MTA Trash Pick-ups Delayed
Various subway stops throughout the city are lined with filled garbage bags because the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s garbage pickup rate is only 60 to 70 percent, according to NY Daily. The MTA’s own stats show that their eight garbage collecting flatbed trains and nine garbage trucks only regularly make it to about 100 of the subway stations scheduled for pick up. Over the last week, the trains missed 962 of their scheduled stops but made 200 unscheduled stops. MTA spokesman Charles Seaton told NY Daily this is a problem they are aware of and plan to take further steps to improve the situation, like adding nine more garbage collectors.
Chinatown Partnership Opposes BID
Lower Manhattan Chinatown property owners opposing the proposal to create a Business Improvement District have sent in 350 formal objects as of late Friday. There are roughly 1,500 properties that would have to pay BID dues ranging from $200 to $1,000 yearly, and fees for residential condominiums would range from $1 to $5,000. BID advocates say only 35 properties will be paying the highest fees. The opponents need signatures from 51 percent of affected property owners to block the BID, and elected officials who have previously supported it are declining to comment, according to NY Daily.
Couple Sues Park for Negligence
A New Jersey family is suing New York City, the Central Park Conservancy, the Central Park Zoo management company, and a tree-pruning firm for unspecified damages over the death of their baby daughter. A tree branch fell 25 to 30 feet from a honey locust tree at the zoo one year ago, killing Karla Del Gallo’s 6-month-old daughter and putting Karla in a coma. On Friday, the city refused to settle a $50 million notice of claim from last year, and Karla and her husband filed a lawsuit. According to the New York Post, Karla Del Gallo has had multiple surgeries on her brain, eyes, face, throat, stomach, and shoulder, and lost the ability to read, dress, or bathe herself. Her husband, Michael Riccuitti, was present at the incident and says he hopes the city takes responsibility for the dangerous conditions it created.
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