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☆ Hochul Pushes for Congestion Pricing Delay in Last-Minute Reversal
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Dana Rubinstein | Grace Ashford | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kathy Hochul is quietly maneuvering to delay a plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan’s central business district, just weeks before it is slated to go into effect, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan, which has been decades in the making, is slated to start June 30. Drivers using E-ZPass will pay as much as $15 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. But even as Ms. Hochul believes that congestion pricing is good environmental policy, she has concerns that the timing was less than ideal, according to a person familiar with her thinking. The governor feared that it might deter commuters from returning to the central business district, which has yet to fully recover from the pandemic.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Hochul Locations: Manhattan, New York City

☆ New York’s creative solution to targeting children online: Block the algorithms
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —New York could soon become the first state to pass a law restricting social media platforms from using algorithms to promote content to minors. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers are nearing a legislative deal on the proposal, according to a person familiar with the matter. That could mean significant changes to how kids in New York interact with social media apps and would make algorithmically generated content feeds an opt-in experience requiring parental consent. A tentative deal on the social media bill was earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal. “We’re not banning young people from social media,” Hochul said in an interview on NPR Monday.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, ” Hochul, “, We’re, ” Organizations: CNN, New York Democratic Gov, Wall Street, Industry, New, NPR Locations: York, New York, Arkansas, Florida , Louisiana, Ohio

☆ Plastics and Social Media: N.Y. Lawmakers’ End-of-Session Targets
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Grace Ashford | Claire Fahy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In New York, the state legislative session runs for roughly 60 days spread out from January to early June, but most of the actual passing of laws occurs over two periods. Kathy Hochul rush to squeeze in legislative priorities they couldn’t shoehorn into the budget. In most years, the Legislature passes roughly 1,000 bills for the governor to sign or veto. Some proposals, like a measure that would restrict social media companies from using algorithms on minors, are known to have the backing of Ms. Hochul, a centrist Democrat from Buffalo. Others — like a bill restricting state business with companies that contribute to tropical deforestation — seem likely to face a steeper road to becoming law.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Hochul Organizations: Capitol, Lawmakers, Democrat Locations: New York, Buffalo

☆ Swing-district Republicans in New York decried Trump's conviction. It could cost them politically.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewFor GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill, former President Donald Trump continues to wield immense power over their political futures. AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump at his criminal hush-money trial in New York. But in a decidedly Democratic state like New York, Biden is likely to gain some ground ahead of the election. AdvertisementAcross the country, suburban voters were already turning away from Trump even before his conviction — as former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has continued to win significant blocs of GOP voters even after suspending her presidential campaign in March.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Marc Molinaro, Anthony D'Esposito, Biden, Steven Hirsch, Mike Lawler, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Letitia James, Kathy Hochul, hyperpartisan, Nick LaLota, Hochul, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, it's, Nikki Haley Organizations: Service, Capitol, Business, Republicans, New York Police Department, Attorney, hyperpartisan New York Democrats, GOP, New York State, Emerson, Trump, Republican, New York House Republicans Locations: New York, New York City, Hudson, Manhattan, D'Esposito's, Democratic, Long, Trump

☆ What rights does Trump lose as a felon? And more of your questions, answered
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In New York, where Trump was convicted, there are “collateral consequences” of being convicted of a felony. In Florida, felons lose civil rights, including the ability to hold public office and serve on a jury. Trump is a Florida resident, and Florida defers to New York law on the question of felons voting. In New York, convicted felons cannot obtain a permit to possess a firearm. That’s not at issue in this New York case, and it’s not going to happen when Republicans control the House as they currently do.

Persons: CNN — Donald Trump’s, Trump, Kathy Hochul, Will Trump, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Anthony Guglielmi, “, That’s, it’s, Michael Cohen, Fani Willis, Cy Vance Jr, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Republican National Convention, Secret Service, United States Secret Service, Supreme, Security, Sunshine State, Senate, Fulton, National Archives, Manhattan DA Locations: New York, Florida, Milwaukee, United, Canada, Mexico, Australia, China, South Africa, Georgia, Fulton County, Washington , DC

☆ New York tech workers make $135,000 on average, but can't afford the vast majority of apartments on the market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Eliza Relman | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Things are so bad that even tech workers, who make some of the highest salaries of any profession, are feeling the crunch. Entry-level tech workers made an average of $75,262 in 2023, and could only afford 2.1% of studio and one-bedroom rental apartments in the city, StreetEasy found. "If these tech employees can't afford housing, then who can?" But even as New York City has created 800,000 new jobs in the last 10 years, it's only built 200,000 new homes. The average tech worker makes 52% more per year than the average worker in New York City, the StreetEasy report noted.

