newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Experts weigh in on how to save New York City post-coronavirus

It been more than four months since Uncle Sam doled ...

New York City is in crisis. Nearly a third of the city is unemployed, according to a New School analysis, businesses are shuttering, residents are fleeing.
Things won’t magically “go back to normal,” at least not without help. Government cannot casually wait for a COVID-19 vaccine while the quality of life plummets. Mayor de Blasio and the City Council must act now, to revitalize Gotham and lay the groundwork for a full recovery.
The Post asked experts what politicians can — must — do to save the city.
REDUCE THE SIZE OF CITY GOVERNMENT
E.J. McMahon, senior fellow, Empire Center for Public Policy
With massive budget deficits looming, Mayor de Blasio’s post-pandemic plan boils down to hoping for a stopgap federal bailout and asking Albany for permission to issue billions in deficit bonds.
This won’t solve the problem. New York needed a much leaner, more efficient public sector even before the novel coronavirus blew a hole in its tax base.
De Blasio has added more than 33,000 employees to the city payroll since 2013, the Citizens Budget Commission notes. Cutting even half those positions — bringing city employment back to its 2008 peak under Michael Bloomberg — would save well over $1 billion a year in salary and benefits. Seeking better deals on health insurance and requiring city workers to contribute at least minimally to health insurance and Medicare premiums (like virtually everyone paying their salaries) could save roughly $800 million a year, the Independent Budget Office has estimated.
But municipal unions don’t have a track record of simply volunteering givebacks, even to save jobs. History suggests they will fight tooth and nail to protect everything they have, even in a fiscal crisis.
To win real concessions, the mayor needs leverage — and he can get it from the state Financial Control Board (FCB), created in the mid-1970s to deal with the city fiscal crisis and still in existence as a background watchdog.
The city should adopt a more (justifiably) pessimistic revenue forecast and declare to the FCB that its budget gaps can’t be fully closed without deficit bond financing. The board then will have grounds for asking the Legislature to reinstate a control period and authorize an across-the-board wage freeze.
As the late former Mayor Ed Koch recognized, the FCB can be a mayor’s best friend, by ordering bigger budget cuts than politicians have the nerve to suggest in public.
That might — just might — lead to serious labor bargaining over more palatable alternatives.
This scenario would require a strong partnership between the mayor and the FCB’s chairman, Gov. Cuomo — who until recently showed little interest in the control board. Recently, however, he appointed three close and trusted advisers to the panel. The mayor shouldn’t see this as threat but an opportunity.
SAFE TIMES SQUARE — AND EVERYWHERE
Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance
The city must make its public spaces feel safe for everyone — from the residents walking down the street to the tourist hopping on the subway for the first time.
Absent this, the city dies, period.
This will require radical reformations of both policing and public-space management.
Get cops out of cars, quit paramilitary models of management and lengthen neighborhood rotations so that the overwhelming majority of cops who honorably serve the city can build relationships and trust with the residents who overwhelmingly want order and safety.
Create a new Office of Public Space Management — modeled in part on unarmed parks enforcement patrols and interagency special enforcement teams pioneered in Times Square decades ago — to finally take on the incredible complexity of holistically managing streets, sidewalks and plazas in a data-driven, nuanced, thoughtful and compassionate way.
LAUNCH A LOCAL WPA PUBLIC-WORKS PROGRAM
Randy M. Mastro, former deputy mayor of New York City, Chair of Citizens Union, and a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
We are in a period as challenging as the mid-1930s, and, as such, we need to look to FDR’s New Deal for inspiration.
Central to the New Deal’s success was the Works Progress Administration. Through the WPA, the federal government invested billions of dollars to employ millions of job seekers to carry out public-works projects, including the construction of public buildings, bridges and roads.
We should launch our own version of a modern-day WPA here in New York, committing billions of dollars to expand our city and state’s capital budgets (funded through long-term debt and municipal bonds) to do a major public-infrastructure program, the likes of which we have not seen in New York since the days of Mayor LaGuardia.
There are public buildings to be built, bridges to be reconstructed, roads to be rehabilitated and public-transportation platforms to be upgraded.
There are public-project proposals, like the new Penn Station, that have languished for too many years.
Such a public-works program would serve multiple worthy objectives: getting people back to work in this period of unprecedented unemployment, improving and rehabilitating our long-neglected infrastructure, contributing to our local economy in the near term and doing something very positive for the long-term future of our city and state.
ENCOURAGE MORE HOUSING
Jay Martin is the executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP)
There are a lot of vacant apartments in New York City because of COVID-19, so it may seem odd to some that we are suggesting the building of more housing. But there has never been a better opportunity to increase the number of affordable homes in the city than now.
Before COVID-19 we had a housing affordability crisis because of 50-plus years of government regulation that made it unprofitable to build affordable apartments.
Over time, the situation got worse as property taxes rose dramatically, leading to even higher rents.
Now is the time to flip the switch.
We need to ease some of the oppressive regulations on developing new apartment buildings and fixing up vacant rent-stabilized units.
Provide property-tax relief for buildings that can be passed on to renters.
Encourage development near transit hubs — such as outlined in the YIMBY Act, a bipartisan bill now before Congress and that CHIP supports.
If we don’t build more housing, the existing stock will become continuously obsolete. Luxury apartments will continue to sit empty. Low-income renters will continue to fight to live in overcrowded settings.
The city’s property-tax base, which is the major funder of the social safety net, will decline. And the overall economy will continue to stagnate.
But, if we commit to building more housing, billions of dollars in private equity will flow into the city. Thousands of people will have jobs, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And for decades to come, working- class people will be able to afford to live in New York City, paving the way to a brighter future.
BRING BACK PRO-ACTIVE POLICING
Bill Bratton, former NYPD Commissioner
The first obligation of government is public safety — a focus on crime and disorder. We have basically given up on disorder completely in terms of enforcing social norms of behavior, providing fertile ground for the surge in violent crime that we are witnessing.
In NYC, we are experiencing an “Etch-a-Sketch Moment” where many are attempting to erase nearly three decades of the success, progress and reform of the NYPD.
First, we need to hear the protesters, but we also must decide what kind of policing our society is demanding. Would New Yorkers tolerate this level of violence just for a more passive version of policing? Doubtful, particularly in communities of color where recent shooting victims were 97 percent black and Hispanic.
Second, the NYPD’s overtime budget must be restored. You cannot reduce the number of cops by 1,000 and also cut overtime during a major crime wave.
Third, the courts need to clear the backlog of cases due to closures. Only half of the 2,000 people arrested for shootings have been indicted, resulting in hundreds of alleged shooters still on the street.
Fourth, New York’s political leaders rushed to pass too many reforms too quickly where prosecutorial and judicial leniency outweighs concern for victims of crime.
With a few reasonable adjustments, these laws could foster reform without putting police at risk of becoming a “perpetrator” every time a suspect resists arrest.
Fifth, police need to be supported by those they proudly serve and those we elect. Cops need to be reminded of what New Yorkers already believe — that we have trust and confidence in them because they earned it.
The NYPD can move this city forward. They have done it before, but they cannot do it alone. As I often say, we collaborate or perish. If we do not come together, the latter shall be our fate.
LAUNCH A MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR NYC
Mitchell Moss, Henry Hart Rice Professor of Urban Policy & Planning, Director of Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management, New York University
New York City is collapsing. We cannot count on the federal government to save the city — no matter what the mayor dreams. New York City has always been more connected to the globe than to the rest of the nation. In 1609, the Dutch created a trading post in Manhattan to get beaver pelts, used to make felt hats, then popular in Amsterdam. Today, more than 36 percent of the city’s residents are foreign born; more than half of the city’s small businesses are owned by people born in other nations.
Foreign tourists are especially important to our economy since they spend four times more than domestic tourists — even though they account for just 20 percent of all visitors to NYC. The decline in international air travel to the local airports is destroying our city. International flights to New York airports are down by more than 90 percent and the major airlines do not expect international air travel to NYC to recover for at least three years.
The city’s higher-education industry depends on students born in other nations. Currently, more than 40 percent of CUNY students are immigrants. At NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, almost half of the total student body is foreign born.
First, we should tell the world that NYC is no longer the epicenter of the coronavirus. In fact, Florida, California and Texas are now the states to avoid. The world needs to know that it’s OK to spend time in New York City: to shop, study, eat, or take the subway.
*Colleges and universities should launch a campaign to promote NYC as the “global college town.” No other city can match New York for the more than 200 colleges, professional schools and universities spread across all five boroughs.
Our congressional delegation should press for legislation to expedite green cards for immigrants and refugees from nations threatening human rights such as Hong Kong, Myanmar, Xinjiang and Russia.
Foreign visitors who spend more than $1,000 in five days should get a sales-tax exemption for all purchases above that amount.
NYC should sponsor an “Eat NY Marathon” to attract top chefs who could compete in a Times Square Cook-a-Thon for $250,000 in prize money.
Hotels should offer foreign visitors a “global NY” deal: Four days for $500 through July, 2021.
DON’T BORROW
Richard Ravitch, former Lieutenant Governor of New York
Borrowing money to fix New York’s fiscal crisis adds interest cost to an already unbalanced budget and would mature just when the city is recovering and will need the dollars to rebuild its economy.
The only realistic option is federal grants. The House of Representatives has passed a bill with money to cover revenue shortfalls that cities and states are going through.
Republicans are not yet ready to match the House bill; what New York needs to recover is for the business leaders who have supported President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to organize a major lobbying effort. The city can’t afford to wait till after the election.
EXPAND SCHOOL CHOICE
Ian Rowe, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
To bring our metropolis back and create a better future for our children, New York should immediately lift the cap that restricts the ability to open new, innovative public charter schools.
Over the last few months, hundreds of thousands of students experienced major academic losses. Particularly for those who were already behind, the lack of effective remote learning only made things worse. The public-school system should allow new innovations in schooling to flourish.
For example: This spring, a small group of experienced district and charter leaders set out to design, offer and implement an innovative summer remote learning program in collaboration with local education partners across the country. A short eight weeks after launch, 12,000 primarily low-income students in 17 states, including NYC, are engaged in a high-quality five-week summer distance-learning experience.
Award-winning Mentor Teachers, chosen from around the country for their record of outstanding academic results, teach (1:1,000+ students), working alongside partner teachers (1:20+ students) in every locality to provide exceptionally engaging and effective lessons in English, math, science, yoga and dance.
This kind of innovation could be accelerated if the cap on public charter schools were to be lifted. Nearly 50,000 children are on charter wait lists, many of whom live in areas like the South Bronx and Brooklyn, communities hard hit by the pandemic. Give them a shot at a great education. Lift the cap.
GET ON TOP OF 311 COMPLAINTS
Nicole Gelinas, contributing editor to the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal
In 1978, New York City had 1,504 murders and an 8.9 percent unemployment rate. But the new mayor, Ed Koch, had something else on his mind: dog poop.
“Koch vows stern policy on dogs,” the Times reported. He wanted five separate city departments to go after dog owners for the maximum $100 fine, to “make examples” of scofflaws. In the next few years, Koch would prod the MTA to clean up graffiti.
Koch’s crackdown on New Yorkers who didn’t pick up after their pets was a sign that he knew that in keeping people committed to New York, the little things matter. More than a decade before, he had chaired something called the “Committee to Keep New York City Habitable,” focused on decent sidewalks.
Now, the little things are again driving New Yorkers nuts. Apartmentguide.com notes that noise complaints to 311 have skyrocketed. In May, complaints were up 92 percent, compared to the previous May; June, 79 percent. It’s not just fireworks: People are complaining about parties and loud traffic.
The most complaints came from The Bronx.
It’s good that people are complaining: It means that they haven’t lost faith in the city.
People don’t need one more reason to leave the city, or to give up on assuring quality of life for their families.
A quality-of-life task force should do follow-up interviews with 311 complainers, to see if their problems were resolved. It should also fan out to the hardest-hit neighborhoods during peak complaint hours to assess progress.
PROPERTY-TAX REFORM
Douglas Durst, real-estate investor and developer
Let’s fix the regressive and racist property tax system that taxes higher-value homes at lower rates than less valuable ones. Homeowners in Brownsville pay more than homeowners in Brooklyn Heights.
A fair, more equitable property tax would encourage more housing and likely increase revenue.
These problems will not take care of themselves. We require the boldness and risk-taking that has driven generations of immigrants to succeed and improve our City. The talent, innovation, and will to succeed are already here. What we need is leadership.
SET UP AN AUTHORITY
Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City
Government bears the responsibility for managing New York’s response to the COVID-19 health crisis and the resulting fiscal challenges facing the city and state. These tasks are daunting and leave little capacity for the public sector to handle the far-reaching economic consequences of the pandemic. To address the complex layers of loss that have plunged the city into Great Depression-era unemployment, we must draw upon nongovernmental sectors for resources and expertise.
Economic recovery requires a dedicated city-state authority responsible for unified direction-setting and coordination of multi-sector investment.
After 9/11, the federal government provided funding for planning and rebuilding through a new state authority, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Its original leadership, appointed by state and local government, was broadly representative of the private and nonprofit sectors and — because it controlled funding decisions — it had meaningful power. It also ensured public input and a transparent decision-making process, which proved essential to restoring confidence after a major disaster.
Today, New York City needs such a dedicated authority to effectively leverage private and federal resources over several years when state and local government will be broke. We need an entity that can bring consistency to recovery efforts and depoliticize the rebuilding process through divisive national and local elections.
CLEAN UP THE STREETS
Dan Biederman, president, 34th Street Partnership/Bryant Park Management Corp.
I’m usually a wild-eyed optimist about Midtown Manhattan’s fortunes, but not as easily this time.
The combination of COVID-19, brick-and-mortar retail’s decline, the effect of the first looting in Midtown in many decades, the effect of COVID restrictions on the thinly capitalized food and beverage places, the closing of Broadway and the museums, and the travel quarantine rules that keep tourists who would patronize those features out of New York, make a comeback harder to envision.
What has to happen:


