In a third day of COVID testing and vaccines, Roosevelt Islanders waited again in a long line, the length of Good Shepherd Plaza. It was a microcosm of what the recent infection surge brought to New York as well as across America.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Third Day of COVID Testing and Vaccines
Scattered complaints marred a success story of Roosevelt Islanders meeting the challenges as a community, standing tall against the spread of COVID.
Keeping things in perspective, a month ago, many residents faced a choice. Either take a risk on public transit or go without testing altogether. Then, after listless RIOC failed to respond effectively, two politicians stepped in and brought a testing van here.
Julie Menin, elected to the City Council in November, hadn’t even taken office yet before wading in. And State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright came through on a promise to push until help arrived. While long, cold lines and RIOC’s gross failure in refusing to let people waiting hours for tests to use nearby restrooms, Menin and Seawright stood out, standing up for residents.
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The Emergency Was Always Underground
The steam plant and the steam tunnel were never two problems. They were one system. They were only separated later, when separating them made development easier and responsibility harder to pin down.
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