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Some residents in New York City believe New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will face an uphill battle — one that’s essentially of her own making — after she suggested she’s willing to start “discussions” about a partial mask ban for Big Apple subways and protests amid the spread of antisemitism.
Highlighting an event that took place on a subway earlier this week in New York City, where a group of people “donning masks took over a subway car, scaring riders and chanting things about Hitler and wiping out Jews,” Hochul said Thursday during a public safety announcement that her administration “will not tolerate individuals using masks to evade responsibility for criminal or threatening behavior.”
“My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes,” she said.
Hochul, who took office in 2021 and was responsible for implementing mask mandates amid the spread of coronavirus, realizes the issue is “complex” and that there are “legitimate reasons” why some choose to wear face coverings, mask coverings and head coverings.
NY GOV. HOCHUL SAYS SHE’S CONSIDERING A MASK BAN TO REDUCE HATE CRIMES, TRIGGERS COVID FEARFUL X USERS
“My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday. (Getty Images)
Hochul mentioned several reasons people might wear face coverings, like religious practices, protection from COVID or the flu, delivery drivers battling the elements, cultural events and Halloween.
Emily Alexander, a full-time nanny who works in New York City and frequents the subway system nearly every day, expressed concern to Fox News Digital over how such a ban could be implemented amid Hochul’s “laundry list” of exceptions.
“It’s frightening what I see sometimes during my commute, and there is a reason this is being talked about right now,” said Alexander. “I would certainly support a no-mask law, but how is it going to be possible when the governor and nearly every other lawmaker in the state will provide those health and religious exemptions?”
“People won’t be surprised when everyone starts changing their religion or claiming health-related statuses just so they can bully, threaten or belittle others,” she added. “That’ll be the new norm that’ll then have to be worked out. It’s all likely to fail.”
Another resident in the city who uses the city’s subway system from Wednesday to Saturday each week told Fox News Digital that he’s not too thrilled about the idea because he doesn’t believe “anything will come of it.”
“I really don’t think anything will come of it,” said the 47-year-old Brooklyn resident, who wished to speak anonymously. “I really don’t think there’s anything that could really stop these people. They are a different kind of evil. They’ll just say they need masks to prevent themselves from getting Covid, which we know is an excuse. How does anyone tell them they can’t wear them?”
NYC SEES RISE IN HATE CRIMES, LED BY SURGING ANTISEMITISM, POLICE DATA SHOWS
NYPD officers patrol a Manhattan subway station in New York City on March 18. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
“You certainly have to say, ‘There are major exemptions,’” Hochul said Thursday while fielding questions about the potential mask ban.
Hochul’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for information on how the governor plans to navigate who uses masks with good intentions from those who are using them to “evade” punishment for criminal wrongdoing.
Nonetheless, Hochul said Thursday that it’s time for a “reset” and noted that a previous law that outlawed masks in certain places “didn’t anticipate this back in 1845.”
An effort to push through a ban on masks or face coverings in subways or other areas in the state for those who do not have legitimate reason to wear one would require legislative action.
New York’s legislative session ended last week, though Hochul could call state lawmakers back to Albany to further discuss the issue.
“There’s no reason why those conversations can’t start now,” she said. “We’ll have a strategy and then determine the right time to address it.”
Following the Monday incident that was highlighted by Hochul in which Jewish Americans were targeted on a New York City subway, the governor has faced calls to reinstate an anti-mask law that was once used to prevent Ku Klux Klan members from donning hoods.
“A mask law will make a difference,” Scott Richman, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, told The New York Post this week.
“It effectively tanked the Ku Klux Klan. Nobody wanted their face to be seen,” Richman added of the previous anti-mask law, which was on the books for nearly 200 years before being repealed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hochul said she wants to work with “legislative leaders and find out how we can address this in a way that’s thoughtful,” and she appears to have the support of New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“I’ve spoken to Mayor Adams, who’s been outspoken on this issue with the [Metropolitan Transportation Authority], with local law enforcement. And beginning conversations with the Legislature since this takes legislative action, which we’re considering. There’s obviously a problem here. This will be dealt with,” Hochul said.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams arrives at a press conference at City Hall on March 19. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service)
Adams, a Democrat, has also been vocal about his support for reviving a ban on masks at protests, saying during a Thursday interview on 77 WABC’s “Cats & Cosby” that “cowards hide their faces.”
“Dr. [Martin Luther] King did not hide his face,” he said. “I agree with those who are calling for removal of the ban, not only for the protesters who are using vile language, but also for criminal behavior.”
“Now is the time to go back to the way we were pre-COVID, where you should not be able to wear masks at protests,” the mayor added.
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A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 elementary school children while over four times the legal alcohol limit, authorities said, after reports she was swerving through traffic and nearly hitting vehicles before the bus ended up in a snowbank.
On Tuesday, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Douglass Township Police Chief Robert B. Evans announced an arrest warrant for Kelly Weber, 46, of Boyertown.
Weber is charged with driving under the influence, 54 counts each of endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangerment and related summary offenses.
Authorities said police were alerted around 4 p.m. Feb. 6 that a school bus was driving erratically and narrowly missing other vehicles.
A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 children with a .331% BAC before stopping in a snowbank. She faces DUI and 54 child endangerment counts. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
A responding officer later found the bus stopped in a snowbank.
Investigators said officers found an open 750ml bottle of Tito’s vodka, two empty 50ml bottles and a receipt showing the alcohol was purchased earlier that morning.