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Islanders owner Jon Ledecky pumped about playoffs, new arena

The Islanders may have another chance to break out the ...

Ask Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky about the organization’s future and he’ll tell you the one word that comes to his mind: Bright.
“Bright because we have this wonderful new arena, which will evoke so many positive memories for generations to come of Islander fans. Bright because we have the best minds in hockey working for us in Barry Trotz and Lou Lamoriello. And bright in that the future has so many good young players who are going to be making their stride,” Ledecky told The Post during Game 3 of the Islanders-Capitals first-round series Sunday afternoon.
It’s easy to see the sparkle when there are so many aspects of a new Islanders era that are just now converging into the same timeline. Between the Swiss-based global wealth management firm UBS securing the naming rights to the team’s new Belmont Park arena last month, the signing of highly touted goaltending prospect Ilya Sorokin and the tear the current Islanders are on in the 2020 playoffs, the franchise’s outlook does dazzle.
And you can see the glimmer in Ledecky’s eyes when he yelps, ‘Come on boys!’ as the Islanders battled in their zone Sunday on the way to a 2-1 overtime win.
But for Ledecky, finding his team a worthy home was at the very top of the list.
Ledecky, who has been a majority owner of the Isles with his partner and former Harvard roommate Scott Malkin since 2016, spent the last handful of live games before the shutdown at Nassau Coliseum walking around and meeting fans. He’d take pictures, hand out some Islanders merchandise and schmooze, but what he really wanted was to immerse himself in the fan experience.
To his reputation of being a fans’ owner, Ledecky listened as hundreds of people pleaded with him to ensure that the new arena had the same intimacy of the Coliseum. And so Ledecky is putting the largest lower bowl of any NHL venue in the UBS Arena.
“You don’t get that feedback unless you’re there,” he said. “You can sit in the owners’ box and wave and stuff, but if you’re there with the fans, they’re going to tell you what they’re thinking.”
It’s with the fans in mind that Ledecky focused on how to appropriately capture the tradition and culture he hopes to instill in the new arena. To Ledecky, the culture of tradition and winning is what makes the Islanders who they are. It’s what he hopes to convey through the new arena’s architecture, atmosphere and amenities.
Through the “Preview Club,” a lavish fifth-floor space in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, Ledecky created a mockup of the arena’s aesthetics to give high-end sponsors, advertisers and potential suite buyers a taste of what the UBS Arena will be like.
“For us, I think the Preview Club was an ability to distinguish our vision, our hopes and our ambition for what we want this arena to be and represent,” said CEO of Oak View Group Tim Leiweke, a partner in the new arena. “And the great news is, the Islanders have more momentum in the last three weeks than they’ve had in the last 30 years.”
Ledecky can’t help but show his excitement for this momentum. You should see the stretch of the ear-to-ear grin when he says, ‘How about [J-G] Pageau, huh?’ after the Canadian center — who the organization shelled out three top draft picks for at the trade deadline before signing him to a six-year, $30 million contract — converts a stellar cross-ice pass.
Or the pride in his voice when Islanders captain Anders Lee battles in front of the Capitals net.
“Lee, just in his office,” he quipped.
Ledecky considers himself to be a steward of the franchise, leading it out of a difficult era with two homes. The Islanders have been bouncing between Barclays Center and Nassau Coliseum since Ledecky first entered a deal to purchase the team from Charles Wang in 2014.
Reminiscing on the shoddy ice quality at Barclays in its first year of hosting hockey games, Ledecky said he felt he learned a lot, from an owner’s standpoint, while trying to manage the obstacles the franchise faced during that period.
The state-of-the-art ice rink refrigeration plant was delivered to Belmont the other day.
“You’re sending a message right away that everything is being taken care of in the utmost of quality, there’s no shortcuts being taken here,” he said. “You spend a billion dollars on an arena, you want to do it right.”
Ledecky noted he’s spent some time with former Islanders who were part of the four-time Stanley Cup-winning era while he’s prepared for this transition. He pointed out how much they talked about brotherhood, and how that mantra has essentially found its way back to the current Islanders.
And while UBS Arena is set to host the Islanders for the 2021-22 season, whenever that will start, Ledecky is ready to give such a radiant team a backdrop that matches.
“One person told me that the arenas were becoming the new cathedrals, this is a gathering place for the multitude to come and have this experience,” he said. “I don’t equate the Islanders to God, but hockey is pretty damn good.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--New Zealand delays national elections by four weeks amid COVID-19 outbreak

New Zealand will delay its national elections by four weeks , Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday amid a growing coronavirus outbreak in the country ’ s largest city .
Opposition parties had sought a delay in the election since an outbreak in Auckland was reported last week , prompting a city lockdown and a halt to campaigning .
“ Ultimately I want to ensure we have a well-run election that gives all voters the best chance to receive all the information they need about parties and candidates , and delivers certainty for the future , ” Ardern said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 19 , will now take place on Oct. 17 .
Under New Zealand law , Ardern could have postponed the elections for up to roughly two months .
The prime minister said the elections will not be further delayed .
The outbreak in Auckland was reported last Tuesday from a single household in the city .
The cluster grew to 49 infections and authorities believe they are all linked .
Before Auckland ’ s cases , New Zealand went 102 days without reporting a new infection .
The country , which had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globally for its response to the COVID-19 outbreak .

New Zealand will delay its national elections by four weeks, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday amid a growing coronavirus outbreak in the country’s largest city.
Opposition parties had sought a delay in the election since an outbreak in Auckland was reported last week, prompting a city lockdown and a halt to campaigning.
“Ultimately I want to ensure we have a well-run election that gives all voters the best chance to receive all the information they need about parties and candidates, and delivers certainty for the future,” Ardern said.
The election, which was scheduled for Sept. 19, will now take place on Oct. 17.
Under New Zealand law, Ardern could have postponed the elections for up to roughly two months. The prime minister said the elections will not be further delayed.
The outbreak in Auckland was reported last Tuesday from a single household in the city. The cluster grew to 49 infections and authorities believe they are all linked.
Before Auckland’s cases, New Zealand went 102 days without reporting a new infection.
The country, which had largely returned to normal, was praised globally for its response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--We need someone to run for mayor who will save New York

It ’ s not just a few Upper West Siders who are ...