Persons: StreetEasy, Julie Samuels, Samuels, —, Kenny Lee, Eric Adams, Kathy Hochul, Hochul, Adams Organizations: Service, Apple, Business, Tech, New York City, New York State Department of Labor, York City, New York, Yorkers Locations: New York, Manhattan, York City, San Francisco, New York City, StreetEasy, Yorker, York

☆ Hochul Visits an Ancestral Home, 3,000 Miles From the Governor’s Mansion
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Claire Fahy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kathy Hochul of New York focused on looking forward for solutions to worldwide crises like global warming and a lack of affordable housing. But as she visited County Kerry, Ireland, Ms. Hochul paused to linger in the past. They would later meet in Chicago, where they married before moving to Buffalo, the governor’s hometown, to work at the steel mill there. Every so often, as money and time allowed, the family would make the trip back to the Maharees, a peninsula that juts off Ireland’s west coast and contains three small towns: Fahamore, Kilshannig and Candeehy. On Sunday, around 100 local residents, county council members and relatives gathered in Spillane’s Bar in Fahamore for a civic reception to honor Ms. Hochul.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Hochul, Kathleen Courtney, John Courtney, Mary Browne Organizations: Gov Locations: Europe, New York, County Kerry, Ireland, Kilshannig, United States, Chicago, Buffalo, Spillane’s, Fahamore

☆ Hochul Meets the Pope, and Reflects on Her Father and Irish Catholicism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Claire Fahy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kathy Hochul of New York waited for Pope Francis in Clementine Hall, an ornate room with marble walls and frescoed ceilings in the Vatican’s papal apartments, her thoughts drifted to her father. Ms. Hochul was last in Rome seven years ago with her father, who was celebrating his 80th birthday. He passed away suddenly in October, while the governor was on another diplomatic trip abroad, visiting Israel. “It was a profound experience for me, sitting there reflecting on my family’s teachings,” Ms. Hochul said on Thursday. It was the second such trip taken by a New York leader in a week: Mayor Eric Adams of New York City met with the pope on Saturday.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Pope Francis, Clementine Hall, Ms, Hochul, ” Ms, “, Eric Adams Organizations: Catholic, New Locations: New, Rome, Israel, Italy, New York, New York City

☆ Cannabis Rollout Hampered by Inexperienced Leadership, N.Y. Report Finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Ashley Southall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A startup-like culture at the state cannabis agency has contributed to “confusion, difficulty and delay” in the rollout of the state’s legal market, according to a report set to be released on Friday. Kathy Hochul in March after she declared the rollout a “disaster,” paints the clearest picture yet of a licensing process that has been criticized as clunky and opaque. It also outlines ways to clear roadblocks that have helped the illicit market steal the advantage the state had intended for small businesses and people who were harmed by the war on drugs. There are just 122 licensed recreational dispensaries open across the state, while officials say the number of illicit shops in New York City alone has nearly doubled to 2,900. At the end of April, nearly 4,900 applications for retail and craft businesses were still waiting to be reviewed, some from as far back as August 2022.

Persons: Kathy Hochul Organizations: Cannabis Management, Gov Locations: New York City

Dr. Shafik herself was preparing to confer with the university senate, which could censure her as soon as Friday. On Monday, police were called in to make dozens of arrests at Yale and New York University. Mr. Johnson’s visit to campus will not include a meeting with Dr. Shafik. The university senate could vote on a resolution to censure Dr. Shafik as soon as Friday — not long after the 48-hour negotiation period concludes. By calling in the police anyway, the resolution said, Dr. Shafik had endangered both the welfare and the futures of the arrested students.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Nemat Shafik, Shafik, Kathy Hochul, Emerson, Johnson’s, Columbia, —, “, ” Brendan O’Flaherty, Grayson, Kirk’s, Dr, O’Flaherty, Shafik’s, Liset Cruz, Eryn Davis, Annie Karni, Santul Nerkar, Katherine Rosman, Karla Marie Sanford, Ed Shanahan Organizations: Columbia University, New York Police Department, National Guard, Gov, Guard, Yale, New York University, Tufts, University of California, Hamas, New York City Police, Johnson’s, Republicans Locations: York, Gaza, Berkeley, Israel, ”, Washington, Columbia, New

