Podcasts about Staten Island

Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia jump on the mics to react to 800m Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson clocking a 1:54.87 in the indoor 800m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet in Liévin, France. The mark shattered Jolanda Ceplak's 1:55.82 (2002) record by 0.95 seconds. It's one of the largest world record improvements in the event's history.____________Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors ⁠⁠⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

“[It's about] expecting each other to perform to a certain level, holding each other to a certain level, and just love. High expectations, high love — that's what coach always says. That's something we do a good job with. You can't have one without the other. Our team is definitely built on love and gratitude and we always push ourselves to be our best.” Riley Chamberlain joins us fresh off one of the biggest performances of the NCAA season.Just days ago in Boston, Riley ran 4:20.61 for the mile, breaking the NCAA record in a race that perfectly captured where collegiate women's distance running is right now—stacked fields, fearless pacing, and a generation that keeps pushing the event forward. But talk to Riley, and she'll be the first to tell you she's not interested in chasing times. With championship season around the corner, her focus has already shifted to racing, competing, and figuring out how to win when the pacers step off and it's just athletes battling athletes.In this conversation, we talk about the steady progression that led to this breakthrough, how cross country laid the strength foundation for her range from the 800m all the way to the 5K, and the training dynamic at BYU—where working alongside teammates like Jane Hedengren means getting pushed every single day. She reflects on the program's culture of what they call “high expectations, high love,” the lessons she's carried from past teammates, and the mindset shift from hoping she belonged at the top level to knowing she does.We also dig into the long view—how patience, development, and belief have shaped her career, why she sees championship racing as a completely different sport than time trials, and what she hopes to accomplish before closing out her collegiate chapter.Riley Chamberlain is now an NCAA record holder. But as you'll hear, she believes the most important races are still ahead.____________Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavezGuest: Riley Chamberlain | @riley_chamberlain04Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, we first head to 1990s New York City with Broadway actor and author Andrew Keenan-Bolger, here to celebrate his YA novel Limelight. Set in 1996, the story follows Danny, a shy Staten Island teen who lands a spot at LaGuardia High School, the famed performing arts school. Andrew explains that Danny is not a version of his younger, confident, Broadway‑kid self; instead, he wanted to write about someone with their "nose pressed to the glass," feeling like an outsider looking in—just like so many real teens do. Andrew talks about moving to New York as a child actor, the sensory overload of Times Square in the 90s, and how that era's gritty, transforming city—along with the evolving realities of queer life post–AIDS crisis—shaped this queer coming‑of‑age story. He leans into the darkness of the period: toxic masculinity, homophobia, racism, and misogyny, while still keeping the book tender and often funny. Theater deeply informs his writing—his sense of rhythm, character, and ensemble—and writing Limelight alone gave him a new sense of confidence and purpose. He also dreams of adapting the book for TV or film someday. Later in the episode, we travel to Hartford, Connecticut, to meet Devon Torres, author‑illustrator of the rhyming picture book Freddy the Frog. Devon shares how Freddy's playful, confident energy is meant to remind families of unstructured playground fun in a screen‑saturated world. Drawing on his love of art, support from his wife, and inspiration from teachers, Devon hopes the Friendables series will blend vibrant illustrations, joyful play, and gentle learning for young readers.

She is a 1-1 Tailored Weight-Loss Coach and solopreneur based in Staten Island, New York. With a background in teaching and education administration, she developed strong curriculum-design and leadership skills before transitioning to the strategy team of an educational nonprofit, where she sharpened their data-analysis expertise.After losing one hundred pounds and maintaining a healthy weight for over two years, she launched her coaching practice in 2021. Her approach blends the warmth and compassion cultivated through years in education with the analytical rigor from her nonprofit work, helping clients escape negative patterns and reclaim health, food, and joy as priorities in their lives.When not coaching, she enjoys cooking with their fiancé, developing new recipes, hosting game nights, watching genre television, and taking long walks. Through podcast appearances, she aims to connect with fellow food enthusiasts and self-described nerds while reaching a broader audience of people who want to rediscover the fun of living healthily. https://partakemealplanning.com/http://www.yourlotandparcel.org

A state Supreme Court judge has ruled that New York's 11th Congressional District unlawfully dilutes the political power of Black and Latino voters, triggering a high stakes redistricting battle with national implications. At the center is Staten Island's North Shore, a denser and more diverse part of the borough that some residents say has more in common with Lower Manhattan than with the rest of Staten Island. WNYC's Brigid Bergin reports on the lawsuit and what a potential redraw could mean for representation in Congress and for the future of the borough itself.

