The boys, who police say are 16 and 17 years old, were swimming at Jacob Riis Park on Friday. Witnesses say they saw a huge wave overtake them and the two never resurfaced. Rescuers from FDNY deployed into the water after receiving an emergency call just after 6:00 p.m., but even the most experienced swimmers and divers were called back to shore.

The search continued for nearly five hours with marine units and fire boats, according to authorities.

Drones and helicopters deployed from Floyd Bennett Field circled the area Saturday morning. Officials vowed to find the boys in what is now a recovery effort.

The teens have not been identified and the NYPD said it’s unclear if they knew how to swim. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry added that the situation is a parent’s worst nightmare.

“We think that it may be a riptide, but that’s still under investigation,” Daughtry said Friday.

This season, pool-goers will have another option when it comes to choosing where to keep cool in the city. A grand option, as in “New York City’s largest pool”- type of grand.

The Astoria Pool, which is the city’s largest pool, holding one million gallons at 330 feet long, is almost ready for swimmers after being closed nearly two years to undergo a $19 million upgrade.

In an exclusive interview with NBC New York, NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said the biggest ticket item for Astoria Pool is a new filtration system. 

“We are looking at a brand new pool liner and we re-did the whole pool deck,” Donoghue said.

The upgrades have been a long-time coming since it is replacing infrastructure, including the filtration system, from the 1930s. 

On Tuesday, the city announced it is committing $1 billion dollars to re-do 39 other pools. 

But all that investment hasn’t solved another challenge plaguing pool and water safety across the country: the lifeguard shortage. 

Even though pay has jumped from $19/hr to $22/hr in New York City, officials continue to struggle to find lifeguards and blame the pandemic — when many training programs got scaled back. 

In 2016, New York City had peak staffing with 1,500 lifeguards. However, last season that number was down almost half — reaching just 825 lifeguards. Meanwhile, this year, the city is hoping for 900 lifeguards. 

“It’s a national shortage — municipalities across the country are dealing with shortage of lifeguards,” Donoghue said.

Now, as families wait to move some of their kids from the sprinklers into the pools amid the steamy temperature, many New Yorkers ask if the pools can open earlier than the scheduled date next week.

Donoghue said that although the city would like to, the reality is there is “so much work that goes into facilities.“

So the original plan is still in motion: the pool season in New York City starts June 27 — the day after NYC Schools end for summer, and on which the Astoria Pool and 49 others will open for all summer revelers.

A Queens woman is facing multiple charges after police allegedly saw her attempting to sell puppies from what police described as a “sack” that was tied shut over the weekend.

According to the NYPD, on Saturday, shortly before 7 p.m., officers Lukasse Pusz and Brian Chan, who were in the field training unit of the 101 Precinct saw a woman trying to buy a puppy from another on the corner of Beach Channel Drive and Horton Avenue in Far Rockaway.

Allegedly, when the potential buyer asked if there were any other puppies for sale, the woman reached for a bag that was tied shut.

Pusz said the bag was so small it didn’t have any ventilation. When the officers intervened, the took hold of the sack and cut it open, discovering five pitbull puppies inside, covered in urine and condensation, the NYPD said.

“We found out they’re no more than 6 weeks so they didn’t have much life to even experience and they were being tortured,” Pusz said.

Chris Pimental who was working in a Dollar General nearby said he saw the illegal seller.

“She came in the store started walking up and down the aisles asking people to make offers on the puppies it was crazy,” Pimental told NBC New York.

Body cam captured the moment a witness panicking asks the officers for help.

“We cut the bag open and that’s when five puppies flooded out well 4 because one was completely at the bottom unconscious…opened up its eyes and came back to life,” Officer Austin Glickman, another one of the officers who helped the puppies, said.

Police on the scene immediately gave all the puppies water and love.

Now the puppies are being treated at the Manhattan ASPCA where they are being evaluated, while cops from the 101st Precinct are keeping in touch — in hopes of adopting them.

Officers immediately took the puppies and arrested the woman, who was identified as 44-year-old Shirley Medina.

Medina was subsequently charged with torture injury to an animal, neglect of impound animals, and criminal possession of a weapon since she allegedly had brass knuckles.

Attorney information for Medina was not immediately known.

In a statement following the ordeal, the ASPCA said in part: “Thanks to the actions of the New York City Police Department, these puppies were quickly transported to the ASPCA, where veterinary experts are conducting forensic exams and providing them with much-needed care.”

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Tribeca Festival is one of the largest spring film festivals hosting hundreds of screenings within 12 days, as well as discussion panels, speaker series and immersive experiences.

OpenAI granted five directors early access to Sora, a program that uses textual descriptions or prompts to generate short videos to match the characterization.

Michaela Ternasky-Holland is an award-winning virtual reality filmmaker and one of the chosen directors to create an AI-based short for this year’s festival, called “Thank You, Mom.”

This “SORA Short” is an autobiographical account of Ternasky-Holland’s experience growing up as the daughter of a widow navigating her grief journey. At least eight people, including animators, voiceover talent and a composer, were behind the three-minute production.

“I come from an emerging technology background, and putting a virtual reality head on somebody does not feel very human, but my goal as a creator is to make the content and the story feel very human and connected,” Ternasky-Holland told NBC New York during an interview at Onassis ONX Studio.

Ternasky-Holland notes that while Sora was the backbone of the production, other editing programs, like Adobe Premiere, were used to fine-tune the exact image.

She likens the use of AI technology to be similar to when traditional film transformed into digital productions or when analog editing switched to computers. The use of OpenAI could be a natural progression of where the film industry is heading.

“This is a continuation of what’s happening in the world. You can educate yourself and create your stance on it and also know that it’s not perfect. ‘Big Tech’ makes real humans think about where they stand and ethically with their data,” Ternasky-Holland said.

The theme of AI continued at the festival with a separate premiere of the documentary “How I Faked My Life with AI” directed by Kyle Vorbach, who used the latest tech tools to fabricate his own life online.

Vorbach poses the question of what defines a human connection if technology plays an active role in linking people together.

“If you have a computer that can generate art, and we’ve been generating art and telling stories for so long, we have to go, ‘What is the thing that is human? What is the thing that we’re making human?'” asked Vorbach during an interview.

Vorbach did not have a direct answer but an open-ended thought of if art is generated by AI, yet still elicits human emotion, would it make it any lesser? He says the next step using AI would be to create a narrative film and see what reaction people would have to the story.

After the controversial Hollywood stikes seen last year against the use of generative AI, NBC New York reached out to the Writers Guild of America East and the Directors Guild of America for comment on AI-created films at the Tribeca Festival. Neither of the unions responded.

NBC New York and Telemundo 47 are partners of the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival.

The Australian comedian, creator of the TV show “Please Like Me” who is also currently starring in “Taskmaster Australia,” is back in New York City for a couple of weeks with his latest stand-up show.

After receiving rave reviews in his home country, he has brought “Let’s Tidy Up” to the SoHo Playhouse for a two-week run before he’s off to the West End and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The show, co-written with Australian playwright Lally Katz, is a 75-minute journey about, you guessed it, tidying up.

“It’s about one time two years ago when I had to tidy the house, which maybe doesn’t sound like the most high stakes topic, but to me, it’s very, very, very high stakes. Tidying up is like the hardest thing in my life,” he said.

The show is funny, he promises, but that’s all he’ll say to convince you to try and buy a ticket.

“My best pitch for New Yorkers coming to my show? Don’t come,” he joked in his dressing room backstage.

His humor and comedy style have brought him back to New York City four years after he performed his show “Whoopsie Daisy” at the same theater in 2020, right before the city locked down for the pandemic.

Between performances this go-around you might catch Thomas at any number of Brooklyn gay bars that play “proper gay pop,” or a few blocks from the theater at Katz’s Deli.

“I know it’s such a touristy thing to do, but the sandwich is really good,” he confessed.

“Let’s Tidy Up” has been extended and will run through June 29.

More than 70 million people in the United States are under extreme heat alerts Tuesday as a heat wave moved eastward, and the Northeast is likely to see highs in the 90s by mid-week. That stretch should last a few days.

Excessive humidity will make it feel even more oppressive.

New York City’s Office of Emergency Management said Monday it is activating its heat emergency plan for the first time this year. Cooling centers will be open Tuesday. Here’s what we’re looking at.

Dew point temperatures across the region are about 10 to 20 degrees higher than this past weekend. And this makes a big difference in how tolerable temperatures can be.

The higher the dew point, the more moisture exists in the air — and the more uncomfortable you will feel outside.

On Tuesday, much of our area will be under a heat advisory, with feels-like temperatures as high as 95 to 100 degrees. Try to limit time outside and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.

See the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood here.

By Wednesday, much of New Jersey is facing an excessive heat watch, with feels like temperatures reaching as high as 105 degrees. This watch remains in effect through Saturday, while the rest of the area, save for Long Island and the 5 boroughs, remains under a heat advisory.

This level of heat and humidity can be dangerous to anyone, especially over a several-day stretch. But seniors, children, and those with chronic health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cognitive impairment are among the most vulnerable. People with mental health conditions may be more at risk too, the city says.

If you know someone to whom any of those vulnerabilities apply, be sure to check in on them this week.

Air conditioning is the best way to stay safe and healthy when it is hot outside, but some people at risk of heat illness do not have or do not turn on an air conditioner. People without air conditioning should identify their Cool Options, which are indoor air-conditioned places open to the public like libraries, malls, and museums.

Here are all the spots to get relief, from public beaches to pools, cooling centers and more.

And it’s not just people. Watch out for your four-legged friends as well; they struggle with the heat like we do.

Keep time outside to a minimum and avoid asphalt; it gets too hot for their paws.

Temperatures peak on Friday as we get close to record-level heat in some spots.

There’s also the chance for a few PM showers and storms to come through, but this will not be the system to knock down humidity or cool our temperatures appreciably.

We’ll see some slight improvement into the weekend, but highs and humidity remain above average. It is not until early next week that a cold front finally brings some much-needed relief.    

“A heat wave can be more than just uncomfortable, it can be deadly and life-threatening if you are not prepared,” NYC Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement, in part. “I encourage all New Yorkers to have a plan to beat the heat and make sure to check in on your neighbors, especially your older adult neighbors, to drink water, and to keep pets hydrated.”

Take it easy this week. It’s only June. And we’ve still got a lot of summer left ahead of us.

Storm Team 4 says the second half of June is projected to be a scorcher. (Pssst. Technically, we’re there.)

Regardless of what’s in the forecast, 2024 already ranks third as the warmest year-to-date. And there are no signs we’ll be dropping in rank anytime soon. We could jump to first before the month is out.

The U.S. last year saw the most heat waves, consisting of abnormally hot weather lasting more than two days, since 1936. Officials again warned residents to take precautions.

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The board voted to increase rents by 2.75% on one-year leases and 5.25% on two-year leases. The board had been deciding the rates on two proposed hikes: a 2-4.5% increase on one-year leases, and a 4-6.5% increase jump for two-year leases.

Now that they are approved, the increases could take effect as soon as October.

Opponents of the hike say hundreds of people are expected to hold a protest outside of the RGB vote at Hunter College in Manhattan.

Reaction to the vote was swift with a number of housing advocacy groups releasing statements condemning the move.

“Once again, the Rent Guidelines Board has voted to increase rents on stabilized units across the city, jeopardizing the housing stability of more than one million tenants,” The Legal Aid Society said in a statement Monday night. “These needless rent hikes for an already struggling population will undoubtedly lead to increased rates of homelessness, eviction, and displacement.”

“The Rent Guidelines Board process is broken,” said Community Housing Improvement Program Executive Director Jay Martin. “It is driven by relentless political pressure instead of an honest assessment of the data available to the Board. And the result is, like tonight, a rent adjustment that fails to cover inflation, nevermind the actual increases in operational costs, leading to lower quality housing for tenants.”

That sentiment was echoed by the City Council speaker, who “urged” the board to “limit increases so that our nearly one million tenants can afford to remain in their homes and contribute to the stability of our communities.”

Renters have been seeing regular increases in the past couple of years. Last year, they approved an increase of 3% for one-year leases and 2.75% for two-year leases. There was a similar increase the year before.

Storm Team 4 says the second half of June is projected to be a scorcher. (Pssst. Technically, we’re there.)

Regardless of what’s in the forecast, 2024 already ranks third as the warmest year-to-date. And there are no signs we’ll be dropping in rank any time soon. In fact, we could jump to first before the month is out.

So for the many New Yorkers who don’t have central air conditioning or any sort of A/C units in their homes, what are the options for them to keep cool during the dangerous heat?

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The city has opened more than 500 cooling centers that it employs during particularly hot days when a heat advisory is issued. The centers are open to the public and are located in libraries, older adult centers and more. However, keep in mind that some cooling centers (like ones in public libraries) will be closed in observance of Juneteenth

For a map and full list of cooling centers throughout the five boroughs, click here. Residents can also call 311 for more information on cooling centers closest to them.

If cooling centers aren’t your thing, the city’s public pools are a safe bet. Those are scheduled to open to the public on June 27.

There is also a long list of other cooling features available through the NYC Parks Department. Those include spray features and splash pads that provide summer fun for children, and are open whenever temperatures top 80 degrees.

For a map of available spray features and outdoor pools, click here.

For more information on what pools are open, what items to bring and not bring, and other rules, click here.

There are also 14 miles of beaches in New York City, according to the Parks Department, which this year will be open until Sept. 8. Swimming is allowed when lifeguards are on duty, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day.

For a list of the free NYC beaches open to the public, click here.

Of course, there is also the time-honored NYC tradition of using fire hydrants to keep cool — but city residents are not allowed to open a hydrant on their own. Instead, they can request a spray cap be added to a hydrant by a local firehouse.

Those looking to get a hydrant cap must provide contact information to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection. Those interested must be over 18, and can go to a firehouse, show ID, and fill out a form. For more information, click here.