☆ Tensions are so high at Columbia ahead of Passover that all classes will be virtual today
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Officials at Columbia University, facing surging tensions on campus that have raised safety concerns, have announced all classes will be virtual on Monday as Passover begins. Shafik has faced new calls for her resignation, and a rabbi linked to the university even urged Jewish students to stay home due to concerns about their safety. The crisis at Columbia amounts to a massive test for Shafik, who took the helm of the university less than a year ago. “It is crystal clear that Columbia University -previously a beacon of academic excellence founded by Alexander Hamilton - needs new leadership,” Stefanik said in a statement on Sunday. As Passover begins Monday, Jewish student organizations have increased security for their upcoming events and services.

Persons: Minouche Shafik, “, Shafik, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, New York Police Department “, ”, Elise Stefanik, Alexander Hamilton, ” Stefanik, Virginia Foxx, “ Columbia’s, ” Foxx, Brian Cohen, Chabad, CNN’s Elizabeth Wolfe, Paradise Afshar, Caroll Alvarado, Shimon Prokupecz Organizations: CNN, Columbia University, Columbia, Ivy League, Jewish, , New, New York City, New York Police Department, New York Republican, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Police, Kraft Center, Barnard College Locations: ,, , New York, New, ” Columbia, Columbia, Jewish

☆ In Late-Stage Budget Talks, Hochul Wins Concessions From N.Y. Lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Grace Ashford | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the days approaching April 1, the corridors and backrooms of the New York State Capitol tend to be filled with tension and chaos, as the governor, lawmakers and staff scramble to meet the deadline to pass a state budget that is as much a policy blueprint as it is a spending plan. Budget talks dragged out almost three weeks past the April 1 deadline, leading some to wonder whether Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat in her first full term, had lost control of the process. But by the time the budget was officially passed by the Legislature on Saturday, it was clear that Ms. Hochul had achieved her goal: a final $237 billion budget that included a checklist of her priorities. They included new resources to fight retail crime, a statewide artificial intelligence consortium, and a landmark housing deal aimed at bolstering residential construction — all without raising taxes on the wealthy.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Hochul Organizations: New York State Capitol

☆ Who’s coming to the White House’s Japan state dinner: the Clintons, De Niro, Bezos
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The guest list also includes Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and White House chief of staff Jeff Zients. NBC News White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, who is the president of the White House Correspondents Association, will attend, as well as Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin. First lady Jill Biden chose Simon to perform at the state dinner because Kishida also “shares an appreciation” for his work, a White House official said. The state dinner for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol featured a Broadway star’s performance of Don McLean’s “American Pie” – a personal favorite of Yoon. It led to one of the iconic state dinner moments of the Biden presidency – Yoon picking up a microphone to serenade guests with a few lines from the song.

Persons: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Robert De Niro, Jeff Bezos, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tim Cook, Laurence Fink, Jamie Dimon, Brad Smith, Shawn Fain, Cecile Richards, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Alejandro Mayorkas, Jennifer Granholm, Gina Raimondo, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Katherine Tai, United Nations Linda Thomas, Jeff Zients, CQ, Jerome Powell, Bill Nelson, Biden, Donald Trump, De Niro, Nelson, ” Nelson, Sen, Bill Hagerty, Trump, Rahm Emanuel, Kelly O’Donnell, Josh Rogin, Kamala Harris, Doug Emhoff, Kathy Hochul, Josh Shapiro, Tony Evers, Roy Cooper of, Mazie, Jeff Merkley, Ashley Biden, Howard Krein, Finnegan Biden, Naomi Biden Neal, Peter Neal, Paul Simon, Jill Biden, Simon, Kishida, ”, It’s, Yoon Suk, Don McLean’s, Yoon, – Yoon, CNN’s Arlette Saenz Organizations: CNN, Amazon, White, Japan’s, Apple, BlackRock, JPMorgan, Microsoft, United Auto Workers, Planned, Biden, Homeland, Senate, Energy, National Intelligence, US, United Nations, White House, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Federal, NASA, Tennessee Republican, NBC, White House Correspondents Association, Washington, Democratic, Gov, Pennsylvania, South Korean Locations: Japanese American, Greenfield, Cleveland , Ohio, Japan, New York, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Hawaii, Oregon

