Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Here's that text we just got a few minutes ago from a 15-year-old, or at least they say they're a 15-year-old, and maybe set up for a career as a writer, if this text is any indication. Says, "I'm a 15-year-old, and the day before yesterday, I went on a walk on local trails by my house. As I was walking, light rain began to turn into soft flakes, and I reached a small farm where a local family has horses. My dog and I were able to feed the horses apple slices I'd brought and pet them, then walked back as the snow began to fall heavier. Waking up to the 20 inches of snowfall in our backyard was my golden retriever's heaven." How about that for some writing from a high school student, 15-year-old, whoever you are. Great job. You could say Brian Lehrer shouted you out on the radio. Take that to school when they reopen because it doesn't sound like you're in New York City. Your school is probably closed. One more guest and call in on the snow for today. Taylor Jung is an independent multimedia journalist who, among other things, is a digital reporter and producer for the news site Epicenter NYC.

That site was launched in central Queens during COVI,D when Elmhurst and places around there were called the epicenter of the pandemic. Remember that? Epicenter NYC, which reports very much at the neighborhood level in Queens and elsewhere around the city. Taylor Jung says she covers how government can work for New Yorkers, but her article on Epicenter yesterday wasn't just about government. It was called Six Tips on How to Be a Good New York City Neighborhood this Blizzard. Taylor, thanks for joining us. Welcome to WNYC.

Taylor Jung: Yes. Thank you for that introduction. It's beautiful way to describe the work that Epicenter does and why we put that guide together.

Brian Lehrer: Listeners, for this call in, we're inviting specifically anyone who lives-- You can live anywhere, but tell us two things. How are conditions right now in your neighborhood, and what does your block or neighborhood need? Or, most specifically, tell us a story of how you were nice to someone in the blizzard or how someone was nice to you. We're right on Taylor's angle here. Tell us a story of how you were nice to someone in the blizzard, or how someone was nice to you, or even a third person being nice to a fourth person, and you happen to witness it or hear about it. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Let me go right to Brian in Crown Heights, who I think has a shout-out. Brian, you're on WNYC. Hi.

Brian: Hi. Great. Yes. I wanted to shout out to our super, super, I call him, our superintendent. I live in a condo here in Crown Heights. Our street had so much snow and ice on it, and he did such a good job of cleaning off the sidewalk in front of our building, much better than further west when I went walking over to Nostrand. I was just wanting to shout out to our superintendent, Willis.

Brian Lehrer: Very good. Thank you very much. Another one in a text. We'll get back to that. Taylor, let's just go right down your six tips for being a good New York City-

Taylor Jung: Sure.

Brian Lehrer: -neighbor in this blizzard. Number one is keep an eye out for vulnerable people. Have you seen or heard of people doing that?

Taylor Jung: Just a little bit. I know one of the WNYC reporters touched on this earlier, but it's been a rough winter and start to the winter with at least 20 people dying outside due to cold-weather-related illnesses. If you see someone unhoused on the streets, out in the cold, in the snow, the most important thing you need to know is don't assume what they need or where they want to go. That's based off of the reporting of our community reporter, Ambar Castillo, who spoke to Jim Burke, a community organizer out in Queens.

Just have something to offer, ask them a question, strike up a conversation, become a trusted neighbor. Just say, "Do you need for us to call someone? Would you like to go to a warming center?" Offer something like warm food, new socks, anything that you feel like they might need, but again, just don't assume what they need.

Brian Lehrer: Here's another one of those texts, says, "In Springfield, New Jersey, our next-door neighbor used his snow blower to clear the sidewalk to the corner two houses away. He cleared our driveway and the one next to it. Thank you," writes that listener to their neighbor. That actually brings you to your tip for being a good neighbor in New York City, number two, Taylor, clear your sidewalks or get fined.

Taylor Jung: Yes. [chuckles] I wish we had more of those neighbors and superintendents around where I am in Bushwick because I feel like people aren't really super great at shoveling. Really important is that once the snow clears, there's a certain timetable that the Department of Sanitation has when you need to clear your sidewalks in front of your property. Won't run through that, but the snow is over, so the snow should be cleared outside in front of your building.

Make sure that you clear a path that's not just the width of your shovel, which I feel like a few people haven't really heard [chuckles] of that one, but needs to be at least four feet wide. Just think of like strollers, people with crutches. I saw someone last snowstorm try to walk through a very narrow path on a sidewalk with crushes. Obviously, they couldn't do it, so just be mindful. Obviously, please take care of the curb cuts too if you're on a corner property. That's something that I think the last snowstorm people forgot about a little bit. Just make sure that all the sidewalks in front of your property are clear, fire hydrants, unsheltered bus stops.

Brian Lehrer: Yes. All of those details, including the width of the path, that was a good thing to mention. You also have in your article the timeline. If the Snow stopped between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM as it did yesterday, must be clear within four hours. Anyone who hasn't done that yet, you are late in New York City, and you might get fined. Here's a text that actually combines the two things. Being nice to somebody and clear your sidewalks.

Listener writes, "My son is a New York City sanitation worker. He's been working 12-hour shifts, 12:00 to 12:00," doesn't say which 12 to 12. "He lives on Staten Island. His garage is in Williamsburg. During the last storm, he was unable to get home and ended up sleeping at the garage." It's more of an implied shout-out, even though it's to the writer's own son. 12-hour shifts as a sanitation worker and sleeping at the garage.

