Day: April 7, 2025

A RAINY, chilly Monday looms, with steady showers and wintry hints lingering into midday, followed by cloudy skies.

The post City braces for wet, cold week appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

The Brooklyn maniac who brutally slashed four young girls with a meat cleaver is still clinging to life after undergoing emergency surgery – as sources revealed that he had been hospitalized for schizophrenia in the past. Lun Chang Chen, 49, was shot once in the head and twice in the torso as he allegedly lunged…

Illegal vendors are a common sight throughout the city’s subway system, and not everyone is welcoming of them.

During amNewYork’s recent visit to multiple Queens subway stations, vendors sold items such as soft tacos, churros, hot coffee, and even jewelry. Shoppers browsed the displays, and many purchased a quick snack on their way to their train. 

And, on a recent weeknight in Jackson Heights, the 74th Street-Broadway station mezzanine — where the E, F, M, R and 7 lines meet — was bustling with vendors, pushcarts and customers — so much so that straphangers had to weave their way through the platform to board or find a comfortable spot to wait for a train. 

Of course, subway vendors are not isolated to Queens. Throughout the city, on streets and in train stations, vendors set up carts, booths, or stacks of boxes to help sell their products. While considered a way of life for vendors — many of whom are immigrants struggling to make it in America — some subway riders question why they’re allowed to be in business at all. 

“It should not be allowed. Buy from stores that actually pay taxes,” Dale Durrell of Staten Island said.

New Yorker Margot Brie said she is most concerned about safety and whether vendors selling food are maintaining appropriate cleanliness standards. 

“We have observed vendors cutting mangoes with the same knife and no water to clean it,” she said. “Also, vendors handle food and fruit with bare hands, sometimes sneezing into them or touching everything in sight. I’m amazed more people don’t get sick from all the bacteria and unsanitary conditions.”

Who can sell, and who can’t?

NYC requires business owners to have a General Vendor License to sell goods or services in a public place that is not a store.

Obtaining a permit, however, is not that simple of a process. There are exceptions to permit rules. For many street and subway vendors who speak English as a second language, securing the right permits and licenses for their sales becomes even more difficult on top of a complex system of rules and processes to navigate. 

For example, NYC’s 311 system states online that a General Vendor License is not necessary to sell food. However, in another part of the website, the system states that to sell food or drinks from a pushcart or truck, vendors need a Mobile Food Vending Permit and a Mobile Food Vending License. 

According to the MTA, selling goods and food in the subway system, regardless of having a permit, goes against NYC Transit’s rules of conduct, and the NYPD is responsible for enforcing those rules.  

“Vending within the transit system is unlawful, and the NYPD continues to address this condition through enforcement, which may include ejection, summons, and/or arrest,” a spokesperson for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information said. “The NYPD has issued over 300 summonses this year for unlawful selling or soliciting in transit.”

Vendors want permits and are ‘fed up,’ too

Street vending, with or without permits and above or below ground, has been a part of NYC culture throughout most of its history. In yesteryears, many street and subway vendors were foreign-born. Today, about 96% of them are immigrants. 

“Street vending has been a fabric of NYC since its inception,” said Mohamad Attia, managing director of the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center. “Essentially, these people have been selling in the streets, making a living, and a vast majority of vendors today are immigrants.”

A September survey conducted by organizations including George Mason University and the Immigration Research Initiative, a group that studies immigration integration in the United States, found that there were about 23,000 street vendors in total as of last year. 

Of those surveyed, many vendors came from Mexico (30%), Ecuador (24%), Egypt (20%) and Senegal (7%).

About 75% of the food vendors in the survey were unlicensed. Advocates attribute that to laws passed in 1979 and 1983, which capped the number of licenses the city provided. A lack of permits also leads to a lack of government regulation and oversight of vendors selling food and other goods. 

“Many people are not aware that vendors are not allowed to obtain a license right now,” Attia said. “Funny enough, vendors are required to have a license, and if they sell food, they are required to have a license and a permit, but they are not allowed by the city government to obtain that license or permit that is required for them to be considered a legal business.”

Attia argued that the system is set up to fail anyone wanting to obtain proper permits. The city caps general vendor licenses for non-veterans at 853, and food vendor permits at around 3,000.

Thousands of potential vendors are on excruciatingly long lists to get the proper licenses and permits. As a bright spot for vendors, a 2021 NYC Council bill, called Local Law 18, created 445 more licenses for food vendors to get each year. But more progress is needed, according to Attia.