RHODE ISLAND TEACHER ACCUSED OF SEXTING, KISSING HIGH SCHOOL BOY
A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 children with a .331% BAC before stopping in a snowbank. She faces DUI and 54 child endangerment counts. (iStock)
According to authorities, a blood test showed Weber’s blood alcohol concentration was .331%, more than four times the legal limit of .08%, and detected Delta-9 Carboxy THC.
Investigators said 54 children were on the bus, including five younger than 6. Several children called or texted their parents during the ride because they were frightened by the driving, and one child exited at an earlier stop and was picked up by his parents, authorities said.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACH CHARGED WITH RAPING FOSTER DAUGHTER, SERVING VICTIM TEQUILA SHOTS: REPORT
A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 children with a .331% BAC before stopping in a snowbank. She faces DUI and 54 child endangerment counts. (iStock, File)
“More than 50 young children were in a dangerous situation created by this defendant, who chose to consume a significant amount of alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a school bus and drive miles while intoxicated,” Steele said. “We are all thankful that this defendant didn’t crash the bus and cause further harm to these children.”
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Weber checked herself into a rehabilitation facility after the incident, authorities said. She is expected to turn herself in for arraignment, at which time bail will be set.
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Boston Marathon
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Brianna Poehler
City/State: Granby, Mass.
I am running the 2026 Boston Marathon with Miles for Miracles in support of Boston Children’s Hospital. The Boston Marathon is deeply personal to me and my family.
My daughter is a liver transplant survivor, and at just 11 months old, she received a life-saving liver transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital.
What could have been the most devastating chapter of our lives became a story of hope, resilience, and extraordinary care because of the BCH team.
When our daughter was so small and so sick, the doctors, nurses, and staff at Boston Children’s carried us through the unimaginable.
They combined world-class medical expertise with compassion that went far beyond treatment plans and hospital rooms. They cared for our daughter as if she were their own. They supported us as anxious, exhausted parents. They gave us answers when we had questions, and reassurance when we were overwhelmed.
Most importantly, they gave our daughter a second chance at life.
Today, she is thriving because of that gift. Every milestone she reaches is a reminder of the miracle she received and the team that made it possible. Running the Boston Marathon is my way of honoring that gift and saying thank you in the most meaningful way I can.
The marathon is a test of endurance, determination, and heart — qualities I saw in my daughter during her fight and in the Boston Children’s team every single day.
With every mile I run, I will be thinking of her strength, her transplant journey, and the families who are walking similar paths right now.
By running with Miles for Miracles, I hope to raise funds that will support groundbreaking research, life-saving treatments, and compassionate care for children like my daughter. This race is more than 26.2 miles — it is a celebration of survival, gratitude, and hope.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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Along with the best football prospects the season has to offer, the NFL Draft promises to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Pittsburgh from April 23 to 25.
If the turnout approaches that of Detroit in 2023, those descending on the North Shore and Downtown could reach 700,000 over the three days. For reference, that’s more than 10 times Acrisure Stadium’s 68,400 seats, and more than double the city’s roughly 308,000 residents.
Where will they stay? How will they get around?
Event planners at VisitPittsburgh say the city is up to the task.
“They picked us out of several cities because we have the infrastructure,” said Perry Ivery, general manager of the Oaklander Hotel and board chair of VisitPittsburgh.
Last year, Wisconsin’s Green Bay comfortably accommodated a unique visitor count three times its 106,000 population, according to residents and local leaders.
Ivery said there are some 26,000 hotel rooms across the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, the bulk of which are concentrated in and around Downtown.
Even if each room holds two to four people, the total still appears to fall short. But Ivery said many attendees will be locals, whether from Pittsburgh, surrounding counties or neighboring states within a day’s drive.
Plus, a high proportion of out-of-town guests could have Pittsburgh roots and a free bed to claim in a family home, he added.
There are also around 3,500 units available for short-term rental in and around Pittsburgh through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.
“We’re all working together to make sure everybody has a great hospitality experience in the City of Pittsburgh,” Ivery said.
Infrastructure from roads to parking, and bus and light rail routes, will also feel the strain.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit normally services around 100,000 riders on an average weekday, across its entire network. Spokesperson Adam Brandolph said the agency is prepared for the transit demands of what’s expected to be the biggest event the city has hosted.
“We’re confident that we’ll be able to meet the needs of visitors to the draft as well as daily riders,” he said, noting “no major closures or detours” are planned for the event other than the University Line project, which may see less construction during that week.
Brandolph said the agency is finalizing plans and intends to make more information public soon.
A spokesperson for VisitPittsburgh said a local committee is working with a range of stakeholders including transportation agencies, engineering partners and local government “to deliver a coordinated and comprehensive plan for the region.”
“This includes collaboration with public transit agencies on adjusted service plans, clearly marked detour routes, designated rideshare zones and proactive communication with residents, businesses and commuters,” said Alex Kenzakoski, communications director for VisitPittsburgh.
“Our shared goal is to minimize disruption, keep the region moving and make travel as predictable and seamless as possible for both fans and locals.”
Kenzakoski said details on road closures, transit adjustments and travel guidance will be made known ahead of the draft, and encouraged fans to download the NFL OnePass app for transportation information and updates.
Ivery said a successful draft week execution could line Pittsburgh up for future hosting prospects.
“There’re going to be folks that come in that have never been to Pittsburgh … This is a case to showcase our town, and our hotels,” he said.
“We’re friendly, we have grit, we’re very excited to showcase that we can do large-scale activities.”
This story first appeared in Pittsburgh’s Public Source. Read the original here.
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