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FIRST READ
Portable water stations were setup outside the Jacob Riis Houses on the Lower East Side after arsenic was discovered in the drinking water.
ARSENIC IN NYCHA WATER
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At a New York City Housing Authority development on the Lower East Side, testing found arsenic in the water that made it unsafe to drink. Jacob Riis Houses residents weren’t made aware of the tests until Sept. 2 – over two weeks after officials became aware of the results. In the days since, questions have circulated over the city’s response. New York City Mayor Eric Adams showed up at the complex with bottled water in tow, pledging to produce a thorough report on how his office handled its knowledge of the arsenic-laden water. He has issued statements repeatedly since, claiming that additional testing no longer showed any traces of the arsenic. Still, concerns remain for the
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QUEEN AND SPIRIT OF BRITAIN Elizabeth II, Whose 7-Decade Reign Linked Generations, Dies at 96 A Country in Turmoil Enters a Period of Mourning and Transition VOL.CLXXI . ... No. 59,541 © 2022 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER9, 2022
Through seven decades on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II was an enduring presence, one who remained determinedly committed to the hallmark aloofness, formality and pageantry of the monarchy.Her reign survived tectonic shifts in Britain’s post-imperial society as well as challenges posed by the marriages and missteps of her descendants. In many ways, hers was an accidental reign. It was the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, that put her in the direct line of succession. When her father, King George VI, died, she was 25. Some predicted that she would recede into the shadows after the death in April 2021 of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years. However, she surprised many by re-emerging into public life.
MAX MUMBY/INDIGO, VIA GETTY IMAGES
The Steady Hand of a Nation
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II, whose seven-decade reign made her the only sovereign that most Britons had ever known, died on Thursday at her summer estate in Scotland, thrusting a bereaved country into a momentous transition at a time of political and economic upheaval.The queen’s death at Balmoral Castle, announced by Buckingham Palace at 6:30 p.m., elevated her eldest son and heir, Charles, to the throne. He is Britain’s first king since 1952, taking the name King Charles III.At 96, visibly frail, and having survived multiple health scares, the queen had been in the twilight of her reign for some years. But news of her death still landed with a thunderclap across the British realm, where the queen was a revered figure and an anchor of stability.In itself, the queen’s death is a watershed moment. But it also comes at a time of acute uncertainty in Britain. A new prime minister, Liz Truss, has been in office for only three days, following months of political turmoil in the British government. The country faces its gravest economic threats in a generation, besieged by inflation, soaring energy bills and the specter of a prolonged recession. The death of Elizabeth sets in motion a royal transition more complicated than any change in prime ministers. It will be meticulously choreographed in its rituals, but what kind of monarchy it will produce is a mystery. At 73, Charles is the oldest person to become monarch in British history — a familiar figure, to be sure — but one who has made clear he wants to transform the nature of the royal family.“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the palace said in a stark, two-line statement affixed to the front gate of Buckingham Palace. “The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and return to London tomorrow,” it said, referring to Charles and his wife, Camilla.The announcement came after an anguished vigil of several hours, following a lunchtime statement by the palace that the queen had been placed under medical supervision. Family members rushed to her side at Balmoral Castle, suggesting this was no ordinary medical crisis but that the end was near.News of the queen’s decline began circulating as Parliament was debating an emergency aid package to protect Britons from huge increases in gas and electricity bills. After a senior minister whispered in her ear, Ms. Truss rose to leave the chamber. Hours later, clad in black, she emerged from Downing Street to pay tribute. “Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built,” Ms. Truss said. “She was the very spirit of Great Britain, and that spirit will endure.” Ms. Truss concluded by swearing fealty to the new monarch, disclosing for the first time that he would be known as King Charles, rather than by another name, as is a monarch’s prerogative.“God save the king,” Ms. Truss declared.The new king said in a statement, “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”Tributes also poured in from around the world. President Biden and his wife, Jill, said in a statement that the queen was “the first British monarch to whom people all around the world could feel a personal and immediate Continued on PageA9 By MARK LANDLER
THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN
Queen Elizabeth II, who was the longest-reigning British monarch, died last week at age 96 after ruling for 70 years. She was coronated in the aftermath of World War II when Winston Churchill was still the prime minister and helped usher the country through the Cold War and tragedies like the death of Princess Diana. So what’s the local angle? A number of New York politicians and organizations tweeted about her death, even when there was no reason to do so.
– New York City schools Chancellor David Banks, via amNewYork
– state Republican Party Chair Nick Langworthy, on the gubernatorial race between Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Lee Zeldin, via the New York Post roughly 2,600 residents. NYCHA was flushing the Jacob Riis Houses’ taps prior to administering the tests that haven’t measured additional arsenic, leading some to question whether this strategy prevents officials from determining the true scope of the issue.
