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  • Donald Trump and Venezuela: ‘Pinpoint Attacks’ on Drug Boats and Possible Ground Strikes

    Donald Trump and Venezuela: ‘Pinpoint Attacks’ on Drug Boats and Possible Ground Strikes

    In this segment, President Trump reaffirms his support for U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats and pointedly leaves the door open for potential land operations in Venezuela. He highlights that, in his view, more than 90% of narcotics arriving by sea have been stopped and frames the maritime campaign as a series of “pinpoint attacks” that are “saving hundreds of thousands of lives.” The messaging clearly positions these actions as part of a broader strategy to increase pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s regime and to treat the narcotics flow as a direct national security threat.

    The report then focuses on the controversy surrounding a two-strike incident on a suspected drug vessel in September. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth states he watched only the first strike live before leaving the room, after which operational control rested with Admiral Frank Bradley. According to U.S. officials cited by Fox News, Bradley authorized the second strike to fully sink the vessel, arguing it could have posed a threat to other ships or allowed survivors to call for armed backup. Hegseth references the “fog of war,” noting that fire, explosions, and smoke made it impossible to clearly see survivors in real time.

    Finally, the piece highlights the growing political and legal scrutiny in Washington. Both Democrats and some Republicans are questioning whether the second strike could qualify as a war crime under international law and U.S. rules of engagement. Lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are expected to press Admiral Bradley for detailed explanations in upcoming briefings. As a result, the Venezuela pressure campaign and anti-drug operations in the Caribbean are becoming not only a foreign and security policy issue, but also a test case for how far U.S. military force can be used in counter-narcotics missions without crossing legal and ethical red lines.

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York City Reaches $38.9 Million Fair Workweek Settlement With Starbucks

    New York City Reaches $38.9 Million Fair Workweek Settlement With Starbucks

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) announced a $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks resolving more than 500,000 alleged violations of the city’s Fair Workweek Law at over 300 locations between 2021 and 2024. Under the agreement, Starbucks will provide more than $35.5 million in restitution to over 15,000 current and former hourly employees in New York City—generally $50 for each week worked from July 4, 2021 through July 7, 2024—and pay $3.4 million in civil penalties and costs. DCWP’s investigation found that the company failed to provide consistent and predictable schedules, reduced hours by more than 15 percent in many cases, and did not adequately offer additional shifts to existing staff, resulting in involuntary part-time work. The settlement requires Starbucks to comply with Fair Workweek requirements going forward and allows workers who experienced violations after July 7, 2024, or who were affected by recent store closures, to seek additional relief through DCWP’s complaint process.

    Mayor Adams, DCWP Announce $38 Million Settlement With Starbucks in Largest Worker Protection Settlement in City History

    What you should know

    • Historic Settlement Follows Multi-Year Investigation by Adams Administration
    • All Hourly Starbucks Workers From July 2021 to July 2024 in New York City to Receive Restitution Payments, Agreement Expected to Benefit Over 15,000 Workers
    • Over 300 Starbucks Locations Across City Arbitrarily Cut Workers’ Hours, Involuntarily Kept Them in Part-Time Work, and Failed to Provide Predictable Schedules, Resulting in Over 500,00 Violations of the Fair Workweek Law

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today announced a landmark $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks for widespread violation of the city’s Fair Workweek Law — the largest worker protection settlement in New York City history. A multi-year investigation by DCWP found that Starbucks committed more than half a million violations of the law since 2021, illegally denying thousands of workers across more than 300 locations the right to stable and predictable schedules, as well as the right to pick up additional hours and earn more; instead, Starbucks arbitrarily cut schedules and illegally prioritized their own profits over their workers’ rights.

    The settlement announced today requires Starbucks to pay more than $35.5 million in restitution to over 15,000 workers harmed by Starbucks’ unlawful practices, as well as any additional workers who come forward. The settlement also requires Starbucks to pay $3.4 million in civil penalties and costs and requires the company to comply with the law going forward. With today’s settlement, the Adams administration has now secured nearly $90 million in worker relief from different companies as it ensures New York workers get every dollar they have earned.

    “It does not matter how big your business is or how much money your company makes, if you violate our workers’ rights, you will pay the price,” said Mayor Adams. “With this landmark settlement, we’ll put tens of millions of dollars back into the pockets of hard-working New Yorkers and reinforce every New Yorker’s right to a reliable schedule, full hours, and basic dignity. We’ll make sure that New York City remains a place where employees are treated fairly and working-class people can still get ahead.”

    “The city’s Fair Workweek Law provides workers with vital protections, like the right to a predictable schedule so workers can plan their lives and earn stable incomes, but Starbucks chose to ignore these rights and prioritize their own bottom line,” said DCWP Commissioner Mayuga. “All workers deserve to be treated with dignity, and we are proud to stand up for our neighbors when a multibillion-dollar company like Starbucks chooses to systematically violate their employees’ rights.”

    DCWP launched an investigation into Starbucks in 2022 after receiving dozens of worker complaints about several Starbucks locations. Based on the evidence gathered — including reports from hundreds of employees and data from Starbucks — DCWP uncovered a pattern of systemic violations beyond the initial locations. DCWP then expanded the investigation to all Starbucks locations citywide.

    DCWP’s investigation found that most Starbucks employees in New York City never received regular schedules, making it difficult for workers to plan other commitments, such as child care, education, or second jobs. Starbucks also routinely and unlawfully reduced employees’ hours by more than 15 percent, making it difficult for employees to know how much money they would make week to week or whether they would earn enough to get by. Further, Starbucks denied workers the opportunity to pick up additional shifts, keeping them involuntarily in part-time work while continuing to hire new workers.

    Under today’s agreement, most employees who worked for Starbucks in an hourly position in New York City will receive $50 for each week worked from July 4, 2021 through July 7, 2024. For example, an employee who worked for Starbucks continuously for a year and a half (78 weeks) will receive $3,900. Employees will receive a check in the mail this winter. Any employee who experienced a violation after July 7, 2024 may be eligible for compensation under the settlement by filing a complaint with DCWP.

    The settlement also carves out claims related to layoffs following Starbucks’ recent closures of New York City stores. Under the law, laid-off employees have a right to reinstatement at other open locations. DCWP is monitoring Starbucks’ compliance with this obligation and assisting workers who want reinstatement. Workers who want to file a complaint to claim restitution or experience violations of their right to reinstatement should contact DCWP online or call 311.

    Under the Fair Workweek Law, fast food employers in New York City must give workers regular schedules, work schedules 14 days in advance that are consistent with the regular schedule, premium pay for schedule changes, the opportunity to decline to work additional time, and the opportunity to work newly available shifts before hiring new workers. Fast food employers also cannot schedule a “clopening” shift (a closing shift one night, followed by an opening shift the very next morning) unless the worker consents in writing and receives a $100 premium to work the shift. Additionally, these fast food employers cannot fire or reduce the hours of a worker by more than 15 percent without just cause and must reinstate laid-off workers at their other locations.

