificmistakenly sells $16,000 flights for $675. (via Evening Standard, Variety and The Guardian) 

ROYAL WATCH

Here’s the hardest working member of the royal family for 2018. Hint: It’s not the Queen or Meghan Markle(via Now To Love)

EAGLE SPORTS

For a few fleeting moments Wednesday night, the Brooklyn Nets clung to an Eastern Conference playoff spot, marking the first time since the 2014-15 campaign that they were in such a position this late in a season. But then the Detroit Pistons hung on for a win in Memphis, reclaiming possession of the final postseason spot in the East. None of that really matters when you are only 39 games into the 82-game grind of a season, but head coach Kenny Atkinson believes his Nets are poised to do “something important” in 2019 — namely, making a serious bid for the playoffs. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

MILESTONES

Happy birthday to Kris Bryant, Dyan Cannon, Harlan Coben, Dave Foley,Doris Kearns Goodwin, Coco Jones, Toni KroosAnn Magnuson, Julia Ormond, Barbara Rush, Don Shula and Michael Stipe!