Podcasts about bay ridge

Brooklyn man charged with killing his wife in Bay Ridge... NYC officials hold town hall on latest Legionnaires' cluster in the South Bronx... Park Slope cat returned to bodega owner full 466 Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:56:03 +0000 kPoD2Onl7rRb63gaDOnbMuHjBZlOaoKd news 1010 WINS ALL LOCAL news Brooklyn man charged with killing his wife in Bay Ridge... NYC officials hold town hall on latest Legionnaires' cluster in the South Bronx... Park Slope cat returned to bodega owner The podcast is hyper-focused on local news, issues and events in the New York City area. This podcast's purpose is to give New Yorkers New York news about their neighborhoods and shine a light on the issues happening in their backyard. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc.

Edy Modica! Comedian! Actor! Friend! Delight! More! Edy's new comedy special "I'm Just Like You (And It Sucks)!" debuts on YouTube this Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 8pm ET, and she'll be in the chat then so check it out then and also any time after then until infinity-ish! We have a great chat! You have a great listen! And here's some more official information about Edy and the special: "NYC-based comedian, filmmaker and actor Edy Modica's debut comedy special, I'm Just Like You, (And It Sucks)! has set September 17, 2026 at 8pm as the wide release and YouTube Premiere date. Produced by Irony Point, the Emmy and Peabody-winning production company behind projects like I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, Chris Fleming's lauded HBO special Live at the Palace, and countless other instant comedy classics, the special was shot at The Slipper Room in NYC last summer, directed by Ben O'Brien with DP Alex Bliss and editor Danny Scharar. "Through unfiltered story telling, Edy Modica discusses her longing for human connection and all of the ways she's contorted herself in search of it. Whether it be talking to stains on her aunt's carpet, making out with a pair of brothers on a cruise in 2007, or talking to a stranger about his late girlfriend who died in a car accident, Edy will stop at nothing to feel and spread love to the world around her. Edy guides the audience through her life as an angry poor kid, a sexually deviant teen, all the way to where she is now: a poor yet a slightly famous, sexually deviant adult, with a passion for Human Connection. Said Modica, 'we are all insane, complex perverts which means none of us are! And isn't that beautiful?!!?!' "Born and raised a New Yorker from Nyack to Bay Ridge to Ridgewood, Edy Modica is best known for her role in the Emmy Nominated comedy, Jury Duty in a performance that earned her a place in the The Hollywood Reporter's list of 20 Supporting Actors Who Stole The Scene. She's also one of Vultures 'Comedians You Should and Will Know. As a creator, Edy was named one of Filmmaker Magazine's '25 New Faces of Film Independent Film 2022 for her debut short film NICOLE, a Vimeo Staff Pick which Edy is currently developing as a half hour comedy pilot for HBO. On the small screen, Edy has recurred on Apple's SHRINKING, HBO Max's MADE FOR LOVE, HBO's HIGH MAINTENANCE, and Tracy Morgan's multicam series CRUTCH for Paramount+. On the big screen, Edy can be seen in Shawn Simmons's EENIE MEANIE starring Samara Weaving and recently wrapped on the Cameron Diaz star lead feature for Netflix, BAD DAY." Edy Modica Online: Instagram- @doodiehole Youtube - @doodiehole (Edy Modica Zone)  And this is only the first HALF of our conversation! For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely click on over here to Patreon!

The All Local 4pm Update for Tuesday, September 15th, 2026

On this episode of The New Yorkers Podcast, Kelly Kopp sits down with Dan from All Day NYC for a funny, nostalgic, and very New York conversation about growing up in Bensonhurst and Gravesend, Coney Island summers, Canal Street, pizza, bagels, the subway, viral NYC moments, the Knicks championship parade, and what it really means to be a New Yorker. Dan also shares how All Day NYC got started, some of his favorite viral moments, and his memories of being a 16-year-old high school student in Brooklyn on September 11th, 2001. We also talk about Kelly's experience surviving a 2017 NYC subway derailment, whether the subway feels safer today, and why this past summer felt like New York had finally found some of its old energy again. Chapters (00:00:00) - New Yorkers Podcast(00:04:05) - Living in Brooklyn in the 90s(00:07:09) - Cops Chase Car stereo sellers down Canal Street(00:09:47) - Bay Ridge resident on the high cost of living(00:12:45) - What's the Problem with Chipotle?(00:13:12) - NYC on Social Media(00:14:59) - School Bus Rave(00:15:58) - Riding A One Wheeler In The City(00:18:44) - Raccoons Go Viral(00:19:59) - The Knicks Parade in NYC(00:22:53) - Crazy People Try To Get Through The Woolworth Building(00:23:55) - The Knicks' 53-Year-Old Tattoo(00:24:41) - NYC Mayor on the Summer(00:27:21) - World Cup and Fourth of July celebrations in NYC(00:29:27) - The Summer of Celebrations(00:30:49) - Favorite Pizza Places in NYC(00:33:27) - Pizza on Bleecker Street(00:35:22) - Upper Manhattan's best restaurant, 'Bitcoin Steakhouse'(00:36:34) - Bagels and Drinking Water(00:39:10) - The New York City Water Fountains(00:39:49) - NYC Subway Rider on Safety(00:42:40) - Jumping off the subway in NYC(00:45:18) - What Happened On September 11, 2001(00:48:22) - What Was It Like To Be In NYC On September 11th?(00:51:05) - The 9/11 memorial in Manhattan(00:53:46) - The Oculus Museum(00:54:38) - A Woman's Talk About 911(00:55:19) - Questions for New York City Residents(00:55:53) - Top New Yorkers Talk About The City(00:56:56) - Dan on What It Means to Be a New Yorker(00:58:05) - All Day NYC

In Episode 292 of The Chazz Palminteri Show, I speak with FDNY firefighter Paul Whalen about his firsthand experience responding to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Paul was working out of Ladder 109 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and had switched tours with another firefighter that morning. He describes responding toward Manhattan, traveling through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel as it filled with dust, helping civilians, and eventually making his way toward Ground Zero. Paul also shares the terrifying story of becoming separated from his company during the collapse and being placed on a missing list while his friends and family feared the worst. The conversation continues into the long-term health effects Paul experienced after 9/11, his early retirement from the FDNY, the Victims Compensation Fund, and his efforts to protect benefits for 9/11 responders and their families. This is an important conversation about courage, sacrifice, brotherhood, service, and remembering September 11th.

