WNYC News

In a crowded basement of a community center in Kensington, Brooklyn, a group of Bangladeshi New Yorkers are elated to find out that Zohran Mamdani has just been elected mayor. 

As Mamdani gives his speech, he calls out their neighborhood by name.

City data shows Bangladeshis are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the five boroughs. And their political power is growing: South Asian turnout in this year’s Democratic primary surged compared to 2021. This year, they turned out in big numbers for Mamdani.

WNYC's Elizabeth Kim recaps a long, historic night at the Brooklyn Paramount. 

Eliz Digital owner Chunika Kesh is not on social media, so she missed the latest wave of attention for passport photos that X and TikTok users say stand out — no frills, genuine and captivating. What she didn’t miss was the sudden rush of people coming in for passport photos.

Whoever is elected will immediately have a lot on their plate, including two major issues: transit and education. 

New Jersey Transit has had plenty of troubles from chronic delays and cancellations, to a workers strike. Colleen Wilson covers transportation for The Bergen Record. She joined WNYC Morning Edition host Michael Hill to discuss, among other things, how each candidate plans to fix and fund the transit system. 

Plus, school districts across New Jersey have seen some improvements since the pandemic, including student performance and attendance, but positive developments have not been felt equally throughout the state. Jessie Gomez is an education reporter at Chalkbeat Newark.  She joined Michael Hill to discuss where the candidates stand on issues like school choice and student performance.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4

The Trump administration has until Monday to tell two federal judges whether it will comply with court orders that it continue to fund SNAP, the nation's biggest food aid program.  

This uncertainty comes as food insecurity is top of mind for thousands of New Yorkers and New Jerseyans. As many as 3 million New Yorkers and 800,000 New Jerseyans depend on federal food assistance.

Zac Hall is the Senior Vice President of Programs at Food Bank For New York City. Mark Dinglasan is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate. They both joined WNYC's Morning Edition host Michael Hill to talk about what this uncertainty means for residents of the region. 

A heated City Council race in the Northeast Bronx will test whether a district that elected a Republican after decades of Democratic control has fundamentally shifted to the right.

Early voters in New Jersey have been heading to the polls. They're casting ballots in the closely watched race for governor between Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Cittarelli. Voters are also weighing in on a number of local elections, including all 80 seats in the state General Assembly.

3 days before Election Day, Kristoffer Shields, Director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor at Rutgers University, joins Weekend Edition host David Furst for an update.

Kohlrabi and black radishes might not the most popular veggies at the market, but they're a quick way to make your dishes look more interesting. 

Amelia Tarpey is a program and publicity manger for GrowNYC Greenmarkets. She said Greenmarkets are currently selling kohlrabi for around $3 to $5 a bundle. The price for black radishes will vary depending on which Greenmarket you visit. 

This Halloween, the Union Square Greenmarket will celebrate Dia De Los Muertos with a public ofrenda (or altar) decorated with marigold flowers from Luna Family Farm.  Anyone can bring a photo or a memento to honor a loved one who has died. The ofrenda will be up on Friday at the Union Square Greenmarket until 5p.m. 

A special live broadcast of On The Way from Industry City leads with MTA Chair Janno Lieber's eyebrow-raising comments about Mamdani's free bus plan.

A special broadcast of the Politics Brief from Industry City in Brooklyn features analysis of early voting turnout, how gentrification has become an issue in the mayoral contest and more.