Nursing homes and hospitals in New York can once again be held liable in lawsuits and criminal prosecutions for care provided to patients not being treated for COVID-19 under a law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo Monday. Nursing homes, hospitals and other health care facilities were granted a broad legal shield to fend off lawsuits and criminal prosecutions over care provided to all patients during the pandemic in an April state budget provision that Cuomo and lawmakers approved and well-heeled hospital lobbyists said they drafted. Nursing homes and hospitals will no longer have immunity for care not related to COVID-19 provided from now until the state’s COVID-19 emergency declaration ends.

Tropical Storm Isaias is packing dangerous winds and heavy rain as it rapidly heads toward the Tri-State after making landfall as a hurricane near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. On the forecast track, the center of Isaias will to move near or along the coast of New Jersey by this afternoon. The primary threat from Isaias will be the torrential rainfall, but we also expect wind gusts up to 50 mph and possible tornadoes. Tornado watches have been issued for all of New York City, as well as Long Island, Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam counties until 4 p.m. Tuesday. The watch also applies to a number of New Jersey counties and Connecticut’s Fairfield County. The greatest risk of tornadoes is midday from southeast Virginia to New Jersey, forecasters say. TIMING 1.

A Manhattan prosecutor trying to get President Donald Trump’s tax returns told a judge Monday that he was justified in demanding them, citing public reports of “extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.” Trump’s lawyers last month said the grand jury subpoena for the tax returns was issued in bad faith and amounted to harassment of the president. Manhattan District Attorney District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. seeks eight years of the Republican president’s personal and corporate tax records, but has disclosed little about what prompted him to request the records, other than part of the investigation relates to payoffs to women to keep them quiet about alleged affairs with Trump.

A New York City party cruise with more than 170 people on board was met by police when it returned to shore over the weekend, leading to the arrest of the captain and two owners. The Saturday evening boat cruise violated social distancing orders, the New York Sheriff’s Department said in a tweet, and was serving alcohol on board without a liquor license. The four-story boat, the Liberty Belle, returned to Pier 36 in lower Manhattan at around 11:30 p.m. where officers arrested the captain, Joseph Spadaro, and two owners who organized the party, Ronny Vargas and Alex Sauzo, the New York Daily News reported. Party-goers posted videos and photos of themselves drinking and dancing without masks or social distancing at the 1920s-themed party, the newspaper reported. Gov.

Democratic and Republican state lawmakers grilled New York’s top health official Monday about the steep, though ultimately unknown death toll at the state’s nursing homes amid the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the Democratic-led Legislature are holding hearings geared at understanding why and how the pandemic took root in New York nursing homes. Lawmakers, who plan to hold another hearing next Monday, said they want to pass better policies to protect nursing home residents and staffers if infections surge again. The state Department of Health reports nearly 6,600 residents died at New York’s nursing homes and adult-facilities, including 6,400 nursing home residents.

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy tightened restrictions on indoor gatherings Monday after raising the alarm over signs of growing spread of the coronavirus in the state. The limit for indoor gatherings had increased to 25% of a building’s capacity or a maximum of 100 people in June. That was up from the previous maximum of 50 people. But Murphy scaled back indoor limits to 25 people Monday, with exceptions for weddings, funerals and religious and political events. Too many indoor house parties have led to trends creeping in the wrong direction, Murphy said during a news conference. “The actions of a few knuckleheads leave us no choice,” he said.

The number of shootings in New York City continues to skyrocket. According to CBS, the total so far this year has surpassed the number of shootings in all of last year, and there is still five months to go! The NYPD says there were 16 shootings that left 20 people shot on Sunday. In 2019 there were no shootings reported at all. YWN WHATSAPP STATUS UPDATES: CLICK HERE to join the YWN WhatsApp Status. Last year, there were 776 total shootings with 922 victims. Over the weekend, the 2020 total surpassed that, with at least 942 victims, including innocent children like 17-year-old Bronx basketball star Brandon Hendricks, who was killed by a stray bullet in June, and 1-year-old Davell Gardner, who was shot dead in his stroller last month.

A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for New York City and Long Island, as well as parts of the Hudson Valley, New Jersey and Connecticut ahead of Isaias, which is expected to hit the Tri-State late Monday and Tuesday. The rain breaks out Monday night, with periods of heavy downpours, including potential flooding on Tuesday, according to AccuWeather. The storm could bring 2 to 4 inches of rain and wind gusts of up to 50 mph, especially along the coasts. Flood protection barriers have been set up for the first time at South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan. The sandbags and water-filled tubes span nearly a mile. (AP)

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he opposes raising taxes on the wealthy to help the state weather the coronavirus economic crisis, but it is clear that federal aid alone won’t solve the state’s fiscal woes. COVID-19 shutdowns have decimated consumer spending and tourism in New York and observers warn of a slow recovery. Cuomo’s administration is projecting a $13 billion drop in tax revenues through next April and a potential $61 billion hole over the next four years. Democrats in the state Assembly and liberal groups including VOCAL-NY have proposed tax hikes on the ultra-rich as a way of dealing with the crisis. U.S. Rep.

President Trump will be visiting Deal, NJ, next week, where he will be attending a private high-end fundraiser. Sources tell YWN that the event will be held at the home of the late Stanley Chera Z”L, a close friend of Trump, and one of the most prominent members of the Sephardic Syrian communities in Brooklyn and Deal NJ. Mr. Chera passed away in April from COVID-19. The President would frequently mention Mr Chera in his speeches. The prices to attend the fundraiser are quite costly. According to an internal invitation sent to likely donors, to meet the President at a round-table is a whopping $250,000. Cheaper options which include photo opportunities and a reception are $35,000, and a smaller option is $5,600.