newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Side dish becomes side app: gig economy providing needed income for chefs

There ’ s a gig economy for everything these days , including gourmet cooking .
Plenty of new apps are cropping up to help chefs earn extra income during the coronavirus pandemic by cooking or teaching about cooking — and they ’ re attracting some big name talent .
On Monday , Franklin Becker , co-founder of restaurant chain The Little Beet , will launch 100 Pleats , an interactive foodie app that he ’ d like to see as the Uber for chefs who are making their own schedule and working when they want to .
The app — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chef ’ s hat — offers a platform for chefs to sell their cooking expertise through virtual sessions that might cost $ 10 for ten minutes or $ 500 — or more — for up to 120 minutes .
Each chef sets his or her price and pockets 80 percent , and the app gets the rest .
100 Pleats is based on the idea of customers paying chefs for their valuable time — whether to answer a few questions or to teach a group of friends to cook a meal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You can ask [ the chefs ] anything , like what should you make for dinner , or what to do with the ingredients that you already have in your fridge , ” Becker says .
So far , participating chefs include Emma Bengtsson , the first female Swedish chef to win two Michelin stars , Michelin-starred George Mendes , Maria Loi of Loi Estiatorio , an upscale Greek restaurant below Central Park , Mexican cuisine specialist Sue Torres and Indian food star Chintan Pandya .
Meanwhile , chefs working to fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic also are flocking to food-subscription apps like CookUnity .
When Mateo Marietti co-founded CookUnity in 2016 , it was designed as a test kitchen in Brooklyn for trained chefs who did not have their own kitchens or restaurants — a kind of WeWork for chefs .
Marietti still has the kitchen , but the business strategy has pivoted to helping chefs earn extra income with their restaurants being closed or doing reduced business because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The weekly subscription platform allows diners to order meals from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ menu options from their restaurants and cookbooks .
Dishes vary in price from $ 10.99 up to $ 16 .
Delivery started in New York and now is available across the Northeast and parts of New England .
Since March , more than a dozen new chefs have been added to the site , including chef maestro Jean-Georges Vongerichten , his son Cedric Vongerichten , as well as Joseph “ JJ ” Johnson , a James Beard Foundation Book Award-winning chef .
Johnson said he was inspired to join after seeing the success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app , including Cedric Vongerichten , the executive chef and owner of Wayan , a French-influenced Indonesian hotspot .
Cedric also helms the kitchen at Jean-Georges ’ West Village restaurant , Perry Street .
The elder Vongerichten joined after the lockdown hampered business at Wayan , but he says he ’ s leaning toward staying long after a vaccine is discovered .
“ I think people will continue to want to eat at home , ” he told Side Dish .
Johnson is on track to start cooking for CookUnity in August .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a new network .
The goal is to reach out beyond my restaurant , to people who watch my cooking show but who can ’ t get to the restaurant , ” says Johnson of Field Trip , a pan-African rice-based eatery in Harlem .

There’s a gig economy for everything these days, including gourmet cooking.
Plenty of new apps are cropping up to help chefs earn extra income during the coronavirus pandemic by cooking or teaching about cooking — and they’re attracting some big name talent.
On Monday, Franklin Becker, co-founder of restaurant chain The Little Beet, will launch 100 Pleats, an interactive foodie app that he’d like to see as the Uber for chefs who are making their own schedule and working when they want to.
The app — named after the number of pleats in a chef’s hat — offers a platform for chefs to sell their cooking expertise through virtual sessions that might cost $10 for ten minutes or $500 — or more — for up to 120 minutes.
Each chef sets his or her price and pockets 80 percent, and the app gets the rest.
100 Pleats is based on the idea of customers paying chefs for their valuable time — whether to answer a few questions or to teach a group of friends to cook a meal. There also are classes for kids.
“You can ask [the chefs] anything, like what should you make for dinner, or what to do with the ingredients that you already have in your fridge,” Becker says.
So far, participating chefs include Emma Bengtsson, the first female Swedish chef to win two Michelin stars, Michelin-starred George Mendes, Maria Loi of Loi Estiatorio, an upscale Greek restaurant below Central Park, Mexican cuisine specialist Sue Torres and Indian food star Chintan Pandya.
Meanwhile, chefs working to fill their time — and income gaps — during the pandemic also are flocking to food-subscription apps like CookUnity.
When Mateo Marietti co-founded CookUnity in 2016, it was designed as a test kitchen in Brooklyn for trained chefs who did not have their own kitchens or restaurants — a kind of WeWork for chefs.
Marietti still has the kitchen, but the business strategy has pivoted to helping chefs earn extra income with their restaurants being closed or doing reduced business because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The weekly subscription platform allows diners to order meals from the chef of their choice, including weekly menu options from their restaurants and cookbooks. Dishes vary in price from $10.99 up to $16. Delivery started in New York and now is available across the Northeast and parts of New England.
Since March, more than a dozen new chefs have been added to the site, including chef maestro Jean-Georges Vongerichten, his son Cedric Vongerichten, as well as Joseph “JJ” Johnson, a James Beard Foundation Book Award-winning chef.
Johnson said he was inspired to join after seeing the success that other chefs have had on the app, including Cedric Vongerichten, the executive chef and owner of Wayan, a French-influenced Indonesian hotspot. Cedric also helms the kitchen at Jean-Georges’ West Village restaurant, Perry Street.
The elder Vongerichten joined after the lockdown hampered business at Wayan, but he says he’s leaning toward staying long after a vaccine is discovered. “I think people will continue to want to eat at home,” he told Side Dish.
Johnson is on track to start cooking for CookUnity in August.
“We’re trying to tap into a new network. The goal is to reach out beyond my restaurant, to people who watch my cooking show but who can’t get to the restaurant,” says Johnson of Field Trip, a pan-African rice-based eatery in Harlem.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Human remains identified as missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen

Human remains found in a shallow Texas grave last week have been identified as missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen , a lawyer for her family said Sunday .
The family was informed of the identification by Army officials on Sunday , while in the company of their priest , attorney Natalie Khawam told The Associated Press .
Guillen , 20 , was last seen April 22 in a parking lot at Fort Hood , where she was based .
She was killed and dismembered by fellow soldier Aaron David Robinson , 20 , who took his own life last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
A local civilian , Cecily Aguilar , 22 , has been arrested and charged with helping Robinson to mutilate and dispose of the body .
The remains were found on Tuesday , about 20 miles east of Fort Hood , during the search for Guillen .
Investigators weren ’ t able to use dental records to identify Guillen because of the state of the remains , and instead used DNA from bone and hair samples , the attorney said .
The family has said they believe Robinson had been sexually harassing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional investigation into the matter .

Human remains found in a shallow Texas grave last week have been identified as missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen, a lawyer for her family said Sunday.
The family was informed of the identification by Army officials on Sunday, while in the company of their priest, attorney Natalie Khawam told The Associated Press.
Guillen, 20, was last seen April 22 in a parking lot at Fort Hood, where she was based.
She was killed and dismembered by fellow soldier Aaron David Robinson, 20, who took his own life last week, federal and military investigators have said.
A local civilian, Cecily Aguilar, 22, has been arrested and charged with helping Robinson to mutilate and dispose of the body.
The remains were found on Tuesday, about 20 miles east of Fort Hood, during the search for Guillen.
Investigators weren’t able to use dental records to identify Guillen because of the state of the remains, and instead used DNA from bone and hair samples, the attorney said.
The family has said they believe Robinson had been sexually harassing Guillen. They are calling for a congressional investigation into the matter.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Nets’ Garrett Temple sees NBA restart as powerful social justice tool

The Nets only have a dozen healthy players they can ...

Don’t get Garrett Temple mistaken: He wasn’t disappointed or even surprised that Nets teammate and fellow union leader Kyrie Irving expressed doubts about the NBA restart.
But after seeing the killing of George Floyd finally wake America up to racial injustice — and seeing white allyship grow for Black Lives Matter — Temple said on a Zoom call Sunday that this moment is just too big to let slip, too important to not capitalize on.
“Everybody has their own thoughts on how to affect change,” Temple said. “The main point is that everybody wants the same thing. Kyrie, myself, most of the black men in the NBA that are passionate about this — or if they weren’t passionate, most of them are now — we want the same thing. There are a lot of different ways to skin a cat.
“The conversations were actually those conversations: Thinking about what’s the way we can most utilize this extra push, these extra ears, and extra eyes that are on this situation. Everybody realized this is a little different than three or four years ago. The world was at a standstill, and this happened again; and because of the situation in terms of the pandemic, people have to watch. It’s the only thing that was going on.
“As black men, black people in America, this is an everyday struggle. So the way we can utilize those two or three months in Orlando to continue to push the narrative, to have it fresh on people’s minds, is something we can do in terms of keeping it on people’s minds. … We can really utilize our bubble and ESPN and Turner to help us push that narrative.”
As a National Basketball Players Association VP, Temple took part in a host of calls not only with the union, but with players and teammates. And after the NBPA reps voted to sign off on the restart, Irving — who became a union VP this season — then expressed doubts and reportedly lobbied for a players’ boycott.
“No, I wasn’t surprised necessarily. This is big-time. This is so different; it’s new to everybody,” Temple said. “A lot of people have had second thoughts. I’d imagine more than half of the … players that are going have had second thoughts, so I wasn’t surprised.
“But I was glad that the calls happened and players talked, because this is what we need. We need to talk about situations like this, whether it be at a union meeting or if we can’t do that, a Zoom call. As long as we can keep y’all off it next time.”
For Temple, playing comes at a personal sacrifice. His fiancée, Miss USA 2017 Kara McCullough, is due with their first child in September. Being in Orlando will keep him away for the late stages of her pregnancy, although he’ll leave the bubble for the birth.
“I’m coming back to see my first child being born,” Temple said. “That’s not even in the question.”
Passing generational wealth along to that child — and building it in the black community as a whole — has been a major talking point for Temple.
“To whom much is given, much is required,” Temple said. “So if I do what I’m supposed to do with [that wealth], I’ll feel an obligation to give to causes that I feel strongly about. … I can then pass those same values onto people, and they can help more and more communities.”
The Nets had activist and CNN analyst Van Jones speak to the entire organization, as well as the players in smaller groups.
“One thing he was saying was we want y’all to keep playing. Y’all are some of the few black people in America that have a little bit of money, so we don’t want y’all to stop that,” Temple said. “But his biggest thing to us was to continue to have home as black men, black women in America, that he does see a change in how things are going.”
Temple has seen the same change, underscored by the difference in reaction to when George Zimmerman’s acquittal for the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin went largely unnoticed.
“Nobody seemed to care,” Temple said. “It made me angry that it was so foreign to so many people, or people just didn’t even pay attention to it.
“Fast-forward eight or nine years later, it seems like people are finally starting to care about unarmed black men being brutalized by the police and black Americans in general being marginalized. So the biggest thing I see is the difference in how that has affected or everybody is trying to help.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Terry Francona supports Indians name change: ‘Time to move forward’