☆ Rare 4.8-magnitude earthquake leaves little damage after rattling Northeast
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Ray Sanchez | Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

She found her neighbors describing the same rattling, realizing they had experienced an earthquake in a suburb about 20 miles east of New York City. New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged New Yorkers to "go about their normal day.” Brittainy Newman/APUSGS said the earthquake occurred at 10:23 a.m. Three neighboring homes in Newark, New Jersey, were evacuated after residents reported structural damage, according to the city’s public safety director. Good quality New York moment.”In Jersey City, New Jersey, Kristina Fiore was sitting at her desk in her apartment when her building shook for a few seconds. The epicenter was just northeast of Lebanon, New Jersey, less than 50 miles west of New York City, according to the USGS.

Persons: “, ”, Jeanne Evola, Eric Adams, ” Brittainy Newman, David Rodriguez, ” Long, Kathy Hochul, James Oddo, Fritz Fragé, –, Fragé, Kevin J, Bethel, ” Bethel, Spencer Platt, Reed Whitmont, Kristina Fiore, Fiore, panicking, Betancur, New York Kennedy, ” Nobody’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Geological Survey, The New York Police Department, ” New York, New York City, New York City Fire Department, Empire, ” New York Gov, NYC Department of, Newark Public, Emergency Management, Philadelphia Police Department, Getty, Boonton Coffee Co, Earthquakes, Federal Aviation Administration, Newark Liberty, FAA, Amtrak Locations: New York, Washington, New York City, Maine, New Jersey, Square, Long, New, Hoboken , New Jersey, ”, New Jersey’s Hunterdon County, Lebanon, Newark , New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey’s Essex County, Montclair . In Pennsylvania, Lebanon , New Jersey, Manhattan, Park Slope , Brooklyn, York, Jersey City , New Jersey, Boonton , New Jersey, Philadelphia, AFP, Baltimore

But the rattling shook buildings in New York City and drove startled residents into the streets. Image The command room of New York City Emergency Management. Today’s earthquake Magnitude 4.8 Conn. Pa. 1964 4.5 1994 4.6 250-mile radius from New York City Md. 250-mile radius from New York City Del. While earthquakes in New York City are surprises to most, seismologists say the ground is not as stable as New Yorkers might believe.

Persons: “, Kathy Hochul, ” Gov, Philip D, Murphy, Con Edison, Eric Adams, ”, Adams, Zach Iscol, Dave Sanders, Ron Hamburger, Valorie Brennan, Ada Carrasco, The New York Times “ I’ve, Kristina Feeley, Feeley, Folarin, “ There’s, Kolawole, Lazaro Gamio, Riyad H, Mansour, Janti, Hamburger, Michael Kemper, Clara Dossetter, David Dossetter, Dossetter, ’ ”, Lola Fadulu, Gaya Gupta, Hurubie Meko, Michael Wilson, William J . Broad, Kenneth Chang, Emma Fitzsimmons, Sarah Maslin Nir, Erin Nolan, Mihir Zaveri, Maria Cramer, Grace Ashford, Camille Baker, Liset Cruz, Michael Paulson, Patrick McGeehan, Troy Closson Organizations: ”, United States Geological Survey, Police Department, Fire Department, Con, Gracie Mansion, The New York Times, Whitehouse, New York City Emergency Management, Credit, Lamont, Columbia University, Maine CANADA, New York City Del, Lincoln Center, New York Philharmonic, United Nations, Children U.S, Security, New York Police, United Airlines, Newark Liberty International Airport Locations: Newark, New Jersey, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, New York, Rockland County, Murphy of New Jersey, Whitehouse, N.J, California, Japan, Zach Iscol , New York, New, Northridge, Los Angeles, Califon, Marble, Ramapo, New York , New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Palisades, N.Y, N.H, Pa, New York City Md, Del, Va, Maine, R.I, Md, Palestinian, Gaza, East Coast, “, York, San Francisco, Gaya

It had a magnitude of 4.8 and an epicenter 30 miles west of Newark, New Jersey, per the USGS. AdvertisementA rare earthquake outside New York City rattled the tristate area on Friday morning. New York City experienced an earthquake on Friday. While earthquakes in New York City are rare, North America is home to some of the world's biggest. In 2011, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Virginia, marking the last major rattler to hit the East Coast.

