The Update with Brandon Julien

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

In this edition of The Update Journal, we solve three great holiday mysteries. First: yes, Freeform does exist on Spectrum — it's just hiding like it's in witness protection and apparently moved sometime during the Obama administration. We eventually found it, felt victorious for about six seconds, and immediately forgot the channel number again. Then, we take a moment of silence for the MetroCard. The little yellow-and-blue rectangle that survived decades of bent corners, demagnetized swipes, and frantic “why isn't this working?” panic at the turnstile is officially on its way out. OMNY may be sleek and modern, but it will never understand the emotional bond between a New Yorker and a card that says “Insufficient Fare” in public. And finally, the holiday wish list from retail workers everywhere: not joy, not cheer, not another version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” — just silence. No screaming kids, no “can I speak to a manager,” and no customers discovering on December 23rd that stores close at a certain time on purpose. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, an NYPD officer shot and killed a boxcutter-wielding maniac in front of his parents after he charged at her, according to cops.A New Jersey police chief is facing domestic violence charges in Massachusetts after prosecutors accused him of assaulting a woman at a hotel earlier this year.And in Florida, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department's decision to release just a fraction of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the congressionally mandated deadline as necessary to protect survivors of sexual abuse by the disgraced financier.

What started as a perfectly innocent trip down mid-2000s Nickelodeon memory lane somehow turned into a reminder of why my producers no longer trust me with Google. We revisit Danny Phantom, arguably one of the greatest eras of kids' TV, and give Ember McLain the respect she deserves as an iconic, name-chanting, power-ballad-fueling villain who absolutely did not need to be searched with SafeSearch turned off. Also in this episode: confused producers, immediate browser-history deletion, and a brief lesson in what not to type into a work computer. And because it's the end of a very long year, we close things out with The Last Word—finding gratitude, perspective, and maybe even a little peace after everything this year threw at us… including our own poor decision-making.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, one of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani 's appointees has resigned over social media posts she made more than a decade ago that featured antisemitic tropes, Mamdani's office said.New York City prosecutors asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a murder conviction in the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz.And in New Hampshire, A frantic search for the suspect in last weekend's mass shooting at Brown University ended at a storage facility where authorities discovered the man dead inside and then revealed he also was suspected of killing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.

Today, I attempt to understand Dandy's World, a sentence I never thought I'd say out loud, and immediately regret every life choice that led me to that moment. While the kids confidently explain it like it's common knowledge, the rest of us are left staring into the void, wondering when cartoons started feeling like a group chat we weren't invited to. Meanwhile, adults across America have reached a rare moment of unity, agreeing that cash is not only an acceptable holiday gift—but the safest one. Because at this point, it's easier to hand someone an envelope than pretend we know what they're into, what size they are, or whether Dandy is a character, a lifestyle, or a legally binding contract.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, he's letting Jesus take the wheel. Timothy Cardinal Dolan's 16-year tenure as Archbishop of New York came to an end, with a bishop from Pope Leo XIV's native Windy City set to assume the holy throne.New York is set to become the latest state to legalize medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill under a deal reached between the governor and state legislative leaders announced.And in Washington, President Trump delivered a politically charged speech carried live in prime time on network television, seeking to pin the blame for economic challenges on Democrats while announcing he is sending a $1,776 bonus check to U.S. troops for Christmas.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

This week in The Update Journal, I officially accepted that I am no longer the target demographic for… well, anything. First, we begin with kid trends—specifically Ice Spice, Big Guy, and a SpongeBob movie song that had an entire cafeteria dancing while I stood there wondering when exactly my youth filed a missing persons report. Then, part two of The Last Week Wait: a trip to Target for Bane's supplies that should've taken five minutes, but instead featured lines so long they required emotional preparation, snacks, and possibly a camping permit. Faced with the choice between waiting or preserving my sanity, I chose neither—and simply walked out. And finally, Brandon's Take: the cost of Christmas in 2025, where Santa is apparently charging surge pricing, gift-giving requires a small loan, and every receipt ends with me staring into the distance asking, “Was it always this expensive… or am I just awake now?”In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, authorities have asked the public for any footage they might have of the gunman who fatally shot two students and wounded nine others at Brown University, even as they released a new video timeline and a slightly clearer image of a possible suspect.An off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer fired his gun several times during a confrontation with another motorist on an access road for New York's Kennedy Airport, police say.And in Brookline, Massachusetts, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was fatally shot at his home near Boston, and authorities said they had launched a homicide investigation.

Today, we reopen the Home Alone case files and ask the hard-hitting questions Hollywood never wanted answered—like why Mr. and Mrs. MacAllister were allowed to keep custody after losing their child not once, but twice, across international borders. TSA? Fine. CPS? Nowhere to be found. Then, at the same time, a very modern mystery: why can I find 400 channels I've never heard of, three versions of the same cooking show, and a channel exclusively dedicated to reruns from 2009—but not Freeform, the network currently holding Christmas hostage. Apparently, in order to watch holiday movies in 2025, you must either subscribe to yet another streaming service or be born in 1996 with cable that still respected you. And in today's Honorable Mention: flying cars are officially in production. Yes, the future has arrived. No, you cannot afford it. With a price tag soaring higher than the vehicle itself, the world's first airborne automobile is here to solve traffic… for people who already don't sit in it. For the rest of us, we'll continue commuting the traditional way—on trains, in traffic, and in disbelief.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, a packed Bronx MTA bus slammed into several vehicles — injuring at least 7 people and sending passengers into a full-blown panic.UPS stole tens of millions of dollars in pay from seasonal workers who help the shipping giant deliver packages during the busy holiday season, forcing some to clock in well after their shifts started and deducting pay for lunch breaks they never took, New York Attorney General Letitia James alleges in a lawsuit.And in Rhode Island, authorities knocked on doors and scoured yards in search of any video or other evidence that might lead them to the Brown University gunman, whose face was covered or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.