CLEVELAND — Cleveland manager Terry Francona won ’ t sidestep the hot-button topic any longer .
He believes the Indians need to change their contentious nickname .
“ I think it ’ s time to move forward , ” Francona said Sunday .
Francona ’ s comments came two days after the Indians , amid a nationwide movement to erase racially insensitive symbols , released a statement saying the organization is “ committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.
” The team ’ s announcement — an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — came hours after the NFL ’ s Washington Redskins said they will undergo a review of their name and logo .
The Redskins announced their decision after several sponsors , including FedEx , which owns the naming rights to the team ’ s stadium , urged the franchise to change a nickname that has been deemed offensive for decades .
Like Francona , Washington coach Ron Rivera has called for his team to change its name .
During a Zoom call following a morning workout for his team at Progressive Field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subject of Cleveland ’ s name or mascot .
The team removed the highly debated Chief Wahoo logo from its game jerseys and caps last year , and now will consider changing a nickname that has been in place since 1915 .
“ I ’ ve been thinking about it and been thinking about it before we put out that statement , ” he said .
“ I know in the past , when I ’ ve been asked about , whether it ’ s our name or the Chief Wahoo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say I know that we ’ re never trying to be disrespectful .
“ And I still feel that way .
But I don ’ t think that ’ s a good enough answer today .
I think it ’ s time to move forward .
It ’ s a very difficult subject .
It ’ s also delicate.
” Francona acknowledged his own past errors in judgment .
He doesn ’ t want to be labeled as someone who can ’ t adapt or change with the times .
“ Even at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to be too old to learn or to realize that , maybe I ’ ve been ignorant of some things , and to be ashamed of it , and to try to be better , ” said the 61-year-old , who guided the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles .
“ I ’ m glad that we ’ re going to be open to listening , because I think that ’ s probably the most important thing right now , is being willing to listen , not necessarily just talk.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach Brad Mills has left the club to be with his family .
Mills ’ 18-month-old grandson , Beau , drowned during spring training .
“ I think it was agonizing for him to leave home , ” Francona said .
“ I think it was agonizing for him to leave here .
But I know in my heart he made the right decision .
If there ’ s ever a bittersweet moment , it was staying goodbye to him yesterday because I care about him enough that I know where he needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I don ’ t know if it ’ s my left or right hand , whichever one is better , that ’ s the one he ’ s been.
” Francona said his coaching staff will “ divvy up ” Mills ’ duties , but many of them will fall to assistant Mike Barnett .
Mills was in charge of organizing the re-start of training camp , which was halted in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ No one person will replace what MIllsy does and we know that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows that .
I think it was a difficult decision for him .
I almost wish it hadn ’ t been so difficult because I think I know in my heart where he needs to be and that ’ s home right now .
”

CLEVELAND — Cleveland manager Terry Francona won’t sidestep the hot-button topic any longer. He believes the Indians need to change their contentious nickname.
“I think it’s time to move forward,” Francona said Sunday.
Francona’s comments came two days after the Indians, amid a nationwide movement to erase racially insensitive symbols, released a statement saying the organization is “committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”
The team’s announcement — an initial step toward a possible name change — came hours after the NFL’s Washington Redskins said they will undergo a review of their name and logo. The Redskins announced their decision after several sponsors, including FedEx, which owns the naming rights to the team’s stadium, urged the franchise to change a nickname that has been deemed offensive for decades. Like Francona, Washington coach Ron Rivera has called for his team to change its name.
During a Zoom call following a morning workout for his team at Progressive Field, Francona said he will no longer sidestep the subject of Cleveland’s name or mascot. The team removed the highly debated Chief Wahoo logo from its game jerseys and caps last year, and now will consider changing a nickname that has been in place since 1915.
“I’ve been thinking about it and been thinking about it before we put out that statement,” he said. “I know in the past, when I’ve been asked about, whether it’s our name or the Chief Wahoo, I think I would usually answer and say I know that we’re never trying to be disrespectful.
“And I still feel that way. But I don’t think that’s a good enough answer today. I think it’s time to move forward. It’s a very difficult subject. It’s also delicate.”
Francona acknowledged his own past errors in judgment. He doesn’t want to be labeled as someone who can’t adapt or change with the times.
“Even at my age, you don’t want to be too old to learn or to realize that, maybe I’ve been ignorant of some things, and to be ashamed of it, and to try to be better,” said the 61-year-old, who guided the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles. “I’m glad that we’re going to be open to listening, because I think that’s probably the most important thing right now, is being willing to listen, not necessarily just talk.”
Francona also said his longtime bench coach Brad Mills has left the club to be with his family. Mills’ 18-month-old grandson, Beau, drowned during spring training.
“I think it was agonizing for him to leave home,” Francona said. “I think it was agonizing for him to leave here. But I know in my heart he made the right decision. If there’s ever a bittersweet moment, it was staying goodbye to him yesterday because I care about him enough that I know where he needs to be. He’s been, I don’t know if it’s my left or right hand, whichever one is better, that’s the one he’s been.”
Francona said his coaching staff will “divvy up” Mills’ duties, but many of them will fall to assistant Mike Barnett. Mills was in charge of organizing the re-start of training camp, which was halted in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“No one person will replace what MIllsy does and we know that,” Francona said. “And he knows that. I think it was a difficult decision for him. I almost wish it hadn’t been so difficult because I think I know in my heart where he needs to be and that’s home right now.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--NYC grocers struggle to hire while workers bank on unemployment claims

New York City supermarkets are getting inundated with unemployment claims — while most of them are looking to hire workers during the coronavirus lockdown , not fire them .
Morton Williams , which operates 16 stores in the New York metro area , was slammed with 400 claims at the height of the pandemic in March and April — up tenfold from a year earlier , co-owner Steven Sloan told The Post .
Through June , claims have risen to about 600 — or about half the workers on the payroll , he said .
What ’ s more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has laid off only three people as grocery demand went through the roof .
Yet by the end of May , more than 160 ex-staffers were drawing weekly benefits OK ’ d by the state , he said .
In the past , it was rare that the New York Department of Labor would pay a claim the supermarket disputed , and if they did , they would explain themselves , Sloan said .
That practice changed with the outbreak of the coronavirus , he said .
“ In three months I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former employees are being paid when I have disputed their claims , ” Sloan told The Post .
“ So , I don ’ t know what their reasoning is .
I can ’ t argue any of these cases if we don ’ t know what the rules are.
” With the federal government ’ s CARES Act paying out $ 600 a week on top of state unemployment checks , many grocery workers stand to make more on unemployment than they would working at the store .
That has helped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the city ’ s grocers — which have boasted steady business since mid-March — say they ’ re struggling to deal with the situation .
“ We are seeing confusing claims from people who haven ’ t notified us that they are leaving , ” said Sal Bonavita , who owns two Key Food stores in the Bronx .
“ We haven ’ t laid off anyone and yet we are seeing much higher volumes of unemployment claims.
” “ The benefits are a key reason why people are not applying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he added .
He usually has 16 employees but is currently short eight staffers .
The CARES Act , passed by Congress in March , also releases benefits to workers who claim they are caring for a family member with COVID-19 , or to those who are the primary caregiver for a child .
Those changes — combined with the federal stimulus checks for taxpayers — have spurred some workers to seize the advantage .
Sloan said two young store clerks recently filed for benefits even though they are still working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confronted by a manager they “ admitted they had filed for unemployment , explaining that they were told if you file you can get extra money , ” Sloan said .
Back in April , Sloan added , a cashier got fired for failing to charge a customer for $ 200 worth of groceries , and soon started receiving state checks for $ 284 per week , despite the chain disputing the claim .
An employee at a Midtown location quit his job in March after telling his boss he was worried about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
He started receiving weekly checks of $ 341 — despite the supermarket ’ s protestations , Sloan said .
Indeed , workers who quit their jobs or are fired from them shouldn ’ t qualify workers for benefits , said Deanna Cohen , a spokesperson for the New York Department of Labor , adding that “ if someone misrepresents their situation to get benefits they are committing fraud.
” “ We have a rigorous application and screening process to weed out fraudulent claims and ensure only eligible New Yorkers receive benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This system has not changed during this crisis.
” Adding to the confusion , organized crime rings have been filing fraudulent claims on behalf of people who are currently working , according to reports .
Sloan said he has encountered the problem in a handful of instances in which he has received claims for employees who never stopped working and told him that they did not file a claim .
“ There is no guidance from state governments on how premiums will be impacted , ” labor lawyer Darren Oved of Oved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Unemployment insurance rates will go up almost certainly .
”

