I got to ride in another golf cart for work

The queen of Citi Field, top cop escapes punishment, and Phil Donahue #93

A few weeks ago my colleague Alex and I rode around Citi Field on a golf cart with Sue Lucchi, the SVP of ballpark operations and a real “Queens girl made good” story. She started at Shea Stadium as an intern from St. John’s University, working her way up from the little window of the diamond Vision scoreboard to, as her dad explained years ago, “she runs that ballpark!”

One of the coolest things for me was was getting to walk around and *touch* the Home Run apple. And it was also moving to learn about her involvement in the thing I first saw 23 years ago, on the second night of baseball since Sept. 11. We weren’t at the famous Mike Piazza game, but the game the next day, in field level seats my friend’s dad got from the executives at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt hospital where he worked. For my entire life the scoreboard had a neon skyline. That night the World Trade Center was covered up with a yellow ribbon, the lights turned off. It was Sue’s idea, she said. She had mixed feelings about baseball returning, a mix of anger and grief and confusion so many New Yorkers felt. And there were the Twin Towers in lights at Shea. “You can’t just leave that, you have to acknowledge it,” she said.

They came up with a plywood ribbon, which is still there above the Shake Shack — Sue’s favorite thing in the whole stadium.

You can read the whole story here.

Also this week, Mayor Adams sure doesn’t want to answer any questions about federal investigations into him and his 2021 campaign! And his chief counsel thinks the press corps is beholden to Conflict of Interest Board and told us we shouldn’t ask certain questions in the mayor’s once-a-week briefings in the Blue Room. That didn’t go over well! As I told the chief counsel and really anyone who would listen, I have a feeling reporter questions aren’t the biggest ethical concern for this administration.

📰Other interesting stories📰

DA hits former Parks employee with hate crime charge in migrant killing [THE CITY]
NYPD Chief escapes punishment, trial following CITY investigation [THE CITY]
McGuinness Boulevard safety plan gets scotched [THE CITY]
David Copperfield’s Manhattan penthouse is … interesting [NYT]
Hey Siri, what does “enthusiastically” mean

I’ve stayed away from my old favorite at the deli counter because I am afraid of listeria, a very legitimate fear, but I’ll say it — I miss Boar’s Head cold cuts!!! As one friend said a few weeks ago, eating a non-cold cut sandwich by the ocean: “Look at me. I’m eating TUNA. At the BEACH!” Here’s hoping everything clears up. [NYT]

📺WATCH📺

Rest in peace Phil Donahue, an expert interviewer who was curious about people, their thoughts, and their feelings. It sounds simple but it’s a rare skill, even for professionals. Here’s the iconic New York Club Kids episode.

Thanks for reading!