For the past year, I’ve spent more time with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo than with anyone else — family, friends, neighbors, work connections, anyone. I’ve watched almost all of his daily press briefings and participated in most of his conference calls for the press. I’ve listened to many of his TV interviews. Photographs of the governor during his press briefings fill my iPhone.

Although I’ve never met Cuomo, I believe that I know something about him. He is analytical, hard-working, strong, and committed to New York State and its people.

By the time you read this, the 104-year-old tugboat Pegasus will have been reduced to scrap in the Garpo Marine Services shipyard on Staten Island.

Capt. Pamela Hepburn, who once owned the Pegasus, bought her in Norfolk, Va. in 1987 and brought her back to New York City where the tug had spent the first part of her working career. For the next 10 years, Pegasus was hired out as a general purpose harbor tug, towing oil barges, contractors' rigs and barges and railroad car floats.

Pegasus had been built in Baltimore, Md. in 1907 as S. O. Co. No. 16, for the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. For 90 years, she was a working vessel. Her longevity earned her recognition on the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Register of Historic Places. After her retirement as a towing vessel, she continued to work with Capt. Hepburn at the helm, giving harbor tours and serving as a museum ship.

Capt. Hepburn set up a website to tell people about her. "Her service of 90 years and survival reflects the largest technological change in this century, the shift from steam to diesel," the website said. "Oil companies characteristically built strong, well-built tugs, as evidenced by their survival. Standard Oil Company was no exception. Although diesel propulsion was in use well before World War II, steam was still widely used. The economy and the demand of the war effort, typically, stimulated technological advances."

Pamela Hepburn was as unusual as the boat she once captained. She got her commercial tugboat captain's and master's license in 1985, empowering her to steer an uninspected tug of up to 300 tons. "There were a few other women who had captain and master's positions on tugs," she recalled, "but nobody seemed to stick around. They went into other aspects of the business."

She said she was attracted to tugboats because she was "boat crazy" and felt "totally comfortable with the work."

Hepburn first saw Pegasus in 1987. "I went looking for a boat to buy and this was the third one that I seriously considered," she said. "It was owned by a guy and his son in Chesapeake, Va. who bought and sold equipment. They wanted to sell Pegasus because it was pretty old. I wanted an old-style boat because I just love old boats and it was pretty cheap."

She said that she had no doubts about what she was doing. "I did it with complete composure and enthusiasm. The machinery on Pegasus was pretty good. We had it inspected. It worked for Mobil Oil when we first started and they sent their engineer over to inspect it. The engine had been worked on pretty comprehensively before we got the boat, so the engine was probably the best part. The rest of the boat was probably pretty bad. I just chose to ignore it."

In 2000, Hepburn started raising money to rehabilitate Pegasus. She donated the boat to a non-profit museum that she started with several other people. But financing was only one of the problems that confronted her. "There are so few piers available to historic ships," she said. In the winter, she kept the boat on the Morris Canal in Jersey City. For three years, she had a summer berth for Pegasus at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park but that contract was not renewed.

"The ridiculous thing is that after many years of campaigning by many people, Manhattan's waterfront is still not friendly to vessels — either ones like ours, a local museum vessel, or visiting vessels!" she said in an email that she sent to Downtown Post NYC on Feb. 5, 2015. "The challenge of looking for a new place is daunting."

Nevertheless, for years Hepburn continued to try. Finally, she gave up. On March 25, 2021 she said on the Tug Pegasus Preservation Project Facebook page that she was sad to see her tugboat headed for the scrapyard but that she also felt "some relief from the liability of the boat and the constant frustration of not being able to make it all work.”

People who knew Capt. Hepburn and who had worked with her, sent their condolences. "As a former board member and volunteer who spent many wonderful hours aboard Pegasus, I am deeply saddened by the loss of this venerable boat and important piece of maritime history," said Betsy Frawley Haggerty. "What a shame there is so little support for historic ship preservation in our city and our country."

Tara Quinn thanked "Captain Pam" for her "vision, hard work, and inspiration." Charles Smith said that he had first heard Capt. Hepburn speak at a symposium at Drew University. "Your passion for maritime history and preservation was so impressive," he said. "I’m so sorry that the boat will be gone. However, the memories will last. Thank you for everything you did for Pegasus. You gave the old boat the best years of its existence."

