WNYC News

Work is underway on the Hudson River Tunnel project – also known as Gateway. At $16 billion it's one of the most expensive transit projects in the country. The plan involves building a new tunnel under the Hudson River for NJ Transit and Amtrak trains and then, repairing the existing tunnel that was damaged during Hurricane Sandy. The project also presents plenty of engineering challenges. WNYC transit reporter Stephen Nessen joins Weekend Edition host David Furst to share what he learned on a tour of the project.

If you're looking for something different to do in New York City this weekend, the Fun & Dumb Improv Festival is here to help. It's happening in Brooklyn through Sunday, July 13 and plays host to more than 750 comedy performers, with over 200 shows happening on three stages.

Philip Markle, founder and artistic director of the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, joins Weekend Edition host David Furst to hit the highlights.

New data reveals the MTA's hottest subway cars, the latest on the Bedford Avenue bike lane battle and more on this week's On The Way roundup of New York City transit news. 

The latest on the nascent governor's race, as well as Democratic nominee for mayor Zohran Mamdani's efforts to consolidate support within his party. That and more in this week's Politics Brief. 

Nearly half of New York City’s Black children will be investigated by child protective services by the time they turn 18, according to a new report published in the Columbia Journal of Race and Law.

The paper concludes that the city’s Administration for Children Services is harming Black and Latino children by subjecting them to unnecessary investigations that violate their constitutional rights. The report was written by lawyers for the nonprofit Legal Aid Society.

Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary was partly fueled by Asian American voters in neighborhoods that previously went for Donald Trump in 2020, according to a Gothamist analysis.

New York City is headed for its first competitive general election for mayor in recent memory. Currently, there will be at least five major candidates for mayor on the ballot: Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, three independent candidates: Mayor Eric Adams, former governor Andrew Cuomo and lawyer Jim Walden. 

The Republican candidate is Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who talked with WNYC's Sean Carlson more about his campaign. 

Two days a week, an RV-like van parks outside a Chelsea soup kitchen with a licensed psychiatrist on board offering care to anyone who wants it.

There’s no need for a referral, insurance or a prior diagnosis. The clinic’s on-board psychiatrist helps people who are living on the street or in a shelter by prescribing medication, helping them manage their prescriptions or sometimes just listening.

The mobile initiative, run by a nonprofit organization called Project Renewal, is part of a citywide ecosystem that aims to treat people who are living on the streets and subways with serious mental illness. Now they are hoping to expand. While other service providers focus on street outreach or brick-and-mortar clinics, this mobile program sets up outside soup kitchens or shelters — places where people in need may gather — offering medical care coupled with mental health.

A record number of New Yorkers are living on the street though they still make up just 3% of the homeless population, who are largely residing in shelters. The city comptroller’s office estimates there are about 2,000 people living with serious mental illness who are cycling through the streets, subways, jails and hospitals.

The goal of the mobile clinic is to help individuals struggling with mental health issues before they experience a crisis or potentially get taken to the hospital by police against their will. Mayor Eric Adams made involuntary commitments a key part of his strategy to address street homelessness and mental health. In 2022, he expanded the rules for when someone can be involuntarily taken to the hospital and said it was a necessary step to improve public safety and make New Yorkers feel safer riding the trains. Those measures were codified into state law this year.

The MTA has a hard time keeping its riders cool in the summer — especially on the subway’s 1 train.

This 4th of July,  many people might be thinking about things like civic participation and the importance of upholding democracy. One sure-fire way to get involved is helping out at a local poll site during election season. 

New Yorker Rachel Goddard has been an election worker at poll sites for the last 15 years. She joined WNYC's Michael Hill to pitch us on her experience.