    The Workers’ Bill of Rights — a multilingual and comprehensive guide to rights in the workplace in New York City — summarizes the laws that protect workers, including employees, freelancers, workers classified as independent contractors, and job applicants in New York City, regardless of immigration status. The Workers’ Bill of Rights includes information on rights enforced by DCWP, like Paid Safe and Sick Leave, the Fair Workweek Law, the Temporary Schedule Change Law, and the city’s Delivery Worker Laws, as well as rights enforced by other state and federal agencies, like minimum wage and the right to organize. It also includes information about who to contact for more information or with questions, as well as how to file a complaint. Workers and employers can visit DCWP’s workers’ rights site or call 311 (212-NEW-YORK outside New York City) for more information about the laws that DCWP enforces or to file a complaint. Complaints can be filed anonymously. It is illegal to retaliate against workers for filing complaints. 

    “This historic settlement marks a major victory for thousands of Starbucks baristas across New York City. For too long, Starbucks has acted with impunity: manipulating schedules, disrespecting workers, and ignoring legal protections put into place by New Yorkers to protect working people from unfair business practices,” said Lynne Fox, international president, Workers United. “The settlement money awarded to Starbucks baristas will help them make ends meet this winter. Thousands of Starbucks baristas in New York City and across the country remain on an Unfair Labor Practices strike and are demanding a fair union contract that memorializes job protections, better staffing, and higher pay. We are grateful to DCWP for holding Starbucks accountable for the baristas who keep their stores running.”

    “Starbucks workers deserved predictable hours and a fair shot at full-time work, and this settlement delivers real accountability,” said Brendan Griffith, president, New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “We applaud DCWP for enforcing the Fair Workweek Law and making sure thousands of working people get money they were denied. At a moment when Starbucks workers across the country, including here in New York City, are on a unfair labor practice strike for living wages, fair schedules, and respect on the job, this action sends a clear signal that workers’ rights matter and must be upheld.”

    “Far too often companies that abuse their workers, for reasons of pure corporate greed, do so without any repercussions,” said Theodore A. Moore, executive director, The Alliance for a Greater New York. “Thankfully, this is not one of those occasions. We applaud the work of Commissioner Mayuga and the amazing team at DCWP for their extraordinary enforcement of our city’s Fair Workweek Law. We hope this settlement will embolden workers to speak up and fight, while letting corporations know that their evil deeds will not go unpunished!”

    “Baristas are what keep Starbucks running. From Astoria to South Slope, we are the ones who create the warm, welcoming environment Starbucks advertises. When this company cuts our hours, understaffs our stores, and busts our union, it makes it harder for us to do our job and create that great experience for customers,” said Kai Fritz, barista, Starbucks. “This settlement is a step in the right direction. It shows the power baristas have when we stand together and demand change. We are continuing to fight back against Starbucks’ greed and will not stop until we have a fair contract that ensures the support and protections we need to thrive.”

    December 1, 2025 New York

    Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune News

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • NYC’s COPA Bill Explained: How a ‘First Right to Buy’ Could Reshape the Housing Market

    NYC’s COPA Bill Explained: How a ‘First Right to Buy’ Could Reshape the Housing Market

    New York City news City Council pushing NYC into ‘Communist dystopia’ with affordable-housing bill dictating property sales

    New York City is debating a housing bill that sounds technical but could seriously change how multifamily buildings are bought and sold.

    It’s called the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, or COPA, and it’s City Council bill Intro 902. New York City Council+1

    Supporters say it’s a crucial tool to save affordable housing. Critics say it’s a slow-motion takeover of the housing market by City Hall and politically connected nonprofits. Let’s walk through what the bill actually does, how it would work in practice, and what we can realistically expect if it passes.

    1. What COPA Would Do in One Sentence

    COPA would give qualified nonprofits and community land trusts the first chance to buy most multifamily buildings (3+ units) when an owner decides to sell, plus extra time to match any private buyer’s offer — with fines up to $30,000 if owners don’t follow the rules. New York City Council+1

    That’s it in plain English. The entire fight is really about who gets first shot at buying a building, and how much red tape comes with that.

    2. How the COPA Process Would Work, Step by Step

    Here’s the basic workflow, based on the bill text on the Council’s Legistar site and summary pages. New York City Council+2Intro NYC+2

    1. Owner decides to sell a building with 3 or more apartments.
      This can be a small walk-up, a mid-size rental, or a larger property — as long as it has at least three residential units (with some technical exceptions).
    2. Mandatory notice to the city and nonprofits.
      Before accepting offers, the owner must send a “notice of sale” to:
      • the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and
      • a city-maintained list of “qualified entities” (nonprofits, community land trusts, etc.).
    3. Nonprofits get the “first opportunity to purchase.”
      • They have 60 days to say they’re interested.
      • Then up to 120 days to submit an offer.
      • During this window, the owner is not allowed to accept other offers. New York City Council
    4. If a private buyer appears, nonprofits can still match.
      Suppose a private investor makes a “bona fide” offer later in the process. The owner has to notify HPD and the nonprofits again. Under COPA, the nonprofits get another window (up to 120 days) to come in and match the same price and terms. New York City Council+1
    5. Penalties for skipping the process.
      If an owner just tries to sell quietly and ignore COPA, the city can seek:
      • civil penalties up to $30,000, and
      • a court order to unwind or block the sale. New York Post+1

    So in practice, COPA doesn’t let nonprofits buy buildings at a discount — they still have to pay market prices — but it reorders the line so they get:

    • first look,
    • first offer,
    • and a last-minute right to match.

    3. Where the Idea Comes From: D.C. and San Francisco

    Supporters are very open about the fact COPA is modeled on similar laws elsewhere:

    • Washington, D.C. – TOPA (Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act)
      TOPA gives tenants (or developers they partner with) the chance to buy their building or assign that right when the landlord sells. Studies funded by D.C. and advocacy groups estimate over 16,000 affordable units were preserved or created between 2006 and 2020 under TOPA. Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania+1
    • San Francisco – COPA
      Since 2019, San Francisco has given nonprofits a first right of offer and first refusal to buy most multifamily buildings (3+ units). The goal is to prevent displacement and keep buildings permanently affordable. City and County of San Francisco+2SFMOHCD+2

    New York’s bill is explicitly pitched as doing the same thing: letting mission-driven nonprofits buy at-risk buildings before “speculators swoop in.” City & State New York+1

    4. Who’s Pushing COPA, and What They Say It Will Do

    The main political sponsor is Council Member Sandy Nurse, who introduced Intro 902 in May 2024. New York City Council+1

    Key advocacy groups backing COPA include New Economy Project, the NYC Community Land Initiative, and a broader “Community Land Act” coalition:

    • They argue that as soon as buildings go on the market, private equity funds and large investors often outbid everyone else, then:
    • COPA, in their view, would:
      • “level the playing field” so nonprofits can compete for buildings;
      • help preserve existing affordable units rather than just building new ones;
      • create more tenant- and community-controlled housing via land trusts and co-ops. New Economy NYC+2New Economy NYC+2

    By November 2025, New Economy Project said COPA had reached supermajority support in the Council, enough to potentially override a mayoral veto if everyone stayed on board. New Economy NYC

    5. Why Critics Are Alarmed

    Opposition is coming from small landlord groups, real-estate trade associations, and several law firms that advise owners and lenders. Their concerns fall into a few buckets.

