42: De Blasio Drops Out and Christmas in September

A Great Big City — New York City News, History, and Events

• Those new state license plates may have hit a bump in the road. As we predicted when online voting opened began to choose the new plate, the actual replacement of the plates became a contentious issue, just like when the gold 'Empire' plates were rolled out in 2010. The uproar surrounded the mandatory $25 fee and the additional fees if you wanted to keep your current plate number. Vehicle owners were taken aback and now Governor Cuomo and the DMV have released statements indicating the new plates will likely follow the same path as the gold 'Empire' plates, which were changed from a mandatory replacement to a rolling schedule where only new plates were issued with the new design. The core issue in choosing a new design is to replace damaged plates that may not be readable by traffic cameras and the upcoming congestion pricing camera system, but owners with old plates that appear undamaged did not want to pay a minimum of $25 and also change their license plate number. Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark Schroeder stated that "If a plate is damaged or the reflective coating is degraded the camera will not work and the person will not be charged the toll. The revenue loss will be borne by other drivers which is unfair. The national standard by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators is that 10 years is a license plate's useful life. It is possible that a plate may still be in good condition after 10 years but that determination would need to be made on a plate by plate basis after inspection. If the legislature can agree to a cost effective and practical plate inspection mechanism to determine what plates are still in good operating condition after the 10 year life and thus do not need to be replaced we would welcome the opportunity to be cooperative. The 10 year life replacement program does not go into effect until next April so we have time to work with the legislature to explore alternatives. We support reducing costs wherever possible."

• Bill de Blasio finally ended his run for President Friday morning on MSNBC. In an 18 minute interview, de Blasio reflected on his campaign, claiming that he actually entered the race too late, and gave various talking points on national politics and policies, including a vague endorsement on a plan similar to candidate Andrew Yang's tax on automation as it replaces manufacturing jobs, but de Blasio also played the opposite side of the issue, saying that American workers "want jobs, not Universal Basic Income". This looks to be the final President de Blasio News update, and New Yorkers may or may not be cheering the Mayor's return to the city to serve out his last two years. In the latest polling, Joe Biden remains the top pick, with Elizabeth Warren gaining in recent polls and turning out an estimated 20,000 supporters at a rally in Washington Square Park this week.

• 3 years ago on September 17, 2016 — A pressure-cooker bomb explodes on 23rd Street in Chelsea and an unexploded device is found on 27th Street

• 182 years ago on September 18, 1837 — Tiffany, Young and Ellis is founded in New York, selling stationary and fancy goods. By 1853, the store would shift its focus to jewelry and become Tiffany and Company

• 22 years ago on September 19, 1997 — A woman drives her 1992 Hyundai off the Staten Island ferry while it is still 50 feet from the dock, knocking down a worker and plunging into the water

• 61 years ago on September 20, 1958 — Martin Luther King, Jr. narrowly escapes death in Harlem

• 5 years ago on September 21, 2014 — The third section of the High Line opens from 30th Street through Hudson Yards

• 4 years ago on September 21, 2015 — A Bronx Legionnaires' disease outbreak kills 10 and sickens over 100

• The air is getting cooler and it's beginning to look at lot like Fall, but 122 years ago this week, one little girl had her mind on the Christmas season! 122 years ago on September 21, 1897 — 'Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus' is first published 🎅

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Park of the day

• Devoe Park — The history of Devoe Park in University Heights begins with the construction of the First Reformed Dutch Church in 1705 on the site. Although the church building was destroyed in the Revolutionary War, a new church was built near Kingsbridge Road in 1802. The Devoes were a wealthy Bronx family and congregants at the First Reformed Dutch Church

Parks Events

• 37th Annual Queens County Fair — Date: September 22, 2019 Get a little bit country at the Queens County Fair! The first county fair was held in Queens in 1693. Step back in time and enjoy pie eating and corn husking contests, tractor pulls, hayrides, carnival rides, and midway games.* Visit our Bavarian beer garden featuring...

Concert Calendar

Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week:

• Lizzo with Ari Lennox is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Sunday, September 22nd at 8pm.
• Lizzo with Ari Lennox is playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Tuesday, September 24th at 8pm.
• Bastille with Joywave is playing The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Tuesday, September 24th at 8pm.
• Mark Knopfler with Bonnie Raitt is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, September 25th at 7pm.
• Steve Hackett is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Wednesday, September 25th at 8pm.
• Brian Wilson with The Zombies is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Thursday, September 26th at 8pm.
• Heart with Joan Jett is playing Prudential Center on Friday, September 27th at 7pm.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Friday, September 27th at 7pm.
• Billy Joel is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Friday, September 27th at 8pm.
• Massive Attack (Rescheduled from March 16, 2019) are playing Radio City Music Hall in Midtown on Friday, September 27th at 8pm.
• Silvestre Dangond with Jessi Uribe is playing United Palace Theatre in Hudson Heights on Friday, September 27th at 8pm.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Saturday, September 28th at 7pm.
• Vulfpeck is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, September 28th at 8pm.

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

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Did you know?

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The northern part of Manhattan island was originally settled in 1658 and named Nieuw Haarlem, separate from Nieuw Amsterdam at the southern tip of the island. Even as New York City unified over the years, Harlem has kept its name.

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 97°F on September 23, 1895
Record Low: 40°F on September 21, 1871

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain on Monday and next Saturday, with high temperatures peaking at 88°F on Monday.

Outro

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Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com