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A Manhattan judge has dismissed two terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing the CEP of UnitedHealthcare last December in Midtown, citing insufficient evidence. Meanwhile, City Council members are criticizing the Adams administration for skipping a Monday hearing on how federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will affect New Yorkers. Plus, the Council is planning a public hearing next week on battery storage systems across the five boroughs, as some residents raise concerns about fire risks. Finally, WNYC's Ryan Kailath has a preview of the city's fall arts season.

New York City is bracing for the worst traffic of the year next week when world leaders arrive for the UN General Assembly. Meanwhile, the Long Island Rail Road has avoided a strike for now after five unions voted to authorize one but requested federal intervention, delaying any walkout until at least May 2026. Plus, city health officials say they'll spray pesticides Tuesday night in Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods to curb mosquitoes and the risk of West Nile virus.

Long Island Rail Road workers won't strike this week after unions asked President Trump to step in and help broker a contract deal. Meanwhile, New Yorkers are planting daffodils and wildflowers across the city as part of a living 9/11 memorial. In sports, the Liberty beat Phoenix in overtime to open the WNBA playoffs, and the Rangers are remembering Hall of Fame goalie Eddie Giacomin, who died at 86. Plus, WNYC's Stephen Nessen reports on Brooklyn's “bike bus” helping kids ride safely to school.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is proposing new regulations that would require social media users to prove their age with photo or video verification. It's part of an effort to curb the effect of addictive feeds on minors. Meanwhile, the MTA is expanding its bus lane camera program in Queens and the Bronx to keep lanes clear and improve service. Plus, despite Mayor Adams' cash incentives, landlords have not reopened any warehoused rent-stabilized apartments. WNYC's David Brand explains why the city is now doubling the payout in hopes of bringing units back on the market.

Governor Kathy Hochul has endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race, calling him a leader who shares her urgency on affordability and safety despite their differences. Meanwhile, the Legal Aid Society is urging city watchdogs to automatically investigate deaths in custody, citing five cases this year. Plus, PATH trains are running again between Harrison and Journal Square after a weekend suspension for track work, with more shutdowns scheduled in the coming weeks.

A new statewide smartphone ban is changing classroom culture. School bus delays are proving far worse than official data show. And immigration enforcement is stirring fear among some families. WNYC's Jessica Gould talks about how students, parents, and teachers are navigating the start of the school year in New York City.

A state Supreme court judge ruled that former federal prosecutor Jim Walden's name must stay on the ballot even though he ended his bid for mayor. Meanwhile, prosecutors say the man accused of killing a Queens couple in their home confessed to the crime . Plus, the New York Liberty are preparing for their first round playoff matchup against the Phoenix Mercury. Finally, fall is around the corner and that means grape season. GrowNYC's Amelia Tarpey shares why grapes are in peak season at city farmstands.

The City Council has approved legislation requiring New York to publish detailed information on every supportive housing unit, after reports showed more than 5,000 of the city's 40,000 units sat empty as recently as June. Meanwhile, the American Museum of Natural History will resume its popular children's sleepovers in October for the first time since 2020. Plus, Prospect Park will host the Second United Lenape Nations Pow Wow this weekend, organized with the Eenda Lunaapeewahkiing Collective. Brent Stonefish, cofounder of the group, joins us to talk about the event and its celebration of Lenape life and culture.

The MTA is bracing for a possible Long Island Rail Road strike next week as five unions representing nearly half the workforce vote on whether to walk out. Meanwhile, the City Council has passed legislation requiring the city to track and report thousands of supportive housing units that remain vacant despite record demand in shelters. Also, Clifton Park resident Joseph Macken has gone viral after completing a 20-year project: a 50-by-30-foot scale model of New York City built from balsa wood and Styrofoam. Plus, in this week's transportation segment, we break down what's at stake in the LIRR contract talks and the state comptroller's new audit of subway service.

Nadine Menendez, wife of former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for colluding in her husband's corruption schemes. Meanwhile, New York City is launching the Civic Corps, a new AmeriCorps-style program that pays residents to work in community service roles. Plus, WNYC checks in with high school students on how they're coping after the first week of New York's statewide cellphone ban. Finally, Federal agents arrested dozens of people at a food processing plant in Central New York last week. WNYC's Jimmy Vielkind reports on how the raid became a critical moment in the immigration debate.