This is the All Local afternoon update for Saturday, August 29, 2026.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comRoss is a journalist and novelist. He's the editor-in-chief of The Metropolitan Review, and a columnist for the Nation and UnHerd. He's the author of six books, including his new novel, Colossus. A new non-fiction book, about the rise of Zohran Mamdani, is coming soon. Find much more of his writing on his substack, “Political Currents.”For two clips of the episode — on whether the DSA is truly dangerous, and the US elites' obsession with Israel — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up Jewish in diverse Bay Ridge, BK; parents both federal workers; his dad working at the WTC on 9/11; Ross' cynicism over Obama's rise; coming of age in the Great Recession; the DNC screwing over Bernie in ‘16; Ross running for the state senate with Mamdani as his manager; identifying as “left-populist, woke-skeptical”; engaging and persuading ideological rivals; universal health care; questioning Covid policies; US aid to Israel; the horrors of Oct 7; the war in Gaza and the civilian toll; no pro-Palestine speakers at the ‘24 Dem convention; the decentralized DSA; calls to abolish prisons and the Senate; Jon Chait; AOC's move to the center; border security; Trump's norm-busting; Buckley and the Birchers; trans athletes; the + in LGBTQ+; corporations ditching DEI; the Arday scandal; The Odyssey; Jon Ossoff; the surprising surge of El-Sayed; and debating whether wokeness is dead.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: John O'Sullivan on conservatism, Emily Eakin on postmodernism, Azam Ahmed on terrifying new drugs, and Arianna Huffington on anything but politics. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Carolina Quinones joins the podcast to share the story of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, which set out to combat chronic absenteeism by addressing a lack of laundry resources for students in New York City. When faced with a massive $150,000 structural roadblock to install washing machines at her school, Carolina refused to give up on her passion for the community. Instead, she pivoted her project to raise funds and research cost-effective alternatives, ultimately creating 74 comprehensive laundry care packages for students living in temporary housing. Packed with essentials like laundry sheets, dryer balls, and fabric refresher spray, her project directly supported local families while raising awareness about the unseen connection between clean clothes and school attendance. More from Carolina: My name is Carolina Quinones. I am 18 years old, and a Senior at Fontbonne Hall Academy, a small, all girls Catholic high school in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. I am also a Girl Scout and have been since kindergarten. Girl Scouts has given me the opportunity to participate in so many rewarding programs, such as the Journey for Justice destination. I am also a recipient of the Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Gold Award. For my Girl Scout Silver Award project in 9th grade; I worked to create a small library for students at my former middle school. I most recently earned my Girl Scout Gold Award. My project combated chronic absenteeism rooted in a lack of access to laundry resources. I am also chairperson of my school's DEI club and president/founder of Speech and Debate Club. I am pursuing my passion for advocacy as a political science major in Canada with the hopes of one day being elected into a position which will allow me to enact change on a greater scale and help more people.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration released and proudly promoted an official “New York City Immigrant Enclaves” map as part of a Neighborhood Passport tourism initiative. The colorful graphic highlights thirty neighborhoods representing the city's “thriving international communities,” proudly labeling places such as “Little Palestine” in Bay Ridge, “Little Egypt” in Astoria, “Little Pakistan,” and multiple Chinatowns. Yet it conspicuously erases iconic Jewish neighborhoods, omits Little Italy, skips Irish enclaves, and ignores other historic communities that helped build New York.This isn't just a tourism map, it's a clear warning of Mamdani's vision for the city. Critics rightly see it as a deliberate rewriting of New York's immigrant story, elevating certain groups while airbrushing Jews and others out. Mamdani isn't hiding anything. This reflects the path already seen in Paris, London, Malmö, and other European cities: parallel societies, no-go zones, Sharia patrols, and surging antisemitism.From France's banlieues plagued by crime and Islamist influence, to Sweden's troubled districts and London's Tower Hamlets with reported Sharia zones, the pattern is unmistakable. The red-green alliance, progressive leftism and jihadi Islam is advancing openly in America's greatest city.Jewish organizations that once prioritized universalist goodwill over Jewish survival are now facing the consequences. New York Jews and all freedom-loving New Yorkers must wake up before it's too late. Until Western nations summon the courage to deport jihadis and reject Sharia supremacy, these cities will continue to decline.The future for the Jewish people is bright, in Israel. Aliyah is not fleeing in fear, but returning home to build and live freely as Jews in our ancestral homeland.Mamdani's map is not destiny. It is a warning. The choice is ours.Join Our Whatsapp Channel: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GkavRznXy731nxxRyptCMvFollow us on Twitter: https://x.com/AviAbelowJoin our Telegram Channel: https://t.me/aviabelowpulseFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pulse_of_israel/?hl=enPulse of Israel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelVideoNetworkVisit Our Website - https://pulseofisrael.com/Donate to Pulse of Israel: https://pulseofisrael.com/boost-this-video/

A 36-year-old bartender came home from her overnight shift in Brooklyn, and within hours her teenage son and her sister found her dead on the floor with her neck cut.SOURCES, LINKS, AND PRINT VERSION: https://weirddarkness.com/santos-floresLook for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://pod.link/1078714736*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

Craig Carton, Big Mac, and Gallo address mathematical errors regarding gambling odds and payouts for tonight's game. They also take a listener call about the best pizza in Bay Ridge before analyzing the Knicks' mindset entering the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. 01:04 - Correcting Gambling Odds Errors 06:12 - Pizza And Knicks In Five 10:33 - Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Analysis

For the latest Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper, we welcomed on the creator/owner of the M Center at Green Spa, Mary Elizabeth Micari. She sat down to share this amazing new practice as well as the opportunities it affords to the artists community. So be sure that you hit play and schedule your appointment today!The M Center at Green Spalocated in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn8804 3rd AveMore information as available at mcenteracupunctureandwellness.comAnd be sure to follow Mary to stay up to date on all her upcoming projects and productions: mcenteracupunctureandwellness.commaryelizabethmicari@gmail.comrev-mary.com

Steve Schirripa's Dog Went More Viral Than Him…

Reverend Juan Carlos Ruiz, a pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Bay Ridge, discusses the political divide over how Christian congregations are using scripture to guide their approach to immigration policy.Photo: St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 14 July 2012. Credit: MrBrittonJ via Wikimedia Commons.

In this episode, Kelly is joined by James "Murr" Murray From the hit TV show "Impractical Jokers"! He is also an executive TV and Film producer as the President of Impractical productions. He is a best selling author of 9 published titles and tours the world telling jokes to sold out arenas. Kelly starts off the show by asking Murr where he was born and what it was like growing up on Staten Island. Murr talks about coming back home after late nights in the city and funny stories on the Staten Island Rapid Transit. He talks about moving to Bay Ridge and going to Catholic school where he met his best friends.  Murr then talks about how the show "Impractical Jokers" started. He tells Kelly about his initial pitch for the show and how the company loved it. Kelly talks about the stats from the start of the show and how well it captured audiences all over America.  Murr talks about filming the show in the city and how quickly he and his group shot up through the comedy space. He tells the story of performing at his sold out show at Madison Square Garden. Kelly asks Murr about a few of the punishments and improv skits that he has done on the show. Murr goes behind the scenes and talks about "The greatest Punishemnt Ever" That he has orchestrated on the show. He talks about how it was 5 years in the making, and all of the work and preperation that he had to do in order to pull it off. Murr also talks about some of his other favorite skits from the show. Kelly talks about some of the other aspects of the show. They talk about filming during covid, how they go about getting people to go along with their antics, and if they have ever broken character or said that they werent going to do something.  Finally Kelly asks Murr some quick fire questions about New York, and Murr gives us a subway take, his favorite pizza, and his 5:30am bodega order. But above all else; James "Murr" Murray is a New Yorker. Kelly Kopp's Social Media:@NewYorkCityKopp Murr's Social Media: @TheRealMurr Jae's Social Media @Studiojae170 Get Your Tickets to his show at "Murrlive.com"! Chapters (00:00:00) - James Murray on New Yorkers(00:02:58) - How I Broke My Lease In Jersey(00:03:36) - How Much Time Did COVID Take Off From 'Jokers'(00:04:02) - Jay on His Secret Life(00:06:59) - Joker on His Own Show(00:09:13) - How to get from Staten Island to Jersey(00:12:43) - Members of Pacific Southern Train Club Collectible Box Cars(00:14:30) - The Cast of Impractical Jokers on Success(00:17:45) - Impractical Jokers on The Impossible Pranksters(00:20:21) - The Greatest Punishment Of All Time(00:24:05) - Punishment For The Thief(00:25:37) - Rob Riggles On His Nude Challenge(00:29:01) - The Impractical Jokers on the Weather(00:31:30) - The Final Days of Impractical Jokers Live(00:33:42) - Throw a Full Glass of Water On My Grandmother's Face(00:36:15) - Jokers: How To Get A Job(00:39:10) - Darren Brown: The Power of Belief(00:42:33) - Spider Man Free-Climbed On A Train(00:45:03) - DMV Driver's License Photo(00:45:48) - 10 Questions For NYC People(00:46:55) - What It Means to Be a New Yorker(00:48:13) - The New Yorkers: Thank You!