In this edition of The Update Journal, I issue what can generously be described as a retraction regarding the St. George Ferry route—though in reality, it's less an apology and more an admission that I simply did not read the schedule. At all. Turns out the boat does go where it says it goes… when you look. Meanwhile, it's the final week before Christmas, which means every Target, Five Below, and vaguely festive retail space has been transformed into a real-life obstacle course. Everyone has collectively decided now is the time to shop, creating a citywide panic fueled by procrastination, blinking lights, and people blocking aisles while “just browsing.” And finally, we ask the most important question of the season: how much would the 12 Days of Christmas actually cost today? Spoiler alert: the answer involves inflation, regret, and the realization that true love may need a payment plan.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, six teenagers were wounded in a mass shooting at a Brooklyn “Sweet 16” birthday bash– with a pair of gunmen still on the loose, according to police.A weekend storm sent temperatures plunging well below zero in the Midwest and dumped heavy snow on parts of the Northeast, creating many airport delays and slick roads as the Pacific Northwest braced for more rain after days of flooding and mudslides.And it was a day of crisis around the world:In Los Angeles, Director-actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were the two people found dead at a Los Angeles home owned by Reiner, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Overseas, Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi beach, killing 15 people, including a child, officials said Monday, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation. The shooters were father and son. And In Rhode Island, a person of interest detained after a Brown University shooting that killed two students and injured nine will be released after law enforcement authorities determined there was no basis to keep the individual in custody.

Today's Update Journal starts where all modern NYC problems begin: the turnstile. OMNY promised a sleek, futuristic transit experience, but forgot one crucial feature—the emotional honesty of the MetroCard telling you immediately that you're broke. Now you tap, walk, and find out later via email that you owe the MTA fifteen cents and your dignity. Then we revisit Home Alone—the original film where a child commits multiple OSHA violations, violates every building code known to man, and somehow walks away while two grown adults absorb injuries that would end a Marvel movie. We're talking head trauma, third-degree burns, and a staircase nail that would have most of us lying still, reevaluating every life choice. And finally, we slam on the brakes, turn down the chaos, and land somewhere warm. In The Last Word, we talk about what it really means to build Christmas traditions with someone you love—the quiet moments, the routines that sneak up on you, and how the smallest things end up meaning the most.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a tourist was repeatedly stabbed by a crazed homeless woman inside Macy's Herald Square amid the packed holiday shopping rush, according to cops and law enforcement sources.A grand jury declined for a second time in a week to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James in another major blow to the Justice Department's efforts to prosecute the president's political opponents.And in Pennsylvania, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was freed from immigration detention on a judge's order while he fights to stay in the U.S., handing a major victory to the immigrant whose wrongful deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador made him a flashpoint of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

In today's Update Journal, we unpack the 48-hour period where being a Mets fan felt like getting hit by a city bus, backed over by an MTA supervisor, and then charged an extra fare because you “didn't tap.” Edwin Díaz packed his trumpets for Hollywood, Pete Alonso sailed off to Baltimore like he's auditioning for a reboot of The Wire, and In-N-Out removed “67” from the menu for reasons no living human understands. Meanwhile, holiday shoppers continue their annual tradition of forgetting other people exist, walking through Target like NPCs trying to glitch through walls. Buckle up — it's a wild one.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, Brad Lander, the chief fiscal officer of New York City, announced that he is challenging U.S. Rep Dan Goldman in a Democratic primary for a liberal district covering lower Manhattan and parts of brownstone Brooklyn.“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” actress who was struck and killed by a taxi while crossing a Midtown street was a Customs and Border Protection officer who had been looking forward to retiring — and was cherished for her warm greetings, her devastated neighbors say.And out in the American West, tens of thousands of residents in western Washington could face evacuation orders when another round of heavy rain drops on the region, threatening to bring catastrophic flooding as rivers near historic levels.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

We've done a lot of episodes throughout our many years of #TheUpdate, but some of them are my personal favorites. Every month, we're going to go into The Update vault and play one episode from my personal list of favorite episodes. I hope you enjoy them as much as i did hosting it.

Today's Update Journal is brought to you by the three stages of emotional processing: grief, disbelief, and nostalgic reflection. We begin with grief, as Edwin Díaz packs his trumpets and heads for Dodger Stadium—because apparently the winter meetings weren't chaotic enough without Mets fans curled on the floor whispering “all good things must come to an end” like it's Shakespeare in Queens. Then comes disbelief, as we reopen the case file on Home Alone 2 and ask the only question OSHA, the NYPD, and literally every medical professional should've asked in 1992: How are the Wet Bandits still alive? Four bricks. A nail gun. A two-story fall. At this point, Marv and Harry aren't criminals—they're immortal beings who accidentally wandered into a Christmas movie. And finally, reflection, as Brandon's Take explores the gentle truth that Christmas traditions evolve as we grow… sometimes because life shifts, sometimes because the world changes… and sometimes because our backs hurt now.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a massive blaze engulfed an Upper West Side apartment building— as raging flames and plumes of smoke poured from the roof and out of windows. Another round of bone-chilling air from the polar vortex could invade the central and northeastern US this weekend and potentially produce the first significant snowstorm of the season for the Interstate 95 corridor if this cold air meets up with moisture that is expected to race across the country.And rejoice, New Year's dieters: Oreos are getting a sugar-free option. Mondelez said that Oreo Zero Sugar and Oreo Double Stuf Zero Sugar will go on sale in the U.S. in January. They're a permanent addition to the company's Oreo lineup.

