December 14, 2020 Weather: Rainy, with a high of 43 degrees.
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We have heard from several readers about strange interactions with a man in the Strawberry Fields area of Central Park, near 72nd Street who may be attempting to harm dogs. The individual is described as a white male with brown hair who aggressively approaches people with dogs and tries to take/hurt the dog in some way. Tipsters tell us police have been notified.
News:
Many people are concerned about the multitude of dead fish along the shores of the Hudson River, which West Side Rag wrote about last week. We have been in regular contact with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and other relevant agencies. The last word from DEC on Friday was, “As mentioned before, we sent samples of the dead fish for testing to help determine a cause and the results are not yet complete. The Hudson is not the only waterbody where the fish are being found. We expect final results at the end of next week and anticipate more information will be available at that time.” A similar phenomenon is happening elsewhere — including Darien, Connecticut. “All the fish have been the same species, Atlantic menhanden, know as bunker,” the Darien Times reported. You can read more on the subject in this Riverkeeper blog.
We know what the law says about accessibility, but what about the co-op board? An Upper West Side single mother found out when she asked for an accessible entrance for her grown disabled son. “Attorneys are now involved on both sides,” she told the Daily News. “At a recent shareholder meeting, I was asked, ‘Why don’t you just move?’ and ‘Is Zack really disabled?’ The building was not accessible when I purchased my apartment, I was told, so why should it change just for us? It took all I had not to cry in front of everyone.”
Two residents of the The Lucerne hotel homeless shelter were involved in a physical altercation on Sunday night that left blood on the sidewalk in front of Sarabeth’s restaurant, on Amsterdam between 79th and 80th, the New York Post reported. “The two men know each other…No arrests were made by early Monday.”
Upper West Sider Lindsey Boylan unsuccessfully challenged Congressman Jerry Nadler in the June 2020 primary, and is running for Manhattan Borough President in 2021. She is in the news today because she has leveled accusations of sexual harassment against NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, who she worked for from 2015 to 2018. Boylan wrote on Twitter that she did not want to discuss the allegations with journalists. The Times Union sought corroborating evidence for the accusations. “The Times Union interviewed three women who worked in the executive chamber for Cuomo for more than 15 years combined, but have each since left…they said the culture described by Boylan did not match their own experiences working for Cuomo.” Cuomo’s office said there is “no truth to these claims.” WSR interviewed Boylan in June.
Finally, CBS News posted a play-by-play forecast for the snowy week ahead! “From New York City to Boston and points northwest, this should be mainly a snow storm. The heaviest snowfall rates will start late Wednesday into Thursday morning, with 2 inches per hour piling up in spots. While it’s still too early to pinpoint details, and things are bound to change between now and midweek, there is large confidence that a swath of very heavy snowfall will pile up.” How do you have a snow day during a pandemic? We’ll let you know.
You guys know anything about an accident at 79th and Bway last night? Apparently a car hit someone, I overheard it was a cyclist but only saw the aftermath of the police cordon and the driver sitting in his car with shattered windshield.
Yeah, we’re looking into it.
“Physical altercation”? Nice touch.
I guess I should have described the drug deals I witnessed earlier in the fall as “B2C transactions”?
Technically correct is the best kind of correct.
Yes! This guy approached me on Wednesday around 6:30pm when I was walking my dog and kept coming closer and closer trying to reach out and grab my dog, I had to yank him in another direction to keep him away from him. He started yelling at me because I wouldn’t let him touch my dog. He was heading to strawberry fields from what I can tell. I saw him there again on Saturday and went in the opposite direction in case he tried to harm us again.
More information about the man threatening dogs, please?
I had a strange encounter last week on the Bridle Path (just north of E90th entrance), where a White male in his 30s, with long brown hair approached my dog very fast, leaning down as he got closer.
He was not wearing a mask, and something about his affect was just off, so I pulled my dog close, and told him to get away from us.
He persisted, until I took out my phone, took a photo of him, and warned that I was calling the police. (Photo retained.)
At that point, he stamped away like a pouty 5-year old, which made me wonder if there were a developmental issue, or if he were somehow chemically enhanced.
Lots of weirdness in the park this year.
