NYC NOW

A plan to bring a casino to Queens appears to be dead after State Senator Jessica Ramos said she won't allow parkland near Citi Field to be converted. In other news, a man in New Jersey is facing a state weapons charge after TSA agents at Newark Airport found a loaded handgun in his backpack over Memorial Day weekend. Meanwhile, severe flooding is becoming more common in low-lying, inland sections of New York City. In response, city officials are planning a voluntary buyout program for properties in one section of Flushing, Queens. But as WNYC’s David Brand reports, the city’s housing shortage and high prices complicate these plans. Finally, after 30 years, the Concourse Plaza Multiplex Cinemas in the South Bronx is closing on Tuesday, leaving the borough with just one theater. WNYC’s Amanda Rozon reports that many residents are upset.

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: New York City is planning a $22 million program to help migrants leave city-funded hotel shelters in Buffalo, find apartments, apply for asylum, and secure jobs. In other news, the New York City Department of Transportation will shut down a section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in June. WNYC's Catalina Gonella reports. Plus, the FDNY is using drones as part of its robo-lifeguard initiative to patrol city beach shorelines for swimmers in distress, rip tides, and other unsafe conditions.

On this Memorial Day, Mayor Adams is celebrating plans to build a new memorial honoring the 99 fallen post-9/11 service members from New York City as part of the Utopia Parkway Seawall Replacement and Street Improvements project. In other news, time is running out for New York lawmakers to vote on a bill that would provide health insurance for undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, Tuesday, May 28, is the last day for New Jersey residents to apply for a mail-in ballot for this year’s primary election. Also, police in Wildwood, New Jersey, say an overnight decision to close the boardwalk and enact a state of emergency in response to several incidents of “civil unrest” was “necessary to ensure public safety and maintain law and order.” Plus, WNYC’s David Furst and Rosemary Misdary suggest looking beyond the Earth’s atmosphere this Memorial Day. Finally, WNYC’s Bahar Ostadan visited the Green Haven Correctional Facility for a staged Broadway show.

As negotiations over the city budget heat up, New York City council members are slamming Mayor Eric Adams' proposed cuts to early childhood education. Plus, Nassau County's Police Department is being held in contempt of court for refusing to release an internal document after spending $100,000 in taxpayer money to keep it secret. And finally, WNYC’s Sean Carlson and David Brand discuss Mayor Eric Adams’ rezoning plan, “City of Yes.” wnyc, new york, bronx, queens, brooklyn, manhattan, staten island, new york city, local news,

Rockaway Beach will officially reopen this Memorial Day weekend with restricted access to certain areas as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shores up the peninsula’s coastline. Meanwhile, Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway is standing by an agreement to provide more support for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students to end pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. Finally, Astoria, Queens was once the destination for Greeks moving to the U.S., evident in the many Greek eateries across the neighborhood. But the area has changed significantly. WNYC’s Sean Carlson speaks with chef and food writer Farideh Sadeghin, who visited Astoria to explore its food scene.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower Manhattan will offer free tours to all eighth graders in city public schools starting next year. Meanwhile, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan urge Mayor Eric Adams to protect the city’s shade-providing tree canopies. In other news, the Prospect Park Zoo will reopen Saturday after eight months of storm damage repairs. Plus, in this week’s transportation segment of “On The Way,” reporter Stephen Nessen discusses the $19 billion JFK renovation, including two new terminals and roadways, and the MTA’s measures to stop fare beating.

As negotiations over the city budget heat up, New York City council members are slamming Mayor Eric Adams' proposed cuts to early childhood education. Plus, Nassau County's Police Department is being held in contempt of court for refusing to release an internal document after spending $100,000 in taxpayer money to keep it secret. And finally, WNYC’s Sean Carlson and David Brand discuss Mayor Eric Adams’ rezoning plan, “City of Yes.”

Representative Dan Goldman, who represents Lower Manhattan and parts of Western Brooklyn, is facing two primary challengers in June: business strategist Bruno Grandsard, who criticizes Goldman for focusing too much on Donald Trump and not local issues, and political organizer Evan Hutchinson, who opposes Goldman's support for Israel in the war with Hamas. Plus, meteorologist Bill Goodman from the National Weather Service forecasts good weather in the coming days. Finally, U.S. Census data shows a significant portion of the Guyanese population in the U.S. lives in New York City, with almost half residing in Queens. WNYC’s Sean Carlson speaks with chef and food writer Farideh Sadeghin, local resident Renny Itwaru, and his nephew Rylee about the local Guyanese food scene.

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: A grand jury has indicted caterer, music producer, author, and landlord Ettore Mazzei on charges of running a massive drug-dealing network on Staten Island responsible for multiple overdose deaths. Plus, Newark police say they have arrested 19-year-old Antonio Ginestri of Queens, known for his viral videos speeding through traffic.

A new report from the health nonprofit KFF says nursing homes in New York and New Jersey are ill-prepared for new federal staffing rules that require about 3.5 hours of clinical care per resident each day. In other news, a state appellate court has upheld the decision to prevent New York City from moving about 250,000 retired city workers to a privatized Medicare plan. Meanwhile, major delays are expected for JFK travelers this summer due to increased traffic and the construction of two new terminals and roadways. Also, it’s the 40th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Sunday in the Park with George." Plus, WNYC’s David Brand tours an office building being converted into housing in the Financial District. Finally, amid investigations into anti-Semitism at CUNY campuses, some Jewish students say they don’t feel safe, but WNYC’s Arun Venugopal reports the investigation has also sparked fear among CUNY faculty.