It could be weeks until LI businesses reopen
Long Island meets five of seven reopening metrics
A restaurant employee taking a break outside is reflected in the window of a shuttered business on Glen Street in Glen Cove. Credit: Danielle Silverman
Kevin Law, president of the Long Island Association, the region’s largest business group, said that Nassau and Suffolk counties have not met two of seven public health metrics that would allow the first phase of reopening to start.
“We are a couple weeks away but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Law, who is lobbying the state to declare more businesses as essential. They could include residential construction, interior and exterior home remodeling, solar installation and pet groomers.
Law and two other members of the New York Forward Reopening Advisory Board made their comments in a Newsday-sponsored webinar on Wednesday where they discussed strategies for restarting the economy while preserving public health. If you missed it, watch the replay.
The chart below shows the latest daily totals of hospitalized cases on Long Island. One of the metrics needed to reopen that the region has not yet met is a 14-day decline in hospital deaths.
These bars track how many patients are currently hospitalized for coronavirus each day by the location of the hospital.
Search a map of Long Island cases and see more charts showing local trends in new cases, testing, deaths and more.
The numbers as of 3 p.m.: 38,587 confirmed cases in Nassau, 37,305 in Suffolk, 187,250 in New York City and 340,661 statewide.
Six people who will play key roles in reopening Long Island
Eric Gertler, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone are part of the group. Credit: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo/Newsday/Kevin P. Coughlin/Howard Schnapp/John Paraskevas
Before New York's regions reopen, they need to work out logistics, such as creating regional “control rooms” to monitor the effects of the reopening.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo counted Long Island among areas that "are very close" to meeting reopening requirements and tapped six individuals to help reopen Nassau and Suffolk.
In a panel Wednesday morning, one of the appointees, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, said businesses should start coming up with plans for reopening, even though the county is not yet ready to enter the first phase of a return to economic activity when the state's shutdown order expires Friday.
Meet the other appointees to LI's "Regional Control Room."
'The perfect storm for child abuse'
The underreporting of child abuse cases during the pandemic may be reminiscent of what happens when schools are out of session for the summer or holidays. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Child welfare advocates say they're concerned that child abuse and neglect may have increased sharply on Long Island during the coronavirus lockdown, as cases go unreported because kids no longer are around teachers, coaches and others who must report signs of abuse
Reports of child abuse and neglect in Nassau and Suffolk dropped by about 40% in each county in March and April, compared with the same period in 2019, county data shows. The drop in reported cases could indicate that many abuse cases have been under the radar since the pandemic forced the shutdown of schools and businesses, experts said.
Child abuse rates typically rise as job loss and economic instability increase, experts said, and thousands of local residents have lost their jobs.
“It’s the perfect storm for child abuse because we have this high-stress environment but we don’t have as many services being provided to children,” said Keith Scott, director of education at the Safe Center of Long Island.
NYPD: COVID-related arrests not racially motivated
A mask-wearing NYPD officer on Tuesday in Manhattan. Credit: Charles Eckert
Pushing back at accusations that police officers making social distancing arrests targeted minorities, the NYPD said the "COVID-19 related" arrests were in response to complaints of crimes where officers had to take action.
From March 16 and through May 10, officials said, the NYPD made 125 arrests with at least a tangential connection to the coronavirus. The NYPD said 66.4% of those arrested were black and 24% Hispanic.
“These are not social distancing arrests. Many were responses to calls for service where there was a clear victim and police took necessary action,” NYPD officials said in the statement. “The crimes are characterized as COVID-19 related to the circumstances of occurrence, remarks made by the arrestee at the time of the alleged crime or afterward, or statements made by a victim."
An NYPD official said the underlying crimes sometimes involved suspects fleeing police and later claiming they had the coronavirus.
The show (choir) must go on
Uniondale High School show choir seniors Krystina Stevens, left, Alison Guevara, center, and Francesca Zamor attend a drive-by parade for the 2020 graduating class on May 8. Credit: Lynnette Carr-Hicks
Twice a week, 17-year-old Lynette Perusier sets up her laptop in her bedroom in Uniondale, logs onto Zoom and tries to sing — and dance — in unison with dozens of other students. This is their new choir practice.
“It’s so delayed and there’s an echo!” Lynnette Carr-Hicks, director of the renowned Uniondale High School show choir Rhythm of the Knight, says with a laugh.
Two months ago, Perusier was preparing with Carr-Hicks for what would be her first and last competition solo with the group. As a graduating senior, she’d finally worked up the courage to try out for a spotlight role in the choir’s performance of “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence.
Plans to attend the Florida-based competition in mid-March were canceled, but the group still has a reason to keep practicing. Shortly after starting virtual lessons, the choir was tapped to perform on a nationally broadcast TV special, “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020,” airing Saturday at 8 p.m.
More to know
Andrew Zutler, a senior in the Plainview-Old Bethpage district, studies for AP exams. Credit: Zachary Zutler
Students began taking Advanced Placement exams, bite-sized versions designed for online use at home during the pandemic, this week and the launch of the tests got off to a bumpy start.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a new $3 trillion coronavirus federal aid package that could bring an estimated $67 billion to New York, but it quickly ran into Republican opposition.
Jon Bon Jovi and his wife are forming a new food bank that will provide food to East End pantries facing higher demand amid the crisis.
Small retailers looking to reopen as the pandemic abates could get some financial help from industrial development agencies, if the Nassau IDA gets its way.
Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting has furloughed most of its 300 employees, but the OTB's president and vice president still are collecting their salaries.
Graduation at Ward Melville High School will take place over five separate ceremonies that observe social distancing by requiring seniors and their families to stay in their vehicles.
A PGA Tour plan to limit the risk of the coronavirus when golf resumes next month in Texas will include testing players, caddies and key personnel once a week at tournaments and taking their temperatures every day.
News for you
The Causeway in East Marion offers a soothing respite. Credit: Randee Daddona
Take a road trip. If social distancing is driving you a little stir crazy, a road trip to see Long Island’s finer points could be just the tonic. These scenic drives are packed with history lessons and remote picnic spots.
Craving an egg roll? If you've been struggling to get through this pandemic without the comfort of takeout from your favorite Chinese restaurant, there's some good news: Many are reopening their doors, including these seven.
Travel to Bikini Bottom. The cast of "SpongeBob SquarePants" will come together for a virtual table read of fans' favorite scenes, which you can help choose, in a half-hour special that will debut on Nickelodeon on June 5.
Good time to buy a car. Vehicle sales hit a record low in April as most Americans stayed home and countless dealerships closed, but if you are in need of a vehicle, this may be a good time to shop. Here are the best used cars under $15,000.
Plus: Browse our calendar of local virtual events to find fun and engaging experiences to fill your time at home.
Get real-time updates about the virus' impact on Long Island by visiting our live blog and watch our latest daily wrap-up video.
Commentary
Stony Brook University professor Stephanie Kelton is featured in an episode of the "Life Under Coronavirus" podcast. Credit: StephanieKelton.com
The modern monetary theory guru. As Congress appropriates billions to combat coronavirus, more eyes are turning to modern monetary theory, which suggests that it's OK for governments to spend more money.
One of the most high-profile proselytizers of MMT is Stony Brook University professor Stephanie Kelton, who is Newsday Opinion's guest on Episode 21 of "Life Under Coronavirus."