The mayor also encouraged people looking to stay indoors to take advantage of the many places throughout the city that provide air conditioning on a regular basis regardless of the conditions outside.

For more information on how to keep pets cool and safe during a heat wave, click here.

For more information on what the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion are, click here.

A woman in New York City will spend decades in prison after being sentenced Thursday for striking and killing a 70-year-old woman with her SUV in 2021 after she intentionally drove onto the sidewalk to run over a man, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced.

Layla Adredini, 33, of Stuyvesant Heights, was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison Thursday after being convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder on May 23, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Adredini was driving her 2003 white Ford Explorer on August 24, 2021 on Pacific Street when she “deliberately drove up on the sidewalk in an attempt to hit a 50-year-old male acquaintance” at around 9:20 p.m.

Adredini missed the man and ended up crashing into Brenda Ann Whidbee who was sitting in a chair outside her home.

After the crash, Adredini tried to run away from the scene but neighborhood residents managed to stop her.

Whidbee, a grandmother and a fixture of her community for over 40 years, suffered severe injuries. She was taken to Brookdale Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

“Today’s sentence holds this defendant accountable for her shocking and depraved actions that cost an innocent woman her life,” Gonzalez said. “While nothing can bring Brenda Ann Whidbee back to her family and friends, I hope this sentence offers them some sense of solace.”

It’s also during a week where huge portions of the state are under an air quality alert and NY sees its largest COVID spike in recent months. The move, she says, will help deter crime on public transit.

At a sweeping press conference on public safety, Hochul started by addressing two recent incidents that have targeted Jewish New Yorkers. The governor pointed to a Tuesday vandalism at the home of the Brooklyn Museum’s director, and a reported train incident the night prior where “a group donning masks took over a subway car, scaring rider and chanting things about Hitler and wiping out Jews.”

“We will not tolerate individuals using masks to evade responsibility for criminal or threatening behavior,” she said. “My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes.”

Hochul said she has started discussions with Mayor Eric Adams and state lawmakers about a potential mask crackdown. A previous state law banning face masks in public was reversed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when masks became mandatory in most settings.

Shortly thereafter, Adams voiced his support during an interview on the “Cats & Cosby” radio show. He made a comparison between people wearing masks to “hide their faces” and the Ku Klux Klan.

“Dr. King did not hide his face when he marched and for the things he thought were wrong in the country. Those civil rights leaders did not hide their faces. They stood up. In contrast to that, the Klan hid their faces,” Adams said Thursday.

“In our transit system, people have hid under the guise of wearing a mask for COVID to commit criminal acts and vile acts. I think now is the time to go back to the way it was pre-COVID, where you should not be able to wear a mask at protests and our subway systems and other places,” he added.

Talk of a transit mask ban comes at a time when the number of positive cases in New York City is on the rise. Transmission levels citywide are nearly double what they were three months ago, according to city data. Hospitalizations, however, have remained steady.

Not only did masking in public become a regular practice for many New Yorkers in the past few years, but it was required throughout the MTA system and most public places for a large period of the pandemic. Although conditions have improved significantly since the height of the pandemic, many immunocompromised people and otherwise healthy individuals still wear masks daily on trains and buses to avoid contracting and spreading viruses.

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation has also issued an air quality health advisory for the New York City metro region from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Friday. The primary concern is ozone, according to the DEC, as the Air Quality Index is expected to hit levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Active children and adults and people with respiratory problems, like asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors, experts say. Officials also suggest more breaks. It advises people to watch for symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath and to follow the action plan they’ve pre-determined with their providers.

Check the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood here.

It’s not yet clear if there is further support across the New York legislature or what path forward such a proposal would have, but the state would not be the first to consider such legal action against public masking.

Lawmakers in North Carolina this week passed a mask ban designed to crack down on people wearing one while committing a crime. The bill suffered significant pushback for originally barring people from masking for health reasons.

Hochul acknowledged such a ban would be complex and require a significant amount of nuance between health and religious reasons, protection from the elements, and holidays, like Halloween.

“I assure everyone, we understand how complex this issue is. And we’re just listening to people and addressing their needs and taking them very seriously,” Hochul said.

The song of the summer will soon be a limited edition Van Leeuwen ice-cream flavor.

In an Instagram post Wednesday, Van Leeuwen announced the new VL x Sabrina Carpenter Espresso ice cream — in honor of the popular song “Espresso.”

The new espresso-flavored ice cream — which also features rich and chewy brownies, chocolate chips and fudge swirls — will be available in stores and the ice cream shop’s website on June 28.

Half of the profits from the sale of the new espresso ice cream will go to The Ali Forney Center, which helps LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness by providing “a home with stability, support, and comprehensive services to help[…]get their lives back on track and to prepare them to live independently and thrive,” according to the organization’s website.

“Espresso” has taken the music world — and Tik Tok — by storm since it was released in April. It is a top contender for the 2024 song of the summer, which Billboard determines by tracking popular songs across all genres from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

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The outdoor concert series ‘Warm Up’ by the Museum Of Modern Art is back again this summer.

This year, the music line up spans six fun-filled Fridays at MoMa PS1 in Queens from July 12 to Aug. 16.

This time the music will focus on electronic, bringing artists from around the world like São Paulo, London and Paris. Also there are national artists from Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit and local artists from around the city.

Tickets are on sale for $18, discounts apply for students and MoMa members. Tickets will go up to $22 on the day of the event. Attendees can also get a seasonal pass for all the concert series for $75.

There is a chance of free admission tickets for residents of Long Island City and Woodside because of a community partnership. Click here for more information.

“Warm Up” concert series will take place at the MoMa PS1 courtyard.

Since 1998, the “Warm Up” concert series has open a space for emerging artists as part of MoMa’s multidisciplinary programming.

Here is the lineup:

• July 12:
  • KIM ANH / Can U Not Talk Records from New York
    Johnny Dynell from New York
    Gatekeeper / Dungeon Sessions from New York
    DJ Miss Parker from Brooklyn
• July 19
  • Nick León b2b DJ Python / Suero and Worldwide Unlimited, Incienso / from Miami and New York
    Safety Trance / Club Romántico from Caracas
    Lolina / Relaxin Records from London
    FITNESSS from Los Angeles
• July 26
  • UNIIQU3 from Newark
    EASYFUN from UK
    Klein / Parkwuud Entertainment from UK
    African-American Sound Recordings / D.O.T. Audio Arts from New York
• Aug. 2
  • Terrence Dixon / Detroit
    DJ Q / Huddersfield from UK
    Sadaf / Blueberry Records from New York
    Havoc on World / Toy Production from New York
• Aug. 9
  • Emma dj / Danse Noire, UIQ, L.I.E.S. from Paris
    Ash Lauryn / Underground & Black from Atlanta
    Tongue in the Mind / PAN from New York
    AVALON from Los Angeles
• Aug. 16
  • Kode9 / Hyperdub from London
    Cashu / Mamba Negra from São Paulo
    SoFTT from Miami
    Bryce Barnes with Nunguja / PAN from Brooklyn

The hefty one-time payments, known as broker fees, are ubiquitous in New York but nearly unheard of anywhere else. In most other cities, landlords cover the commission of agents working on their behalf.

But legislation backed by a majority of the New York City Council would require landlords who hire brokers to pay their fees, marking a potential sea change in one of the country’s most expensive housing markets.

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Renters, who make up more than two-thirds of city households, are hailing the latest attempt at reform. At a hearing Wednesday, many New Yorkers recalled paying exorbitant fees to brokers who appeared to do little more than open a door to an apartment or direct them to a lockbox.

“In most businesses, the person who hires the person pays the person,” said Agustina Velez, a house cleaner from Queens who said she recently paid $6,000 to switch apartments. “Enough with these injustices. Landlords have to pay for the services they use.”

But the proposal has triggered fierce opposition from New York’s real estate industry.

Ahead of the hearing, hundreds of brokers gathered to voice their objections at a rally organized by the Real Estate Board of New York, the industry’s powerful lobbying group.

Through hours of testimony, they warned the legislation would sow chaos in the rental market and decimate the livelihoods of the city’s roughly 25,000 real estate agents. Many predicted landlords would pass on the costs of paying brokers to tenants through increased rents or keep apartments off the market altogether.

“This is the start of a top-down government-controlled housing system,” said Jordan Silver, a broker with the firm Brown Harris Stevens. “The language is so incredibly vague we actually have no idea what this would look like in the world.”

The bill’s sponsor, City Councilman Chi Ossé, has said he was moved to act following a recent apartment search that was “tiring, treacherous, and competitive.” Another local official, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, testified that he’d once paid a $2,500 fee to a broker he never met.

Their frustration was echoed at Wednesday’s hearing by dozens of ordinary renters, along with a mix of labor unions, housing policy groups and some prominent business leaders. Critics said paying brokers’ fees serves as a barrier to those who’d otherwise move to the city while preventing low-income New Yorkers from relocating to new homes.

Such broker fees were previously banned in 2020 under a package of renter protection laws passed by the state. But they were quickly reinstated following a lawsuit led by the Real Estate Board of New York.

Brokerage firms estimate that roughly half of the city’s apartments require a tenant-paid broker fee. The price of those fees can vary widely, though the standard amount is 15% of the annual rent. For the average apartment in Manhattan, where the median monthly rent recently hit $4,500, that would amount to a fee of $8,100.

Under the legislation, tenants would still pay brokers that they hired directly. The bill’s brief language — less than 200 words — only requires the party that hires the real estate agent pay their fee.

“How the market works is not as simple as a few sentences, which is what the bill is,” said Ryan Monell, a vice president at the Real Estate Board of New York. “It’s a misnomer to compare New York to other cities. This is really an exceptional market.”

Brokers are adamant that their jobs are far more intensive than merely opening the door to tenants. Many said they help put together listings, review applications, answer questions posed by tenants and arrange tours at all hours of the day. But some also acknowledged that the current system favors landlords.

“I think it’s not logical. The landlord should pay the listing agent who is working on their behalf,” said Maria Octavio, a real estate broker with the firm of Douglas Elliman. “Because it’s worked this way for many years, the owners are used to it.”

Anna Klenkar, a broker at Sotheby’s, said the industry group — known as REBNY — had contacted her employer after learning that she planned to testify Wednesday in support of the legislation. “It feels less like we’re protecting ourselves, and more like we’re protecting landlords, whom REBNY also represents,” she testified.

A spokesperson for REBNY did not respond to an emailed inquiry about whether they had reached out to the employer.

Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, warned the bill could have unintended consequences. He had strong real estate industry backing during his campaign and moonlighted decades ago as a real estate agent while working in the city’s police department.

 The Apollo Theater, a bastion of Black music and culture and one of New York City’s most storied venues, celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.

On Tuesday, the historic theater held its annual spring benefit — its largest annual fundraising effort, this year raising $3 million — with a star-studded event featuring Usher, Babyface, Big Daddy Kane, Jordin Sparks and more.

Sparks opened the night with an impressive medley of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” and Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman.” Then Kym Whitley emerged as a hilarious host, joking about the producer Babyface, who was being honored, arguing that he should now be known as “Grown-man-face, sexy-face, kiss-your-face.”

Later, she’d offer her own transformative story at The Apollo, sharing with the audience that it was on that stage where she first made an appearance as a stand-up comedian on television. “If you can make it at The Apollo,” she said, “You can make it anywhere.”

Speeches were given by a number of Apollo representatives, including President/CEO Michelle Ebanks, chairman of the board Charles Phillips, executive producer Kamilah Forbes as well as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

But it was the performances that really got the crowd on their feet. Dancers treated Usher to a choreographed medley of his own songs, from “Yeah!” to “Burn,” “Caught Up” to “Confessions Part II” and beyond.

Usher, who just a few months ago wowed audiences with his own career retrospective while headlining the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, was presented with the Icon Award.

In his speech, he recalled watching “Showtime at The Apollo” with his late grandmother. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, someday I’m gonna make it to that stage,’ and ‘hopefully one day, I’ll get a standing ovation,’” he said as everyone in the audience stood. “I stand before you humbled by your appreciation.”

“You know, they say if you make it in New York, you can make it anywhere,” he continued, referencing Whitley’s comments from earlier. “Well, if you can make it to The Apollo, you can do anything.”

Fat Joe and Kwanza Jones, formerly winners of The Apollo’s famed Amateur Night, came out and led the crowd in a singalong of Babyface’s 1989 hit, “Soon as I Get Home.” They were tasked with introducing the super-producer, who had been presented the day prior with the inaugural legacy award at The Apollo Theater’s 2024 Walk of Fame ceremony.

“I never imagined I would get this,” Babyface said during Monday’s ceremony. “I never saw myself actually, you know, being here at The Apollo. I didn’t want to perform here because I didn’t want to get booed, but I didn’t get booed,” he laughed. “I’m so glad that I came here for The Apollo.”

On Tuesday, his acceptance speech mostly ditched the jokes to express gratitude. “To be here at The Apollo — what’s so hard for me to find the words, because if I’m honest, I just never saw myself as like being on The Apollo stage. I was always the guy behind the scenes and writing songs for everyone else,” he said. “I am just in awe to be considered as part of this.”

“I’m just going to thank everybody. Normally I stand up here, I’m funnier than this,” he continued, “Usually, I am. But I’m just, I’m really just so taken by this, and I just want to thank you for the bottom of my heart. I appreciate it.”

The night ended with a series of singers coming out on stage to serenade Babyface with some of the most famous songs he produced: Toxi Braxton ‘s “You Mean the World to Me,” Eric Clapton’s “Change the World,” Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and so on.

Standouts included Karyn White doing her own “Superwoman,” Johnny Gill getting everyone out of their seats for his “My, My, My” and of course, Babyface himself closing the night out with “Whip Appeal.” They’re called classics for a reason.

