WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC thecity THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: There Have Been More NYPD Vehicle Pursuits in the Last Six Months Than the Prior Five Years Combined

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, The NYPD has kept the pedal to the metal on vehicle pursuits — with 625 chases recorded from January to June of this year, according to the latest NYPD 911 data analyzed by THE CITY. That’s more chases in a six-month span than occurred in the five previous years combined. And it puts 2023 on pace to end up with three times as many vehicle pursuits as the NYPD engaged in over the four years before Eric Adams became mayor.  The surge comes without any change to the NYPD patrol guide procedure. NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell has been unapologetic since THE CITY first reported about the boost in the aggressive strategy that coincided with his appointment to the role in December. He has said the risky tactic is a necessary response to the proliferation of all-terrain vehicles, illegal scooters and “ghost cars” with illicit license plates that are contributing to dangerous streets and gun violence.  Chell later revealed to NY1 that the Police Department has captains in each police patrol borough monitoring vehicle pursuits via a citywide radio channel. Another NYPD official familiar with the channel said the emphasis on pursuits, and the encouragement by top police brass, can create a hopped-up environment that can become a “free for all.” “When you hear a pursuit like that, you hear a [license] plate nearby… everyone starts pursuing,” he added. “And that's a big practical change from our actual pursuit policy.”  Read more here. In other news: Con Ed Approves Rate Increases Con Ed customers, get ready for a rate hike. The state Public Service Commission on Thursday officially approved an increase on electric bills. The typical residential customer will see their electric bill increase about $14 starting in August — then just over $7 beginning in January 2024 and up another $2 the following year. The increases help pay for programs and infrastructure needed to deliver electricity, but not the power itself. Earlier this year, THE CITY reported on the original proposal, which floated the idea of a greater rate increase than what was ultimately approved. — Samantha Maldonado Some other items of note: A Long Island woman locked up on Rikers Island for two years and counting is contesting her $1.25 million bail. She says it is higher than what others with similar charges face — because the person she allegedly killed in a fatal car crash was an NYPD officer.  New York City’s economy, mired in a period of excruciatingly slow growth, could face a major blow in the coming months from the strike by writers and actors that has shut down the film and television industry. The city has added an average of only 7,000 jobs a month so far in 2023, while the nation has seen surprisingly strong growth. Now the Hollywood strike threatens to cost New York City tens of thousands of jobs if the walkout lasts into the fall: The industry employed 101,000 people in the city last year. In New York City, liquor license applicants are required to appear before community boards, whose members then issue “yes” or “no” recommendations before the State Liquor Authority makes a decision. With legal cannabis dispensaries, however, the order is reversed. Applicants appear before a community board only after a location has been approved. “Community boards are advisory. They can't stop the dispensary from coming into the community and opening up shop,” said Jason Salmon, a spokesperson for the Office of Cannabis Management. “But we want to, obviously, educate our licensees about the importance of community boards, and the significant role they play in the community.” For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker.  Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Friday's Weather Rating: 2/10. Multiple rounds of showers & storms (some could produce strong winds or flooding), warm temperatures and uncomfortable dew points. A front moves through late tonight finally bringing in some less miserable air. The vibes are hanging on by a thread! Things To Do Here’s what’s going on around the city this week. Friday, July 21: An outdoor screening of Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red,” at Queensbridge Park. 8:15-9:55 p.m. Free. Friday, July 21: “The Chelsea Symphony feat. Lady Jess and Lucrecia Dalt,” a BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Concert. Arrive early for a conversation with Nabil Ayers, son of jazz-funk legend Roy Ayers, about music careers and finding family in unexpected places. 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. showtime. Free. Saturday, July 22: “New York Non-Fiction,” with films highlighting the “myriad quirky characters, hidden communities, and overlooked histories” of NYC. Green-Wood Cemetery, 7:45 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. films begin. Tickets $17.95. THE KICKER: For the first time in five years, there’s new public art at Riverside Park South. The two colorful sculptures are a collaboration between the Art Students League and the city Department of Parks and Recreation. Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday. Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc

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