New York City supermarkets are getting inundated with unemployment claims — while most of them are looking to hire workers during the coronavirus lockdown, not fire them.
Morton Williams, which operates 16 stores in the New York metro area, was slammed with 400 claims at the height of the pandemic in March and April — up tenfold from a year earlier, co-owner Steven Sloan told The Post. Through June, claims have risen to about 600 — or about half the workers on the payroll, he said.
What’s more, during that time Sloan said Morton Williams has laid off only three people as grocery demand went through the roof. Yet by the end of May, more than 160 ex-staffers were drawing weekly benefits OK’d by the state, he said.
In the past, it was rare that the New York Department of Labor would pay a claim the supermarket disputed, and if they did, they would explain themselves, Sloan said.
That practice changed with the outbreak of the coronavirus, he said.
“In three months I have not received a single explanation about why former employees are being paid when I have disputed their claims,” Sloan told The Post. “So, I don’t know what their reasoning is. I can’t argue any of these cases if we don’t know what the rules are.”
With the federal government’s CARES Act paying out $600 a week on top of state unemployment checks, many grocery workers stand to make more on unemployment than they would working at the store. That has helped to spur a tidal wave of claim applications, and the city’s grocers — which have boasted steady business since mid-March — say they’re struggling to deal with the situation.
“We are seeing confusing claims from people who haven’t notified us that they are leaving,” said Sal Bonavita, who owns two Key Food stores in the Bronx. “We haven’t laid off anyone and yet we are seeing much higher volumes of unemployment claims.”
“The benefits are a key reason why people are not applying for jobs at our stores right now,” he added. He usually has 16 employees but is currently short eight staffers.
The CARES Act, passed by Congress in March, also releases benefits to workers who claim they are caring for a family member with COVID-19, or to those who are the primary caregiver for a child.
Those changes — combined with the federal stimulus checks for taxpayers — have spurred some workers to seize the advantage.
Sloan said two young store clerks recently filed for benefits even though they are still working for Morton Williams. When they were confronted by a manager they “admitted they had filed for unemployment, explaining that they were told if you file you can get extra money,” Sloan said.
Back in April, Sloan added, a cashier got fired for failing to charge a customer for $200 worth of groceries, and soon started receiving state checks for $284 per week, despite the chain disputing the claim.
An employee at a Midtown location quit his job in March after telling his boss he was worried about his own health safety, citing the pandemic. He started receiving weekly checks of $341 — despite the supermarket’s protestations, Sloan said.
Indeed, workers who quit their jobs or are fired from them shouldn’t qualify workers for benefits, said Deanna Cohen, a spokesperson for the New York Department of Labor, adding that “if someone misrepresents their situation to get benefits they are committing fraud.”
“We have a rigorous application and screening process to weed out fraudulent claims and ensure only eligible New Yorkers receive benefits,” Cohen said via email. “This system has not changed during this crisis.”
Adding to the confusion, organized crime rings have been filing fraudulent claims on behalf of people who are currently working, according to reports. Sloan said he has encountered the problem in a handful of instances in which he has received claims for employees who never stopped working and told him that they did not file a claim.
“There is no guidance from state governments on how premiums will be impacted,” labor lawyer Darren Oved of Oved & Oved LLP told The Post. “Unemployment insurance rates will go up almost certainly.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Jed Lowrie keeps injury a mystery after ‘full-go’ Mets workout

Jacob deGrom still has a few more weeks until the ...

Luis Rojas described Jed Lowrie as “full-go” for Sunday afternoon’s workout and simulated game. The Mets probably hope there is another level he can get to after Lowrie, sporting what he called his “functional” brace, gingerly ran the bases and seemed to be favoring his injured left side that still remains a mystery.
But at least the oft-injured veteran infielder was on the field, getting two at-bats against live pitching, trying to push past the issues that have kept him sidelined as a Met.
“It’s frustrating. Obviously, it hasn’t gone as expected,” the 36-year-old Lowrie said on a Sunday night Zoom video call from Citi Field on the third day of spring training 2.0. “But listen, I’m going to focus on whatever I can do and whatever they can ask me to do, because we have this 60-game sprint. … My hope is that as I continue to do these strengthening exercises, I can increase that workload. But we’ll kind of have to play that day by day, see how it reacts, see how the treatment is helping.”
Lowrie, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract prior to last season, danced around what the injury he’s dealing with is, saying he doesn’t want to be a distraction. When it was suggested that the mystery of what’s been bothering him dating back to spring training, 2019 could be a distraction in itself, he said: “Listen, that’s something that I’ll leave up to the Twitterverse. All I can say is I am doing, as a professional, I’m doing everything I can to get on the field.”
He declined to say at what percentage he was running at, though he did note that running “is probably the activity I feel it most.”
If Lowrie does have a role on the Mets, it would likely be as an occasional designated hitter or pinch-hitter, with Jeff McNeil expected to be the everyday third baseman and Robinson Cano as the regular second baseman. Both Rojas and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen have suggested using Lowrie at DH as a possibility, though he would be one of many options at that spot.
Lowrie received just eight at-bats in his first season with the Mets, all as a pinch-hitter, and when spring training was suspended on March 12 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, he hadn’t appeared in an exhibition game yet. While he had taken part in baseball activities, the belief was he would begin the season on the injured list because of his lack of mobility. It remains uncertain if that will be the case once this shortened season begins, though Lowrie did at least test the leg Sunday, albeit in a brace he believes he can play in.
“I chose to come here. I want to be part of this organization and be a part of something fun,” said Lowrie, who struck out and lined out to center field in his two at-bats against Dellin Betances. “That’s why I want to focus on the task at hand. We have this short window of games and hopefully I can contribute to something cool. That’s why I signed here.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--As private sector bleeds, NYC government has barely even begun belt tightening

Crisis , what crisis ?
You don ’ t have to look at the numbers behind the city ’ s new , $ 92 billion budget to see that neither the mayor nor the City Council takes the COVID-19 calamity seriously : Just to look at the number of workers the city plans to keep on board over the next year .
By next June , Gotham expects to be able to pay 329,152 people , ranging from 131,358 teachers to 1,317 mayoral-office staffers .
You might imagine this figure represents a sharp cut to the 2019 levels , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( that is , the fiscal year that ended last June ) .
You would be wrong .
Last summer , the city had 332,315 workers .
The projected loss of 3,163 jobs is less than 1 percent of the number of workers .
No one wishes a job loss on anyone , particularly when there are few jobs to be had .
But something just doesn ’ t add up here .
As of late June , 1.4 million New Yorkers in the private and nonprofit economies had lost their jobs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nearly 4.1 million people employed in February .
Somehow , Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council expect a decimated private economy to pay to hold the public-employee workforce entirely harmless , when you remember the fact that people retire every year , anyway .
And how will the city achieve even these modest cuts ?
It will cut 1,106 police officers , mainly by cancelling one recruit class .
Other than that , Hizzoner and the council haven ’ t sent any signal at all that any department could stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , will fall by just four people , compared to the 1,321 employed last summer .
( The mayor ’ s staff has already thoughtfully self-executed half of these cuts , with two press staffers quitting last week . )
Horrific cuts to the Department of Education , as Chancellor Richard Carranza warned of last week ?
The department ’ s roster of civilians — not direct educators — will actually increase compared to last summer , by 465 people , to 25,654 .
And despite the overall modest cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on wages and benefits will actually increase , to $ 29.7 billion , up from $ 29.1 billion in 2019 .
A vanished tax base , then , is expected to pay more for fewer public services .
New York is almost certain to have to ask the whole public workforce for a wage freeze , and the sooner it ’ s done , the more pain avoided later , in fewer front-line layoffs .
And as the Empire Center ’ s E.J .
McMahon has observed , it is possible , under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts to execute such a move in an emergency .
But there is another thing the city hasn ’ t even considered , and one that would affect nonunion workers , as well : a firm pay cap .
In 2019 , more than 7,700 city workers made more than $ 150,000 .
They ranged from Carranza , who took home $ 363,000 , to the mayor himself , who made $ 258,000 .
School principals and administrators , police captains , top mayoral , city council , DA and comptroller staffers ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-house finance staff — all make well into the comfortable six figures .
Many of these people are nonunion workers — indeed , this analysis doesn ’ t include overtime pay for hourly workers — and could voluntarily agree to cap their pay at $ 150,000 until the private economy has recovered its pre-lockdown jobs .
For the rest , the mayor and the council could go to the state for emergency powers .
Forcing public servants to live temporarily within a salary that is comfortable even for New York City — especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earner — isn ’ t just symbolic .
It would save $ 200 million a year , according to an analysis of raw data provided by SeeThroughNY .
That ’ s a whole fifth of the $ 1 billion in draconian cuts the mayor warns he will have to make .
And yes , the symbolism is important .
The mayor and his schools chancellor love to talk about inequality , yet he is holding himself harmless in this crisis even as he threatens to lay off low-paid front-line workers later this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing or transportation costs , has few bills to pay , compared to millions of New Yorkers struggling right now .
De Blasio and the council , of course , are counting on another round of federal bailout .
Aid is warranted ; this is , after all , a historic crisis .
But they may be more successful if Congress sees that federal money isn ’ t going to protect well-paid white-collar ( and , yes , disproportionately white ) workers from even a nominal sacrifice .

