New York News

What makes the American Pit Bull Terrier such a remarkable canine athlete? From muscular development and biomechanics to explosive acceleration and endurance, we examine the physiology behind the breed’s athletic abilities. Discover how genetics, muscle fibers, skeletal structure, and conditioning work together to produce strength and agility in a relatively compact dog.

What exactly is a pit bull? Although the term is used constantly, it doesn’t always describe the same kind of dog. The American Pit Bull Terrier is a specific breed, while “pit bull” has also become a broad label applied to several breeds and mixed-breed dogs with similar physical characteristics. In this episode, we separate the American Pit Bull Terrier from the much larger and often confusing c...

Long before the American Pit Bull Terrier became one of the most controversial dogs in America, its ancestors were working dogs bred for strength, athleticism, determination, and versatility. Their story stretches from nineteenth-century Britain to farms and communities across the United States, where the dogs took on a distinctly American identity. In this episode, we trace the development of the...

In 1980s New York City, pouring concrete for a major building could mean dealing with more than contractors, unions, and developers. Federal prosecutors alleged that organized-crime families manipulated parts of the construction industry through a system that became known as the Concrete Club. Contractors could face restricted competition, inflated costs, and payments designed to keep lucrative pr...

1930s Brooklyn, an ordinary candy store became associated with one of the most notorious groups in American organized-crime history. Midnight Rose’s looked like a neighborhood business, but investigators and later accounts connected it with figures involved in what became known as Murder, Inc. This episode explores why an unremarkable storefront could provide the perfect meeting place for an extra...

For years, ordinary American pizzerias provided an unlikely backdrop to an international heroin-trafficking investigation. The Pizza Connection case linked organized crime in Sicily and the United States to drug distribution and money laundering. This episode explores how legitimate businesses can provide criminal organizations with something extraordinarily valuable: normality.

A wave of violent daylight robberies is sweeping through Brooklyn, with moped-mounted gangs specifically targeting local teenagers for their e-bikes and belongings. From Bensonhurst to Park Slope, these brazen attacks are forcing parents to rethink the safety of New York’s streets for their children. We break down the latest NYPD data and hear from families affected by this sudden surge in juvenil...

New York City faces one of its most severe housing shortages in decades, with a vacancy rate near 1.4% and median rents exceeding $4,600 in Manhattan while over 100,000 residents sleep in shelters. This episode examines the core data driving the crisis, the psychological toll of housing insecurity, and the major proposed solutions—including increased supply through zoning reform and stronger rent...