In this episode of Gangland Wire, Gary Jenkins sits down with author Craig McGuire to discuss his gripping book, Empire City Under Siege, a deep dive into three decades of FBI manhunts, mob wars, and organized-crime investigations in New York City. Craig explains how the project grew out of his collaboration with retired FBI agent Anthony John Nelson, whose career spanned the most violent and chaotic years of New York's Mafia history. From Nelson's early days as a radio dispatcher in 1969 to his transition into undercover and frontline investigative work, the book captures the gritty reality of law enforcement during the 1970s and 1980s. We explore how Nelson's career mirrored the evolution of organized crime and law-enforcement tactics, including the rise of undercover stings, inter-agency cooperation, and the increasing role of technology. Craig highlights the close working relationship between Nelson and NYPD detective Kenny McCabe, whose deep knowledge of Mafia families and quiet professionalism led to major breakthroughs against organized crime. He tells how these two investigators wathced and uncovered the Gambino Family Roy DeMeo crew under Paul Castellano and Nino Gaggi. Throughout the conversation, Craig shares vivid, often humorous slice-of-life stories from the book—tense undercover moments, dangerous confrontations, and the emotional toll of living a double life. These anecdotes reveal not only the danger of the job but also the camaraderie and resilience that sustained agents and detectives working in the shadows. The episode closes with a reminder that Empire City Under Siege is as much about honoring unsung law-enforcement professionals as it is about mob history. Craig encourages listeners to support true-crime storytelling that preserves these firsthand accounts before they're lost to time. Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. 0:02 Welcome Back to Gangland Wire 2:14 The Journey to Anthony John Nelson 4:46 The Life and Work of Law Enforcement 15:00 Inside Anthony Nelson’s Early Career 26:49 The Dynamic Duo: Nelson and McCabe 30:16 Tales from the Underworld 35:55 The Tragedy of Everett Hatcher 39:12 The High-Stakes World of Undercover Work 40:56 Closing Thoughts and Inspirations transcript [0:00] Hey, all you wiretappers. Good to be back here in studio of Gangland Wire. I say the same thing every time. I hope it doesn’t bore you too much, but I am back here in the Gangland Wire studio. And I have today an author who interviewed and wrote a book with an FBI agent named Anthony John Nelson, who was one of the premier FBI agents in New York City that was working the mob. And even more interesting about him to me was he formed a partnership with a local copper named Kenny McCabe, who you may know the name. I had read the name before several times as I started researching this and looking at the book, but he was a mob buster supreme and Agent Nelson really formed a dynamic duo. But first, let’s start talking to Craig, your book, Empire City Under Seize, Three Decades of New York FBI Field Office Manhunts, Murders and Mafia Wars. How did you get involved with Anthony John Nelson? [0:55] Hi, Gary. Thanks for having me on your show. Big fan. Appreciate the opportunity. Very interesting and winding path that led me to Anthony’s doorstep. I also previously wrote another book, Carmine and the 13th Avenue Boys, which was about an enforcer in the Colombo family during the Third Colombo War. And I was introduced to Carmine Imbriali through Thomas Dades. Tommy Dades, he’s a famous retired NYPD detective. So after the success of that book, Tommy introduced me to another member of law enforcement. I started to work on a project that sort of fell apart. And one of the sort of consultants, friends that I met with during that was Anthony Nelson. And then one day as that, due to my own fumbling, as that project was falling apart, I had a delightful breakfast with Anthony and his wonderful wife, Sydney, Cindy, one Sunday morning. And Anthony’s pulling out all these clips of all these investigations and all these Jerry Capiche gangland clips. And it was just fascinating. And so I started to realize that there’s something here because I’m also a true crime fan and I remember many of these cases. [2:08] So it took a while to get Anthony to agree to write a book. He’s not one for the spotlight. He’s really your sort of quintessential G-man, modern G-man. It’s also somewhat of a throwback. But he eventually was interested in doing a book if we didn’t just shine the spotlight on him. Gary, you should know the original, the working title of the book was In the Company of Courage. And that’s really the theme that Anthony wanted to bring forth. You’ll notice throughout the book, there are some vignettes and some biographical information about many of the members of law enforcement that I interviewed, but then we also covered and who are no longer with us. It was my privilege to write this book sharing Anthony’s amazing history, 30 years at the FBI and then several years at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office as an investigator. And just like one of the themes is just to really shed some light on the valuable work that members of law enforcement, including you, sir. Thank you for your service. And we think too often these days, members of law enforcement are maligned and there’s a negative light cast on them. It’s the most difficult job in the world. And we just want to make sure that we’re shining some light on that valuable work that the thousands of members of men and women in law enforcement do every day protecting us. [3:24] I appreciate that. I’ll tell you what, all the way from the rookie on the street making those domestic violence calls and party armed calls and armed robbery alarms calls that are, there’s nothing there the first five times you go. And then all of a sudden there’s a guy running out with a gun all the way up to the homicide detectives. And even the people that handle the budget, they all paid their dues out on the streets and organized crime investigators, of course, and narcotics. I really appreciate that. It’s a thankless job for the most part. Once in a while, you get a little thanks, but not much. As we used to say, it was fun. I can’t believe they pay us to do this. [4:01] Gary, it’s like you’re repeating some of the lines of Frank Pergola to Al King, just like that. And that’s key, that thankless piece. I remember interviewing Frank Pergola, just famous New York City detective, worked on Son of Sam. He also worked on solving 79 homicides related to the Gambinos and the DeMeo family. And he echoed those same sentiments. While you’re investigating a case, it’s the victims’ families and the victims, their nerves are so fraught. It’s such a stressful situation. And the members of law enforcement bear the brunt of a lot of that frustration. [4:41] And too often, there’s no thank you at the end. And it’s not that they want to thank you. It’s just that they want the sort of closure, not even the recognition, just some sort of realization that they did a great job. And it’s unfortunate that they don’t, that doesn’t happen as often as it should. I appreciate it. Let’s talk about Anthony Nelson. He sounds like a very interesting character. Talk a little bit about what you learned from him about his early career. And I want to tell you something, that recalcitrance, I believe that’s the word, $25 word if I’ve ever heard one. His refusal to really make himself a hero or the center of attention. That’s pretty common among cops and FBI agents. I’ve noticed we’ve got, I’ve got a good friend here in Kansas City, wrote a book about the mafia in Kansas City called Mopsers in Our Mist, but he refused to put himself into the book. He had a publishing company that wanted him to do it and was going to pay him to do it, but it had to have him as a hero. He said, we have to have a hero in this book. He says, I won’t do it. So that Mr. Nelson, Agent Nelson, that’s not that uncommon. So tell us a little more about some of his early cases. [5:49] Anthony Nelson, interestingly enough, his career trajectory and really his life tracks with the latter half of the last century. And a lot of the technological evolution, the rise of organized crime post-prohibition, these themes of urbanization, radicalization that came out from the starting in the middle of the century. But really heating up as a young Anthony Nelson joins the FBI in 1969, really mostly in administrative roles, radio dispatcher first, eventually he’s an electronics technician. So I’m sure, Gary, you can reflect on, and some of this will resonate with you, just how archaic some of the technology was. Oh my God, yeah. Yeah. Back then, we have some fantastic anecdotes and stories in the book, but just also like, for example, when you’re responding to a hostage crisis and you don’t have a cell phone, you don’t have minimal communications and talking about, you better make sure you have a pocket full of dimes and knocking on a neighbor’s door because time is of the essence and to establish contact. So just some of this great, really interesting material there. Eventually, Anthony was sworn in as an agent in 1976, and he entered the FBI Academy at Quantico, graduated in 77. [7:13] And interestingly enough, Anthony reflects like some of his fellow graduates, perhaps were not as keen on going to New York, one of the larger field offices, perhaps wanting to cut their teeth at a smaller office, but he obviously wanted to go home. So he was, and he jumped right into the fray, really assigned to hijacking. And he was an undercover operative in Red Hook during the 1970s, like the really gritty. And from the stories and from the various folks I interviewed, this really was gritty New York back then with the economy failing, crime on the rise. [7:48] Gary, you look, I heard an interesting stat last week where you had, there was almost a record setting that New York City had not reported a homicide for a record 12 consecutive days. And that had not happened in decades. So when Anthony joined the FBI, they were recording five homicides in New York City. And also during the 70s, you also had this, when you talk about radicalization, with 3,000 bombings nationwide, corruption was rampant. You had credit card fraud was just kicking off. You had widespread bread or auto theft and hijacking. Again, at the street level, Anthony was