East Harlem leaders want to repurpose a long-forgotten rail station to link the incoming Second Avenue subway to the neighborhood's Metro North stop. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has floated federal control of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and WNYC's Hannah Frishberg reports on how local officials and first responders are reacting. Plus, GrowNYC will host a free Fermentation Fest at the Union Square Greenmarket on Friday, with fermentation expert Sandor Katz and Norwich Meadows Farm co-owner Zaid Kurdieh joining us to preview the event.

This Thursday marks 24 years since the September 11th attacks, with Vice President JD Vance scheduled at the Memorial Plaza ceremony and President Trump attending services at the Pentagon before appearing at Yankee Stadium that night. Meanwhile, subway crime dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade this summer, with felony assaults down 21 percent from last year. Plus, the city Health Department will spray parts of Staten Island's North Shore Thursday night to reduce mosquitos and combat the risk of West Nile virus.

The New Jersey Department of Health issued an executive order effectively allowing New Jerseyans six months or older to get a COVID shot. Plus, two million New Yorkers insured through Healthfirst could lose coverage this fall for a major hospital network. And finally, while hundreds spend hours in line for tickets to Shakespeare in the Park, they're entertained by Garald Farnham playing the lute.

New York City voters will weigh in on housing this fall after the Board of Elections approved three ballot questions aimed at speeding up development. Meanwhile, FIFA has opened its ticket lottery for the 2026 World Cup, which includes eight matches at MetLife Stadium and the final. Plus, a new Siena poll shows Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani leading the mayor's race, and Fordham professor Christina Greer joins us to discuss the opposition he faces.

The Port Authority says PATH service between Harrison and Journal Square will be suspended this weekend for repairs. Meanwhile, police are searching for Jamel McGriff, who is wanted in connection with the deaths of Frank and Maureen Olton in Queens after their Bellerose home was set on fire. Plus, Hoboken is under a boil water advisory after two water main breaks. Also, Greenpoint residents are raising concerns about odors from an asphalt recycling plant in Long Island City.

The United Nations is in town and will bring lots of traffic to Manhattan, as usual.. Plus, New York's top court is weighing a change to local elections. Also, New York State Attorney General Letitia James is going toe to toe with the Texas attorney general to defend the Empire State's shield law for abortion providers. And finally, a Harlem man recently found out the apartment he's been living in for more than 20 years was supposed to be rent stabilized.

Some two million New Yorkers could lose access to NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals and doctors starting in November. Meanwhile, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch is pushing back against President Trump's threats to send National Guard troops to New York. Plus, a City Council study finds nearly half of businesses are violating a law requiring stores to close doors while air conditioning is on and to post signs about reporting violations.

Gov. Kathy Hochul still hasn't made an endorsement in November's mayoral election, keeping with several other high ranking New York City Democrats. Plus, New York City is giving out 350,000 free Chromebooks with built-in internet access to public school students. Meanwhile, Fort Greene Park Conservancy is raising concerns about how a proposed 72-story tower on nearby Flatbush Avenue could affect the park. And finally, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has hired a Bronx elections lawyer to look over petition signatures supporting his run for reelection as an independent.

City Council leaders have asked the Board of Elections to block three proposed ballot questions that could speed up housing development while limiting Council power. Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul must decide whether to sign a bill requiring two-person crews on subway trains, a move the Transport Workers Union says is critical for safety but the MTA warns could raise costs. Plus, New York City is struggling to keep enough ambulance workers on the streets, with union leaders warning that record turnover and stalled contract talks are driving longer waits for 911 emergency response. Vice president of the FDNY EMS officers union Anthony Almojera joins us to explain.

A Hudson County judge has barred the owners of three Hoboken luxury buildings from renting more high-priced units until they add affordable housing. Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul is defending New York's vaccine access and criticizing President Trump's federal health policies, saying they are dividing families. Plus, residents of Rochdale Village in Queens are opposing a proposed fee hike of up to 57 percent, arguing years of mismanagement are putting their affordable housing at risk.

In this edition of Five Things, WNYC's Janae Pierre and Brian Lehrer break down the mayor's race after Jim Walden's exit, including speculation that Mayor Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa could be pushed aside to clear the field for Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo. They discuss the divisions within the Democratic Party, the fight for New Jersey's governorship, the growing battles over vaccines, the rollout of New York's school cellphone ban, and how the Mets and Yankees are shaping up for the playoffs.