In The Update Journal, we have brand-new recurring side-series: Great Ideas… On Paper, where we take a fond look back at brilliant concepts that absolutely should have worked — until reality showed up wearing sweatpants and holding a melted McFlurry. Today's inaugural lesson: McDonald's All-Day Breakfast. A concept so perfect, so universally beloved, that it crumbled the moment someone tried ordering an Egg McMuffin at 3:47 in the afternoon. And in today's Honorable Mention: Millennials are gearing up to make more 2026 New Year's resolutions than any other generation — because nothing says “I am holding my life together” like putting unrealistic expectations into a Notes app and then ignoring them until March. If everything sounds great… on paper, that's because it is.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, the Archdiocese of New York announced it will set up a $300 million fund to compensate victims of sexual abuse who have sued the church.Bruce Blakeman, a Republican county official in Long Island, is expected to launch a campaign for New York governor on Tuesday, according to a person with knowledge of his plans.And overseas, Japan was assessing damage and cautioning people of potential aftershocks after a late-night 7.5 magnitude earthquake caused injuries, light damage and a tsunami in Pacific coastal communities.

Welcome to December, where everything is changing whether we asked for it or not. The St. George ferry route is taking its final bow in the most New York fashion possible: quietly, awkwardly, and with at least one person yelling, “If it ain't broke, WHY are we fixing it?” into the cold harbor wind. Meanwhile, inside the halls of government, we're counting down two weeks until City Hall hands over the keys like a family passing the remote—reluctantly, nervously, and with at least three arguments about who messed everything up. And just when you think that's enough chaos for one journal entry… enter Elf on the Shelf. The tiny-eyed holiday informant perched in your home, collecting intel like he's auditioning for the North Pole branch of the FBI. Is he a family tradition? A federal agent? A freelancer? We investigate. (Not really. But we have questions.) So buckle up: ferries are disappearing, administrations are shifting, elves are surveilling, and we're here to document the entire mess—because someone has to.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani posted a video to social media explaining immigrants' right to refuse to speak to or comply with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, days after federal agents carried out a raid in Manhattan.A 68-year-old grandfather was mowed down by a wrong-way moped driver as he crossed at a Queens intersection — just days before he was to bring his daughter home for Christmas.And in Hawaii, survivors of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor have long been the center of a remembrance ceremony held each year on the military base's waterfront. But today only 12 are still alive — all centenarians — and this year none were able to make the pilgrimage to Hawaii to mark the event.

In today's edition of The Update Journal, we proudly present the “Fare Inspector Era — Part 2,” because nothing says New York quite like a stranger in a reflective vest asking if you tapped your OMNY. Then, in The Last Word, your wallet delivers its annual holiday plea: “Stop. Please.” And finally, because we're professionals who totally keep track of milestones, we're celebrating the 1900th episode… a full day late. Look, between transit drama, holiday financial ruin, and remembering to eat lunch, something was bound to slip. But hey — 1900 episodes! We did it. Eventually.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, two NYPD officers won't be charged in the shooting death of a 19-year-old man during a mental health crisis last year as his mother and brother begged the officers not to open fire, state Attorney General Letitia James' office said.Minutes after police approached Luigi Mangione in a Pennsylvania McDonald's, he told an officer he didn't want to talk, according to video and testimony at a court hearing for the man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.And in Washington, the FBI arrested a man accused of placing two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack, an abrupt breakthrough in an investigation that for years flummoxed law enforcement and spawned conspiracy theories about Jan. 6, 2021.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Today's Update Journal is all about wishlists — the ones the city makes, and the ones parents secretly sabotage. On one hand, we've got MTA chief Janno Lieber rolling out his 2026 transit wishlist like a kid circling every single toy in the December catalog: more service, better reliability, maybe a miracle or two if the budget elves cooperate. It's ambitious. It's hopeful. It's… probably going to run into reality by spring. And on the other hand, today's Honorable Mention reveals that parents are now hiding gifts inside decoy gifts to keep Christmas morning magical. These folks are running an undercover operation that makes NYPD Intel look amateur. You've got parents stashing Nintendo Switches inside cereal boxes, Barbie dolls in vacuum cleaner packaging, and one parent probably putting an iPad inside a pack of socks just to keep the element of surprise alive. Transit dreams. Christmas schemes. Only in New York could those two things make perfect sense in the same show.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, an icon of New York City's holiday season, was lit up in midtown Manhattan as crowds of people wearing Santa hats and Christmas light necklaces cheered.A man who wore a clown mask and brandished a chain saw during a frightful episode in an upstate New York neighborhood was convicted of two felony charges.And in Washington, the Pentagon knew there were survivors after a September attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and the U.S. military still carried out a follow-up strike, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Today's Update Journal takes you from the chaos of primetime to the calm glow of midtown. First up: Deal or No Deal: Island of Confusion — the reality show so bewildering that even Howie Mandel couldn't save it from itself. We break down why the concept never quite added up… and why maybe some classics are better left untouched. Then we pivot from TV turbulence to holiday perfection with The Rockefeller Tree Glow-Up — the annual reminder that while America may struggle to produce good reality shows, New York can still produce a spruce that steals the season. It's a tale of two spectacles: one cancelled, one illuminated, both somehow peak 2025.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, the first major storm of the winter covered parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic with snow and ice, making roads hazardous, disrupting travel and closing schools as some areas braced for several inches of heavy snowfall.Video shown in court documented how police approached, arrested and searched Luigi Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald's — moments that underlie key questions about what evidence can and can't be used in the case surrounding the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.And In Tennessee, Republican Matt Van Epps won a nationally watched special election for a U.S. House seat, maintaining his party's grip on the conservative district with help from President Trump. But the comparatively slim margin of victory fueled Democratic hopes for next year's midterms as the party grasps for a path back to power in Washington.

