Cuomo: Employers must pay sick day to NYers who miss work for vaccine  Diana Catalan, right, goes over Elva Rosario's paperwork before she receives the second dose of the Moderna vaccine earlier this month in Far Rockaway, Queens. Credit: AP/Mary Altaffer The governor enacted the paid sick day mandate because of fears among some people that they'll miss work — and not get paid — if they have side effects. Cuomo said some polls indicate many people are worried about losing a day of work after they get the shot. "If someone has side effects and they take off a day, that by law will be considered a paid sick leave day," he said at a news conference in Manhattan. This comes as the rate of New Yorkers getting vaccinated dropped substantially in the last few weeks, and it's one of many measures that aim to boost the number of those vaccinated. Meanwhile, CVS Pharmacy announced it will offer people who get the vaccine at its stores and other locations a chance to win prizes through a sweepstakes that starts June 1. While the vaccination rate is slowing, other COVID-19 indicators in the state are continuing a promising trend, Cuomo said. The statewide average positivity rate was 0.65%, the lowest since Aug. 27, state data released Thursday showed. The number of new positives reported today: 55 in Nassau, 72 in Suffolk, 424 in New York City and 1,055 statewide. The chart below shows the percentages of people in New York who have gotten at least one dose of a vaccine or who are fully vaccinated. | | | Newsday readers support our strong local journalism by subscribing. Please show you value this important work by becoming a subscriber now. | | |  This chart shows the percentages of all New Yorkers who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and those who have been fully vaccinated. Search a map of new cases and view charts showing the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more. Rallies call to drop mask mandates for kids in school  Parents rally to unmask all children in schools and camps outside the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building on Wednesday in Mineola. Credit: Howard Schnapp As vaccination rates climb and infection rates drop, opponents of mask mandates say it's time to drop the requirement for schoolchildren and leave the decision to parents and individual districts. At a rally run by Bruce Blakeman, a Hempstead Town Republican councilman who's challenging Nassau County Executive Laura Curran in the November election, he blamed New York State and "Mineola," the seat of county government, for mask mandates in schools. Curran said she agreed with the group's call for an end to mask mandates in schools. "The reality has changed on the ground. It is time for the mandates and the protocols to match reality," she said. Read more from this story by Newsday's Scott Eidler. Amusement parks, carnival operators call for relief grants Owners of amusement parks and carnivals on Long Island called for their inclusion in a federal COVID-19 grant program for entertainment venues on Wednesday, though nearly two thirds of the dollars already have been committed. Newsday's James T. Madore writes that the $16.2 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, or SVOG, offers independent movie theaters, concert halls, performing arts centers and other live entertainment venues up to $10 million per applicant for unpaid bills from the pandemic — but not outdoor amusement companies. Executives of Adventureland amusement park in East Farmingdale and carnival operator Newton Shows in East Northport, joined by two congressmen, said they want Congress to quickly pass the Family Fun Act, which would make them eligible for the shuttered venues grant. High school seniors embrace end of year as LI reopens  William Floyd High School seniors Joseph Mazzarella, Lauren Anderson, center, and Victoria Guzzi wear their class T-shirts in the school courtyard where their outdoor prom will be held. Credit: William Floyd High School/James Montalto After two tough years for high schoolers, things are finally looking up, Long Island high school seniors say. Full graduation ceremonies are coming for many, and high schools are figuring out alternative plans to make proms happen. Syosset High School senior Ally Weiss, 17, was thrilled when she found out the Class of 2021's prom would be split into two timed cohorts on the same night and that it would be on Long Island, instead of the traditional venue of Cipriani in Manhattan. "Just the fact that we have something is really nice," Weiss says, calling the plan "100% better" than last year. Newsday's Beth Whitehouse rounds up the ways seniors plan to mark their remaining rites of passage, along with some advice from members of the Class of 2020 on how to make the most of it. More to know Officials predict an increase in travel this Memorial Day weekend whether by plane, train or automobile, as people are "itching to get out there and do things," an AAA Northeast spokesman said. The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped last week to 406,000 from 444,000 a week earlier, a new pandemic low. The NFL and its Players Association agreed to updated protocols in and outside of team facilities that create rules for those who have been fully vaccinated and those who have not. President Joe Biden ordered U.S. intelligence officials on Wednesday to "redouble" their efforts to investigate the origins of this pandemic, including any possibility the trail might lead to a Chinese laboratory. News for you  Walter Orange and The Commodores will perform at Town of Hempstead Park at Point Lookout. Credit: Getty Images for IEBA/Rick Diamond Outdoor entertainment is back. There are plenty of live performances outdoors to experience this year — especially compared to last year. Here's a guide to shows to see this summer at venues across Nassau and Suffolk. There's a new Italian-inspired 'piazza' in town. Saverio's Authentic Pizza Napoletana in North Massapequa has transformed its parking lot into a spacious new seating area. In the era of COVID-19 dining restrictions, the tent — dubbed "Piazza Saverio"— adds seating for 40 visitors. Get more details. Start your weekend early. If you're looking for things to do on Long Island at venues such as Jones Beach, The Planting Fields, Vanderbilt Museum, Old Westbury Gardens and more, here are some events to look out for this weekend and beyond. Helping small businesses recover from the pandemic. When COVID-19 hit, communities rallied to help small businesses in many ways. Now that states are reopening, here are five tips for how you can continue supporting small business owners as they transition out of the pandemic. Plus: There are pop-up drive-in movies or concerts scheduled for this weekend and later this summer around Long Island. Here's an updated list. Sign up for text messages to get the most important coronavirus news and information. Commentary  Traffic on the Long Island Expressway in September. Credit: Barry Sloan So, you want to get back to normal? Newsday columnist Lane Filler writes: Caught up in cries of "When will this pandemic relent?", we may have forgotten how trying normalcy was. Life in the beforetime was not just zesty gatherings, perfect restaurants, front-row seats to Adele and collegial workdays. Life before COVID-19 included the inescapable hellishness now sloshing back into our days. And as reclaiming joy goes, the special grand jury summons I received demanding I call Tuesday night to find out what time to report Wednesday at the Arthur M. Cromarty Criminal Court Complex in Riverhead really missed the mark. Booking a seat at a Broadway show or a Yankees game, hopping a flight to Aruba, or at this point, Akron even, or attending a manic festivity with the good side of the family (of course you're on the good side, Uncle Tootie!) were fantasies I conjured. But what I got was a summons from Suffolk for a special grand jury. It said I had a duty to report. It did not include the obvious fact that after everyone involved in the legal system had guffawed at the idea that a Newsday Opinion wretch like myself might serve on a special grand jury, I'd be sent packing. So, Tuesday I called, and Wednesday I went. Keep reading. | 
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