Then the person writes, "Here's the kicker. He just received a $100 fine for not clearing his sidewalk in the allotted time. Huh. Go figure. Thanks for reading my rant," writes Ed in Sayreville. I don't know if that's an excuse. Can you go to court, Taylor, and say, "Look, I was a sanitation worker. I was stuck in my garage in Staten Island, so I couldn't get home and clear my sidewalk."

Taylor Jung: I think maybe that sanitation worker has a good excuse that they could use. If you're a property building owner, and you're able-bodied, and you're able to maybe even hire someone to help out, like I've seen a few buildings around me, you have to clear the sidewalks. Ultimately, you also don't want someone slipping out in front of your house and then suing you for that. It's like a few hundred bucks or someone hurting themselves in front of you, and a potential lawsuit. If you can, just make sure you shovel.

Brian Lehrer: Yes. Here's a story like that, I think, from Helen in Flatbush. Hi, Helen. You're on WNYC. Turn your radio off.

Helen: Yes, let me turn my radio off. Hi, Brian. I live in a private home. It's a four-person household here. I'm sick, so I wasn't able to get outside to clear my own sidewalk, but one of the people in my household was outside doing it. Then suddenly I saw somebody else who is not in my household shoveling the snow for her. She was sweeping up and doing other tidying of the property, but it was a real act of neighborliness that was at work yesterday.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you, Helen. Here's Stephanie in Clinton Hill, who maybe did something similar and got an unexpected surprise as a result. Stephanie, you're on WNYC. Hello.

Stephanie: Hi. I used to manage a building in Fort Greene. I looked forward to when it snowed every winter because it was really good exercise to shovel the sidewalk in front of the building. One year, I was out there by myself in my mid-50s, and this man walks up, and he's like, "Hey, I'm a wine distributor. I have some wine here that the labels fell off. I'd love to give you this wine to thank you for doing such a good job on your sidewalk."

Brian Lehrer: Very nice. You got gifted wine after being a good Samaritan, not necessarily looking for a reward. Your tip number three, Taylor, for being a good neighbor during a blizzard in New York City, support small businesses. Give us an example.

Taylor Jung: The businesses that we cover and profile every week say it's really been a slow start to the year. Every January is, but especially this year, there's been less foot traffic with the other snowstorm and people just not going out to shop as much. One business that we've covered, like the World’s Borough Bookshop, they're doing a sale to help boost their business. We're just asking people to consider supporting small businesses. Shop small, ditch the big online retailers when you can. Maybe if you need a mani-pedi, go to your local nail salon. There's several Instagram posts I've seen from businesses around Brooklyn at least, owners who have decided to close early on Sunday and shut down on Monday. This is a reminder that when they're closed, they're not making money. Just consider taking a walk and seeing who's open.

Brian Lehrer: Your tip number four includes the word tip. Tip delivery drivers as well. That's good advice all the time.

Taylor Jung: [chuckles] Yes. The roads are going to be a mess for a while, even if they've been plowed. There's just a few streets, at least by me, that feels a little bit unsafe for a scooter or an e-bike to go through. Just remember that your delivery driver is also driving through that. They've already had to forego income too from the last storm. Delivery apps were shut down Sunday night to comply with the travel ban. If you are ordering delivery, just consider tipping well if it's within your means, and especially do it in cash.

Brian Lehrer: Tip number five is really for people to protect themselves. Take it easy on your heart, especially if you're 45-plus, because shoveling snow-- I don't know if you have these stats. I saw one on some news site, but I don't have it in my head. A surprising number of heart attack deaths every year in the United States in the snow. Were you aware of that?

Taylor Jung: Yes. If you're 45-plus or if you have heart conditions, you really need to be careful of how you shovel. I think this is becoming more online conversation in the last several months that I've seen at least. It's not something I've heard of previously. The cold makes you more prone to heart attacks from the blood vessels constricting. They say to make sure that you push the snow and don't lift it over the level of where your heart is in your body, and take frequent breaks.

Obviously, if you're feeling sick and lightheaded while you're shoveling, then just try to sit down and call 911 if you believe it's serious. That's also just a reminder based off of what all the other callers have said too. If you have an older neighbor or a less able-bodied neighbor, just knock on their door and ask if you can help them shovel.

Brian Lehrer: One more text. Listener writes, "Thank you to the amazing sanitation worker who helped me shovel. He stopped his sanitation truck and asked which one is my car. When I pointed it out, he tilted the shovel and got rid of the snow on the side of my car, which would have required a lot of shoveling. Very grateful he did that. It helped a lot." The final one, number six, on your list of six tips on how to be a good New York City neighbor this blizzard, and boy, are we getting texts about this, pick up your dog's poop, and you add, and maybe other dogs too. Seriously, your words.

Taylor Jung: [chuckles]

Brian Lehrer: What is it about snow that makes people think the rules stopped applying to picking up dog poop?

Taylor Jung: Maybe there's funding out there for a psychology study to understand why people [chuckles] decided not to pick up their dog poop this past few weeks, because it feels like there's landmines everywhere. Walking on the streets is almost like X Games between dodging all the melted piles of snow and dog poop. Gothamist's own reporting found that there were 1,000 dog waste complaints filed, 311, by mid February alone.

I think at least I never reported what I was seeing on the streets, so there's probably way more dog poop piles out there in the world. Just pick up after your dog. I'm curious, if you don't, maybe you can let us know why you haven't been picking it up. Our fearless founder, Mitra Kalita, actually picks up other people's dog poop just to help clean up the streets. That's really incredibly kind. That's why we included that line in the story. TLDR, please, just pick up after your pet.

Brian Lehrer: Good one. Taylor Jung from Epicenter NYC, thanks a lot.

Taylor Jung: Thanks so much.

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