LIers fear for their jobs, finances
A third of Long Islanders fear losing their jobs, survey finds
A couple look at signage on the door of a New York State Department of Labor office in Queens on July 23. Credit: Charles Eckert
The indicators of financial anxiety from the survey don’t portend well for the region’s economic recovery over the coming months, said Kevin Law, president and CEO of the Long Island Association, the Island’s largest business group.
“When people don’t have confidence because their personal financial situation is worsening, or they’re fearful that it’s going to worsen, they tend to stop spending on anything that is not essential,” Law said.
Read more findings from the survey on Long Islanders' post-pandemic economic outlook.
Additionally, about 71% of Long Island parents are worried their children’s education will suffer because of COVID-19, the nextLI survey found. When the pandemic caused the sudden closure of school buildings in March, forcing instruction to go online, only 36% of parents said their districts were prepared.
The poll of 1,043 residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties was conducted between June 22 and July 1 by YouGov for nextLI. The nextLI project is a Newsday initiative funded by a grant from the Rauch Foundation.
Rhode Island now added to NY's quarantine list
Travelers from Rhode Island must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving here because of high infection levels in that state, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Tuesday. It became the latest state added to the list that now includes 34 states and Puerto Rico.
Delaware and Washington, D.C., were dropped from the list as their indicators improved.
"Our progress in New York is even better than we expected, thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers. Our numbers continue to decline steadily, and for the third straight day in a row, there were no reported deaths in New York City," Cuomo said.
The statewide level of people tested and confirmed positive for the virus in results delivered Monday was 1.05%, Cuomo said. The infection level was 1.3% on Long Island and 1.0% in New York City.
The number of new positives today: 56 in Nassau, 73 in Suffolk, 316 in New York City and 746 statewide.
This chart shows the cumulative number of people who have suffered coronavirus-related deaths and where they had lived.
The chart above shows the cumulative number of people who have died from the coronavirus in New York City and in the state. Search a map and view more charts showing the latest local trends in testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
Lawmakers question Cuomo administration over nursing home death count
State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker during a coronavirus briefing in April. Credit: Office of the Governor / Darren McGee
State legislators on Monday questioned Cuomo’s health commissioner over the number of deaths in nursing homes since the state issued a directive requiring nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients.
State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, however, said new data shows a spike in deaths afterward can’t be attributed to that directive.
At a joint hearing held virtually with Senate and Assembly committees, legislators from both parties also accused the Cuomo administration of failing to fully quantify the deaths in nursing homes.
Monday’s legislative hearing will be followed by a second joint hearing Aug. 10.
Seniors return to walks around Broadway Commons Mall
A group of retired seniors who meet a couple of days a week walk laps inside the Broadway Commons Mall in Hicksville on Monday. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
A dozen seniors shaded themselves beneath trees last week in the parking lot at the Broadway Commons Mall in Hicksville, where they had just completed a few laps inside.
“We don’t see our regular families much because of the virus, but we manage to get together with our walker family,” said Richard Huber, 75, of Levittown. “The mall is the perfect environment because it’s temperature controlled.”
For decades, the mall has been a social hub for retirees who wanted to keep active, but COVID-19 disrupted their routine when the shopping center to closed on March 19.
The mall reopened July 10, and within days, the walkers had returned — with face masks and social distancing rules enforced.
More to know
Cuomo has signed a bill passed by the State Legislature that limits the malpractice immunity he provided to hospitals and nursing homes during the COVID-19 state of emergency.
Health experts are warning parents not to delay their children’s routine vaccinations, with flu season and a possible resurgence of COVID-19 on the horizon in the fall.
Lord & Taylor is seeking bankruptcy protection, as is the owner of Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank, adding to the list of major retail chains that have faltered during the pandemic.
New York City’s Open Restaurants initiative helped save more than 9,000 restaurants and 80,000 jobs, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday as he announced the outdoor dining program will return next year.
More than $120 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans are still available, with just days remaining before Saturday's application deadline, officials said.
News for you
Trish Brennan and Greg Van Roten, who just signed with the New York Jets, planned a wedding for more than 300 guests. Instead, they wed on July 10 at the Heritage Club at Bethpage with just 18 friends and family members. Credit: Allison Hamscher
Catering hall parties are back (but different). Since the state allowed venues known for hosting large weddings and other big events to host up to 50 guests, some Long Islanders are happy to celebrate in public spaces again. But that comes with limited guest lists, different packages and new venue rules. Check them out.
Don't miss a chat with Judy Gold. This Newsday Live Author Series virtual event will feature a discussion and Q&A with award-winning comedian Judy Gold about her new book “Yes, I Can Say That,” her comedy career and more. Sign up here.
Plant now, harvest later. Cool-season crops can be planted now and will thrive as the weather cools in the fall. Here are five crops you can plant now to extend your growing season.
Plus: Join us Wednesday for nextLI's free virtual event featuring education and technology professionals discussing concerns about the upcoming school year on Long Island. Register here.
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Commentary
Credit: Getty Images/da-kuk
This engine needs a complete overhaul. For a long time, it has been clear to all who wanted to admit it, that our country was like an old engine, more than 200 years old, writes reader Ernst P.A. Vanamson, of Sayville, in a letter to Newsday.
For a long time, it has been poorly maintained, run with cheap, low-grade fuel and operated by a succession of incompetent operators. Now, in the form of COVID-19, a foreign, harmful substance has been introduced into the machinery.
The various parts patched up over the years are now beyond patching up. The engine now needs a complete overhaul by competent mechanics. We need to stop lying and denying, and we need to realize and admit to ourselves that unless we completely cleanse the machine of the immediate contamination — the coronavirus — and simultaneously completely overhaul it and then refuel, maintain and operate it properly and competently, it is bound to end up in the junkyard.
