WNYC News

When Mayor Mamdani is on the stump, there’s a New York City mayor from the past he like to reference from time to time: former three term Mayor Fiorello La Guardia.

La Guardia led the city from 1934 to 1946, and is viewed by many historians as among the most transformative mayors in New York City’s history.

But who exactly was La Guardia and what lessons can mayor Mamdani take from him and implement in today’s New York City?  

Kim Phillips-Fein, a history professor at Columbia University, talks with WNYC's Sean Carlson more about the “Little Flower’s” legacy.

One of the thorniest challenges facing Mayor Zohran Mamdani as he takes office is the crisis on Rikers Island.

Under Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, the rate of violence and serious injuries surged against both people in custody and correction officers, while plans stalled to shut down the jail complex and replace it with smaller detention centers in the boroughs.

At least 15 people died in Department of Correction custody last year, or while receiving medical care shortly after their release. Soon, a federal judge will appoint a remediation manager, who will run many aspects of the jail system and work to reduce violence on Rikers Island.

On Tuesday, Mamdani signed an emergency executive order directing jail officials to figure out how to follow several city rules they’ve been violating — namely, a law that restricts the use of solitary confinement. But it doesn’t require any changes right away.

Make no mis-steak, you are definitely paying more for your beef at the checkout counter.

The price for a pound of ground beef skyrocketed 14% in the last six months across 20 New York City grocery stores, Gothamist reporters found. In the middle of summer, shoppers could pick up a pound of beef for an average of $5.80; by December, that rose to $6.62.

Every month since July, Gothamist reporters collected prices for the same items at four grocery stores in each borough. Half were in areas with high child poverty rates and half were in more affluent areas. The stores included large national chains and independently owned businesses.

While beef was a runaway item that saw the biggest price spikes, such drastic increases were rare. Overall, prices for a basket of staple food items across 20 New York City grocery stores actually decreased slightly over the last six months. Of the 11 items Gothamist tracked, four became more expensive — like beef and orange juice — while seven became cheaper.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul are aligned on policies like expanding free child care, but have so far proven to be miles apart on addressing homelessness in the city’s subways. 

During her “State of the State” speech Tuesday, Hochul announced plans to expand a state-run program called SCOUT, which deploys teams of behavioral nurses and police officers into subway stations, where they force homeless people into hospital care after a nurse determines they’re either at risk of harming themselves or others. The program currently has 10 teams, which Hochul wants to grow to 15.

During his campaign, Mamdani proposed removing police officers from homeless outreach in the subways and replacing them with “transit ambassadors” who offer “assistance with emergencies, directions, accessibility, and other transit information to riders on the platform."

After decades leading the non-profit Partnership for New York City, Kathryn Wylde is stepping down as CEO. The non-profit was founded in 1979 by David Rockefeller. Wylde was hired in 1982, making her one of it's first staff members. She became chief executive in 2000 and oversew deals from congestion pricing to developing the city's tech sector. Wylde will be succeeded by former Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. 

Kathryn Wylde sat with WNYC host Michael Hill to discuss her legacy.

Similar to radishes but starchier and sweeter, turnips will hold up in your fridge for a pretty long time. 

Amelia Tarpey, Program and Publicity Manger for GrowNYC Greenmarkets, says you can shave them into a salad, make a purée, or turn them into Lebanese pickled turnips to go on the side of a lamb roast. 

Right now at Greenmarkets, you can expect turnips to go for around $4 a pound. 

Mayor Mamdani has had a whirlwind few weeks since taking office. In the early days of January, he appointed commissioners, signed executive orders, filled potholes and held news conferences.  

The producers at WNYC's Morning Edition sometimes call host Michael Hill the mayor Morning Edition. So, he decided to take a deeper look into all the work that goes on in the early days of making a mayoral administration with the help of Stephen Louis, Distinguished Fellow and Counsel for the Center for New York City and State Law at New York Law School.  

Gov. Hochul's delivers her State of the State address -- and echoes the mayor of New York City. That and more in this week's Politics Brief roundup. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul is keeping families with young kids at the center of her political agenda this year, vowing to make child care universal and affordable across New York.

During her State of the State speech on Tuesday, the Democrat and first New York governor who is also a mom pledged a series of investments to expand low-cost child care options for children under 5, including her promise last week to fund a free program for 2-year-olds in New York City.

Child care costs can average about $20,000 a year. Federal standards recommend paying no more than 7% of a household’s income toward care, meaning a family would have to earn more than $285,000 a year for care to be considered affordable.

“Get this: In New York City, child care costs between $26,000 and $40,000 a year. For that price, your toddler should be fluent in three languages and doing your taxes,” Hochul said.

Hochul, who is seeking a second full term in November, will have to get her plans approved by the state Legislature.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed an executive order to restore the rights of people with criminal convictions to serve on a jury. The move circumvents a state law banning them for life, regardless of time served.

Ryan Haygood is the CEO and President of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, a member of the coalition of groups that pushed for this change. Dameon Stackhouse is a Policy Fellow there who says the action will allow him to vote. They both spoke with WNYC's Morning Edition host Michael Hill.