Actor Chazz Palminteri joins the program to touch upon his admiration for Robert Duvall's famed acting career after Duvall's passing yesterday. Chazz reflects on the different versions of A Bronx Tale—film, Broadway musical, and his one-man show—saying he began in comedy and recalling roles like Modern Family and Analyze This with Billy Crystal, as well as working with Robert De Niro. Sid promotes Palminteri's one-man A Bronx Tale and Palminteri announces performances on Sunday, February 22 at the Paramount Theater in Huntington and Saturday, February 28 at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island, emphasizing his message to young audience members about “wasted talent.” The conversation also covers Palminteri's restaurants in New York City (30 West 46th Street near the Theater District) and White Plains (264 Main Street), and his interest in opening in Las Vegas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Preet Majithia analyze yet another packed weekend of results including:– Cole Hocker ran 3:45.94 for the mile, an American Record and the No. 2 indoor mile ever, trailing only Jakob Ingebrigtsen's 3:45.14.– The 16-year-old phenom Sam Ruthe ran 3:52.46 in the same race.– 17-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus ran 1:44.03 indoors, setting a World U20 Indoor Record and moving to No. 6 all-time indoors.– Keely Hodgkinson opened her season with a1:56.3, the No. 3 indoor performance of all time. The world record is enjoying its final days.– Elle St. Pierre ran 4:17.83 for the mile at Boston University, the fastest women's mile in the world this year. Her 3:59.3 split at 1500m broke the American indoor record.– Love him or hate him but Marco Langon is becoming must-watch.– Weini Kelati ran 66:04 at the Barcelona Half Marathon, lowering her own American Record yet again.– Jordan Anthony clocked 6.43 in the 60m, tying him for 9th all-time indoors.– Khaleb McRae clocked 44.52 for 400m indoors, a time that: Equals Michael Norman's American record performance. Ranks 2nd-fastest ever run indoors. Could become the official world record...if ratified.– World 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch posted an 8.29m long jump PB at the Tyson Invitational.– Noah Lyles clocked 20.56 for 200m indoors at the Tyson Invitational, a personal best and his first indoor 200m race in five years. Says Fayetteville is one of his top 5 favorite crowds he ever raced in front of.– Elaine Thompson-Herah returned with 7.24s 60m.– USATF confirmed the 2026 Outdoor & Para National Championships will be held at Icahn Stadium in New York City.– Bonus: Random Winter Olympics talk.____________Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Kyle Merber | ⁠@kylemerber⁠Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors ⁠⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

After a stretch of extreme cold in recent weeks, about two dozen people have died across New York City, most found outdoors and others at private residences. WNYC reporters Karen Yi and Brittany Kriegstein break down what officials know so far, including how many deaths were directly linked to hypothermia and the cases that challenge common assumptions about who is most vulnerable.

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!

Starting on Friday, February 13, every other Friday will feature an arts & culture update from Gothamist's culture editor Matthew Schnipper. This week's topics include Mayor Mamdani's ongoing cultural references, curling clubs at Prospect Park and the “ultimate NYC sandwich,” the tuna melt.

Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Webber tells Rich his favorite moments from this first NBA All-Star Game in 1997 including meeting Celtics legend Bill Walton, why he never shied away from talking trash with Michael Jordan, reveals which players in today's game he most loves watching, and says how coaching has evolved to take more advantage of the growing skillsets of big men like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.   Rich weighs in on LeBron James' uncertain future with the Los Angeles Lakers beyond this season, and gets into a heated debate with Brockman: is Staten Island more a part of New York City than Maine is a part of New England? Rich and Brockman look back at Patriots QB Drake Maye's season and what the MVP runner-up can learn from his Super Bowl LX loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New York City is loud, expensive, crowded, and always changing, and the news often moves too fast to explain what that really means. NYC Now slows things down and focuses on the stories shaping daily life here, why it costs more to stay, who gets pushed to the edge, and how the systems New Yorkers rely on are starting to break. We also make room for the culture and neighborhoods that define this city. This show is for people trying to stay and for people deciding whether they can. NYC Now is not a quick hit. It is a clearer way to understand the city you live in, with new episodes three times a week.

