Heard Around Town
Policy
Adams: ‘We have to push back on sci-fi aspect of drones’
Despite privacy and civil rights concerns, the mayor and city safety officials doubled down on use of the surveillance tech ahead of the West Indian Day parade.
Opinion
Opinion
Opinion: Here’s how we ‘saved the Hudson’
The successful effort to ban nuclear waste discharges from Indian Point holds lessons – and warnings – for the entire state.
Nonprofits
NYN Media
Advocates and local elected officials launch countdown to close Rikers
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration was called on to comply with a legal mandate of closing the troubled jail complex in 2027.
Housing
Policy
Hochul comes around to incentive approach on housing after lawmakers rejected her mandates
The governor is unilaterally employing a strategy she disliked when the Legislature pitched it.
News & Politics
Politics
New York City Council is getting younger – defying national trends
More candidates want to and are able to run competitive City Council elections.
News & Politics
Politics
Divisions within oversight agency may imperil lawsuit against DOC
The mayor’s new appointees could shift the balance of power on the Board of Correction, leading the watchdog agency to abandon its lawsuit against DOC.
Heard Around Town
Policy
Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia are top countries of origin for NYC asylum-seekers
More than a third of the 107,000 people who have arrived since last spring are Venezuelan, according to city data.
News & Politics
Politics
Hirsch and Berger compete in a bellwether special election for the 27th Assembly District in Queens
The two Orthodox Jewish candidates in opposite parties are running on Sept. 12 to replace Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal, who resigned earlier this year.
News & Politics
Politics
MENA candidates have had several wins in New York – and more close calls
While there have been breakthrough successes, more MENA candidates have been trying for elected office in recent years.
Policy
Policy
Adams: plan to close Rikers was ‘flawed from the beginning’
The mayor cited ballooning costs and more incarcerated people as reasons the complex may not close by the 2027 deadline.
News & Politics
Politics
Landlord group was one of biggest spenders on lobbyists last year
The group “Homeowners for an Affordable New York” paid $1.4 million to a single lobbying firm to fight “good cause” eviction protections.
New York State
Personality
Anna Kaplan talks about protecting abortion rights and electing more women to Congress
If victorious, she would be only the second Iranian American in the House.
Personality
Personality
How Murad Awawdeh has helped New York City asylum-seekers through the crisis
The New York Immigration Coalition leader talked about what the city, state and federal governments can do differently to best serve the immigrant population.
News & Politics
Politics
Key council committee approves five-year permit for Madison Square Garden
James Dolan gets five-year extension of Madison Square Garden’s special operating permit – one forever short of what he asked for.
News & Politics
Politics
Ari Kagan outraises Justin Brannan in most recent campaign finance reporting period
The born-again Republican still has a lot of catching up to do after spending much of his war chest on a primary challenge.
Transportation
Policy
Round-the-clock speed cameras improve safety in a city that never sleeps
New York City saw a 25% drop in traffic deaths and a 30% decrease in tickets issued after state lawmakers let it operate their speed cameras on nights and weekends.
Personality
Personality
Sherif Soliman discusses the mayor’s Albany wish list
A Q&A with Eric Adams’ chief policy and delivery officer on housing progress and more.
Personality
Personality