🌱 Former NYC Comptroller Files Defamation Suit + Polio Emergency Ends

Good morning, New York City!

• Former NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer has filed a defamation suit against a woman accusing him of sexual misconduct.
• A detainee died on Rikers Island over the weekend after just two months at the facility.
• New York's polio state of emergency has ended.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 42 Low: 29.

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

1. A Rikers Island detainee died on Sunday after spending two months in custody, the Department of Corrections said, making him the 17th person to die at the facility this year. He was first brought to Rikers Island on Oct. 2 on robbery charges. (New York City Patch)
2. Former NYC Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer has filed a defamation suit against a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct, calling the accusations that he inappropriately touched and kissed her without her consent when she was an intern on his 2001 campaign to be Public Advocate, false. The suit, the statements "caused Mr. Stringer emotional pain and suffering, as well as injury to his reputation, honor and dignity." (New York City Patch)
3. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is suing the Taxi and Limousine Commission over a now unconstitutional protocol that, until 2019, called for the suspension of licenses for cab drivers who had been arrested. The Alliance said the rule affected 20,000 drivers. (AMNY)
4. Brooklyn State Sen. Zellnor Myrie has announced a new bill that would increase New Yorkers' ability to sue oil and gas companies, allowing them to collect civil penalties based on damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation is based on a 2021 Texas law that lets any person make civil claims against abortion providers or any person that assists a woman in obtaining an abortion after pregnancy's sixth week. (Spectrum News NY1)
5. The NYC Department of Transportation is planning to close parts of the J train over the weekends for at least two years while completing renovations on the 118-year-old Williamsburg Bridge. The work will also require the partial close of pedestrian and bike paths during nights and weekends. A tentative start date is May 2023. (Gothamist)

New York City pic of the day:

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Today in New York City:

• Après Hour — Brookfield Place (5 p.m.)
• Ugly Sweater Christmas Party at Time Out Market (6 p.m.)
• New York City Opera Christmas Caroling — Bryant Park (6 p.m.)
• Nucleus Presents Psychedelic Series at Ludlow House (7 p.m.)
• "Mitzvah or Shandah?" comedy show — The Upper West Side (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• "Barkitecture," a holiday art series on Madison Avenue, features the art of School of Visual Art students, including a doghouse for a hotdog named "Catch-Up" and a mock pigeon. (Spectrum News NY1)
• Broadway's first Korean pop musical, KPOP, has announced it is closing just two weeks after opening. (NBC New York)
• New York State's official polio state of an emergency has been ended, following a vaccination campaign and fewer samples of the disease found in wastewater. (New York Post)
• An entrance to Central Park at 110th Street and 5th Avenue will honor the men previously known as the "Central Park Five," who were wrongly convicted of a heinous crime decades ago, with a sign reading "Gate of the Exonerated." (New York City Patch)
• A network of hospitals in Brooklyn has been battling a cyberattack since late November, that has led nurses and doctors to use pen and paper when providing patient care. (Subscription/The New York Times)

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That's it for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with another update.

— Dashiell Allen

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