NYC NOW

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: City Hall is promising action after the Electric Zoo music festival descended into chaos on Randall's Island over the weekend. Meanwhile, Brooklyn public housing leader and longtime climate activist Karen Blondel is getting a 200-thousand dollar prize to honor her advocacy work.

It's a wrap for Central Park's Delacorte Theater until the Spring of 2025. The home of the Public Theater's annual "Shakespeare in the Park" shows is getting a $77 million dollar facelift that will keep it closed for the next 18 months. Also, the union representing Staten Island Ferry workers has reached a contract agreement with the city for the first time in 13 years. And five women in Brooklyn are winners of the inaugural "Just Brooklyn Prize" which honors individuals fighting for racial justice in the borough. And lastly, WNYC’s David Brand has advice for people who want to get involved in a community garden.

A heat advisory is in effect for today, tomorrow, and Thursday, with temperatures expected to hit the low 90s. Meanwhile, construction begins this week on a new bike lane in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, following the city's controversial decision to scale back its street safety plan. Reflecting on the eventful summer of 2023, from wildfire smoke to a disappointing Yankees season, WNYC's Jessy Edwards gathers insights from New Yorkers. Additionally, a Park Slope amateur astronomer is drawing crowds as locals line up for a celestial view as reported by WNYC’s Catalina Gonella.

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Starting today, New Yorkers using platforms like AirBNB for short-term rentals must register with the city or face fines up to $5,000. Meanwhile, New Jersey schools are introducing new discipline guidelines to combat discrimination. Lastly, New York families have averaged a spend of $865 on back-to-school shopping, as reported by the National Retail Federation.

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New York City schools are preparing for a potential school bus strike, days ahead of the first day of school. Plus, the MTA has removed a feature from its tap-and-go payment system, OMNY, after privacy advocates raised alarm. And finally, WNYC’s Sean Carlson talks with Empire Center researcher Bill Hammond about New York City’s first wave of COVID-19 in the Spring of 2020. A recent analysis called it one of the deadliest outbreaks of the virus in the world.

A planned wind farm on the South Jersey coast is on hold due to supply chain issues and rising interest rates. A surge in activism opposing offshore wind maybe another factor. Also, New Yorkers are in for a treat this Labor Day weekend: The weather forecast promises clear skies and pleasant temperatures. Finally, Eater NY’s Melissa McCart discusses the evolving vegan dining scene in New York City and shares her top food spots.

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: A former NYPD officer, on trial for assaulting a woman in a 2019 jail cell incident, claims he “lost control” when she spat at him. Also, despite Mayor Adams’ reservations, elected officials remain firm on their decision to close the Rikers Island jails by 2027. Meanwhile, in transportation news, the NYC Ferry is rolling out its fall schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is once again calling on the Biden administration to issue temporary work permits to migrants so they can begin legally working in the U.S. Plus, COVID-19 transmission is picking up in the New York metro area. And finally, WNYC reporters Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky and David Brand reveal the neighborhood with the highest concentration of full-time listings on Airbnb ahead of new regulations that go into effect next week.

The Hochul and Biden Administrations are teaming up to champion a new program that would expedite work permits for certain migrants. Meanwhile, the New York City area is seeing a spike in COVID-19 transmission due to new variants. On Staten Island, some residents are protesting the city’s plan to house migrants in a former Catholic school. Borough President Vito Fossella joins WNYC’s Sean Carlson to discuss the situation.