Today's edition is pure New York energy — equal parts drama, confusion, and “did that really just happen?” The Mets have once again treated the Yankees like their own personal lost-and-found bin, reaching in and pulling out Devin Williams like a kid grabbing the last toy on the shelf at Target. Apparently the city now has a baseball transfer portal, and the Mets are the only ones who know the password. Meanwhile, in our Honorable Mention, Americans are celebrating the holidays the old-fashioned way: by absolutely obliterating their credit limits. The numbers are so high, Santa might have to start accepting Visa, Afterpay, and maybe even Klarna just to get through the season. It turns out the only thing we're wrapping this year… is ourselves in debt.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, a Nor'easter is set to slam metro-area commuters with a wet wintery mix, but the evening rush's heavy rains could bring the most treacherous conditions, according to forecasters.New York City is poised to get its first Vegas-style casinos, including one next to the home stadium of baseball's New York Mets and another that could see a windfall for President Trump.And out in the American west, family members were getting ready to cut the cake at a toddler's birthday party when the gunfire started inside a banquet hall packed with relatives and friends over the weekend in California. Four people were killed. Meanwhile, even with those killings, mass shootings in the U.S have hit the lowest number recorded since 2006, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

Another winter, another round of “Snow Day Politics,” the annual NYC ritual where logic goes to die. Once upon a time, we stayed up until 1 a.m. refreshing the DOE website like we were waiting to see who got the first pick in the NBA Draft. Then De Blasio came along and declared the snow day extinct, replacing it with remote learning—because nothing says “holiday magic” like logging into Zoom while the city is buried in powder. And under Mayor Adams? We finally got a snow day… only for the “bulletproof” remote-learning infrastructure to crash harder than the F train during rush hour. In New York, even winter weather has drama.In th headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, as the first anniversary of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing looms this week, the man charged in his death will be in court fighting to prevent prosecutors from using evidence they say links him to the crime.Hundreds of rabid anti-ICE protesters clashed with cops in New York City on Saturday — with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch blasting the feds for putting her officers in harm's way, according to sources.And in Washington, the Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members blocks from the White House had been unraveling for years, unable to hold a job and flipping between long, lightless stretches of isolation and taking sudden weekslong cross-country drives.

Today in The Update Journal, we revisit the annual tradition that turns even the bravest among us into rule-writing tyrants: the 2025 Potluck. Yes, it's that magical time of year when everyone suddenly discovers they have dietary restrictions, allergies, or moral objections to dishes that have existed for centuries. This year, however, I've decided to do something bold. Something daring. Something historic. I'm retiring from cooking. Effective immediately. My apron is hung up. My spatula is in storage. My oven mitts have unionized and walked out. And then, as we wrap up the chaos of sign-up sheets, crockpots, and mystery casseroles, The Last Word tonight brings us back to something simple, something warm, something real: Thankfulness. Because despite the food debates, the last-minute store runs, the stove that always breaks at the worst possible moment, and the one coworker who insists their “famous” macaroni salad is a personality trait, we still gather, laugh, eat, and appreciate the people who make our days a little brighter.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a notorious 1979 missing-child case is headed to trial a third time after New York prosecutors vowed to retry the man whose murder conviction was recently overturned in the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz.The 70th and final conviction in a sweeping New York City corruption probe was secured, concluding a decade-long bribery scheme in which public housing employees steered work to contractors in exchange for bribes.And in Florida, the death of a teenager on a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month has been ruled a homicide, the latest development in a case that has drawn international attention and sparked intense speculation on social media.

New York football has officially left the chat… again. The Jets have clinched their annual tradition of heartbreak, the Giants became the first team eliminated from the postseason (because of course they did), and all of us are already Googling “When does baseball season start?” like we didn't swear off the Mets at least twice last year. Misery truly does love company—good thing both teams are providing plenty of it. And for today's Honorable Mention: Party of none. A bar owner has banned solo drinkers from entering his business in order to “mitigate risk” the companionless have been known to bring, dividing the internet over the controversial policy. Because nothing says “welcome to the holidays” quite like being told even your beer needs a +1.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, New York City celebrated Gotham FC's capture of its second National Women's Soccer League championship in three years, with a procession for the players in Manhattan and the presentation of the keys to the city.The Big Apple firefighter's union is steaming mad over the sudden discovery of 68 boxes of Ground Zero health data following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks — files they were told never existed.And in Washington, a federal judge dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Trump's urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.

This week on The Update Journal, we're carving up a holiday trio so wild it makes the Macy's balloons question whether they should've just floated away for good. First up: Marjorie Taylor Greene decides she's had enough of Congress — or maybe Congress finally had enough of her. Either way, she's resigning in January, proving once again that sometimes the biggest plot twist is the ending everyone saw coming… and yet somehow still needed popcorn for. Then, over in Queens, the first domino of the Mets' latest culture shift falls as Brandon Nimmo packs his bags and heads for Texas. Yes, you read that right — Nimmo waved his no-trade clause, probably after seeing the Mets' 2026 direction and thinking, “You know what? I could use some warmer weather and fewer existential crises.” And finally, Thanksgiving in New York City, where the vibes are different, the parade balloons are exhausted, and Black Friday has evolved from “chaotic stampede” to “you better buy it now or you'll never see it again.” It's the season of deals, delays, and delusion — the holy trinity of any New Yorker's holiday timeline.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani didn't back down in an interview that aired Sunday from past criticism that President Trump acted like a despot and a fascist after a surprisingly friendly White House meeting between the two men.NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos is engaged “in a loving relationship” with the son of a powerful state lawmaker whose support she was counting on to help keep her job under the Mamdani administration.And in Wisconsin, a woman who admitted to nearly stabbing a classmate to death at age 12 to please the online horror character Slender Man is missing after she cut off an electronic monitoring device and left a group home, authorities say.

