As the summer is fast approaching, New York State Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein says it is time to have an honest and candid discussion about opening sleepaway summer camps. In the larger context of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopening the state will be a slow and deliberate process, with the health and safety of all New Yorkers the primary consideration. With the proper guidelines and protocols, Assemblyman Eichenstein says that sleepaway camp can potentially be a safe option for our children this summer. Assemblyman Eichenstein points out that sleepaway camps are unique in that they potentially are able to create a locked down and highly controlled environment.

Embattled Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot issued an apology to members of the NYPD after she reportedly blew off a request from NYPD top brass for 500,000 surgical masks, saying she didn’t “give two rats’ [EXPLETIVE REMOVED] about your cops.” “The members of the NYPD fight valiantly every day to keep New Yorkers safe. In mid-March, I was asked to provide the NYPD with a half million N-95 masks, while masks and other PPE were in terribly short supply. I wished we had sufficient numbers to meet their full request and were ultimately able to partially fulfill what was sought. “This regrettably led to an argument in which words were exchanged between a police official and myself.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that he believes New York City will likely meet the state’s seven metrics to begin easing restrictions for the first phase of reopening sometime in the first half of June. “The first half of June is the first opportunity to relax anything,” the mayor said during his daily briefing. According to the state, as of Monday, New York City has only met three of the seven criteria required to start easing restrictions. “We clearly are making progress, there’s several we’ve met and on the others there’s been clear progress in the number of available hospital beds and number of ICU beds, those are two areas where we need to go farther, but we’re getting close to those goals, and I think there’s a point in the first half of June when we’ll meet those.

NY Governor Cuomo says that Shuls can possibly be open for Shavuos, but lots of rules will likely be put into place. Cumno made the announcement at Sunday’s press conference when asked if Jews will allowed to be in Shul on Yom Tov. Cuomo responded that gatherings of 15 people with social distancing and “safeguards” will likely be permitted. “We will have guidance on Monday or by Tuesday”, Cuomo added. These rules will be put in place for all Memorial Day gatherings as well. STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New York state beaches will open for Memorial Day weekend, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday. New York State Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein responded with a tweet at the Governor demanding camps and bungalows be allowed to open as well. “.@NYGovCuomo opened beaches for Memorial Day. What about giving children a safe and enjoyable summer in camps & bungalows?”, the assemblyman wrote. AJCO has sent a letter to the Governor laying out strict guidelines that they would be willing to implement for camps to open for the summer. STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group.

New York City’s alternate side parking rules will resume Monday for the first time in two months. Alternate side parking was suspended on March 18 as city and state officials began to enforce strict rules under the New York PAUSE plan to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, city motorists won’t have to put up with the much maligned regulations for very long. Alternate side parking rules will resume Monday for citywide street sweeping and continue through Wednesday. They will be suspended on Thursday for the Solemnity of the Ascension holiday and then resume again for Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s parking rules will be suspended for the Idul-Fitr (Eid Al-Fitr) holiday. Beginning May 25, the regulations will be suspended again for two weeks, through June 7.

[NOTE: According to the Rambam, the highest form of Tzedakah is to give someone Parnasah. YWN implores our vast readership to please read this and try and help these THOUSANDS of small-business owners before it’s too late. Many small-businesses in the NY area have already decided to close for good as they will never recover from their financial losses over the past few months!] A group of New York-based Jewish small business owners have banded together in opposition of Cuomo’s continued lockdowns. Big box stores are overcrowded and overwhelmed, and these small business believe that being allowed to reopen would alleviate that burden and provide a safer environment for shopping. Several recent viral videos highlight the claims of these owners.

A tourist from New York was arrested for allegedly violating Hawaii’s traveler quarantine after he posted on Instagram photos of himself sunbathing and carrying a surfboard, state officials said. Hawaii authorities have been cracking down on travelers who defy a mandatory 14-day quarantine for people arriving in the islands, a rule put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. As of Friday, Hawaii reported one new case of COVI-19, bringing the statewide total 638 cases and 17 deaths. Some tourists have been arrested for defying the quarantine. Tarique Peters, 23, of the Bronx, arrived in Honolulu on Monday, said a news release from the Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center.

President Donald Trump tweeted his support Saturday for a group of Long Island protesters who ridiculed a TV reporter at an anti-lockdown rally this week. “People can’t get enough of this. Great people!” Trump wrote as he retweeted video by News 12 Long Island reporter Kevin Vesey.” Vesey captioned his video: “The level of anger directed at the media from these protestors was alarming. As always, I will tell a fair and unbiased story today.” In the video, protesters demanding the reopening of New York’s economy can be seen confronting Vesey as he walks down a sidewalk in Commack on Thursday. STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group. People can’t get enough of this. Great people!

The New York Police Department, criticized over instances of harsh social distancing enforcement, will step back from ticketing people for gathering in small clusters or for failing to wear a mask, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday. The police will continue to disperse large gatherings that are most likely to present a risk of spreading the coronavirus, de Blasio said. “But we’re not going to have the NYPD focus on, you know, two people together or three people together,” he said. “We’re going to focus on when it starts to be more than a handful of people.