“Street vendors are also fed up with how outdated the vending system is. We need to see real change,” he explained. “We need to see a system that is functioning, serving vendors, but also serving New Yorkers, consumers, and everybody in the city.

Support for the vendors

However, not all New Yorkers want illegal vendors out of the subways. Many commuters told amNewYork they support the vendors’ efforts to make a living—and even said they have gotten some tasty treats from the sales. 

“Myself as a Latino, I see the Latino community coming around selling and there’s a need for everything,” Joseph Deleon from Brooklyn said. “Basically, they are selling food to get money. Money is needed for living here in the United States. Without money, you can’t live.”

He said the vendors work hard to support themselves and their families. 

“They are showing how hard they work to thrive to gain a better life,” adding that the churros he has had in the subway are “really good.” 

Maddy Edalow, a New Yorker who uses the subway system, said she “100% supports” vendors on trains.

“I think that people looking to work in this country should be allowed to work,” she said. 

Another commuter from Staten Island said she “couldn’t care less” about licensing issues and even raved about some of the food that the vendors sell.

“It’s some of the freshest stuff you can find around,” she said. 

David Pecoraro remembers the day the Brooklyn Cyclones changed their name.

He had arrived for the Cyclones’ 2025 home opener against the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Friday 40 minutes before first pitch, sporting a jersey that swapped the club’s plain white sleeves for the sublimated stars and stripes of the United States flag. The front of his jersey read “BARACKLYN CYCLONES.”

In June 2009, five months after Barack Obama assumed office and when the Cyclones were still a Class A Short-Season affiliate of the New York Mets, the club held a bobblehead giveaway of the former president. The first 2,500 fans into the ballpark received an Obama bobblehead, who was depicted wearing a number 44 “BARACKLYN” jersey.

“The line started at the gate,” said Pecoraro, “worked all the way up Surf, worked all the way along the side of the ballpark, went up and wrapped around the boardwalk.”

The recorded attendance that evening was 8,760 — well above the Cyclones’ recent average attendance of 2,115 in 2024 and 2,532 in 2023, and higher than their home park’s capacity of 7,000. 

Pecoraro has been attending Cyclones games since their first season in 2001. Everyone at Maimonides Park knows him as “Wolf.” He doesn’t know where the nickname originated from. He suggested that it could be his tendency to howl at the umpires — which he can get away with because he’s in the stands.

“I keep it PG,” he said. “I’m not going to cuss the umps. You don’t do that. There are kids at this ballpark, but I will let them know if they have erred in their ways.”

On Friday, as the early April gray afternoon faded to blue over Coney Island, the south Brooklyn breeze off the water cooled the open concourse. Temperatures remained in the unseasonably high low-60s, but you’d be better off in a sweater.

Maimonides Park, which opened as KeySpan Park in 2001 on Coney Island’s Riegelmann Boardwalk at the former site of Steeplechase Park, was never meant to be a full season stadium, Pecoraro said.

“This place is amazing,” he said. “But dress warm.”

The Cyclones have been a full-season High-A affiliate of the Mets since 2021, when they moved to the South Atlantic League from the short-season New York-Penn League. With the early season start comes frigid temperatures, which on Coney Island average 43 degrees Fahrenheit in April — 10 degrees cooler than the New York City average. You’ll freeze in a t-shirt, Pecoraro, who brought his black Mets jacket in a bag, insists.

When they came to Brooklyn in 2001, the Cyclones became the borough’s first professional sports team since the Dodgers left for Los Angeles in 1958. They are named after the iconic Coney Island Cyclone, a wooden roller coaster in nearby Luna Park.

‘Root, root, root for the CY-CLONES’

The major draw for the Cyclones is the family-friendly atmosphere synonymous with all Minor League Baseball clubs.

Justin Rocke, the Cyclones’ lead play-by-play broadcaster and media relations specialist, spends each game in the press box, perched high above home plate. Rocke has been with the club for two years. During his first season, a friend who came out to a game on a Sunday with his two-year-old daughter texted him during the game.

“I forgot how much other stuff is going on during the game in minor league ballparks,” Rocke recalled his friend texting him. “Outside of just baseball.”

The Cyclones’ game-day experience is tailored to the younger generations. At baseball games, Rocke acknowledged, younger kids are often not engaged in every single pitch of a baseball game, so the club places a heavy emphasis on its in-game entertainment. Their mascots, Sandy the Seagull and Pee-Wee, and emcee Guy Zoda — who is known as King Henry and wears a red suit at the games — are always entertaining the fans.