the front for a Gambino-affiliated warehouse where he had first right of refusal, where some of the hijackers would bring in the loads. And he was doing this on an undercover basis. So he jumped right in. They set him up in a warehouse and he was buying like a sting, what we called a sting operation. He was buying stolen property. They thought he was a fence. [8:50] Yeah, they started doing that in the 70s. They hadn’t really done, nobody had done that before in the 70s. ATF kind of started sting operates throughout the United States. We had one here, but they started doing that. And that was a new thing that these guys hadn’t seen before. So interesting. He was that big, blurly guy up front said, hey, yeah, bring that stuff on. Exactly. If you look on the cover, there are three images on the cover, and one of them is following one of the busts afterwards where they tracked down the hijacked goods. I believe it was in New Jersey. So you could get the sense of the volume. Now, think about it like this. So he’s in Red Hook in the mid-70s. This was actually where he was born. So when Anthony was born in 49, and if you think about Red Hook in the early 50s, this was just a decade removed from Al Capone as a leg-breaking bouncer along the saloons on the waterfront. And this was on the waterfront, Red Hook eventually moved to Park Slope. [9:49] And this was where Crazy Joe Gallo was prompted, started a mob war. And this was when any anthony is coming of age back then and most of his friends is gravitating so to these gangster types in the neighborhood these wise guys but this was a time pre-9-1-1 emergency response system so the only way to report or get help was to call the switchboard call the hospital directly call the fire department directly so you had the rise of the b cop where it wasn’t just the police they were integral part of the community and there’s this really provocative story Anthony tells the first time he saw a death up close and personal, an acquaintance of his had an overdose. And the beat cops really did a sincere effort to try to save him. And this really resonated with the young Anthony and he gravitated towards law enforcement. And then a little bit, a while later as a teenager, they’re having these promotional videos, these promotional sort of documentary style shows on television. And Anthony sees it, and he’s enamored by it, especially when they say this is the hardest job in America. So he’s challenged, and he’s a go-getter. So he writes a letter to J. Edgar Hoover, and Hoover writes him back. [11:03] So it’s a signed letter, and now Anthony laughs about it. He says it was probably a form letter with a rubber stamp, but it really had an amazing impact. And this is at the time when, you know, in the 50s, you really had J. Edgar really embrace the media. And he actually consulted on the other famous, the FBI television show, several movies, the rise of the G-Man archetype. So Anthony was fully on board. [11:28] Interesting. Of course, J. Edgar Hoover wanted to make sure the FBI looked good. Yes, exactly. Which he did. And they were good. They had a really high standards to get in. They had to be a lawyer or accountant or some extra educated kind of a deal. And so they always think, though, that they took these guys who had never been even a street policeman of any kind and they throw them right into the DPN many times. But that’s the way it was. They did have that higher level of recruit because of that. So, Anthony, was he a lawyer or accountant when he came in? Did he get in after they relaxed that? Oh, that’s spot on. I’m glad you brought that up. So now here’s a challenge. So Anthony needs that equalizer, correct? So if you’re a CPA, obviously a former member of the military, if you’re a successful detective or a local police force, one of these type of extra credentials. [12:20] Anthony’s specialty was technology. Now, when you think of technology… Not the ubiquitous nature of technology nowadays, where you have this massive processing power in your phone, and you don’t really have to be a technologist to be able to use the power of it. This is back in the 1960s. But he always had an affinity for technology. And he was able to, when he, one of the other requirements was as he had to hit the minimum age requirement, he had to work for a certain amount of time, he was able to get a job at the FBI. So he was an electronics technician before he became an agent. [12:59] And he had all of the, and back then this was, it was groundbreaking, the level of technology. And he has some funny story, odd, like man on the street stories about, I’m sure you remember Radio Shack when there was a Radio Shack on every other corner, ham radio enthusiasts. And it was cat and mouse. It was, they had the members of organized crime had the police scanners. And they were able to, if they had the right scanner, they had the right frequency. They were able to pick on the bugs planted really close to them. And he tells some really funny stories about one time there was a member of organized crime. They’re staking out, I believe it was the cotillion on 18th Avenue. And then I believe he’s sitting outside with Kenny McCabe. And then one of this member of organized crime, he’s waving a scanner inside and he’s taunting them saying, look, I know what you’re doing. And so it was that granularity of cat and mouse. [13:55] Rudimentary kind of stuff. Yeah. We had a guy that was wearing what we called a kelk kit. It was a wire and he was in this joint and they had the scanner and so but they had to scan her next door at this club And all of a sudden, a bunch of guys came running and there’s somebody in here wearing a wire. And my friend’s guy, the guy I worked with, Bobby, he’s going, oh, shit. And so he just fades into the background. And everybody except one guy had a suit on. Nobody had a suit on except this one guy. So they focused on this one guy that had a suit on and went after him and started trying to pat him down and everything. Bobby just slipped out the front door. So amazing. I mean, you know, Anthony has a bunch of those slice of life stories. I also interviewed a translator from the FBI to get a sort of a different perspective. [14:42] It’s different. Like the agents a little bit more, they’re tougher. They’re a tougher breed. They go through the training. Some of the administrative professionals, like the translators. So this one translator, it’s a pretty harrowing experience because remember the such the insular nature of the neighborhoods and how everyone is always [14:59] looking for someone out of place. So she actually got a real estate license and poses a realtor be able to rent apartments and then she spoke multiple dialects and then just to have to listen in and to decipher not only the code but also the dialects and put it together when you have agents on the line because remember you have an undercover agent if they get discovered more often than not the members of organized crime are going to think they’re members of another crew so you’re dead either they’re an informant if they think they’re an informant you’re dead if they think you’re an agent yeah just turn away from you say okay we don’t deal with this guy anymore if you think you’re informant or somebody another crew or something trying to worm their way in then yeah you’re dead exactly so interviewing maria for this you get that sense from someone who’s not in like not an agent to get true how truly harrowing and dangerous this type of activity was and how emboldened organized crime was until really the late 90s. And back then, it truly was death defying. [16:02] Oh, yeah, it was. They had so many things wired in the court system and in politically in the late 70s and early 80s and all these big cities. No big city was immune from that kind of thing. So they had all kinds of sources. They even had some clerks in the FBI and they definitely had all the court. The courthouses were just wired. And I don’t mean wired, but they had people in places and all those things. So it was death to find that you got into these working undercover. Ever. Hey, you want to laugh? I don’t want to give away all the stories, but there was a great story. I remember Anthony saying, they set up a surveillance post in an apartment and they brought in all the equipment while they were, then they got the court orders and the surveillance post actually got ripped off twice. So while they try, like after hours, someone’s going, yeah, ripping off all the FBI equipment. So you have this extra level of, so that gives you like, It really was Wild West then. Really? [17:00] So now he gets into organized crime pretty quick, into that squad and working organized crime pretty quick. I imagine they put him in undercover like that because of his accent, his ability to fit in the neighborhood. I would think he would have a little bit of trouble maybe running into somebody that remembered him from the old days. Did he have any problem with that? I spot on, Gary. I tell you, this was he. So he’s operating in Red Hook and actually throughout the next several years, he’s periodically flying down to Florida as a front for New York orchestrated drug deals. So he’s going down to Florida to negotiate multi-kilo drug deals on behalf of organized crime. But at the same time, he’s an agent. He eventually rose to be supervisory special agent. He’s managing multiple squads. So there did come an inflection point where it became too dangerous for him to continue to operate as an undercover while conducting other types of investigations. [18:02] Interestingly enough they opened up a resident agency office the ras are in the major field offices in the fbi they have these they’re called ras i’m sure you’re familiar these like mini offices with the office and they’ll focus on certain areas of crime more geographically based so they opened up the brooklyn queens ra and that really focuses heavily on organized crime but also hijacking because you had the, especially with the airport over there and a lot of the concentrations of, especially in South Brooklyn, going into Queens. So he worked there. Also the airport. Also the mass, you have this massive network of VA facilities. You have the forts. So you need these other RA offices. So you have a base of operations to be able to investigate. But Anthony has such a wide extent of case history, everything from airline attacks to art theft heists