'Three strikes and you are closed'
State warns businesses defying social distancing rules
Signs mandating social distancing policies are posted at entrances to Molloy College in Rockville Centre on July 7. Credit: Johnny Milano
State officials have investigated more than 5,000 establishments, most of them downstate, and found widespread lack of compliance with orders aimed at keeping the coronavirus under control, Cuomo said.
The "three strikes" rule will be expanded to the other parts of the state if significant noncompliance crops up in those regions.
Cuomo announced other steps in the crackdown beyond what he called the "three strikes and you are closed" law, including making it illegal for bars or restaurants statewide to serve people alcohol if they are not also ordering a meal.
“It’s wrong, it’s dangerous, it’s selfish, it’s unacceptable, it’s also illegal," Cuomo said. “New Yorkers are outraged at these establishments. We’re getting thousands of complaints, pictures, videos, etcetera. This is a question of public health, and New Yorkers paid a dear price for COVID, and they are equally upset with these violations.”
The lines illustrate the cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.
The chart above shows the cumulative number of coronavirus cases in New York City and in the state. Search a map and view charts showing the latest local trends in testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
The number of new positives today, as of 3 p.m.: 44 in Nassau, 66 in Suffolk, 385 in New York City and 769 statewide.
Day care operators feel forgotten or are closing for good
Darcy Leone of Lake Ronkonkoma has been running Darcy's Tots for more than 30 years. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Child care providers say financial pressures created by the pandemic have put the survival of their businesses in jeopardy.
Now, even as Long Island has progressed through several phases of reopening, child care providers say most parents are too afraid of the coronavirus to send their kids to day care.
Another challenge? Adhering to new, costly safety regulations, like reduced class sizes and personal protective equipment for staff.
"A lot of them have had to close temporarily, but what's even worse is that because of the lack of income and the lack of support, many of them — providers who've been in the child care industry for years — won't be able to open again," said Jennifer Marino Rojas, executive director of the Child Care Council of Suffolk Inc.
Long Island pending home sales up in June
Pending sales in Nassau and Suffolk have jumped compared with the previous June. Credit: Newsday / Steve Pfost
Long Island’s real estate market was essentially shut down for nine days last month for the pandemic, so you might expect a slower-than-normal home sales market across the board.
You’d be wrong.
The number of homes going into contract actually increased in both counties compared with the previous June, and prices rose despite a steep drop in closed sales, a new report shows.
However, the number of closed sales plummeted year-over-year by 38.5% in Nassau and 29% in Suffolk. That sharp decline comes after New York prohibited real estate agents from doing in-person work from March 22 until June 10.
His business was paused, so he started a mobile barbershop
Cayden Ronan, 3, gets his hair cut inside Mike Rizzo's mobile barbershop on July 3. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Need a haircut but afraid to go out to a barbershop because of the pandemic? Mike Rizzo of Farmingville has got you covered.
Get Chopped Mobile Barber Bus is rolling around Suffolk County delivering skin fades, undercuts and side shaves to those in need.
“When coronavirus hit and we were forced to shut down and stop working, I felt life was going to start changing,” says Rizzo, 41. “I thought it would be cool to get a big enough vehicle where I could set up a barbershop inside. Going to people’s houses was the perfect scenario.”
Read more about how Rizzo is bringing a barbershop directly to the community.
More to know
Plainedge WR Donovan Pepe makes the catch over Sayville defender for a touchdown in the Class III Long Island Championship on Nov. 29. Credit: George A. Faella
The high school fall sports season will be delayed until Sept. 21, and regional and state championships will not be played in the fall, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association announced.
Tenants can now apply for one-time emergency rent relief, and the state will continue taking applications for two weeks.
The number of laid-off workers in the United States seeking unemployment benefits remained stuck at 1.3 million last week.
The United States, Britain and Canada accused Russia of trying to steal information from researchers seeking a COVID-19 vaccine.
Consumer confidence in the metropolitan area rebounded slightly in June after plummeting when the coronavirus spiked in March, according to a new survey.
Walt Disney World on Wednesday welcomed back visitors to two more theme parks that had been shuttered since March because of the pandemic.
News for you
Gillian Bloom, of Sag Harbor, browses merchandise inside Unsubscribed in East Hampton on Wednesday, July 8. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
The new and returning East End shops. Retail is coming back, both old and new. Stores are limiting the number of people who can shop at once, but there are services like curbside pickup, individual appointments and delivery to make your shopping trip worth the drive.
Another plan for bringing 'fans' to Citi Field. The Mets’ recent intrasquad scrimmage came with a new twist: Fake crowd noise pumped in over the public address system. Find out more about what it sounds like and how players reacted.
The Chainsmokers are coming to the East End. They will be headlining the “Safe & Sound” drive-in concert at Nova’s Ark Project sculpture park in Water Mill on July 25. This show will be a fundraiser for No Kid Hungry, Children’s Medical Fund of New York and Southampton Fresh Air Home.
What's happening in the Hamptons? You won’t see people waiting on long lines or crowding dance floors this summer, but there are still things to do in the Hamptons and Montauk. Here are some unique ways people are getting out.
Plus: Join us for Newsday's latest free virtual event on Friday to get more answers to your questions on students safely returning to school, during part 2 of the discussion with education experts. Save your spot.
Get real-time updates about the virus' impact on the Island by visiting our live blog.
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Commentary
A college campus. Credit: iStock
College in the fall? Marvin Krislov, the president of Pace University, writes: As New York continues to reopen and its colleges and universities plan for resuming instruction in the fall, college leaders are grappling with a new worry: Will our students come back?
I believe they will.
I'm an optimist because I know our region has been here before: This century, it has been buffeted by the devastation of 9/11, the inundation after Hurricane Sandy, and the collapse caused by the Great Recession.
Each time, we worried that some of our students wouldn’t return — especially our most vulnerable students, those from low-income families or the first in their families to attend college. We were afraid that they thought they couldn’t afford school, that they worried about their safety, or simply that they thought other things were more important in a time of great disruption.
And each time, they returned. Each time, we’ve gotten them back on track with their education. We know how to do it, and we know what’s at stake if they can’t return.