    a) Time and uncertainty

    Legal memos from firms like Belkin Burden Goldman and Holland & Knight highlight how COPA could stretch a normal sale into a 6–12-month saga of notices, waiting periods, and possible nonprofit match offers. Belkin · Burden · Goldman, LLP+1

    Their arguments:

    • Financing windows can close. Lenders don’t like deals that might sit for half a year without clarity.
    • 1031 exchanges become risky. Owners relying on time-sensitive tax-deferred exchanges may not be able to meet federal deadlines if they’re stuck waiting out COPA timelines. Holland & Knight
    • Buyers may just give up on NYC. If investors fear their offer will be used as free price discovery for nonprofits that can later match it, they may look to other markets.

    b) Impact on values and tax revenue

    Some analyses warn that if buildings are harder to sell, their market value will fall — not necessarily because nonprofits pay less, but because:

    Holland & Knight, for example, argues Intro 902 could “dramatically decrease sales of multifamily buildings” and reduce the billions NYC collects in property and mortgage recording taxes, with little evidence it will create new units. Holland & Knight

    c) Tilt toward politically connected nonprofits

    Critics also point out that COPA doesn’t give tenants themselves the first right — it gives it to “qualified entities” certified by the city, mostly nonprofits and land trusts. New York City Council+1

    That raises questions:

    • Who gets on the list and who doesn’t?
    • Will the organizations with better political connections see more deals?
    • Do these entities have the capacity and funding to close purchases at scale, or will many buildings just sit in limbo?

    The New York Post, in a highly charged editorial, goes much further — calling COPA a step toward “communist dystopia” and “Stalinesque” control over private sales. New York Post+1

    That’s clearly rhetorical overkill, but it reflects a real anxiety in parts of the landlord and business community: that City Hall is inserting itself directly into who gets to buy what, and when.

    6. What We Can Learn from D.C. and San Francisco

    The honest answer is that both sides can point to evidence.

    Evidence that these laws do preserve housing

    • In Washington, D.C., research funded by the city and summarized by PolicyLink and others estimates that 16,000+ affordable units were created or preserved through TOPA between 2006 and 2020, plus thousands more units where tenants used TOPA negotiations to secure repairs and affordability guarantees even if they didn’t buy. PolicyLink+2LISC+2
    • In San Francisco, COPA has helped nonprofits acquire and preserve hundreds of units since 2019, using a similar first-right-of-offer structure for 3+ unit buildings. Shelterforce+2Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania+2

    So, if your only question is “Can these laws preserve some buildings as permanently affordable?” the answer is yes — they can.

    Evidence that these laws create friction and backlash

    At the same time:

    • D.C. is now scaling back TOPA rights for small properties (2–4 units), after years of complaints from small landlords that the process was too complicated and open to abuse. The Washington Post+2The Washington Post+2
    • Legal and industry commentary in both cities is full of examples where deals fell apart, financing was delayed, or owners avoided selling because they didn’t want to navigate the process. K&L Gates+2Hanson Bridgett LLP+2

    So, the track record suggests something like this:

    These laws do help preserve some affordable housing stock —
    but they also slow and complicate transactions, and over time, politicians feel pressure to tweak or partially roll them back.

    NYC is essentially jumping into a policy experiment that has already shown both benefits and costs elsewhere.

    7. Likely Real-World Effects in New York

    Putting it all together, what’s most likely to happen if COPA passes in roughly its current form?

    1. More power for City Hall–approved nonprofits.
      They will get a pipeline of potential acquisitions, often with public subsidy behind them. That’s by design.
    2. Slower, more complex deals for multifamily buildings.
      Sellers and buyers will need lawyers who understand COPA, and timelines will stretch. Some deals that would have happened simply won’t.
    3. Upward pressure on prices for “clean” assets, and discounting on COPA-constrained assets.
      • Buildings not covered by COPA (or where obligations are waived) could become more attractive, bidding prices up.
      • Buildings squarely under COPA may trade at a discount to compensate for extra risk and time — or not trade at all.
    4. Uneven impact by size and sophistication of owner.
      • Large institutional players may treat COPA as just another compliance cost.
      • Small landlords and families who own one or two buildings are the most likely to feel overwhelmed or pushed out.
    5. Real, but limited, gains in nonprofit-owned affordable housing.
      If D.C. and San Francisco are any guide, COPA will help nonprofits save some buildings — but not remotely enough to “solve” the housing crisis on its own. Shelterforce+2PolicyLink+2

    8. The Bottom Line

    COPA is not literally a ban on private property, and it doesn’t let nonprofits seize buildings at cut-rate prices. It’s a procedural power shift:

    • away from fast, bilateral deals between owner and buyer,
    • toward a system where city-approved nonprofits get the first and last word on many sales.

    Whether you see that as necessary protection in an overheated market or a dangerous politicization of transactions depends on your starting values:

    • Do you think the housing crisis is mainly a failure of markets, or a failure of public policy and supply?
    • Do you trust nonprofits, backed by City Hall, to manage a growing chunk of the housing stock better than private owners?
    • And how much extra bureaucracy are you willing to tolerate in exchange for preserving some buildings as permanently affordable?

    What’s clear from the evidence is that COPA-type laws are not cost-free. They can preserve units and empower community buyers — but they also bring delay, compliance costs, and the risk that only those nonprofits and intermediaries with the best political connections will really benefit.

    New York City is now deciding if that trade-off is worth it.

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New Petition Targets Mario Cuomo Bridge: How New York Tried a Third-World–Style Personality Cult on the Hudson

    New Petition Targets Mario Cuomo Bridge: How New York Tried a Third-World–Style Personality Cult on the Hudson

    When then–Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed through the 2017 renaming of the new Hudson River crossing to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, it looked less like the work of a modern democracy and more like a scene borrowed from a handbook on soft authoritarianism.

    A bridge generations had known as Tappan Zee abruptly became a family monument — not a tribute to the region’s history, but to a political dynasty.

    Cuomo bridge NY news Tappan Zee 2025
    Cuomo bridge NY news Tappan Zee 2025

    How the “New Tappan Zee Bridge” Became a Family Trophy

    The story started out mundanely enough. By the early 2000s, the original Tappan Zee Bridge, opened in 1955, was a chronic headache: overcapacity, constant repairs, aging infrastructure that had outlived its intended design life. New York didn’t just want a facelift; it needed a new bridge.

    Andrew Cuomo made that project the showpiece of his infrastructure agenda:

    • a multi-billion-dollar megaproject,
    • design-build contracting,
    • the longest bridge in New York State,
    • a sleek new profile across one of the Hudson’s widest points.

    For years, the project went by pragmatic working names: New NY Bridge, sometimes New Tappan Zee Bridge. The implication was obvious: a new bridge replacing the old Tappan Zee while keeping the historic name.

    Then came the plot twist — in the final hours of the legislative session in Albany. Buried in a thick end-of-session bundle of bills was a neat little provision: the new bridge would be officially named the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, after the sitting governor’s late father and former governor of New York.

    What followed was textbook politics:

    • minimal debate,
    • maximum party discipline,
    • and no visible appetite to question whether turning a vital crossing into a family monument was appropriate.

    New York’s legislative machinery performed flawlessly — if the goal was to display loyalty upward rather than fidelity to local identity.