A year after New York Attorney General Letitia James secured the largest million-dollar multistate settlement agreement with JUUL for the company’s role in the uptick in youth vaping, it was announced Wednesday that New York City will receive $27.1 million of that settlement to reinvest in the young community and vaping prevention programs.

The State of New York will receive $112.7 million from this settlement which Attorney General James will distribute to every county, Board of Cooperative Educational Services, and the five largest cities in the state — New York City among the included — to support programs that will help reduce and prevent underage vaping as well as public education and public health research related to the topic.

Of the $27.1 million that New York City will receive from the settlement, nearly $15 million will go to the school district and $12 million to the city to support anti-vaping programs for the youth.

“JUUL created a nationwide public health crisis by sparking a wave of addiction among children,” James said. “Young people are suffering because JUUL built its business by marketing addictive e-cigarettes to kids. Thanks to our efforts to hold JUUL accountable, New York City will receive over $27 million for valuable programs to fight back against the youth vaping epidemic. Our children’s health is on the line, and these funds will be used for education, prevention, enforcement, and research to keep our kids safe.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams thanked James for her efforts in securing this settlement for the city and pointed JUUL has caused many young people to become addicted.

“Today, we are taking millions in dollars from JUUL Labs and investing it directly into the community and in our youth through prevention, education, and enforcement efforts.” Adams said.

Another $16.4 million will go to fighting the spread of vaping among youths on Long Island. Suffolk County police recently targeted vape shops that sell flavored vapes to underaged children, resulting in arrests and penalties. On Wednesday, the county got $8.8 million for education, prevention and enforcement.

The settlement also required JUUL to make changes to its marketing including prohibiting targeting those underage, limiting retail and online purchases to prevent minors from gaining access, perform regular checks of retail stores that sell JUUL, among other requirements.

JUUL launched its e-cigarettes in 2015. Since then, according to the attorney general, vaping has caused more than 2,500 hospitalizations. In 2019, a 17-year-old boy from the Bronx died from a vaping-related illness, making him the first reported vaping-related death in the state, and the youngest vaping-related fatality in the country.

In 2019, James sued JUUL for misleading marketing and promoting vaping to minors. In April 2023, James secured the largest multistate settlement with JUUL.

“These funds secured by Attorney General James will go a long way to educate and inform New York children and families about the dangers of vaping and nicotine use, and help the countless New York youth who are addicted to vaping,” said Dorian Fuhrman and Meredith Berkman, Cofounders of Parents Against Vaping.

A new experience at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival honors one of its co-founders.

This year’s edition honors iconic actor Robert De Niro who, with Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, co-founded the Festival in 2002 to revitalize Lower Manhattan after 9/11. To celebrate his 80th birthday and commemorate his lifelong accomplishments, “De Niro Con” will be taking place from June 14 through June 16 at Spring Studios NYC. It will feature all things De Niro including special appearances by his collaborators and other icons in the industry, film screenings, live music, and interactive activations. 

A highlight of this tribute is the unique experience “De Niro Is an Icon: An Exhibit & Immersive Film,” open from June 6 through June 16.  

The immersive 360° original short film “De Niro, New York,” debuting at the Tribeca Festival this year, uses hundreds of samples to put in direct conversation characters from over 40 films from De Niro’s cinematic career, creating an exhaustive portrait of the artist.

“We got De Niro over five decades,” Jay Rinsky, the film’s producer, told NBC New York. Focusing on films set in the Big Apple, he added, “De Niro is also so New York.”

The impressiveness of the film is magnified through its display using cutting-edge technology by the Institute of Sound and Music in Berlin: the Hexadome. With 6 cinema screens, laser projectors, and 52 channels of sound, the viewer is seamlessly teleported to the De Niro world. 

Surrounding this installation, a detailed, career-spanning exhibit brings De Niro’s work to life. It features over 300 items encompassing annotated scripts, photographs, storyboards, costumes, and never-before-seen objects from the archives.

The 2024 Tribeca Festival opened Wednesday and will continue to showcase an array of films and documentaries as well as offer other cultural programming such as panel discussions and workshops until June 16. 

NBC New York and Telemundo 47 are signature media sponsors of the Tribeca Festival.

The name change, which was formalized by a June 5 membership vote, follows similar moves by Audubon Society chapters in Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Oregon and other cities.

A majority of the board of directors voted last year in favor of the New York change.

“Names may be symbolic, but symbols matter,” said Jessica Wilson, NYC Bird Alliance’s executive director. “They matter to staff, to volunteers, to members, and to the larger conservation community. We collaborate widely with our partners across the five boroughs, and want this name change to signal how much we value and seek broadly cooperative efforts to save wild birds.”

The newly named NYC Bird Alliance formed in 1979 and calls itself an independent chapter affiliated with the National Audubon Society, whose board voted last year to keep the Audubon name despite the fact that Audubon was a slave owner and an opponent of abolitionism.

Audubon, who lived from 1785 to 1851, is known for documenting birds and illustrating them for his master work “The Birds of America.”

Audubon owned enslaved people for a number of years but sold them in 1830 when he moved to England, where he was overseeing the production of “The Birds of America,” according to Gregory Nobles, the author of “John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman.”

When Britain emancipated enslaved people in most of its colonies in 1834, Audubon wrote to his wife that the government had “acted imprudently and too precipitously.”

NYC Bird Alliance’s leaders say they hope that dropping the Audubon name will help them win broader support for their mission of advocating for endangered and threatened bird species.

“For the sake of the Piping Plover, Philadelphia Vireo, Golden-winged Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Bobolink, Saltmarsh Sparrow, Fish Crow, and many other species, we need help,” NYC Birding Alliance says on its website’s “FAQS About Audubon Name” page. “We cannot allow our name to be a barrier to our conservation, advocacy, and engagement work.”

As a city kid, Amy Attas had big dreams of roaming the countryside, healing animals a la James Herriot’s classic “All Creatures Great and Small.”

How did it go? Well, the veterinarian made it from Queens to Manhattan, spending the last 32 years traversing the streets of her hometown as a full-time house call doc.

And, boy, does she have stories to tell, from escaping a massive, ailing and territory-threatened Rottweiler, fangs fully bared, to three weeks on intravenous antibiotics after a nasty bite from a cat patient.

Then there’s the humans behaving badly (“No dog of mine will be neutered!”) and the pampered celebrity-owned pets, including the beloved dogs of the late Joan Rivers, whom Attas counted as a friend. Cher once bared all to show Attas a rash after she adopted a dog with mange, and Billy Joel serenaded her on piano.

“You’ll never guess what happened today,” was Attas’ nightly refrain to her husband. Now, she’s collected those tales into a juicy and compassionate memoir, “Pets and the City,” out June 18.

Woven among her stories are tips and advice for animal lovers. (Forget the Easter lilies, cat people.)

IN-HOME PET CARE IS NO LONGER A RARITY

The pug-loving Attas had no grand business plan for her City Pets practice when she first packed up supplies and began traveling by subway and taxi. She had just left a tony Upper East Side animal hospital and some of her clients, including Rivers, wanted to keep using her. She assumed the house calls would be temporary.

“When I started, it was a novelty,” Attas said. “From day one I was busy.”

She has more company now as concierge services in general have grown in popularity. Other vets around the country do it full time like Attas, while some maintain brick-and-mortar practices and provide home services for end-of-life care.

Attas, meanwhile, has graduated to a private car and driver. She starts her days at 8 a.m., accompanied by one or both of her nurses. She allowed The Associated Press to tag along on a recent afternoon.

“I initially thought my practice would be filled with people who had difficulty getting to the veterinarian and maybe older people who had pets, or people with physical disabilities,” she said. They do seek her out but, Attas said, “what I didn’t realize was how attractive it would be to all kinds of other pet owners.”

Meet Puddy, the beloved 19-year-old domestic short hair cat of artist Wendy Beyer. The arthritic black-and-white feline has high blood pressure and requires monthly checks. Beyer found Attas through an online search.

“It’s life-changing,” Beyer said of having Puddy cared for in the comfort of his own home, a cozy sun- and art-filled apartment in the Hudson Yards neighborhood. “He’s never liked being in a carrier. It’s so traumatic trying to get him in the carrier myself.”

Beyer also likes Attas’ no-pressure approach to her decision to let Puddy age naturally without heroic measures.

“I think it’s helping to extend his life. He’s a really relaxed chill kitty. He’s not being stressed out,” Beyer said.

Hop on over to Fifth Avenue for a check on Cody, an adorable, barky white Maltese who, at age 8, is a bundle of fun-loving energy. He’s at the center of Lisa Healey’s life.

Cody has itchy allergies and a heart murmur. Attas, who helped the Healeys bid farewell to a previous dog, regularly sees Cody in the couple’s spacious apartment.

“This is our child and we would do anything for our children, so it’s worth the cost. It’s worth every penny. I don’t even think about it,” Healey said.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE VET PRACTICE

House calls are a far different beast for vets than regular practices. There’s the travel, of course, no small thing in Manhattan. On a recent round, Attas and nurse Jeanine Lunz made use of their in-car time answering phone calls, working on scheduling and tending to the numerous other tasks most vets deal with when they have a few minutes between exams.

“It takes much longer than just waiting for a patient to come in and going from exam room to exam room in a hospital,” Attas said.

The cost of her transportation (she’s Manhattan-only) is included in the fee. She charges an additional fee for seeing multiple pets at once. It’s less than making more than one trip to a vet’s office or what other vets may charge for seeing more than one pet on the same day, she said. Attas restricts her practice to dogs and cats.

In all, Attas said her services can be about 30% more than brick-and-mortar practices. She doesn’t perform surgery, but she provides typical care, from vaccinations to blood and urine draws, relying on specialists for things like severe heart and eye issues. She uses animal hospitals when large equipment is needed or for acute emergencies when every second counts.

So far, Attas has seen more than 7,000 animals in her travels, including the pets of Joel, Wayne Gretzky,Steve Martin and Kevin Kline. At minimum, she or one of the two other vets in her practice visit 12 to 15 homes daily. Her personal best in terms of animals seen in a day is 23.

Attas and her human clients point to other advantages of house calls. Once clients are established, the humans don’t have to be home.

“Sometimes they have their doorman let us in. Sometimes their nanny or their housekeeper is at home. And many of our clients actually give us keys to their apartments,” Attas said.

HOUSE CALLS AREN’T JUST FOR THE RICH

Attas dispels the notion that her client list is solely filled with pets of the wealthy.

“I go to billionaires’ homes. I go to housing projects. I work with not-for-profits to help seniors continue to live with their pets,” she said.

Attas never wants to be so busy that she loses the intimate value of home visits.

“When you’re in the home, you’re experiencing how that pet lives,” she said. “I can’t even think of how many times I have been in someone’s home where I see something that is a complete danger for a pet.”

That includes potential killers like open windows with no screens, toxic plants and unsecured terraces. She ended one owner’s practice of serving up massive quantities of catnip after the cat went seriously loopy.

And she found an unlikely object inside a bull terrier that wasn’t coming out the way it went in: His human’s giant over-ear headphones. The human wondered where they had gone.

“We couldn’t figure out how he even consumed them,” Attas said.

She keeps a keen eye on humans who sometimes need help themselves.

“I’ve seen seniors who have lost pets and lose their will to live. In one particular case that I talk about in the book, a lovely woman’s elderly dog passed away, and when I went to check on her a week later she was a fraction of the woman I had seen the week before,” Attas said.

Attas brought the grieving 90-year-old client a senior dog to adopt under the guise of fostering.

“She immediately had a reason to live again,” Attas said, “and took care of that dog until the day she passed away.”

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An Alabama man, who used to live in Queens, was charged for leaving the scene of a deadly hit-and-run that killed a 79-year-old woman in 2021, the local district attorney said.

Edward Garzón, 43, was arraigned Thursday on the charge of leaving the scene of a fatal collision near the Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale. If convicted, Garzón faces up to seven years in prison. He is scheduled to return to court on July 22.

The charges stem for an alleged series of events that took place Dec. 13, 2021. On that day, att around 4:50 p.m., Garzón was driving a black 2015 Mercedes Benz S550 headed eastbound on Cooper Avenue between 82nd and 83rd streets when Helena Conti of Queens was walking across the street.

Allegedly, Garzón hit Conti and left the scene. Conti was taken to a hospital where she died of severe head trauma suffered during the impact, the charges said.

Investigators allegedly found the Mercedes at a local auto body shop after an insurance claim for the damage was filed.

Subsequently, the investigators obtained DNA samples that matched Conti from the car’s windshield and headlights, among other areas on the car.

“I created a Vehicular Homicide Unit and assembled experts to make sure that every family gets closure,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said of the unit which not only examines current unsolved cases but older ones as well. “Working with our partners at the NYPD, we reviewed unsolved cases and today we’re announcing that a defendant will be held accountable for the death of a woman who was hit and left to die on a Queens street in December 2021.”

Attorney information for Garzón was not immediately known.

“So what now?”

The MTA held a press conference Monday afternoon, days after lawmakers ended the legislative session without plugging the funding gap caused by Hochul’s decision to put a halt on congestion pricing. She paused it just over three weeks before it was supposed to start.

Congestion pricing Jun 8

Hochul defends blocking congestion pricing plan to pay for subway repairs

Congestion pricing Jun 6

NYC congestion pricing pause halts MTA projects, as NY governor calls for tax increase

Congestion pricing Jun 5

NYC congestion pricing plan shelved indefinitely

Lieber detailed how the transit agency will have to “reprioritize, re-sequence and shrink” their financial plans and the their Capital Program. An MTA official said last week that improvement projects like electric buses, accessible subway stations and new signals would likely be put on hold.

“Mass transit is too important to the city and to this 23 million-person region to go backward, and we’re not gonna let that happen,” said Lieber. “We need the funding in order to move forward…We got a tall order and we’re behind the 8-ball right now, and that’s why were’ taking these, frankly, serious steps to carve up the Capital Program and make sure we don’t let the system fall into disrepair.”