There’s no denying it: The city’s in trouble. Big trouble. Mayor Bill de Blasio is now a lame-duck figurehead, with less than 1½ years left in office. And the crop of candidates looking to replace him is anything but promising.
New York needs fresh blood. So today we’re asking — pleading, actually: Won’t anyone step up and save New York?
COVID, the anti-police rioting and the crime wave have delivered powerful blows to the city. They created terror on the streets, socked businesses, wrecked city finances, crippled schooling — and sent people scurrying for the exits.
Even before the virus hit, pols like de Blasio (with help from Albany) had left Gotham on shaky ground, with “reforms” that ensured more crime, vagrants swamping the streets and a budget that failed to prepare for even a modest downturn, let alone one shut by the bug.
Alas, at the moment, there’s no one on the horizon looking to replace him who’ll offer anything but more of the same. Or worse.
After the city’s brush with near-bankruptcy in the ’70s, Mayor Ed Koch guided the city back to a more solid fiscal footing. In the ’90s, Mayor Rudy Giuliani proved the city was governable after all, and restored it to its former glory. He and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton cracked down on low-level offenses and rolled back two decades of rising crime.
By the beginning of the de Blasio era, the murder rate had fallen by nearly 90 percent.
Today, Gotham is plummeting at warp speed — yet it’s eminently saveable. These ideas from city experts point the way.
Start with public safety, which, as Bratton notes, is “the first obligation of government.” The next leader needs a plan to restore the low levels of crime of just a few years ago and ensure people feel safe.
How? By cracking down on guns, backing cops and giving them the resources they need to rein in the madness.
Nicole Gelinas urges attention to the “little things,” the quality-of-life issues that matter so much. Policing minor offenses, the “broken windows,” shows that a city cares.
As for finances, fiscal guru E.J. McMahon has sensible suggestions to make ends meet amid catastrophic drops in revenue. Mitchell Moss calls for a new marketing campaign for the city. Ian Rowe urges an expansion of school choice.
By contrast, not one of the people thought likely to run for mayor at this point seems ready to embrace such vital solutions.
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson was MIA as looters and anarchists hijacked peaceful protests and derelicts stoned cops and turned City Hall Park into a homeless encampment. Instead, he insisted on cutting funds for cops.
At the council, he whisked through one anti-cop “reform” after another. He smiled while de Blasio bloated city spending nearly 30 percent over the years.
City Comptroller Scott Stringer is another sure mayoral wannabe. Yet how can someone whose job it is to oversee the budget run the whole city after allowing its finances to become so vulnerable?
He, too, has been mum on the surge in violence. And he backed radical Tiffany Caban in last year’s Queens DA race, which tells you all you need to know.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams hasn’t offered any major policy solutions either, focusing instead on soft issues like biking and dieting. Maya Wiley, 57, a #Defund advocate, served as de Blasio’s lawyer, so don’t expect major improvements from her.
Who, then, will save New York? Surely, there’s someone out there — in a city of 8.5 million, brimming with talent.
Perhaps it’ll be someone who’s proven himself in one key area — say, Ray Kelly, who, as police boss, drove down crime for 12 years and protected the city from terror after 9/11.
Or maybe someone like Queens’ Robert Holden, one of the city’s rare sensible councilmen. Or a moderate-minded ex-lawmaker, like Peter Vallone.
Maybe it’ll be a figure from outside the political world entirely, like Wall Street whiz Ray McGuire, the black Citigroup honcho who’s already shown interest in running. Or maybe someone no one would ever guess.
Chances are, whoever steps up will be far and away better for the city than any of the current has-been wannabes.
Whoever it is, though, it’s not too soon to step up. Indeed, if ever there were a time Gotham needed a hero, this is it.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Zack Wheeler makes Mets’ Brodie Van Wagenen eat his words

Zack Wheeler took the high road , opting not to rub in his strong outing against his former team .
He didn ’ t have to .
His pitching spoke loudly enough .
“ I ’ m not trying to prove anybody wrong , ” the former Mets right-hander said over Zoom after pitching the Phillies to a series sweep of the Mets Sunday in Philadelphia , tossing seven strong innings in a 6-2 victory .
He was referring to a question , asking if he proved anything to the person , general manager Brodie Van Wagenen , who didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five-year , $ 118 million deal the Phillies signed him to in the offseason .
Early on , Wheeler looks worth it .
In four starts , he has a 2.81 ERA , while the pitchers brought in to replace him , Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello , have either struggled or gotten hurt .
With Noah Syndergaard undergoing Tommy John surgery and Marcus Stroman opting out of the season because of COVID-19 concerns , the Mets rotation has become their greatest weakness .
That was amplified on Sunday as the 30-year-old Wheeler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , walking one and allowing six hits .
“ I thought he was great , ” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said .
Porcello , now sporting a hefty 5.76 ERA , opposed Wheeler on Sunday , and was tagged for three runs in the sixth inning , turning a precarious one-run Mets lead into a two-run deficit .
Wheeler made sure it stood up , retiring the Mets in order in the seventh and yielding only a two-run Luis Guillorme opposite-field single in an impressive outing .
“ My adrenaline was going when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Wheeler said .
“ But once you get out there , you have to settle those nerves and just remember it ’ s another game , even though you know those guys out there .
You ’ re facing your old team .
You want to go out there and do well .
There ’ s no way around it.
” In his time with the Mets , Wheeler routinely struggled keeping his pitch-count down and getting deep into games .
So far with the Phillies , though , he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times and they ’ re 3-1 when he toes the rubber .
He ’ s pitching to contact more , striking out less hitters — 12 in four starts — but lasting longer .
“ That ’ s always what I wanted to do , ” he said .
After Wheeler signed with the Phillies in December , there was a back-and-forth between him and Van Wagenen .
The Mets general manager started it , saying , “ The contract and the market that he enjoyed was beyond what our appetite level was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got paid more than we were willing to give him.
” Wheeler responded by saying that comment “ may help me out a little bit.
’ ’ In February , Wheeler told The Post he gave the Mets a chance to retain him before signing with the Phillies , but all he heard was “ basically just crickets.
” “ Because it ’ s them , ” he said then .
“ It ’ s how they roll.
” A day later , Van Wagenen congratulated Wheeler on the contract he received and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff he had assembled with the Mets .
Six months later , the Mets general manager can ’ t possibly feel the same way , given the sorry state of his starting rotation .

Zack Wheeler took the high road, opting not to rub in his strong outing against his former team.
He didn’t have to. His pitching spoke loudly enough.
“I’m not trying to prove anybody wrong,” the former Mets right-hander said over Zoom after pitching the Phillies to a series sweep of the Mets Sunday in Philadelphia, tossing seven strong innings in a 6-2 victory.
He was referring to a question, asking if he proved anything to the person, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, who didn’t think he was worth the five-year, $118 million deal the Phillies signed him to in the offseason.
Early on, Wheeler looks worth it. In four starts, he has a 2.81 ERA, while the pitchers brought in to replace him, Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello, have either struggled or gotten hurt. With Noah Syndergaard undergoing Tommy John surgery and Marcus Stroman opting out of the season because of COVID-19 concerns, the Mets rotation has become their greatest weakness. That was amplified on Sunday as the 30-year-old Wheeler shut them down, striking out four, walking one and allowing six hits.
“I thought he was great,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said.
Porcello, now sporting a hefty 5.76 ERA, opposed Wheeler on Sunday, and was tagged for three runs in the sixth inning, turning a precarious one-run Mets lead into a two-run deficit. Wheeler made sure it stood up, retiring the Mets in order in the seventh and yielding only a two-run Luis Guillorme opposite-field single in an impressive outing.
“My adrenaline was going when I was there, I got excited,” Wheeler said. “But once you get out there, you have to settle those nerves and just remember it’s another game, even though you know those guys out there. You’re facing your old team. You want to go out there and do well. There’s no way around it.”
In his time with the Mets, Wheeler routinely struggled keeping his pitch-count down and getting deep into games. So far with the Phillies, though, he’s gone at least six innings three times and they’re 3-1 when he toes the rubber. He’s pitching to contact more, striking out less hitters — 12 in four starts — but lasting longer.
“That’s always what I wanted to do,” he said.
After Wheeler signed with the Phillies in December, there was a back-and-forth between him and Van Wagenen. The Mets general manager started it, saying, “The contract and the market that he enjoyed was beyond what our appetite level was. I said that before. He got paid more than we were willing to give him.”
Wheeler responded by saying that comment “may help me out a little bit.’’ In February, Wheeler told The Post he gave the Mets a chance to retain him before signing with the Phillies, but all he heard was “basically just crickets.”
It didn’t surprise him.
“Because it’s them,” he said then. “It’s how they roll.”
A day later, Van Wagenen congratulated Wheeler on the contract he received and said he was thrilled with the pitching staff he had assembled with the Mets. Six months later, the Mets general manager can’t possibly feel the same way, given the sorry state of his starting rotation.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Pelosi calling back House to vote on USPS legislation

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Sunday her chamber will be recalled later this week to vote on legislation that would bar the US Postal Service from altering any services that were in place at the beginning of the year .
Lawmakers are currently on August break , but the plan is for them to return on Saturday , a senior Democratic aide told Reuters .
The House reportedly would focus on the ways in which they allege Trump ’ s postmaster general , Louis DeJoy , is undermining the agency ahead of the November election .
Trump has said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he wants to prevent a surge in mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
The expected vote comes as the post office on Sunday vowed that no more mailboxes or mail-sorting machines would be removed until at least after the election .
Kim Frum , a US Postal Service spokeswoman , told CNN that the collection boxes would remain where they are for the next 90 days over customer concerns that some had been taken away .
Frum also said that its standard procedure for the agency to annually remove less-trafficked mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing , boxes are identified for potential removal and notices are placed on boxes to give customers an opportunity to comment before the removal decision is made , ” said Frum .
Frum added the “ process is one of the many ways the Postal Services makes adjustments to our infrastructure to match our resources to declining mail volumes.
” Earlier Sunday , White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told the network that the all mail-sorting machines would remain in place .
“ There ’ s no sorting machines that are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s something that my Democrat friends are trying to do to stoke fear out there .
That ’ s not happening , ” Meadows said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union .
”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Sunday her chamber will be recalled later this week to vote on legislation that would bar the US Postal Service from altering any services that were in place at the beginning of the year.
Lawmakers are currently on August break, but the plan is for them to return on Saturday, a senior Democratic aide told Reuters.
The House reportedly would focus on the ways in which they allege Trump’s postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, is undermining the agency ahead of the November election.
Trump has said he’s resisting funding the cash-strapped USPS because he wants to prevent a surge in mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
The expected vote comes as the post office on Sunday vowed that no more mailboxes or mail-sorting machines would be removed until at least after the election.
Kim Frum, a US Postal Service spokeswoman, told CNN that the collection boxes would remain where they are for the next 90 days over customer concerns that some had been taken away.
Frum also said that its standard procedure for the agency to annually remove less-trafficked mail boxes.
“Based on the density testing, boxes are identified for potential removal and notices are placed on boxes to give customers an opportunity to comment before the removal decision is made,” said Frum.
Frum added the “process is one of the many ways the Postal Services makes adjustments to our infrastructure to match our resources to declining mail volumes.”
Earlier Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told the network that the all mail-sorting machines would remain in place.
“There’s no sorting machines that are going offline between now and the election. That’s something that my Democrat friends are trying to do to stoke fear out there. That’s not happening,” Meadows said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Nets not backing down from daunting Raptors challenge

Kyrie Irving , who earlier this summer attempted to have NBA ...