to kidnappings, manhunts, fugitives. There was Calvin Klein, the famous designer, when his daughter was kidnapped by the babysitter, it did do it. Anthony was investigating that. So it’s just, and while he has this heavy concentration in organized crime. I mentioned that. What’s this deal with? He investigated a robbery, a bank robbery that was a little bit like the dog day afternoon robbery, a standoff. What was that? [19:30] This was actually, it was the dog day afternoon robbery. They based a dog day afternoon on this. Exactly. What you had, and this was before Anthony was when he was still in his administrative role. So he had a communications position. So he was responsible for gathering all the intel and the communications and sharing it with the case, the special agents on site. So what you had was like, he’s with the play by play of this really provocative hostage. It was a bank robbery that quickly turned into a hostage crisis. And then, so throughout this whole, and the way it eventually resolved was the perpetrators insisted on a particular agent. I apologize. It slips my mind, but he’s a real famous agent. So he has to drive them to JFK airport where they’re supposed to have a flight ready to fly them out of the country. And what happens is they secrete a gun into the car and he winds up shooting the bank robbers to death. And there were so many different layers to this bank robbery. It eventually became the movie. And a funny story aside, the movie, while they’re filming the movie, Anthony’s at his friend’s house in downtown Brooklyn. It may have been Park Slope. And they’re calling for extras. His friends run in and say, hey, they’re filming a movie about this bank robbery that happened on Avenue U. You want to be an extra? And he said, nah, no thanks. The real thing was enough for me. [20:55] I’ll tell you what, it wasn’t for a New York City organized crime and New York City crime. Al Pacino wouldn’t have had a career. That’s the truth. [21:05] Now, let’s start. Let’s go back into organized crime. Now, we’ve talked about this detective, Kenny McCabe, who was really well known, was famous. And during the time they worked together and they were working with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Is that correct? Were both of them working for it? Was he at the FBI and Kenny was with the Brooklyn DA’s office? [21:26] When you think about thematically, in the company of courage, Kenny McCabe was really close. This was a career-long, lifelong, from when they met, relationship, professional relationship that became a deep friendship between two pretty similar members of law enforcement. [21:46] Kenny McCabe had a long career in the NYPD as organized crime investigator before he joined the Southern District Attorney’s Office as an investigator. So the way they first crossed paths was while Anthony was working a hijacking investigation. So he gets a tip from one of his CIs that there’s some hijacked stolen goods are in a vehicle parked in a certain location. So he goes to stake it out. Like they don’t want to seize the goods. They want to find out, they want to uncover who the hijackers are and investigate the conspiracy. So then while he’s there, he sees a sort of a familiar face staking it out as well. Then he goes to the, he goes to the NYA, a detective Nev Nevins later. And he asks about this guy. And so this detective introduces him to Kenny McCabe and right away strike up with his interesting chemistry. And they’re like, you know what? Let’s jointly investigate this. So they wind up foiling the hijacking. But what starts is like this amazing friendship. And I’ll tell you, the interesting thing about Kenny McCabe is almost universally, he’s held in the highest regard as perhaps law enforcement’s greatest weapon in dismantling organized crime in the latter half of the 20th century. For example, I interviewed George Terra, famous undercover detective who eventually went to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. [23:12] And he had a great way. I hope I don’t mangle. Kenny knew all the wise guys and they all knew Kenny. And when I say he knew all the wise guys, he knew their shoe sizes. He knew who they partnered with on bank jobs years ago. So he knew who their siblings were, who their cousins were, who they were married to, who their girlfriends were, what clubs they frequented. For example, during the fatical hearings, where they would do sentencing, often the defense attorneys would want the prosecutors to reveal who their CIs are for due process, for a sense of fairness. And they refused to do that, obviously, for safety reasons, and they want to compromise ongoing investigations. So in dozens, perhaps so many of these cases, they were bringing Kenny McCabe. He was known as the unofficial photographer of organized crime. [24:07] For example, I think it was 2003, he was the first one who revealed a new edict that new initiates into Cosa Nostra had to have both a mother and a father who were Italian. Oh, yeah. I remember that. Yeah. He was also, he revealed that when the Bonanno family renamed itself as Messino, he was the one who revealed that. And then when Messino went to prison for murder, his successor, Vinnie Bassiano, Vinnie gorgeous. When he was on trial, that trial was postponed because so many of law enforcement leaders had to attend Kenny McCabe’s funeral, unfortunately, when he passed. So this is such a fascinating thing. Now, why you don’t hear more about Kenny McCabe, and I interviewed his son, Kenny McCabe Jr. Duke, is like Kenny McCabe like really issued the media spotlight. He would not, he wasn’t interested in grabbing the microphone. So you have almost no media on Kenny McCabe. If you do a Google search for him, I believe the only thing I ever found was a picture in his uniform as an early career police officer. [25:19] So it’s really hard to even do a documentary style treatment without having any media because B-roll is just going to get you so far. So really what Duke has been doing over the last two decades or more is really consolidating all of these as much material as he can. And I think eventually when he does put out a book, this thing’s going to explode. It’s going to be like true Hollywood treatment. But now going back to the mid-70s, so these two guys hook up. You have the FBI agent and you have the police detective. [25:49] Craig, what you always hear is that the FBI is suspicious and doesn’t trust local authorities. And local policemen hate the FBI because they always grab all the glory and take everything, run with it. And they’re left out. And I didn’t have that experience myself. They’ve got the case. They’ve got the laws. We don’t locally, county and statewide, you don’t have the proper laws to investigate organized crime. Yes, sir. But the feds do. So that’s how it works. This really blows that myth up that the local police and the FBI never worked together and hated each other. [26:25] I’m so glad you brought that up because this was very important to Anthony. He has so many lifelong friends in the NYPD, and I’ve interviewed several of them. And just this sincerity comes across, the camaraderie. In any walk of life, in any profession, you’re always going to have rivalries and conflict, whether healthy conflict or negative conflict. [26:46] Even more, you’re going to find that in law enforcement because the stakes are so high. But it’s a disservice to… And what we want to do is sort of dispel the myth that there was no cooperation. Why there were very well-publicized conflicts between agencies prosecuting certain cases. This was the time where technology was really enabling collaboration. Remember, and you had a time, if you had to investigate a serial crime, you had to go from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and you had to interview investigators. You had to comb through written records to piece this together. So it really was not conducive for collaboration. [27:22] So what you saw was the rise of, and then you had these investigative tools and these legal tools like RICO, while they were still trying to figure out and to build. So now you had the litigious tools where you could build conspiracies and prosecute them. So this sort of helped ferment this sort of collaborative interagency, which eventually led to these joint task force that were very successful. What I really love is this microcosm of Anthony Nelson and Kenny McCain. Now, Anthony Nelson was issued a Plymouth Grand Fury with the full police interceptor kit. If you’re familiar with that make and model, no automobile ever created screams cop-mobile like the Grand Fury. And so what you had was after hours, Anthony and Kenny would join up and they would go prowling the underworld with the Grand Fury on purpose. They wanted to be as conspicuous as possible. to the point where they would park in bus stops across the street from these social clubs. And when I say social clubs, they were… [28:29] Everywhere. There were dozens of them all over Brooklyn and Queens. And these are cafe, social clubs, bars, restaurants with heavy OC presence, blatantly conducting their business. So you have these two, Anthony’s always driving. Kenny’s always riding shotgun with his camera. I assume it was some sort of 35 millimeter hanging out the side, taking down names, license plates. Just a great story. You had Paul Castellano in front of Veterans and Friends on 86th Street when he had Dominic Montiglio start that social club so he could have more of a presence in Brooklyn on the street so that he actually crosses the street and he goes to Kenny and Anthony. And he’s saying, guys, you don’t have to sit out here. You could come down to Ponte Vecchio in Bay Ridge. I have a table there anytime you want to talk to me. So it’s that level of bravado. But pretty soon it changed. Once more of this intel started to build these real meaningful cases, Castellana put an edict, don’t talk to these two, don’t be photographed. What came out of that was an amazing partnership where they gathered so much intelligence and Anthony is very. [29:46] Quick to have me point out, give more credit to the investigators, to the agents, to the detectives. They gathered a lot of the intelligence to help with these investigations, but you had so many frontline folks that are doing a lot of the legwork, that are doing the investigations, making the arrests, that are crawling under the hoods. So