When the state legislature failed to act at the end of last week, it left a billion-dollar-a-year hole in his transit agency’s budget and further questions about how New York plans to pay for long-awaited updates to the subway system.

Lieber, who said he found out about Hochul’s decision the night before she made the announcement, noted that he has not considered resigning in protest of the governor’s sudden change of position. He also did not share specifics of the MTA’s plan going forward, but did outline how the agency plans on moving forward without funding coming from the congestion pricing plan.

He said the biggest priority is to “fight like hell to make sure we don’t have to reduce service…we have actually grown service on subway lines, on bus lines, especially on commuter rail. We don’t want to lose that so we’re going to focus on the financial situation and how to minimize those impacts.”

Lieber clarified the MTA is not “giving up on congestion pricing,” which he said is required by state law to be instituted at some point, but the transit agency can’t start the program on its own. It needs signoff from the New York Department of Transportation, an approval that does not appear likely soon.

“The governor has been very upfront about the fact that it ain’t coming from the state of New York,” said Lieber.

The MTA was expecting to receive billions from the nation’s first “congestion pricing” scheme, with motorists paying to enter Manhattan south of Central Park. The tolls, set to launch later this month, were set to finance $15 billion in capital projects for the beleaguered transit system, and had been expected to yield $400 million this year and then $1 billion annually, according to the New York City Independent Budget Office.

The governor, at an event in the Bronx on Monday, stood behind her decision to halt the $15 toll citing a sluggish economic recovery — but she hinted for the first time that the tolling plan could be revived in the future, that now is not the right time for congestion pricing.

“There’s a big difference between a pause and elimination. Elimination was an option. I said I’m committed to congestion pricing,” Hochul said.

She didn’t say when that pause might lift. The plan will not be going ahead as planned in June, likely putting key transit projects on the back burner — like subway signal modernization and adding elevators to dozens of inaccessible stations.

As for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, Lieber said the MTA will “do our best” to prevent the grant from being put at risk, but added “though that is a challenge.” When it comes to the ADA work that was set to be done, the agency will “squeeze out as much station accessibility work as possible,” while admitting that “we can’t make up money we don’t have.”

Hochul had long been publicly supportive of the congestion pricing scheme, chalking up her change of heart to the financial burden she said the toll would pose on New Yorkers already struggling with the high costs of living, as well as its possible impact on New York City’s ongoing economic recovery from the pandemic.

But the governor still insists all the projects would go forward as planned.

“Those projects will go forward. But to assume the only funding had to be congestion pricing shows a lack of imagination about — I am committed to these projects,” the governor said.

The governor hasn’t said how she would replace the funding that the MTA was banking on receiving from the toll to pay for upgrades and fixes. Hochul had suggested raising taxes on businesses to make up for the toll revenue. But state lawmakers rejected that plan and didn’t take up legislation to replace the congestion pricing revenue before the legislative session ended Friday.

Plenty of critics accused the governor of postponing the fee because of the upcoming election. She acknowledges the criticism and simply says that is not the case.

Hochul and Lieber, who have appeared together at numerous transit projects in the past, almost always appear to be on the same page. But now they seem to be miles apart. 

“Bottomline: This phase of the MTAs work is a huge challenge…It may feel right now like things are a little crazy and maybe even that there’s a crisis, but we need to stay focused so that we can maximize the situation for our riders, they are our focus right now,” said Lieber.

Many drivers, especially in the suburbs, have celebrated the unexpected pause, saying the fee was way too high. But those who rely on mass transit have not been happy. Some have said they’re still pressuring Hochul to reconsider. 

“I want to say to the folks who are frustrated that this reversal took place: I can relate. I am incredibly moved by how New Yorkers, transit advocates but regular New Yorkers as well, have turned out in full force and raise their voices to show support for transit and for the MTA,” Lieber said. “Loving the MTA is not a 365-job for New Yorkers, but in the last week we have felt it, and I want to acknowledge that.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Wendell Pierce, known for his roles in “The Wire,” “Suits” and “Jack Ryan,” posted on X last week, detailing his “righteous anger” over being denied an apartment in Harlem. Pierce, who is Black, said a white apartment owner turned down his application, despite having a high income and plenty of assets.

“Racism and bigots are real. There are those who will do anything to destroy life’s journey for Black folks. When you deny our personal experiences, you are as vile and despicable,” part of his post read

Pierce said the incident happened last year, but he decided to talk about it now after a recent U.S. Court of Appeals panel restricted investors from dedicating grants for female Black-owned businesses.

Pierce, who is currently on set filming in Georgia, said he could not recall the address or landlord of the building that turned down his application.

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The failure to act now leaves a billion dollar hole in the transit agency’s budget and further questions about how New York plans to pay for long-awaited updates to the subway system.

The lack of funding “has serious implications” for the MTA Capital Program, leadership warned late Friday.

“Until there is a commitment for funding the balance of the 2020-2024 Capital Program, the MTA will need to reorganize the Program to prioritize the most basic and urgent needs,” MTA Chief Financial Officer Kevin Willens and MTA General Counsel Paige Graves said in a joint statement.

That means improvement projects like electric buses, accessible subway stations and new signals will likely be put on hold, they added.

“New York State law places an obligation on MTA to implement a congestion pricing program, and the agency stands ready to do so. But under applicable federal law and regulation, the MTA cannot act until the Central Business District Tolling Program is approved by New York State, New York City and the federal government – and with the announcement of the pause, we no longer have the State’s consent,” the MTA leaders explained in their statement.

Congestion pricing Jun 8

Hochul defends blocking congestion pricing plan to pay for subway repairs

Congestion pricing Jun 6

NYC congestion pricing pause halts MTA projects, as NY governor calls for tax increase

Congestion pricing Jun 5

NYC congestion pricing plan shelved indefinitely

Hochul addressed the press for the first time Friday night, two days after dropping the bombshell announcement that congestion pricing was going to be put on an indefinite pause.

“The closer we got to the June 30th implementation date, I heard from more and more anxious New Yorkers that this would be a real hardship for them,” she said.

Lawmakers spent those two days scrambling to react and weigh alternatives to fill the billions needed to fund the MTA program. A payroll tax didn’t get enough traction and the session ended overnight without a clear plan.

At her press conference, Hochul didn’t give a timeline or funding alternative. She did insist that congestion pricing was only “on pause” and New Yorkers would seemingly see its implementation down the road.

Plenty of critics accused the governor of postponing the fee because of the upcoming election. One reporter pressed Hochul on that feedback.

“Governor, I mean this with due respect, but how stupid do you think New Yorkers have to be to believe that this congestion pricing decision wasn’t politically motivated?” the reporter asked.

“I will never think that the voters and constituents in New York are stupid. Those are your words,” she said in response.

The district attorney in Queens announced this week that Waheed Foster, who is homeless, pleaded guilty for the September 2022 attack at the Howard Beach/JFK Airport subway station.

“The brutality and random nature of this attack is unconscionable,” DA Melinda Katz said in a statement. “After building such a strong case against this defendant, we are looking to provide a measure of closure for the survivor, who suffered such serious injuries.”

Foster, 44, faces up to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision. Reached by phone, Foster’s attorney did not have a comment.

According to the charges, Foster allegedly followed a 33-year-old woman as she got off the train at the station while she was on her way to work at around 5:30 a.m. Sept. 20, 2022.

As she went up the stairs, Foster came up from behind and struck her in the head with a hard object.

Video surveillance shows the woman run through the station, and Foster chasing and catching up to her before throwing her on the ground. Foster allegedly punched her in the face and stomped on her head repeatedly.

A Good Samaritan is also seen on video intervening and chasing Foster away.

According to the district attorney, the woman was taken to a local hospital where she went underwent emergency eye surgery — eventually losing sight in her right eye.

A 30-year-old New York City man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for causing the death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son in 2021 after causing him numerous injuries from battered child syndrome, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

Jerimiah Johnson, 30, of East New York, Brooklyn, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter on April 17 in the death of Jayce Eubanks, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.

According to Gonzalez, who cited the investigation, on Sept. 12, 2021, at around 5:30 a.m., inside the Gowanus Houses, in Brooklyn, Johnson, who was holding Jayce in his arms, woke up the child’s mother, Rickia Delvalle, and told her that the boy said he could not breathe and had collapsed to the floor. The mother saw that the child was not breathing and appeared completely unresponsive. Jayce was subsequently taken to Brooklyn Hospital Center where he was pronounced dead at 6:54 a.m.

An autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Jayce had both old and new injuries to his body, including his limbs, back, chest and abdomen. The child also had a healing skull fracture, multiple healing and recent rib fractures on both sides, and trauma to the stomach that caused it to perforate and provoke bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity. The cause of death was determined as battered child syndrome with recent blunt force injuries of the torso.

“The autopsy of this innocent child revealed that he suffered unthinkable and repeated abuse in his short life and ultimately died at the hands of this defendant,” Gonzalez said.

The MTA is pushing “pause” indefinitely on New York City’s first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan at the direction of Gov. Kathy Hochul, she announced in a taped statement Wednesday.

The toll program, years in the making, had been set to roll out later this month. No new start date has been set.

Hochul expressed concerns about the timing and state of city’s post-pandemic recovery. She fears there may be “unintended consequences” on hard-working New Yorkers if the plan were implemented at this point but remains focused on achieving the goals of congestion pricing, which include funding much-needed transit modernization as well as environmental sustainability.

The MTA is expected to circulate a list of projects that could be impacted without known funding, an official briefed on the plans said. Congestion pricing was expected to be a $15 billion windfall for the cash-strapped agency.

Implementing the toll now, though, would hurt everyday people too much, Hochul said. And midtown Manhattan hasn’t recovered to the point where this would be the right time for congestion pricing.

If the tax were implemented now, she says economically-strapped commuters may opt to return to working from home, leaving Manhattan offices, now with a 20% vacancy rate, emptier rather than pay the $15 car toll.

“Circumstances have changed, and we must respond to the facts on the ground, not to the rhetoric from five years ago,” Hochul said.

The MTA deferred to Hochul and her statement.

Asked about the decision Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams says he’s “all for” analyzing other options if there’s a way to generate the needed capital without impinging on people’s lives.

“We have to get it right. We have to make sure it’s not an undue burden on everyday New Yorkers and we have to make sure it’s not going to impact our recovery,” Adams said. “If she’s looking at analyzing other ways we can do it, I’m all for it.”

According to Politico, the consideration is more politically driven. The website reports Democratic leaders have approached Hochul with their concerns over congestion pricing‘s impact on close U.S. House races.

Transportation Alternatives, a transit advocacy group, was quick to point the finger.

“The next time your train is late, your bus is trapped in traffic, your subway station is still missing an elevator, you know who to blame: Governor Kathy Hochul,” Transportation Alternatives said in a statement. “Transit riders are the majority of New Yorkers – and certainly the majority of New Yorkers of color, low-income New Yorkers, disabled New Yorkers, New Yorkers with children – and today Kathy Hochul sided with powerful special interests instead – just days before this program was slated to go into effect.” 

The first in a series of webinars designed to educate the public on all things congestion pricing had been scheduled for Wednesday. It was postponed indefinitely.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who had staunchly opposed the plan, thanked Hochul for pausing it.

“Although we have had a difference of opinion with our colleagues in New York on congestion pricing implementation, we have always had a shared vision for growing our regional economy, investing in infrastructure, protecting our environment, and creating good-paying jobs on both sides of the Hudson River,” Murphy said in a statement. “We fully embrace the notion that the success of Manhattan is inextricably linked to the prosperity of the entire tri-state area.”

“Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams have been strong, collaborative governing partners and I look forward to continuing to work closely with them for the benefit of all of our residents,” the Democrat added.

How will congestion pricing work?

Congestion pricing will impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board.

All drivers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles would be charged the toll. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts — here’s a breakdown of the prices:

• Passenger vehicles: $15
• Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
• Large trucks: $36
• Motorcycles: $7.50

The $15 toll is about a midway point between previously reported possibilities, which have ranged from $9 to $23.

The full, daytime rates will be in effect from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. each weekday, and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on the weekends. The board called for toll rates in the off-hours (from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. on weekends) to be about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.

Drivers will only be charged to enter the zone, not to leave it or stay in it. That means residents who enter the CBD and circle their block to look for parking won’t be charged.

Only one toll will be levied per day — so anyone who enters the area, then leaves and returns, will still only be charged the toll once for that day.

The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. That would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large portion of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would generate $15 billion, a cash influx that could be used to modernize subways and buses.

Can I get a discount?

Many groups had been hoping to get exemptions, but very few will avoid having to pay the toll entirely. That small group is limited to specialized government vehicles (like snowplows) and emergency vehicles.

Low-income drivers who earn less than $50,000 a year can apply to pay half the price on the daytime toll, but only after the first 10 trips in a month.

While not an exemption, there are so-called “crossing credits” for drivers using any of the four tunnels to get into Manhattan. That means those who already pay at the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, for example, will not pay the full congestion fee. The credit amounts to $5 per ride for passenger vehicles, $2.50 for motorcycles, $12 for small trucks and $20 for large trucks.

Drivers from Long Island and Queens using the Queens-Midtown Tunnel will get the same break, as will those using the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Those who come over the George Washington Bridge and go south of 60th Street would see no such discount, however.

Public-sector employees (teachers, police, firefighters, transit workers, etc.), those who live in the so-called CBD, utility companies, those with medical appointments in the area and those who drive electric vehicles had all been hoping to get be granted an exemption. They didn’t get one.

Federal prosecutors and the FBI have arrested and charged a man with allegedly placing bets and coordinating his betting with former NBA player Jontay Porter who was kicked out of the league earlier this year, according to NBA league records and a copy of the criminal complaint filed by prosecutors in Brooklyn.

