NYC NOW

Sanitation officials are taking landlords to court over rat-infested lots. In Harlem, a judge let the city into a trash-covered property after the owner ignored orders. Officials say they’ve done this nine times this year. Meanwhile, rain is expected through Friday, with multiple rounds of showers moving through the region. Plus, new reporting this morning from various outlets including Bloomberg and the New York Times say air traffic controllers briefly lost communication with planes at Liberty Newark Airport last week.

New York City will stop enrolling new families who are eligible for child care vouchers. Plus, one of the six guards charged in the deadly beating of upstate prisoner Robert Brooks has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Also, a plan to add protected bike lanes in Long Island City is getting the green light from a Queens judge. And finally, New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board voted on a range of potential increases ahead of its final vote in June.

Hundreds of flights at Newark Airport face delays or cancellations due to staffing shortages and weather. Meanwhile, New York City’s cultural institutions are rushing to fill funding gaps after the Trump administration cut support for the National Endowment for the Arts. Plus, with just over a month to go until New Jersey’s primary, money is pouring into the governor’s race, but following the cash trail isn’t easy. NJ Spotlight News reporter Colleen O’Dea joins us to explain why.

Car crashes in Manhattan’s congestion zone have been dropping for three years and congestion pricing may be speeding that up. Meanwhile, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks this Monday, with up to 30 meteors an hour before dawn. It continues through mid-May. Starting Saturday, the International Space Station will be visible over the city during the evening. Plus, Bronx Week kicks off this week with free events through May 18.

The New York Knicks are headed to the second round of the NBA playoffs after beating the Detroit Pistons 118-115 in Game 6 on Thursday. The win wasn’t pretty and required a last-second buzzer-beater from Jalen Brunson to seal the victory. Next, the Knicks face the defending champion Boston Celtics. WNYC’s Janae Pierre speaks with Newsday Knicks beat reporter Steve Popper about what the win says about the team and how they match up with the Celtics.

The NYPD says an officer shot a man holding his own mother at knife point Thursday night in a Pelham Bay, Bronx apartment. Plus, police will start issuing criminal summons for e-bike and e-scooter riders who run red lights and stop signs. Also, a spicy wine with jalapeños is trending just in time for Cinco de Mayo. And finally, some New York City residents are taking an extreme approach to eliminating their carbon footprints.

Governor Kathy Hochul is backing a new law that would increase penalties for wearing a mask while committing a crime. Forecasters are warning of rain and thunderstorms in the New York City area this weekend. And Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled a $115 billion city budget plan that could define the final stretch of his mayoralty as he faces a tough re-election battle. WNYC’s Elizabeth Kim has more.

State lawmakers are proposing a bill that would allow the New York City Council to remove a sitting mayor with a three-fourths vote after a public hearing. Meanwhile, the city’s Department of Transportation is kicking off National Bike Month with events across the five boroughs. Also, the Knicks clinch a spot in the second round of the NBA playoffs after edging out Detroit. Plus, on this week’s transportation segment: Amtrak tunnel repairs, a looming NJ Transit strike, and the MTA begins testing new subway fare gate designs to fight evasion.

Gov. Hochul’s budget includes money to add new spaces in subway stations where mental health outreach workers can connect with homeless people. And, Mayor Adams’ $115 billion budget plan includes new spending on policing, affordable housing and more. Also, a new proposal from the Adams administration could mean a rent hike for people using housing vouchers. Plus, reporters at the Marshall Project look into prisoners’ safety in jail infirmaries. And finally, mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is pitching a new idea that would base social services underground.