La figura de André Rand quedó unida para siempre a Cropsey, una de las leyendas urbanas más inquietantes de Staten Island. Rand tuvo una infancia y juventud marcadas por problemas psicológicos, comportamiento errático y conflictos con la ley. Era conserje en la Willowbrook State School, una institución para niños con discapacidades intelectuales. Cropsey era un supuesto monstruo que acechaba a los niños en los bosques y túneles cercanos a esta escuela. La terrible figura de Cropsey, un loco asesino, se transmitía entre los niños como advertencia y entretenimiento macabro. Esta noche conoceremos mejor a este personaje de la mano del sociólogo y editor Pablo Vergel y el ilustrador Tomás Hijo. Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Across New York City, a largely unregulated ghost fleet of tow trucks is growing after years of lax enforcement. Many of these unlicensed operators rush to crash scenes in the hopes of lucrative payouts, but also put consumers and pedestrians at risk. In this episode, WNYC's Liam Quigley explains how the towing system works and why the city has struggled to regain control. He also tells host Janae Pierre how to spot an unlicensed truck in case you find yourself needing a tow

This week in track and field, Chris Chavez, Preet Majithia, and Kyle Merber unpack:– Femke Bol's highly anticipated 800m debut, which delivered a 1:59.07, which is the fastest debut in history and sparked debate about upside, expectations, and what her future beyond the 400 hurdles might look like.– The ripple effects of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke's move.– Georgia Hunter Bell's world-leading 1500m, one of the standout performances from a busy stretch of indoor meets and a sign of unfinished business ahead.– Cole Hocker's eye-opening 1000m, and what it suggests about his range.– A debate over announcing world-record attempts.– Jakob Ingebrigtsen's injury update, and what it could mean for his season trajectory and long-term planning.– Major changes to the world ranking system, including why fast times matter now more than ever — and how that shift could favor American athletes while discouraging head-to-head racing at major meets.____________Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Kyle Merber | @kylemerberProduced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors ⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

New Yorkers are feeling the pinch as grocery prices climb and changes to SNAP eligibility rules loom. Janae talks to WNYC reporters Karen Yi and Joe Hong about their six-month project tracking food affordability across the five boroughs, and tips for stretching your dollar at checkout.

Candice Guardino is a comedian, writer, host and producer.  Brooklyn-born Candice Guardino grew up in a loud, loving Italian family on Staten Island—an upbringing she transformed into her hit theatrical comedy Italian Bred. Inspired by true events, the special follows Candice as she seamlessly slips into multiple characters, including her brassy grandmother, taking audiences on a hilarious and heartfelt journey through her childhood. Italian Bred was written and performed by Candice and filmed through her production company, Anthony Street Productions (launched in 2022). The special was produced by Chris DiPetta (Billy Gardell's Halftime, Showtime's Road Dogs), directed by Samuel Brownfield (longtime Jim Gaffigan collaborator), edited by Brent Katz (Now You See Him), with musical arrangements by Emmy-nominated David Dabbon (Oh Mary!, Beetlejuice the Musical). The original song, "Change in Me," was written by Candice and Dabbon. Candice is currently writing her debut comedic essay collection, Confessions of an Italian Bred Girl (Because Therapy Is Expensive and Laughing at Myself Is Free), which is being shopped to publishers. Through Anthony Street Productions, she also produces her hit weekly podcast Don't Start!, co-hosted with WWE's Sarah Schreiber, featuring inspiring celebrity guests. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Candice is also developing a new television project based on the IP of her grandmother's secret family journals. Candice will head out on a 2026 national tour, with stops including New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, and additional dates to be announced. Italian Bread is now out! Check it out on Amazon Prime or Apple. We chat about dancing competitively and judging, Italian Bred, journey of self-discovery and growth, wild fertility journey, writing and attachment, musical theatre and regional runs, nerves and performing, + more! Photo credit is: Dirty Sugar Photography  Check Candice out on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candiceguardino Website/ tour: https://www.candiceguardino.com/new-page Italian Bred: https://italianbredshow.com/ Podcast (DON'T START): https://www.candiceguardino.com/new-page-1 ------------------------------------------- Follow @Funny in Failure on Instagram and Facebook https://www.instagram.com/funnyinfailure/ https://www.facebook.com/funnyinfailure/

Ahead of Valentine's Day, we take a closer look at why dating in New York City feels uniquely challenging. Janae speaks with Erika Ettin, an NYC-based dating coach, who breaks down why dating in the city is unique, and what she recommends New Yorkers do differently. Also, WNYC arts and culture reporter Hannah Frishberg shares the best Valentine's Day activities for the lovers…and the haters.