Despite losing nine players along the way to injury or illness, the Nets clawed their way through the NBA’s craziest regular season and into the postseason. Their reward? Defending champion Toronto, and arguably the league’s best defense.
Interim coach Jacque Vaughn steadied the Nets after Kenny Atkinson’s dismissal and led them to a surprising run through the restart in Orlando. They’ll tip off Game 1 at 4 p.m. on Monday at ESPN Wide World of Sports convinced they’ve not only earned their playoff berth but have a shot against the Raptors.
“There’s a level of excitement. There’s a level of just knowing we earned our way to being here, we earned our chance to be here,” Caris LeVert said. “We know that we have a battle, we know they’re the defending champs. But we’re going in there knowing that we like our chances against anybody, really.”
Whatever chances they have revolve around LeVert, who has lifted the Nets to a 14-10 mark since Kyrie Irving went down in February. And he’s gone to another level in the bubble, averaging 25 points, 6.7 assists and five boards.
But he’ll have a tough time approaching that against a Raptors defense that was second in the league this season, and first in the restart.
“It’s a definite challenge,” Vaughn said. “We talk about good-to-great. Sometimes good is going to be OK, being able to get that advantage and take advantage of it as quickly as we can and live with the results. Our guys will have an opportunity to make and take shots. We’ll allow them to do it and see what the result is.”
It’s hard enough to even force switches against Toronto’s scrambling, athletic defense. They run foes off the line and rotate to cover each other well. But even if the Nets get in the paint, they’ll find the long-armed defense collapsing.
“They don’t like giving up layups, which means kick-out 3s will be open. But as a team we have to shoot them. There’s a term in the NBA called good-to-great: passing up a good shot to get a great shot,” Garrett Temple said.
“Against Toronto — because of the way they’re able to scramble — a good shot needs to be good enough, and we’ve got to have confidence to catch it, make the right play once we get to the paint, kick it out and let those shots fly. If there’s a mismatch or isn’t, that’s how you expose a defense. You’ve got to catch-and-shoot and be confident shooting the basketball, even with people closing out at us.”
Even after losing Kawhi Leonard last offseason, the Raptors posted the NBA’s second-best record behind All-Star Pascal Siakam and veteran guard Kyle Lowry. The latter — the last man left from the two teams’ 2014 playoff series — said Toronto isn’t defending its title, but hunting a new one.
Against a championship team this focused, the Nets will need excellence from their Bubble Big 3 of LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris to have any chance.
“It’s going to be a challenge for us all around, 1-through-5, even on the bench,” said Allen, who’ll have to deal with centers Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol. “They’re all coming out ready to play.”
Vaughn is 7-3 as interim coach with wins over the Lakers, Bucks and Clippers, and has the Nets playing their best basketball of the season.
“We’re confident,” Temple said. “We really love the way that we’re playing right now, especially on the offensive end, sharing the basketball. Defensively we’re communicating a lot better, we understand our concepts, what we’re trying to do in terms of the defensive game plan.
“We have six, seven new guys on the team, and over these eight games we’ve learned each other more and more, so the confidence in that, chemistry is much higher. So I feel good going into it and about the game plan we have.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Illinois teens robbed at gunpoint at lemonade stand, police help replenish funds

Two Illinois teenagers who were running a lemonade stand were robbed at gunpoint , and local police stepped in to replenish the stolen funds .
Earlier this month Jude Peterson and his friend Tristan Charbonnel , both 13 , set up a lemonade stand in Peterson ’ s Peoria neighborhood when police said two people , one of which had a gun , robbed the stand and the incident was reportedly caught by a neighbor ’ s surveillance camera .
Charbonnel told “ Fox & Friends Weekend ” on Sunday that “ last week two boys came up with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was really surprising , but there wasn ’ t really time to be scared , ” he continued .
Peterson and Charbonnel were not injured and the thieves took off with the cash box , which contained about $ 30 , the Peoria Journal-Star reported .
Peterson ’ s father Nathan told the news outlet that Peoria police officers who showed up to the scene “ were buying $ 20 lemonades , which was really kind of them.
” “ They were super-gentle with the kids and really seemed to care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the neighborhood learned of what had happened , they reportedly stopped by the lemonade stand to donate money and items , including candy and potato chips , to sell .
Chief Loren Marion with the Peoria Police Department told “ Fox & Friends Weekend ” on Sunday that the community policing sergeant with his department “ came up with the idea after the incident happened to do a fund-raiser for the kids.
” Marion said he sent out an email to the department and said , “ ‘ Hey , we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with these kids and encourage them.
’ And it took off from there.
” “ There were so many people helping us out , ” Charbonnel said on Sunday .
Marion said on Sunday that detectives assigned to the case are “ making progress ” and he believes they will make an arrest .

Two Illinois teenagers who were running a lemonade stand were robbed at gunpoint, and local police stepped in to replenish the stolen funds.
Earlier this month Jude Peterson and his friend Tristan Charbonnel, both 13, set up a lemonade stand in Peterson’s Peoria neighborhood when police said two people, one of which had a gun, robbed the stand and the incident was reportedly caught by a neighbor’s surveillance camera.
Charbonnel told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday that “last week two boys came up with a gun and took all the money.”
“It was really surprising, but there wasn’t really time to be scared,” he continued.
Peterson and Charbonnel were not injured and the thieves took off with the cash box, which contained about $30, the Peoria Journal-Star reported.
Peterson’s father Nathan told the news outlet that Peoria police officers who showed up to the scene “were buying $20 lemonades, which was really kind of them.”
“They were super-gentle with the kids and really seemed to care,” he added.
When people in the neighborhood learned of what had happened, they reportedly stopped by the lemonade stand to donate money and items, including candy and potato chips, to sell.
Chief Loren Marion with the Peoria Police Department told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday that the community policing sergeant with his department “came up with the idea after the incident happened to do a fund-raiser for the kids.”
Marion said he sent out an email to the department and said, “‘Hey, we would like to try to replace the money with these kids and encourage them.’ And it took off from there.”
“There were so many people helping us out,” Charbonnel said on Sunday.
Marion said on Sunday that detectives assigned to the case are “making progress” and he believes they will make an arrest.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Mets pitchers continue to unravel at the same time

At least the Mets starting pitchers gave them consistency this weekend .
All three fell apart in the middle innings .
On Friday night , Jacob deGrom ’ s replacement , Walker Lockett , was tagged for three runs in the sixth inning .
Steven Matz was hammered for five runs in the fifth a day later .
And Rick Porcello couldn ’ t get through the sixth with a lead on Sunday to complete a dismal sweep that saw this team ’ s one-time strength be their undoing .
“ Two pitches , ” was Porcello ’ s lament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Philadelphia with an ugly 6-2 defeat to fall five games under .500 at 9-14 .
Porcello was referring to two regrettable pitches , which resulted in three runs , an 0-2 sinker to Alec Bohm and a first-pitch hanging slider to Andrew McCutchen , that derailed his afternoon .
For a while it looked Porcello was going to turn in his third straight quality outing and salvage the finale of this three-game series .
He had limited the Phillies to one run across five solid frames , stranding five runners .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ batters he faced entering the sixth , the free agent signee was battered .
In the span of two pitches , a one-run lead became a two-run deficit , as Bohm ’ s run-scoring double was followed by McCutchen ’ s two-run homer .
“ The first-pitch slider to McCutchen was just the worst pitch I threw of the [ day ] , ” Porcello said after falling to 1-3 with a 5.76 ERA in his first season as a Met .
“ He did what you ’ re supposed to do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s performance was eerily similar to the work of Lockett and Matz .
Both were able to pitch in and out of trouble early in the game , only to see it come crumbling down in one big innings .
Lockett had a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning Friday night , before J.T .
Realmuto ’ s three-run shot .
On Saturday , the Mets were down 1-0 in the fifth , until Matz was shellacked for five runs on four hits in the fifth .
The rotation is in tatters right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season in March after undergoing Tommy John surgery .
Marcus Stroman opted out of the season last week due to COVID-19 health concerns .
Before Sunday ’ s game , Rojas wouldn ’ t guarantee Matz and his 9.00 ERA would make his next scheduled start .
It ’ s uncertain if deGrom ( neck tightness ) will be able to pitch this week .
Michael Wacha ( shoulder inflammation ) will throw a simulated game this week , but a date for his return is unknown .
Reliever-turned-starter Robert Gsellman will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough , I ’ m not going to lie to you , ” Porcello said .
“ Guys are coming in , making spot starts or whatever .
We ’ ve had some unfortunate things with guys going down or being sore , and things like that .
As far as the momentum in the rotation goes , having those same five guys taking the ball every day , that ’ s not happening for us .
“ But it doesn ’ t mean we can ’ t build off one another no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It definitely presents some challenges .
”