Crisis, what crisis? You don’t have to look at the numbers behind the city’s new, $92 billion budget to see that neither the mayor nor the City Council takes the COVID-19 calamity seriously: Just look at the number of workers the city plans to keep on board over the next year.
By next June, Gotham expects to be able to pay 329,152 people, ranging from 131,358 teachers to 1,317 mayoral-office staffers. You might imagine this figure represents a sharp cut to the 2019 levels, the last fiscal year before the pandemic hit (that is, the fiscal year that ended last June).
You would be wrong. Last summer, the city had 332,315 workers. The projected loss of 3,163 jobs is less than 1 percent of the number of workers.
No one wishes a job loss on anyone, particularly when there are few jobs to be had. But something just doesn’t add up here. As of late June, 1.4 million New Yorkers in the private and nonprofit economies had lost their jobs, a staggering one-third of the pre-COVID-19 workforce of nearly 4.1 million people employed in February.
Somehow, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council expect a decimated private economy to pay to hold the public-employee workforce entirely harmless, when you remember the fact that people retire every year, anyway.
And how will the city achieve even these modest cuts? It will cut 1,106 police officers, mainly by cancelling one recruit class.
Other than that, Hizzoner and the council haven’t sent any signal at all that any department could stand some cuts.
His own mayoralty staff, for example, will fall by just four people, compared to the 1,321 employed last summer. (The mayor’s staff has already thoughtfully self-executed half of these cuts, with two press staffers quitting last week.)
Horrific cuts to the Department of Education, as Chancellor Richard Carranza warned of last week? The department’s roster of civilians — not direct educators — will actually increase compared to last summer, by 465 people, to 25,654.
And despite the overall modest cuts to the payroll, the amount spent on wages and benefits will actually increase, to $29.7 billion, up from $29.1 billion in 2019. A vanished tax base, then, is expected to pay more for fewer public services.
New York is almost certain to have to ask the whole public workforce for a wage freeze, and the sooner it’s done, the more pain avoided later, in fewer front-line layoffs. And as the Empire Center’s E.J. McMahon has observed, it is possible, under state law, to open up union contracts to execute such a move in an emergency.
But there is another thing the city hasn’t even considered, and one that would affect nonunion workers, as well: a firm pay cap. In 2019, more than 7,700 city workers made more than $150,000. They ranged from Carranza, who took home $363,000, to the mayor himself, who made $258,000. School principals and administrators, police captains, top mayoral, city council, DA and comptroller staffers (and other elected officials themselves), in-house finance staff — all make well into the comfortable six figures.
Many of these people are nonunion workers — indeed, this analysis doesn’t include overtime pay for hourly workers — and could voluntarily agree to cap their pay at $150,000 until the private economy has recovered its pre-lockdown jobs. For the rest, the mayor and the council could go to the state for emergency powers.
Forcing public servants to live temporarily within a salary that is comfortable even for New York City — especially since many households have more than one earner — isn’t just symbolic. It would save $200 million a year, according to an analysis of raw data provided by SeeThroughNY. That’s a whole fifth of the $1 billion in draconian cuts the mayor warns he will have to make.
And yes, the symbolism is important. The mayor and his schools chancellor love to talk about inequality, yet he is holding himself harmless in this crisis even as he threatens to lay off low-paid front-line workers later this year. And the mayor, with no housing or transportation costs, has few bills to pay, compared to millions of New Yorkers struggling right now.
De Blasio and the council, of course, are counting on another round of federal bailout. Aid is warranted; this is, after all, a historic crisis. But they may be more successful if Congress sees that federal money isn’t going to protect well-paid white-collar (and, yes, disproportionately white) workers from even a nominal sacrifice.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor of City Journal. Twitter: @NicoleGelinas


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--6-year-old boy killed in San Francisco shooting

A 6-year-old boy was reportedly killed and another person was wounded in a shooting in San Francisco Saturday night .
@ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s Bayview neighborhood at about 10:45 p.m. , the San Francisco Chronicle @ @ @ @ @ unclear where the child was shot .
He died at a nearby hospital , the @ @ @ @ @ unidentified shooting victim , a male , was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries , police @ @ @ @ @ , no arrests were made and police did not immediately provide a suspect description .

A 6-year-old boy was reportedly killed and another person was wounded in a shooting in San Francisco Saturday night.
The fatal shooting occurred in the city’s Bayview neighborhood at about 10:45 p.m., the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
It’s unclear where the child was shot. He died at a nearby hospital, the newspaper said.
The other unidentified shooting victim, a male, was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
As of Sunday, no arrests were made and police did not immediately provide a suspect description.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Republicans need to unite in defense of America’s culture

Today ’ s Republican Party is lost .
There is no clear mission driving the GOP .
Some Republicans may describe their mission as “ freedom ” or “ limited government.
” But this is only a means to a mission .
These maxims don ’ t provide guidance as to what the government should be doing at any particular time .
A better mission is this : to “ preserve the American way of life.
” This is a shorthand for securing the conditions necessary to pursue a worthy life — what the Founders meant by “ happiness ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to see ourselves as one people with a single culture , directed by the Declaration , supported by the Judeo-Christian ethos and shaped by our history .
Of course , there were sub-cultures , but we understood them as all sharing the fundamental attributes of a single culture .
We insisted that immigrants be assimilated .
Colorblindness was our ideal .
We believed ourselves to be the least class-conscious , most self-reliant , most religious people in the world .
We valued work , no matter how humble .
Dependency was thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happiness required doing good in this world , and we prized civic participation .
Many Americans still hold this understanding of our way of life , and it is this that Republicans should preserve .
But today , our society is ruled by another regime — an ideology that calls itself multiculturalism but seeks ultimately to destroy and replace our colorblind , Declaration-inspired heritage .
Instead of a community of rights-bearing individuals with a shared understanding of a national good , this ideology prizes a collection of cultural identity groups , ranked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arm .
Its end is a society where there are no outcome disparities among identity groups .
We see this movement on vivid display .
Through projects such as The New York Times ’ 1619 Project , multiculturalists are working actively to rewrite US history , reinvent education , destroy the family and the beliefs and values that are intrinsic to the American way of life .
In a society , there will always be differences among different groups .
But multiculturalists demand the destruction of natural differences — the expansion of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stringent political correctness .
Many Republicans don ’ t seem to think defending the American way of life is terribly important .
Rather , they focus on low taxes , gun rights , strong defense and the rest of the traditional GOP agenda .
Worse , some Republicans , particularly those of a libertarian bent , say to the multiculturalists , “ You can live the way you wish , just let us live the way we wish.
” What they don ’ t understand is they are fighting an enemy with totalitarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our way — or else.
” This is a culture war of their making .
How can Republicans fight this war ?
We must strengthen the foundations of the American way of life — family , religion , education , and community .
But more important , Republicans must build public sentiment in favor of the American way of life .
This is critical right now , because Americans don ’ t fully understand the extent of the multicultural threat .
In fact , broad swaths are uninformed , because the multiculturalists control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the political arena to make well-developed arguments and call out multiculturalism when it manifests itself .
They must create an overarching narrative that allows us to see the monster of multiculturalism in its entirety .
Yes , this is a challenge .
But if we don ’ t do this , those citizens who don ’ t bow to the altar of multiculturalism will assume they are alone — and acquiesce to what they perceive as an irresistible new orthodoxy .
It isn ’ t enough for Republicans to make just any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right arguments from justice .
Multiculturalists understand this well , and it makes them appear to have the high moral ground .
They have ( social ) justice ; Republicans have “ it costs less , ” “ reduce the size of government ” or “ states ’ rights.
” Republicans will not win that fight .
Rather , justice arguments must be met with other , better justice arguments .
None of these arguments will work however if we can ’ t speak about who we are .
Thus , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we must also confront the tyranny of political correctness .
While exquisitely sensitive to its demands , Republicans don ’ t publicly identify political correctness as a problem , let alone the problem .
Indeed , no Republican — other than President Trump — is campaigning against political correctness .
This must change , lest we lose the American Dream .
Forever .
Thomas Klingenstein is an investor and the chairman of the board of the Claremont Institute .
Adapted from The American Mind .

Today’s Republican Party is lost. There is no clear mission driving the GOP. Some Republicans may describe their mission as “freedom” or “limited government.” But this is only a means to a mission. These maxims don’t provide guidance as to what the government should be doing at any particular time.
A better mission is this: to “preserve the American way of life.” This is a shorthand for securing the conditions necessary to pursue a worthy life — what the Founders meant by “happiness” in the Declaration of Independence.
America used to see ourselves as one people with a single culture, directed by the Declaration, supported by the Judeo-Christian ethos and shaped by our history. Of course, there were sub-cultures, but we understood them as all sharing the fundamental attributes of a single culture. We insisted that immigrants be assimilated. Colorblindness was our ideal.
We believed ourselves to be the least class-conscious, most self-reliant, most religious people in the world. We valued work, no matter how humble. Dependency was thought to be shameful. We believed that happiness required doing good in this world, and we prized civic participation. Many Americans still hold this understanding of our way of life, and it is this that Republicans should preserve.
But today, our society is ruled by another regime — an ideology that calls itself multiculturalism but seeks ultimately to destroy and replace our colorblind, Declaration-inspired heritage. Instead of a community of rights-bearing individuals with a shared understanding of a national good, this ideology prizes a collection of cultural identity groups, ranked by victimhood. Political correctness is its enforcement arm. Its end is a society where there are no outcome disparities among identity groups.
We see this movement on vivid display. Through projects such as The New York Times’ 1619 Project, multiculturalists are working actively to rewrite US history, reinvent education, destroy the family and the beliefs and values that are intrinsic to the American way of life.
In a society, there will always be differences among different groups. But multiculturalists demand the destruction of natural differences — the expansion of state power and countless social restrictions, including stringent political correctness.
Many Republicans don’t seem to think defending the American way of life is terribly important. Rather, they focus on low taxes, gun rights, strong defense and the rest of the traditional GOP agenda. Worse, some Republicans, particularly those of a libertarian bent, say to the multiculturalists, “You can live the way you wish, just let us live the way we wish.” What they don’t understand is they are fighting an enemy with totalitarian instincts. Multiculturalists practice “do it our way — or else.” This is a culture war of their making.
How can Republicans fight this war?
We must strengthen the foundations of the American way of life — family, religion, education, and community. But more important, Republicans must build public sentiment in favor of the American way of life. This is critical right now, because Americans don’t fully understand the extent of the multicultural threat. In fact, broad swaths are uninformed, because the multiculturalists control the opinion-forming institutions.
Republicans must take to the political arena to make well-developed arguments and call out multiculturalism when it manifests itself. They must create an overarching narrative that allows us to see the monster of multiculturalism in its entirety. Yes, this is a challenge. But if we don’t do this, those citizens who don’t bow to the altar of multiculturalism will assume they are alone — and acquiesce to what they perceive as an irresistible new orthodoxy.
It isn’t enough for Republicans to make just any arguments, however. They must make the right arguments from justice. Multiculturalists understand this well, and it makes them appear to have the high moral ground. They have (social) justice; Republicans have “it costs less,” “reduce the size of government” or “states’ rights.” Republicans will not win that fight. Rather, justice arguments must be met with other, better justice arguments.
None of these arguments will work however if we can’t speak about who we are. Thus, to preserve the American way of life, we must also confront the tyranny of political correctness. While exquisitely sensitive to its demands, Republicans don’t publicly identify political correctness as a problem, let alone the problem. Indeed, no Republican — other than President Trump — is campaigning against political correctness. This must change, lest we lose the American Dream. Forever.
Thomas Klingenstein is an investor and the chairman of the board of the Claremont Institute. Adapted from The American Mind.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--New York’s Republican Party needs to be ready for Democrats to screw up