Episode 121 - Pack your bags! We're headed to Staten Island via New Jersey and NYC, because it's Brian DePalma month and we are watching and discussing Sisters (1972). Brian DePalma has an enormous resume spanning decades through various genres from cult classics to blockbuster hits. For this month we are focusing on the genre he is most know for, thrillers, and starting at the beginning with Sisters (1972), with some supplemental talk at the end with Obsession (1976). Each week will focus on a different sub-genre, and this first week looks at his early Hitchcock inspired suspense thrillers. We at MRAC highly recommend watching these films before listening if you haven't seen them already because we spoil the crap out of them. Tune in for the fun, and tune in next time as we move to Supernatural Thrillers with The Fury (1977) and some potential supplemental talk with Carrie (1976).email us at mracfilmclub@gmail.com

“That year at Providence was really special with what we all went through together. It was such a fun year! We were all very solid and united together. It ended up in a perfect way being able to continue that training together.” - Alex Millard Kimberley May, Shannon Flockhart, and Alex Millard join us us fresh into the next chapter of their careers as members of Team New Balance Boston.All three join the team with deep NCAA pedigrees, international experience and very different paths that somehow converged at exactly the right moment. Kimberley May leaves college as one of the most accomplished 1500-meter runners in New Zealand history. Shannon Flockhart brings European championship medals and championship toughness. Alex Millard arrives fresh off world cross country relay experience and fresh off a year that included personal bests in the 1500m, mile and 5000m.In this conversation, they talk about what it actually feels like when the dream becomes real to signing pro contracts, navigating the transition from NIL relationships. We touch on their shared history as teammates at Providence and how that's made the leap into the professional ranks easier, what altitude training was like, and why being around a group that includes a world champion has raised everyone's standard.There's also plenty of joy in the year ahead with new routines. With 2026 ahead, all three are excited for what's next.____________Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠Guests: Kimberley May | @kiimberleymay on Instagram + Alex Millard | @alexmillard on Instagram + Shannon Flockhart | @shannon_flockhart_ on Instagram Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

This week in track and field, Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia unpack:– Jacob Kiplimo and the pace car controversy from his half marathon world record: Most people agree this wasn't a surprise, wasn't his fault, and still somehow exposed how odd World Athletics' rulebook really is.– Catching up on the 2026 Boston Marathon and London Marathon field announcements.– Sam Ruthe's 3:48 mile and why it's forcing fans to recalibrate what's possible at 16 + how that performance stacks up against Cooper Lutkenhaus' historic 800m run last year.– Femke Bol's upcoming 800-meter debut and why expectations range from sub-2 immediately to a low stakes launch.– Alysha Newman and Benard Kibet Koech were suspended by the AIU for anti-doping violations.____________Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠ Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors ⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

"It's nice to have a reset. I'm looking at these people and I have something to work up to now, versus being at the top of the NCAA and hoping you get it right on the day. Now, I have, 'I need to improve by ten seconds if I want to be up there at USAs.' That kind of excites me. It's a little scary, but it's mostly exciting."Margot Appleton is a Massachusetts native now running for the home team. She has joined Team New Balance Boston and is being coached by Mark Coogan.At Virginia, she was an NCAA finalist in the 1500, stepped up to finish fourth in the 5000 meters at nationals, and then this spring put together a breakout campaign that included a 4:05.68 1500 at Raleigh Relays—fourth-fastest in NCAA history at the time—an ACC title, and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships.Margot is comfortable moving between distances and continuing to sharpen herself against the very best in the country. And at just 23 years old, it still feels like she's learning how good she can be. She is coming off personal bests in the 3000m and the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and the Millrose Games. She was the second American and 6th overall in the Wanamaker mile.In this conversation, we talk about her decision to join the refreshed Team New Balance Boston squad, what clicked this past season, how she thinks about racing at championship meets, and what her goals are for 2026.____________Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠Guests: Margot Appleton | @margotappleton on InstagramProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