On the road from American Dream, we learned that even a mall with a ski slope, a theme park, and pretzels priced like luxury items can't compete with the glory of going home, taking off your shoes, and collapsing like a drained iPhone.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said that he's “not concerned” his upcoming meeting with President Trump could be a political trap, vowing instead to center the Oval Office sit-down on how they could work to make the city more affordable.New York Rep. Nydia Velázquez — a trailblazer known by the nickname “La Luchadora” or the fighter — announced Thursday that she will retire next year after more than three decades in Congress.And in Louisville, Kentucky, federal investigators released dramatic photos Thursday of an engine flying off a doomed UPS cargo plane that crashed two weeks ago, killing 14 people, and said there was evidence of cracks in the left wing's engine mount.

This week in the wild world of The Update, the internet caught a full-blown case of pneumonia after Cloudflare let out the tiniest sneeze — reminding us once again that our entire digital universe is apparently held together with bubble gum and hope. Meanwhile, the MTA promised a bold new era where rear-door boarding might finally become a thing… just as soon as OMNY stops behaving like a fussy toddler who refuses to get in the stroller. And to round it all out, we dive headfirst into the Great Gravy Debate — because if anything is going to hold Thanksgiving (and half our sanity) together, it's a good ladle of the brown stuff. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, a Democratic ex New Jersey mayor and current police sergeant was arrested for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a child he met online, officials announced.A judge has dismissed a Trump administration legal challenge to New York policies that block immigration officials from arresting people at state courthouses, saying the federal government can't force states to cooperate with those enforcement efforts.And in New Orleans, around 250 federal border agents are set to descend there in the coming weeks for a two-month immigration crackdown dubbed “Swamp Sweep” that aims to arrest roughly 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and three people familiar with the operation.

Tis The Season- For Unaffordability. This Thanksgiving will cost the average American almost $1,000, new research has revealed. That's according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults who celebrate Thanksgiving, split evenly by generation.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, an NYPD cop took a shotgun blast to the face after being ambushed in Brooklyn by a suspected killer — but got off the fatal shot that downed the crazed gunman, police and sources said.Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said that he hopes to meet with President Trump to find ways the political polar opposites can work together on the central focus of his winning campaign: affordability.And in Washington, the House is heading toward a vote on a bill to force the Justice Department to release the case files it has collected on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, pushing past a monthslong effort by President Trump and Republican leaders to stymie the effort.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Today's Update Journal is taking you on a rollercoaster — the kind where one minute you're debating childcare policy and the next you're suddenly emotional over cranberry sauce. Buckle up. First, we dive into The Childcare Question: the promise, the price tag, and the collective New York skepticism of “Okay… but can we actually do this, or are we all just pretending?” It's ambitious, it's inspiring, and it's giving very much “group project where only one person is doing all the work.” Then, we fully pivot — because that's how this show works — into the Thanksgiving memory I always come back to. You know the one. Parade balloons soaring overhead, me on video chat with Tommie while she's off in Delaware, and me trying not to burn anything in the kitchen because I was unsupervised. A true holiday classic.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, New York Jets cornerback and special teams standout Kris Boyd was critically injured in a shooting in midtown Manhattan, according to Mayor Adams' office.Two people have been killed, including a 10-year-old boy, and three others wounded in a mass shooting in Newark.And in Charlotte, North Carolina, a top Border Patrol commander touted dozens of arrests in North Carolina's largest city as Charlotte residents reported encounters with federal immigration agents near churches, apartment complexes and stores.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

Today's Update Journal delivers a full buffet of stories — and like any good buffet, you're not sure how these dishes ended up next to each other, but somehow it works. We kick things off with a genuine MTA miracle — yes, you read that right — as the Mamdani proposal inches from pipe dream to possible reality, proving that sometimes transit justice does show up fashionably late. Then we pivot to the funeral for America's last penny. It lived a long life, annoyed generations of cashiers, and bought absolutely nothing since 1968. Meanwhile, cable news has entered its “let's just try something new and hope the ratings gods are kind” era. MSNBC has officially rebranded itself as MS NOW — because apparently someone in corporate stood up during a meeting and said, “What if… hear me out… we change the name?” And finally, The Last Word reminds us that as we march toward Thanksgiving, the real stories aren't in the headlines — they're at the table. The kitchen table, the folding table, the “we never use this except for holidays” table — all of them. Because nothing brings people together like a feast, a good laugh, and a family member quietly judging the mashed potatoes.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, a man with a gun was killed in a shootout with the NYPD after he pointed his weapon at a man in an apartment building elevator and a deli worker and threatened to shoot up a hospital. A Long Island man who allegedly smashed up and slashed the tires of nearly a dozen police cruisers parked outside the NYPD's newest station house was busted after he nearly backed into cops on his tail –and then promptly cut loose in court, cops and prosecutors said.And in Chicago, The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has been receiving around-the-clock care at home, has been hospitalized with a rare neurological disorder, according to his Chicago-based organization.

On today's Update Journal, we celebrate Day 44 of the government shutdown finally coming to a close — or at least going on winter break until January, where it will undoubtedly return like an unwelcome Netflix reboot. In the next Mamdani proposal, we dive into “The Public Option for Produce,” the latest idea that sounds promising, confusing, and slightly like a farmers' market run by the DMV. Meanwhile, NYC Ferry took one look at the one part of their system that was actually working and said, “Let's fix that immediately,” because nothing says progress like making riders choose between freezing for an hour or sprinting to the Staten Island Ferry like it's the last chopper out of Vietnam. And for our honorable mention: Coca-Cola has released its first limited-edition holiday soda in five years, which means we're all legally obligated to try it, love it, and then watch it disappear forever by Valentine's Day.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, the super of a Brooklyn apartment building was killed during a violent dispute with a man who was allegedly part of a crew that had been stealing packages from the building since the summer, according to police and sources.This new gadget is ready to pump the brakes on bad drivers. New “speed limiter” devices for cars are set to force reckless drivers with multiple violations to finally slow down, by linking to their ignitions and capping how fast their car can go with the help of GPS technology.And in Washington, President Trump signed a government funding bill, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.

