N.Y. Gyms Can Reopen Under These New Rules |
Weather: Patchy fog in the morning and then a slight chance of thunderstorms. Expect a high in the mid-80s. |
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But a quick gym workout won’t be back to normal anytime soon. Here’s what you need to know before you head to a health club to sweat off the “Quarantine 15.” |
What will gyms look like when they reopen? |
Mr. Cuomo’s announcement came with some new rules. Gyms will be limited to a third of their capacity, and they need to maintain a sign-in sheet to help contact tracers in case of a virus outbreak. Air filters must be able to help prevent the transmission of viral particles. People must wear masks at all times (yes, even on the treadmill). |
It wasn’t immediately clear if gym owners would need to make other changes, like installing plexiglass barriers between machines. |
Why did New York take longer than most states to reopen gyms? |
At least 43 states and Washington, D.C., have allowed gyms to reopen to some extent, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a nonprofit trade group. |
Mr. Cuomo said that he was allowing gyms to reopen now because New York has kept its positive coronavirus test rates at about 1 percent since June. Still, he warned that gyms have been “problematic” in other states. |
Health clubs in New Mexico and California have been linked to coronavirus cases, and health experts have been worried about the risks of exercising indoors and sharing equipment. Epidemiologists have also warned that the risk of transmission is higher indoors. |
Last week, Mr. Cuomo said bowling alleys could reopen statewide, but with every other lane blocked off to ensure social distancing. |
What businesses are staying closed? |
Movie theaters, amusement parks and casinos cannot reopen, and indoor malls in New York City remain closed. On Monday, the governor didn’t indicate when those spaces might get the green light. |
“We’re saying today that gyms for New Yorkers are more essential than movie theaters,” Mr. Cuomo said. |
Event: The Times is partnering with CraftJam to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. On Saturday at 10 a.m., join a livestream to learn how to stitch the suffragist Ida B. Wells and icons like pins and flags. Get the details here. |
The New York police have failed to hand over records and videos to investigators at the Civilian Complaint Review Board. [The City] |
Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged tighter restrictions on the Police Department’s use of facial recognition software after the arrest of a prominent protester. [Gothamist] |
The TikTok user who went viral for diving into the Hudson River said she did it for the likes. [NJ.com] |
And finally: Taking her place at the head of the class |
The Times’s Gia Kourlas writes: |
An aspiring ballerina starts out bright and shiny, a vessel of faith and devotion. But little by little, as disappointments mount and personal tragedies overwhelm, faith and fortitude can crumble. That glow can fade. |
Aesha Ash, who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., attended the esteemed School of American Ballet, the academy of New York City Ballet, and had a leading role in its annual Workshop Performances. Then she took the natural next step: She joined City Ballet, in 1996. |
Back then, the ballet world was less concerned with diversity than it is now. “I wasn’t just dancing for myself, and I wasn’t just dancing to rise through the ranks and be seen by a director to promote me,” Ms. Ash, 42, said. “It was so much bigger than that. I was trying to battle stereotypes and biases on that stage every single night. And I succeeded in some and I failed in others.” |
Now she finds herself in a position to continue that mission — not only for herself but for generations to come. Starting in September, pandemic or not, she will become the first Black female member of the permanent faculty in the School of American Ballet’s 86-year history. |
The school began talking to Ms. Ash about the position in spring 2019, but she didn’t accept until January. The timing of the announcement is something that Ms. Ash said causes her “great fear,” as it might seem like a response to recent events in the Black Lives Matter movement. |
But she recognizes that it’s the job that matters. “I’m perfectly fine with being that sacrificial lamb,” she said. “I’m willing to be that first because the importance of this moment is so much bigger than any bruising of any ego.” More important, she added, “is who I will be touching once I step foot in that classroom.” |
It’s Tuesday — stay on point. |
Metropolitan Diary: Hot pastrami |
When my daughter Elizabeth was 18, I decided to take her to New York for a week to explore and savor the city. |
Somewhere in Midtown, we came upon a United Airlines counter with a lone uniformed agent. It seemed like a good opportunity to confirm our flight home to California, so we approached the counter. |
“Don’t whine,” the agent barked at us when we were about 10 feet away. It was such a surprise that I burst out laughing. |
“What was that about?” I asked. |
He said he just thought that I looked like a whiner. |
About two days later, we were somewhere around Second Avenue and Thirteenth Street as my daughter searched for a used pair of Doc Martens. |
I saw what looked like a classic New York delicatessen. It was lunch time, so we went in and were seated by a waitress who I estimated to be in her 70s. She may have been the owner. |
After looking over the menu, I decided to order a hot pastrami sandwich. What could be better in a place like this? |
The waitress took my order, and then paused before turning. |
“You want it hot,” she said. “But you’ll get it warm, and you’ll like it!” |
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