WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - Ghost boats, Daily News walk-out, flood cash

 

Dear New Yorkers,

The white cabin cruiser that first washed ashore on City Island last year eventually made it across Pelham Bay and onto the mainland of The Bronx, where it remains washed up today.

The boat is covered in rust, with small holes all along its left side. What looks like a blue rug drapes over the front railing, and a can of Coffee-Mate and a few plastic bags are strewn across the floor, along with a pile of wooden planks. It’s one of six abandoned boats that THE CITY counted in January along the shores of Pelham Bay Park and City Island in The Bronx.

There are about 600 abandoned boats citywide, according to the Parks Department, which has removed about 300 such boats since 2006. Many others linger, or are eventually removed by property owners.

At 520 miles, New York City’s shoreline is longer than those of Miami, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco combined. But the ghost boats tend to be clustered in just a handful of locations, including City Island.

Responsible owners can sell unwanted boats or dispose of them legally in a salvage yard, but others choose to ditch them illegally in the city’s waterways.

One reason why: boats are expensive to maintain.

“The saying in the boating industry is the two happiest days in their life are the day they get their boat, and the day they get rid of their boat,” says Nate Grove, the Parks Department’s chief of waterfront and marine operations.

Read more about the city’s abandoned “ghost boats” here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Friday's Weather Rating: 3/10. Not a pretty start. Rain, fog and showers will continue all morning. Things will finally begin to improve this afternoon though, and by tonight the storm system that has plagued us for days will finally be gone. The vibes are barely hanging in there!

Our Other Top Stories

A pilot program designed to help homeowners get cash quickly after floods has yet to make a payout almost a year after it was launched. Run by the nonprofit groups Center for NYC Neighborhoods and the Environmental Defense Fund, the program could provide up to $15,000 in cash to eligible low- and moderate-income homeowners, as THE CITY reported last year. The pilot rolled out in four neighborhoods at high risk of rainfall-related floods. But no rainfall event — including the Sept. 29 deluge that soaked the city with 8.65 inches of rain at Kennedy Airport and floods throughout the boroughs — reached the level needed to trigger a payout. More than 50 unionized journalists at the New York Daily News walked out for 24 hours beginning yesterday to protest slow-moving contract talks. It was the paper’s first work stoppage since 1990. The picket line gathered outside of a coworking space near Times Square — the paper no longer has a permanent newsroom — and attracted support from allies in the labor movement, elected officials and readers . That included actor Alec Baldwin, who showed up to the picket line in solidarity after reporter Michael Sheridan said on THE CITY’s FAQ NYC podcast that he hoped the actor would support their efforts.

Reporter’s Notebook

Death in Preacher Robbery Case A suspect in the July 2022 livestream gunpoint robbery of a flashy Brooklyn preacher pal of Mayor Eric Adams was shot and killed Wednesday by U.S. Marshalls in New Jersey, according to NBC New York.

Law enforcement sources told the station that suspect Shamar Leggette, 41, was shot after he fired at officials as they tried to arrest him at a hotel in Monmouth County. Spokespeople for the U.S. Marshals office didn’t respond to a request for information, including whether it was the robbery that prompted authorities to seek him.

Two other suspects were indicted for allegedly participating in the robbery at a storefront church in Canarsie headed by Lamor Whitehead, who has described himself as a friend and mentee of Adams.

The suspects have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, which is prosecuting the case.

Whitehead has said he and his wife were robbed of up to $1 million worth of fine jewelry as his Sunday sermon was being live streamed. He said in a video posted to Instagram on Thursday that the outcome of the case vindicates him of suspicions he set up the robbery himself, and that he harbors no ill will toward Leggette.

— Yoav Gonen

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Friday, Jan. 26: Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial, featuring work by 26 artists who participated in the Bronx Museum’s flagship AIM Fellowship. Free from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bronx Museum. Saturday, Jan. 27: The Riverside Park Birding Club’s monthly bird walk, open to birders of all ages and experience levels. Free from 8 to 9:30 a.m., starting at W. 103rd Street and Riverside Drive in Manhattan. Sunday, Jan. 28: A community reading of Elie Wiesel’s “Night” featuring speakers, music and a meditation space. Free from 1 p.m. (virtual and in-person) at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

THE KICKER: A reminder to stay vigilant as you search: After a man died in an accident on the subway, obituaries appeared online falsely saying he was murdered. It was part of a larger trend of “obituary pirates” that aim to capitalize on web traffic, reports the New York Times.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday.

Love,

THE CITY

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