Long Phi Pham, aka “Bruce”, 38 and from Brooklyn, was arrested on Monday at JFK airport after he allegedly booked a one way ticket to Australia just a day after federal investigators tried to interview him and was in federal court this afternoon where he was ordered detained, the FBI said. He faces charges of wire fraud. Three other people allegedly involved in the scheme remain at large according to federal prosecutors.

The criminal complaint against Pham does not identify the NBA player by name but the charging documents say that the player only played 4 minutes on Jan. 22 with three rebounds and one assist – statistics that match Porter’s stats for the day — and that he had reaggravated an eye injury which Porter also had claimed. A description of a NBA player banned and why they were banned by the NBA also appears in the complaint and it matches Porter.

Porter has not been charged in this complaint. He has been permanently banned by the NBA.

Representatives for Porter did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear whether Pham had retained an attorney. No contact information for him could be found.

The charging documents say that Porter “had amassed significant gambling debts” to Pham and others. The document says that one of the people still at large encouraged Porter to clear the debts by “withdrawing from certain games prematurely to ensure that under prop bets on [Porter’s] performance were successful.

“Video footage of the January 26 Game neither shows any contact with Player 1’s eyes, nor any apparent reaggravation of the eye injury” and he “did not subsequently complain to team officials about the purported eye injury after the January 26 Game and played in his team’s next game two days later”, the complaint says.

The defendants then allegedly placed bets on the game netting them profits of over $100,000.

The scheme allegedly played out again in March of this year when Pham and the others all met at an unnamed casino in Atlantic City to place bets on Porter because Porter told them over Telegram that he would remove himself from the game on March 20 early, saying he was ill, the documents say.

Surveillance photos in the complaint allegedly show the defendants at the casino. The documents say that Porter would receive a percentage of the profits for participating in the scheme.

When Pham was arrested at JFK, the FBI says he had “approximately $12,000 in cash; two cashier’s checks totaling $80,000; a series of betting slips; and three cellular phones.”

If convicted, the maximum sentence for Pham is 20 years in jail. Attorney information was not immediately available.

James Kane has used a magnet to fish all manner of junk from New York City waterways, but stacks of $100 bills he pulled from a safe were something else entirely.

Kane’s girlfriend, Barbi Agostini, 39, thought he was joking when he said their life was about to change, she told The Associated Press on Monday. She was filming as Kane, 40, pulled a slimy safe out of a lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and extracted bags of waterlogged Benjamins from inside it.

“Oh, that’s money,” Kane said Friday in video he posted online. “Oh, it is! Stacks of bills, dude!”

“Oh, my God!” Agostini said in the video.

The couple estimates that the safe contained $100,000 in damaged currency.

The bills featured the 3D security ribbon that indicates recent vintage, but the safe bore no clues to a rightful owner.

Kane and Agostini said they called the police to report their discovery and the police said there was no evidence of a crime.

“They gave it to us, as, I guess you call it a finders keepers thing,” Kane said.

The New York Police Department did not respond to requests for confirmation of Kane’s discovery.

Kane said he and Agostini plan to take their soggy money to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington to redeem it.

Some portion of the bills will likely be too damaged to recover, he said.

The pair have ideas for spending whatever they end up with, including a new vehicle and upgrades to the equipment they use to produce content.

Kane is far from the only magnet fisher who has made a mark in recent years. All it takes is a powerful magnet, a body of water and a rope.

A magnet fisher found a human skull padlocked to an exercise dumbbell in New Orleans last month, and someone fishing in a creek in Georgia in April pulled up a rifle and some belongings of a couple who were killed nine years ago.

As magnet fishing videos rack up views on YouTube, skeptics grumble on Reddit that some of the finds must be fake.

Kane may just be lucky. He’s hauled up bicycles, guns, grenades, and jewelry from New York City waterways, promoting his exploits on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

“I have seen and worked with other magnet fishers that can hit a spot for three months, and I’ll come along and throw the same magnet and get and find something that they’ve been trying to get the entire time,” he said. “I personally can’t explain that.”

The city is facing a wave of criticism in the wake of a controversial video shared online that captures a New York City Parks agents trying to arrest a 14-year-old girl for selling fruit from her parent’s alleged unlicensed cart in Battery Park over the weekend.

The video capturing Sunday’s chaos shows an NYPD officer also holding the girl as a crowd of mainly bystanders scream at the officers and physically step in to help the child break free. NBC New York could not independently verify what happened before the recording begins.

A woman, who did not share her name but said was the teen’s aunt, said the agents “were rough with my niece.”

The girl and her parents were back at the same spot selling fruit from an alleged illegal fruit stand in front of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal Monday.

“We’re not here to rob, we’re just here to sell our fruits. That’s it,” the woman who identified herself as the teen’s aunt said in Spanish, adding that’s exactly what the teen’s mom was doing when parks agents and police arrived telling them they had to leave. She says the family complied, and the teen began helping her mom pack up. That’s when she says agents tried to place handcuffs on the girl.

“Yes! Very aggressive because she didn’t do anything,” the woman said. “She just wanted to help her mom. And they aggressively pushed her.”

The video making the rounds on social media has led to fierce criticism of parks agents and police for their handling of a child.

Meanwhile, the city is sending mixed messages.

Mayor Eric Adams said he saw the video and while no one wants to see a teen appear to be abused, the agents were responding to complaints about illegal vending. Saying that the girl’s mother is a repeat offender.

“Illegal vending is not working,” the mayor said. “It’s illegal.”

However, in the six hours NBC New York spent in front of the terminal, we did not see one agent or officer approach any of the half dozen vendors selling fruit and churros. In fact, two police officers walk right by the teen’s parents who say they’ve been back here since this morning.

“Why are we preventing people from earning an income in this country,” said tourist Jessica Blinkhorn, who was visiting from Georgia and was one of the many people we saw purchasing fruit from the vendors.

“Employ people! People want to work. People want jobs,” Blinkhorn said.

A sentiment that Adams then shared, advocating that migrants should be allowed to work legally.

“It is not dignified to have people unable to provide for themselves. Let them work,” he said.

The mayor says the officers’ handling of the teen is being investigated. Meanwhile, the girl’s family says she stayed home from school Monday.

“She’s banged up a little bit. She’s swollen, her hand is swollen .They grabbed her really hard but she’s OK,” the woman who identified as the teen’s aunt said. “It’s a shame, watching what’s going on, it hurt.”

New York City is looking to expand access to public restrooms citywide over the next five years.

Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday the launch of the “Ur In Luck” initiative which will build 46 new restrooms and renovate 36 existing ones. Once this plan is completed, 10 additional restrooms are slated for the Bronx, 23 for Brooklyn, 28 in Manhattan, 14 in Queens and seven on Staten Island — an addition to the nearly 1,000 public restrooms already in existence across the five boroughs, the city said.

Additionally, the city said, the 36 existing restrooms that will undergo renovations ranging from additional stalls to accessibility upgrades to energy efficient features.

Part of the “Ur In Luck” initiative is a new Google Maps layer that New Yorkers can activate on their phones to easily find the locations of every public restroom citywide.

The Google Maps layer — which will be updated biannually— will include restrooms operated by NYC Parks, DOT, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the city’s ‘privately-owned public spaces,’ and all three of the city’s library systems — the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Public Library.

“Part of making New York City a more livable city is tackling the little things — the things we don’t think about until we need them,” Adams said. “Access to public restrooms is high on that list, maybe even number one or two. We’ve already added changing tables to all NYC Parks public restrooms where it’s feasible — three years ahead of schedule. The new and renovated bathrooms we’ll deliver over the next five years will make it easier for New Yorkers to embrace the best parts of this city: our shared outdoors spaces. And our new Google Maps layer will make it easier to find relief when you’ve got to go. ‘Ur in’ luck, New York.”

Finally, the city is establishing a joint taskforce to assist in siting and fast-tracking approvals for 14 new high-tech, self-cleaning automatic public toilets on city sidewalks and plazas.

“New Yorkers deserve accessible, well-maintained public restrooms — and we’re delivering. NYC Parks is leading the way with innovative initiatives and partnerships to build these vital public resources more quickly and efficiently,” NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said.

“Everyone — seniors, parents with kids, anyone enjoying the day outdoors, needs access to a public bathroom without having to buy anything or beg for a code,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Public bathrooms are critical infrastructure for New York City, where people are always out and about. We’re making New York City a little easier and more livable, one public restroom at a time.”  

The waitlist will be open for applications until Sunday, the city said.

Mayor Eric Adams said that last time NYCHA allowed families to join the waiting list for these vouchers was in 2009. The demand on the first day of waitlist sign-up has been high.

Lakesha Miller is in charge of the voucher program for NYCHA. As the executive vice-president of leased housing for NYCHA, Miller told News 4 New York said that in just nine hours, the city has already seen more than 100,000 people apply.

With the rent subsidy — low income families benefit the most. In one example, an $1,800 apartment can suddenly seem affordable. 

“The family would pay $300. And then NYCHA would pay the remaining $1,500,” Miller said.

The available apartments can be anywhere in the city in any building and those who obtain the voucher will be chosen at random.

There is no fee to submit a NYCHA application. The Section 8 waitlist is expected to be established by Aug.1. Waitlist status will not be available before that date, according to NYCHA.

According to NYCHA, you may be eligible to apply if your family’s annual gross income does not exceed the income limits:

Additionally, among other requirements, eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens and noncitizens who have eligible immigration status, and families in which all members are U.S. citizens or have eligible immigration status are eligible for housing assistance, according to NYCHA’s website.

While the waitlist is now open, this will not have a direct impact on households currently on NYCHA’s Section 8 waitlist. NYCHA will continue to assign vouchers as they become available via the waitlist.

For more information on the waitlist, click here.

Last week, NYC health officials released a brand new, “first of its kind” report that digs into the mental health of the millions of people that make up the country’s biggest city.

“The State of Mental Health of New Yorkers” details an overview of what mental health looks like for the city’s population up to and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What we see in the data is that mental health is neither static nor homogenous. We see a deep crisis in some communities, while observing relative wellness in others,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan.

In a city of over 8 million people, nearly one in every five adults living in New York City has been diagnosed with anxiety, the report tabulated. Roughly one in every four adults experiences a mental health disorder — that is in line with the national average, the report points out.

And while the majority of adults with a diagnosis was able to get treatment, roughly a third had their needs go unmet. Treatment access, the report points out, varies between communities, with Asian New Yorkers “accessing care the least.”

The report also digs into the pandemic, which worsened feelings of loneliness and grief. Before the pandemic, roughly 5% of New Yorkers said they experienced serious psychological distress. That figure jumped to around 14% two years ago, before dipping back down to 8% in 2023.

“We also see an evolving post-COVID-19 picture of New Yorkers recovering from some of the worst impacts of the pandemic and longer-term effects still developing,” Dr. Vasan added.

A startling part of the report found that a majority of New Yorkers don’t have a person in their life to turn to for regular emotional support.

“Adults who personally witnessed or experienced violence in their neighborhood, or who encountered rodents on their street, lacked heat in the most recent winter or recently saw mold in their home were more likely to experience serious psychological distress than adults who had not,” the health department said last week.

When it comes to the younger generations living in the Big Apple, Latino, Black and white kids (ages 3-13) were more likely than Asian kids to report “severe psychological distress.”

In a recent survey conducted last year, 48% of teenagers reported feeling depressive symptoms ranging from mild to severe. The vast majority, however, reported feeling high levels of resilience. Frequent coping mechanisms include listening to music and using social media.

The report also looked into substance use. Apparently, New Yorkers still favor alcohol to cannabis. The percentage of residents using cannabis sat at round 23% last year, compared to 45% who reported drinking.

This time, instead of installing gadgets to stop fare beaters, they’re considering hiring a psychologist to get into their minds in hopes of “shrinking” the expensive problem.

The MTA website is now advertising an RFP — that’s request for proposal — for a “behaviorist” who can dig into the societal trends behind an epidemic of non-payment.

MTA executives have said they’re in a high stakes battle. While only 13.6% of subway riders are fare evaders, nearly half of all bus passengers skip paying. It all adds up to a staggering projected loss of $700 million this year.

“We have to win or else the system is gone,” MTA CEO Janno Lieber warned at a recent board meeting.

Some riders were skeptical of the psychological approach. 

“I mean, if the behavior analyst can come up with a solution, I don’t think it’s gonna change the way people think,” said Sheila Sessums, a Bronx resident waiting for an uptown M102 bus in Manhattan. 

The MTA’s application for an expert seeks someone who can conduct research on the motivations and devise behavioral interventions to stop fare evasion.

The MTA is only thinking about the idea. With the potential of paying the consultant between half-a-million and $1 million over a six-month period. 

“The MTA is advancing a holistic approach to address fare evasion that the blue ribbon panel recommended in 2023, including efforts to reinforce the importance of paying your fare and making it easier for customers to pay,” an MTA spokesperson told News 4.

But the transit union said making buses free might be a better route than solving rider psychology. 

“I don’t know how that’s gonna help a person who can’t pay the fare — telling them to feel good and then telling them get off the bus isn’t gonna really help,” JP Patafio, of the Transport Workers Local 100, said Friday.

Transit officials presented the board with analysis on why people evade the fare, and they’re already addressing a known weakness: closing open subway gates that have led to what the MTA chairman calls crime of opportunity.

The MTA has offered no timeline of when or if they’ll move forward on the plan. 

Add truckers to the list of opponents seeking to block New York’s first-in-the-nation congestion fee for driving into Manhattan.

The Trucking Association of New York filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the MTA, which developed the toll plan, arguing the higher fees unfairly and unconstitutionally target the trucking industry. The trucking association’s lawsuit is among at least eight seeking to block the congestion fee plan, which is slated to launch June 30.

Under the transit authority’s plan, trucks will be subject to a charge of $24 or $36 per trip, depending on their size. Most drivers in private passenger cars, in contrast, should expect to pay about $15, with lower rates for motorcycles and late-night entries into the city, according to the proposal finalized in March.

