NYC NOW

The Associated Press is reporting that former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is under federal investigation for allegedly lying to Congress about his administration's pandemic response. Meanwhile, Memorial Day weekend travel is expected to cause major delays on roads and at airports across the region. Also, the Knicks will try to even their series against the Indiana Pacers tonight at Madison Square Garden in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Plus, this week’s transit updates include Amtrak construction on the first of its two East River tunnels, a proposed 34th Street busway, and Mayor Adams’ $400 million plan to redesign part of Fifth Avenue.

Mayor Adams is directing the NYPD to increase security in certain areas after the killing of the two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington D.C. Plus, a church in Toms River, New Jersey will soon find out whether its proposal to build a homeless shelter can proceed, even as it’s under threat of becoming a pickleball court. Also, a profile of first deputy mayor Randy Mastro, the second most powerful person in City Hall. And finally, Amtrak is getting ready to launch a major reconstruction of two of its East River train tunnels.

According to new police data, subway crime in New York City is at historic lows. However, felony assaults on trains are up 20 percent. Meanwhile, a new exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx pays tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. Plus, forest fire season is underway in New Jersey. Major wildfires in both the north and south of the state over the past year have put large areas at risk. Eric Weber, assistant division fire warden for the state Forest Fire Service, joins us to talk about how to reduce that risk.

Columbia University faculty and students are reflecting on another turbulent year on campus as commencement wraps. Meanwhile, New Jersey Representative LaMonica McIver appeared in court Wednesday on charges she assaulted federal officers.. Plus a new poll finds most residents say housing in the state is too expensive. Plus, a new Rutgers University poll shows that more than half of New Jerseyans think housing is too expensive in the Garden State.

The Department of Justice is opening a criminal investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, health officials in New Jersey say that concert-goers who attended Shakira’s concert at MetLife Stadium last Thursday may have been exposed to measles. And the first-ever dog park on a NYCHA property is now open — at the Castle Hill Houses in the Bronx.

Lawmakers in Jersey City will vote Wednesday on whether to ban rent algorithm software like RealPage to set rental rates. Meanwhile, the cost to reserve a seat on NYC Ferry trips to the Rockaways is going up. Also, it’s commencement day at Columbia University, following a tense year on campus. Plus, Fleet Week is officially underway in New York City.

The Trump administration is allowing construction to resume on a major wind farm off Long Island. Meanwhile, a new poll shows Representative Elise Stefanik as the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination for New York governor, Also, a New Jersey congresswoman faces federal charges after an incident outside an immigration detention center in Newark. Also, NYCHA opens its first-ever dog park in the Bronx. And in Upper Manhattan, a rent-stabilized apartment that’s housed four generations of one family is now at the center of a legal fight.

In a reversal, the Trump administration will allow a major wind project off Long Island to resume construction. Meanwhile, with five weeks until the Democratic mayoral primary, Zohran Mamdani becomes the first candidate to campaign using a ranked-choice strategy. Plus, starting next fall, smartphones will be banned in New York public schools. The policy, passed as part of the state budget, aims to address growing concerns about distraction and social media’s impact on students. WNYC’s Jessica Gould has the details.

New York City’s Department of Investigation says workers’ comp claims by correction officers cost the city more than $340 million last fiscal year. Meanwhile, Wynn is pulling out of its bid to build a casino in Hudson Yards as a major housing project in the neighborhood moves forward. Federal officials are also investigating a close call between two planes at LaGuardia Airport. Plus, Fleet Week kicks off tomorrow with the annual Parade of Ships, following a deadly crash involving a Mexican navy ship over the weekend.

We get an update on what caused a Mexican Navy ship to strike the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night. Plus, police are looking for suspects in three separate shootings across the city. Also, William F. Tate IV will be named the 22nd president of Rutgers University. Meanwhile, New York City wants to make it easier for non-profits to own homeless shelters. And finally, subway service to the Rockaways returns after a four-month shutdown.