it’s pretty inspiring. But then you also had some really good, and I don’t want to share all the stories [30:12] in the book. There’s a great story of Kenny and Anthony. They go into Rosal’s restaurant because they see this. [30:21] There may have been a warrant out on this member of law enforcement. So they had cause. So they go in and there’s actually some sort of family event going on. And they’re playing the theme song of The Godfather. As they go in and then they have to go into the back room to get this member of organized crime who’s hiding. So it’s these kind of really slice of life kind of stories that just jump out, jump out of the book. Really? I see, as I mentioned, they had some kind of a run-in with Roy DeMeo at the Gemini. You remember that story? Can you tell that one? Yeah, there’s, so Kenny and Anthony, throughout the hijacking investigations. [30:59] Were, they were among the first to really learn of this mysterious Roy. And his rise. And then also Nino. Remember Nino Gadgi was the Gambino Capo who took over Castellano’s crew, Brooklyn crew, when he was elevated. And then Roy DeMeo was really this larger than life maniac serial killer who formed the Gemini crew, which was a gang of murderers really on the Gemini Lounge in Flatlands, which is really close to Anthony’s house. And Kenny’s not too far. Didn’t they have a big stolen car operation also? Did they get into that at all? Yes. Stolen cars, chop shops. Remember, this is when you had the introduction of the tag job, where it was relatively easy to take the vehicle identification numbers off a junked auto and then just replace them with the stolen auto, and then you’re automatically making that legitimate. And then, so they’re doing this wholesale operation where they’re actually got to the point where they’re shipping hundreds, if not thousands of these tag jobs overseas. So it was at scale, a massive operation. Roy DeMay was a major earner. He was such an unbalanced, very savvy business for the underworld, business professional, but he was also a homicidal maniac. [32:22] Some say they could be upwards of a hundred to 200 crimes. Frank Pergola alone investigated and So 79 of these crimes associated with this crew. And it got to the point where, and he had a heavy sideline in drugs, which was punishable by death in the Gambino family, especially under Castellano. So then what you had was all these investigations and all this intelligence that, and then with this collaboration between the FBI and NYPD. Oh, wow. It is quite a crew. I’m just looking back over here at some of the other things in there in that crew in that. You had one instance where there was a sentencing hearing and of a drug dealer, I believe, a member of organized crime. And Kenny McCabe is offering testimony to make sure that the proper sentencing is given because a lot of times these guys are deceptive. [33:16] And he mentions DeMeo’s name. So DeMeo in a panic. So then maybe a couple of nights later, they’re parked in front of veterans and friends. And DeMeo comes racing across 86th Street. Now, 86th Street is like a four-lane thoroughfare. It’s almost like, oh, I grew up in the air a few blocks away. So he’s running through traffic. And then he’s weaving in and out. And he’s screaming at Kenny McCabe, what are you trying to kill me? Putting my name into a drug case? They’re going to kill me. And so it’s that kind of intimate exchanges that they have with, with these key members of organized crime of the era. [33:52] Wow. That’s, that’s crazy. I see that they worked to murder that DEA agent, Everett Hatcher, that was a low level mob associate that got involved in that. And then supposedly the mob put out the word, but you gotta, we gotta give this guy up. But you remember that story? Now, this is another instance where I remember this case. And I remember afterwards when they killed Gus Faraci. So what you had was, again, and this is very upsetting because you had DEA agent Everett Hatchard, who is a friend of Anthony’s. To the point where just prior to his assassination, they were attending a social event together with their children. And he would also, they would run into each other from time to time. They developed a really beyond like camaraderie, like real friendship. So then, so Hatcher has, there’s an undercover sting. So there’s Gus Faraci, who’s, I believe he was associated with the Lucchese’s, with Chile. [34:55] So he gets set up on the West Shore. And so he’s told to go to the West Shore Expressway. Now, if you’ve ever been on that end of Staten Island, that whips out heading towards the outer bridge. This really is the end of the earth. This is where you have those large industrial like water and oil tankers and there’s not really good lighting and all this. It’s just like a real gritty. So he loses his surveillance tail and they eventually, he’s gunned down while in his vehicle. So then Anthony gets the call to respond on site to investigate the murder. He doesn’t know exactly who it is until he opens up the door and he sees it’s his friend. And this is the first assassination of a DEA agent. It was just such a provocative case. And the aftermath of that was, again, like Gus Faraci, who was, he was a murderer. He was a drug dealer, but he did not know. He set him up. He thought he was a member of organized crime. [35:53] He was just another drug dealer. He did not realize he was a DEA agent. And then all hell broke loose. And you had just the all five families until they eventually produced Gus Faraci, set him up, and then he was gunned down in Brooklyn. [36:06] Case closed, huh? Exactly. Yeah. And as we were saying before, I don’t remember it was before I started recording or after that. When you’re working undercover, that’s the worst thing is they think that you’re an informant or a member of another crew and you’re liable to get killed. At one say, I had a sergeant one time. He said, if you get under suspicion when you’re like hanging out in some of these bars and stuff, just show them you’re the cops. Just get your badge out right away because everything just, all right, they just walk away then. It’s a immensely dangerous thing to maintain your cover. Yes, sir. Anthony was always good at that because tall gentleman has the right sort of Italian-American complexion. He’s passable at Italian. So with some of these folks, especially from Italy that come over, he could carry a conversation. He’s not fluent. [36:56] And he just walks in and talks in. It’s a different… George Terror was a fantastic undercover detective. And you talk to some of these undercovers, it’s like you have to be… There’s sort of this misperception that the organized crime members are like these thugs and flunkies. These are very intelligent, super suspicious, addled individuals that are able to pick up on signals really easy because they live on the edge. So you really can’t fake it, the slightest thing. And again, they’ll think that their first inclination is not that you’re a member of law enforcement. Their first inclination is that you’re a member of a rival crew that’s looking to kill me looks at looking to rip me off so i’m going to kill you first it’s just it’s just a wild and imagine that’s your day job oh man i know they could just and i’ve picked this up on people there’s just a look when you’re lying there’s just a look that just before you catch it quick but there’s a look of panic that then you get it back these guys can pick up that kind of stuff just so quickly any kind of a different body language they’re so good with that. [38:02] And he’s also, he has to be able to say just enough to establish his connection and credibility without saying too much that’s going to trip him up. And that’s like being able to walk that line. He tells, again, I hate giving away all these stories because I want readers to buy the book, but he has this fantastic story when he’s on an undercover buy and he’s, I don’t know if it’s Florida, if it’s Miami or it’s Fort Lauderdale and he has to go into a whole, like the drugs are in one location and he’s in that with the drug deals in one location and he’s in this location and, but he knows the money’s not going to come. [38:42] So he has to walk into this hotel room with all these cartel drug guys who are off balance, knowing that he’s got to figure out, how do I get out of this room without getting killed? And once I walk out, will the timing be right that I could drop to the floor right when the responding FBI agents, again, these are FBI agents from a different [39:08] field office that he perhaps doesn’t have intimate working. knowledge of. I got to trust that these guys got my back and they’re not distracted. So I can’t even imagine having to live with that stress. No, I can’t either. All right. I’ll tell you what, the book, guys, is Empire City Under Siege, the three decades of New York FBI field office man hunts, murders, and mafia wars by Craig McGuire with former retired FBI agent Anthony John Nelson. I pulled as many stories as I could out of the book from him. You’re going to have to get the book to get to the rest of. And believe me, I’m looking at my notes here and the stuff they sent me. And there are a ton of great stories in there, guys. You want to get this book. [39:50] I also want to say there’s something special going on at Wild Blue Press. My publisher specializes in true crime. And it’s just, they’re so nurturing and supportive of writers. Just fantastic facilities and promotions. And they just help us get it right. That’s the most important thing, Anthony, accuracy. So if there’s anything wrong in the book, that’s totally on me. It’s really hard to put one of these together, especially decades removed. But then I’m just thankful for the support of nature of Wild Blue and Anthony and all the remarkable members of law enforcement like yourself, sir. Thank you for your service. And Anthony, and I’m just so inspired. I just have to say, they’re like a different breed. And you folks don’t realize how exciting. Because there are so many stories like Anthony would come up with and he would say, do you think readers would be interested in this story? And I fall out of my chair like, oh my God, this could be a whole chapter. So it was as a true crime fan myself of this material, it’s just, it was a wild ride and I enjoyed it. [40:56] Great. Thanks a lot for coming on the show, Craig. Thanks, Gary. You’re the best.