Day 43 of the government shutdown, and Congress swears they're almost there — though at this point, “almost” has been working harder than most members of Congress. Meanwhile, the post-election hangover continues as the last of the attack ads finally fade off our screens — leaving us with that eerie silence where you start to question if your own toaster is secretly endorsing a candidate. On a more somber note, Jimmy Kimmel faces a heavy loss with the passing of his longtime bandleader, a moment that reminds us even the funniest shows have their quiet heartbreaks. And speaking of heartbreak — in this week's Brandon's Take, we confront a national crisis: our collective lie that turkey is the star of Thanksgiving dinner. Deep down, we all know it's the stuffing and mac-and-cheese carrying the plate, while the turkey just sits there like an unseasoned group project member taking all the credit.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, New York City got its first snow of the season as a powerful polar vortex swept across the eastern half of the country, bringing frigid temperatures.Fallen FDNY firefighter Patrick Brady will receive a hero's farewell. The married 42-year-old fire department veteran, who died tragically in the line of duty over the weekend, will be mourned at a wake in Brooklyn on Friday and a funeral mass Saturday in his Queens neighborhood before being laid to rest, the FDNY announced.And in Washington, The Supreme Court extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.

Day 41 of the government shutdown — or as Congress calls it, “Sunday.” Senators gathered for a rare weekend session to “work things out,” which in D.C. language means grandstanding with snacks provided. Meanwhile, in Major League Baseball, the Cleveland Guardians are living up to their name by guarding their right to embarrass the sport. Two of their pitchers have been arrested for gambling, proving once again that MLB can't go more than a few months without hitting itself in the face with a Louisville Slugger. Back here in the Empire State, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani's plan for free buses has hit… well, traffic. Governor Hochul says she's not ready to move forward with the proposal — which is politician-speak for “We're gonna study this until everyone forgets.” And yet — somewhere between the shutdowns, scandals, and stalled buses — there's still something to be thankful for. Maybe it's the people we love. Maybe it's the tiny wins. Or maybe it's just that the ferry still runs on time. Either way, gratitude's the one thing not on backorder this year.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, a FDNY firefighter died Saturday after suffering a medical episode while battling a five-alarm fire at a Brooklyn apartment building, authorities said.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said that SNAP benefits went out to New Yorkers using federal funds after the longest-ever federal government shutdown cut off food stamp payments for the first time.And in Washington, President Trump's administration is demanding states “undo” full SNAP benefits paid out under judicial orders in recent days, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed those rulings, marking the latest swing in a seesawing legal battle over the anti-hunger program used by 42 million Americans. Meanwhile, on the local level in Sacramento, Acorn squash, Spam and baby food lined the shelves on a recent day at a college food pantry in California's capital city, a resource that students receiving federal aid to purchase groceries may have to increasingly rely on because that assistance has been in limbo during the government shutdown.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

We've done a lot of episodes throughout our many years of #TheUpdate, but some of them are my personal favorites. Every month, we're going to go into The Update vault and play one episode from my personal list of favorite episodes. I hope you enjoy them as much as i did hosting it.

Hello everyone! We're going into #TheUpdate vault to play one of our many episodes throughout our many years of the show. For today's episode, we go into the world of 2020- or as we call it around here, Year 4 of The Update. It was a weird year- starting off in the WKRB studios and then going out on the road (in the middle of a pandemic no less!), but somehow, we found a way to make it work. Oh, and one last thing about this episode- after the show aired, one of my former producers who happened to be listening to the show called me up and invited me out to lunch. How about that?

If it feels like we've been here before—it's because we have. Day 38 of the government shutdown has Congress stuck in the political version of Groundhog Day, where everyone swears this time they'll fix it, only to hit “repeat” like a Netflix user who fell asleep on episode one. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi is officially stepping off the stage—for real this time. It's the political equivalent of your favorite performer announcing their farewell tour… again. But this one might actually stick, since she's earned enough standing ovations to rival Broadway's finest. Back here in New York, the post-election mood feels like the confetti never showed up. “The Statue That Never Was” takes center stage for why Curtis Sliwa didn't drop out—a project that went from “visionary tribute” to “budget whoopsie” faster than you can say “city permit pending.” Over at City Hall, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is still workshopping his hit single, “Safety, But Make It Community.” Picture it: subway outreach teams, health workers in vacant storefronts, and a whole new agency devoted to making you feel warm and fuzzy on your morning commute—assuming the MTA cooperates and your train ever arrives. It's bold, it's ambitious, and it's one bad PowerPoint transition away from a TED Talk. Finally, as the credits roll on this week's political chaos, we close with something rare: gratitude. It doesn't trend, it doesn't go viral, and it definitely doesn't filibuster—but it still changes everything. In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is expected to announce a run for New York governor, according to two people familiar with her plans.New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani made a triumphant trip to Puerto Rico for an annual summit that brings New York politicians and lobbyists to sunny San Juan for strategy meetings, workshops and boozy confabs.And in Washington, a former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump's law enforcement surge in Washington was found not guilty of assault in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.