At least the Mets starting pitchers gave them consistency this weekend.
All three fell apart in the middle innings.
On Friday night, Jacob deGrom’s replacement, Walker Lockett, was tagged for three runs in the sixth inning. Steven Matz was hammered for five runs in the fifth a day later. And Rick Porcello couldn’t get through the sixth with a lead on Sunday to complete a dismal sweep that saw this team’s one-time strength be their undoing.
“Two pitches,” was Porcello’s lament after the Mets capped a lost weekend in Philadelphia with an ugly 6-2 defeat to fall five games under .500 at 9-14.
Porcello was referring to two regrettable pitches, which resulted in three runs, an 0-2 sinker to Alec Bohm and a first-pitch hanging slider to Andrew McCutchen, that derailed his afternoon.
For a while it looked Porcello was going to turn in his third straight quality outing and salvage the finale of this three-game series. He had limited the Phillies to one run across five solid frames, stranding five runners. But after retiring seven of the previous eight batters he faced entering the sixth, the free agent signee was battered. In the span of two pitches, a one-run lead became a two-run deficit, as Bohm’s run-scoring double was followed by McCutchen’s two-run homer.
“The first-pitch slider to McCutchen was just the worst pitch I threw of the [day],” Porcello said after falling to 1-3 with a 5.76 ERA in his first season as a Met. “He did what you’re supposed to do with a pitch like that.”
Porcello’s performance was eerily similar to the work of Lockett and Matz. Both were able to pitch in and out of trouble early in the game, only to see it come crumbling down in one big innings. Lockett had a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning Friday night, before J.T. Realmuto’s three-run shot. On Saturday, the Mets were down 1-0 in the fifth, until Matz was shellacked for five runs on four hits in the fifth.
The rotation is in tatters right now. Noah Syndergaard was lost for the season in March after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Marcus Stroman opted out of the season last week due to COVID-19 health concerns. Before Sunday’s game, Rojas wouldn’t guarantee Matz and his 9.00 ERA would make his next scheduled start. It’s uncertain if deGrom (neck tightness) will be able to pitch this week. Michael Wacha (shoulder inflammation) will throw a simulated game this week, but a date for his return is unknown. Reliever-turned-starter Robert Gsellman will start Monday.
“It’s tough, I’m not going to lie to you,” Porcello said. “Guys are coming in, making spot starts or whatever. We’ve had some unfortunate things with guys going down or being sore, and things like that. As far as the momentum in the rotation goes, having those same five guys taking the ball every day, that’s not happening for us.
“But it doesn’t mean we can’t build off one another no matter who’s on the mound. It definitely presents some challenges.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--NBA playoffs 2020: Biggest storylines taking over the bubble

Not everyone will be sending Kristaps Porzingis gifts .
The star ’ s ...

The NBA’s bubble playoffs begin Monday — 16 Disney World survivors starting a journey that will last into mid-October for some.
Four first-rounders are on tap Monday — late-summer matinee basketball at the Magic Kingdom starting at 1:30 p.m. and lasting until midnight.
Yes, it’s an ESPN Christmas in the dog days of August.
Here are 10 storylines from the imperfect bubble playoffs.
Can LeBron lead a third team to a championship and win it for Kobe?
The “Last Dance’’ documentary and Michael Jordan dominated the spring. Now LeBron James gets the chance to move up on Jordan as “The GOAT.’’ Winning a title with a third team — the Lakers — is an achievement Jordan never could have dreamed about. And for the 35-year-old James — with Anthony Davis riding shotgun — to lift the No. 1-seeded Lakers to the title the year of Kobe Bryant’s death would be epic. Jordan retired from the Bulls for the second time at 35.
James’ speech at the Bryant memorial has not been forgotten.
“I want to continue along with my teammates, to continue his legacy, not only for this year, but for as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love because that’s what Kobe Bryant would want,” James told the Staples Center audience.
It’s kind of early for Boston-Philly. Or is it?
The first-round series between longtime northeast rivals will take place in Florida and be a dogfight. Yes, this might go the distance even if Sixers point guard Ben Simmons is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery last week. Sixers center Joel Embiid will need to be a 30-point monster for No. 6 Philly to stage the upset over No. 3 Boston, drawing double-teams and opening it up for Tobias Harris and Al Horford. Brett Brown’s job could depend on it, though the pandemic-induced economic uncertainty could save him.
This is an intriguing battle of an old-school big team like Philly against the small-ball Celtics, whose young gun Jayson Tatum has looked marvelous. The Celtics look too athletic for the Sixers’ defense to keep in front of them.
What will it mean that Giannis, Bucks got roughed up in the restart?
The bubble loss to the Nets, who were without Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarett Allen along with other no-shows, illustrated the Bucks’ Disney woes, though they rested Giannis Antetokounmpo for the second half.
The league’s hottest team cooled off in Disney with a 3-5 record but finished with a league-best 56-17 clip. The frustration boiled over for Antetokounmpo, the MVP favorite who got suspended for a head-butting incident. The Lopez brothers are manning the defensive interior well, but Milwaukee is allowing a ton of 3-pointers. On the other end, The Greek Freak better shoot respectively from deep or the title drought will extend and his future becomes cast in doubt.
The Bucks’ (1971) dry spell is already longer than the Knicks.
Can Jimmy Butler make good on his Miami title prediction?
The Heat, who missed the playoffs two of the last three seasons, are the little engine that could. Butler’s emergence in his first year in Miami has had a spectacular effect. Butler said last week Miami can win it all. If Butler’s young Minnesota teammates had listened and learned from this winner, Tom Thibodeau would still be Wolves coach/president.
The 4-5 battle against Indiana becomes a simpler task for Miami with the Pacers missing arguably the NBA’s most underrated player in Domantas Sabonis, who is out with a foot injury. Then again, Butler may be the NBA’s most underrated star.
What about the playoff debut of The Luka-Kristaps Show?
Knicks fans will take special notice in No. 7 Dallas facing No. 2 Clippers. And it’s not to watch how ex-Knick Marcus Morris fits in with Los Angeles. The 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis will make his playoff debut after a sensational bubble showing — his best stretch as a Maverick.
Last week, the once-disgruntled Latvian romped for 36 points in 36 minutes (12 of 17 with seven 3-pointers) against the Blazers. But KP6 and superstar Luka Doncic must play off each other to stand a chance against the Clippers.
This is Mavs owner Mark Cuban’s first playoff appearance since 2016. That’s a lot of “Shark Tank” episodes in between. The Dallas Morning News recently published a story on whether Doncic is the greatest 21-year-old in NBA history as Dallas set the league’s all-time record for best offensive rating in a season. Still Doncic/Porzingis must also play winning D for Big D.
Can D’Antoni weather the Westbrook storm?
This might be coach Mike D’Antoni’s swan song as he seeks his first NBA title. He’s a free agent and sources believe GM Daryl Morey will look elsewhere. Now the pioneer of pace-and-space has to enter the series against the Thunder with Russell Westbrook (quadriceps) on the shelf indefinitely.
The Rockets’ whole idea of going center-less with the Clint Capela trade was to highlight Westbrook’s unique triple-double skill set. Houston, we got a problem.
Do Masai Ujiri’s Raptors still have it post-Kawhi?
Knicks owner James Dolan jumped at hiring an agent (Leon Rose) instead of waiting for Ujiri to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season. Ujiri is the best executive in the business, his Raptors still lethal even after losing Leonard and having six of the team’s top seven players miss 11 games or more.
Even without Kawhi Leonard, the foursome of Kyle Lowry-Fred VanVleet-Pascal Siakam-Marc Gasol is battle-tested. The Raptors have a new defensive whiz in another unsung piece, small forward OG Anunoby, who, like Ujiri, is a 2021 free agent.
Will the real Clippers stand up?
Like LeBron, Leonard also is trying to win a title with his third team after hoisting the trophy with San Antonio and Toronto. The Leonard-Paul George Clippers have experienced a bumpy journey with the mysterious disappearance of late-arriving Montrezl Harrell, who hasn’t played a game, and injuries to Landry Shamet and Patrick Beverley. They all should be ready for Game 1.
Sixth Man sniper Lou Williams is also over his trip to a strip club for chicken wings that banished him to quarantine.
With the amazing Lillard and a reborn Melo, will Portland’s vault to the eighth seed scare the Lakers?
Charles Barkley keeps predicting the Blazers will beat the Lakers even if they don’t play any defense. Barkley clearly is trying to trump up flagging TNT ratings. The Blazers captured the play-in game over Memphis to earn the right to play James, Carmelo Anthony’s buddy.
Damian Lillard has been scary great with games of 51, 61 and 42 entering Saturday’s play-in game triumph over Memphis. Lillard finished the season at 40.1 percent from 3-point range on 10.1 3-point attempts per game. He’s the second player in league history to post that high an efficiency. A slimmed-down Anthony mostly has been a force. He might have been the goat against the Nets on Friday if Caris LeVert sank that last-second shot, but bounced back to drill a game-sealing 3-pointer to oust Memphis on Saturday.
And for the first-ever bubble playoff game?
An intriguing 3-6 matchup, the Jazz/Nuggets tip it off at 1:30 p.m. The Jazz will try to make up for the loss of 20 points a game from Bojan Bogdanovic, who is out with a wrist injury, and point guard Mike Conley, who is out at least two games after leaving the bubble for the birth of his child. At least Utah avoided facing Houston for a third straight playoff.
Knicks fans should be fixed on how Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert get along. If the Jazz crumble, Mitchell, the Westchester product, could become one of those “disgruntled stars’’ demanding a trade. Mitchell is a former Leon Rose client.
There also could be pain watching Michael Porter Jr.’s rise for Denver — the exciting prospect the Knicks passed on for Kevin Knox in 2018 because of a sketchy medical report on his back.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Yankees trade dilemma looms over Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar: Sherman

Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar have returned to the Yankees in recent days .
Their promotions were made to replace the team ’ s two best hitters , Aaron Judge and DJ LeMahieu .
Thus , the immediate responsibility is to continue what began last season for this team and has continued so far this year — whoever steps in also steps up .
So far , so great for Frazier , who in his first three games produced five extra-base hits or as many as the season total for Gary Sanchez , one more than LeMahieu and two more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andujar , though , there is a larger issue than helping the team win today — rebuilding value , if not for the Yankees , then for a club that might want to partner in a trade with the Yankees .
Neither player has the value within the industry that they did a few years ago .
The Yankees , for example , refused to include Andujar in a package to Pittsburgh for Gerrit Cole .
Andujar justified the decision by nearly winning the AL Rookie of the Year award .
Though with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 — you wonder if the Yankees would have won one of the last two World Series if they had Cole .
The Yankees have insisted that Frazier and Andujar have not lost value in their eyes .
But maybe there are a few grains of sand to consider here .
One NL executive said to think of Frazier like Justus Sheffield , notably that Yankees officials said one thing to reporters about how Frazier and Sheffield were viewed within the organization , but that both were known to be very available ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landed James Paxton ) .
Brain Cashman has insisted he has had plenty of offers to move Frazier , but hasn ’ t because the returns do not equal the high value the organization has for the outfielder .
But there is a spoil date on milk and prospects and at some point , you could hold a guy too long and suddenly you can ’ t get close to Gerrit Cole for him .
One day Manny Banuelos is untouchable , the next he is pretty much untradeable .
Working against Frazier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the growing belief that teams can find and/or create position players and that single-dimensional , hit-predominant players have less value than ever .
Just consider that the Yankees found Mike Tauchman and Gio Urshela for basically nothing .
They are better all-around players than Frazier and Andujar .
And because of that , they block Frazier and Andujar from more regular roles with the Yankees now and into the future .
Still , there is a window now for Frazier and Andujar to help the Yankees — and themselves .
Judge admitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not talk the Yankees out of putting him on the injured list with a calf injury that he said was minor .
On Day 4 of that 10-day stint , Judge declared himself both healthy and frustrated .
With Judge and Giancarlo Stanton out , Frazier will get regular at-bats for a while longer and if his quick bat keeps producing , he at least could increase the chances for 2021 playing time .
More and more you have to believe this is Brett Gardner ’ s last year with the Yankees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario of Judge in right and Tauchman sharing time in center with Aaron Hicks and left with Frazier .
Heck , it may be in play this year if Gardner ’ s bat doesn ’ t perk up .
For Andujar , playing time is more problematic to find .
Urshela has entrenched himself as the third baseman , there are all those outfielders ahead of him plus Mike Ford and Luke Voit at first .
Boone anticipated starting Andujar on Monday versus Red Sox lefty Martin Perez .
Boone also said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who to bring up to replace LeMahieu except Andujar .
Which sounds like ardent support .
But also that the only other position player on the 40-man roster is not-ready outfielder Estevan Florial and the Yankees weren ’ t going to use a 40-man roster spot on infielder Kyle Holder .
Submit questions on your favorite New York teams to be answered in an upcoming mailbag Boone continued to describe Andujar as “ a really good player.
” What else can he say ?
Andujar was a good player in 2018 , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 for Urshela and one who did not hit in a short stint early this year .
Maybe there is still high-level impact in his bat , as Frazier has hinted at while filling in for Judge .
If true that would help the Yankees now , and maybe those players later .

Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar have returned to the Yankees in recent days. Their promotions were made to replace the team’s two best hitters, Aaron Judge and DJ LeMahieu. Thus, the immediate responsibility is to continue what began last season for this team and has continued so far this year — whoever steps in also steps up.
So far, so great for Frazier, who in his first three games produced five extra-base hits or as many as the season total for Gary Sanchez, one more than LeMahieu and two more than Gleyber Torres.
For Frazier and Andujar, though, there is a larger issue than helping the team win today — rebuilding value, if not for the Yankees, then for a club that might want to partner in a trade with the Yankees.
Neither player has the value within the industry that they did a few years ago. The Yankees, for example, refused to include Andujar in a package to Pittsburgh for Gerrit Cole. Andujar justified the decision by nearly winning the AL Rookie of the Year award. Though with 20-20 hindsight — perfect for the year 2020 — you wonder if the Yankees would have won one of the last two World Series if they had Cole.
The Yankees have insisted that Frazier and Andujar have not lost value in their eyes. But maybe there are a few grains of sand to consider here. One NL executive said to think of Frazier like Justus Sheffield, notably that Yankees officials said one thing to reporters about how Frazier and Sheffield were viewed within the organization, but that both were known to be very available (Sheffield was part of the package that landed James Paxton). Brain Cashman has insisted he has had plenty of offers to move Frazier, but hasn’t because the returns do not equal the high value the organization has for the outfielder.
But there is a spoil date on milk and prospects and at some point, you could hold a guy too long and suddenly you can’t get close to Gerrit Cole for him. One day Manny Banuelos is untouchable, the next he is pretty much untradeable.
Working against Frazier and Andujar inside and outside the organization is the growing belief that teams can find and/or create position players and that single-dimensional, hit-predominant players have less value than ever. Just consider that the Yankees found Mike Tauchman and Gio Urshela for basically nothing. They are better all-around players than Frazier and Andujar. And because of that, they block Frazier and Andujar from more regular roles with the Yankees now and into the future.
Still, there is a window now for Frazier and Andujar to help the Yankees — and themselves. Judge admitted Sunday that he was upset he could not talk the Yankees out of putting him on the injured list with a calf injury that he said was minor. On Day 4 of that 10-day stint, Judge declared himself both healthy and frustrated.
With Judge and Giancarlo Stanton out, Frazier will get regular at-bats for a while longer and if his quick bat keeps producing, he at least could increase the chances for 2021 playing time. More and more you have to believe this is Brett Gardner’s last year with the Yankees. Thus, there is a near future scenario of Judge in right and Tauchman sharing time in center with Aaron Hicks and left with Frazier. Heck, it may be in play this year if Gardner’s bat doesn’t perk up.
For Andujar, playing time is more problematic to find. Urshela has entrenched himself as the third baseman, there are all those outfielders ahead of him plus Mike Ford and Luke Voit at first. Boone anticipated starting Andujar on Monday versus Red Sox lefty Martin Perez. Boone also said there was “no other conversation” about who to bring up to replace LeMahieu except Andujar. Which sounds like ardent support. But also that the only other position player on the 40-man roster is not-ready outfielder Estevan Florial and the Yankees weren’t going to use a 40-man roster spot on infielder Kyle Holder.
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Boone continued to describe Andujar as “a really good player.” What else can he say? Andujar was a good player in 2018, an injured one who opened a door in 2019 for Urshela and one who did not hit in a short stint early this year. Maybe there is still high-level impact in his bat, as Frazier has hinted at while filling in for Judge.
If true that would help the Yankees now, and maybe those players later.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--NYC showing an appetite for recovery with new eating venues

If anything reflects long-range faith that the city will recover from the pandemic crisis , it ’ s the counterintuitive commitment to new eating venues even though nobody knows when indoor dining will again be permitted .
The latest example : RXR Realty just landed a 13,000-square-foot lease for a sprawling food hall at the Starrett-Lehigh Building .
Tenants of the massive , Art Moderne-style structure at 601 W. 26th St. — such as Ralph Lauren , McGarry Bowen , Johnson & Johnson and OXO — will finally have an array of choices without having to walk several long blocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” on Center or 16OC , a well-established , Chicago-based hospitality collective outfit that specializes in creating new food and beverage venues in far-flung neighborhoods .
The Zagat Survey included founders Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden among “ Superheroes of the Chicago dining scene.
” Starrett-Lehigh is their first New York City venture .
In case you ’ re stumped , “ 16 inches on center ” is a construction term for a point on a piece of wood used to space wall studs .
The new hall won ’ t exactly be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sit-down and takeout counters “ sourced and curated by 16 ” on Center ” and slated to open in the second quarter of 2021 .
The company makes license agreements with third-party operators for short-term vendor leases .
No one at RXR or 16 ” on Center would comment specifically on the timing , other than to say through an RXR rep that the landlord “ has faith in the New York City market and the vibrant environment to come.
” RXR bought Starrett-Lehigh for $ 920 million in 2011 and put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the past few days , The Post has reported two other major newly signed eatery leases : a 10,000 square-foot Urbanspace food hall at 124 E. 14th St. and a third Avra seafood brasserie of 16,500 square feet at 1271 Sixth Ave. in the heart of corporate Midtown .
Why such confidence ?
Although Midtown and other office districts are quiet — in part because employees now working from home are reluctant to return when there ’ s no place to eat indoors due to Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gensler found that fewer than 10 percent of lawyers across the US want to work from home full-time — a figure that likely applies in most other white-collar professions .
The colossal Starrett-Lehigh Building opened in 1931 as a freight-distribution warehouse .
It was designated as an official city landmark in 1986 .
It takes up the whole block bounded by 11th and 12th avenues and West 26th and West 27th streets , encompassing 2.3 million square feet of office and retail space .
RXR ’ s Reed Zukerman , Brian Cheeseman and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with Newmark Knight Frank ’ s Peter Fine and Janey Steinmetz .

If anything reflects long-range faith that the city will recover from the pandemic crisis, it’s the counterintuitive commitment to new eating venues even though nobody knows when indoor dining will again be permitted.
The latest example: RXR Realty just landed a 13,000-square-foot lease for a sprawling food hall at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. Tenants of the massive, Art Moderne-style structure at 601 W. 26th St. — such as Ralph Lauren, McGarry Bowen, Johnson & Johnson and OXO — will finally have an array of choices without having to walk several long blocks.
The hall is leased to 16” on Center or 16OC, a well-established, Chicago-based hospitality collective outfit that specializes in creating new food and beverage venues in far-flung neighborhoods.
The Zagat Survey included founders Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden among “Superheroes of the Chicago dining scene.” Starrett-Lehigh is their first New York City venture. In case you’re stumped, “16 inches on center” is a construction term for a point on a piece of wood used to space wall studs.
The new hall won’t exactly be a restaurant, but rather a collection of sit-down and takeout counters “sourced and curated by 16” on Center” and slated to open in the second quarter of 2021. The company makes license agreements with third-party operators for short-term vendor leases.
No one at RXR or 16” on Center would comment specifically on the timing, other than to say through an RXR rep that the landlord “has faith in the New York City market and the vibrant environment to come.”
RXR bought Starrett-Lehigh for $920 million in 2011 and put in $50 million of improvements.
In the past few days, The Post has reported two other major newly signed eatery leases: a 10,000 square-foot Urbanspace food hall at 124 E. 14th St. and a third Avra seafood brasserie of 16,500 square feet at 1271 Sixth Ave. in the heart of corporate Midtown.
Why such confidence? Although Midtown and other office districts are quiet — in part because employees now working from home are reluctant to return when there’s no place to eat indoors due to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s lockdown — a new survey by architectural firm Gensler found that fewer than 10 percent of lawyers across the US want to work from home full-time — a figure that likely applies in most other white-collar professions.
The colossal Starrett-Lehigh Building opened in 1931 as a freight-distribution warehouse. It was designated as an official city landmark in 1986. It takes up the whole block bounded by 11th and 12th avenues and West 26th and West 27th streets, encompassing 2.3 million square feet of office and retail space.
RXR’s Reed Zukerman, Brian Cheeseman and Whitney Arcaro represented the landlord in-house, along with Newmark Knight Frank’s Peter Fine and Janey Steinmetz.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Zappos replacing American Eagle in Union Square

