New Year, New Mayor As New Yorkers Ring In 2014

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor launched the traditional ball drop Tuesday night as revelers in Times Square welcomed in 2014 at the Crossroads of the World.

Sotomayor, a native of the Bronx, is the first member of the Supreme Court to participate in the city’s new year’s ceremony.

Revelers jammed Times Square on a cold, clear night that saw temperatures fall to 27 degrees as the clock struck midnight.

Outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg skipped the celebration — the first time he missed it since becoming mayor in 2002. Bill de Blasio took the oath as the city’s 109th mayor after the clock struck midnight, ahead of his public inauguration on Wednesday.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly promised that the last New Year’s Eve celebration under his watch would be incident free, just like in the past.

The event brought street closures to Midtown, with crosstown streets from 37th to 59th street closed between Sixth and Eighth Avenues, and 48th Street closed from Fifth to Ninth avenues.

Organizers of the celebration said New Yorkers shouldn’t dismiss the party as something that is only for tourists.

“It’s an amazing experience. Even the most jaded New Yorker, when you’re out here and that confetti falls and there’s wishes written on the confetti for a better life for ourselves or for the world. Even the most bitter and cold, literally cold heart will melt a little bit when you’re up there on the stage on New Year’s Eve watching it all,” said Tim Tompkins of the Times Square Alliance.

Revelers out in full force told NY1 the amount of people packing themselves into the area is a little overwhelming.

“I’m from Toronto so to see this many people, I just tripped on about four people over there. There’s a lot of people here,” said one reveler.

“I love the vibe, you know, it’s a great feel. It was funny, I had to cross a police line and prove that I work here. Show them my shirt,” said one Times Square worker.

“I think there’s way too many people, so we’ll probably just go to Brooklyn and kill some time and we’ll come here closer to midnight or maybe after that,” said one New Yorker.

The New Year’s Eve ball was tested Monday in Times Square.

It’s lit by 3,200 LED lights that can change to virtually any color.

It’s also covered with 2,600 Waterford Crystal Panels with the special theme, “The Gift of Imagination.”

Holiday Closures

New Year’s Day is a federal holiday and that means there will be closings and service changes Wednesday.

All government offices, courts, public schools, banks and financial markets will be closed.

There will also be no mail delivery, and no garbage or recycling pick-up.

Alternate side parking will be suspended, and drivers will not have to feed the parking meters.

Subways, buses, and the Staten Island Railway will all run on a Sunday schedule.

Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North will run on special holiday schedules.

For more information, visit mta.info.

NEWS – NY1

http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info/?p=19947

via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info