Persons: —, Paul Earle, Talia Lakritz, Earle, Jessica Jobe, Phil Murphy, Kathy Hochul, John F, Flightradar24, Eric Adams Organizations: Service, New York City, United States Geological Survey, Gov, New York Police Department, New, New York City Fire Department, Business, Newark Liberty International, Kennedy, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Philadelphia, Boston, Newark , New Jersey, New York, New Jersey, East, Norfolk , Virginia, Maine, New York City, Newark, Holland, North America, Virginia, Toronto

☆ Hochul Orders M.T.A. to Stop Pressuring Marathon to Pay for Lost Tolls
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Dana Rubinstein | More About Dana Rubinstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kathy Hochul on Thursday said that she had ordered the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to drop its effort to charge the New York City Marathon roughly $750,000 for its use of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. “The marathon is an iconic symbol of New York City’s tenacity and resilience that unites communities across the five boroughs each fall,” she said in a statement. “I’ve directed the M.T.A. The bridge connects Brooklyn and Staten Island. Since 1988, the marathon has used both the bridge’s upper and lower decks.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, ”, “ I’ve Organizations: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Marathon, New York Times Locations: York, Brooklyn, Staten Island

☆ New York closes bridges for its marathon. Runners should pay for the unpaid tolls, the MTA demands
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Jeff Winter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“New Yorkers love Marathon Sunday, but taxpayers cannot be expected to subsidize a wealthy non-government organization like the New York Road Runners to the tune of $750,000,” MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan said in a statement. The New York Road Runners, which organizes the race, says that the marathon already generates millions of dollars for the city’s economy, and that the amount MTA proposed would make the race less affordable. “We value our partnership with all the City and State agencies that allow us to stage all of our events, including the marathon,” NYRR said in a statement. The MTA recently voted to approve congestion pricing in New York City, making it the first US city to charge such a toll. Despite the approval and expected implementation of the tolling plan, multiple lawsuits, such as one spearheaded by New Jersey Gov.

Persons: Catherine Sheridan, ” NYRR, Kathy Hochul’s, Phil Murphy, CNN’s Nathaniel Meyerson Organizations: CNN, Metropolitan Transit Authority, York, New, MTA, City and State, Gov, New Jersey Gov Locations: Brooklyn, New York City

☆ 2 Men Charged With Supplying Drugs That Killed Cecilia Gentili
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Liam Stack | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two men have been charged with providing fentanyl-laced heroin that killed Cecilia Gentili, a prominent transgender activist and actress who was found dead in her Brooklyn home in February. The indictment accused Michael Kuilan, 44, and Antonio Venti, 52, of supplying Ms. Gentili with the drugs, according to an announcement Monday by federal prosecutors in New York. It was the first time that officials have disclosed Ms. Gentili’s cause of death. Ms. Gentili was a well-known community leader, activist and actress on the critically acclaimed television show “Pose.” Her death, at age 52, was met with an outpouring of grief from the L.G.B.T.Q. community, and she was mourned by New York elected officials, including Gov.

Persons: Cecilia Gentili, Michael Kuilan, Antonio Venti, Gentili, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez Organizations: New York, Gov, Roman Catholic Archdiocese Locations: Brooklyn, New York, St, Patrick’s

☆ Women in New York City are getting randomly punched in the face, and no one knows why
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Several women in New York City have made TikTok videos about being randomly punched in public. AdvertisementWomen in New York City are getting randomly punched in the face, and no one knows why. The random punching attacks have unsettled women in New York CityNew York City at dusk. AdvertisementPsychological impactThe spate of random punching attacks has unsurprisingly unsettled women in New York City. AdvertisementDespite the recent influx of alarming stories, data shows that crime rates in New York City have decreased in 2024 compared to last year.

