NYC NOW

Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation designed to position New Jersey as a hub for film and television production. The new law expands tax incentives to attract studios and production companies, with the goal of competing directly with Hollywood. WNYC’s Mike Hayes explains what this could mean for New Jersey’s entertainment industry.

The NYPD commissioner has cleared an officer who fatally shot an unarmed man during a 2019 traffic stop, going against a judge’s recommendation to fire him. Meanwhile, Fourth of July celebrations in Plainfield, New Jersey, are canceled after severe thunderstorms swept through the area. Plus, the Mets and Yankees square off this weekend in their second Subway Series of the season. And Congress narrowly passed a sweeping tax and spending package this week, handing President Trump a major legislative victory. WNYC’s Jimmy Vielkind breaks down what it means for New York State.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s top spokesperson is on leave after an allegation of sexual harassment. Plus, deadly car crashes are trending down in New York City, according to new data from the city's transportation department. Also, New York City officials are reminding residents to prioritize firework safety ahead of 4th of July celebrations. Meanwhile, New York City officials backed off a plan to turn the Elizabeth Street Garden in Lower Manhattan into a housing complex for low income seniors. And finally, July is the height of summer stargazing.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo is losing support for a potential independent mayoral run, with Reverend Al Sharpton joining others urging him to step aside. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have hired Mike Brown as their new head coach. And in Newark, a new program is offering high school graduates contracts to return to the district as teachers.

The NYPD is asking the White House for authorization to intercept and disable potentially hostile drones flying over New York City. Meanwhile, a city commission is recommending that borough presidents get new authority over land use decisions, allowing them a decisive vote if the City Council rejects rezoning or development plans. And New York’s baseball stars shine: Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge have been named starters for this year’s MLB All-Star Game.

A New York jury has found music mogul Sean Diddy Combs not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering in a split verdict. Plus, data from New York City’s Democratic Primary shows that assemblymember Zohran Mamdani won without a majority of black voters. Also, we discuss the impact of we Bangladeshi aunties campaigning for Mamdani. And finally, homeless service providers are accusing officials in Emerson, New Jersey of hypocrisy.

Port Authority police are investigating a multi-bus crash that shut down service to the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal during Wednesday’s morning rush. Meanwhile, hospital groups in New York say President Trump’s new tax and spending bill could strip health coverage from 1.5 million New Yorkers and cut $8 billion from hospital funding. Plus, an investigation by NJ Advance Media finds more than 100 youth sports coaches and trainers across New Jersey have been accused of sex crimes since 2015, raising urgent questions about safety and accountability. Reporter Matt Stanmyre joins us to discuss.

Democratic nominee for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani says he'd break with predecessors, including Eric Adams, on a key education policy ... the mayor's control of public schools. Meanwhile, The NYPD says major crime keeps falling across New York City. Offenses such as murder, rape and robbery are down 6-percent citywide. Meanwhile, New York City is allocating nearly $14 million dollars toward gender-affirming care and other critical services for transgender and gender nonconforming New Yorkers.The money is part of the newly approved $116 billion city budget and marks the largest investment of its kind in the city's history.

New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board approved a 4.5% hike for nearly a million rent stabilized apartments. Plus, Mayor Eric Adams is calling the city's $116 billion spending plan "the best budget ever," but parks advocates disagree. And finally, we visit a new mental health community center that aims to help people with serious mental illnesses avoid social isolation.

Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani has clinched the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor, with preliminary ranked choice results showing him winning 56 percent of the vote over former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The Associated Press has now called the race in Mamdani’s favor. Meanwhile, federal investigators say they are still trying to determine what caused a historic Mexican sailboat to crash into the Brooklyn Bridge in May, killing two crew members. Plus, lawmakers in New Jersey have approved a nearly $60-Billion dollar budget for the Garden State. Statehouse reporter for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com Susan Livio breaks it down.