MASKING NO MORE
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement that riders will no longer be required to wear masks on public transit invoked strong responses – especially when a new sign debuted in the subway donning the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s trademark yellow. The sign – posted to inform New Yorkers about the new policy – urged riders to respect people who wear masks and those who do not, and joked “you do you” for someone who wears a mask incorrectly. The signage invoked a slew of memes and had many health experts and New Yorkers saying that it undermined the MTA’s earlier messaging. Masks will also no longer be required in homeless shelters, correctional facilities and detention centers. Hochul said lifting the mask mandate will restore some normalcy to the state and that the decision was made based on a stabilization of COVID-19 cases. Still, while the formal go-ahead is fresh, it should be noted that the number of people wearing
masks on public transit has decreased over the summer.
SCHOOL’S BACK
Roughly 900,000 New York City public school students returned to class on Thursday after summer break. The day marked a pivotal moment – not only did buildings open this year with no COVID-19 restrictions, it’s also the first time that New York City Mayor Eric Adams and schools Chancellor David Banks have presided over a full school year since taking office. They’ve already outlined their visions and goals for the nation’s largest school district, emphasizing that one of their top priorities is to improve literacy instruction. Many teachers and students are hopeful for a return to normalcy, rapid recovery and a smooth experience that’ll attract more families. Parents and educators are still urging Adams to restore school budget cuts and those efforts, including a pending lawsuit that would force the city to restore the funding, are likely to stretch well into the new school year. Banks also announced earlier in the week that an additional 850 new school safety agents will be brought into schools along with bolstered active shooter training for principals as well as a new messaging system to let families know about any emergencies. Meanwhile, at the tail end of a long first day, teachers and education advocacy groups got some long-awaited news: After months of suspense, Hochul signed legislation that will impose stricter limits on class sizes in New York City schools starting in 2023, despite opposition from Adams who said it would be expensive to implement.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams traveled around the city on the first day of school and welcomed students back to class.
John Zaccaro Jr. likely heading to the Assembly
Nice way to get an Assembly seat! Bronx Democratic Party insiders are giving John Zaccaro Jr. their line in Assembly District 80, replacing Assembly Member Nathalia Fernandez on the ballot after she won the Democratic primary to succeed Alessandra Biaggi in the state Senate.
The vote Tuesday night among county committee members was unanimous. Other potential candidates – Ischia Bravo and Bharati Kemraj, as The Bronx Times reported – declined to put their names forward, knowing that Zaccaro had secured the votes. A former district leader, Irene Estrada, did put her name forward but failed to get a second.
Zaccaro, who is of Puerto Rican, Colombian and Italian descent, is the longtime chief of staff to New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. He previously worked in intergovernmental affairs for the New York City Department of Education and got into politics as a 20-year-old backing former Council Member Fernando Cabrera’s first run for office. He then worked for Cabrera in the council.
“John knows the area, he knows the district, and he’s seasoned enough to succeed Nathalia,” said former Assembly Member Mark Gjonaj, who represented the district from 2013 to 2017. “I think he will be a great Assembly member.”
Zaccaro worked on Fernandez’s state Senate campaign and was building up support to succeed her among county committee members and Bronx power brokers. Fernandez is personally close to Bravo, but she was supportive of Zaccaro and his behind-the-scenes campaign.
“I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to John Zaccaro for his nomination to serve the 80th Assembly District,” Fernandez said as part of a longer statement released Wednesday morning. “John has been a tremendous community partner to me over the years, and I know he is the best candidate to serve the people of this district.” At 33 years old, Zaccaro is all but guaranteed to win in November and be sworn in as a legislator in January to represent the East Bronx district that includes neighborhoods like Pelham Parkway, Morris Park and Norwood. He’ll face Republican Phyllis “Tiz” Nastasio, a Catholic school teacher, in November.
This isn’t his first run for office. Zaccaro failed to unseat District Leader Marcos Sierra in 2020, despite having the endorsement of the Bronx Democratic Party. But he’s not a “nepo baby.” John D. Zaccaro is not related to former Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, whose husband and son are named John A. Zaccaro. – Jeff Coltin
THE WEEK AHEAD
WEDNESDAY 9/14
This is the final deadline for the state Board of Elections to certify the ballot for the general election, setting the stage for competitive races in November. INSIDE DOPE
Be on the lookout for interesting congressional races on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley, plus a toss-up in the 22nd District for Syracuse and Utica. THURSDAY 9/15
City & State New York hosts the Future of Work Summit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan, featuring New York City Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright as the keynote speaker. THURSDAY 9/15
City & State New York hosts the Pathways to a Clean Future forum at the Albany Capital Center, featuring state Sen. Kevin Parker and others.