New York ’ s Republican Party is reduced to hoping Democrats screw up so badly that voters give the GOP another try .
Democrats gained a hefty 40-23 advantage in the state Senate last year .
And if they keep control for the redistricting after the 2020 census , gerrymandering could well lock the GOP out for a decade .
Meanwhile , most big donors — the business community , especially real estate — feel compelled to “ pay rent ” to those in power , paying heavily for a hope of seeing their interests acknowledged .
The opposition still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flaws in bills , offering common-sense ideas , bolstering the spines of beleagured Democratic moderates and so on .
But it ’ s depressing work , prompting a wave of retirements among the remaining GOP senators — making it tougher for the party to even keep the seats it still has .
But this means much-needed fresh blood , and officeholders committed to principle , rather than power , pork and perks .
But ascendant progressives are wreaking disaster .
Their insistence on emptying prisons and jails , no matter the risks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the state .
And their obsession with “ taxing the rich ” is a growing drag on a once-vibrant economy .
It ’ s the GOP ’ s job now to be ready to step up when voters realize it ’ s time to change .

New York’s Republican Party is reduced to hoping Democrats screw up so badly that voters give the GOP another try.
Democrats gained a hefty 40-23 advantage in the state Senate last year. And if they keep control for the redistricting after the 2020 census, gerrymandering could well lock the GOP out for a decade.
Meanwhile, most big donors — the business community, especially real estate — feel compelled to “pay rent” to those in power, paying heavily for a hope of seeing their interests acknowledged.
The opposition still matters in both chambers — pointing out flaws in bills, offering common-sense ideas, bolstering the spines of beleagured Democratic moderates and so on. But it’s depressing work, prompting a wave of retirements among the remaining GOP senators — making it tougher for the party to even keep the seats it still has.
But this means much-needed fresh blood, and officeholders committed to principle, rather than power, pork and perks.
But ascendant progressives are wreaking disaster. Their insistence on emptying prisons and jails, no matter the risks to public safety, is boosting crime all across the state. And their obsession with “taxing the rich” is a growing drag on a once-vibrant economy.
It’s the GOP’s job now to be ready to step up when voters realize it’s time to change.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--What new NYC budget does under cover of ‘defunding the NYPD’

It seems the City Council ’ s move to defund the NYPD also managed to shield a particularly well-connected brand of lawbreaker — namely , the municipal employees and other insiders who abuse their parking placards .
This , even as the new budget also boosts enforcement against all other drivers in a blatant bid to fund city government with excessive law enforcement .
That ’ s right : The budget axed all 116 positions dedicated to placard enforcement and zeroes out the unit ’ s $ 5.4 million annual budget .
This is at least the second time a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crack down has come to nothing .
Meanwhile , the budget also reassigns 165 traffic-enforcement agents to the Department of Transportation , expecting them to bring in $ 42 million in added revenue .
Council Speaker Corey Johnson says it ’ ll mean more “ tickets for cars blocking bus lanes or double-parking in a bike lane.
” Really ?
Seems to us that CoJo is ignoring a key lesson of Ferguson , Mo .
— where the 2014 death of Michael Brown sparked the Black Lives Matter movement .
The Obama Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town of Ferguson had come to depend heavily on revenue generated by fines and other charges generated by police enforcement — an oppressive policy that hit the black community hard .
Fines , plus late fees and the arrests generated for failure to pay created serious tension between civilians and law enforcement .
New York City drivers have long complained of ticketing blitzes .
Whistleblowing cops and traffic agents have cited productivity quotas as well as pressure from supervisors to write more tickets .
Yet city leaders just decided to gouge the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they ( again ) protected insider motorists who abuse their privileges .
That ’ s a lot of squalor snuck through in the name of “ defunding the police .
”

It seems the City Council’s move to defund the NYPD also managed to shield a particularly well-connected brand of lawbreaker — namely, the municipal employees and other insiders who abuse their parking placards.
This, even as the new budget also boosts enforcement against all other drivers in a blatant bid to fund city government with excessive law enforcement.
That’s right: The budget axed all 116 positions dedicated to placard enforcement and zeroes out the unit’s $5.4 million annual budget. This is at least the second time a vaunted Mayor Bill de Blasio effort to crack down has come to nothing.
Meanwhile, the budget also reassigns 165 traffic-enforcement agents to the Department of Transportation, expecting them to bring in $42 million in added revenue.
Council Speaker Corey Johnson says it’ll mean more “tickets for cars blocking bus lanes or double-parking in a bike lane.”
Really? Seems to us that CoJo is ignoring a key lesson of Ferguson, Mo. — where the 2014 death of Michael Brown sparked the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Obama Justice Department’s investigation found that the town of Ferguson had come to depend heavily on revenue generated by fines and other charges generated by police enforcement — an oppressive policy that hit the black community hard.
Fines, plus late fees and the arrests generated for failure to pay created serious tension between civilians and law enforcement.
New York City drivers have long complained of ticketing blitzes. Whistleblowing cops and traffic agents have cited productivity quotas as well as pressure from supervisors to write more tickets.
Yet city leaders just decided to gouge the public more in this divisive way — even as they (again) protected insider motorists who abuse their privileges.
That’s a lot of squalor snuck through in the name of “defunding the police.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Rip Van Winkle: reopening in one Long Island town

In the classic Washington Irving short story , the character Rip Van Winkle falls asleep for 20 years , misses the American Revolution and wakes up to a world utterly transformed around him .
The people of New York have experienced something similar since the novel-coronavirus pandemic plunged us into a prolonged and seemingly endless lockdown .
Sure , we haven ’ t been sleeping ; in fact , many of us are sleeping a lot less , and a lot less easily or restfully , than we used to .
But we have been hunkering down in our homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own loved ones , barraged constantly with crisis bromides ( “ in these uncertain times , ” “ We ’ re all in this together ” ) and ominous warnings ( “ Don ’ t touch your face , ” “ Wear a mask , ” “ Keep at least six feet away ” ) .
The world outside has passed us by , like history did with van Winkle .
So it comes as a great relief that our “ sleep ” probably won ’ t last 20 years .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Long Island , is starting to open up .
The good news is that less has changed in Northport than changed for Rip van Winkle .
When Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Long Island had reached Phase Three just a few days ago , allowing indoor dining , it felt like a shock to the system .
We have adapted — to mask-wearing , to staying home , to takeout , only takeout — and now we are back to indoor dining in restaurants and indoor shopping in stores ?
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things in those long-ago days of February , in the Before Times , as Twitter wags like to joke ?
I would have thought reopening would be slow and gradual , but when the governor gave the all-clear , restaurants , barbershops and stores here were packed the very next day .
That ’ s a good sign : It means people are ready and willing to get out , to be somewhere other than their houses , to interact with other human beings again .
Cuomo has spoken so extensively about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus — while making the lethal decision to force nursing homes to admit COVID-positive — that he seems to have forgotten that human interaction and being in communities actually matter .
You can ’ t plot how much we need others on a chart or factor it into COVID-19 numbers .
But we know it ’ s a big deal , all the same .
Here in Northport , we have been wearing masks and adhering to the other rules .
Life has been drama-free , for the most part , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest in the city .
The single protest that happened here was peaceful and limited to the park .
But painting a totally placid , bucolic picture would be wrong .
Even here in suburbia , we had a racism scare ( and “ scare ” is the word for it ) : Huntington restaurant owner Luigi Petrone ’ s comments calling protesters “ little animals , savages ” somehow made the national news , and the pushback forced him to make ritual apologies .
Both Petrone ’ s comments and the frenzied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no doubt , a reaction to bottling ourselves up in our homes for months .
There is no doubt the tensions , including the minor ones here , have something to do with lockdowns .
On the whole , though , the people here aren ’ t going in for political extremes : Instead , normalcy is reasserting itself — not the “ new normal ” of isolation but the real normal of going into town , sitting in the park , talking to friends and neighbors and passersby .
Many are scared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended family doesn ’ t get too close .
We are , however , getting closer to the specks of light at the end of a very long tunnel .
Northport isn ’ t free from worries roiling the Big Apple and the rest of the nation right now , but we ’ re making do .
After his sleep , Rip van Winkle returned to his old ways , 20 years lost or not .
Gradually , Northporters are trying to do the same thing .
Now comes the hard work of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve gone without real schooling for far too long and , perhaps most important , casting off the gloom of prolonged isolation .
Karl Salzmann is an intern on The Post ’ s Editorial Board .