    When Albany Decides How People Are Supposed to Speak

    There was one problem: people already had a name for the bridge, and had used it for more than half a century.

    Tappan Zee isn’t just a random phrase; it refers both to the Indigenous Tappan people and the Dutch word zee (“sea”), a compact nod to the layered history of the Hudson Valley — from Native nations to Dutch colonists to postwar suburbia.

    In 2017, state government effectively declared that the living language of the region was a detail to be corrected from Albany.

    On paper, the new name became Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. On road signs, too. But in the mouths of drivers and residents on both sides of the river, it largely remained the Tappan Zee.

    The result is a political paradox:
    officially, a tribute verging on personality cult;
    unofficially, a quiet, everyday refusal to go along.

    A Cult of Leadership, American-Style

    In countries Washington likes to label “developing democracies,” the pattern is familiar:

    • airports named for sitting leaders,
    • universities named for presidents,
    • bridges and stadiums named for their relatives.

    Change the ruling faction, change the signage. Infrastructure doubles as a map of who’s in favor.

    The Cuomo Bridge episode looks uncomfortably similar.

    Yes, formally the bridge honors Mario Cuomo, the three-term governor from the 1980s and ’90s, a gifted orator and progressive icon of his era. But the timing and the method gave the move a different flavor:

    • not a broad, deliberative decision,
    • but a gesture of loyalty to the sitting governor and the family name.

    In that moment, state legislators didn’t behave like representatives of their districts. They looked more like a chorus standing at attention, signaling due reverence to the executive and his lineage.

    The Politics Change — and Tappan Zee Returns

    The political weather has shifted sharply since then. Andrew Cuomo left office under the shadow of a scathing report from the state attorney general detailing multiple allegations of sexual harassment. His attempted comeback in New York City’s mayoral politics fizzled at the ballot box.

    Against that backdrop, the bridge’s name no longer feels “above politics” or timeless. It increasingly looks like a relic of the high-Cuomo era — and an awkward one at that.

    In November 2025, a new online petition appeared, calling for the bridge to be restored to Tappan Zee. The authors more or less spell out what many had whispered for years:

    • the renaming was a political vanity project,
    • the historic name was erased to flatter the governor and his clan,
    • it’s time to “correct the mistake” and honor the region, not the dynasty.

    For Andrew Cuomo, the story plays like a harsh epilogue to his time in power:
    first the bridge becomes a soaring symbol of the Cuomo family;
    now that same bridge is the stage for a public reconsideration of his legacy.

    A Bureaucracy That Loves the Boss More Than the History

    The underlying issue isn’t just the Cuomos. It’s the logic of the system around them.

    When officials so readily agree to strip away a living, historical name in favor of a recent or current leader’s surname, they reveal who they think the real audience is. Spoiler: it isn’t the voter stuck in traffic on the span.

    The old name Tappan Zee didn’t require a massive branding budget or a governor’s press conference. It required only one thing: admitting that symbols in public space do not belong to whoever currently occupies the corner office in Albany.

    But it is far easier — and safer — to demonstrate loyalty upward:

    • vote yes on the right bill,
    • smile at the ribbon-cutting,
    • and pretend that of course a strategic highway crossing should double as a 3-mile-long commemorative plaque for the boss’s family.

    Why the New Petition Is More Than a Fight Over a Sign

    The current petition to restore the name Tappan Zee isn’t just about highway markers. It’s a modest but revealing referendum on a bigger set of questions:

    • Who controls the symbols of shared space — residents or political dynasties?
    • Is it acceptable to turn critical infrastructure into a gallery of last names of the powerful?
    • And can a bureaucracy admit it went too far in its eagerness to show deference?

    The bridge may or may not officially revert to Tappan Zee; there are egos and reputations at stake, and bureaucracies are skilled at defending both.

    But it’s already clear that, in everyday speech, the name never really left.

    On official letterhead and state websites, it’s the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
    In conversation — “Take the Tappan Zee.”

    And in that quiet, stubborn choice of words, you can glimpse a version of democracy that outlives any one governor: the kind that refuses to let a highway span become just another monument to whoever happened to be in charge when the ribbon was cut.

    Sources : Midtown Tribune , Change.org/p/restore-the-historic-tappan-zee-bridge-name , Big New York news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Chaos at New York ICE Protest, Black Friday Spending Surge and Second Afghan Terror Arrest Deepen U.S. Security and Economic Debate (Video)

    Chaos at New York ICE Protest, Black Friday Spending Surge and Second Afghan Terror Arrest Deepen U.S. Security and Economic Debate (Video)

    In this episode, DeVory Darkins reports on chaotic anti-ICE protests in lower Manhattan, where more than 150 demonstrators descended on a federal government building and blocked access to a parking garage used by ICE agents. Police say protesters were repeatedly ordered to disperse but instead surrounded vehicles and tried to prevent federal officers from leaving, leading to multiple arrests and tense clashes with NYPD. Darkins criticizes elected officials and “sanctuary city” policies for enabling obstruction of federal immigration enforcement and counters claims that migrants are being detained “for no reason” by citing provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act on deportable aliens.

    New York News - Chaos at New York ICE Protest

    The show then pivots to the economy, highlighting a record $11.8 billion in online Black Friday spending, which contradicts widespread complaints about financial hardship. Administration officials hail tax cuts, deregulation and improving inflation data as signs that 2026 will be a “banner year” for growth and job creation. Darkins, however, points to soaring demand at food banks, stagnant household budgets and persistent price pressures as evidence that many Americans are still struggling. He argues that continued robust consumer spending helps keep prices elevated and urges Republicans to sharpen their message ahead of the 2026 midterms, warning that voters will judge both parties on whether they feel real relief in their wallets.

    In the final segment, Darkins covers the arrest of a second Afghan national in a week, this time in Texas, after authorities say he posted a TikTok video describing plans to build a bomb and target the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Both this suspect and the Afghan accused of killing a National Guard member in Washington entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, raising fresh questions about vetting of evacuees from Afghanistan. Darkins details the Trump administration’s response: pausing asylum decisions, freezing visa issuances for Afghan passport holders, reviewing green cards from 19 “countries of concern,” and moving to block undocumented immigrants from federal tax-based benefits while pursuing a broader halt to migration from so-called third-world countries. He frames the crackdown as a necessary correction after years of lax border and refugee policies that, in his view, left the country dangerously exposed.

    Sources: CHAOS ERUPTS after Protestors targe ICE in New York City leading to multiple arrests DeVory Darkins , Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Trump Cancels Biden Autopen Orders, Pauses 3rd-World Immigration & Ukraine Peace Efforts Led by “Unsung Hero”

    Trump Cancels Biden Autopen Orders, Pauses 3rd-World Immigration & Ukraine Peace Efforts Led by “Unsung Hero”

    In this episode of Front Page with Scott Goulet, the host opens with President Trump’s sweeping announcement that he is rescinding and terminating all Biden-era executive actions signed via autopen, calling them legally void because they were not personally approved by Biden.
    Trump also responds to the Washington, D.C. shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members by vowing to permanently pause migration from all third-world countries, cut off federal benefits and subsidies for non-citizens, and deport foreign nationals deemed security risks, public burdens, or “incompatible with Western civilization.”
    The segment highlights the death of Guardsman Sarah Beckram, the suspect’s background as an Afghan national admitted under Operation Allies Welcome, and the push to treat the case as terrorism with the possibility of the death penalty.