Send us a textThe New York Giants made two major organizational moves that signal a clear shift in direction under John Harbaugh, hiring Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator and bringing in Dawn Aponte as Senior Vice President of Football Operations. In this episode, we take a deep, honest look at what these hires mean for the Giants right now and where they could be headed long term.Matt Nagy arrives in New York after leaving the Kansas City Chiefs by choice, not circumstance. The Chiefs wanted him back, but Nagy was seeking either a head coaching opportunity or an offensive coordinator role where he would have real authority and a voice in shaping the offense. Andy Reid personally vouched for Nagy to John Harbaugh, which played a significant role in this hire. We break down Nagy's full offensive background, including his time calling plays with the Bears, where his offense ranked in the top ten during the 2018 season, and the evolution — and eventual decline — of that system in Chicago.We discuss Nagy's offensive philosophy, including his heavy use of RPO concepts, quick-game West Coast principles, frequent reliance on running backs in the passing game, and the criticism he faced for abandoning the run at times. We also examine how his offenses performed with different quarterbacks, from Alex Smith to Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles, and Justin Fields, and what lessons the Giants can realistically expect him to have learned since returning to Kansas City in a supporting role.On the front office side, the Giants' hire of Dawn Aponte may prove just as impactful. A Staten Island native with decades of league experience, Aponte is widely respected for her salary cap expertise and organizational leadership. She previously worked with Joe Schoen in Miami, has interviewed for multiple general manager roles, and has held high-level positions with the NFL, Dolphins, Browns, and Jets. We discuss whether this move is simple reinforcement for the current regime or a calculated insurance policy if changes are needed down the line.We also touch on additional staff movement, including Matt Robinson joining the defensive staff and the Cardinals requesting permission to interview Giants assistant Charlie Bullen, showing how the Giants' coaching tree is already drawing outside interest.This episode is about more than individual hires. It's about control, alignment, and whether the Giants are finally building a unified structure between coaching and the front office — or setting the stage for difficult decisions in the future.Thank you for listening & for your support. You made it to the bottom of the description so you must like the show! Show Everyone You are a Goofball By Checking Out Our Merchandise Store https://2giantgoofballs-shop.fourthwall.com/ Support the Show on Buy Me a Coffee - Kill Our Livers Buy Us Beers! https://buymeacoffee.com/2giantgoofballs Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel - Best Way to Watch Our Content https://www.youtube.com/@2giantgoofballs?sub_confirmation=1 Become a Member of the YouTube Goofball Channel for Perks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-tiLjkehiawtN-v6gMFViA/join Follow us On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2giantgoofballs Follow us On X https://x.com/2giantgoofballs Prefer Audio Only? Check Out Those Options Here https://2giantgoofballs.buzzsprout.com/ #Giants #NYGiants #NFL #GiantsNews #NFLPodcastSupport the show

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ran on a promise to dismantle the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, a unit long criticized for its role in policing protests. But weeks into his administration, SRG officers are still being deployed, including at recent anti ICE demonstrations that led to mass arrests. In this episode, WNYC and Gothamist reporter Ben Feuerherd explains how the unit was created, how it evolved from a counterterrorism force into a protest policing squad, and why critics say its structure and training created problems from the start. We also look at what Mamdani is now saying about disbanding the unit and why, for the moment, it remains in use.

Episode 375 features Grandma Drinks from NYC. They are an alt rock band mixing grunge, new wave, and punk. They have a brand new EP out called Rapture, and I featured their tracks “Gone” and “Chemical” on the episode. In the interview, I spoke with Deke Blackburn and Jeremy Dirzis. We talk about the Staten Island and NYC music scene, inspirations, Oasis, face tattoos, trends, and staying true to yourself. If you like their stuff, you can find the band on any social media platform and give them a follow. Thanks for listening and supporting local artists!   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/susto-schmidt-house-tickets-1980430363529   Please follow, rate, or review the podcast wherever you are streaming if you'd like to help us out.  -- Part-Time Rockstar Productions is available in the DMV for music videos and live filming. 

Tonight on the Rita Cosby Show, Rita dives into the harrowing disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother, Nancy, including exclusive details on a potential Bitcoin ransom note, blood found at the scene, and a missing Ring camera. Rita also exposes shocking audio from Congressman Jerry Nadler and Democrats calling for the defunding of ICE, with rhetoric Rita calls "reckless" and "incendiary". Plus, a heartwarming segment as President Trump awards the Medal of Honor to a Staten Island hero. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“My times were dropping and it was so exciting. Every week, they were dropping, dropping, dropping. It was pretty early in the season, too. At that point, I hadn't even made NCAAs. At the time when I ran 2:00, I had the number one time in the country. There was a lot that happened super fast… I think that was my favorite race of my life. I never even thought in my mind that I could run 2:00 even earlier on in the season. It broadened the horizons of what I think I'm capable of in the future and to never limit myself.”My guest for today's episode is Victoria Bossong. This week on the podcast, CITIUS MAG is bringing you interviews with some of Team New Balance's latest signees as we celebrate five years of partnering with them on all things from the high school to the professional front. Yesterday, we brought you an interview with Roisin Willis and now we've got another strong rising 800m runner.Victoria was a star high school sprinter in Maine who almost on a whim tried the 800m late into her prep career and found success. Fast forward a few years and she's fully committed to the event. In 2025 while at Harvard, she was the NCAA Indoor Championships runner-up and ran an outdoor personal best of 1:59.48. She just opened up her indoor season as a pro with an indoor 1000m PB of 2:36. Off the track, she's just as impressive. She has her degree in neuroscience and has worked in a Harvard Medical School lab. In our chat, she discusses how she managed to balance all of that as a student-athlete, how she comes at the 800m from more of a sprinter background, and her goals for her first professional season.____________Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠Guest: Victoria Bossong | @victoriabossong on InstagramProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

