NYC NOW

NJ Transit railroad engineers and trainmen are on strike, leaving thousands of commuters scrambling to find other ways to get to work and school. We get the latest on the impasse and what's at stake. Meanwhile, the Yankees and Mets will square off in the Bronx starting Friday. Both teams are in first place, turning this year’s Subway Series into a high-stakes showdown.

New Jersey Transit rail service has come to a halt as 450 train engineers went on strike overnight, in what could be one of the state’s largest transit disruptions in decades. Wages remain the key issue in stalled contract negotiations. Meanwhile, a New Jersey resettlement group says it will not help relocate white South Africans approved for entry under a federal policy it calls discriminatory. And in sports, the Mets and Yankees face off tonight in the Bronx for the season’s first Subway Series, with excitement building around the high-stakes matchup.

A new City Health Department pilot program offers New Yorkers a cash incentive to help properly dispose of spent needles. A billionaire family in New Jersey wants to build a housing development on a MOUNTAINTOP in West Orange. And an ongoing exhibit at Manhattan's Poster House Museum takes visitors on a trip to Puerto Rico.

Thursday marks the final day for NJ Transit to reach a deal with union engineers to avert a strike that could halt all rail service. Meanwhile, Friday is national Bike to Work Day, with New York City officials promoting cycling as a healthy, eco-friendly commute option. Rides for municipal workers are planned in every borough. Also, the Knicks were blown out by a Celtics team that was missing star player Jayson Tatum in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs. Plus, this week in politics, lawmakers are holding a hearing on prison reform following the deaths of two inmates in custody. Plus, we get an update on Andrew Cuomo’s campaign finances.

A potential NJ Transit strike could begin if the agency and its engineers’ union fail to reach a contract agreement, marking what would be the region’s first major transit stoppage in two decades. Meanwhile, Albany lawmakers are pressing prison officials for answers after corrections officers were charged with murder in the deaths of two incarcerated people. Plus, the MTA held live auditions Wednesday at Grand Central Madison for its Music Under New York program, with 54 performers vying to become official subway musicians.

More than eight million households across New York State will receive inflation refund checks this fall. Plus, three years after a racist mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket, New York State is taking steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Also, former New York City Mayor De Blasio will pay the city $320,000 to settle an outstanding fine for improperly bringing his police detail during his failed presidential bid in 2019. Meanwhile, the Rikers Island jail complex is getting an outside official to run many of the day-to-day operations. And finally, state lawmakers are taking a fresh look at food regulations.

A federal judge has ordered a “remediation manager” to oversee New York City jails until conditions improve. In sports, the Knicks are back in Boston, hoping to secure a spot in the conference finals. Plus, at Newark Liberty Airport, staffing shortages and equipment issues continue to disrupt operations. WNYC’s Michael Hill speaks with foreigner FAA senior executive Michael McCormick to learn more. (edited)

The attorneys general of New York and New Jersey are suing the Department of Homeland Security, claiming the federal government is withholding disaster relief funds from states that don’t comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, police say a man was fatally shot by NYPD officers after allegedly confronting them with a knife during a domestic violence call. Also, Mayor Adams has announced a new Office to Combat Antisemitism, citing a rise in hate incidents. Plus, the Knicks are in Boston tonight with a 3-1 series lead, hoping to clinch a spot in the conference finals.

A big upgrade could be in the works for a 20-block stretch of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue. Plus, the U.S. Transportation Secretary has a plan to fix the decades-old equipment that's plagued air travel at Newark Airport in recent weeks. Also, a potential strike by NJ Transit engineers is already disrupting the plans of concert-goers this week. Meanwhile, democratic candidates vying to be New Jersey’s governor sparred over the Trump administration’s immigration policies. And finally, a local magician turned an empty Brooklyn storefront into a speakeasy magic venue

Public school parents can vote for representatives on their community education councils until midnight Tuesday. Plus, a federal judge is placing the jails on Rikers Island under the control of an impendent receiver. The NY Jets will play in London next season. And finally, an exit interview with the outgoing NYC Parks Commissioner.