🌱 NYC Abandoned Dining Sheds Removed + Trader Joe's Wine Shop Closed

Happy Friday, New York City! Here's what's in today's newsletter:

• 🍽 Abandoned outdoor dining sheds are meeting the wrecking ball.
• 🍷 The employees of the recently-closed Trader Joe's wine store say they were planning to unionize.
• 🌧 Much of the New York City region is experiencing severe drought conditions.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and very warm. High: 88 Low: 73.

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Here are the top five stories in New York City today:

1. The city plans to begin removing abandoned outdoor dining restaurant sheds that have become an "eyesore" and led to quality-of-life complaints. Mayor Eric Adams took a crack at the program — which he still greatly supports — by personally tearing down one of the street side structures on West 32nd Street and 5th Avenue. (New York City Patch)
2. Trader Joe's wine shop at 14th street abruptly closed recently after fifteen years. Former employees believe the closure was an attempt at union-busting, given they were expecting to hold a vote by the end of the week. Now they're demanding the store be reopened. (New York City Patch)
3. Parts of New York City in Staten Island and Brooklyn have been under a severe drought watch since August 9. The designation has since expanded to include the southern shore of Long Island and several Upstate New York counties. While the dry weather continues the Park Department recommends watering street trees. (Gothamist)
4. The NYPD spent the second-highest amount on record — $762 million — on police overtime last year, according to a state audit. That's still far from the record, which was set in 2020 at $837 million. (New York City Patch)
5. Donald Trump made a surprising announcement "endorsing" Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for re-election in New York's 12th district, which includes the Upper West and East Sides. Maloney rejected it, calling it "laughable." (New York City Patch) Trump made a similar announcement in mock support of Dan Goldman, a candidate in the 10th district, a former Trump impeachment lawyer. That race has recently been flooded by last-minute expenditures. (New York City Patch)

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New York City pic of the day:

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Today in New York City:

• Coastal cleanup at Brooklyn Bridge Park (9 a.m.)
• Date night at The Met (5 p.m.)
• Screening of the experimental opera Einstein on the Beach (7:30 p.m.)
• My Favorite Person at HERE (8:30 p.m.)
• Brandon Stansell's This Must Be The Place Tour (10 p.m.)

Crime and safety corner:

• A firefighter was injured in a three-alarm blaze on Wednesday evening in Corona, Queens, underneath the 7 train tracks. (QNS)
• Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer for the Trump Organization, pleaded guilty to a slew of tax fraud charges on Thursday and will spend five months in jail. (New York City Patch)

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From my notebook:

• Great news for Broadway lovers! NYC Broadway week is back from September 6-26, with 2-for-1 ticket deals on 21 shows. (AMNY)
• Dominique Ansel, the bakery famous for its cronuts, is introducing its latest creation: mouth-watering ice cream hand rolls in the Flatiron District. (Time Out)
• New data released by the NYC health department shows racial inequities in the distribution of monkeypox vaccines. Just 12 percent of jabs were given to Black New Yorkers, despite them making up 31 percent of the eligible population. (New York 1)
• New York law will now refer to professionals in the real estate industry using gender-neutral pronouns, thanks to a bill signed on Thursday. The conventionally-used term, salesman, is misleading given that 61 percent of the profession is made up of women. (New York City Patch)
• Last but not least, it's always a great day when you see a dolphin while out kayaking on the Hudson River. 🐬 (New York City Patch)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! See you tomorrow morning for another update.

— Dashiell Allen

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming New York City Daily? Contact me at patchnyc@patch.com