Jersey City school officials are considering following the lead of their neighbors across Hudson and banning phones in schools. Plus, Gov. Kathy Hochul is declaring a health emergency to help New Yorkers get COVID vaccines. Also, we share what elected officials and other leaders in Brooklyn are saying in the days since six people were shot after the West Indian Day festivities. And finally, as summer comes to an end and farmstands switch produce, there's still plenty of cucumbers at farmstands across the city.

New York City is now offering $50,000 to landlords who opt to renovate vacant rent-stabilized apartments and return them to the market. Plus, 11 more public library branches will offer seven-day service starting this weekend. And finally, state court officials will decide whether more than a dozen judges who are 70 or older can keep serving.

Small residential facilities where people can stay during mental health crises are expanding across New York, growing from eight in 2021 to 43 statewide. Meanwhile, prosecutors say 18-year-old Faisil McCants faces federal robbery and gun charges in an East Harlem shooting that killed 69-year-old bystander Robin Wright. The NYPD says he is also charged with murder and weapons offenses. Also, New York's LGBTQ+ film festival NewFest is offering free screenings to Arizonans after Phoenix's Desperado Film Festival was canceled under federal orders targeting diversity and inclusion programs. Plus, MTA data show major incidents delaying 50 or more trains peaked in June and July, marking the worst summer for subway service since 2018.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is out with a new report that grades city bus lines. Plus, the New York Times reports that President Trump's advisers have discussed offering jobs to Mayor Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa to get them out of the mayoral race. Also, shifting federal guidance of vaccinations could make getting a COVID shot more of a hassle this year. And finally, Lifelong New Yorker Chloë Bass turns the MTA's public address system into art.

Governor Kathy Hochul visited a Brooklyn middle school to mark the start of New York's new statewide smartphone ban in schools. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Public Library will hold a free fair celebrating older adults at its Central Library with live music, vendors, and a keynote on aging. Plus, the NYPD says two men who died in custody last weekend had been arrested for low-level offenses, bringing the total to at least five deaths in custody so far this year. WNYC's Charles Lane reports.

Nearly 900,000 New York City public school students return Thursday under a new statewide cellphone ban signed by Governor Hochul last spring. Meanwhile, an analysis commissioned in Sullivan County says new casinos in New York City could undercut existing gaming operations in the Catskills. Plus, former Bronx Republican district leader Nicole Torres has been sentenced to two years in prison for pocketing kickbacks from potential poll workers.

Advocates are pressing New Jersey courts to enforce affordable housing requirements as towns fall short on construction. Meanwhile, pharmacies say demand for COVID shots is rising at the start of the school year, but new FDA guidelines are complicating access. Also, the New York Liberty have clinched a playoff spot despite losing 6 of their last 10 games. And WNYC's Liam Quigley reports on how Fire Island is grappling with climate change.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch is sending a thousand extra officers to the Bronx after a recent spike in shootings. Plus, the NYPD is investigating the deaths of two men in police custody over the weekend. And finally, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer reflects on the career of Representative Jerry Nadler, who announced this week he will not seek reelection.

Schools Chancellor Melissa Avilés-Ramos says city schools will do everything possible to keep undocumented students safe from detention. Meanwhile, despite Labor Day weekend saw shootings in Brooklyn and the Bronx, new NYPD data show overall gun violence is trending down. Plus, independent candidate Jim Walden has dropped out of the New York City mayor's race.

Authorities are investigating several shootings and a slashing near the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn Monday night that left multiple people injured. Police say one man is under arrest on weapons charges. Meanwhile, a new study finds the horseshoe crab population in Long Island Sound has sharply declined over the past two decades. Also, President Trump says he will award Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom days after the former mayor was injured in a car crash. Plus, new MTA statistics show subway service disruptions this summer reached their highest levels since 2018. Finally WNYC's Community and partnerships desk spent some time at 109th Avenue in South Jamaica, Queens to hear from locals.

New MTA data show major incidents delaying 50 or more trains reached their highest levels in June and July since 2018, when former Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a transit emergency. Meanwhile, groups that donate school supplies say they are rethinking their strategies as President Trump's 30 percent tariffs on China drives up prices on nearly every classroom item. Plus, Monsignor Kevin Sullivan is stepping down as the executive director of Catholic Charities of New York after more than two decades in the role.

Authorities are investigating three shootings and a slashing near the West Indian Day Parade route Monday night that left several people injured. Meanwhile, City Council leaders are urging the city's Board of Elections to reject three housing-related ballot measures advanced by Mayor Adams' Charter Revision Commission, saying they mislead voters and weaken Council authority over land use. Plus, the Jets and Giants will open their NFL seasons Sunday with several new quarterbacks joining the Giants' roster.