Kendra Hems, the trucking association’s president, said the industry will have no choice but to shoulder the increased costs, as truck operators don’t have flexibility on their driving routes or schedules, which are generally set by the businesses they serve.

That, she said, will only lead to price increases on countless goods, as the trucking industry moves nearly 90% of products in New York City.

“As any responsible business does, we deliver when our customers ask us to deliver, which is during prime business hours,” said Joe Fitzpatrick, founder of Lightning Express Delivery Service and a member of the trucking association’s board. “That will not change now, but what will change is higher costs for New Yorkers as a result.”

The association suggests that the transit authority revise its plan to exempt the industry from the fee, limit trucks to being tolled just once a day or toll them at the same rate as passenger vehicles.

A spokesperson for the MTA declined to comment on the suit Thursday.

A Manhattan federal court judge earlier this month heard arguments in lawsuits brought by unionized public school teachers, politicians and other New Yorkers.

In New Jersey, a federal court judge has also heard arguments in legal challenges brought by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich and others.

Many of those lawsuits argue the tolling scheme was approved by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny and the court should order transit officials to conduct a more comprehensive environmental study before rolling out the plan.

Both judges have not yet ruled in the cases.

How does congestion pricing work?

Congestion pricing would impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board’s report.

All drivers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles would be charged the toll. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts — here’s a breakdown of the prices:

• Passenger vehicles: $15
• Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
• Large trucks: $36
• Motorcycles: $7.50

The $15 toll is about a midway point between previously reported possibilities, which have ranged from $9 to $23.

The full, daytime rates will be in effect from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. each weekday, and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on the weekends. The board called for toll rates in the off-hours (from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. on weekends) to be about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.

Drivers will only be charged to enter the zone, not to leave it or stay in it. That means residents who enter the CBD and circle their block to look for parking won’t be charged.

Only one toll will be levied per day — so anyone who enters the area, then leaves and returns, will still only be charged the toll once for that day.

The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. That would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large portion of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would generate $15 billion, a cash influx that could be used to modernize subways and buses.

Here’s a full breakdown of the congestion pricing plan from the MTA.

More to know about congestion pricing

For months, the MTA board whittled down proposals and heard tens of thousands of public comments to inform a final decision going for a vote this week.

Despite what officials say were overwhelming public comments “in favor” of congestion pricing by a 2-to-1 margin, a number of vocal groups have stood in opposition, many seeking an exemption from the daily cost to drive in part of Manhattan.

Public hearings paved the way for the final vote on March 27, when the plan was given final approval. For their part, the MTA has insisted that they are merely implementing state law aimed at cleaning the air and modernizing mass transit — conditions a majority of commenters supported at those public hearings. 

“We all know that the infrastructure has to be replaced. We need new trains and signals — congestion pricing at this point is the stream that provides the funding for those things,” said New York City Transit Senior Vice President Demetrius Crichlow.

Tolling will begin starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 30. Any one of the lawsuits filed against congestion pricing could bring the plan screeching to a halt, but the MTA has said it believes it will win them all.

All of the MTA’s 110 toll readers are in place and ready to go.

Cars will be charged an additional $15 to enter Manhattan at 61st Street and below, while trucks could be charged between $24 and $36, depending on size.

The MTA board overwhelmingly voted to approve the measure in December, saying charging drivers to enter a large swath of Manhattan would contribute millions of dollars to the city’s aging transit system.

The approval came after the Traffic Mobility Review Board delivered its report to the MTA on Nov. 30, laying out the general guidelines for the impending tolls, including costs, when certain prices will be in effect, who gets credits and more.

Here’s a breakdown of everything that was approved in December, and what comes next in the process.

So congestion pricing is coming to New York City starting this summer. But what does it all mean?

For those who still have questions about the controversial program, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will be hosting virtual sessions to explain it all.

According to the MTA, there will be six webinars in June explaining how the plan works, what it is supposed to be earning money for, who is eligible for discounts or exemptions, and what others need to know about the tolling that is scheduled to start on Sunday, June 30th.

The webinars will last for 60 minutes and will include a 30-minute presentation on the congestion relief zone in Manhattan below 61st Street. There will also be Q&A portions of each session.

Here’s a schedule for the public webinars:

• Wednesday, June 5: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Thursday, June 6: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
• Monday, June 10: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Friday, June 14: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Tuesday June 18: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
• Tuesday June 18: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Those who wish to participate in the webinars must register in advance, which is available here.

For some questions, the MTA has a FAQ page so drivers can address more specific questions they may have. For example, can I cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and go north on FDR Drive without getting charged?

For other question, like who is exempt and how they can go about applying for an exemption, keep reading below:

Who is exempt from congestion pricing?

The transit authority opened the application process in April for those groups and individuals seeking to be exempt from having to pay every time they enter Manhattan at 60th Street or below.

As the MTA previously said, the majority of cars likely to get a full exemption from the tolls will be government vehicles. MTA officials said essentially all yellow school buses are in the clear — that applies to NYC Public Schools, charter and Catholic schools, as well as private schools.

As long as the bus company has a contract with the Department of Education, they are expected to be exempt.

The list also includes NYC-owned fleet vehicles. The MTA has already made it clear that emergency vehicles will be exempt, but so will virtually every city-owned official car. Between the dozens of agencies, there are potentially hundreds, if not thousands, of cars that will qualify.

A third group, commuter buses, will also make the list. The MTA officials said any bus with scheduled service where the public can buy tickets will be exempt, including the Hampton Jitney, Greyhound, Mega Bus and Flix Bus.

Other charter buses, NY Waterway buses and the NYU employee shuttle would not be exempt.

Click here for the MTA’s full list of exemptions.

Are there lower rates available for some drivers?

Yes, some drivers will be eligible for a reduced rate.

The MTA said that lower-income New Yorkers can apply to pay for an exemption that allows them to pay half-priced tolls.

Low-income drivers who earn less than $50,000 a year can apply to pay half the price on the daytime toll, but only after the first 10 trips in a month.

It is important for those interested in applying for the lower rate to do so as soon as possible, in order to ensure their license plates are in the system when the system goes live one second after 12 a.m. on June 30. That way they are not charged the full amount at any point once it is in effect.

At an unrelated event on Friday, NYC Mayor Eric Adams said the while congestion pricing is the law of the land, he remains concerned about low-income New Yorkers being able to navigate the application process in order to get the discount.

“It can be a burden. That’s why we have an obligation to reach out and make it easy for people to apply,” said Adams.

Click here for information about the MTA’s low-income discount plan.

Click here for an application to the low-income discount plan.

Is there any other way to get a discount?

Many groups had been hoping to get exemptions, but very few will avoid having to pay the toll entirely. That small group is limited to specialized government vehicles (like snowplows) and emergency vehicles.

While not an exemption, there will also be so-called “crossing credits” for drivers using any of the four tunnels to get into Manhattan. That means those who already pay at the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, for example, will not pay the full congestion fee. The credit amounts to $5 per ride for passenger vehicles, $2.50 for motorcycles, $12 for small trucks and $20 for large trucks.

Drivers from Long Island and Queens using the Queens-Midtown Tunnel will get the same break, as will those using the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Those who come over the George Washington Bridge and go south of 60th Street would see no such discount, however.

Public-sector employees (teachers, police, firefighters, transit workers, etc.), those who live in the so-called CBD, utility companies, those with medical appointments in the area and those who drive electric vehicles had all been hoping to get be granted an exemption. They did not get one.

What about taxis and rideshares?

There will be exemptions in place for rideshares and taxis, but much to their chagrin, they won’t get away completely scot-free.

The toll will not be in effect for taxis, but drivers will be charged a $1.25 surcharge per ride. The same policy applies to Uber, Lyft and other rideshare drivers, but their surcharge will be $2.50.

New York Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai has said in a statement that the plan is “a reckless proposal that will devastate an entire workforce.”

How does congestion pricing work?

Congestion pricing would impact any driver entering what is being called the Central Business District (CBD), which stretches from 60th Street in Manhattan and below, all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District. In other words, most drivers entering midtown Manhattan or below will have to pay the toll, according to the board’s report.

All drivers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles would be charged the toll. Different vehicles will be charged different amounts — here’s a breakdown of the prices:

• Passenger vehicles: $15
• Small trucks (like box trucks, moving vans, etc.): $24
• Large trucks: $36
• Motorcycles: $7.50

The $15 toll is about a midway point between previously reported possibilities, which have ranged from $9 to $23.

The full, daytime rates would be in effect from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. each weekday, and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on the weekends. The board called for toll rates in the off-hours (from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. on weekends) to be about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle.

Drivers would only be charged to enter the zone, not to leave it or stay in it. That means residents who enter the CBD and circle their block to look for parking won’t be charged.

Only one toll will be levied per day — so anyone who enters the area, then leaves and returns, will still only be charged the toll once for that day.

The review board said that implementing their congestion pricing plan is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area by 17%. That would equate to 153,000 fewer cars in that large portion of Manhattan. They also predicted that the plan would generate $15 billion, a cash influx that could be used to modernize subways and buses.

Here’s a full breakdown of the congestion pricing plan from the MTA.

More to know about congestion pricing

For months, the MTA board whittled down proposals and heard tens of thousands of public comments to inform a final decision going for a vote this week.

Despite what officials say were overwhelming public comments “in favor” of congestion pricing by a 2-to-1 margin, a number of vocal groups have stood in opposition, many seeking an exemption from the daily cost to drive in part of Manhattan.

Public hearings paved the way for the final vote on March 27, when the plan was given final approval. For their part, the MTA has insisted that they are merely implementing state law aimed at cleaning the air and modernizing mass transit — conditions a majority of commenters supported at those public hearings. 

“We all know that the infrastructure has to be replaced. We need new trains and signals — congestion pricing at this point is the stream that provides the funding for those things,” said New York City Transit Senior Vice President Demetrius Crichlow.

Tolling will begin starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 30. Any one of the lawsuits filed against congestion pricing could bring the plan screeching to a halt, but the MTA has said it believes it will win them all.

All of the MTA’s 110 toll readers are in place and ready to go.

Cars will be charged an additional $15 to enter Manhattan at 61st Street and below, while trucks could be charged between $24 and $36, depending on size.

The MTA board overwhelmingly voted to approve the measure in December, saying charging drivers to enter a large swath of Manhattan would contribute millions of dollars to the city’s aging transit system.

The approval came after the Traffic Mobility Review Board delivered its report to the MTA on Nov. 30, laying out the general guidelines for the impending tolls, including costs, when certain prices will be in effect, who gets credits and more.

Here’s a breakdown of everything that was approved in December, and what comes next in the process.

The semi-annual solar spectacle occurs when the sunset perfectly aligns with Manhattan’s east-west streets of its traffic grid. Thousands of New Yorkers and tourists alike pour into the streets to view the striking natural occurrence. If you’re looking to see it, Tuesday will offer the best weather.

There will be a “half sun” view of Manhattanhenge, a term claimed to be coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, on Tuesday night. That occurs when the top half of the sun is visible on the grid before it slips below the horizon.

Sunset Tuesday is at 8:18 p.m. and conditions are going to be ideal: clear skies, temperatures in the mid-70s, low humidity, light wind. No need for a jacket or even a sweater; all you’ll need to capture that perfect picture is your phone (and hopefully crowds that cooperate).

Those hoping to catch the sun set seemingly sink into the city skyline can get the best views on the major crosstown streets:

• 14th Street
• 23rd Street
• 34th Street
• 42nd Street
• 57th Street

Make sure to pick a spot facing west, though it is recommended to head farther east to see the best views of the spectacle. It is also possible to see Manhattanhenge across the East River in the Long Island City section of Queens.

“Unnoticed by many, the sunset point actually creeps day to day along the horizon: northward until the first day of summer, then returning southward until the first day of winter,” Tyson wrote in 1997. “Had Manhattan’s grid been perfectly aligned with the geographic north-south line, then the days of Manhattanhenge would coincide with the equinoxes.”

Tyson, a native New Yorker, noted that the setting sun framed by Manhattan’s high-rises could be compared to the sun’s rays striking the center of the Stonehenge circle on the solstice. But unlike the Neolithic Stonehenge builders, the planners who laid out Manhattan did not mean to channel the sun. It just worked out that way.

Wednesday night’s sunset will showcase the “full sun” Manhattanhenge. This is when the entire sun is in line with the city’s grid just before sunset at 8:19PM.

Unfortunately, Wednesday evening’s weather will not be as cooperative as Tuesday’s. Clouds will be on the increase all day. By sunset, even though buildings won’t obscure a view of the sun, clouds will. On top of questionable visibility, showers and storms are back in the forecast Wednesday night as well.

Expect showers in the city at or around sunset, with maybe even a rumble of thunder mixed in. Needless to say, it won’t be an ideal evening for Manhattanhenge, otherwise known as the Manhattan Solstice.

While hopeful viewers may only get to see a half Manhattanhenge this time around, do not fret: The next full Manhattanhenge will be here before you know it, on July 12.

Is Manhattanhenge an organized event?

Manhattanhenge viewing parties are not unknown, but it is mostly a DIY affair. People gather on east-west streets a half-hour or so before sunset and snap photo after photo as dusk approaches. That’s if the weather is fine. There’s no visible Manhattanhenge on rainy or cloudy days.

Do other cities have “Henges”?

Similar effects occur in other cities with uniform street grids. Chicagohenge and Baltimorehenge happen when the setting sun lines up with the grid systems in those cities in March and September, around the spring and fall equinoxes. Torontohenge occurs in February and October.

But Manhattanhenge is particularly striking because of the height of the buildings and the unobstructed path to the Hudson.

 “Son of Sam” killer David Berkowitz, who set New York City on edge with late-night shootings in the 1970s, was denied parole after his twelfth board appearance.

Berkowitz, 70, was rejected after a Board of Parole prison interview on May 14, according to information listed on a state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision web site. Officials with the corrections agency would not provide additional information on Tuesday.

