It's President's Day

Today, many businesses are closed in honor of President's Day. Wall Street is closed, as are banks, government offices and schools. There's no regular garbage pickup, but the Department of Sanitation will be picking up garbage that has been stranded due to last week's storm.

Alternate side of the street parking rules are suspended, and mass transit is on the weekend schedule - sorry, 7 train riders.

President's Day is the day that celebrates birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and President George Washington (born February 22). George Washington, or at least an actor portraying him, was at Grand Central last week for the launch of the U.S. Mint's new one dollar coin. Why is the Mint trying to push another dollar coin, when most Americans dread carrying heavy coins? Because coins can last in circulation much longer than paper money. If the new Washington dollar coin is embraced by the public, millions of dollars could be saved by the government.

The dollar coins are part of the Presidential $1 Coin Program, which includes Washington, President John Adams, President Thomas Jefferson, and President James Madison. The Statue of Liberty is on the reverse side of all the coins.

Photograph of actor William Sommerfield, of the American Historical Theater in Philadelphia, dressed as George Washington during the unveiling of the new Presidential $1 Coin at Grand Central Terminal by Mary Altaffer/AP