In the seventh inning of Friday’s home opener, King Henry speedwalked along the concourse from the first base side, where he had led a group of kids in a chant, to his usual hideout next to the visitors’ dugout on the third base side, where the Mecca Shriners — a philanthropic organization that raises money for hospitals for children and recognizable by their red hats, according to Joe McMillen, a member — were about to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

“We’re here just to hang out with our friends, who are all members,” said McMillen. “So we got a group of members that are coming out just to build the bonds of brotherhood.”

This was McMillen’s first Cyclones game, but he had thrown a strike for the ceremonial first pitch and was about to step on the entirely-turf field for the seventh inning stretch.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” began King Henry, “it is my honor and privilege to announce, down on the field with us today, are the Mecca Shrine number one of New York City!”

“Everyone, let’s hear ya!”

The Cyclones’ rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” replaces the “root, root root for the home team” with “root, root root for the CY-CLONES.” Then, like their big league counterparts, they play “Lazy Mary,” and the fans dance.

“One of the best opening days in many years for the weather,” said King Henry.

Cyclones games have something for everyone, he added. Aside from the family activities and the variety of concessions — which include Pat LaFrieda’s sausages — the club hosts a weekly Sunday brunch promotion that comes with bottomless drinks. And yes, that includes mimosas.

“The people in general,” said Bryan Rumfelt, who was celebrating his 12th birthday at Friday’s game with his friend, Ben Sudol, and Ben’s father, Matt. “The games that they have, just the whole feeling of being here.”

“It’s our neighborhood team,” said Matt Sudol, who was wearing a white Dodgers-inspired Cyclones jersey with “Brooklyn” in the famous Dodger blue script, “CYCLONES” in the tail stripe.

Added Sudol: “What happened to the Dodgers? They left. We got the Cyclones. I’m not going out to Queens. I got the Dodgers all the way in L.A., this is what I got here in Brooklyn.”

The next generation of Major Leaguers

For the baseball enthusiast, the Cyclones offer a glimpse into the future of the Mets. Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Francisco Álvarez, José Buttó and Tylor Megill all spent time on Coney Island.

“You get to see them grow up here,” said Pecoraro.

Seven of the Mets’ top 30 prospects are currently on the Cyclones. That list includes New York’s number three prospect, outfielder Carson Benge, and the 13th- and 14th- ranked prospects, pitcher Jonathan Santucci and infielder Boston Baro.

“I’m a lifelong Mets fan,” said Stephanie Adams, who was walking along the concourse behind home plate in the early innings of the game. “I’m very excited to hopefully see these guys playing in the Major Leagues someday.”

“She’s actually third generation,” clarified Stephanie’s mother, Patti Adams. “I’m a lifelong Mets fan. My dad is a lifelong Mets fan. I’m thrilled to be here.”

Rocke, who works with the coaches and players on a day-to-day basis, said the people in the organization are not only talented at what they do on the field, but good people off it.

“Each one of those players are extremely gifted,” said Rocke. “But also just really good people, really wonderful people.”

“There’s a lot to be excited about for the Mets organization,” he added. “What they’ve been able to do over these last couple years on the player development side, really investing in hitting and pitching and creating ways for players to both grow on and off the field. It’s a wonderful environment that they’ve cultivated.”

When summer rolls around

The peak of Cyclones baseball comes when the weather warms up, the Luna Park lights turn on and the Coney Island Beach and boardwalk come to life. This usually happens around Memorial Day, according to Rocke.

Rocke’s view from the press box for the home opener was a dark cloudy sky and the quiet structures of Luna Park’s roller coasters sitting beyond the outfield wall. The boardwalk is there, too, its few streetlights illuminating the empty wooden planks, soon to be covered by the families, couples, tourists and locals that make up Coney Island’s summertime crowd. Every Friday night, there’s fireworks.

Those details make the Cyclones’ promotions, like their own post-game fireworks after select weekend games, more memorable. Fireworks exploded in the dark sky following Brooklyn’s season-opening 8–4 win over Wilmington. But the best is yet to come.

“It’s like [you’re] calling baseball games at an amusement park,” said Rocke. “A carnival, that’s sort of the vibe we’ve got here. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

“It’s just such a wonderful, exciting atmosphere. Our fans are great. It just feels like home.”

Home for fans like Pecoraro, who you will always find keeping score in his seat down the third base line. There was no place he’d rather be than the most fun ballpark in Minor League Baseball.