Berkowitz terrorized the city with a series of shootings that killed six people and wounded seven beginning in July 1976. The shooter targeted young women and couples sitting in cars. The papers called him the ”.44 Caliber Killer.” In taunting notes to police and a journalist, he called himself “Son of Sam” and said he received demonic messages to kill.

Berkowitz was arrested Aug. 10, 1977, a little more than a year after the first victim, Donna Lauria, was shot and killed in the Bronx.

The New York Police Department formed a 200-person task force to find the killer. The case was finally cracked after a witness reported a strange man on the street near the final shooting. Police checked traffic tickets that had been issued in the area and traced them to Berkowitz’s car and home in nearby Yonkers.

Berkowitz was sentenced in 1978 to the maximum prison term of 25 years to life for each of the six slayings. He first became eligible for parole in 2002.

Berkowitz has since expressed remorse and said he is a born-again Christian. He is being held at Shawangunk Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of New York City.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnels said Friday that the chicks hatched in a nesting box set up by the agency atop a 693-foot-tall tower on the bridge, which connects Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Officials check on the nest each year around the end of May to put identifying bands on the falcon chicks to help keep track of how many peregrines are in the city and to identify them if they get sick.

The three chicks were banded Friday and are about three weeks old, according to a statement.

Peregrine falcons in the city tend to nest at high points such as bridges and church steeples because they provide a good spot for the birds to spot prey. Peregrines are on the state’s endangered bird list.

Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced an easing of testing requirements needed to perform the lifeguard role in hopes of filling that shortage.

“These rules have restricted lifeguards hiring and prevented the city from doing everything we feel that is necessary to hire more lifeguards,” Adams said Friday.

The mayor’s Memorial Day weekend announcement of a new rule change might allow the city to hire more lifeguards assigned to work in public pools, which are scheduled to open on June 27.

A previous job test required all lifeguard recruits to complete a 300-yard swim. for those recruits who will only be in charge of monitoring kiddie pools — ones no deeper than five feet — the swim will not be timed.

“It just didn’t make sense for these small kiddie pools. It doesn’t mean a person is not a great swimmer and can’t respond where need be,” the mayor explained.

This rule change stems from an arbitration panel that issued an award in the city’s ongoing negotiations with the union representing city lifeguards. Last year, the city’s parks department struggled to fill vacant lifeguard posts, forcing the city to cut back on pool hours.

“They still need to go to rigorous training, be able to swim those 300 yards, but it just won’t be timed. So it will have a definite impact on our shallow water pools,” Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue added at the mayor’s briefing.

The commissioner said more recruits are taking part in the department’s 16-week training program. There’s roughly 560 new lifeguards this summer, and more than 300 recruits currently in training.

“We’re not in any way bringing down how you must be qualified to save lives, if anything we’re strengthening them,” Adams added.

A campus safety officer at a public college in New York City has been suspended after footage circulated online showing him cursing at pro-Palestinian protesters during a graduation ceremony and saying he supported killing them all, the school confirmed Friday.

An unidentified protester filmed the officer at Thursday’s graduation for the College of Staten Island, part of the public City University of New York system that was rocked by a recent police crackdown on campus protests.

In a highly edited video shared by Instagram accounts affiliated with student protest organizers, a demonstrator can be heard yelling at the officer, “You support genocide!”

“Yes I do, I support genocide,” says the officer. “I support killing all you guys, how about that?”

In another clip posted in the video, the officer can be heard hurling an expletive at another protester, followed by “your mother.”

Phone calls and emails seeking comment from the officer on Friday were unsuccessful. A person who answered a number listed under his name hung up when a reporter identified themself, and emails were not immediately returned.

CUNY confirmed the suspension Friday but declined to provide details, such as whether the officer was on paid leave.

“We condemn the offensive language used by a CUNY officer,” College of Staten Island spokesperson David Pizzuto said in a statement. “His words don’t reflect the values of the College of Staten Island or the 50 officers on our Public Safety staff. The officer has been suspended pending a full review of the incident, and we will take further action as appropriate.”

Protest camps sprang up across the U.S. and in Europe as students demand their universities stop doing business with Israel or companies that support its war efforts. Organizers seek to amplify calls to end Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which they describe as a genocide against the Palestinians.

The United Nations’ top court ordered Israel on Friday to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but stopped short of ordering a cease-fire for entire Palestinian territory. The International Court of Justice has said there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza — a charge Israel strongly denies.

Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, Luna Park introduced what it says is New York City’s first electric go-kart racing at its iconic amusement park on Coney Island. “Electric Eden Raceway” is part of the park’s sustainability effort and recent expansion to attract visitors that help vitalize the local community, according to parkrunner Alessandro Zamperla.

“Part of our core values is sustainability. From the design stages, we want to bring something that really reduces emissions, decreases our carbon footprint, and also allows us really to upcycle all the materials,” Zamperla said.

The project cost about $1.2 million to complete, the president and CEO of Central Amusement International Inc. added.

There are 24 karts in total, 16 of which are single riders and eight allow for a passenger. Typical go-karts are gas-powered and produce emissions just like regular cars. The switch to electric go-karts eliminates exhaust fumes, making it safer for riders and better for the environment.

“This area is particularly sensitive to any environmental issues,” New York State Senator (D-NY) Jessica Scarcella-Spanton told NBC New York at the ribbon-cutting event on Friday. “So, having this here where we saw a devastation years ago with Hurricane Sandy, and knowing that it’s something that is not polluting the air with future generations in mind, I think it’s a great thing for this community.”

Before visitors got to live their Super Mario Kart fantasy, Coney Island Sharks cheerleaders gave a lively performance alongside a pair of mimes, and a colorfully dressed woman on stilts.

Echoing the park’s focus on the local community, Zamperla presented the Coney Island Sharks with a $25,000 donation to support the organization’s youth programs which include sports, mentoring, tutoring, youth council, arts, and community service.

The first 100 riders to experience the laps for free, but the approximately 8-minute ride will cost $16. However, Luna Park is always free for visitors to enter.

The program will allow up to 85,000 students at traditional public schools and charter schools to tour Manhattan’s Museum of Jewish Heritage over the next three years, starting this fall. New York City is the largest school district in the nation, serving more than a million students. Organizers say the museum and the new program have the capacity to host up to one-third of the district’s eighth graders each year.

City Council member Julie Menin said she raised the idea with the museum after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, in an effort to combat rising antisemitism in the U.S. Incidents targeting Jewish and Muslim Americans have been recorded across the country since the Israel-Hamas war erupted, ranging from offensive graffiti to violence.

“We needed a proactive approach to combat this hatred at its roots,” Menin, a Democrat and daughter of a Holocaust survivor, said in a statement. “That’s why I approached the Museum of Jewish Heritage with the vision of a universal field trip program.”

The effort will cost around $2.5 million, with $1 million coming from the Gray Foundation, a nonprofit backed by Blackstone CEO Jon Gray that funds other programs for New York youths, as well as cancer research. Menin said the museum will look to other sources for the rest.

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The museum already offers student discounts and free admission days. The new program will cover transportation, guides and take-home materials for the eighth graders, Menin said.

The tours will focus on the global history of antisemitism and propaganda that precipitated the Holocaust, as well as offering an experience for students to reflect on current events, Menin’s statement said.

Principals will play a key role in deciding which schools will participate in the program, Menin said in a phone call. Schools can sign up through the museum website.

New York City Public Schools spokesperson Nathaniel Styer said in a statement that “programming is a school-based decision, but the funding in this announcement will help remove barriers to participation.”

In testimony before U.S. Congress earlier this month, New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks said the city had already begun rolling out new measures to combat antisemitism in schools, including developing a new curriculum “highlighting the culture and contributions of the Jewish community.”

New York schools are required to teach about the Holocaust, with explicit curriculum covering the subject beginning in eighth grade.

And for those heading to the tri-state area’s busiest airport over the summer it could mean uncharted territory for traffic jams, due in part to major construction plans.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it anticipates screening more than three million passengers across the U.S. in just a single day at some point during this summer, a figure that has never been reached before, according to the agency.

Before that time, the TSA said that during the Thursday and Friday before Memorial Day Weekend, more than 2.9 million passengers could go through checkpoints in the U.S. The agency said it is prepared to handle the surge in travelers who will be flying out of JFK International and LaGuardia International airports for the holiday weekend.

“Here at LaGuardia Airport, we expect to see an increase of about 10 percent more travelers per day for Memorial Day Weekend than we see in an average weekend,” said Robert Duffy, TSA’s Federal Security Director for LaGuardia Airport.

At JFK Airport, the TSA expects to screen about 12,000 more travelers each day during the Memorial Day Weekend compared to a typical weekend, TSA’s Federal Security Director for JFK International Airport John Essig said. That would mark an 11.5% increase of travelers from 2023.

But while the TSA may be ready, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is warning travelers to brace for the worst when it comes to traffic getting to the airport, particularly at JFK.

“When coming to JFK this summer leave extra time,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We apologize in advance.”

Cotton is saying sorry for what likely will be an additional 15 to 30 minutes of driving — or even more — for those doing a drop off directly at the terminal (that also applies to cabs and rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft). Lane closures and detours will be likely.

Getting to the airport could be even tougher for folks coming from Suffolk and Nassau counties on Long Island.

“If you’re traveling from Long Island to Terminal 1, expect another 10 to 15 minutes of travel time,” said Jessica Forse, a project executive for the JFK Airport Redevelopment Program.

Port Authority said the logjam will be due to a $19 billion redevelopment at JFK Airport, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country.

When asked if they could envision people hopping out of their cars and walking across the highway to terminals like they once did at LaGuardia Airport, Cotton said “we pray” that doesn’t happen.

Port Authority noted that due to the massive amount of construction, it is considering offering discounted (and possibly even free) AirTrain rides this summer. Currently, the AirTrain is $8.50 per person from hubs at Jamaica and Howard Beach — a price that quickly adds up for traveling families. No decision has yet been made.

“We are gonna consider every option,” said Cotton.

Officials at the airport strongly advised travelers to use mass transit to get to JFK. Port Authority urged travelers to get dropped off at the Lefferts Boulevard lot, which offers a free AirTrain ride to terminals. The Lefferts lot will be a free waiting area starting in June.

The airport project won’t be complete until 2030, but many of the new gates will open in 2026. The remodeling involves consolidating eight terminals down to four, along with six miles of new roadways. 

“It will transform what has been routinely rated one of the worst airports into one of the world’s finest,” said Cotton. “For the next two years, construction will move forward at a blistering pace.”

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Rana Abbasova, an international liaison for the city who had been placed on leave in Nov. 2023 after the administration determined she had acted “improperly,” is working with federal investigators in the case, according to Brendan McGuire, a criminal defense lawyer representing the mayor.

It was not a “new or meaningful development,” McGuire said, as according to him, “Abbasova has been talking to investigators since her improper conduct was reported by the administration.”

Mayor Adams said on Tuesday that he’s not losing sleep over the development that one of his former aides turned against him in the investigation into possible wrongdoing by the campaign.

“I’m clear, I follow the law. I sleep well at night,” he said at a press conference, sidestepping questions on whether Abbasova had any damaging information to share.

Adams has repeatedly denied the claims of corruption. His team said they don’t believe the mayor is suspected of any wrongdoing himself.

“It’s gonna run its course…there have been unfounded allegations hurled at me,” he said.

Abbasova’s attorney declined to comment Monday night. The New York Times was first to report that Abbasova was cooperating with federal investigators.

In 2023, Abbasova was accused by the mayor’s office of asking City Hall co-workers to delete e-mails and texts she sent them. The administration said they were the ones who reported Abbasova to investigators.

“It’s been almost seven months since Ms. Abbasova began speaking with the authorities after we proactively reported her conduct. There has not been one charge since,” said Lisa Zornberg, an attorney for the mayor.

The federal investigation is looking into whether Abbasova, or anyone else, was involved in funneling foreign donations into Adams’ campaign. The investigation is focused at least in part on whether the 2021 campaign conspired with the Turkish government to bundle improper foreign donations, or whether the mayor accepted improper upgrades on Turkish Airlines.

According to her bio on the city website, Abbasova’s role was to “foster closer relationships between the City of New York and the broader diplomatic community.” She previously worked in the Brooklyn borough president’s office.

Abbasova has not been charged in any investigation and no official has said she acted illegally. Her home, along with the home of Adams’ chief fundraiser Breanna Suggs, were raided in November while the mayor was on a plan to a White House meeting.

News of Abbasova’s alleged misconduct was first reported when a lawyer confirmed Mayor Adams’ cell phone and iPad were seized by the FBI on a Greenwich Village street.

About 2.5 million of those New Yorkers will be driving to their destination, which is the highest number projected for the state since the AAA tracking began in 2000. Across the U.S., over 43 million travelers are predicted to leave home from May 23 through 27.

Airports are also bracing for a spike with an expected 3.5 million passengers this holiday weekend, increasing almost 5% over last year, based on the summary.

“We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means that we’re moving beyond pandemic-era lulls but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead,” said Alec Slatky, Managing Director of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Northeast.

The worst time to hit the road in New York City will probably be Thursday and Friday afternoon, with the commuter rush hour crowd. From data collected last year, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bridges and tunnels processed over 60,000 transactions per hour between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday and between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday.

The Brooklyn-bound Verrazzano Bridge had over 6,500 cars per hour most of the afternoon into early evening on Sunday with a similar pattern seen on Monday. The Staten Island-bound Verrazzano Bridge saw more than 8,000 cars per hour late afternoon Thursday.

The best time to head for home after the festivities will be around 7 p.m. Monday, when traffic is expected to be at its lowest, according to AAA.

With the Throgs Neck and Whitestone Bridges, the busiest time to drive northbound is Saturday morning, followed by Sunday early afternoon. More than 8,000 cars per hour are expected between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The most active time to drive southbound on the Throgs Neck and Whitestone Bridges is Thursday evening, followed by Sunday evening.