“I saw the door open and I really desperately wanted to take it and walk through it, but I wasn't sure if it was right – but sometimes you know deep down in your gut that it's something you should do and you take the risk. Since making that decision, it's felt right and true to what I want to do and where my goals are."My guest for today's episode is Roisin Willis. Right now, she's in one of those rare moments where fitness, confidence, and clarity all seem to be lining up at once. We recorded this two days before the start of a spectacular weekend for her. It's Team New Balance week on the CITIUS MAG Podcast and we'll be bringing you interviews with many of their latest signees all throughout the week. In 2026, we're celebrating six years of New Balance partnering with CITIUS and we're grateful for their support on all levels from the high school to the pros.In the span of just nine days, Roisin put together a short yet impactful indoor season. She opened up her professional career by running 1:59.59 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, looking smooth and convincing. Six days later, after deciding almost on a whim to race again, she went to Boston University and ran 1:57.97, becoming the first American woman to break 1:58 indoors and setting a new American record in the 800m. That's also a personal best for her indoors and outdoors, and she wasn't done yet. Just two days after that record, Roisin lined up at the Millrose Games and won the 600m in 1:24.87, the seventh fastest performance by an American woman in history. Three races in nine days, two victories, one American record, and proof that she's in absolutely phenomenal shape.Roisin has made the decision to shut down her indoor season. The reason for it is she has a long-term vision and a real life, which you get the sense from my conversation with her. She wants to be at a world-class level come outdoors and that means getting back to training. As she puts it plainly, she also needs to finish school at Stanford this spring.You'll hear more about the importance of finishing her degree in our chat because at just 21 years old, Roisin has already lived multiple chapters in the sport. She was a high school prodigy out of Wisconsin, became an NCAA champion as a freshman, went through a difficult period marked by anxiety and burnout, and has now come out on the other side with a healthier perspective. This recent run isn't just about how fast she's gotten, but also shows how much she's grown as a person. In this interview, we talk about the decision to chase times this year, how she made it through that rough patch, and why she decided to turn professional early.____________Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠Guest: Roisin Willis | @roisin.willis on Instagram Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSUSATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop's Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop's flavors at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

Child care costs are reshaping family life in New York City with many parents saying they pay tens of thousands of dollars a year. Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing to expand free child care for two year olds. In this episode, Janae talks to parents about the financial strain they're under, and WNYC's Karen Yi explains what the plan would deliver, who would qualify, and why advocates warn that without more funding and better pay for child care workers, the system could crack instead of expand.

In this Season 4 debut of "The Goodness Factor with Shelley Wade" podcast, radio host and kindness influencer Shelley Wade shares good news out of Atlanta, New York City, and Reston, Virginia inside "The Goodness Report." Plus, for the "Do-Gooder" interview, Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show host, comedian, actress, and best-selling author Sherri Shepherd stops by to share inspiration for single parents, discuss her children's book, and reveal the kindest thing anyone's ever done for her. Then Shelley wraps up Episode 1 with an inspirational message inside "The Good Word."

This is the All Local morning update for Saturday, January 31st 2026

One month into Zohran Mamdani's tenure as New York City mayor, his governing style is starting to take shape. From a snowstorm that tested his crisis response to early moves on child care alongside Governor Kathy Hochul, Mamdani has paired constant public visibility with a push to deliver on his affordability agenda. WNYC city politics reporters Brigid Bergin and Liz Kim assess what he has accomplished so far, where he has political leverage, and the challenges ahead as he tries to run the city while sustaining the movement politics that powered his rise.

