NYC NOW

WNYC Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Schnipper is back with a rundown of what's worth your train swipes this week. We cover the Queens Night Market's last year of $6 food before prices go up, a Martha Cooper retrospective at the Bronx Documentary Center celebrating one of graffiti's earliest documenters, and whether the Lower East Side's booming vintage shops can sustain the hype. Plus: Mayor Mamdan...

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is 100 days into his historic term with sweeping plans to make New York City more affordable through an expansion of public services. In a live conversation at The Greene Space, WNYC’s Senior Politics Reporter Brigid Bergin speaks with the mayor about his first months in office, what he has accomplished so far, and what comes next. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...

A tourist who landed at JFK says she was charged $800 for a ride from the airport to Times Square after she fell victim to a notorious New York City scam. WNYC’s Ramsey Khalifeh joins us to explain how a network of unlicensed drivers and dispatchers target exhausted travelers in a hustle that's been going on for decades. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC...

It is a big week for basketball fans in New York. The Knicks are heading into a first round playoff matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, while the New York Liberty prepare for a new WNBA season with roster changes, new additions and a new coach. Sports reporter Priya Desai joins us to break it all down. Plus, WNYC producer Elizabeth Shwe explores tipping culture in New York City, from coffee counter...

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can’t continue withholding tens of millions of dollars in funding over the school district’s policies on transgender students. WNYC reporter Giulia Heyward chats with us about what this means for schools, students, and the city. Also, WNYC’s Arun Venugopal talks about the new city council proposal for a $30 minimum wage, and what its supporters a...

In his first 100 days, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has tried to turn big progressive promises into policy while managing the day to day demands of running New York City. Political scientist Dr. Christina Greer joins us to break down the mayor’s early wins, his “pothole politics” approach, and where he has already had to compromise. Plus, what the city’s $5.4 billion budget deficit could mean for his plan...

Spring is here, and there's plenty to do without leaving the city. Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Schnipper chats with us about staycation alternatives to pricey travel destinations, the New Directors/New Films Festival at MoMA and Lincoln Center, and what it's like to show up to a 24-hour Brooklyn techno party in corduroys at 8am. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at N...

Jabbar Collins was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1994 and spent years teaching himself the law before winning his freedom in 2010. Before leaving prison, he made a promise to fellow inmate Allen Porter, who was serving time for a double murder in a separate case, that he would help prove his innocence. Porter had been incarcerated since 1995. After his release, Collins kept that promise, conti...

Starting this month, a new campaign from the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence will appear across subways, ferries, and sidewalks, calling out street harassment and encouraging New Yorkers to step in when they see it happening. Janae speaks with Commissioner Saloni Sethi of NYC's Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence about what the campaign aims to change...

A film series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music is spotlighting a Brooklyn subway station that has doubled as the backdrop for iconic movie scenes for decades. WNYC producer Verónica Del Valle explains how Hoyt Schermerhorn has been used in films from The Warriors to Coming to America. Also, WNYC reporter Brittany Kriegstein tells the story of Ellen Baum, a Brooklyn Heights resident who has spent w...

New York City is opening newer shelters while closing older, deteriorating sites, signaling a shift in how the system is run. WNYC reporter Karen Yi explains what Mayor Mamdani's approach looks like, and how it is affecting people in the system as the city continues to face a homelessness crisis. Plus, WNYC reporter Samantha Max looks at Joey Skaggs, the New York artist behind some of the city’s m...

Finding an affordable apartment in New York City can take years, and for many renters, the process feels confusing and out of reach. Troy Kingston, also known as @scourgebliss, shares what it took to finally land a place after years of searching, navigating housing lotteries, strict income requirements, and multiple rejections. Plus tenants rights attorney Leah Goodridge shares best practices on w...

WNYC arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper joins us for a trip to the Whitney Biennial, where we hear from co curator Drew Sawyer about this year’s exhibition and the strong New York connections among its artists. Then we look at what’s coming from his desk this week, including a new dating series called “Date My Friend,” a documentary screening, and New York State’s meme filled Instagram. — G...

The 2026 World Cup is expected to bring millions of visitors and billions of dollars to the New York and New Jersey region, with MetLife Stadium set to host the final. But some tourism and business leaders are raising concerns that international fans may stay away, citing shifts in how the United States is perceived abroad. WNYC reporter Arun Venugopal explains new data showing a drop in internati...

Some of New York City’s newer “luxury” apartment buildings are facing complaints from tenants who say the reality doesn’t match the price. WNYC reporter David Brand joins us to explain new data showing a share of recently built buildings have serious housing code violations, including heat outages, leaks, and flooding.  Plus, sports reporter Priya Desai breaks down the new WNBA labor agreement tha...

The Comedy Cellar launched the careers Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Ray Romano, and its talent booker Estee Adoram has been deciding who gets on that stage for four decades. Janae heads to Greenwich Village to talk with Estee about what it takes to get five minutes on one of the most competitive stages in the country, and how the club is still going strong at 45. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pushing to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations as part of state budget negotiations in Albany, setting up a clash with Gov. Kathy Hochul, who opposes increasing income taxes. WNYC reporter Jon Campbell explains what lawmakers are proposing and how the fight could shape the city’s finances. Plus, the NYPD is changing how it reports hate crimes a...

WNYC reporter David Brand joins us to explain why Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pausing New York City’s private tax lien sale program, which allows the city to sell unpaid property tax and water debt to private investors. Brand also breaks down a court ruling that struck down a state law banning discrimination against renters who use housing vouchers. Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us...

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New York City lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban retail stores from collecting customers’ biometric data, including facial and voice scans. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Liam Quigley recently reported that the grocery chain Wegmans posted signs warning shoppers their biometric data could be collected in some New York City stores. Supporters of the bill say biometric identifiers are...

Nearly 1.8 million New York City residents rely on SNAP to help pay for groceries. Under new federal rules, tens of thousands must prove they are working, volunteering, or in school to keep those benefits. WNYC’s Karen Yi reports the expanded requirements could push many off the program if they fail to comply, raising concerns that vulnerable New Yorkers could lose food assistance amid confusion a...

Reality show America’s Next Top Model helped launch modeling careers in the early 2000s, but two decades later many viewers say the show has not aged well. A new Netflix documentary revisits some of the controversies surrounding the series and how contestants were treated. Harlem native and season one contestant Ebony Haith joins WNYC’s Janae Pierre to reflect on her experience on the show. Haith...

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The Trump administration’s $130 million purchase of a warehouse in Roxbury, New Jersey to convert into an ICE detention center is drawing opposition from local leaders who cite infrastructure limits and question the town’s ability to handle a facility of that size. Meanwhile, many New Yorkers are seeing unusually high Con Edison bills this winter, even without using more energy. Ian Donaldson of t...

New Yorkers are slogging through the late winter blues, and in this week’s arts and culture check in, WNYC and Gothamist arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper joins us to talk about why February can feel especially brutal, a packed spring concert calendar including Shelter’s 35th anniversary, Mayor Mamdani’s latest cultural references, the Tin Building’s pivot to a balloon museum, and a major...