Police are searching for the pilot of a catamaran that collided with a party boat on the East River, sending three people to the hospital with minor injuries. Meanwhile, city officials are investigating the death of a Rikers Island detainee, the eleventh in custody this year. Also, Yankees captain Aaron Judge has tied Yogi Berra for fifth on the team's all-time home run list with his 358th career homer. Plus, GrowNYC's Amelia Tarpey explains why melons are peaking at city farmstands, and WNYC's Brittany Kriegstein reports on a viral water park in a Washington Heights bike lane.

Brooklyn is preparing for J'Ouvert and the West Indian Day Parade, celebrations that draw huge crowds. But they have also been marred by violence in recent years. After a mass shooting in Crown Heights earlier this month, the city is relying on violence prevention groups and the NYPD to keep the events safe. WNYC's Ben Feuerherd joins us to explain.

A 7th person has died in Central Harlem's ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. Plus, a federal judge has extended a temporary order requiring U-S Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding rooms in New York City to meet certain conditions. And finally, the story of a Katrina survivor who made a home in New Jersey.

More than 200 violence prevention workers will be in Brooklyn this weekend to help keep residents safe during the West Indian Day Parade and J'Ouvert festival. Meanwhile, the Port Authority is cutting AirTrain fares to JFK through Labor Day to ease congestion during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Plus, on this week's transit segment: Federal officials are soliciting new design proposals for Penn Station with construction targeted to begin in 2027. And the city approves a pilot for eight autonomous vehicles to test in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Mayor Eric Adams says he will deploy 1,000 additional police officers to the Bronx following a series of recent shootings. Meanwhile, the Reverend Al Sharpton led hundreds in a march on Wall Street to protest the Trump administration's effort to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Plus, nearly two dozen workers who renovated NYPD precincts will share in an $850,000 settlement after Comptroller Brad Lander found they had been severely underpaid.

A new City Council report finds the borough with the most ghost plates is the Bronx. The illegal plates are tied to speeding vehicles that break traffic laws. The 16th annual Unicycle Festival comes to the city. A new report highlights the inequalities between Brooklyn neighborhoods when it comes to parks, transit and schools. And finally, WNYC's Michael Hill discuses what caused multiple sink holes to develop on a troubled stretch of highway in northern New Jersey.

A City Council investigation says the Bronx has the highest concentration of illegal out-of-state license plates used to evade tolls and fines, with one in five sampled vehicles citywide showing fraudulent or missing plates. Meanwhile, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has released a report underscoring sharp disparities across neighborhoods. Plus, in this week's Politics Brief: Governor Hochul says “no” to President Trump on sending the National Guard into New York, and Zohran Mamdani's record in Albany.

Mayor Eric Adams says the NYPD will launch a full mobilization plan in the Bronx after a string of shootings left three people dead and two others injured this week. Meanwhile, police say an off-duty officer was killed in a hit-and-run on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway when the driver of a box truck struck his motorcycle and fled the scene Wednesday. Also, the Port Authority expects a record 2.4 million passengers over Labor Day weekend and is urging air travelers to plan for long lines and delays. Finally, the National Transportation Safety Board says a fire on PATH tracks earlier this month in Jersey City was caused by electrical issues.

A street advocacy group is calling on the city to revoke approval for a pilot program that'll allow a self-driving taxi company to test out their cars in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Plus, federal judges have formally appointed Joseph Nocella Jr. as U.S. attorney for New York's Eastern District. Meanwhile, a nonprofit housing group wants to build an affordable housing complex in the South Bronx. And finally, immigrants across New York City want safer, better paying jobs but they face a major hurdle: building digital skills.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could withhold federal resources from states with cashless bail policies, potentially affecting billions in funding for New York. Meanwhile, fans at the US Open in Flushing are paying steep prices for tickets and concessions, with some ground passes reselling for more than $300. Plus, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is seeking a fifth term and faces a Democratic primary challenge from Drew Warshaw, who says the office should do more to address affordability. WNYC's Jimmy Vielkind joins us to explain.

A Manhattan judge has found an NYPD officer guilty of assault and official misconduct for pepper spraying a man who was already handcuffed. Meanwhile, Liberty star Jonquel Jones is joining the Brooklyn Public Library for a children's storytime Wednesday afternoon in Crown Heights.