In the classic Washington Irving short story, the character Rip Van Winkle falls asleep for 20 years, misses the American Revolution and wakes up to a world utterly transformed around him. The people of New York have experienced something similar since the novel-coronavirus pandemic plunged us into a prolonged and seemingly endless lockdown.
Sure, we haven’t been sleeping; in fact, many of us are sleeping a lot less, and a lot less easily or restfully, than we used to. But we have been hunkering down in our homes, fearful of neighbors and even our own loved ones, barraged constantly with crisis bromides (“in these uncertain times,” “We’re all in this together”) and ominous warnings (“Don’t touch your face,” “Wear a mask,” “Keep at least six feet away”). The world outside has passed us by, like history did with van Winkle.
So it comes as a great relief that our “sleep” probably won’t last 20 years. In fact, my hometown of Northport, on Long Island, is starting to open up.
The good news is that less has changed in Northport than changed for Rip van Winkle. When Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Long Island had reached Phase Three just a few days ago, allowing indoor dining, it felt like a shock to the system.
We have adapted — to mask-wearing, to staying home, to takeout, only takeout — and now we are back to indoor dining in restaurants and indoor shopping in stores? It’s almost incredible.
We actually did such things in those long-ago days of February, in the Before Times, as Twitter wags like to joke? I would have thought reopening would be slow and gradual, but when the governor gave the all-clear, restaurants, barbershops and stores here were packed the very next day.
That’s a good sign: It means people are ready and willing to get out, to be somewhere other than their houses, to interact with other human beings again.
Cuomo has spoken so extensively about the need to keep people safe against the coronavirus — while making the lethal decision to force nursing homes to admit COVID-positive — that he seems to have forgotten that human interaction and being in communities actually matter. You can’t plot how much we need others on a chart or factor it into COVID-19 numbers. But we know it’s a big deal, all the same.
Here in Northport, we have been wearing masks and adhering to the other rules. Life has been drama-free, for the most part, and we have avoided the worst of the racial unrest in the city. The single protest that happened here was peaceful and limited to the park.
But painting a totally placid, bucolic picture would be wrong. Even here in suburbia, we had a racism scare (and “scare” is the word for it): Huntington restaurant owner Luigi Petrone’s comments calling protesters “little animals, savages” somehow made the national news, and the pushback forced him to make ritual apologies. Both Petrone’s comments and the frenzied responses seem over-the-top — in part, no doubt, a reaction to bottling ourselves up in our homes for months. There is no doubt the tensions, including the minor ones here, have something to do with lockdowns.
On the whole, though, the people here aren’t going in for political extremes: Instead, normalcy is reasserting itself — not the “new normal” of isolation but the real normal of going into town, sitting in the park, talking to friends and neighbors and passersby.
Many are scared of a second wave; even my extended family doesn’t get too close. We are, however, getting closer to the specks of light at the end of a very long tunnel.
Northport isn’t free from worries roiling the Big Apple and the rest of the nation right now, but we’re making do. After his sleep, Rip van Winkle returned to his old ways, 20 years lost or not. Gradually, Northporters are trying to do the same thing.
Now comes the hard work of rebuilding an economy, educating children who’ve gone without real schooling for far too long and, perhaps most important, casting off the gloom of prolonged isolation.
Karl Salzmann is an intern on The Post’s Editorial Board.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Illegal weekend fireworks lit up Southern California, sparking several hundred blazes

Just what is it going to take for the left ...

Illegal fireworks lit up the night sky across much of Southern California over Independence Day weekend, sending firefighters scrambling to deal with several hundred fires, according to reports.
Aerial footage from NBC News in LA showed bursts of illegal fireworks peppering the city and county after local officials canceled official July 4th displays over social-distancing concerns in the midst of a resurgence of the coronavirus.
“The fireworks were, unfortunately, a contributing factor to the busy night we had, and it was just intensely active with illegal fireworks,” Contra Costa Fire Capt. George Laing told the San Jose Mercury-News. “Fireworks are illegal. But it doesn’t seem to have concerned hundreds if not thousands who were lighting off all different types and causing fires around the Bay Area.”
Laing said firefighters responded to about 60 calls between 9 and 11 p.m. Saturday, with the bursts leaving a hazy mist over the area.
One fireworks-sparked blaze in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles ignited palm trees and spread into an apartment building, displacing 50 people, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.
Firefighters in the City of Angels responded to 29 structure fires, 12 brush fires, 17 grass fires, 65 tree fires, and 116 rubbish fires before 10 p.m. Saturday, according to KTLA-TV in LA.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” the LAFD said on Instagram. “Fireworks are not toys.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--Daughter of slain Finest Miosotis Familia remembers hero mom, asks for cop respect

The adult daughter of slain hero city cop Miosotis Familia delivered an emotional remembrance of her mom Sunday, the third anniversary of the officer’s on-the-job assassination — and beseeched New Yorkers to likewise never forget her mother’s sacrifice.
“She was the most loving person ever. She was the kindest soul,” Genesis Villella said through tears during a memorial ceremony for her mom in The Bronx, the borough that Familia gave her life protecting.
“Anyone who knew her knew that she loved her family, and she loved her friends,” Villella said. “Not only her blood-related family, but her Blue family as well.
“My mom loved being a cop.”
Familia, a patrol officer and 12-year Police Department veteran, was seated inside a temporary headquarters vehicle in the early hours of July 5, 2017, when police-hating ex-con Alexander Bonds ambushed her and her partner unprovoked at East 183rd Street and Morris Avenue.
Bonds fired a single shot through the window, fatally striking Familia in the head, before he was in turn gunned down by police a short distance away.
Villella asked that New Yorkers join her in carrying the memory of her mom, who was posthumously promoted to detective.
She also called for a level of respect for her mom’s fellow Finest, referencing a “horrific” incident late Saturday in which a bullet whizzed through the window of a marked NYPD vehicle outside the borough’s 40th Precinct, narrowly missing two cops inside.
Authorities as of Sunday evening had not determined whether those cops were targeted or had a close brush with a stray bullet.
“All that I ask is that no one ever forgets the sacrifice that my mother made for this city,” she said. “I just hope that no one in this city forgets that cops have families too, that they have children, that they have parents, that they have siblings, that they have people that love them.”
Villella recalled in heart-wrenching detail the final hours she spent with her mom before the officer’s murder, beginning with an Independence Day barbecue at a relative’s home in New Jersey.
“Everything seemed so amazing at the time,” Villella said.
“When we got home that night … I was in my room, and she came in, and she said, ‘I’m gonna go to work now,’ ” Villella recalled of Familia. “We looked at each other. I said, ‘OK, Mom. I love you. I’ll see you tomorrow.’ Then … she gave me a hug.
“She smiled at me, and I asked her, ‘Could I have another hug?’ And she hugged me [in] what would’ve been the last time that I ever would’ve seen her.”
Villella drifted to sleep, only to be roused a few hours later by a cop at the door of the family home, telling her that she needed to come to St. Barnabas Hospital.
“When I got [to St. Barnabas], they explained to me that while my mom was working, a criminal who hated cops came and shot her in the head,” Villella said. “They asked me if I wanted to see her. I went into the hospital room, and she was in front of me dead.”
Familia, 48, also left behind two younger children, twins Peter and Delilah, now 15, raised by Villella since the tragedy.
“Ever since that night in the hospital, I have never been OK,” Villella said. “The shock may have settled, but the grief and the pain and the trauma have stayed.”
The “gruesome” and “evil” act has left Villella with “a hole in my heart,” she said Sunday.
“Still today, the pain and the grief that I’m feeling will never go away,” she said. “This is something that doesn’t get easier.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--With vandalism and personal threats, protests have gone beyond ‘peaceful’

Just what is it going to take for the left and its media echo chamber to call out the vandals and violent bullies they pretend are merely “ peaceful protesters ” ?
Yes , many George Floyd demonstrators are law-abiding , reject violence and simply want to exercise their First Amendment right to assemble and be heard .
Good for them , whatever you think of their views .
Yet far too many are no more than brutes — bent on destruction , bullying and imposing their will by force .
And it ’ s not just those who provoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Nearly 400 NYPD officers alone were hurt in the early days of the George Floyd “ rallies.
” Occupy City Hall continues to hold ground it illegally claimed for itself until it was satisfied with NYPD funding cuts .
Wednesday morning , OCH clashed again with police ; one thug later went after a journalist .
( At least OCH ’ s area isn ’ t Seattle ’ s CHOP , where four shootings left two dead .
Not yet , anyway . )
Nor are the looters who pounced during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of businesses ( many owned by minority members and immigrants ) the sole culprits .
Besides these goons are armies of the self-righteous , who think they now have a license to harass , vandalize and threaten .
Those , for instance , who barraged City Council members with personal phone calls , text messages and visits to their homes .
Speaker Corey Johnson says anti-police “ protesters ” even targeted his boyfriend , vandalizing his building — owned by a person of color .
Others have snatched police barricades and commandeered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paint over statues and defacing public buildings — vandalizing memorials even when it has no rhyme or reason in relation to their supposed cause .
“ If this country doesn ’ t give us what we want , then we will burn down this system , ” vowed New York Black Lives Matter head Hawk Newsome , who claims to seek “ black sovereignty by any means necessary.
” Pretending protesters like these are “ peaceful ” is begging for more violence .