Zappos — the Amazon-owned online shoe retailer — appears to be launching a brick-and-mortar location .
Sources said that Zappos has leased the three-level , roughly 16,000-square-foot corner of 19 Union Square West at 15th Street that was previously home to American Eagle and its concept-store spinoff , AE Studio .
In addition to word of the deal from nearby brokers , Zappos is also shown as a tenant in a brochure for a neighboring property distributed by Newmark Knight Frank .
No other details were immediately available .
ABS ’ Real Estate Partners ’ Mark Tergesen , whose firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It isn ’ t the biggest lease at the Brooklyn Navy Yard , but it ’ s a cool one .
Danish footwear and leather goods retailer ECCO has taken 7,000 square feet for a design and prototyping studio at the Yard ’ s Building 212 , its first studio space outside Denmark .
Building 212 is one of two in the Navy Yard ’ s Admirals Row section that was developed entirely by the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp .
It opened in 2019 with 130,000 square feet of manufacturing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the giant Wegmans supermarket , but it ’ s also home to design firms Fydelity , Poolside and Trendy Accessories .
The entire Yard is in the mist of a $ 1 billion expansion , which is expected to bring total jobs at the site from 11,000 today to 20,000 in the next few years .

Zappos — the Amazon-owned online shoe retailer — appears to be launching a brick-and-mortar location. Sources said that Zappos has leased the three-level, roughly 16,000-square-foot corner of 19 Union Square West at 15th Street that was previously home to American Eagle and its concept-store spinoff, AE Studio.
In addition to word of the deal from nearby brokers, Zappos is also shown as a tenant in a brochure for a neighboring property distributed by Newmark Knight Frank.
No other details were immediately available. ABS’ Real Estate Partners’ Mark Tergesen, whose firm represented the landlord, declined to comment.
ECCO joining Brooklyn Navy Yard
It isn’t the biggest lease at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but it’s a cool one. Danish footwear and leather goods retailer ECCO has taken 7,000 square feet for a design and prototyping studio at the Yard’s Building 212, its first studio space outside Denmark.
Building 212 is one of two in the Navy Yard’s Admirals Row section that was developed entirely by the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.
It opened in 2019 with 130,000 square feet of manufacturing and creative office space. Its best-known tenant is the giant Wegmans supermarket, but it’s also home to design firms Fydelity, Poolside and Trendy Accessories.
The entire Yard is in the mist of a $1 billion expansion, which is expected to bring total jobs at the site from 11,000 today to 20,000 in the next few years.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Goodbye tourists, hello elopers: Big Apple hotels reopen to new customers

Nearly five months after shutting their doors , some of the Big Apple ’ s fanciest hotels are starting to take reservations again , buoyed by signs of pent-up demand from cooped-up New Yorkers .
Gone are the tourists and business travelers , and in their place are bored suburbanites looking to celebrate a birthday or spice up a staycation — as well as newlyweds who have decided not to let the coronavirus postpone their nuptials any longer , hoteliers say .
“ We have a steady stream of elopements , ” said Peter Lawrence , owner of the swanky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Post .
Business from frustrated brides and grooms has been so brisk that the 70-room property promotes an elopement package complete with “ a special cake , ” champagne and a room with waterfront views .
The Wythe is also seeing bookings from people seeking to celebrate a birthday in style or visit a family member ’ s new baby .
Some just want a change of scenery , he said .
“ We are seeing a lot of locals , mostly city residents , who desperately need a break from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lawrence said .
When the pandemic hit in March , hundreds of city hotels closed .
Only about 90 out of 650 remained open at the height of the pandemic , mainly to host emergency workers , according to the city ’ s tourism bureau , NYC & Company .
But that is starting to change as people emerge from their coronavirus cocoons in search of a little fun .
“ We are seeing a lot of locals , mostly city residents , who desperately need a break from wherever they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s why NYC & Company recently launched a campaign aimed at New York-area residents who have been feeling trapped at home .
“ A lot of New Yorkers are not taking European vacations or going to Disney World , and we want them to know that staying in NYC is not a consolation prize , ” spokesman Chris Heywood said of the All In NYC : Staycation campaign .
Even the five-star Lotte New York Palace hotel on Madison Avenue , which can charge as much as $ 25,000 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palace , across from St. Patrick ’ s Cathedral , is allowing guests who stay weekly to book the same room for each visit and leave their belongings there .
“ If you are a frequent traveler with us , no one else will be able to stay in your room when you ’ re not using it , ” said David Shenman , director of the hotel ’ s sales and marketing .
Guests looking for a little pampering can enjoy the hotel ’ s spa services in the comfort and safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to transform your room into your very own spa oasis , ” the hotel ’ s Web site says .
While a night at the Palace can still cost $ 500-plus with fees and taxes , other hotels are slashing prices to attract customers at a time when some of the city ’ s biggest attractions remain closed , including Broadway plays , museums and many restaurants .
“ New York is bargain right now , ” Geoffrey Mills , regional vice president of the Hudson Hotel , on West 58th Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hudson , which hosted essential workers during the deadliest days of the pandemic , is now offering room rates from $ 99 to $ 140 compared with the starting room rate of $ 190 a year ago .
The deal has been attracting a lot of last-minute bookings by people from Westchester , New Jersey and Connecticut , Mills said .
Overall , the average daily hotel room rate in New York City fell to $ 127 in July , when occupancy rates were at 37 percent , compared with $ 261 a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rooms were booked , according to NYC & Company .
The Langham hotel on Fifth Avenue , which can also cost $ 500-plus a night , is offering free parking and a $ 50 hotel credit for standard rooms , or a $ 100 credit for suite bookings , to attract business .
“ Our front-desk associates have noted a frequency of guests telling them they are at the hotel to celebrate a wedding night or anniversary , ” said Louise O ’ Brien , a spokesperson for the Langham .
Hoteliers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of corporate guests seeking reservations .
The Langham , for example , recently hosted two corporate board meetings .
The Palace is seeing bookings from people “ who have to check on their businesses , ” Shenman said .
The Wythe , meanwhile , is starting to see an uptick in booking from TV and film production crews who are gearing up to restart filming at the nearby Steiner Studios in Brooklyn ’ s Navy Yard .
“ It ’ s been a big part of our business historically , ” owner Lawrence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are starting to come back to life .
”

Nearly five months after shutting their doors, some of the Big Apple’s fanciest hotels are starting to take reservations again, buoyed by signs of pent-up demand from cooped-up New Yorkers.
Gone are the tourists and business travelers, and in their place are bored suburbanites looking to celebrate a birthday or spice up a staycation — as well as newlyweds who have decided not to let the coronavirus postpone their nuptials any longer, hoteliers say.
“We have a steady stream of elopements,” said Peter Lawrence, owner of the swanky Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, told The Post.
Business from frustrated brides and grooms has been so brisk that the 70-room property promotes an elopement package complete with “a special cake,” champagne and a room with waterfront views.
The Wythe is also seeing bookings from people seeking to celebrate a birthday in style or visit a family member’s new baby. Some just want a change of scenery, he said.
“We are seeing a lot of locals, mostly city residents, who desperately need a break from wherever they have been hunkering down,” Lawrence said.
When the pandemic hit in March, hundreds of city hotels closed. Only about 90 out of 650 remained open at the height of the pandemic, mainly to host emergency workers, according to the city’s tourism bureau, NYC & Company.
But that is starting to change as people emerge from their coronavirus cocoons in search of a little fun.
“We are seeing a lot of locals, mostly city residents, who desperately need a break from wherever they have been hunkering down,” Lawrence said.
It’s why NYC & Company recently launched a campaign aimed at New York-area residents who have been feeling trapped at home.
“A lot of New Yorkers are not taking European vacations or going to Disney World, and we want them to know that staying in NYC is not a consolation prize,” spokesman Chris Heywood said of the All In NYC: Staycation campaign.
Even the five-star Lotte New York Palace hotel on Madison Avenue, which can charge as much as $25,000 for a night, has reopened.
The Palace, across from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, is allowing guests who stay weekly to book the same room for each visit and leave their belongings there.
“If you are a frequent traveler with us, no one else will be able to stay in your room when you’re not using it,” said David Shenman, director of the hotel’s sales and marketing.
Guests looking for a little pampering can enjoy the hotel’s spa services in the comfort and safety of their own rooms.
“Allow us to transform your room into your very own spa oasis,” the hotel’s Web site says.
While a night at the Palace can still cost $500-plus with fees and taxes, other hotels are slashing prices to attract customers at a time when some of the city’s biggest attractions remain closed, including Broadway plays, museums and many restaurants.
“New York is bargain right now,” Geoffrey Mills, regional vice president of the Hudson Hotel, on West 58th Street near the Time Warner Center.
The Hudson, which hosted essential workers during the deadliest days of the pandemic, is now offering room rates from $99 to $140 compared with the starting room rate of $190 a year ago.
The deal has been attracting a lot of last-minute bookings by people from Westchester, New Jersey and Connecticut, Mills said.
Overall, the average daily hotel room rate in New York City fell to $127 in July, when occupancy rates were at 37 percent, compared with $261 a year ago, when 90 percent of the rooms were booked, according to NYC & Company.
The Langham hotel on Fifth Avenue, which can also cost $500-plus a night, is offering free parking and a $50 hotel credit for standard rooms, or a $100 credit for suite bookings, to attract business.
“Our front-desk associates have noted a frequency of guests telling them they are at the hotel to celebrate a wedding night or anniversary,” said Louise O’Brien, a spokesperson for the Langham.
Hoteliers say they are also seeing a smattering of corporate guests seeking reservations.
The Langham, for example, recently hosted two corporate board meetings. The Palace is seeing bookings from people “who have to check on their businesses,” Shenman said.
The Wythe, meanwhile, is starting to see an uptick in booking from TV and film production crews who are gearing up to restart filming at the nearby Steiner Studios in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard.
“It’s been a big part of our business historically,” owner Lawrence told The Post. “And they are starting to come back to life.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Giants are about to ‘reveal’ a lot about themselves

It was not a warning .
More like an alert .
Sean ...