SOLE FREE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL w/ Darryl “DMC” McDaniels! Inside “Darryl's Christmas in Hollis” – The Message, The Memories, The Magic.This week on Sole Free, we're in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn at the legendary, independently owned The BookMark Shoppe for a holiday celebration like no other — the official book signing for Darryl's Christmas in Hollis, the brand-new children's book from hip-hop icon Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of RUN-DMC.Join Harlan as he sits down with DMC to talk about:

BT & Sal are in complete agreement on one fiery topic: The Yankees (and Mets) must be all-in to acquire Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who is under team control through the 2029 season. Sal argues that Pittsburgh must trade him within the next few years to maximize value, likely with three seasons left. The hosts clash with caller "Frankie from Bay Ridge," who insists that Yankees prospect Cam Schlittler is "more proven" and shouldn't be included in any deal for Skenes. The hosts vehemently disagree, arguing that Skenes is a "transformational superstar" whose every outing is equivalent to Schlittler's best playoff performance, making any package involving top prospects like Schlittler, Spencer Jones, and Jasson Domínguez a no-brainer. The segment concludes by quickly revisiting the Pete Alonso contract discussion, prompted by a caller confusing Alonso's value with Bo Bichette's.

This is your afternoon All Local update for November 8, 2025.

Things are a little tough out there. So you, want, no need, more examples of fight and progress you can actually see and touch and feel. And in these series of conversations, in partnership with our best friends at Run for Something, we are giving you exactly what you asked for.Each episode features two guests, both sourced from the Run for Something pipeline and graduating classes, the next generation of American leaders. First, I'll introduce one young elected official at the state or local level who's made real, measurable progress on an issue facing more Americans than ever before.And then in the same conversation I'll introduce a bright-eyed candidate currently running for a state legislature, mayor, city council, or school board, who's similarly hell bent on attacking the very same issue in their own hometown or state. And for all you know, it could be yours. Or yours next, because you and I will find out together what they're working on and why, where they've made progress, where they've struggled, and how their exact tactics and strategies can be transferred to other schools, towns, cities, and states across the country.First up today our topic: transit. We need way more of it. We used to have more of it. We need it to be more reliable, and we need it to be more affordable.Our incumbent, New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes was born and raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Following Superstorm Sandy Andrew co-founded Bay Ridge Cares, an organization that prepared 25,000 hot meals for victims after the storm, and as a member of the Rider's Alliance, he organized and formed the Concerned R-Train Riders to fight for better service and demand handicapped accessible subway stations in South Brooklyn. Andrew also worked with Bay Ridge Advocates for Keeping Everyone Safe or BRAKES and successfully pressured lawmakers to allow speed cameras in school zones, a fight he continues to wage all the way to Albany. Our candidate, Miranda Schubert is a candidate for Tucson City Council, Ward 6. Miranda works full-time as an operations manager, on-air DJ, producer, and youth broadcasting camp counselor at KXCI Community Radio. She serves on two City of Tucson Commissions, is the founder of Tucson for Everyone, a local housing and transit advocacy group, and helped form the transit for all coalition there.So you've got two amazing humans here fighting for more, more affordable, and safer transit, for more of our neighbors. Let's go find out what it means for their hometowns and yours.-----------Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.comNew here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.Take Action at www.whatcanido.earth-----------INI Book Club:The Power Broker and The Passage of Power by Robert A. CaroSaving Time by Jenny

New York State Senator Jabari Brisport (D, WF, 25th Senate District), chair of Committee on Children And Families, and New York State Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny (R, C, Coney Island, Bay Ridge), talk about Zohran Mamdani's proposal to tax corporations and the 1% in New York State to pay for programs to support working class New Yorkers and the feasibility of passing tax reforms in Albany. 

Joel and Kathleen Ashcraft were both born in Ohio to Salvation Army officer parents. As transition is inevitable in The Salvation Army, they both moved and grew up in the greater New York City area.  They have been officers of The Salvation Army for the last 10 years, most recently serving as the Divisional Youth Secretary and Divisional Candidates Secretary for the Northeast Ohio Division based out of Cleveland, Ohio.  They coordinated youth work and lead the candidacy efforts for Salvation Army officership across the Division.  Throughout the summer, they had the distinct privilege of running Camp NEOSA on beautiful Leesville Lake in Carrollton, OH.  Prior to moving to Cleveland, they were corps officers in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY, and loved every minute of their 5 years there.  It is their heart's cry to see everyone they serve come to know the abundance of life available through a relationship with Jesus Christ.As the Area Commanders for Greater Cleveland Area Services, Captains Ashcraft will oversee the operations of five Greater Cleveland Corps in Collinwood, East Cleveland, Miles Park, Ohio City, and West Park. Additionally, they will supervise all operations at Harbor Light Complex & Zelma George Family Shelter.Outside of their professional lives, Joel and Kathleen can be found spending time with their three incredible children – Matthew , Evelyn , and Audrey.  As a family, they love cheering on Matty at his baseball and basketball games, rooting for Evelyn and Audrey in their soccer games, trying new foods, and taking family trips!  Joel is an avid sports fan, and Kathleen loves watching the newest murder mysteries and romantic comedies.Joel and Kathleen began dating when they were just 16-year-old high school sweethearts and were married shortly after graduating college.  Prior to their service as officers in The Salvation Army, Joel worked in banking for M&T Bank, and Kathleen worked in property management for The Salvation Army. Joel and Kathleen hold master's degrees in business administration from Asbury University. 

Ross Barkan is a 35 year-old American journalist and novelist from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. His third novel, Glass Century, was published on 6 May 2025.On a semi-vacation to London this summer, Ross and Jack met to speak about Ross's favourite Martin Amis novel, Inside Story.This the first episode of the series to deal explicitly, and at length, with Donald Trump.Looking beyond the playful concept of 'The Maggot Probability' (first coined by Kingsley Amis to explain the degenerative effects of an ageing brain), Ross and Jack discuss Amis's graver concerns about true impact of America's septuagenarian president on its politics and political culture.As a New Yorker, Ross recognises what he calls Trump's "outer-borough mindset", an attitude of adversity towards the elites of Manhattan who famously paid Trump little serious attention before his meteoric rise to office in 2016 forced them to.That mindset, he argues, became Trump's calling card to the left behind of America, for whom Washington had come to represent the same den of iniquity and aloofness that the gleaming towers of The Big Apple had to Trump in the 70s and 80s.And yet, while Amis does not take Trump lightly, Ross says his criticisms of Trump lack the corrosive power of the pen that Amis was otherwise known for. Amis confesses to taking an arch tone on the subject in Inside Story, though says he does so only because Trump is a "sick joke".It's suggested later in the conversation that while Amis excelled at diagnosing modern pathologies in characters like John Self, he may have bottled it when it came to confronting the real thing in Trump. Does it take a true New Yorker to satirise this century's most controversial Western leader? It may help to read Ross's new novel before answering.Finally, listen to this episode to discover what Ross took as indispensable writing advice from Amis in Inside Story.FOLLOW US ON TWITTER/ X: @mymartinamisFIND US ON YOUTUBE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember (District 43 - Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) and chair of the Council Finance Committee, explains what's in the city budget for the next fiscal year, including a pilot program for free child care for children under 2 for low-income families, an extension of library hours at ten branches, and more.

This is your midday All Local update on June 17, 2025.

#132 Homeschooling shouldn't be a solo journey!

EPISODE 361. Sabino and Rocco sit down with Bianca from Brooklyn for the first time to talk about growing up in Brooklyn, 'Braciole' , studying abroad in Italy and life before and after social media. We really get to know Bianca this episode so we hope you enjoy it. Be sure to follow Bianca here https://www.instagram.com/biancafrombrooklyn Sign up to our Patreon for A LOT of extra content and NO ADS here https://www.patreon.com/growingupitalian To shop our merchandise, visit https://www.growingupitaliangui.com Be sure to check our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/growingupitalian As always, if you enjoyed this video, be sure to drop a Like, Comment and please SUBSCRIBE. Grazie a tutti! Chapters 1:00 - Braciole Ratings 2:00 - Dyker Lights 5:00 - Brooklyn Characteristics 8:00 - Bay Ridge or Bensonhurst 11:00 - My Brooklyn 13:00 - Social Media Grind 16:00 - Bracioles & Scungiles 18:00 - Best Pizza in Brooklyn 21:00 - Public School Kids 25:00 - Studying A-broads 31:00 - BKFoodieBoyz 33:00 - College Experience 35:00 - The Rocky Shirt 38:00 - Italian Food Innovation 41:00 - Saucy Meatballs 43:00 - Egg Influencer 48:00 - Egg Lessons 50:00 - Block Lists & Restaurant Reviews 52:00 - Cooking at Home 55:00 - Gifts from Brooklyn 1:00:00 - Professional Eaters

R train service in Brooklyn will be suspended between 36th Street in Sunset Park and 95th Street in Bay Ridge from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Meanwhile, the FDNY says deaths caused by lithium-ion battery fires dropped significantly last year. Plus, New York state lawmakers have returned to Albany for this year's legislative session, where hundreds of bills will be passed for Governor Hochul's approval. WNYC's Jon Campbell recaps day one.

