Less money to spend

Budgeting for less

Cuomo's announcement comes as the state faces a deadline to enact a budget by Wednesday, the start of New York’s fiscal year.

Among the places where cuts might come, Lawmakers said they aren’t ruling out the possibility of a public-sector pay freeze.

Cuomo criticized the federal government's $2.2 trillion bailout plan, estimating the state expects a loss in revenue of between $10 billion and $15 billion. “That is a ton of money for the state of New York’s budget,” he said.

The rescue package gives New York State $5 billion, but it is earmarked for coronavirus expenses only, “which means it does absolutely nothing for us in terms of lost revenue," he said.

The numbers as of 4 p.m.: 3,914 confirmed cases in Nassau, 2,735 in Suffolk, 21,393 in New York City and 37,258 statewide.

Federal relief for individuals

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, says the massive coronavirus economic relief bill approved by the Senate will pass the House on Friday with “strong bipartisan support.”

Pelosi spoke to reporters at the Capitol a day after the Senate unanimously approved it.

The 880-page measure is the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history. It includes payments to individuals of up $1,200; for details of what could be in it for you, see this breakdown by Newsday Opinion data journalist Kai Teoh.

And the Federal Trade Commission warns consumers to be on the lookout for scammers trying to take that money away from you.

U.S. jobless claims skyrocket

Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week — more than quadruple the previous record set in 1982 — amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

The surge in weekly applications was a stunning reflection of the damage the viral outbreak is inflicting on the economy.

Filings for unemployment aid generally reflect the pace of layoffs.

Driving traffic away

What you see is true: Rush hour traffic on Long Island’s state roads has been chopped in half since commuters began working from home to prevent the spread of the virus, officials say.

On the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, the Queens Midtown Tunnel, and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel — which normally carry tens of thousands of car commuters from points east into Manhattan every day — rush hour traffic has fallen by 28 percent, Metropolitan Transportation Authority data show.

Long Island’s air quality, which often ranks among the worst in the state, may be improving as a result, experts said, but toll revenue important to the MTA’s budget is plummeting.

Puzzled by testing process

Thousands of Long Islanders have been tested for COVID-19 at drive-through sites and in private medical offices, but some complain of long waits for results and confusion on how to find out if they tested positive.

Dawn Best of Wantagh and her husband got tested at the state-run Jones Beach State Park drive-through site March 17 and were told someone would phone them with results.

They’re still waiting.

East End feels overrun

The supervisors of five East End Long Island towns are preparing a letter to the governor requesting help in controlling a recent inundation of their communities by New York City residents fleeing a coronavirus hot spot, according to one of the supervisors.

Southampton Town has seen its residency spike to summer levels and its confirmed cases of coronavirus increase to 58 cases from just two over several days, said Supervisor Jay Schneiderman.

Grocery stores have faced the challenge of restocking shelves and the Southampton Hospital has only around 124 beds.

Great catch!

Montauk fishermen came to the rescue of local residents when they gave away more than 1,000 pounds of freshly caught fish to help those in need during the coronavirus crisis.

“The stores were going empty and people were panicking,” says Chucky Morici, 56, of Montauk, who has been a commercial fisherman in the area for 30 years. “We thought we’d help calm people down by doing the right thing and giving the fish away.”

This story is part of Newsday's LI Acts of Kindness series of stories about neighbors helping neighbors.

More to know

The Dow soared more than 1,300 points for the third straight day of gains. 

An alleged terrorist from Commack, who officials said planned “to wage violent jihad,” wants to be released from the federal jail in Manhattan, saying he is at a high risk of contracting the coronavirus there.

Two drugs touted as possible treatments for COVID-19 can no longer be prescribed for people who want them just in case they get sick, under an executive order from the governor.

Huntington Town Hall will be closed for the rest of the week after staff members in two separate departments tested positive, the town supervisor said.

The personal information of some business owners was exposed when they applied for federal disaster loans because of an unsecure online portal for completing and submitting application forms, a source told Newsday.

The WNBA announced it will go ahead with its draft on April 17, but the event will now be a “virtual draft” without players, guest and media in attendance.

News for you

Reheating tips: Ever wonder what's the best way to reheat pizza? In the age of takeout, Newsday's Erica Marcus took to her kitchen to record a video with her advice. Her piece includes tips on freezing food for later. And if you're looking for a place to get some food, you can check out our guide to takeout on Long Island and a new feature on Sandbar in Cold Spring Harbor.

Business Tips: Does your company need advice on surviving the coronavirus crisis? You can join Newsday and the LIA for a free webinar to discuss information and resources available for Long Island businesses. The guest speaker will be Kevin Law, president and CEO of the Long Island Association, and it will be moderated by Newsday economics writer James T. Madore.

Decluttering tips: If you’ve ever vowed to organize your out-of-control closet and scary junk drawer when you had a chunk of free time, now's your chance. Long Island experts who bring spaces to order share advice on how to tackle four of the trickiest areas of your house.

Plus: Once you're done decluttering, you can see concert performances thanks to the "Virtual Arts Festival" from the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. The two-day festival is underway on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook under the account name WHBPAC. Performances include groups who were forced to cancel live shows due to the coronavirus, as well as performances by the center's own Arts Academy.

And here are 10 family-friendly movies to stream. It's just one feature on newsday.com's landing page highlighting upbeat ways to pass the time.

Commentary

Being there

In the second episode of Newsday Opinion's podcast, the team talks with Betsy Glazer, who volunteers at the Long Beach Soup Kitchen and is helping feed people despite the coronavirus threat.

“I guess I was thinking I hope they're still coming,” Glazer says. “And I hope they know that we'll be there for them.”