It is not supposed to be this way so late in the summer. But this training camp experience is unlike any other.
Global pandemics have a way of wreaking havoc on most everything and so it has with the Giants. They finally get to put on the pads Monday and engage in their first practice that resembles what football in mid-August, less than a month before the start of the regular season, is supposed to look like.
The Giants only get a maximum of 14 of these padded sessions in this unprecedented “ramp-up’’ following a spring without any on-field work. There are no preseason games, making the practices in pads — and the weekly full-team scrimmages the Giants will hold, starting Friday — ultra-important, with the Steelers arriving before long (Sept. 14) for a “Monday Night Football’’ opener in front of thousands of empty seats at MetLife Stadium.
“They’re going to be moving fast, we’re going to be intent, we’re going to have an intensity in how we work,’’ new head coach Joe Judge said. “When the padded practices start, it will reduce to a 90-minute practice per league rules. We’re going to build everyone to make sure that now that we’re in pads, we can execute with the right fundamentals to play aggressive but safe. At all positions, receiver, D-line, it doesn’t matter. When the pads go on, you have to see intensity ramp up.’’
These padded practices usually commence after a handful of days in camp. This prolonged wait made assessing the talent assembled on the roster a study in delayed response. Running around on the grass in shorts and T-shirts is what the spring organized team activities are supposed to be about. There were none of those this year and, as a result, the rookies have yet to feel what the NFL physicality is all about.
This is why nearly every comment from Judge or one of his assistants comes with a caveat, as far as assessing where a player is as far as readiness.
Case in point: The Giants might need to rely on Darnay Holmes, a fourth-round draft pick from UCLA, as a regular contributor on defense, given the absences at cornerback of DeAndre Baker (on the Exempt List) and Sam Beal (opted out for the season). There are encouraging signs from Holmes — he had a nice breakup of a Daniel Jones pass to Golden Tate in a 7-on-7 drill on Sunday — but this data is incomplete.
“He’s doing a good job in camp, but he has a long, long way to go,’’ defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson said. “We haven’t even gotten to the pads yet to really see. That’ll be when you can really see what you have in those guys, is when we put the pads on and it’s a little more competitive, it’s real and he’s going against guys. Right now, we’ve just been in shorts. He’s been positive, doing some positive things. He has some growing to do. But we’ll see what he is when we put the pads on and actually compete against each other.’’
Actually competing against each other is all NFL teams get this strange summer. This should not be as onerous for veterans, players who have been down this road before and should be able to navigate their way to the real season without the customary lead-up.
“This will be my fifth year in the league, and for me I should know how to tackle and do all these things,’’ said inside linebacker Blake Martinez, signed from the Packers to make the defensive calls for the Giants.
Marc Colombo, the new offensive line coach, has good things to say about many of his linemen, including rookie Shane Lemieux, a fifth-round pick from Oregon. But there is this:
“Shane is an extremely tough kid,’’ Colombo said. “He’s versatile, he can play the interior positions. I’m interested to see when we get the pads on, that’s when you start to see that character come out, some of the stuff you saw on tape, and that’s kind of where we’re heading right now with the pads here coming up soon.’’
And there is this, from Colombo, on young lineman Nick Gates, entering his third NFL season:
“He’s getting a good share of reps at center,’’ Colombo said. “We’ll see soon. Again, we haven’t put on the pads yet. Once we put on the pads, a lot of things are going to reveal themselves.’’
The reveal finally gets here Monday.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Multiple cops shot in Texas by man barricaded in home

Three Texas police officers were shot and wounded on Sunday while responding to a call at a home , authorities @ @ @ @ @ barricaded inside the residence in Cedar Park , a suburb of Austin , according to @ @ @ @ @ taken to a local hospital in stable condition , the Cedar Park Police Department wrote @ @ @ @ @ EST .
“ This remains a very active scene , the subject is not in @ @ @ @ @ ” the department said .

Three Texas police officers were shot and wounded on Sunday while responding to a call at a home, authorities said.
The suspect was barricaded inside the residence in Cedar Park, a suburb of Austin, according to police.
The cops were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, the Cedar Park Police Department wrote on Twitter around 6:30 p.m. EST.
“This remains a very active scene, the subject is not in custody at this time,” the department said.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--Alex Rodriguez reportedly ‘clear-cut favorite’ to buy Mets

The J-Rod Mets may be getting closer to reality .
The bid led by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez has become the “ clear-cut favorite ” to buy the Mets , USA Today reported Sunday , citing the belief of “ several MLB executives.
” Final bids for the team are due by Aug. 31 .
There were previously questions about whether the J-Rod group would have enough money to compete with the other bidders — hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen and another group led by Devils and 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer .
But J-Rod has added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Water co-founder Mike Repole to boost their funding .
Rodriguez and Lopez would reportedly be investing $ 225-300 million of their own money .
Viola is worth about $ 5 billion and Repole $ 3 billion , opening the possibility that they could contribute more money than J-Rod — possibly making Rodriguez settle for CEO , but not the controlling Mets owner .
“ It could make sense for Vinny to be the control person , ” a source close to the situation previously told The Post .
Cohen , who is worth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team in February for a reported $ 2.6 billion before the deal with the Wilpons fell through .
The Post previously reported that J-Rod met with Patriots owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft to discuss a partnership on stadium operations for Citi Field and the development of Willets Point around the park .

The J-Rod Mets may be getting closer to reality.
The bid led by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez has become the “clear-cut favorite” to buy the Mets, USA Today reported Sunday, citing the belief of “several MLB executives.”
Final bids for the team are due by Aug. 31.
There were previously questions about whether the J-Rod group would have enough money to compete with the other bidders — hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen and another group led by Devils and 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. But J-Rod has added Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola and Vitamin Water co-founder Mike Repole to boost their funding.
Rodriguez and Lopez would reportedly be investing $225 million to $300 million of their own money. Viola is worth about $5 billion and Repole $3 billion, opening the possibility that they could contribute more money than J-Rod — possibly making Rodriguez settle for CEO, but not the controlling Mets owner.
“It could make sense for Vinny to be the control person,” a source close to the situation previously told The Post.
Cohen, who is worth $14 billion, tried to buy the team in February for a reported $2.6 billion before the deal with the Wilpons fell through.
The Post previously reported that J-Rod met with Patriots owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft to discuss a partnership on stadium operations for Citi Field and the development of Willets Point around the park.


newyorkpost--2020-08-16--British trade minister pledges to fight ‘unfair’ US tariffs

British Trade Secretary Liz Truss pledged to fight US tariffs on Scotch whisky , calling them “ unacceptable and unfair ” in an op-ed in the Telegraph on Sunday .
“ I will fight to consign these unfair tariffs to the bin of history ” , she wrote , while accusing the European Union of failing to protect British and Scottish interests .
The US government said last week it would maintain 15 % tariffs on Airbus ( AIR.PA ) aircraft and 25 % tariffs on other European goods as part of a long-running trade dispute , although it held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had threatened .
Britain had said it would step up demands for the United States to drop tariffs on goods such as single malt Scotch whisky after the industry warned a decision by Washington to retain the levy was putting its future at risk .
“ US tariffs on Scotch whisky are unacceptable and unfair .
I can not be clearer about that , ” Truss wrote .
“ Whisky-making is one of our great industries and a jewel in our national crown.
” Truss said she would meet with her US counterpart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks , as round four of US negotiations begin , where she will address the existing tariffs on single malt Scotch and a host of other products .
“ On Japan , we have consensus on the major elements of a deal that will go beyond the agreement the EU has with Japan ” , she added , reaffirming earlier reports that both countries seek to agree on a trade deal by the end of August .
Britain , which left the European Union in January , is seeking to clinch a trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU-Japan agreement by the end of the year , when Britain ’ s no-change transition arrangement with the EU will expire .
“ I firmly believe free and fair trade remains the best way forward for the world and for Britain ” , she said , adding that talks with the United States , Japan , Australia and New Zealand to strike new free trade agreements were progressing well .

British Trade Secretary Liz Truss pledged to fight US tariffs on Scotch whisky, calling them “unacceptable and unfair” in an op-ed in the Telegraph on Sunday.
“I will fight to consign these unfair tariffs to the bin of history”, she wrote, while accusing the European Union of failing to protect British and Scottish interests.
The US government said last week it would maintain 15% tariffs on Airbus (AIR.PA) aircraft and 25% tariffs on other European goods as part of a long-running trade dispute, although it held off adding some extra tariffs as it had threatened.
Britain had said it would step up demands for the United States to drop tariffs on goods such as single malt Scotch whisky after the industry warned a decision by Washington to retain the levy was putting its future at risk.
“US tariffs on Scotch whisky are unacceptable and unfair. I cannot be clearer about that,” Truss wrote. “Whisky-making is one of our great industries and a jewel in our national crown.”
Truss said she would meet with her US counterpart, Robert Lighthizer, in the coming weeks, as round four of US negotiations begin, where she will address the existing tariffs on single malt Scotch and a host of other products.
“On Japan, we have consensus on the major elements of a deal that will go beyond the agreement the EU has with Japan”, she added, reaffirming earlier reports that both countries seek to agree on a trade deal by the end of August.
Britain, which left the European Union in January, is seeking to clinch a trade agreement with Japan based on the 2019 EU-Japan agreement by the end of the year, when Britain’s no-change transition arrangement with the EU will expire.
“I firmly believe free and fair trade remains the best way forward for the world and for Britain”, she said, adding that talks with the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand to strike new free trade agreements were progressing well.