    Goulet then covers the major legal development in Georgia, where the 2020 election interference case against Trump and his allies was dismissed in its entirety due to insufficient evidence and problems with the racketeering theory and jurisdiction. With this, Trump no longer faces open criminal cases and celebrates the ruling as a victory for law and justice. The show also addresses a New York Times article questioning Trump’s age, stamina, and schedule; Trump fires back on Truth Social, listing his economic and political achievements, insisting he is in excellent physical and cognitive health, and branding the paper an “enemy of the people” engaged in deliberate smears.

    The final part of the episode shifts to the war in Ukraine and global fallout. Goulet profiles Dan Driscoll, the 39-year-old Secretary of the Army and Trump ally, as an “unsung hero” behind a U.S.-backed peace plan that Putin now says could be the basis for ending the conflict. Driscoll’s background as a veteran, Yale-trained lawyer, and close friend of Vice President JD Vance is traced, along with his role as “Trump’s drone guy” and his quiet shuttle diplomacy with Kyiv.
    The episode closes with an investigation into a Czech shell company allegedly re-selling Chinese drones to Ukraine at huge markups and funneling profits back to China, raising questions about war profiteering, tax evasion, and who in the Ukrainian system approved such deals.

    Video : Front Page with Scott Goulet

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Hochul Vows New York Will Lead on ‘Responsible AI’ Despite Broadband Funding Clash

    Hochul Vows New York Will Lead on ‘Responsible AI’ Despite Broadband Funding Clash

    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is blasting the Trump administration, saying the White House is threatening to pull hundreds of millions of dollars in rural broadband funding from upstate communities because the state passed tough new rules on artificial intelligence.
    Hochul says the AI safeguards are designed to protect kids, workers and consumers, and accuses Washington of siding with big corporations that don’t want to take basic steps to prevent AI-related harm. Calling the move “unacceptable,” she vows to keep fighting for working families and to keep New York at the forefront of “responsible AI” policy.

    nov 20 2025 Hochul New York

    Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul

    “We passed some of the nation’s strongest AI safeguards to protect kids, workers and consumers. Now, the White House is threatening to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in broadband funding meant for rural upstate communities, all to shield big corporations from taking basic steps to prevent potential harm from AI.

    “This is unacceptable. In New York, we protect working families and set the standard for the nation. I will continue to fight to ensure our state remains a global leader in responsible AI.”

    Sources: Governor.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Mayor Eric Adams Announces New Model to Have New York City’s 911 Mental Health Crisis Response Initiative, B-Heard, Be Fully Operated by NYC Health + Hospitals

    Mayor Eric Adams Announces New Model to Have New York City’s 911 Mental Health Crisis Response Initiative, B-Heard, Be Fully Operated by NYC Health + Hospitals

    NYC News Adams 2025 B-heart

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a major evolution of Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD) — the city’s health-led response to 911 mental health calls — that will shift the focus even further towards a health-first response by streamlining management to be fully operated and managed by NYC Health + Hospitals in the coming months. As part of the transition, Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) previously assigned to B-HEARD will be reassigned to other emergency response units as part of the city’s efforts to improve ambulance response times in cases of emergencies. This change will preserve EMTs for the most critical medical emergency responses while enabling B-HEARD to continue featuring medical and mental health professionals for nonviolent mental health 911 calls. After the transition, B-HEARD will continue to send out response teams to nonviolent 911 mental health calls with medical and mental health professionals. The new model is expected to take effect in the spring of 2026. Today’s announcement further builds on Mayor Adams’ commitment to supporting New Yorkers with serious mental illness and treating the city’s mental health crisis as a public health issue. 

    “Today, we are proud to announce a new model for our city’s response to 911 mental health calls that will be fully operated by NYC Health + Hospitals ,” said Mayor Adams. “This new model for B-HEARD will allow our FDNY EMTs the opportunity to focus further on other emergency response units as part of our city’s efforts to improve ambulance response times and use our resources more efficiently, while still addressing mental health emergencies we continue to see playing out in our city. From day one, our administration’s goal has been to keep New Yorkers safe and to help those struggling with severe mental illness; doing this means we must provide treatment and support to those in crises in the most efficient and compassionate way possible. We are building a culture of compassion in the name of public safety, public health, and the public interest, and we are proud to be delivering just that.”

    “NYC Health + Hospitals is proud to be the largest provider of behavioral health services in New York City, and our commitment to the city’s innovative B-HEARD program is unwavering,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are grateful to our outstanding partners in the program’s first iteration, and we look forward to continuing its evolution as we serve New Yorkers in mental health crisis.”

    Launched in 2021, B-HEARD was created as an interagency collaboration between the FDNY and NYC Health + Hospitals with oversight from the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH). During its initial years of operation, B-HEARD partnered EMTs and mental health clinicians to respond as a team to 911 mental health calls without violence or weapons as the primary concern.

    Over the life of the program — between its launch in 2021 through June 2025 — B-HEARD teams have responded to nearly 35,000 mental health 911 calls. Of the patients who received a mental health assessment by a NYC Health + Hospitals clinician, 43 percent were served in the community instead of being transported to a hospital emergency department. B-HEARD teams work to understand each individual’s needs, de-escalate situations, and, whenever possible, connect with family members and the individual’s existing clinicians to determine the best path forward. The program achieved an overwhelming patient-satisfaction rate with 96 percent of survey respondents reporting B-HEARD helped them and 94 percent agreeing that the B-HEARD response was more appropriate for their needs than the traditional emergency response they had previously received. Each B-HEARD response reflects New York City’s commitment to responding to the mental health crisis with the most appropriate care and reducing unnecessary use of a hospital’s emergency department and of police resources.

    NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest provider of behavioral health in New York City. The system provides over 60 percent of behavioral health services citywide, serving over 78,000 patients annually across emergency, inpatient, and outpatient care.

    Commitment to Mental Health

    In 2023, Mayor Adams announced a sweeping mental health agenda, “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for New York City,” with $20 million in new commitments that invested in, among other initiatives, an online hub to connect New Yorkers with serious mental illness to care, as well as a substantial expansion of the clubhouse program.

    Alongside the Adams administration’s focus on mental health, Mayor Adams also launched “HealthyNYC” in November 2023, an ambitious plan to extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers by, among other things, reducing the impact of deaths related to mental health, like overdoses, suicide, and homicides, by 2030. Additionally, HealthyNYC expands access to culturally responsive mental health care and social support services, including early intervention for communities of color and LGBTQIA+ youth, and helps address the impact of social media on youth mental health and suicidal ideation to reduce suicide deaths.

    Later that month, Mayor Adams announced “Teenspace” — the city’s tele-mental health service available to all New York City teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 at no cost. In the first six months of the program, the service — created in partnership with online therapy platform Talkspace — allowed more than 6,800 New York City teenagers to connect with a licensed therapist through phone, video, and text for free.

