NYC NOW

The New York City Office of Emergency Management is urging residents to prepare for the first major heatwave of the season, expected next week. Meanwhile, the Department of Sanitation says there will be no trash, compost, or recycling pickup on Thursday in observance of Juneteenth. Plus, food writer Robert Sietsema takes us to overlooked dining spots in the heart of one of the city’s busiest areas: Times Square.

The U.S. Department of Justice is set to review a dispute over Massapequa’s Native American mascot after the Department of Education ruled that New York State’s ban on indigenous team names violates federal civil rights policy. Meanwhile, early voting in New York City’s primaries remains open on Juneteenth, with polls running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And the city is in for a heat wave starting this weekend, with temperatures expected to soar into the 90s by Saturday.

Video posted to social media shows Mayoral candidate and New York City comptroller Brad Lander being detained by someone who appears to be a masked law enforcement official. Plus, the Supreme Court is opening a new window for religious groups in New York to challenge longstanding state regulations that require employers to cover the cost of abortions. And finally, a look into the voting power of residents in Southeast Queens.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor and Justin Brannan for comptroller, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo has won support from Hasidic sects in Borough Park. Also, on Long Island, immigration raids appear to be driving away some day laborers who gather at Home Depot stores looking for work. Plus, the Hoboken City Council is weighing a ban on AI rent-setting tools, following similar action in Jersey City.

The Department of Homeless Services is now requiring all new homeless shelters to provide air conditioning, as nearly 40% of existing sites still lack it. Meanwhile, bee swarms are being spotted across the five boroughs. Experts say the insects are mostly harmless and on the move to form new colonies. Plus, the National Weather Service is warning of patchy dense fog this morning across parts of Southern Connecticut, the Lower Hudson Valley, and interior Northeast New Jersey

The tech industry is pushing back against an effort to regulate artificial intelligence in New York. Plus, New York City workers who conduct sweeps of homeless encampments are supposed to offer to store people’s personal belongings. But new records obtained by WNYC show that rarely happens. Finally, how a multi-millionaire dollar environmental effort in New Jersey is aimed at preventing damage from future storms.

The NYPD is expanding its quality-of-life “Q-teams” across the city this summer to handle non-emergency complaints like outdoor drug use and illegal parking. Meanwhile, the FAA is capping flights at Newark Liberty Airport to 34 per hour through late October to ease delays. Plus, early voting is now underway in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. WNYC’s Brian Lehrer and senior politics reporter Brigid Bergin bring us the latest.

Mayor Eric Adams is commending both demonstrators and officers after thousands marched in Manhattan Saturday to protest President Trump on his birthday. Meanwhile, two of four detainees who escaped from a Newark immigration detention center last week have been recaptured, according to the FBI. State lawmakers have passed a bill requiring major AI developers to reduce risks of harm, with penalties for violations. And flags across New York are flying at half-staff today to honor Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, who were killed in a politically motivated shooting.

In this episode, we look at how LGBTQ+ New Yorkers are pushing for greater protections and visibility as they face a more hostile political environment. Plus, a guide to this year’s Pride celebrations across the city.

Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and Comptroller Brad Lander are teaming up in the ranked choice election. Also, the attorney general for the Dominican Republic says local power broker Antonio Espaillat and his sister were irresponsible and negligent by failing to stop the club roof from collapsing in April. And finally, an arrest in upstate New York highlights the consequences when local police cooperate with federal immigration agents.