Persons: stokes, —, Halley Kate, Kate, Stora, Olivia Brand, we're, Mikayla Toninato, Selena Pikanab, Gizem, didn't, Bethenny Frankel, Toninato, Kathy Hochul, Elon Musk, Hochul, you've Organizations: NYPD, Service, Business, NBC, New York City New, BI, West 42nd, New School, Guardian, Housewives, New, New York Gov, National Guard, Democratic Locations: New York City, New York City New York City, SoHo, Kenmare, Mulberry, West, NoHo, Germany, Manhattan, New York

☆ Mayor Eric Adams Grapples With Two Shocking Acts of Violence
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Emma G. Fitzsimmons | Dana Rubinstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In one evening, barely an hour apart, Mayor Eric Adams was confronted with two tragic events that crystallized some people’s persistent fears about New York City. In recent months, he has repeatedly embraced a slogan — “Crime is down, jobs are up” — to drive both points home. But the violence on Monday undercut the argument that the city is becoming less dangerous and raised questions about whether Mr. Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have done enough to address gun violence and safety on the subway. Mr. Adams recently increased police patrols on the subway, and Ms. Hochul ordered the National Guard and the State Police into the transit system.

Persons: Eric Adams, Jonathan Diller, Adams’s, Adams, Kathy Hochul, Hochul Organizations: Adams’s mayoralty, Gov, National Guard, State Police Locations: New York City, Queens, Manhattan

A deadly virus and a public health lockdown remade daily routines with startling speed, leaving little time for the country to prepare. Four years later, the coronavirus pandemic has largely receded from public attention and receives little discussion on the campaign trail. Though diminished, the pandemic has become the background music of the presidential campaign trail, shaping how voters feel about the nation, the government and their politics. The pandemic hardened voter distrust in government, a sentiment Mr. Trump and his allies are using to their advantage. Fears of political violence, even civil war, are at record highs, and rankings of the nation’s happiness at record lows.

Persons: Joseph R, Biden, Donald J, Trump, —, Kathy Hochul, “ We’re, ” Organizations: White House, ” Locations: New York

☆ What Would Make the Subway Feel Safer? Experts Have 5 Suggestions.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Ana Ley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A string of frightening attacks in the subway amid a broader increase in crime in the system so far this year has put some New Yorkers on edge. Kathy Hochul deployed National Guard members and State Police troopers to the transit system this month, she said her goal was twofold: to fight crime and to make riders feel safe. The subway is crucial to New York’s vitality, and passengers’ needs are a top priority for her and other public officials as they navigate the city’s post-pandemic recovery. But just days after the reinforcements arrived, a shooting on an A train in Brooklyn underscored how fragile any sense of security can be and undermined officials’ message, supported by data, that the subway is safe. Leaders in the fields of transportation, criminal justice and social services often disagree about the best way to make the subway safer, with some calling for more police and others suggesting a softer approach.

Persons: Kathy Hochul Organizations: National Guard, State Police Locations: Brooklyn

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York will evaluate its troubled recreational marijuana licensing program after lawsuits and bureaucratic stumbles severely hampered the legal market and allowed black-market sellers to flourish, Gov. Hochul, a Democrat, has described the state's recreational marijuana rollout as a “ disaster." The Office of Cannabis Management has just 32 people reviewing license applications but has received about 7,000 applications since last fall, a spokesman said. The state's review will embed Jeanette Moy, the commissioner of the state's Office of General Services, and other state government officials, in the cannabis management agency for at least 30 days. “We have built a cannabis market based on equity, and there is a lot to be proud of," said Chris Alexander, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Jeanette Moy, Chris Alexander, Moy Organizations: —, Cannabis, Democrat, Cannabis Management, New York Cannabis, General Services Locations: ALBANY, N.Y, — New York, New York City, New

☆ New York Must Figure Out How to Fix Cannabis Mess, Hochul Orders
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Ashley Southall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kathy Hochul has told New York officials to come up with a fix for the way the state licenses cannabis businesses amid widespread frustration over the plodding pace of the state’s legal cannabis rollout and the explosion of unlicensed dispensaries. The main goal of the review, to be conducted by Jeanette Moy, the commissioner of the Office of General Services, is to shorten the time it takes to process applications and get businesses open, officials said. The state Office of Cannabis Management, which recommends applicants to the board for final approval, received 7,000 applications for licenses last fall from businesses seeking to open dispensaries, grow cannabis and manufacture products. But regulators have awarded just 109 so far this year. The agency has just 32 people assigned to evaluate the applications.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Jeanette Moy Organizations: New, Cannabis Control Board, General Services, of Cannabis Management Locations: New York

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