Lisa hosting in Studio C, Henry, Isabel, Lisa's 11-year-old niece dancing at a Brooklyn Nets game, Westchester, Eastchester, Eric Adams former Brooklyn Borough President and soon-to-be former Mayor, G Train, Lisa used the G Train to watch a friend run the marathon, Daryl and Lisa ran the marathon the same year (1998) after training together, G Train runs directly from Brooklyn to Queens without going into Manhattan, Milo loved to watch and play tennis, Milo played tennis at the Prospect Park Tennis Center, then played tennis in Bay Ridge, then at the tennis program in Mccarren Park in Williamsburg, Milo played in the Williamsburg program for a number of years, G Train easiest way to get from Park Slope to Williamsburg, Milo's travel baseball career winding down at 11 or 12. 11 was a little young for Milo to be taking an unfamiliar subway himself, Milo hopped on a train before Alana did and the doors closed, Conductor refused to reopen the doors, Alana with many things running through her mind, Might not have been able to communicate with Milo, Alana got on the next G Train, Milo was waiting for Alana when she arrived at the proper stop on the train, Milo was probably thinking strategically about how best to handle the issue, Concerns of a parent with a young kid on the train, Pass the Poi's "Milo", The Idea of Machines "Sweet Lefty"

Bay Ridge Financial's Shane Siederman calls in to give Sid and his listeners an update on the economy, and how New Yorkers can hedge against a struggling Biden-Harris market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been thinking about the economy since she was a young girl in the working-class neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, keenly attuned to how broader economic trends impacted the employment of her neighbors. Once she took her first economics class in college, she was hooked. She has since spent her career moving between academic and government roles, including many years at the Federal Reserve. Secretary Yellen joined David to talk about the barriers women face in finance, the economic implications of immigration, China and tariffs, and why government intervention in the financial system is necessary.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bay Ridge Financial's Shane Siederman joins Sid to talk about a specific stock in Nvidia, an American multinational corporation and technology company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Ridge Financial Group's Shane Siederman calls in to discuss the current state of the economy and the possibility of a recession, and why he says the middle class is getting "gutted." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Mancini, co-founder of MamaMancini's, has a fascinating story to tell. He traces his culinary roots back to his grandmother Anna Mancini's kitchen in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where he learned the art of Italian cooking from a young age. Inspired by his grandmother's timeless recipes, particularly her renowned meatballs, Daniel embarked on a journey to revive the tradition of family dinners. One day he pivoted from a successful career in apparel and showed up to the store with a pan of meatballs and a vision. In 2023 their revenue was $93.2M.

Producer Kevin McCormick recalls the making of 1977's generation-defining SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. Based on a New York Magazine article about working class Italian Americans in Bay Ridge who let off steam by dancing at the local disco, the film became iconic for its bestselling soundtrack, courtesy of the BeeGees, and its incredible dance scenes. It also made a young John Travolta a bonafide movie star for his performance - a turn that was as dark as it was fun, and laid the groundwork for his star turn in Grease. The journey to the screen was filled with drama, like when the original director was fired on the same day he found out he was nominated for an Oscar or production had to shut down to avoid Travolta's hordes of fans, but the film cemented its place in film history when Travolta was nominated for an Oscar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter,  recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including the NYPD's response at a protest for Palestine in Bay Ridge, the city's lifeguard shortage and more.

Curtis started Rip and Read today by talking about the anti-Israel rally that took place at the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, where at least a dozen anti-Israel protesters were arrested, after clashing with police during a noisy demonstration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: The NYPD is investigating a video showing an officer repeatedly punching a demonstrator during a pro-Palestinian protest in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on Saturday. In other news, New York City Mayor Eric Adams' administration plans to shut down a Midtown homeless hub that offers places to rest, eat, and shower. WNYC's Karen Yi reports.

Mayor Adams released his executive budget this week that restored many of the cuts he'd previously proposed. Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember (District 43-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) and chair of the Council Finance Committee, talks about areas where the council and the mayor still differ.

Would our big cities be better off today if mayors had the guts to beg for forgiveness rather than always asking for permission? Bradley talks to New York City Council Member Justin Brannan of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn about how assertiveness fueled his unlikely rise from hard-core bands to Wall Street to politics.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City's only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today's episode: info@firewall.media.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter, follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack, and be sure to order his debut novel, OBVIOUS IN HINDSIGHT.

Yanni chops it up with comedian Christina Mavronas about all things growing up Greek. Christina is a very funny actress & comedian from Yanni's beloved Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Follow her on instagram where she posts hilarious videos. Join our bonus channel for our berserk and uncensored weekly bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/yannispappashour?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator   See Yanni do stand up live in your town: Ticket links for his live stand up dates in your city: https://www.yannispappascomedy.com/shows   Join our highlights page for highlight clips from the episodes: https://youtube.com/channel/UCfMy34qIYYy7XiRaHKO1ykw

This is the All Local 5am update for 1/3/2023.

Thursday's Race of the Day is Aqueduct's Bay Ridge Stakes. Dan Illman analyzes here. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember (District 43, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach), who is also the chair of the finance committee, discusses the City Council's reaction to the mayor's budget cuts.

This week, two incumbent city councilmembers squared off on NY1 for a spirited debate to represent the newly-drawn District 47 in South Brooklyn, which links Bay Ridge and parts of Dyker Heights to Bath Beach and Coney Island. Democrat Justin Brannan and Republican Ari Kagan are both currently representing adjoining districts, and are now vying for the seat. While Brannan is more moderate than many of his Democratic City Council colleagues, Kagan clearly staked out more conservative turf at the debate. NY1 political reporters Bobby Cuza, Bernadette Hogan and Ayana Harry weigh in on the matchup and look at who may have fared better in the showdown and why. After that, Donald Trump briefly took the stand in his civil fraud trial and was fined $10,000 for violating the gag order that was imposed on him by the judge. The “Off Topic" team discusses the trial with detailed insight from Ayana Harry, who has been covering it from inside the courtroom. Leave a message: 212-379-3440 Email: yourstoryny1@charter.com Further reading: Justin Brannan, Ari Kagan face off in City Council District 47 debate Judge in Trump's N.Y. civil fraud case stands by $10,000 fine

This week, Democrat Justin Brannan and Republican Ari Kagan, who are running for a City Council seat in Brooklyn, squared off in a debate that took place during an episode of "Inside City Hall." Brannan and Kagan currently represent adjoining districts but are competing for the newly redrawn District 47, which runs from Bay Ridge to Coney Island. With early voting beginning this Saturday, Oct. 28, and Election Day just around the corner, host Errol Louis was joined by the publisher and editor of Bklyner, Liena Zagare, to talk about the unique race between incumbents, and the twists and turns that have occurred along the way. They also discussed the highlights of the debate, and shared their opinions on who fared better overall. The debate can be heard in its entirety in the episode.

Criminal Defense Attorney Arthur Aidala calls in to talk about the huge pro-Palestinian demonstration that was held in Bay Ridge over the weekend, where things turned sour, before he updates listeners on the Donald Trump Georgia election fraud case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell and NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry join Sid to debrief the pro-Palestinian rally in Bay Ridge over the weekend that turned violent and led to several arrests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As conservative governors try to score political points by depositing busloads and planeloads of migrants in liberal cities, it can seem like an unprecedented exercise in cruelty. But it's a page ripped from an earlier playbook in U.S. politics, one that was forgotten for decades for a very good reason. Rachel Maddow and Isaac-Davy Aronson revisit the racist Reverse Freedom Rides of the 1960s.Featuring:Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, Michael and Denise ‘68 Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, author of Force and Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence, and co-host of the podcast This Day in Esoteric Political History.WBUR reporter Gabrielle Emanuel, who has done groundbreaking reporting on the Reverse Freedom Rides.Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Bert Kreischer pulls up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to talk about the predators of Florida, the sexiness of going out like a rock star and more. Watch Bert's Netflix Special, Razzle Dazzle and pre order tickets for his movie, The Machine! Sponsors: Native deodorant https://www.nativecos.com Promo code: fumes Join for our weekly bonus episode https://www.patreon.com/yannispappashour See Yannis live Dates & Cities below All tickets: https://www.yannispappascomedy.com Stamford CT April 7 & 8 Tampa April 21-22 Boston July 8 Dallas Aug 24-26 New York Nov 4 Providence Nov 10-11 Phoenix Nov 16-18 Watch Yanni's stand up special: https://youtu.be/ArlCFemEDvQ Join our highlights page for highlight clips of every episode: https://youtube.com/channel/UCfMy34qIYYy7XiRaHKO1ykw New episodes every Friday and new bonus episodes every following Tuesday at Patreon.com/yannispappashour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices