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Robert Sietsema, veteran restaurant critic and author of Substack newsletter Robert Sietsema's New York, talks about his recent article in Gothamist on the diversity of curry dishes in New York City as listeners share curry dishes from their home country and their favorite curry spots in the five boroughs. Photo: The spice curry powder in center is made up of, from left, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, mustard, cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric at Caroline Barrett's home on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 in Delmar, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Fifteen years after Occupy Wall Street began in Zuccotti Park, NYC Now returns to WNYC's archives to ask what the movement changed, where it fell short and what remains today. WNYC reporter Stephen Nessen reflects on covering Occupy in real time, while City Council member Sandy Nurse looks back on her experience inside the movement and the path that eventually took her from activism into elected office.Photo: Getty/Paul McKinnon Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org.NYC raises snow shoveler pay to $30 an hour this winterPark Slope rejoices after catnappers return stolen kitten to bodega Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Caroline Lewis, health care reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, explains what you need to know about fall vaccines, including flu, Covid and RSV, plus discusses the news that there is a new Legionnaires' cluster in The Bronx.Photo: 12 years and older New Yorkers got vaccinated at the St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Bronx of New York City, United States on June 13, 2021. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
New York City has launched its new 2-K program as the first major step toward universal childcare. But some providers started the school year without city funding they were counting on, leaving some to borrow money or dip into their own savings to cover payroll, rent and supplies. WNYC's Karen Yi explains why payment and contracting delays keep happening and what they could mean for the city's plans to expand free childcare.Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org.Photo: Kara McCurdy / Mayoral Photography Office COVID hospitalizations are on the rise in NYC. Here's how to protect yourself.Gov. Hochul expected to send rebate checks to New Yorkers shortly before Election DayAs NYC's free 2-K begins, childcare providers say they're still waiting to get paid Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Keeping chickens in city backyards is becoming more popular. WNYC's Morning Edition producer Verónica Del Valle visits a Jersey City backyard farm to see what urban chicken keeping actually looks like and the rules to know before starting a flock of your own. Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org.Photo cred: Verónica Del Valle/WNYCMayor Mamdani releases 170K documents related to post-9/11 air quality New renderings of the MTA's IBX project serving Brooklyn, Queens are out Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
For Labor Day, we've put together some of our favorite recent interviews, including: As the Democratic Socialists of America rack up electoral wins during primary season, the group is pushing an expansive definition of who counts as working-class. Gothamist and WNYC reporter Elizabeth Kim and Christopher Maisano, editor of New Labor Forum, a labor journal from the Murphy Institute at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, discuss who counts as working class and why the definition matters. Noam Scheiber, New York Times reporter focusing on white-collar workers and the author of Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2026), talks about the conditions leading young college-educated workers to lead unionization efforts. Ann Larson, a fellow with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and the author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register (One Signal/Atria, 2026), talks about what she learned about the economy and workers when she went from reporting on low-wage work to taking a job during the pandemic at a local supermarket On Labor Day, listeners weigh in to answer what is 2026's "song of the summer." These interviews were lightly polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here: Who Counts as Working-Class? (July 23) White-Collar Workers Unite! (April 15) What's Unseen at the Grocery Store (July 13) Song of the Summer 2026 (July 20) Photo: Thousands of New Yorkers and laborers march during the New York City Labor Day parade, America's oldest Labor Day Parade, along with members of more than 200 unions and organizations, on Saturday, September 6, 2025, in New York City, USA (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
New York City is restricting AI across public schools, including a one year ban for students through eighth grade and new limits on screen time for younger students. WNYC and Gothamist education reporter Jessica Gould explains why the city reversed its earlier approach, where AI will still be allowed for high school students and teachers, and the challenges schools face enforcing the rules once students leave the classroom. The episode also hears from New Yorkers about whether the city is getting the balance right.Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org.Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography OfficeNotes:NYC public schools to ban AI for teaching students below 9th grade Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the newly announced NYC AI policy for schools, plus other back-to-school issues.Photo: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels announce a moratorium on student-facing generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in schools. Brooklyn STEAM Center. Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A coalition representing hundreds of independent grocers is suing New York City over Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to open five city owned grocery stores, arguing the taxpayer backed stores could put neighborhood businesses at a disadvantage. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Karen Yi looks at what the lawsuits challenge, how the city is defending the plan and whether the experiment could ultimately help lower costs for both shoppers and small grocers. Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org. Photo by Kendall Rodriguez/Newsday RM via Getty Images Additional Notes: Mamdani's plan for cheaper groceries could hurt minority grocers, lawsuit says TikTok is the new 311: New Yorkers tag Mayor Mamdani on social media for help Late start to school year puts NYC parents in a childcare crunch NJ, NY cosmetology schools to teach twists and turns of Black hair, to root out bias Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Karen Yi, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering homelessness and poverty, talks about the lawsuits against the Mamdani administration by a group representing minority-owned grocery stores, which argue that the city's plan to open city-owned grocery stores will hurt their businesses. Then, Walter Wuthmann, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering public safety and the legal system, explains the details of the Mamdani administration's lawsuit to try to stop a law passed by the City Council that would give public school paraprofessionals $10K bonuses—and what it has to do with the way the city bargains with all of its public sector unions. Photo: Mayor Mamdani Attends a Bangladeshi Humanitarian Aid and Leadership Outreach Back to School Event in Queens. Thursday, August 27, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
WNYC arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper joins Janae Pierre to talk about the US Open, rising New York Liberty ticket prices and what it costs to be a sports fan in the city right now. Also discussed are Dolly Parton's legacy and some of the best ways to spend the final days of summer across New York City. Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org. Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Episode Notes: A summer surge in ICE arrests in NYC and NJ, mostly of people with no criminal history NYC families get reprieve in fight over trans youths' medical records People in NY keep climbing into manholes. Police aren't sure why. We joined the US Open ball crew for a day. It's harder than it looks. Liberty tickets are becoming more expensive. Some longtime fans say they're paying the price. More on Dolly Parton: Celebrate Dolly Parton in New York this weekend with dancing and drag New York City works 9 to 5, then lights up pink for Dolly Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, talks about Mayor Mamdani's plan to repair the crumbling BQE. Photo: View southwest along Interstate 278 (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade from Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, June 2024 (Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Journalist David Brand and housing advocate Annemarie Gray joined the show to discuss the saga over Lower Manhattan's Elizabeth Street Garden, which recently hit a major inflection point that may signal a final resolution leaving the garden a public park and advancing housing development at alternative sites. Brand, a housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, and Gray, executive director of Open New York, joined host Ben Max to discuss the specifics of the ESG story, but also what it means in the bigger picture of the city's housing politics and policy landscape. They also touched on several other housing issues in the conversation.
WNYC's Ryan Kost joins us to revisit some of the biggest stories NYC Now and Gothamist covered this summer, from the Knicks championship and Zohran Mamdani's first months in office to extreme weather, major public health concerns, the World Cup and more. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Photo: NurPhoto/Getty Episode Notes: NYC honors Dolly Parton NY counties resisting law limiting cooperation with ICE hit with subpoenas Tenants in NYC's worst buildings to be put on housing court fast track Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Recorded live at HANAC Harmony JVL Older Adult Center in Astoria, this installment of In Conversation: The Affordability Series examines New York City's small two and three family homes, where an owner may live in one unit and rent out another. The conversation explores rising costs, limited tenant protections, basement apartment legalization, home flipping and what it would take to keep more New Yorkers in their homes. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Photo: Carla Wills/WNYC Guests: Andrea Jerves, Director of Social Service Programs, Grants Administration and Compliance at HANAC Doreen Mohammed, member of the Astoria Tenants Union James Carr, member of the Astoria Tenants Union Oudit Beharry, homeowner Scott Kohanowski, General Counsel at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods Annetta Seecharran, Executive Director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation Troy Kingston, content creator known as Scourge Bliss Brad Greenburg, Executive Director of the NYU Furman Center Sylvia Morse, Director of Research and Policy at the Pratt Center for Community Development State Senator Julia Salazar Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce has sickened hundreds and left health officials recommending cooked produce over raw salads... which is a tough sell in the middle of summer. NYC Now producer Iru Ekpunobi walks us through the ways New York City chefs Sohla El-Waylly, Ayo Balogun and Nasim Alikhani recommend to keep eating cooked vegetables safely without giving up on flavor. Photo: Caroline Lewis/Gothamist Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Episode Notes: At least one tornado hits NY, damaging Long Island surf clubs Albany woman planned to bomb State Capitol, federal prosecutors say Also, Connect with the featured chefs from this episode on their official social media channels: Chef Sohla El-Waylly Dept of Culture by Chef Ayo Balugun Sofreh by Chef Nasim Alikhani Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Bike thefts spike in summer. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Brittany Kriegstein, talks about the stats and the challenges in preventing having a bike stolen, as listeners share their suggestions. Photo: A woman rides her bike on a Manhattan street. (Photo by FaceMePLS/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Samantha Max, reporter covering public safety for WNYC/Gothamist, breaks down the latest in the Luigi Mangione case, including his guilty plea in federal court on Friday, his push to dismiss the state murder charges on double jeopardy grounds, and the postponement of his state trial. Photo: Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Supreme Court on June 17, 2026 in New York City. Mangione is charged with murder in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan in December 2024. (Steven Hirsch - Pool/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Water systems across a dozen states were targeted by cyberattacks in recent weeks. So far, the water has remained safe to drink, but the incidents have raised concerns about the possibility of future attacks. Marketplace's Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Nikita Shah, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about other vulnerable infrastructure and the steps that states can take to strengthen cybersecurity. More on this:How Tehran's Use of Cyber Operations in the U.S.-Iran Conflict Has Evolved from CSISA Leaked Memo Ties Cyberattacks on Minnesota Water Utilities to Iran | WIRED from WIREDNew York awards $9M to protect water systems after cyberattacks in other states - Gothamist from Gothamist
Water systems across a dozen states were targeted by cyberattacks in recent weeks. So far, the water has remained safe to drink, but the incidents have raised concerns about the possibility of future attacks. Marketplace's Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Nikita Shah, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about other vulnerable infrastructure and the steps that states can take to strengthen cybersecurity. More on this:How Tehran's Use of Cyber Operations in the U.S.-Iran Conflict Has Evolved from CSISA Leaked Memo Ties Cyberattacks on Minnesota Water Utilities to Iran | WIRED from WIREDNew York awards $9M to protect water systems after cyberattacks in other states - Gothamist from Gothamist
[Heads up: technical issues affected the audio quality on this episode. Thanks for bearing with us — the conversation is still worth it.] The MTA says far fewer bus riders are paying the fare since Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office. Fare evasion has been a problem in the city for years, but MTA Chair Janno Lieber says Mamdani's campaign promise to make the city's buses free isn't helping. Mamdani has a different assessment, and blames the issue on the affordability crisis. WNYC and Gothamist transportation reporter Stephen Nessen and editor Clayton Guse explain what may be driving the issue and what comes next as the MTA plans to step up enforcement. Photo: Stephen Nessen - WNYC/Gothamist Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org. Episode Notes: Bronx man faces federal hate crime charges in Central Synagogue attack New Staten Island trash complex lets city make way for hundreds of new homes Luigi Mangione admitted to killing Brian Thompson. Why does NY still want a trial? Mamdani hasn't made NYC's buses free. Riders stopped paying anyway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The dispute over the Elizabeth Street Garden, the site of proposed low-income senior housing, appears to be at an end as developers have dropped their lawsuit against the city, which blocked the plan from moving forward under Eric Adams' administration. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares his reporting and analysis, and explains the story in a broader housing context. Photo: Views of the Elizabeth Street Garden on a crowded Sunday afternoon on September 9, 2024 in the Soho neighborhood of New York City, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is running against incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul for governor of New York, and a new poll shows the county executive is just ten points behind the governor. Jimmy Vielkind, New York State Issues reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, and Bahar Ostadan, Nassau County government reporter for Newsday, talk about the state of the race, including the role President Trump is taking as he and Blakeman are scheduled to attend an event together on Long Island. Photo: Garden City, N.Y.: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is formally named the GOP candidate for New York State Governor as the New York Republican State Committee Nominating Convention in Garden City, N.Y. on Feb. 11, 2026. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Stories from this episode: Luigi Mangione enters guilty plea in NYC federal court: https://gothamist.com/news/luigi-mangione-enters-guilty-plea-in-nyc-federal-court Some New York lawmakers are pushing a bill that would mandate insurance coverage for egg-freezing. https://gothamist.com/news/aoc-is-freezing-her-eggs-some-new-york-lawmakers-want-insurance-to-cover-it Now in its fifth year, Public Service is a series of free, outdoor daytime parties co-founded by DJs Mickey Perez and Cesar Toribio. https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/it-is-a-bit-utopian-why-public-service-is-brooklyns-favorite-dance-party Is the “All you can eat” Buffet still a thing in NYC? https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/is-nyc-an-all-you-can-eat-buffet-town-a-5-year-old-investigates Subway commuters unite in hatred of A.I ads https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/it-is-a-bit-utopian-why-public-service-is-brooklyns-favorite-dance-party Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Aug. 13, 2026- We highlight increased activity by ICE agents in New York with Jimmy Vielkind, a Capitol reporter for Gothamist & WNYC. We also discuss the implementation of a law restricting law enforcement from wearing masks and prohibiting police departments from taking on certain immigration tasks.
Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the steep drop in ELA test scores on last year's state test among city students, and what stakeholders think might be the cause of the decline. Photo: A student in the library reads a book after receiving candy and a red envelope in a cultural celebration of the Lunar New Year at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 on February 02, 2022 in New York City. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about proposed e-bike regulations by City Council and the Mamdani administration, as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's potential run for higher office in 2028. Photo: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to reporters near the House steps after a series of votes at the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
For the first time since the 1990s, Chinese immigrants have surpassed Dominicans as New York City's largest foreign born population. CUNY Baruch College professor Kenneth Guest explains what is driving that growth, how Chinese communities are expanding beyond Manhattan's Chinatown and what the shift could mean for services, political influence and the future of immigrant New York. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Photo Cred: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
You see them while walking on the Lower East Side. You see them on the L train. Perhaps you even see them at work. Jorts are back. Is that a good thing? WNYC/Gothamist culture reporter Sonia Rao discusses her reporting on the phenomenon for our "small stakes, big opinions" debate series. Photo by Rafael Rios for Gothamist Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Democratic Socialists of America, Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political home, defines working class as anyone who depends on a paycheck to live. By this logic, that includes doctors, programmers, and waiters all under the umbrella. But do everyday New Yorkers agree? WNYC and Gothamist reporter Liz Kim joins us to unpack DSA's "working class" growth, and New Yorkers' answers to how they define working class themselves. Photo: Michael S. Santiago/Getty Images -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Karen Yi, WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering homelessness and poverty, talks about the mayor's announcement that the five city-run grocery stores will offer 30% discounts on key products, plus updates the effects of SNAP changes. Photo: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announce that a core basket of everyday groceries will be 30 percent cheaper at the five new municipal grocery stores. The basket will include all fresh produce, meat and seafood, along with roughly 20 additional categories of pantry staples, dairy and refrigerated goods, Brooklyn on Monday, July 27 2026. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Stephen Nessen, transportation reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom, talks about some recent proposals for faster buses and an alternate-side-of-the-street pilot program that could mean cleaner streets with with less car-moving hassles. Photo: Street in Park Slope Brooklyn residential area on a sunny day, New York City, USA - stock photo Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Today's Headlines: The White House Correspondents Dinner happened over the weekend — Trump did an hour of his greatest hits, mocked Kaitlin Collins and his own guest Nicki Minaj, and Wolf Blitzer presented the Wall Street Journal with an award for uncovering Trump's Epstein ties while noting the reporter had to move after Trump doxxed her home address in a lawsuit, which is a sentence about the current state of press freedom. The Trump administration is moving to rename New York Penn Station — renderings obtained by Gothamist already show a presidential seal with Trump's name on it — because courts blocked his Kennedy Center name and apparently he needs a replacement trophy. Meanwhile, court documents from an Energy Department lawsuit revealed that the administration canceled $7.5 billion in energy grants to states specifically because they voted for Kamala Harris and have two Democratic senators, with an Energy Department attorney explicitly stating there was no programmatic or performance-based reason for the cancellations, which is actually quite honest. In food safety news, nineteen million eggs have been recalled for salmonella across 17 states with nearly 100 people sickened and 26 hospitalized, meaning the lettuce, beef, and now eggs are all compromised simultaneously, MAHA. On the war beat, Iran strikes were paused for two days to give negotiations "some space," days after Trump said he was considering an attack "bigger than ever before," while the Pentagon quietly removed four recently killed service members from the official Iran war casualty count because they died after the "ceasefire" — and the injury count fluctuated between 482 and 420 on the Pentagon's own website. This week: Zelensky visits the White House Tuesday, the US and UK are meeting in London to find countries willing to help with the Strait of Hormuz, and Sam Altman is heading to DC to pitch the government on approving the AI model that autonomously hacked another company last week. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Nearly 100 Cases of Salmonella Tied to Voluntary Recall of 19 Million Eggs NYT: At Correspondents' Dinner, a Rambling Trump Hurls Insults The New Republic: Trump Team Moves to Rename New York's Penn Station NYT: Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him Axios: Dems' 2028 primary schedule angers some progressives WaPo: Trump wants to give U.S.