Jeffrey L. Jonap sent his condolences. "Sorry, Pam, to see your dream wind up like this. As you know I know first hand how hard it is to make maritime history work in NYC, even when it's part of the city you're trying to save. Stay safe and well my friend!"

Movie theaters in New York City are now permitted to reopen with limited seating capacity. Some Lower Manhattan movie theaters are still closed with no reopening plans announced, but the Film Forum, which has been streaming films during the past year, will reopen its venue at 209 West Houston St. on April 2.

Movie theaters, billiard halls and wedding venues have reopened: With New York's hospitalization and COVID-19 infection rates declining, billiard halls statewide and movie theaters in New York City have been permitted to re-open. New York City movie theaters are allowed to seat customers at 25 percent capacity with no more than 50 people per screen at a time. Assigned seating is required. Billiard and pool halls in New York City are restricted to 35 percent capacity. As of March 15, weddings and catered events are permitted, restricted to 50 percent capacity with no more than 150 people per event. All in attendance must be tested prior to the event.

Indoor dining in New York City expanded: As of March 19, 2021, restaurants in New York City are permitted to offer indoor dining at 50 percent capacity. Previously, New York City and New Jersey restaurants were operating at 35 percent capacity. This decision is made concurrently with neighboring New Jersey also expanding indoor dining to 50 percent. Restaurants outsides of New York City expanded to 75 percent capacity on March 19. Other health guidelines remain in place.

New York State income tax filing deadline extended: The Department of Tax and Finance extended the New York State income tax deadline to May 17. This aligns with the federal decision to do the same and provides New Yorkers still coping with the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic ample time to file.

Domestic travel quarantine lifted: Beginning April 1, domestic travelers to New York State will no longer be required to quarantine. However, anyone entering New York State from abroad will still have to quarantine or test out of quarantine.

Indoor fitness classes resume: As of March 22, indoor fitness classes in New York City are allowed to resume at 33% capacity. Participants are required to wear masks and to sign in with contact information. An article in The New York Times published on March 22 outlined some of the Covid-infection hazards of indoor fitness classes and what facilities and class participants should be doing to minimize them. "Ideally, a group class should be held in a room with open windows and doors on opposite sides of the room to allow for cross ventilation," the article observed. "A classroom with only one entrance and no windows — a common situation in many gyms — probably does not have adequate ventilation to keep you safe. Adding several portable air cleaners to a space that lacks more doors or windows could help." To read the article, click here.

Open enrollment period for uninsured New Yorkers extended: Through May 15, 2021, New Yorkers without health insurance can apply for coverage through NY State of Health, New York's Official Health Plan Marketplace, or directly through insurers.

Extending the Open Enrollment Period will help to align New York with the federal Public Health Emergency which was recently extended. This extension allows anyone eligible for Qualified Health Plan insurance additional time to enroll for coverage in 2021 and means that enrollment remains open for all NY State of Health programs, which is especially important during the ongoing public health emergency. Coverage start dates will vary: Enroll by March 31: Coverage starts May 1. Enroll by May 15: the coverage starts June 1.

Anyone eligible for other NY State of Health programs such as Medicaid, Essential Plan and Child Health Plus can enroll year-round. As always, New Yorkers can apply for coverage through NY State of Health online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, by phone at (855) 355-5777, and by connecting with free enrollment assistance.

For additional information on NY State of Health insurance options during the COVID-19 emergency click here.

For NY Department of Financial Services information and resources during the COVID-19 emergency, click here.

Interim Covid-19 guidelines from the CDC: Now that more than 32 million Americans have been completely vaccinated, on Monday, March 8 the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) issued new, interim guidelines. If you are fully vaccinated (defined as two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna, or one dose of the J&J vaccine) you may:

   •   Hang out indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.

   •   Gather indoors with UNvaccinated people from one other household without masks, unless someone in that household is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

   •   If you are vaccinated and come into contact with someone who has COVID, you no longer need to quarantine or get tested unless you have COVID symptoms.

The CDC urges that even the vaccinated continue to wear masks, practice physical distancing and continue with hand-sanitizing measures. It also recommends the vaccinated avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings. Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (don’t forget that there’s still a chance you can catch COVID even if you’re vaccinated; it’s likely to be a less severe case, but still best to be careful).