The virtual portal connecting New York City and Dublin is back — but with some changes in order to discourage the bad behavior that in part led to it closing temporarily.

Organizers said the live stream was restarted at 9 a.m. (or 2 p.m. in Dublin) Sunday along Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street after it was temporarily shut down earlier in the week due to “inappropriate behavior” and some tech issues. It will no longer be running 24/7, instead only being open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

There will also be new new security measures in place, including a fence around the portal, more signage and spacing decals to help with crowd control, on-site security guards monitoring the crowds during all hours of operation, and a failsafe that blurs the livestream if people obstruct the camera.

“The Portal sculptures are not meant to be touched or stepped upon. We have taken steps to limit instances of people stepping on the Portal and holding phones up to the camera lens,” a joint statement from the organizer said. “If individuals step on the Portal and obstruct the camera, it will trigger a blurring of the livestream for everyone on both sides of the Atlantic. The team will continue making updates as needed to ensure that everyone can continue to enjoy the Portal.

The livestream garnered lots of attention — thousands of visitors in just a week since opening, as well as nearly two billion online impressions, according to the organizers. But not all went for the right reasons, according to the nonprofit Flatiron Nomad Partnership.

“Instances of inappropriate behavior have come from a very small minority of Portal visitors and have been amplified on social media,” the organization previously said in a statement to News 4. “In New York, we have had a set of protocols in place since the Portal’s launch, including 24/7 on-site security and barriers to prevent people from stepping onto the Portal.”

In one instance, an OnlyFans model, Ava Louise, flashed the camera. Separately, a visitor shared images of the attack on the Twin Towers during 9/11. Some Dubliners were also seen holding up swastikas.

The portal is a piece of sculpture art by Portals founder and artist, Benediktas Gylys, originally from Lithuania. The idea to create a virtual link between countries started in 2016 when Gylys wanted to find a way to bridge international gaps, a passion further driven by the COVID pandemic.

“It became too difficult for me to live on a planet of constant separation, constant hatred. I felt a deep need to create something different, something new that would talk to the human heart instead of just rationally talking to the human brain,” Gylys told NBC New York during an interview in front of the NYC portal.

The NYC Portal made its North American debut on May 8 working with the Flatiron NoMad Partnership.

Gylys understands the portal as a 24/7 project and a work in progress, so the piece can be periodically closed to run technical updates to ensure the “experience is lovely for everyone.”

“As humans we are creating the Portals experience together. I invite local communities not only to enjoy but to care about their Portals and how other community members are approaching the sculptures,” Gylys said.

New York’s first-in-the-nation plan to levy a hefty toll on drivers entering much of traffic-choked Manhattan was the focus of a legal battle that played out in federal court Friday.

A Manhattan judge heard arguments in a series of lawsuits from unionized public school teachers, local Republican officials and other New Yorkers seeking to put the brakes on the plan set to launch June 30. Here’s everything you need to know about congestion pricing.

But U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman didn’t issue any decisions following the daylong hearing, where the central question was whether transportation officials have sufficiently thoroughly studied — and come up sufficient plans to address — the negative health and environmental effects of the toll.

Most drivers in private cars, locals and tourists, heading into Manhattan south of Central Park should expect to pay about $15 during the daytime, with higher tolls for larger vehicles and lower rates for motorcycles and late-night entries into the city, according to the proposal finalized in March.

Those who aren’t enrolled in a regional toll collection program will pay $22.50.

Alan Klinger, a lawyer representing lower Manhattan residents, said the toll amounts to a “cash grab” by transit officials looking to pump billions of dollars into the region’s creaky subway, trains and buses.

“There’s a desperate need to put funds into mass transit, and that is their overriding issue,” he said.

Klinger asked the judge to to issue a “permanent injunction” and/or “declare that congestion pricing violates” the opponents’ constitutional rights.

Lawyers for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the agency overseeing the congestion fee plan, didn’t dispute that the toll will provide a critical cash infusion of around $1 billion annually for the system, which carries about four million riders daily. But they also argued that the toll will help reduce traffic and improve regional air quality by discouraging driving into Manhattan. The MTA also maintains it conducted extensive environmental reviews that found no significant effects to local communities that could not be addressed by focused mitigation efforts.

Klinger and other lawyers representing Manhattan residents argued Friday that the tolling scheme was given the green light by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny.

Among other things, they noted that the Federal Highway Administration’s review was complete even before New York officials approved the toll’s final structure. Toll opponents want the court to order transit officials to conduct a more comprehensive environmental study before rolling out the plan.

“This is supposed to be an all-encompassing process, and it has been anything but,” Klinger said.

Lawyers for the highway administration countered that New York transit officials had thoroughly analyzed the plan’s consequences and presented sufficient details for how they would address any harmful effects.

“None of these challenges have any merit,” said Zachary Bannon, a highway administration lawyer.

While the toll is expected to lead to an overall decline in traffic across greater New York City, some areas will see a “small degree” of increased congestion, acknowledged Elizabeth Knauer, an MTA lawyer.

The agency, she said, has committed to investing about $155 million over five years to offset those effects, including installing more roadside plants, parks, school air-filtration systems and more electric vehicle charging stations.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber — who took the train from transit headquarters and then walked over to court — said the toll will pump billions of dollars into modernizing mass transit. He also says the plan has been extensively vetted.

“Really the issue is, there was a 4,000 page, 4-year study. We think it is sufficient,” said Lieber. “The federal government gave us an A-plus.”

Other lawsuits argued Friday contend that low-income and minority communities already dealing with poor air quality will be particularly hard hit by the health effects of increased traffic through their streets.

They also argue drivers from other city boroughs and suburbs that lack adequate mass transit will take a disproportionate financial hit. Additionally, they claim, small businesses in the congestion zone will face higher operating costs and fewer customers.

“We have been clear that this current MTA plan moves pollution and congestion out of Manhattan and sends it into the other boroughs and neighborhoods already dealing with environmental hazards,” Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers that’s among the groups challenging the plan, said in a statement. “It is not fair, and we are asking the courts to tell the MTA to come up with a better plan.”

Many of the claims in Friday’s lawsuits echo arguments made last month during a two-day hearing in a New Jersey federal court, where New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich have each filed lawsuits.

Judge Leo Gordon, who is weighing those legal challenges, has said he plans to issue a written decision before the toll takes effect.

A squatter who used phoney phony utility bills and a forged lease to live in a Queens house — and even filed a lawsuit against the rightful property owner — is now facing a litany charges that could send him to prison for more than a decade, the local district attorney said.

Lance White-Hunt, 24 and of Brooklyn, was arraigned earlier this week on an 18-count indictment charging him with burglary in the second degree; two counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree; five counts of identity theft in the first degree; attempted grand larceny in the third degree; attempted criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree; offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree; tampering with physical evidence; three counts of criminal mischief in the fourth degree; petit larceny; and two counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree.

If convicted, White-Hunt faces up to 15 years in prison. He is set to return to court on June 11. Attorney information was not immediately known.

According to the charges, around Feb. 23, the owner of a Jamaica, Queens home since 2020 on Lakewood Avenue listed it for rent through a broker. Allegedly, for several weeks, the broker visited the location various times weekly and saw that the house was vacant, the windows closed and not damaged and the doors locked.

However, days later, on March 1, the same broker who made regular stops at the property saw that the locks were changed on the front door and that her key no longer worked, according to the charges. It was then, on March 4, that the broker allegedly saw White-Hunt inside the residence and police were called. Allegedly, White-Hunt had been staying at the location since January and provided a supposed lease with the broker with the same real estate agency that the broker worked for listed as the landlords.

The broker then reviewed the lease, which she had never seen before and found her forged signature, according to the charges. Subsequently, on March 5, the police arrived at the location again and White-Hunt provided a supposed bill from National Grid and AT&T as proof of residence. However, both companies later confirmed that the account numbers did not exist in their official records.

Then, on March 14, White-Hunt proceeded to file a lawsuit against the homeowner’s LLC, the broker, and real estate agency for being illegal lockout. As part of the civil suit, White-Hunt filed a residential lease that was determined to have been forged and was a different lease than that provided by White-Hunt to officers on scene on March 4. The civil lawsuit was later discontinued with prejudice.

Following an investigation, White-Hunt was arrested on May 13.

“You cannot claim rights to a home that you have entered illegally,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “My office will not allow individuals to capitalize on the confusion surrounding squatters’ rights for their own personal gain. We will bring criminal charges and secure indictments not only for the unlawful occupancy, but also for any forged documents used in the commission of the crime. The law does not permit illegal residency and we will continue to prosecute such cases in Queens.”

The livestream art installation connecting two bustling cities, New York and Dublin, is garnering the attention of tens of thousands of visitors, but due to some controversial activity, the portal temporarily closed for a closer look.

The portal is a piece of sculpture art by Portals founder and artist, Benediktas Gylys, originally from Lithuania. The idea to create a virtual link between countries started in 2016 when Gylys wanted to find a way to bridge international gaps, a passion further driven by the COVID pandemic.

“It became too difficult for me to live on a planet of constant separation, constant hatred. I felt a deep need to create something different, something new that would talk to the human heart instead of just rationally talking to the human brain,” Gylys told NBC New York during an interview in front of the NYC portal.

The engaging piece located on 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue has attracted troublemakers since its launch only a week ago, including those portraying messages of hate and nudity.

In one instance, an OnlyFans model, Ava Louise, flashed the camera, and separately, a visitor shared images of the attack on the Twin Towers during 9/11.

The NYC Portal made its North American debut on May 8 working with the Flatiron NoMad Partnership. According to a social media post by the organization, the portal will be “temporarily paused for a few days” beginning on Tuesday at 5:00 P.M. E.T. and will return to regular activity by the end of the week.

In a statement shared with NBC New York, the Flatiron NoMad says, “Instances of inappropriate behavior have come from a very small minority of Portal visitors and have been amplified on social media. In New York, we have had a set of protocols in place since the Portal’s launch, including 24/7 on-site security and barriers to prevent people from stepping onto the Portal.”

Gylys understands the portal as a 24/7 project and a work in progress, so the piece can be periodically closed to run technical updates to ensure the “experience is lovely for everyone.”

Joe Callahan is the Director of Portals Organization and CEO of Sansar, a social virtual reality platform. He told News 4 that the project plans to ensure a family-friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

“The reaction from New Yorkers that we’ve seen has been overwhelmingly positive so far, with people from all over coming to see the portal. While we understand there have been instances of inappropriate behavior at the portal, these incidents represent only a tiny fraction of the overall interactions,” said Callahan.

NBC New York spoke with several New Yorkers at the portal on Tuesday before its interim closing. Most residents love the interactive, real-time correspondence and were surprised by the amount of people joining in.

Christine Tilton and Ailise Beales both work with the social app 5 and Go!, which promotes healthy, interactions with friends online. Tilton has been visiting the portal for the third day in a row, joined by Beales dressed in unicorn blow-up costumes.

“We heard about the closure last night into this morning, and we’re an app that fights loneliness and promotes kindness, so we were like, ‘Let’s prove to the world we can play nice’,” Tilton told News 4.

Major League Soccer has suspended multiple players for their involvement in an incident following New York City FC’s 3-2 win over Toronto FC last weekend, the league announced Wednesday.

Toronto head coach John Herdman, defender Richie Laryea and goalkeeper Sean Johnson were suspended for their team’s home match against Nashville.

Toronto forward Prince Owusu and New York City defender Strahinja Tanasijevic each received red cards for their involvement. Owusu also was suspended for the Nashville match and Tanasijevic for his team’s home match against Philadelphia.

The league’s disciplinary committee also fined Orlando SC and coach Óscar Pareja for violating the league’s mass confrontation policy in the 86th minute of a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union.

A team faces disciplinary action if three or more players or coaches disrupt a match by confronting a referee or opponent. Orlando violated the policy for the second time this season after a Philadelphia defender went down in front of the net.

Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, midfielders Nicolás Lodeiro and Iván Angulo, and forward Duncan McGuire also will be fined for inciting and/or escalating the mass confrontation. The league did not disclose the amount of the fines levied against the club, coach or players.

Adams was asked at a briefing Tuesday if lifeguard staffing at the city’s pools and beaches would be an issue as Memorial Day approaches.

Adams responded by asking the reporter to imagine if the city could expedite work licenses for migrants and asylum seekers for jobs that are in high demand.

“How do we have a large body of people that are in our city, and country, that are excellent swimmers and at the same time we need lifeguards — and the only obstacle is that we won’t give them the right to work to become a lifeguard?” Adams said.

The city’s deputy mayor for Health and Human Services, Anne Williams-Isom, said there are more than 197,100 migrants in New York City and 50,000 applications for asylum.

“So we have all these eligible people waiting to work with the skills we need to fill the jobs, but we’re unable to allow them to work because bureaucracy is in the way,” Adams said. “That’s just — that just does not make sense.”

Adams also referenced other in-demand professions, including food service workers and nurses, that migrants could be fast-tracked to work in.

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further comment Tuesday evening.

There are 560 people who qualify to be lifeguards in the city this year as opposed to the 364 lifeguard-qualifed people last year, according to NYC Deputy Mayor of Operations Meera Joshi, who was also at the briefing.

There is a national lifeguard shortage in the U.S., according to the American Lifeguard Association. The pandemic is partially blamed by the group, which says Covid eliminated training opportunities, and created a perspective that lifeguarding isn’t an essential job or career.

“As the summer approaches, there is a growing concern that public swimming pools across America may be closed again due to a lifeguard shortage,” the American Lifeguard Association said, adding that “about a third of the country’s 309,000 public swimming pools” were closed or opened inconsistently last year as a result.

Two years ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul approved lowering the minimum age for certified lifeguards from 16 to 15 to help curtail the shortage, NBC New York reported.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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