    The announcement builds on the work of the Adams administration in addressing the crises of severe mental illness on New York City streets. In August 2025, Mayor Adams launched the “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign to highlight the work the administration has done to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed while making the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing to make lasting impacts in lives and communities. As part of this campaign, Mayor Adams made a series of announcements promoting the administration’s efforts to help New Yorkers struggling with severe mental illness and substance addiction while simultaneously addressing quality of life and public safety on New York City streets, including:

    • Announcing a major milestone to connect over 3,500 homeless New Yorkers from streets and subways to permanent housing, including over 1,000 New Yorkers from the subways as a result of Mayor Adams’ Subway Safety Plan, first launched in 2022. 
    • An expansion of the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD’s) Quality of Life Division, or “Q-Teams,” announced earlier this year, to every precinct and all housing commands citywide. Q-Teams focus on tackling daily issues that impact New Yorkers’ sense of safety and well-being, including cracking down on illegal mopeds, towing abandoned vehicles, cleaning up encampments, addressing outdoor drug use, responding to noise complaints, and more.   
    • Opening of 13 newly contracted clubhouses — the city’s first procurement of clubhouses in nearly 30 years — to support people with severe mental illness thanks to a $30 million investment by the Adams administration.  
    • Launching the city’s first-ever Involuntary Transports Dashboard, which allows New Yorkers to track trends in involuntary transports and better understand how the city connects individuals with emergency psychiatric care, while simultaneously upholding the administration’s commitment to transparency. 
    • Announcing a new proposal to further support New Yorkers’ struggling with substance use disorder and to address public drug use, as well as a $27-million investment focused on improving access to substance use disorder treatment through outreach and enhanced treatment strategies. 
    • Opening the Bridge to Home facility, a new, innovative support model designed to help patients living with severe mental illness who are ready to be discharged from the hospital but do not have a place to go.  
    • Opening two additional Extended Care Units in the city’s public hospitals, where patients can stay for up to 120 days after being discharged from an inpatient psychiatric unit, receive psychopharmacological treatment, and pursue rehabilitative activities.  

    Strong Fiscal Management

    In the lead up to the upcoming November 2025 Financial Plan Update, Mayor Adams recently announced a new investment that will increase the uniformed headcount of the NYPD by 5,000 officers, increasing the total number of officers to 40,000 — the highest level in 20 years — by Fiscal Year (FY) 2029. Mayor Adams is making an investment of $17.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year that will increase to $315.8 million by FY 2029 to support the phased-in hiring of the additional 5,000 officers by July 2028.  

    Today’s announcement follows Mayor Adams’ long history of strong fiscal management, including delivering an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $115.9 billion Adopted Budget earlier this year, which built on the FY 2026 Executive Budget, often called the “Best Budget Ever.” The Executive Budget doubled down on Mayor Adams’ commitment to make New York City the best place to raise a family by, among other things, investing in “After-School for All,” a $755-million plan to deliver universal after-school programming to families of children in kindergarten through eighth grade; baselining funding for 3-K citywide expansion and special education pre-K to build on the administration’s work to dramatically expand access to early childhood education; investing over $400 million to fully fund the transformation of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan into a world-class, pedestrian-centered boulevard; and revitalizing “The Arches,” the public space on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The FY 2026 Adopted Budget was also the first to implement Mayor Adams’ landmark “Axe the Tax for the Working Class” plan, which abolishes and cuts New York City’s personal income tax for filers with dependents living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line. Because of this plan — which the Adams administration successfully fought to pass in Albany this budget cycle — $63 million will go back into the pockets of over 582,000 low-income New York filers, including their dependents, helping make New York City more affordable for working-class families. 

    November 14, 2025

    New York, NY

    Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York. Keep Your SNAP Benefits

    New York. Keep Your SNAP Benefits

    Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
    The Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) time limit rules for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants are in effect as of November 2025. Due to federal law changes, New York State’s waiver of work requirements for certain able-bodied adults without dependent children (ABAWD) will end as of November 2025. As a result of this federal action, as of November 2025, those subject to ABAWD time limit – including new groups of individuals subject to these rules – must comply with certain work requirements to keep SNAP benefits for more than 3 months. The information below explains who is subject to these work requirements and how they can meet the requirement to maintain SNAP benefits. SNAP recipients will be notified by their local social services district if they are subject to these requirements. If you believe you should be exempt from these requirements based on program rules or if you are meeting the work requirement, you should inform your local district worker.

    Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Work Rules

    Who is an ABAWD?

    An ABAWD is a person who is:

    • Aged 18 to 64,
    • Not living with a child under 14, and
    • Able to work.

    Does everyone need to follow the ABAWD work rules?

    No. You might not have to follow the ABAWD work rules, if:

    • You are younger than age 18, or age 65 or older,
    • Someone in your household is younger than age 14,
    • You receive disability benefits from a public or private source, such as Veterans Affairs or New York State disability benefits,
    • You are pregnant,
    • You are unable to work at least 80 hours per month because of a physical or mental health reason,
    • You are an Indian, Urban Indian, California Indian, or other Indian eligible for the Indian Health Services, or
    • You are excused from the General SNAP Work Rules because you are:
      • A 16 or 17-year-old who is not the head of the household or who is in school or in an employment program at least half-time,
      • Unable to work because of a mental or physical health reason,
      • Taking care of a child younger than age 6,
      • Taking care of an incapacitated person,
      • Meeting the work rules under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program,
      • Receiving or applying for unemployment benefits,
      • Participating in a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program,
      • Enrolled in a school, training program, or college at least half-time (students may be subject to other eligibility rules),
      • Already working at least 30 hours per week,
      • Already earning $217.50 (30 times the federal minimum wage) or more per week, OR
      • An SSI applicant or recipient.
    NY SNAP news

    Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you think you or someone in your household should be excused from following the ABAWD rules.What is the ABAWD time limit?

    If you are an ABAWD, you must meet the ABAWD work rules to continue receiving SNAP benefits for more than 3 months in a 3-year period. This is also known as the ABAWD time limit. Once you use up the 3 months and you are not meeting the ABAWD work rules, you will lose your SNAP benefits. In New York, the current 3-year period started on October 1, 2023, and will end on September 30, 2026.How can you meet the ABAWD work rules?

    1. Paid or unpaid work for 20 hours per week (80 hours per month)Examples include:
      • Having a job where you work at least 20 hours per week or earn at least $217.50 per week, even if you work less than 20 hours per week.
      • Doing in-kind work by exchanging your services for something other than money for at least 80 hours per month (for example, doing building maintenance in exchange for a reduction in rent).
    2. Learn job skills, approved by the social services district for 20 hours per week (80 hours per month), that can help you earn more money.Examples include:
      • Doing job searches, workshops on resumé writing, or other training approved by your local district. Some of these activities can be done online at websites like JobZone and Virtual Career Center.
      • Job skills training programs, English language instruction, or educational activities – including college courses, certifications, or credential programs – that help you prepare for work.
    3. Community Service/Volunteer
      • The number of hours you would need to participate in community service or volunteer work is based on your SNAP benefit divided by the state minimum wage. For example, if you get $300 in SNAP and the state minimum wage in your area is $16.50, then you have to complete 18 hours of community service or volunteer work each month. ($300 ÷ $16.50 = 18 hours).
      • Volunteer or do a Work Experience Program assignment with local nonprofit or public service organizations (such as food pantries, parks, or libraries).

    Keep Your SNAP Benefits Fact Sheet – This flyer helps SNAP recipients and organizations that work with them. It raises awareness and promotes compliance with ABAWD work rules.

    Helping ABAWDs Can Help Your Community Organization Fact Sheet — This flyer helps community organizations learn about the ABAWD time limit and how they can help SNAP recipients meet the ABAWD work rules.

    Additional ABAWD Resources:

    Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you are already doing one of these things. Also, if your work hours including paid and unpaid work drop below 80 hours per month, you must let the local district know within 10 days after the end of the month.

    Remember: Tell your local district if you earn more than $217.50/week before taxes (even if it is less than 20 hours/week of work). If you do, you are exempt from the ABAWD work rules.What if you have a good reason for not following these ABAWD work rules?

    You may receive SNAP benefits beyond the 3-month time limit if you have a good cause reason for not following the ABAWD work rules or you show that you should be excused from following the ABAWD work rules because you meet one or more of the conditions to be excused. Good cause reasons for not following the rules include issues that a person cannot control, such as getting sick or having a household emergency. These are some examples of good cause reasons but there are others, too. If you claim to have a good cause reason for not following the ABAWD work rules or believe you should be excused from following the rules, you must provide proof if the district asks you to do so. If you believe that you have a good cause reason for not meeting the ABAWD rules, you should call the Local District Contact Number to provide proof.If you lose your SNAP benefits, how can you get them back?

    If you lose your SNAP benefits, because you did not meet the ABAWD work rules, you should call your Local District Contact Number. The district will explain what you need to do to start getting SNAP benefits again. The district must offer you help in meeting the ABAWD work rules to start receiving SNAP benefits again.

    General Work Rules for SNAP Recipients

    Some people getting SNAP age 16 to 59 must follow the general SNAP work rules. Some adults getting SNAP age 18 to age 64 must also meet the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) rules. SNAP work rules and ABAWD rules can be met by participating in SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) work activities. Many people do not have to meet the SNAP work rules because they are excused. Below, you can learn if you are excused from the general SNAP work rules and the ABAWD rules or how to meet them if you are not excused.

    General SNAP Work Rules

    What do you need to do to follow the general SNAP work rules?

    You must follow these general SNAP work rules to keep your SNAP benefits:

    1. Accept any job offer you receive, unless there is a good reason you can’t.
    2. If you have a job, don’t quit your job or choose to work less than 30 hours each week without having a good reason, such as getting sick, being discriminated against, or not getting paid.Note: You will not lose your SNAP benefits if your hours fall below 30 hours per week and you are still earning $217.50 per week (30 times the federal minimum wage).
    3. Tell us about your job and how much you are working.
    4. Participate in SNAP E&T work activities if assigned by the district.

    Does everyone need to follow these General SNAP Work Rules?

    No. You may not have to follow these rules if you are:

    • Younger than age 16, or age 60 years or older (Please read the important note below about people aged 60 to 64),
    • A 16 or 17-year-old who is not the head of the household or who is in school or in an employment program at least half-time,
    • Unable to work because of a mental or physical health reason,
    • Taking care of a child younger than age 6,
    • Taking care of an incapacitated person,
    • Meeting the work rules under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program,
    • Receiving or applying for unemployment benefits,
    • Participating in a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program,
    • Enrolled in a school, training program, or college at least half-time (students may be subject to other eligibility rules),
    • Already working at least 30 hours per week,
    • Already earning $217.50 (30 times the federal minimum wage) or more per week, OR
    • An SSI applicant or recipient.

    Important: If you are between 60 and 64, you don’t have to follow the general SNAP work rules. However, if none of the other conditions listed above apply to you, you may still have to follow the ABAWD rules. Find out if you are excused from the ABAWD rules.What if you think you should be excused from the general SNAP work rules?

    Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you think you or someone in your household should be excused from following the work rules.What if you have a good cause reason for not following the general SNAP work rules?

    Good cause reasons for not following the general SNAP work rules include things that you cannot control such as getting sick, facing a household emergency, or not having childcare. These are some examples of good cause reasons but there are others, too. You must provide proof of any good cause reason when asked by the local district. If you believe you should be excused from following the general SNAP work rules, you must also provide proof, if asked by the district. For example, the district might ask for a statement from your doctor or other documents showing you had a good cause reason for not following the rules or should be excused.

    Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you think you or someone in your household has a good cause reason for not following the work rules.

    SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) Assignments

    What are SNAP E&T assignments?

    The SNAP E&T program can help you and people in your household gain skills and find work. If you are assigned to SNAP E&T, you may be required to participate in supervised job search, job readiness activities, work experience, job skills training, vocational training, educational training, or other work activities. SNAP E&T participants receive case management services to help them reach their employment goals. If the district assigns you or someone in your household to participate in SNAP E&T, they cannot ask you to participate in work activities and/or employment to meet the SNAP work rules for more than 30 hours per week (no more than 120 hours per month). A person may choose to participate in work activities for more than 30 hours per week but cannot be required to do so.

    Note: People who are also receiving Temporary Assistance (TA) benefits may be required to participate in work activities for up to 40 hours per week. The assigned work activity for these people is generally a combined TA and SNAP work assignment. A person who receives TA and SNAP and does not comply with assigned work activities willfully and without a good cause reason may be subject to a TA work sanction. However, if the person participates in the assigned work activities for at least 30 hours per week (120 hours per month), the household’s SNAP benefits will not be affected.What if you have costs from participating in the SNAP E&T program?

    Your local district will pay costs for you or people in your household that are necessary and reasonable to participate in a SNAP E&T activity. These costs may include:

    • Transportation
    • Childcare
    • Personal safety items or equipment
    • Other reasonable required costs, such as tools, books, and uniforms

    If the district cannot pay your costs to participate in a SNAP E&T assignment, you will be excused from participating. If the district tells you or someone in your household that you must participate in a SNAP E&T work activity, the person must participate. If you do not participate in the SNAP E&T assignment or you quit a job willfully and without a good cause reason, you may lose your SNAP benefits.What happens if you don’t follow these general SNAP work rules?

    You may lose your SNAP benefits if you don’t follow these work rules and you don’t have a good cause reason. If you do not follow the general SNAP work rules or you do not participate in a SNAP E&T assignment, you will be sent a Conciliation Notification. You will be offered a meeting with the district to explain why you did not follow the rules.

    If you receive a Conciliation Notification, you must contact the local district by the date on the Conciliation Notification to explain why you did not follow the work rules. If the district decides you had a good cause reason, your household’s SNAP benefits will stay the same. If you did not have a good cause reason, the district will offer you a chance to participate in the same activity you did not complete in order to not lose SNAP benefits. If the district decides that the same activity is not available or is no longer a good fit for you, you may be asked to complete another activity. If you do not complete the activity or prove they had a good cause reason, your household’s SNAP benefits may go down or stop.How long will you lose your SNAP benefits if you don’t follow these general SNAP work rules or do not complete a SNAP E&T assignment?

    • The first time you do not follow these rules, you can’t get SNAP benefits for one month.
    • The second time you do not follow these rules, you can’t get SNAP benefits for three months.
    • The third time, and any additional time after that, you do not follow these rules, you can’t get SNAP benefits for six months.

    If you lose your SNAP benefits because you did not follow the general SNAP work rules or did not complete a SNAP E&T assignment, you must be allowed to start receiving SNAP benefits before the end of the time period noted above if you prove you should be excused from following the general SNAP work rules.Where can you find additional resources?

    For additional resources, visit:

    Source: otda.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Mayor Adams Says NYC Opioid Overdose Deaths Fell 28% in 2024, First Decline in a Decade

    Mayor Adams Says NYC Opioid Overdose Deaths Fell 28% in 2024, First Decline in a Decade

    New York City recorded 2,192 overdose deaths in 2024, down 28% from 3,056 in 2023—the first substantial drop after nearly 10 years of increases, Mayor Eric Adams and DOHMH Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said Tuesday. Declines were seen across all five boroughs, with Staten Island down about 49%. Black and Latino New Yorkers saw 29% reductions yet still died at roughly twice the rate of white residents, and the Bronx remains the hardest-hit borough. City, state, and federal investments—backed by nearly $190 million in opioid-settlement funds to date and projected to reach $550 million by 2041—have expanded prevention, treatment, and harm-reduction services, including Overdose Prevention Centers and wider access to methadone and buprenorphine. The city budgeted $41 million in FY2025 for overdose response. New Yorkers can call or text 988 for 24/7 support.

    Mayor Adams Announces Opioid Overdose Deaths in City Drop Significantly for First Time in Past Decade

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse today announced new data released by DOHMH that shows a significant decrease in overdose deaths in New York City in 2024 — marking the first substantial decrease following a nearly 10-year period of increasing overdose deaths in the five boroughs. There were 2,192 deaths last year, down from 3,056 in 2023, mirroring national trends, and overdose deaths decreased almost universally across demographic groups and neighborhoods in 2024. Additionally, residents of all five boroughs saw decreases in overdose deaths and, for the first time since 2018, overdose deaths decreased among Black and Latino New Yorkers; however, significant racial and geographic inequities persist.

    “The data we are releasing today represents a major shift in a decades-long overdose crises that has claimed the lives of so many New Yorkers and Americans across the nation. Progress on reducing opioid overdoses will never make up for the families that have been devastated and the communities torn apart by these drugs, but it gives us hope that brighter days are ahead,” said Mayor Adams. “I am proud of the work our administration has done to stay focused on this issue by pursuing litigation and using funds from opioid settlements proactively, strategically, and forcefully to support those who are struggling. We will continue to make the right investments in programs and treatments that help keep New Yorkers safe and healthy.”

    “While we are finally seeing the needle move on fatal overdoses across the city, too many New Yorkers still continue to die from preventable deaths,” said DOHMH Acting Commissioner Dr. Morse. “As city leaders, we must be steadfast in our support of programs that save lives, while we continue to address historic disinvestment and other forms of structural racism. I am grateful for the tireless dedication of advocates, local providers, Health Department staff, and partners inside and outside government as we work to keep our communities and neighbors safe and connected to care.”

    Earlier this summer, Mayor Adams announced that New York City saw the lowest quarter in five years for opioid overdose deaths while making further investments to drive down opioid overdoses. In 2023, New York City saw a slight decline for the first time since 2018 in overdose deaths.

    Despite seeing promising decreases, inequities in overdose deaths still persist in New York City. Black and Latino New Yorkers each saw a 29 percent reduction in overdose deaths but died at twice the rate of their white counterparts. While the rate of fatal overdose decreased 24 percent among Bronx residents, the borough continues to have the highest rate of overdose deaths — at more than double the rate of Manhattan, the borough with the second-highest rate. The rate of overdose deaths among Staten Island residents decreased by about 49 percent. Residents of Hunts Point-Mott Haven, Highbridge-Morrisania, Crotona-Tremont, East Harlem, and Fordham-Bronx Park continued to bear the greatest burden of overdose deaths in 2024.

    Securing Opioid Settlement Funds

    Today’s announcement builds on the work the city has done to bring justice to the victims and families of the opioid epidemic, including just last month, when the city announced steps toward recovering approximately $48 million from a new proposed settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. In January 2018, the City of New York sued manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids to remedy the harms caused within the city by the misleading marketing and improper distribution of these drugs. New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a similar lawsuit in March 2019. Settlements reached by both the city and the state, as well as a court victory by Attorney General James, have provided the City of New York alone with nearly $190 million as of the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, which, with the most recent settlement, is expected to grow to a total of more than $550 million by 2041. In April 2022, Mayor Adams and Attorney General James announced allocations for the first of hundreds of millions of dollars coming to New York City to combat the opioid crisis. In September 2024, Mayor Adams announced city funding will ramp up to an annual $50 million for opioid prevention and treatment.

    Investing in Treatment and Supports

    To address the continued need for comprehensive services, the city continues to invest in evidence-based practices and partner with local providers to reach the communities most in need. In FY 2025 alone, the city allocated $41 million across DOHMH, NYC Health + Hospitals, and the Office of the New York City Chief Medical Examiner to support the expansion of services around the city and enhance the existing network of care.

    Ongoing funds from opioid settlements through DOHMH have supported wraparound services for syringe service programs, including on-site medical care, connections to health care and social services, and support for basic needs. In FY 2025, syringe service programs that operate Overdose Prevention Centers provided approximately 39,000 harm reduction services to more than 8,000 participants, reducing the risk of overdose and infectious disease and providing referrals to treatment and other health and social services. In 2023, the Adams administration also allocated $3 million to eight providers on Staten Island through a request for proposal to directly support the expansion of buprenorphine treatment, outreach and engagement, and care navigation services in the borough. This past July, the city announced $4 million in annual funding for nine outpatient and opioid treatment programs citywide to increase access to methadone and buprenorphine. Contracting for the expansion of the number of hospitals participating in DOHMH’s emergency department-based nonfatal opioid overdose response program called Relay remains ongoing.

    Since beginning to receive funding through opioid settlements, NYC Health + Hospitals has had over 9,700 patient engagements with expanded substance use services at Street Health Outreach and Wellness vans, nearly 83,000 encounters with patients in emergency departments with addiction services provided by the Emergency Department Leads program, and has successfully launched a cutting-edge addiction simulation training for emergency department prescribers. Additionally, NYC Health + Hospitals has provided comprehensive addiction consultations at over 24,700 inpatient admissions through the Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals program. 

    Further, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Drug Intelligence and Intervention Group program has offered support services to more than 4,000 individuals following the death of a loved one from an overdose. 

    All actions taken by Mayor Adams and the Adams administration to prevent overdose deaths also underscore the administration’s efforts to improve and extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers through “HealthyNYC” to 83 years by 2030. HealthyNYC sets ambitious targets to address the greatest drivers of premature death, including chronic and diet-related diseases, screenable cancers, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, violence, and COVID-19.

    New Yorkers looking to access substance use services can call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7. Resources can also be found on the “NYC HealthMap” and on DOHMH’s website.

    October 28, 2025 NEW YORK 

    Sources: NYC.gov , Midtown Tribune news

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