One weekend day a few weeks ago, as I was exiting Central Park at 72nd St. on my bicycle, I saw a man running out from Strawberry Fields carrying two small dogs. When he got to the park entrance, he dropped to the ground breathing heavily. Another man ran over to the dog owner, threw something at him that the dog owner had apparently dropped along the way, screamed at him, and then ran away. I thought the two had had an altercation in the park. I stayed at the scene in case the dog owner needed help, as did some other people, but he didn’t want any. Wish I could be more helpful.
This sounds like it might be the same guy who started touching my dog without a word a few weeks ago on 100th near Broadway. He sat down on the sidewalk — almost lay down, really — and started rubbing my dog all over. He didn’t stop until I pulled the dog away. It was definitely weird. I just took him to be compromised in some way and moved on. Haven’t seen him again. Tall, white, probably in his 30s, bearded and scruffy looking with dirty clothes, no mask.
I had the same experience! He kept coming closer leaning down with his hand like he was going to touch or grab my dog. When I yelled at him to stay away (also unmasked) he started screaming and throwing his arms around. I got out of there as fast as I could.
That crazy guy lunged at my large chow and then yelled n flailed his arms n followed me a ways. He got really close, no mask of course, and was clearly very high and or deranged. A lady w a dog watch n waited for me bc she had seen him do that to others. I heard he was arrested but not sure. He is dangerous due to his mental condition.
Boylan’s claims remain unproven.
BUT, in today’s “Cancel Culture” proof is not necessary, so long as:
1. the person being accused is famous;
2. the alleged “crime” is about sex and/or anything smarmy; and
3. the accuser will benefit from her/his 15 minutes of internet “fame”.
All of the above matches Ms. Boylan’s assertions.
Besides, how many people, except for family-and-friends, really knew of Ms. Boylan?
But now, she hopes, everyone will know her as “The Giant-Killer” who took down Cuomo.
And THAT makes her a good choice for Manhattan Boro President?
Where do you folk get this nonsense?
Boylan’s claim is less than useless. Zero facts, zero specifics, 100% conclusion and subjective characterization.
You may not be able to discern a difference here but it’s big and important.
Sure doesn’t. Next.
ABB = Anyone But Boylan/Brewer.
I don’t love Cuomo but Boylan strikes me as desperate and unstable. Her behavior during the debate with Jerry Nadler was very strange. I would take what she alleges with a small grain of salt.
Yes, I liked Boylan until I saw and heard her behavior in the debates. She was using Trumpian techniques – impatient, interrupting, eye-rolling – very telling. Disturbing to see that AND these allegations.
If you didn’t mean a ton of salt you should have. Boylan’s claim gives no facts, zero specifics, it’s all conclusion and subjective characterization.
Sexual harassment involves a “reasonable person” test that can only be applied after hearing the specifics of what was said, by whom, and in what context. Her refusal to take questions or give any detail makes her claim useless. .
tbh this is not a good look for Boylan. Without concrete evidence, her approach appears to be ‘just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks’. No better than all the bogus litigations trying to reverse the election results imo.
Infuriating about Zack’s situation. It’s the law to provide accessibility, isn’t it?
I had similar experience walking my dog on W 72nd street. A tall white male with a goatee (no mask) wearing a long orange coat suddenly swooped down as if to cradle my mutt. I pulled her away and said “Get the ‘F’ away”. He started following me up the street. To defuse the situation I apologized for my language. He thanked me and turned back.
Oh my goodness! This same person approached me and my dog at the entrance of CPW and 100th Street last week. I saw him reach down to touch my dog out of the corner of my eye% I grabbed my dog and walked across the street to get away and be around other people. I looked back and he didn’t follow me. Happened around 3 pm.
Boylan. Who is she? Who was she? Whom does she hope to be? She joined the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club, got on their board of directors. The club endorsed Jerry Nadler for Congress. She runs against him. A rule in political clubs is that the officers and board members support their club’s endorsed candidate. Rank and file are not required to do so. Heretic Boylan.
I believe I had an encounter with this man in the Joan of Arc section of Riverside Park (94th street). This guy came out of nowhere and immediately started to engage with my dog. Thankfully I was within sightline of my building/doorman and was able to pull my dog away quickly.