-Iran talks ‘some space' as he weighs escalation, aide says AP News: Pentagon's official Iran war death toll no longer lists 4 troops killed during renewed fighting Axios: Trump to meet Zelensky at White House Tuesday Axios: Scoop: U.S., U.K. planning international conference on Strait of Hormuz Axios: What OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will tell the White House this week Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Only three Black students were admitted to Stuyvesant High School's incoming ninth grade class of 777 students this past spring. That's the lowest number since the city started tracking this data in 2014. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Jessica Gould has covered this story for years, and she joins us to break down what the numbers actually show and why the specialized high school entrance exam is so hard to change. Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
An error in New Jersey led to registering about 6,600 non-citizens to vote, though only about 400 did. On Today's Show:Liza Weisberg, supervising attorney at the ACLU of New Jersey where she focuses on democracy and voting rights, talks about the incident, and what it tells us about election security more broadly, and Mike Hayes, WNYC and Gothamist's New Jersey politics reporter and the author of The Secret Files: Bill De Blasio, The NYPD, and the Broken Promises of Police Reform (Kingston Imperial, 2023) shares his reporting on the topic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A Brooklyn interior designer says she believed a stack of wet rugs left outside had been discarded. Days later, her face appeared in news reports about a grand larceny investigation, and she spent seven hours at an NYPD precinct before being released without charges. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Catalina Gonella traces how the misunderstanding escalated and where the law draws the line between stooping and stealing. Photo: Jocelyn Ullman Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
As the Democratic Socialists of America rack up electoral wins this primary season, the group is pushing an expansive definition of who counts as working-class. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Chris Maisano, professor at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, editor at Jacobin and for the journal New Labor Forum, discuss who counts as working class and why the definition matters. Photo: High angle view of busy programmers working on computers and laptops while sitting around desk at office - stock photo via Getty Images Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
After a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak on the Upper East Side, WNYC health reporter Caroline Lewis and investigative data reporter Joe Hong explain how the illness spreads, what went wrong during the 2025 Harlem outbreak and why major gaps in cooling tower testing and inspections remain. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
When Gothamist and WNYC culture editor Matthew Schnipper lost his baby son to a tragic health condition, he felt lost in his grief. Writing, and music, slowly started to help. Schnipper discusses his new memoir Rise Above, which recounts his life-changing experience with profound loss. Cover art courtesy of the publisher Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Michael Sol Warren, New Jersey reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about three bills Governor Mikie Sherrill signed to try to control utility costs for ratepayers, which have spiked recently as the state is struggling with demands on its grid from data centers. Photo: EAST BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 04: New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) delivers remarks at her election night watch party at the Hilton East Brunswick Hotel on November 4, 2025 in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Sherrill defeated Republican assembly member Jack Ciattarelli in a tightly contested race for New Jersey governor. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Post-COVID, New York state and city officials have enacted a range of measures and tax breaks to speed up the conversion of old office buildings into new apartment complexes. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist discusses the latest, including an extreme structural failure that recently happened at Pfizer's former headquarters in Midtown. Plus, Peter Varsalona, principal and building design group team leader at RAND Engineering & Architecture, talks about office-to-residential conversions, additions to existing buildings and the engineering considerations involved. Photo: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani briefs the media with NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Emergency Management Department (NYCEM) officials on a Structurally Compromised Midtown Building on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the trade-offs facing one school as it seeks to comply with the lower class-size mandates, and how that will play out across the city. Photo: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Principal Alice Hom surveys one of the classrooms at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 in preparation for the upcoming start of school on September 02, 2021 in New York City. All NYC public school students will return to in-person classes this month for the 2021-2022 school year, except for when COVID-positive kids must quarantine at home. Surveillance testing will be conducted every other week in each school building and will randomly test 10 percent of all students whose parents have consented. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Hannah Frishberg, WNYC and Gothamist arts and culture reporter, rounds up a slate of festive events to celebrate America's 250th Anniversary this July 4 weekend. Photo: People watch as fireworks light up the Manhattan skyline during the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks celebration on the East River at Brooklyn Bridge Park on July 4, 2025 in New York. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis / AFP) (Photo by ANGELINA KATSANIS/AFP via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Michael Sol Warren, New Jersey reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the latest from New Jersey, including the new state budget and Rep. Kean Jr's return to the public stage. Photo: WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 30: U.S. Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ) (C) arrives at the U.S. Capitol with his wife Rhonda Kean (R) on June 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, reports on the budget deal reached by the mayor and city council. Photo: Handshake agreement on a balanced $125.8 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget. Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Council Finance Chair Linda Lee, Director of the Mayor's Office of Management and Budget Sherif Soliman and members of the City Council today announce a handshake agreement on a balanced $125.8 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget. City Hall. Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy. In this episode we break down the results from last week's Democratic primaries in New York City, which saw candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America prevail in key congressional races (as well as downballot in local and state races). We break down what happened, review the deranged responses from both the right and centrist Democrats, the place of Israel/Palestine in these contests (and the ludicrous if expected charges of anti-semitism that followed), and consider what it might mean for the left in the age of Trump—however much longer that lasts—and more. Sources: Peruse all the results from the NYC Democratic primary at the New York Times. Noah Rothman, "The DSA Is a Hate Group, and What It Hates Is America," National Review, June 24, 2026 — "The Hostile Takeover of the Democratic Party That Everyone but the Democrats Saw Coming," National Review, June 25, 2026 Brianna Lyman, "Socialist Primary Wins Prove Mass Migration Remakes America," The Federalist, June 25, 2026 Jonah Goldberg, "Crazy Begets Crazy in New York City," The Dispatch, June 24, 2026 Michael Luciano, "'I'm Done, I'm Not in That F*cking Political Party':James Carville Freaks Out After Progressives Win Big in Democratic Primaries," Mediaite, June 24, 2026 Elizabeth Kim, "'You're next': The Black and Latino New Yorkers Feeling Burned by Mamdani's Primary Sweep," Gothamist, June 24, 2026
Following up on the rent freeze vote, David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares his reporting on the recent tally of rent-stabilized units sitting empty in New York City. Photo: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 11: A 'for rent' sign hangs from an apartment building in the East Village neighborhood on May 11, 2026 in New York City. A New York City board that sets the rent for city-subsidized apartments voted last Thursday night to set a preliminary rent adjustment of 0% to 2% for one-year leases and 0% to 4% for two-year leases, angering many of the city's landlords. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, made reducing New York City's high housing costs a key campaign pledge. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Liam Quigley, reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC, talks about the latest efforts to ban carriage horses in Central Park. Photo: Horse and Carriages in Central Park, Manhattan, as cyclist ride around the parks driveway. New York, USA. 26th March 2013. Photo Tim Clayton (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the outcome of a vote by the Rent Guidelines Board on whether or not to freeze the rent on one million rent-regulated apartments, which was one of Mayor Mamdani's key campaign promises. Photo: Supporters hold signs reading Freeze The Rent and Childcare For All during a rally in support of Zohran Mamdani at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn New York on May 4 2025. (Photo by Madison Swart / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP) (Photo by MADISON SWART/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, talks about the competitive congressional races in New York's primary, and what voter turnout is signaling so far. Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about the Democratic primary in NY-17, where the candidate that wins will take on Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in the general election in November. Photo: Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani votes at Frank Sinatra School of Arts in the Queens borough of New York City on November 4, 2025. New Yorkers will pick a new mayor on November 4 after an unpredictable race that has drawn attention from far beyond the largest city in the United States, with President Donald Trump branding frontrunner Zohran Mamdani "a communist." Breakout Democratic Party candidate Mamdani, a naturalized Muslim American who represents Queens in the state legislature, leads former governor and sex assault-accused Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after losing his party's primary contest to Mamdani. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz / AFP) (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.