Just what is it going to take for the left and its media echo chamber to call out the vandals and violent bullies they pretend are merely “peaceful protesters”?
Yes, many George Floyd demonstrators are law-abiding, reject violence and simply want to exercise their First Amendment right to assemble and be heard. Good for them, whatever you think of their views.
Yet far too many are no more than brutes — bent on destruction, bullying and imposing their will by force.
And it’s not just those who provoke and attack cops (and others): Nearly 400 NYPD officers alone were hurt in the early days of the George Floyd “rallies.”
Occupy City Hall continues to hold ground it illegally claimed for itself until it was satisfied with NYPD funding cuts. Wednesday morning, OCH clashed again with police; one thug later went after a journalist. (At least OCH’s area isn’t Seattle’s CHOP, where four shootings left two dead. Not yet, anyway.)
Nor are the looters who pounced during the early chaos to enrich themselves while destroying hundreds of businesses (many owned by minority members and immigrants) the sole culprits.
Besides these goons are armies of the self-righteous, who think they now have a license to harass, vandalize and threaten. Those, for instance, who barraged City Council members with personal phone calls, text messages and visits to their homes. Speaker Corey Johnson says anti-police “protesters” even targeted his boyfriend, vandalizing his building — owned by a person of color.
Others have snatched police barricades and commandeered city streets, as well as splashing paint over statues and defacing public buildings — vandalizing memorials even when it has no rhyme or reason in relation to their supposed cause.
“If this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system,” vowed New York Black Lives Matter head Hawk Newsome, who claims to seek “black sovereignty by any means necessary.”
Pretending protesters like these are “peaceful” is begging for more violence.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--NFL training camp rules set high bar for players to return from coronavirus

The Wave is nearly gone from NFL stadiums , but the ...

With NFL players and coaches scheduled to finally reunite in just over three weeks, the league sent a memo to all teams Friday detailing COVID-19 protocol for training camp and the preseason.
Developed in association with the NFL Players Association, the memo from commissioner Roger Goodell features the steps teams must take regarding treatment and testing of the novel coronavirus.
Teams will need to perform contact tracing if any person tests positive or possesses symptoms of the virus. Any person in the proximity of an infected individual will be required to be tested for eight straight days — regardless of the test result — while a person who tests positive must remain away from the team facility for at least 10 days, unless testing negative twice in a five-day span after a positive test. Doctors must clear any person who tests positive, before returning to the site.
During training camp, players and coaches will be asked to conduct meetings virtually or outdoors. All team employees will be required to wear masks inside the facility, while players and staff must perform social distancing of at least six feet from each other, even inside the locker room. Strength and conditioning workouts will be capped at 15 people, while teams are permitted to have as many as 110 people — all required to wear masks — in a traveling party for a road game.
An agreement has not yet been reached regarding players’ ability to opt out of the season due to health concerns, which multiple NBA, MLB and NHL players have already done. The NFLPA reportedly voted to entirely cancel the two-game preseason — which was already cut in half — in order to make up for the in-person team workouts and camps missed during the spring and summer.
Though fans and visitors will not be permitted to attend training camp, the league is allowing teams to hold as many as two events with fans at their respective stadium, if local health regulations allow it. In such a scenario, fans would be dispersed throughout the building and not be permitted to sit in the first eight rows. Media members will not be allowed to interview players in person.
All team employees are subject to discipline should anyone refuse to follow health and safety protocols. Both the league and NFLPA are authorized to make surprise inspections to enforce the new policies.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--‘Lost’ star Josh Holloway on why he joined cable hit ‘Yellowstone’

The hit Paramount Network series “ Yellowstone ” is a feast for ...

Josh Holloway, who rose to fame as James “Sawyer” Ford on ABC’s hit series “Lost,” played one of the most iconic TV characters from the early 2000s.
Since then, Holloway has starred in shows including the CBS thriller “Intelligence” (2014) and USA’s sci-fi epic “Colony” (2016-2018).
Now he’s joined Season 3 of the hit cowboy drama “Yellowstone,” which premiered to nearly 7 million viewers on Father’s Day as the year’s highest-rated cable drama. New episodes air Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on the Paramount Network.
“Yellowstone” follows John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his family as they run the largest contiguous ranch in the US and face off against threats from developers and politicians. Holloway’s character — money manager Roarke Morris — is their latest adversary.
Holloway, 50, spoke to The Post about why he wanted to be on “Yellowstone,” facing off against Costner, Sawyer’s legacy and more.
What drew you to “Yellowstone?”
Well, it was my favorite show on TV at the time. I’m actually calling you from Wyoming. It’s my favorite place in the world. It’s the jewel of the world to me, where the animals still go and the buffalo still roam. On Father’s Day I saw five moose, two elk, a buffalo, and a deer — and I was just driving around! What attracted me to the show was that it takes you there. The scenic beauty, the cinematography. And also Kevin Costner. He’s a legend of course, and it was an honor to work with him. And I knew [series creator] Taylor Sheridan. So it was all that, and the fact that I have a cabin here and I’ve been coming for the last nine years, so I knew [about] all of these issues that he was dealing with on the show.
What was working with Kevin Costner like?
When you get to meet your heroes, you hope it’s going to go well and they won’t blow you off and tell you to get lost. He was super nice and present and humble and really about the work. It inspires you. I really enjoyed meeting and working with Kevin. You might expect him to be somewhat distant, but he was not and I loved that. So we had a good time together.
Tell me about your character, Roarke Morris.
He’s up to no good. I like to describe him as the inevitable. He is progress incarnate, the velvet hammer. He’s coming down on you whether you like it or not. So that’s what he represents: big business bringing big things. He’s the Duttons’ worst nightmare, because he does it through the government [and] can condemn their land. He’ll try to buy it, and if he can’t, he’ll condemn it. So he’s a problem, and I expect they’re going to deal with him in a real way. Being someone who normally has to carry a show, it’s awesome to be a guest star. It’s not my show; I don’t have to carry the episodes. I just pop in and out. It’s fun.
It’s a cowboy show, but Roarke is not a cowboy.
No, not at all! I was so bummed at first because I know Taylor [Sheridan] and we’ve ridden horses all day together . . . So when I got the call [to be on the show], I was like, “Well gosh, he knows I’m a cowboy for God’s sake, of course I’m going to get to be one of those guys!” But no. He thought it was hilarious. But I love the character. He wrote it because he knows that I fly fish. And maybe I have some other skills that are in there.
How often do “Lost” fans still approach you about Sawyer?
Probably a couple times a week, but it makes a huge difference when you cut your hair. When I have short hair and no beard, it’s like the Clark Kent disguise. It’s pretty funny. I had that experience in Istanbul; I was watching a guy who was drawing Sawyer, and I was there with short hair for like 10 minutes watching him going, “Dude, that’s a good job.” And he said, “Thanks, man!” [and continued drawing]. He never recognized me.
Sawyer was known for his tastes in books. What do you think he’d be reading during quarantine?
Nostradamus [laughs]. Maybe “A River Runs Through It,” something that would bring some calm, you know? Definitely not Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road,” no thank you. That’d be too close to home.


newyorkpost--2020-07-05--NYC tattoo shop says coronavirus is becoming sought-after ink design

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Tattoo parlors are among the Big Apple businesses set to start up again Monday under Phase 3 of the state ’ s reopening plan — and the coronavirus is already a sought-after design .
“ I had a group of nurses and doctors , who were in town to help out , e-mail me asking about a [ COVID-related ] group tattoo , ’ ’ Paul Paz , assistant manager of the Bang Bang Tattoo shops in Lower Manhattan , told The Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking for a tat of “ COVID , the virus , the picture of the actual virus , ’ ’ he said .
In addition to tattoo parlors , nail and tanning salons and spas in the Big Apple are allowed to start up again under Phase 3 , and people can also officially begin playing some outdoor sports .
Paz said his business is trying to figure out how to work through a backlog of appointments that were canceled because of the shutdown .
“ We still have two and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put in a deposit , they have priority , ’ ’ he said .
“ Once they are contacted , we will start taking new customers.
’ ’ NYC Tan near Willowbrook Park on Staten Island said its customers are also ready to bust down its doors , with at least six appointments already lined up Monday .
“ We have face shields , we have masks , we have temperature guns , ” owner John Carandola told The Post .
“ Front door stays locked , and we will take temperatures at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner of New York Hardcore Tattoo in SoHo in Manhattan , said he was busy trying to reorganize his small , long and narrow spot on Stanton Street to ensure proper social distancing .
He said the artist working Monday already has three appointments .
“ The biggest change is no walk-ins , ’ ’ Harada said .
“ We will have actually one person working at a time with one customer .
Friends are not allowed .
But other shops were expecting a slower return to business as usual .
“ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People are scared ’ ’ of getting the virus , Kim Dong , manager of Aria Body Piercing in the East Village , told The Post .
Harada acknowledged that he is “ cautiously optimistic ’ ’ about reopening .
“ We could be a vector for disease , so we have to be very careful .
We don ’ t want to be shut down again , ’ ’ the shop owner said , referring to the citywide lockdown that took effect in March amid the pandemic .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be , as I am skeptical about restaurants and bars reopening.
’ ’ Indoor restaurant dining would typically be allowed under the state ’ s Phase 3 guidelines , but Gov .
Andrew Cuomo nixed it for New York City amid fears over soaring virus figures in other states and the lack of social distancing in the Big Apple outside places such as bars .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Tattoo parlors are among the Big Apple businesses set to start up again Monday under Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan — and the coronavirus is already a sought-after design.
“I had a group of nurses and doctors, who were in town to help out, e-mail me asking about a [COVID-related] group tattoo,’’ Paul Paz, assistant manager of the Bang Bang Tattoo shops in Lower Manhattan, told The Post on Sunday.
Another customer also e-mailed asking for a tat of “COVID, the virus, the picture of the actual virus,’’ he said.
In addition to tattoo parlors, nail and tanning salons and spas in the Big Apple are allowed to start up again under Phase 3, and people can also officially begin playing some outdoor sports.
Paz said his business is trying to figure out how to work through a backlog of appointments that were canceled because of the shutdown.
“We still have two and a half months of appointments to reschedule. They put in a deposit, they have priority,’’ he said. “Once they are contacted, we will start taking new customers.’’
NYC Tan near Willowbrook Park on Staten Island said its customers are also ready to bust down its doors, with at least six appointments already lined up Monday.
“We have face shields, we have masks, we have temperature guns,” owner John Carandola told The Post. “Front door stays locked, and we will take temperatures at the entrance.”
Mark Harada, the owner of New York Hardcore Tattoo in SoHo in Manhattan, said he was busy trying to reorganize his small, long and narrow spot on Stanton Street to ensure proper social distancing.
He said the artist working Monday already has three appointments.
“The biggest change is no walk-ins,’’ Harada said. “We will have actually one person working at a time with one customer. Friends are not allowed.
But other shops were expecting a slower return to business as usual.
“A lot of people are not in town. People are scared’’ of getting the virus, Kim Dong, manager of Aria Body Piercing in the East Village, told The Post.
Harada acknowledged that he is “cautiously optimistic’’ about reopening.
“We could be a vector for disease, so we have to be very careful. We don’t want to be shut down again,’’ the shop owner said, referring to the citywide lockdown that took effect in March amid the pandemic.
“I’m skeptical about how safe we could be, as I am skeptical about restaurants and bars reopening.’’
Indoor restaurant dining would typically be allowed under the state’s Phase 3 guidelines, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo nixed it for New York City amid fears over soaring virus figures in other states and the lack of social distancing in the Big Apple outside places such as bars.


newyorkpost--2020-07-06--When Will ‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Season 2 Premiere on Netflix?

The Baby-Sitters Club is one of the most joyous shows to ever hit Netflix .
A reboot of Ann M. Martin ’ s beloved books , The Baby-Sitters Club show brings Kristy ( Sophie Grace ) , Mary Ann ( Malia Baker ) , Claudia ( Momona Tamada ) , Stacey ( Shay Rudolph ) , and Dawn ( Xochitl Gomez ) to vibrant life in the tumult of 2020 .
The series lovingly captures what made the original series so great , while also surprising Baby-Sitters Club fans with some on point contemporary twists .
But now that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel-good show of the summer , when can you watch The Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 on Netflix ?
Created by Rachel Shukert , The Baby-Sitters Club follows a group of entrepreneurial-minded middle school girls as they launch a one-stop shop for baby-sitting in their hometown of Stoneybrook .
While juggling the typical struggles you ’ d encounter in the child care business , the girls are also contending with their own childhoods ending .
Each of the characters in The Baby-Sitters Club has to deal with the setbacks , disappointments , and challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so with grace , compassion , and above all else , friendship .
The Baby-Sitters Club Season 1 ends with a two-part finale set at summer camp , but what does the future hold for our heroines in the eighth grade ?
Will there be a Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 ?
And when will The Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 premiere on Netflix ?
WILL THERE BE A BABY-SITTERS CLUB SEASON 2 ON NETFLIX ?
While Netflix has yet to officially renew The Baby-Sitters Club for a second season , the avalanche of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week leading up to its premiere bodes well for its future .
As does the fact that the show introduces characters like Logan Bruno ( Rian McCririck ) , Mallory Pike ( Vivian Watson ) , and Jessie Ramsay ( Anais Lee ) later on in the season ’ s run .
These characters all have pivotal parts to play in The Baby-Sitters Club series and suggests that there ’ s a plan in place for The Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 .
WHEN WILL BABY-SITTERS CLUB SEASON 2 PREMIERE ON NETFLIX ?
Netflix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of The Baby-Sitters Club in February 2019 , but the earliest casting announcements didn ’ t come until late last summer .
That means should we get a Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 , we could see new episodes as early as spring or summer 2021 .
Of course this is all contingent upon if Netflix renews The Baby-Sitters Club for Season 2 and whether or not filming is able to resume without a hitch .
Check back with Decider for more news on The Baby-Sitters Club .

The Baby-Sitters Club is one of the most joyous shows to ever hit Netflix. A reboot of Ann M. Martin’s beloved books, The Baby-Sitters Club show brings Kristy (Sophie Grace), Mary Ann (Malia Baker), Claudia (Momona Tamada), Stacey (Shay Rudolph), and Dawn (Xochitl Gomez) to vibrant life in the tumult of 2020. The series lovingly captures what made the original series so great, while also surprising Baby-Sitters Club fans with some on point contemporary twists. But now that you’ve binged your way through the feel-good show of the summer, when can you watch The Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 on Netflix?
Created by Rachel Shukert, The Baby-Sitters Club follows a group of entrepreneurial-minded middle school girls as they launch a one-stop shop for baby-sitting in their hometown of Stoneybrook. While juggling the typical struggles you’d encounter in the child care business, the girls are also contending with their own childhoods ending. Each of the characters in The Baby-Sitters Club has to deal with the setbacks, disappointments, and challenges life throws their way. And they do so with grace, compassion, and above all else, friendship.
The Baby-Sitters Club Season 1 ends with a two-part finale set at summer camp, but what does the future hold for our heroines in the eighth grade? Will there be a Baby-Sitters Club Season 2? And when will The Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 premiere on Netflix?
WILL THERE BE A BABY-SITTERS CLUB SEASON 2 ON NETFLIX?
While Netflix has yet to officially renew The Baby-Sitters Club for a second season, the avalanche of positive press the show got in the week leading up to its premiere bodes well for its future. As does the fact that the show introduces characters like Logan Bruno (Rian McCririck), Mallory Pike (Vivian Watson), and Jessie Ramsay (Anais Lee) later on in the season’s run. These characters all have pivotal parts to play in The Baby-Sitters Club series and suggests that there’s a plan in place for The Baby-Sitters Club Season 2.
WHEN WILL BABY-SITTERS CLUB SEASON 2 PREMIERE ON NETFLIX?
Netflix first announced they were adapting a television version of The Baby-Sitters Club in February 2019, but the earliest casting announcements didn’t come until late last summer. That means should we get a Baby-Sitters Club Season 2, we could see new episodes as early as spring or summer 2021.
Of course this is all contingent upon if Netflix renews The Baby-Sitters Club for Season 2 and whether or not filming is able to resume without a hitch.
Check back with Decider for more news on The Baby-Sitters Club.
Watch The Baby-Sitters Club (2020) on Netflix


newyorkpost--2020-07-06--Scientists warn WHO about airborne spread of coronavirus

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More than 200 scientists are telling the World Health Organization that there is mounting evidence that the coronavirus can linger in the air in smaller particles and may be infectious in smaller quantities than previously thought , according to a report .
The 239 scientists from 32 countries are urging the UN agency to take more seriously the possibility of airborne spread of the illness , and are seeking to raise awareness about it in an upcoming paper titled “ It is Time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Washington Post reported .
The scientists say the potential of the bug to spread through airborne transmission has not been fully appreciated even by public health institutions , including the WHO , which has faced criticism over its response to the pandemic , according to the newspaper .
In April , President Trump announced that he was freezing all new funding to the WHO .
In late May , he said the US planned to withdraw from the agency .
The scientists ’ paper was shared with The Washington Post ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinical Infectious Diseases .
The fact that they are seeking pressure the WHO with a paper is unusual , analysts told the news outlet .
“ WHO ’ s credibility is being undermined through a steady drip-drip of confusing messages , including asymptomatic spread , the use of masks , and now airborne transmission , ” Lawrence Gostin , a professor of global health law at Georgetown University , told The Washington Post .
Gostin , who provides technical assistance to the WHO , praised it for hosting briefings and acknowledged that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it “ has to make recommendations for the entire world and it feels it needs irrefutable scientific proof before coming to a conclusion.
” But he warned that “ the public , and even scientists , will lose full confidence in WHO without clearer technical guidance.
” A WHO spokesperson told the newspaper that the agency , which has repeatedly defended its handling of the outbreak , will have technical experts review the matter .
The WHO has said that COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infected person coughs , sneezes or speaks .
The health agency said the evidence for the virus being airborne was not convincing , according to The New York Times .
“ Especially in the last couple of months , we have been stating several times that we consider airborne transmission as possible but certainly not supported by solid or even clear evidence , ” Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi , the WHO ’ s technical lead of infection prevention and control , told the newspaper .
“ There is a strong debate on this @ @ @ @ @

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 200 scientists are telling the World Health Organization that there is mounting evidence that the coronavirus can linger in the air in smaller particles and may be infectious in smaller quantities than previously thought, according to a report.
The 239 scientists from 32 countries are urging the UN agency to take more seriously the possibility of airborne spread of the illness, and are seeking to raise awareness about it in an upcoming paper titled “It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of Covid-19,” the Washington Post reported.
The scientists say the potential of the bug to spread through airborne transmission has not been fully appreciated even by public health institutions, including the WHO, which has faced criticism over its response to the pandemic, according to the newspaper.
In April, President Trump announced that he was freezing all new funding to the WHO. In late May, he said the US planned to withdraw from the agency.
The scientists’ paper was shared with the Washington Post ahead of publication this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The fact that they are seeking to pressure the WHO with a paper is unusual, analysts told the news outlet.
“WHO’s credibility is being undermined through a steady drip-drip of confusing messages, including asymptomatic spread, the use of masks, and now airborne transmission,” Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, told the Washington Post.
Gostin, who provides technical assistance to the WHO, praised it for hosting briefings and acknowledged that the agency is in a difficult spot because it “has to make recommendations for the entire world and it feels it needs irrefutable scientific proof before coming to a conclusion.”
But he warned that “the public, and even scientists, will lose full confidence in WHO without clearer technical guidance.”
A WHO spokesperson told the newspaper that the agency, which has repeatedly defended its handling of the outbreak, will have technical experts review the matter.
The WHO has said COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.
The health agency said the evidence for the virus being airborne was not convincing, according to the New York Times.
“Especially in the last couple of months, we have been stating several times that we consider airborne transmission as possible but certainly not supported by solid or even clear evidence,” Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO’s technical lead of infection prevention and control, told the newspaper.
“There is a strong debate on this,” she added.
With Post wires