The drama is high, the patience is low, and the popcorn is absolutely necessary. First up, Frustration Airlines is still taxiing endlessly on the shutdown runway, offering complimentary stress and zero arrival updates as we hit day 37 of the government shutdown. Meanwhile, the Mamdani Transition Team is warming up backstage—not with a spotlight, but with a blowtorch—because nothing says “new administration” like controlled chaos in a broom closet labeled Do Not Enter. We're also going to start looking at Mamdani's proposals to see what got him elected , and if they're actually achievable. First up: finding out whether the mayor can actually put your lease on ice, or if this is just political HVAC: lots of noise, occasional heat, and absolutely no guarantee of comfort. In sports, Mets fans endured a Broadway-level betrayal as two of their own pirouetted straight from Queens to the Braves' dugout. There were boos, tears, and at least one dramatic soliloquy about loyalty, heartbreak, and why we can't have nice things. And for today's Honorable Mention: Kraft unveiled a Thanksgiving-themed mac & cheese flavor so baffling that fans nationwide are asking whether this is innovation, performance art, or a subtle form of psychological warfare. Spoiler: nobody's lining up for seconds.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, Seven firefighters were injured when a car exploded in the Bronx, sending a giant fireball into the sky.A deranged Bronx man fatally gunned down three members of his family — including his elderly, “Golden Girl” mother — inside a city housing project before shooting himself to death.And in Washington, The Federal Aviation Administration said that it was taking the extraordinary step of reducing air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

We've officially crossed it — that invisible threshold where logic, patience, and maybe democracy itself start to fray. On this edition, we're “Past the Point of No Return,” and the view isn't exactly scenic. Over in New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill pulled off the rarest of political feats — a clean Democratic handoff in the Governor's Mansion for the first time since the 1960s — proving that Garden State politics can still surprise you, even when the rest of us are too tired to. Meanwhile, across the Hudson, a new era begins in New York City as Zohran Mamdani officially takes the keys to City Hall — and hopefully, the city checkbook. His ambitious plans to freeze rents, make buses free, and fund it all without divine intervention might make even the angels ask for a budget hearing. We're all rooting for him… but also keeping one hand on the emergency brake. And if that weren't enough chaos, the government shutdown trudges into Day 36 — now officially the longest in U.S. history, which is really saying something in a country that measures dysfunction in days and dollars. Washington's still arguing over continuing resolutions like it's a group project no one wants to do, while millions wait to see if anyone remembers to turn the lights back on. Finally, in Brandon's Take, we let loose with “Random Rant: Minor Annoyances, Major Rage” — because sometimes, it's not the big crises that get you. It's the person who blocks the subway door. It's the coffee spill right after you put on a clean shirt. It's the guy in the crosswalk who moves slower than your Wi-Fi on a bad day. Somewhere between national politics and everyday madness, we're all just trying to keep our sanity — one deep sigh, one eye-roll, and one random rant at a time.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York, capping a stunning ascent for the 34-year-old, far-left state lawmaker, who promised to transform city government to restore power to the working class and fight back against a hostile Trump administration. Meanwhile in Uganda, the opposition leader in Uganda's Parliament sees Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York mayoral race as inspiring but somehow too distant. Across the river in New Jersey, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill was elected governor of New Jersey, raising hopes for Democrats and highlighting Republican vulnerabilities after there had been signs of a rightward shift in recent years in what has been a reliably blue state.Elsewhere, a Delta Airlines flight was evacuated at LaGuardia airport after crew reported a bomb threat – the second scare at a major US airport in a day, authorities said.And in Louisville, first responders prepared to resume looking for victims after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded in a massive fireball while taking off from the company's global aviation hub at the airport in Kentucky, killing at least seven people and injuring 11, authorities said.

It's Day 35 of the government shutdown- at this point, Washington is like that one friend who says they're “five minutes away” when they haven't even left the house. Meanwhile, It's Election Day in New York City — the calm before the political storm, where campaign volunteers are running on caffeine and hope, and voters are just trying to remember if their polling place is still the same deli they went to last year. The city waits, nervously, like a pitcher staring down the final batter in the ninth inning. Meanwhile, in Queens, the Mets are back to doing that thing they do best: convincing us it'll be different this time. But that might be a little bit harder as Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz have officially opted out of their contracts and are now free agents. The day before election day, President Trump seems to throw his support behind Andrew Cuomo, saying “Regardless of whether you like him or not, you must vote for Andrew Cuomo and hope that he does a good job.” And as ballots are prepped, curveballs are thrown, and coffee pots are refilled across the five boroughs, we're left with one simple question: who's getting the keys to City Hall? Whoever it is, I just hope they know how to fix a budget, a bullpen, and a broken MetroCard reader — in that order.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, we end our coverage of The Road To City Hall. On the last day of this long running campaign, New York City's voters are deciding the outcome of a generational and ideological divide that will resonate across the country as they choose the next mayor to run the nation's largest city.A driver who crashed his pickup truck into a July Fourth barbecue and killed four people was convicted of murder in the 2024 wreck in a New York City park.And in Washington, Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at age 84.

It's Day 34 of the government shutdown, and at this point, Congress has voted so many times they're probably eligible for frequent-flyer miles. The president's advice is to “keep voting,” which might work for senators, Mets fans clinging to hope, and anyone still counting calories after Halloween. Meanwhile, in baseball-land, the Dodgers are on top of the world again, the Blue Jays are stuck somewhere in a very cold Toronto winter, and MLB owners are already figuring out how to ruin the sport with another lockout. And here in New York City? We're on the eve of a new mayor — which means the campaign signs are coming down, the conspiracy theories are heating up, and someone's about to inherit a subway system that breaks down more than my Wi-Fi.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Monday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. On the day before Election Day, New York City's mayoral candidates are making a final push Monday to get voters to the polls, as the race to lead America's biggest city nears its finale.The New York City Marathon made history with a course record set in the women's competition and the closest race ever on the men's side, which was decided by a fraction of a second.And in Michigan, a defense lawyer is disputing FBI Director Kash Patel's allegations that his 20-year-old client and four other young suspects were planning to carry out a terror attack on Halloween weekend.

