WNYC News

A new report finds a growing number of children in New York City are experiencing hunger and food insecurity.  

The annual State of Child Hunger report from City Harvest came out Monday. The organization says there has been a 97% increase in visits to food pantries by children and their families compared to 2019.

Jilly Stephens is the CEO of City Harvest. She spoke with WNYC's Morning Edition host Michael Hill.

Resorts World spokesperson Stefan Friedman said the company has hired 1,250 people for the expanded casino, with another 500 hires scheduled by the end of June. The casino, next to Aqueduct Racetrack and a dice throw of JFK Airport, has been on a furious pace to hire hundreds of new dealers and other personnel. You can read the full story here. 

For generations, New York City transportation planners have dreamed of a unified, regional transit system that would allow commuters to ride from New Jersey to Long Island without transferring. Gone would be the days of buying separate tickets from separate agencies run by separate states.

The idea to unite New York and New Jersey’s busiest railroads has long been dismissed by elected officials on both sides of the Hudson River for logistical and political reasons. But now the time may finally come. As President Donald Trump pushes ahead with a federally run renovation of Penn Station and crews build a new set of rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River, supporters say there’s a rare opportunity to reorganize the entire rail network.

Most of the attention to Trump’s redevelopment of the nation’s busiest train station has focused on converting its labyrinthine layout into an architectural marvel filled with natural light. One plan under consideration would move Madison Square Garden across the street. But the much-needed aesthetic improvements to Penn have arguably distracted from a more pressing problem: In the coming decade, Penn Station is going to run out of room.

We begin and end the month with a full moon. In between, stargazers can see fast shooting stars with glowing streaks and Manhattanhenge returns with spectacular city sunsets. WNYC's Rosemary Misdary joins Weekend Edition host David Furst for the May astronomy report. 

With festivals to bookend the month, there's a lot of live music coming our way in New York City. Back with his concert picks for May, music writer Hank Shteamer joins Weekend Editon host David Furst to hit some of the highlights.

The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks and are now heading to the next round of the NBA playoffs. That means a franchise that wandered the wilderness for two decades this century is now regularly competing in basketball’s postseason. But can they realize their championship dreams?

Sports reporter Priya Desai joins Weekend Edition host David Furst to discuss.

LIRR workers could walk off the job as soon as May 16.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders are nearing a deal to eliminate a lengthy environmental review for certain housing and infrastructure projects, a move the governor hopes will get apartments and condos built more quickly.

National Poetry Month has come and gone at WNYC's Morning Edition. Now that our monthlong celebration of "good neighbors" has come to a close, Morning Edition producers Amazon Rozon and Verónica Del Valle joined WNYC's Michael Hill to talk about some of their favorite poems.