First, it was the constant wail of ambulance sirens carrying coronavirus victims to the hospital. Then, New Yorkers learned to live with the sounds of police helicopters hovering over street demonstrations. Now, people in the city that never sleeps have a new audio accompaniment to their surreal spring: Booming, amateur fireworks displays that start at sundown and continue deep into the night. Illicit bursts of fireworks from street corners and rooftops aren’t uncommon in the city’s neighborhoods in the days before the Fourth of July, but the past few weeks has seen an extraordinary surge in such displays. There have already been more than 1,300 fireworks-related complaints to the city’s noise complaint hotline through the first half of the month, including 455 on Sunday.

New York hospitals can now allow visitors at their discretion, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday. Hospitals must follow state guidelines, which include time-limits on visits and requiring visitors to wear protective gear, Cuomo said. Visitors also will be subject to symptom and temperature checks. “Obviously we need to be careful,” the governor said. Cuomo pointed to signs that the coronavirus is no longer spreading at an overwhelming pace in New York, which saw a peak of over 700 deaths a day in mid-April of people who tested positive for COVID-19. Cuomo said 25 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 died Monday in hospitals and nursing homes.

As chants of “defund the police” thunder at protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death, New York City’s police commissioner has found himself trying to avoid deep cuts to what has long been among the world’s best-funded law enforcement agencies. Over the last three months, the coronavirus crisis has dealt an estimated $9.5 billion blow to New York City’s budget, leading some elected officials to peer closely at police department funding. That scrutiny only intensified as pandemic lockdowns gave way to protests spurred by Floyd’s May 25 death in Minneapolis, with demonstrations in New York marred by looting and violent clashes between officers and demonstrators.

A new policy will require New York City police to release all body camera footage of shootings and other instances when force is used and injury or death occurs, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday in what he billed as an additional step toward police reform. The announcement regarding body cameras overturns a policy that gave the New York Police Department wide discretion on when it made the videos public. It came a day after the nation’s largest police department disbanded a plainclothes anti-crime unit long criticized for its aggressive tactics. “Body-worn cameras are only as powerful as the transparency that comes with them,” de Blasio said. “This is a good thing for everyone involved.

“Nolad ben Zachar Nisrapeh Kol Hamishpachah”. Those are the only words that come to mind after hearing the bittersweet news that Reb Shlomo Birnhak Z”L, who was tragically killed in a car crash last night, had a son early this morning. Bichasdei Hashem, the baby is healthy, while Mrs Birnhak is is still being treated for serious injuries. Also R”L killed in the crash was his father-in-law, Reb Aryeh Shmuel Deutsch Z”L, also a Skverer Chosid, and on Tuesday afternoon – his sister in law Tziporah Deutsch A”H, 20-years-old. Both Levayos were held on Monday night in New Square, and were attended by hundreds upon hundreds of people. The Skverer Rebbe attended both Levayos as well. One was held at 8:30PM, and the second one was held at 2:30AM – both at the main Skverer Bais Medrash.

As promised by the Jewish Community elected officials, two more community parks were opened in defiance of NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio. NYS Senator Simcha Felder on Monday night tweeted: “We’ve asked nicely and waited patiently. We’ve made every logical argument. The people have spoken and they’re running out of patience. If @nycmayor won’t open ALL our playgrounds @SEichenstein @KalmanYeger and I will cut the locks open ourselves. Sure enough, the trio arrived at the park on Avenue L and East 18 on Tuesday morning and were joined by Heshy “ParkBuster” Tischler. A man with a saw took to the lock, and 3 minutes later, the park was opened and filling with mothers and children happily using the playground. The group then went to a park in Boro Park and did the same.

A homeless man charged with setting fire to an unmarked New York City police car was released from federal custody Monday after his defense attorney said authorities arrested the wrong man. “I think they jumped the gun on the arrest,” federal public defender Kannan Sundaram told The Associated Press. “They arrested the wrong person.” Prosecutors did not explain the alleged mix-up in dismissing the federal charge against Michael Rodriguez but said the case remained under investigation. Rodriguez faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn declined to comment. Prosecutors dismissed the charge “without prejudice,” meaning they may re-file the case if new evidence emerges.

Boro Park community personality Heshy “ParkBuster” Tischler has struck again – for the second time today. But this time, it has gone viral and gained national eyeballs. Tischler’s morning began with a showdown with the NYC Parks Department officers who were placed in Boro Park to make sure that the 18th Avenue Park would remain closed. After having some words with the officers, they left – and the park remained open for the hundreds of children to use. Tischler promised that the parks in Williamsburg would be opened later in the day, and true to his word, he arrived with some folks armed with a bolt-cutter and on camera, cut the locks at the Middleton Playground (Lynch Park) – to the sounds of cheering children.

Three NYPD Officers may have been poisoned tonight after purchasing beverages at the Shake Shack on Broadway in Manhattan. A major investigation is underway. The NYPD PBA sent out the attached statement. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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The NYPD is eliminating its anti-crime (plainclothes) unit, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea announced Monday. The 600 officers that are part of the unit will be transitioned to other departments, including the detective bureau. “Thankfully, here in New York City, angry demonstrations have turned peaceful. Thoughtful discussions about reform have emerged,” Shea said at a Monday afternoon news conference.” DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH FOR UPDATES
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