MAKING THE JUMP FROM TV
By Eric Holmberg
SUCCESS STORIES
MEDIA MEMBERS WHO WENT FROM ASKING QUESTIONS TO ANSWERING THEM.
WITH REPUBLICAN Kari Lake, a former local TV anchor, gaining the party’s gubernatorial nomination in Arizona, Columbia Journalism Review looked at other local news anchors who’ve run for office. In New York, CJR wrote about Rachel Barnhart, who was an anchor in Rochester and lost a 2018 Democratic congressional primary but is now a county legislator. Kristen Browde, a longtime TV reporter in the state, narrowly lost to Assembly Member Chris Burdick in a 2020 Democratic primary. Here are just a few of the local and national media figures who’ve jumped into politics.
FELL SHORT
NBC News & MSNBC NBC News & MSNBC
DAN GOLDMAN
10th Congressional District (2022) In all likelihood, Dan Goldman is headed to Congress. It didn’t hurt the former legal analyst that Trump was in big trouble over classified documents in the final weeks of his primary campaign. MIMI ROCAH
Westchester County district attorney (2020) While Mimi Rocah had a long legal career as an assistant U.S. attorney, voters got to know her better as an legal analyst talking about the Mueller investigation. NBC News & MSNBC
MAYA WILEY
New York City mayor (2021) Maya Wiley led the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board and worked at The New School, but many Democratic voters in the city first saw her on MSNBC as a legal analyst. CNBC & MSNBC
DYLAN RATIGAN
21st Congressional District (2018) The former host of “Fast Money” and host of “The Dylan Ratigan Show” didn’t get good ratings among congressional voters in the 2018 Democratic primary.
News10NBC Rochester 1050 AM, WFAS, CNN CNBC Accountability Project & The Young Turks
RICH FUNKE
Former state senator (20152020) For about seven years, Rich Funke was a lead evening news anchor in Rochester before retiring in 2012. About two years later, he won a state Senate seat and served three terms. ROB ASTORINO
Former Westchester County executive (2010-2017) Rob Astorino was a radio and TV reporter and anchor at various local stations, as well as a politician. He was a former Westchester County executive and was also a CNN contributor. MICHELLE CARUSO-CABRERA
14th Congressional District(2020) and NYC comptroller (2021) The former CNBC anchor switched from Republican to Democrat to challenge Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. That didn’t go well, and a run for comptroller didn’t fare much better. NOMIKI KONST
New York City public advocate (2019) and state Senate (2022) She reported for The Young Turks, but she finished 11th in the public advocate special election and dropped out of her state Senate race.
TO BE DETERMINED
JOE PINION
The Republican former Newsmax host is taking on Chuck Schumer, so he may not have much of a chance this year, and in 2018, he lost an Assembly race to Nader Sayegh in Yonkers.
A Q&A with New York City Council Member
JULIE MENIN
How is the rollout of the Wi-Fi access program you spearheaded at two New York City Housing Authority apartment complexes in City Council District 5 coming along? We launched the program earlier this year. We’ve signed up a tremendous amount of NYCHA residents in my district for the program. Basically, the program helps reduce the cost of broadband so it’s essentially free. We negotiated with Spectrum and Verizon a high connectivity, low cost plan and paired it with the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides a subsidy to cover the cost. Together that brings the cost to zero for residents. We’ve had incredible enthusiasm in my district among our NYCHA residents about this, so it’s very exciting. We’ve done numerous events to sign people up.
Are you looking to expand the program to other NYCHA buildings? We did a briefing along with the (Communications Workers of America) for other council members and elected officials. As a result of that, a number of council members reached out to me who wanted to replicate what we did in our district. So, I went back to Education Superhighway, a not-forprofit that we worked with on the program, and they’re going to work with 10 council members. And we also are sending a letter to (Federal Communications Commission) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel because we feel we need to do a lot more about raising awareness about the Affordable Connectivity Program. That’s what the letter is for, and we’re sending the same to the commissioners.
Do you see broadband access empowering NYCHA residents to better deal with the problems that have plagued public housing, like the discovery of arsenic in the Jacob Riis Houses’ drinking water? What happened at Riis is unconscionable. We still don’t have answers from the city about what happened. When did it happen? When did they do the testing? When were people notified? The fact that residents are largely being kept in the dark is incredibly anxietyprovoking. Arsenic is really dangerous and it’s incredibly anxietyprovoking to not know and have this information disseminated. Having essentially free Wi-Fi to access the internet and social media would have helped. To me, having WiFi is something that every New Yorker should have. It shouldn’t even be like a question of people not having access to it.
Where do you stand on starting a new school year with the budget cuts made by the Adams administration not yet restored? Obviously, I think the cuts should be restored. I wish this had been addressed months ago, because a new school year has started and this issue is still unresolved, which is unfortunate. And it absolutely should be resolved. – Ralph R. Ortega
