Coronavirus in N.Y.: Live Updates – The New York Times

Horse racing tracks in New York can open in June, Cuomo says.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday said the state would allow horse racing tracks and the Watkins Glen International auto racing track to open without fans on June 1, opening the door for televised events at those venues.

We can have economic activity without having a crowd, thats great, Mr. Cuomo said. We can do that in this state. But no crowds, no fans.

Remember, the problem here are crowds and gatherings, he said.

With the coronaviruss grip on the region easing, Mr. Cuomos announcement paved the way for events to begin at tracks, including Belmont Park on Long Island, which hosts the Belmont Stakes. Watkins Glen International is an annual stop for NASCAR, which is set to resume its top series in South Carolina on Sunday.

With warm weather arriving this weekend, New York City is again working to reduce crowds at parks in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including deploying police officers to limit access to the popular Sheep Meadow in Central Park, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

But the city would also reset its approach to enforcing social distancing, Mr. de Blasio said at his most recent daily briefing. Police officers would now focus on breaking up large gatherings, with the goal of avoiding giving summons, he said.

The Police Department would also no longer be asked to enforce orders requiring people to wear face coverings if they cannot properly social distance, Mr. de Blasio said.

Sheep Meadow slowly began to fill with people early Saturday afternoon, with sunny weather and temperatures in the mid-70s. By about 2 p.m., police officers had decided to temporarily close off the entrance to the grassy expanse, telling parkgoers that it was too full.

For New Yorkers, a refreshing dip at one of the citys storied beaches has long been a staple of summer and a vital source of relief from the heat.

But those beloved strips of sand will not be the same this summer.

While many beaches across the Northeast are set to open by Memorial Day weekend, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that opening the citys 14 miles of public beaches by then was not in the cards, and that they would stay closed until officials were confident they could be used without a serious risk of beachgoers spreading the coronavirus.

The mayor warned that beach crowds could too easily violate strict social distancing rules, and another consideration is that the beaches are mostly accessible by bus and subway, where crowds of people could also spread the virus.

Coming up with a safe plan to eventually open the beaches is going to be a daunting task, said Henry A. Garrido, executive director of the municipal union District Council 37, which represents parks workers.

Youve had people cooped up for months and youre going to have more people than ever coming to the beach, he said. But there is a way to control the crowds.

The decision on the citys beaches, which can attract an estimated one million people on a hot day, drew criticism for how it might disproportionately affect New Yorkers who are unable to afford second homes, cars or even air conditioning.

Adrian Benepe, the citys parks commissioner from 2002 to 2012, said closing beaches wouldnt prevent everyone from dipping into the water on hot days.

People will do whatever it takes to get cool, Mr. Benepe said. And if you dont open the beaches in some modified manner, they will go there anyway, requiring much more expensive resources to keep them out of the water.

Fishing charters and other boating rental services can open for business on Sunday morning, Governor Philip D. Murphy announced on Saturday, further paving the way for the state to open the Jersey Shore.

The announcement came two days after Mr. Murphy signed an order allowing beaches, boardwalks and lakeshores to open by Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the busy season for beaches in the region.

Mr. Murphy said charters and boat rental shops must enforce social distancing and maintain customer logs to help state officials with contact tracing, if necessary.

As The New York Times follows the spread of the coronavirus across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, we need your help. We want to talk to doctors, nurses, lab technicians, respiratory therapists, emergency services workers, nursing home managers anyone who can share whats happening in the regions hospitals and other health care centers.

A reporter or editor may contact you. Your information will not be published without your consent.

Reporting was contributed by Maria Cramer, Corey Kilgannon, Andrea Salcedo, Edgar Sandoval and Alex Traub.

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Coronavirus in N.Y.: Live Updates - The New York Times