Join Lionel for a wild ride through the eccentric and the unexplained. The night kicks off with a diagnosis of "Atwood's Disease"—the compulsion to yell out punchlines or state the painfully obvious—and a look at which rock stars are aging gracefully versus those who might need a welfare check. Things get gritty with a listener's "dead serious" tale of inadvertently delivering a truckload of rats to a Buffalo food processing plant, sparking Lionel's own traumatic memories of glue traps.The hour shifts gears to the extraterrestrial, fueled by reports of a mysterious "Dorito-shaped aircraft" over Area 51. Lionel opens the lines to eyewitnesses who describe everything from "bouncing white balls" in Nevada to "cigar-shaped" craft and silent, floating "subway trains" over Staten Island. The episode culminates in a heated debate with a skeptic who insists UFOs are just weather balloons, leading Lionel to question why aliens would ever want to talk to us anyway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder why Staten Island feels disconnected from the rest of New York City? The answer goes far deeper than geography… and it starts with transportation decisions made generations ago. In this episode of Cut to the Chase: Podcast, host Gregg Goldfarb is joined by historian and CUNY professor Kenneth Gold (aka Dr. Forgotten Borough) to explain why Staten Island never became part of New York City's subway system and how that absence continues to shape the borough's identity, politics, and daily life. From missed early opportunities and the rise of car culture to the realities of ferries and express buses, Ken explains how Staten Island became New York City's most isolated borough. The conversation also turns to the present, examining NYC's new congestion pricing plan and how it's already changing traffic patterns, commuter behavior, and the city's transportation future. This episode blends urban history with modern policy, revealing how infrastructure decisions ripple across decades–and why transportation remains one of the most powerful forces shaping New York City. What to expect in this episode: Why Staten Island never received a subway connection (and why it likely never will) How car culture reshaped Staten Island's development and political identity The truth behind ferry expansion and commuter transportation options Why Staten Islanders often feel "forgotten" by City Hall How congestion pricing is playing out in Manhattan so far The economic, environmental, and political impacts of congestion pricing What Staten Island's transportation story reveals about NYC's broader planning failures   Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss our next deep dive on Cut to the Chase: Podcast with Gregg Goldfarb!   Subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast!   Resources: Buy Ken's book, "The Forgotten Borough" by Kenneth Gold: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-forgotten-borough/9780231208611    This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.  

Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue filed for bankruptcy this month. Janae and producer Iru head up to 5th Av. to check on the iconic NYC department store, and WNYC's Ryan Kailath breaks down why this isn't the kind of bankruptcy that leads to a liquidation sale but still flashes a warning sign for NYC businesses. Plus, where's all this snow going? Sanitation Department Deputy Joshua Commissioner gives us a peak into the system. Correction: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that Saks Fifth Avenue filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In fact, it was Saks Global—the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman—that filed. The episode has been updated.

Florida and Virginia are the latest states to consider drawing new House maps before November, as a New York judge orders a redo for the Staten Island district of Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. Plus, amid a measles outbreak in South Carolina, a top CDC official dismisses such cases as the "cost of doing business." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fatal dog mauling in New York is under investigation after a man is found dead inside a Staten Island home with bite wounds covering his body. A mother in California is arrested after video shows her toddler falling from a moving SUV into a busy intersection and narrowly avoiding being run over. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

In this edition of Arts & Culture Check In, WNYC's arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper walks through what's landing on the culture desk right now. That includes Mayor Zohran Mamdani's latest use of pop culture references, concerts worth attending, and the Bronx Museum's AIM Biennial spotlighting local artists. We also look at the Gotham Book Prize finalists, how New York shows up in this year's Grammy nominations, and where to find standout Chinese food in Long Island City.

Skype of Cthulhu presents a Call of Cthulhu scenario. This is Our Home by Jim Phillips. October 18, 1976 Staten Island, New York City, New York Kevin mets a man with a terrible story while two other residents find an unusual tree. Dramatis Persone: Jim as the Keeper of Arcane Lore Randall as Frank Romero, Electrical Engineer Meredith as Marsha Janelle, Waitress Steve as Trae Grier, Gas Station Attendant Edwin as Kevin Mazer, Chemistry Teacher Gary as Peter Michale, Ex Pro Quarterback Sean as Kirk Griffin, Actor Download Subcription Options Podcast statistics

Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, talks about the judge's ruling that the Staten Island and Brooklyn congressional district now held by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R) should be redrawn and what that would mean for local representation and, potentially, control of congress. 

A judge recently ruled that the Staten Island and Brooklyn congressional district now held by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R) should be redrawn.On Today's Show:Brigid Bergin, WNYC's senior political correspondent, discusses what that would mean for local representation and, potentially, control of congress. 

This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled her $260 billion state budget, which proposes a major expansion of free child care and does not raise taxes. But that tax decision may mark the first public disagreement between Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the governor. NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross, political reporter Bobby Cuza and statehouse reporter Bernadette Hogan break down the governor's fiscal plan for the year ahead. Then, a Manhattan State Supreme Court judge ruled that New York's 11th Congressional District on Staten Island is unconstitutional, finding it disenfranchises Black and Latino voters. The district, currently represented by Republican Nicole Malliotakis, could become a key pickup opportunity for Democrats as they work to retake control of the House. The "Off Topic" team examines this potential redrawing of New York's congressional map.