Thirty-one days into the government shutdown, and we've officially crossed from “temporary inconvenience” into “long-term relationship.” Congress is still arguing, the bills are still piling up, and at this point, even the interns are starting to grow beards. The glimmer of hope we saw earlier in the week has dimmed back down to a faint nightlight — the kind that flickers right before the ghost jumps out in a bad horror movie. And speaking of haunted things, we've got another big shakeup brewing in the media world. Gayle King — yes, that Gayle King — might be saying goodbye to CBS Mornings next year. It's being called “a sign of the changing times,” but let's be real — if Gayle leaves, that show's going to need more than a new coffee mug set to keep viewers awake. It's like if your favorite diner suddenly changed the cook. Sure, the eggs are still there, but they just don't taste the same. Then there's The Last Word: not everything goes the way you want on Halloween. You plan the perfect night, and suddenly it rains, your costume falls apart, and your candy bag rips open halfway down the block. Happens to the best of us. In my case, I'm still picking melted chocolate out of my jacket pocket from last year. Sometimes Halloween is more trick than treat, and you just have to laugh through it — preferably while eating someone else's candy.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Friday, two people died in flooded New York City basements during a rainstorm that shut down roadways and caused airport delays, authorities said.We continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 4 days to go until the general election, Younger New Yorkers are starting to make their mark at the ballot box — turning out at a higher clip over the past few days of early voting in the highly-watched mayoral race.And go ahead and roll your eyes. Shrug your shoulders. Or maybe just juggle your hands in the air. Dictionary.com's word of the year isn't even really a word. It's the viral term “6-7” that kids and teenagers can't stop repeating and laughing about and parents and teachers can't make any sense of.

Thirty days into the government shutdown, and for the first time in weeks, there's a faint glimmer of hope cutting through the fog in Washington — senators are actually talking again, which in itself feels like breaking news. But as D.C. tries to find its way out of the darkness, the rest of the country is feeling the changing times in more ways than one: from job cuts and media shakeups, to familiar faces suddenly “gone in a flash.” And speaking of flashes — according to new research, the average American spends more than a third of their paycheck within the first twelve hours of getting it. Twelve hours! Some people don't even finish celebrating payday before their bank account's already crying for help.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Thursday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 5 days to go until the general election, it's time for a brief history lesson. In 1977, at the tail end of another bruising battle for New York City mayor, Mario Cuomo publicly spoke up against bigoted remarks leveled at his opponent. Almost 50 years later, his son is taking a different approach. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber hit the brakes on mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani's key campaign promise to provide free buses across the Big Apple — criticizing the plan as half-baked and much more expensive than proposed.It's a Central Park-ing lot! A recreational trail in Central Park meant for joggers and horseback riders has been taken over by city workers using it as a parking lot — with and without official government placards.And in New Orleans, Immigration authorities did not receive word of a court order blocking the removal of a man living in Alabama until after he had been deported to Laos, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security say, dismissing claims that officials violated the order.

It's Day 29 of the government shutdown — and Congress is now on what's being called their thirteenth try at reopening the country. If this were baseball, they'd have struck out weeks ago. The lights are still dim on Capitol Hill, the bills are still unpaid, and hope is hanging by a thread thinner than a fun-sized Twizzler. But speaking of Halloween, not all the scary stuff this week is happening in Washington. As kids prepare for their annual sugar-fueled night of chaos, there's another debate brewing across America — the one over which candies should never see the inside of a trick-or-treat bag. In Brandon's Take, we're diving into the “worst treats” list — those so-called goodies that feel more like a trick. From the infamous circus peanuts and hard butterscotch candies that seem to have survived since 1978, to the dreaded toothbrush handouts and the candy corn wars that divide households, it's time to expose the real Halloween villains.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Wednesday, have you seen these men? A trio of brazen burglars sporting construction vests busted into a Queens home in broad daylight and made off with $3.2 million — with cops hoping surveillance footage can help nab the crooks.President Trump is seeking to reverse the historic Manhattan hush money conviction that branded him a felon as he campaigned for a second White House term last year.And in the Caribbean, heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, winds tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled onto roads as Hurricane Melissa pummeled the Caribbean island as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

Is that something sweet a trick or a treat? Halloween is just a few days away, and children are about to be running door to door in search of candies and chocolates — the annual sugar marathon where pillowcases turn into bank vaults and parents suddenly rediscover their “inspection tax.” But while the kids are getting ready to collect their loot, one scientist is warning parents about the dangers of allowing their kids to indulge in certain treats this spooky, candy-driven holiday. Meanwhile, in Washington, the grown-ups aren't doing much better. Twenty-eight days into the government shutdown, Congress continues to prove that you can't spell “trick” without “politic.” Federal workers are missing paychecks, federal agencies are running on fumes, and the only thing getting handed out in D.C. are excuses.In the headlines on #TheUpdate this Tuesday, we continue our coverage of The Road To City Hall. With 7 days to go until the general election, New York City's mayoral race is turning from a blowout into a competitive race – with ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo cutting front-runner Zohran Mamdani's lead in half from a month ago, a new poll found. Meanwhile, in early voting, voters 50 and up accounted for nearly 60% of ballots cast during the first two days of early voting in the city's mayoral election, data shows.A lawsuit that was filed seeks to redraw the boundaries of the only congressional district in New York City represented by a Republican, arguing that its current configuration unconstitutionally dilutes the power of Black and Latino voters.And in the American West, the 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk can appear in court wearing street clothes but must be physically restrained due to security concerns, a judge ruled.