More than 5,000 rent stabilized apartments are set to change hands after the Pinnacle Group, once one of New York City's largest landlords, entered bankruptcy and a judge approved the sale of its buildings. The case drew unusual attention when Mayor Zohran Mamdani made the bankruptcy proceedings one of his first public fights after taking office, arguing that the sale would leave tenants worse off. This episode traces how Pinnacle's business model unraveled, what this battle over the sale tells us about the limits of city power when big landlords unwind through bankruptcy.

Skype of Cthulhu presents a Call of Cthulhu scenario. This is Our Home by Jim Phillips. October 18, 1976 Staten Island, New York City, New York A burst of work distracts the residents but when they have a respite they jump back into the investigation. Dramatis Persone: Jim as the Keeper of Arcane Lore Randall as Frank Romero, Electrical Engineer Meredith as Marsha Janelle, Waitress Steve as Trae Grier, Gas Station Attendant Edwin as Kevin Mazer, Chemistry Teacher Gary as Peter Michale, Ex Pro Quarterback Sean as Kirk Griffin, Actor Download Subcription Options Podcast statistics

Join Lionel for a chaotic and intellectual joyride through the "Other Side of Midnight," where the news cycle meets the bizarre. Lionel kicks off the program with a warning about sentient AI and the Pentagon's quiet expansion of UFO offices, before pivoting to a debate on whether ancient Egyptian bread predicted NASA space capsules. Listeners light up the lines with wild tales, including a traveler shushed by Canadians at a Dominican resort and a caller claiming to hold secret propulsion documents from 1927. The highlight? A Staten Island mechanic who claims he met God during a medical emergency, only to be sent back to Earth because he asked too many annoying questions about cancer. From the logistics of pyramid building to a nostalgic deep dive into Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., this program covers the full spectrum of the human experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Lionel on The Other Side of Midnight for a chaotic joyride that serves as a mental enema for a world addicted to distraction. Blending observational comedy with existential dread, Lionel pivots from roasting lazy Costco shoppers and the indignities of aging to tackling sentient AI and the simulation theory. Discover why you should never call 911 for a UFO, why ancient Egyptian bread might be high-tech, and listen to a Staten Island mechanic who annoyed God enough to get sent back to Earth. From burning truck tires mistaken for alien craft to the Pentagon's UFO offices, this show explores the full spectrum of the human experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one should face breast cancer alone. Luckily, childhood friends Caryn Siegel Finley and Tammy Leyden didn't have to. The two grew up together on Staten Island and have been best friends since they were 7 years old. When they both were diagnosed with breast cancer in their early 40's, just one year apart, they were able to support each other through the process. Caryn and Tammy are here today to share their stories with us and how they are committed to supporting those affected by breast cancer.

Maddy Smith and Alex Tomaselli join Zac Amico and discuss Canadian food on the road, Alex stapling Zac's head with the wrong staple, a hundred human skeletons found in a man's home, human remains found in Coney Island, the Are You Dead app, the gun and brass knuckles found in a Staten Island reservoir, the OnlyFans girls arrested for being rowdy on a flight, whether Trump is thinking of banning alcohol, Autistic Barbie, Zac playing Pretty Pretty Princess as a kid, Maddy playing with Cool Shaving Ken and so much more! Air Date: 01/14/26Support our sponsors!BodyBrainCoffee.com - Use promo code: ZOO15 to get 15% off!Zac Amico's Morning Zoo plug music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMgQJEcVToY&list=PLzjkiYUjXuevVG0fTOX4GCTzbU0ooHQ-O&ab_channel=BulbyTo advertise your product or service on GaS Digital podcasts please go to TheADSide.com and click on "Advertisers" for more information!Submit your artwork via postal mail to:GaS Digital Networkc/o Zac's Morning Zoo151 1st Ave, #311New York, NY 10003You can sign up at GaSDigital.com with promo code: ZOO for a discount of $1.50 on your subscription and access to every Zac Amico's Morning Zoo show ever recorded! On top of that you'll also have the same access to ALL the shows that GaS Digital Network has to offer!Follow the whole show on social media!Maddy SmithTwitter: https://twitter.com/somaddysmithInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/somaddysmithAlex TomaselliTwitter: https://twitter.com/AlexTomaselliInstagram: https://instagram.com/SillySelliZac AmicoTwitter: https://twitter.com/ZASpookShowInstagram: https://instagram.com/zacisnotfunnyDates: https://punchup.live/ZacAmicoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meanwhile... Historians may have found actual DNA from Leonardo da Vinci, Stephen checks in on his fellow Olympic bobsledders, a man was found with over 100 human skulls in his house, a town in Japan appointed a calico cat to run a train terminal, Stephen fearlessly bites into a trending fish-covered donut, Mr. Beast is penniless, a bear broke into a candy store, and Staten Island is back on top! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices