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  • NYC Mayor Adams and First Deputy Mayor Mastro Discuss Public Safety, Casino Development, and Political Outlook in Live Interview on 77 WABC

    NYC Mayor Adams and First Deputy Mayor Mastro Discuss Public Safety, Casino Development, and Political Outlook in Live Interview on 77 WABC

    Mayor Adams Talks Safety Casinos for NYC News

    During a live interview Eric Adams and First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro addressed key issues facing the city, including preparations for UN General Assembly security, casino licensing developments, and the future of the horse carriage industry. Mayor Adams reiterated his commitment to re-election and emphasized continued support from working-class and Jewish communities, despite persistent media speculation about his political future. Deputy Mayor Mastro highlighted the administration’s focus on job creation and revenue generation through casino expansion, while both leaders stressed public safety and economic revitalization as top priorities. The mayor also clarified his position regarding national political figures and reaffirmed his dedication to leading New York City.

    Mayor Adams Calls In for Live Interview on 77 WABCs “Sid & Friends in the Morning”

    Sid Rosenberg: Now we get two guys on the phone, two great guys, one being the mayor himself, Eric Adams, and his first deputy mayor, a friend of mine as well, Randy Mastro. So, Mr. Mayor, Mr. First Deputy Mayor, good Monday morning. How are you guys?

    Mayor Eric Adams: Hey, how’s it going, Sid? It’s great to be on with you. 

    First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro: Always great to be with you, Sid.

    Rosenberg: Thank you, guys. Thank you both. Well, let’s get to the first question. I guess you both can answer this and that is what I just talked about. Busy week here in New York. The UN General Assembly really starts later on today. But Trump will be here tomorrow. Zelensky Wednesday. Putin speaks on Thursday. Bibi speaks on Friday. 

    And on top of that, the Jewish New Year starts tonight. I know Jessica Tisch is hard at work, guys, as we speak. So let’s get to it, Mr. Mayor and Randy. What about this very busy week in terms of security here in New York City?

    First Deputy Mayor Mastro: We are a city, Sid, that welcomes the world here. We will welcome all of these dignitaries, the president, Netanyahu. And we will have a safe city. We’ve got the greatest Police Department in the world. We know how to make the city safe for big events like this. There will be traffic issues. People are encouraged to use public transportation. 

    And we also have this important Jewish holiday. It’s a great time. And we intend to make the city safe for all those who are practicing their faith. So it’s a special time in the city. We live in the greatest international city in the world. And we have the greatest Police Department to make it safe.

    Rosenberg: Eric, I do want to get to the Jewish part of this discussion. Randy just mentioned that it will be safe and we put our trust and faith in you. But I did read something in the New York Post this weekend that said that you are very confident that you still got a shot in this race, if not going to win this race, because of specifically the Jewish vote. So as we get set to usher in Rosh Hashanah tonight, I read that in the New York Post, so it’s got to be true. You are confident that the Jewish people will vote for you, yes?

    Mayor Adams: As I indicated during the interview, my secret weapon is working class people, the Jewish community, all of these various communities. As you see the attacks and assaults, and even on part of the Indian community of some of the comments that are made, arresting Modi, arresting Netanyahu, what the Democratic primary winner has bestated. Working class people and the various communities over the city, I believe there’s a real silent majority in this city, and I’m looking forward to that.

    Rosenberg: Before we get back to some of the campaign stuff with you, Mr. Mayor, there are a couple of business things we’ll discuss here quickly. Let me tell you, okay, guys? I’m not one of these old-fashioned idiots who thinks casinos are bad for the neighborhood. Trust me when I tell you, they’re just wrong. 

    It gets jobs. It brings in revenue. I don’t understand why people would not want a casino. Look what it’s done to Atlantic City. It’s still a dump outside the casino park, but at least that part is nice. All these other great cities that have casinos, we need it here. So I know the Freedom Plaza casino plan is about to get voted on, but you guys, you tell me. What is the likelihood that’ll get done with that one? If not them, then who?

    First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Well, Sid, once again, you’re speaking common sense. I mean, it’s thousands of jobs. It’s billions in revenue for the local economy. And, you know, what happened last week with the projects in Times Square and on the far west side, you know, that just denied New York City the opportunity to compete for a limited number of casino franchises. 

    Now, what’s going to happen on the east side? Again, our administration supports each of these New York City plans going forward so they can compete in the final round for a limited number of casino licenses. But, unfortunately, the way the system was established at the state legislative level, the mayor, you know, has a representative, but there are also, you know, local electeds who have representatives, and each of their votes counts equally. 

    That’s why you had what happened on the west side happen, shouldn’t have happened. We are confident that several of the city’s casino plans will go through, but each vote, you know, is weighted heavily in favor of local elected officials, unfortunately.

    Rosenberg: Yeah, I don’t like that either. So, is it fair to assume then, Randy, I mean, we’re going to get, what, three? I know Stevie Cohen’s got a chance out there in Queens. I thought the Coney Island one in Brooklyn was dead, but I guess not. But we’re going to get three. Is that right?

    First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Well, you’ve got Bally’s in the Bronx, which the City Council tried to kill, and the mayor saved it, and they couldn’t override his veto. You’ve got Steve Cohen’s proposal in Queens. You’ve also got the resort’s proposal in Queens. These are strong proposals. 

    And, of course, you have Coney Island, which is an intriguing proposal, right? And today, fingers crossed, local electeds will join the mayor and do the right thing. But, you know, we’re going to have some strong proposals, think that we’ll go through to the final round, and hopefully we’ll get the benefit. Billions of dollars and thousands of jobs for the local economy.

    Mayor Adams: And, Sid, an indicator of how successful the community and the corporate partnership could be is just go look at in Queens, Aqueduct. You know, thousands of jobs, new development, hotels, it becomes an anchor for the entire community and tourism. You know, tourists come in, they come for the entertainment, and it’s just a real win. And so it’s unfortunate that this sort of NIMBYism gets in the way of how these great projects can benefit the entire city.

    Rosenberg: Couldn’t agree more gentleman. When I go to Florida, I stay at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. My God, Jimmy Allen, I love that place. The hotel, to be exact. 

    You know, Randy and Eric, you both just mentioned the City Council. I know, Mr. Mayor, you’re going back and forth with them on these horse carriages. Now, I know some horse took off last weekend. That’s scary when one of these horses actually is running through the street. 

    So there is a safety factor here, too, besides the fact that it’s always been the contention of animal lovers that over the years the horses aren’t treated well. I know, Mr. Mayor, you’d like to see the end of the horse carriages. Where are we with that?

    Mayor Adams: The City Council. It’s up to them. It’s up to them to do the right thing. The legislation is there. It’s pending. They need to take it up and put it to a vote. When you look at the bill that was put through by Bob Holden, he has, I think, over 20 council persons who are ready to make a vote on it. It’s time to put it to a vote. 

    We did the right thing, and you’re right. It is a public safety issue. You cannot have a horse running through our streets. What are we waiting for? For some child or some elderly person to be harmed. It’s time to really evolve away from the horse carriage industry inside Central Park.

    Rosenberg: All right. Let’s get, Mr. Mayor, to your weekend. Randy, I love you. I know you’re there. Don’t worry. You’ve been great. Let me get to you. You hear the news. Oh, you know, Cuomo was in churches praying at mosques. An odd picture, I’ve got to be honest, but okay, fine. Curtis was out at San Gennaro. You had, you know, Mamdani, wherever he was, I guess, Harlem. And they go, where’s Eric? Where’s Eric? 

    And, you know, this is the conversation, Mr. Mayor, that takes place every day. There’s a large group of people in this city, from business people to people who live here, to politicians, to media, that say, it’s just a matter of time, Eric. He’s dropping out. This is it. This is Monday morning, Eric’s gone. And you get on TV and you go, “I’m not going anywhere.” 

    So can we just put this? Can we just put this to rest one way or another right here, right now, Mr. Mayor? Are you dropping out of this race at any time?

    Mayor Adams: As I said, I’ve made it clear, and it doesn’t matter what I say. People are writing stories anyway. What I’m going to say is go back to what I said seven weeks ago, when they were saying tomorrow he’s leaving, tomorrow he’s leaving. I’m focused on this race, and I’m focused on running the city. 

    You mentioned several people. You know what’s unique about them? They don’t have day jobs. I have a day job. I have to run the most complex city in the entire country, if not the globe. And I have to stay focused on doing that. And that’s what I’m doing. I am straight ahead in the campaign. I’m going to continue to run the city and run for re-election. 

    Now, what has happened, Sid, is that, really, I have another candidate in the race, and that’s the media. What they have done has undermined my ability to raise funds, to continue to secure my voters. When you’re hearing every day that tomorrow Eric is leaving, tomorrow’s Eric is leaving six weeks out, it impacts your fundraising ability. It impacts securing your endorsements. And, you know, many of those who are with me are saying, Eric, we’re just getting all of these mixed messages every day. 

    And so I’m not saying woe is me, I’m saying why not me? Why not me because I’ve done a great job for the city and we’re going to continue to do that.

    Rosenberg: So you’re not taking a job with Trump? Trump has not offered you a job? He has offered you a job, you said no? What’s the Trump job situation?

    Mayor Adams: And, you know, and I love that because when the question was asked I said no. They wrote it anyway. When the question was asked of am I going to Saudi Arabia. I said no. They wrote it anyway. They say you are going to the Yankee game to meet with the president? I said, no, they wrote it anyway. Think about that for a moment. So, truth no longer matters. You know, sensationalism matters. 

    Rosenberg: You’re right. You’re right. So, last thing on Trump, look, we know, you know, he helped you out with your situation. That’s fine. But you’re not looking for an endorsement. I mean, it seems to some of us, and I don’t want to say something that’s not true, because you just ruled off a whole bunch of untruths, Eric. 

    It seems to me like you guys were getting kind of close when he won the inauguration and then the whole case deal and now it seems like he’s kind of said “No, this guy doesn’t have a chance. No thanks.” What’s the real deal between you and Trump? 

    Mayor Adams: Well there was never a time when I was offered a job and he was always focused on what he must do but in the country, and I’m focused on running the city and what he did was he helped out with justice you know that’s what he did.

    I should have never been charged. This was lawfare. I was fighting for our city when we were dealing with the migrants and asylum seeker crisis. The Justice Department looked at it and saw it was improper. This was the right thing to do. And so what I’m going to continue to do is do the right thing for New Yorkers. 

    And so, I respect the president doing his job. I got to do my job, and continue to move the city forward. And we’ve done amazing things in the city and I’m really proud of the record of this city.

    First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Can I just say–

    Rosenberg: Yes, jump in. Yeah.

    First Deputy Mayor Mastro: Thank you, Sid. I just wanted to say one thing, you know, about re-election, and I’m not involved in the campaign, but I know how hard this guy works every day for New York, okay? Crime down by record proportions, jobs up to record levels, affordable housing produced at an unprecedented rate. He’s working his butt off, and to me, he’s producing incredible results for New Yorkers. 

    That’s a guy who not only should stay in office, [but] who wants to stay in office. I’m just really proud of what we’re doing in City Hall and what he’s doing out there every day. He’s doing his job while the other ones are running around in circles.

    Rosenberg: That’s fair, but there’s no chance— I get asked this too all the time, Mr. Mayor, so I’m just telling you what I get asked. There’s no chance that you’ll sit in a room with Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, the three of you, and try to figure out a way to maybe come together or do something to make sure that Mamdani doesn’t win. That’s not happening, right? All four of you gentlemen are out to win, right?

    Mayor Adams: Yes, we are out to win. And keep in mind, we all agree that Zohran is the number one threat to our city. There’s no getting around that. Zohran and his socialist comrades, they’re the number one threat to our city, and we’re all clear on that. You know, we disagree on several things, Curtis and Andrew and I, but we are all in agreement that Zohran is the number one threat to our city, he and his socialist comrades.

    Rosenberg: Final 30 seconds, Eric, another interview coming up. What is your big Rosh Hashanah message to the big Jewish audience that’s listening to me right now?

    Mayor Adams: You know, enjoy this important New Year, let it be a sweet New Year. Let me do the job of keeping you safe while you are enjoying this, the festivities with your families. No one does it better with the NYPD. We know the New Year is here, and we want to be here to ensure that there’s a very safe New Year. And we look forward to visiting some of my friends of the Jewish community as I celebrate Rosh Hashanah with them.

    Rosenberg: Mr. Mayor, that’s a terrific job and First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, you’re great too. Thank you gentlemen so much for hopping on this morning. Stay safe. I know you got a big week ahead and we’ll talk again very, very soon. Thank you guys so much. 

    Mayor Adams: Thank you. 

    September 22, 2025 Manhattan New York

    Sources: Big New York News BigNY.com  NYC.gov
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  • New York. Brooklyn Marine Terminal to Undergo $3.5 Billion Transformation Into Modern Port and Waterfront Community (Video)

    New York. Brooklyn Marine Terminal to Undergo $3.5 Billion Transformation Into Modern Port and Waterfront Community (Video)


    New York City and state leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, announced the approval of an ambitious $3.5 billion plan to revitalize the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. The project envisions a 60-acre, all-electric maritime port alongside 6,000 new homes—40 percent of which will be permanently affordable—plus nearly 30 acres of new public open space and expanded industrial and commercial facilities. Expected to generate $18 billion in economic impact and create thousands of jobs, the plan aims to restore the terminal as a vital economic engine while advancing the city’s commitment to sustainability, climate resilience, and equitable development along the waterfront. The initiative follows extensive community engagement and marks a key step in Mayor Adams’ vision to transform New York’s waterways into a “Harbor of the Future.”

    Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, Representative Goldman, Senator Gounardes Announce Passage of Historic $3.5 Billion Vision Plan to Transform Brooklyn Marine Terminal Into Modern Maritime Port, Create New, Vibrant Mixed-Use Community Along Waterfront

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, U.S. Representative Dan Goldman, and New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes  today announced that the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) Task Force has passed a historic vision plan to turn BMT into a modern, maritime port and create a vibrant, mixed-use community along the Brooklyn waterfront. The proposal — which is backed by $418 million in city, state, and federal investments — will transform the dilapidated marine terminal into a 60-acre, all-electric maritime port that can, once again, serve as a key economic driver for the community and city. In addition to a revitalized port, the plan passed today will also create 6,000 new homes — including over 2,400 permanently-affordable units — as well as at least 28 acres of public space, 275,000 square feet of commercial space, 250,000 square feet of community facility space, and 275,000 square feet of light-industrial and industrial space at discounted rents. The plan, which covers a total of 122 acres, will also deliver vital resiliency and infrastructure upgrades for the area while generating an estimated $18 billion in economic impact, 37,000 temporary construction jobs, and 2,000 permanent jobs. The Vision Plan adopted by the BMT Task Force serves as the foundation for all future investments and redevelopment at BMT.
    After assuming control of BMT in May 2024, the Adams administration convened a BMT Task Force to lead an extensive community engagement process and develop a shared vision for the site. Following a year of engagement with over 4,200 community members, today’s landmark vote continues Mayor Adams’ vision to turn New York City’s waterfront into a “Harbor of the Future;” establish New York City as the global destination for green technology, innovation, and opportunity; and create approximately 53,000 temporary and permanent jobs and $95 billion in economic impact.

    “Today, our city took a massive step towards the future. By approving this $3.5 billion vision plan, we will turn a crumbling marine terminal into a modern maritime port while creating thousands of affordable homes and tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. We’ll deliver the open space our city needs and keep New York at the front of the green economy,” said Mayor Adams. “For years, naysayers have told us that the days of big ideas and bold initiatives were over, but New York City is proving them wrong. We’re turning our waterfront into a ‘Harbor of the Future’ and unlocking opportunity for generations to come. When I came into office, I promised to ‘Get Stuff Done,’ and, today, we are doing it in a big way. Thank you to all the members of the BMT Task Force who took their responsibility seriously and to all the community members and experts who weighed in along the way.”

    “This bold, $3.5 billion vision will transform the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, all-electric maritime hub and a thriving new neighborhood — delivering good-paying jobs, affordable homes, and public amenities for generations to come,” said Governor Hochul. “New York state is proud to stand with the city to make this once-in-a-generation investment in our waterfront, our economy, and our communities. Together, we’re proving that growth, resiliency, and equity can go hand in hand.”

    “Today is a historic day for New York City. The Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force, which is comprised of city, state, and federal elected officials, and representatives ranging from local neighborhoods to regional agencies, voted to advance the $3.5 billion vision-plan to create a modern, all-electric 60-acre port and mixed-use community with 6,000 units of housing in the heart of the ‘Harbor of the Future,’” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrion, Jr. “I appreciate and thank all BMT Task Force members for their hard work on the planning process over the past year and look forward to the first ribbon cutting on the BMT site in just a few short years.”

    “The passing of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Vision Plan is a historic, transformative investment in New York City’s economic future — unlocking thousands of jobs, modernizing critical infrastructure, and creating a resilient, mixed-use waterfront that drives inclusive growth,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Kimball. “This plan positions the city as a national leader in maritime innovation with a critical node in the city’s Blue Highways network that will get trucks off our streets, while delivering lasting benefits to the Red Hook community and beyond. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the entire task force for their steadfast commitment to working with NYCEDC to create this monumental vision.”

    “For the first time in two generations, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal is on track to once again become a vital and vibrant economic, maritime, environmental, and community asset,” said U.S. Representative Goldman. “For decades, the port and surrounding area was allowed to fall into disrepair, and every attempt to revitalize it failed. Today, we have taken a truly historic step forward in finally realizing a plan that will save, modernize and expand the port, create an industrial and commercial hub for the future, address climate change and spearhead the blue highway, connect our neighborhoods to the waterfront, and build thousands of affordable homes to tackle the housing crisis. I am grateful for the time, energy and effort spent by all Task Force members, regardless of how they voted, and I am grateful that this community-centered project was able to achieve so much for so many. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues, the city, state and EDC to build a brighter future for the Brooklyn waterfront.”

    “For decades, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal has been allowed to decay and become a barrier between our communities and the waterfront,” said State Senator Gounardes. “Now, we have a unique chance to transform the terminal into something that actually meets our needs: a mixed-use neighborhood with a modernized port, new parks, industrial and community space, and thousands of new affordable homes. This is a complex project with a lot of different stakeholders, and this vision plan reflects the many good ideas and difficult decisions generated by the Task Force process. If we’re serious about creating a city that works for all of us, we need to actually get things done. This plan is an important step in doing just that.”

    The BMT Vision Plan will transform a crumbling marine terminal into a modern, all-electric port while creating thousands of homes and tens of thousands of new jobs.

    The BMT Task Force — which is chaired by U.S. Representative Dan Goldman and co-chaired by New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes and New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés — is comprised of wide range of experts, including federal, state, and local elected officials, the local community board, local resident organizations, maritime and industrial stakeholders, unions, planning and environmental justice organizations, and representatives of the local business community. The BMT Task Force voted in favor of a Vision Plan that creates a high-level framework in nine distinct areas:

    • Port: Under the plan, the BMT will be transformed into a 60-acre modern and sustainable all-electric port with a new marginal pier to promote water-to-water freight, remove trucks from local streets and New York City roadways, and serve as a key node in the Adams administration’s Blue Highways initiative to move more goods along the city’s waterways.
    • Affordable Housing: The plan will deliver 6,000 housing units on the site, with 40 percent, or 2,400 units, permanently affordable at an average of 60 percent of the Area Medium Income. A total of 200 affordable units will be reserved on-site for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Red Hook Houses East and West residents, and 50 affordable units will be reserved for NYCHA Wyckoff and Gowanus Houses residents. Additionally, a $75 million fund to preserve or create affordable units off-site in Community Board 6 will be created, and $200 million will be allocated to NYCHA Red Hook Houses East and West.
    • Atlantic Basin: The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will also be redeveloped with new public open space, industrial and commercial space, and up to a 400-key hotel, transforming the area around Pier 11 and Pier 12 into an attractive waterfront destination district open to the community.
    • Industrial: The plan will create over 275,000 square feet of industrial space available at discounted rents, more than 275,000 square feet of commercial space across the site to enliven and support community retail corridors, and a $10 million development fund to support the industrial sector within the broader Red Hook neighborhood.
    • Education and Workforce: The plan promotes a comprehensive workforce strategy, including a Project Labor Agreement; targeted community hiring; a dedicated world-class experiential learning center at Pier 11; and funding to establish an economic mobility network in Red Hook and a maritime career readiness program for residents of NYCHA Red Hook Houses East and Red Hook Houses West. Over 250,000 square feet of community facilities and cultural space, including space for a new public school at BMT North will also be included.
    • Open Space: The vision plan includes at least 28 acres of public open space and approximately one mile of new public waterfront access and greenway.
    • Resiliency: The plan calls for a comprehensive resiliency strategy, including a raised site to protect against future sea level rise, a floodwall designed to withstand a 2,100, 100-year storm, and on-site stormwater management.
    • Connectivity and Transit: The plan puts pedestrians and public transit first, prioritizing pedestrian mobility while also improving bus speeds to rider destinations and reducing truck traffic. It will include pedestrianized streets, no parking minimums, district-wide garages, micromobility and freight hubs, bus priority lanes, increased ferry services, and a $50 million commitment for electric shuttle service as a bridge towards the Metropolitan Transportation Authority evaluating the restoration of historic bus service such as the B71, or establishing enhanced and/or new bus service for improved intra and inter-neighborhood mobility.
    • Governance and Implementation: The plan will create a new legal entity — the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Development Corporation (BMTDC) — to realize the vision plan, ensure development is financially viable and self-sustaining, and implement a phased redevelopment delivering community benefits in partnership with the mixed-use development. The board of the BMTDC will include appointees of the mayor, governor, and local elected officials, as well as representation from the local community, such as NYCHA Red Hook East and West, as well as maritime and industrial expertise.

    In the coming weeks, NYCEDC will form a Brooklyn Marine Terminal Advisory Task Force to guide the project through environmental review and development of a General Project Plan. NYCEDC will continue engaging with this new task force to refine the specifics of the site plan, ultimately leading up to NYCEDC’s release of a draft Environmental Impact Statement and Empire State Development’s adoption of a draft General Project Plan in 2026.

    NYCEDC will also launch a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) in the coming weeks to solicit proposals from port operators, developers, and maritime industry experts on how to optimize maritime operations at BMT. As part of this RFEI, NYCEDC will seek input on optimal size, layout, and economically viable uses of the commercial port, including Blue Highways connections to Hunts Point. NYCEDC is aiming to release the first request for proposal for a long-term port operator by the end of 2026.

    The plan passed today represents a wide range of community and stakeholder input. Over the past year, NYCEDC has engaged over 4,260 community members, received 915 survey responses, and held 47 public engagements, including 27 workshops, 15 feedback and info sessions, three town halls, and two surveys. Additionally, NYCEDC conducted 11 site tours with 198 members of the public, NYCHA residents, elected officials, and city agencies; 23 advisory group meetings; 32 task force meetings, office hours, and small group discussions; 13 stakeholder focus groups and project briefings with small businesses, community associations, and organizations; nine NYCHA Red Hook Houses East and West tabling events, focus groups, and feedback sessions; and five canvassing efforts in Red Hook with Green City Force. This vision plan incorporates feedback heard across each of these sessions and delivers commitments addressing key themes heard from the community, such as a need for a modern and sustainable port and container operations, expanded waterfront open space, creation of workforce training and career pipelines, increased public transit, and resiliency protections from climate change.

    The Adams administration is already delivering on its commitment to modernize and electrify the port. In March, NYCEDC announced an $18 million investment and the execution of three contracts to upgrade the port, including the removal of four out-of-service cranes across Piers 9A and 10, the purchase of a new electric ship to shore crane to serve the Red Hook Container Terminal at Pier 10, and crucial fender repairs to Pier 10 to protect the pier from future vessel damage. To date, NYCEDC has secured nearly $418 million in public capital to rebuild and modernize the port; this includes an early $80 million city capital commitment, $65 million in state funding, a $164 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation — the largest ever received by NYCEDC — and a corresponding $109 million city capital match.

    Today’s announcement also marks major progress toward realizing NYCEDC’s “Blueprint for Blue Highways” released earlier this month, which provides a strategy to create up to 8,000 new jobs by moving freight by waterways instead of roadways, for a total of 117,000 jobs across Blue Highways sectors by 2035. The Adams administration’s Blue Highways initiative works to reduce truck traffic and increase freight capacity across the five boroughs by shifting the movement of more goods onto the city’s waterways. More progress has been made on Blue Highways in the last two years than in the 20 previous, including prior announcements of a new Hunts Point Marine Terminal and a micro-freight facility at Downtown Skyport.

    Today’s vote marks a major step forward in the Adams administration’s efforts to build the Harbor of the Future — a reimagined network of innovation and growth across New York City’s waterways. In addition to a modern maritime port and vibrant mixed-use community hub at BMT in Red Hook, the Harbor of the Future includes emerging innovation centers such as the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx; the newly-announced climate innovation hub “BATWorks” at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park; the country’s largest offshore wind port at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal; the Science Park and Research Campus in Kips Bay in Manhattan; new sustainable housing and public space on the North Shore of Staten Island; and an anchor research and educational partnership with the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island. Additionally, today’s announcement fulfills a key commitment in Mayor Adams’ “Green Economy Action Plan,” a first-of-its-kind plan that lays out a roadmap to growing the city’s green economy, invests in jobs and sectors that help the city combat climate change, and positions New Yorkers to benefit from the nearly 400,000 projected ‘green-collar’ jobs in New York City by 2040.

    September 22, 2025 NEW YORK

    Sources: NYC.gov , TV503com
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  • Mayor Adams Backs Ban on Horse-Drawn Carriages, Signs Executive Order to Support Industry Transition and Strengthen Oversight

    Mayor Adams Backs Ban on Horse-Drawn Carriages, Signs Executive Order to Support Industry Transition and Strengthen Oversight

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced his formal support for Ryder’s Law, urging the City Council to pass legislation that would phase out horse-drawn carriages in favor of electric alternatives. To facilitate this transition, Mayor Adams signed Executive Order 56, which enhances regulatory oversight, initiates planning for the industry’s phase-out, and directs city agencies to support affected workers with job placement and voluntary license return programs. The move comes amid growing safety and animal welfare concerns following multiple high-profile incidents. By taking this step, the Adams administration is aligning city policy with modern urban standards while seeking to preserve tourism experiences through cleaner, safer alternatives.

    Mayor Adams Calls on City Council to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, Signs Executive Order Strengthening Oversight and Enforcement of Industry and Ensuring City Agencies Are Preparing for Eventual City Council Ban

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced his support to end the use of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park. First, Mayor Adams called on the New York City Council to pass Ryder’s Law, legislation to phase out horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives, which has languished in the Council for over a year. Additionally, Mayor Adams signed Executive Order 56 to prepare for the end of the horse carriage industry in New York, strengthen oversight and enforcement over the industry until the Council passes the bill, create a process for voluntary return of licenses, and identify new employment opportunities for those in this industry. Finally, Mayor Adams sent a letter of necessity to the City Council, which grants the Council the authority to expedite the passage of this legislation by waiving the aging period, and urges them to promptly pass comprehensive reform given safety concerns for everyday New Yorkers.

    “New York City is a place where history and progress live side by side, but as long as I am mayor, we will always put public safety first. While horse-drawn carriages have long been an iconic fixture of Central Park, they are increasingly incompatible with the conditions of a modern, heavily-used urban green space. A series of incidents over the last few years have raised concerns about the welfare of the horses, as well as the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and carriage operators themselves. To understand all points of view on this complex issue, our administration convened all stakeholders, from driver representatives to community advocates, and it has become abundantly clear that these horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city. While many talk about change, our administration has always been about real, meaningful action — and this issue is no different. That’s why today, I’m calling on the City Council to do what they should have done long ago: end the horse carriage industry in New York City and help keep all New Yorkers — including our animals — safe,” said Mayor Adams. “I’m also signing an executive order to ensure city agencies are doing everything in their power to prepare for a City Council ban on the horse carriage industry and to strengthen oversight and enforcement in the meantime. To be clear, we will not abandon the drivers themselves, who are honest, hard-working New Yorkers. Through today’s executive order, I have directed our agencies to identify new employment opportunities for those in this industry and create a process for voluntary return of licenses. We are also open to exploring a new program for electric carriages so New Yorkers and visitors can continue to enjoy the majesty of Central Park. Despite the changes we’re announcing today, we understand that this executive order can only go so far, as real, long-term change requires legislation. We need the Council to do their job, step up, and work with us on comprehensive reform. This is not about eliminating this tradition — it’s about honoring our traditions in a way that aligns with who we are today. New Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what’s right. The Adams administration hears those concerns loud and clear, and we’re taking action, but we need the Council to meet us at the table. We can preserve what makes New York unique while also ensuring we’re not leaving anyone — human or animal — behind.”

    In the past few years, a number of troubling incidents have raised the alarm on this critical issue, including:

    • In August 2022, a carriage horse named Ryder fell and collapsed at the intersection of West 45th Street and 9th Avenue. The New York City Police Department intervened to help Ryder get back on his feet, and Ryder later died that October.
    • In response, advocates asked the City Council to pass Ryder’s Law, legislation to phase out horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives.
    • Following this incident in 2022, 71 percent of New Yorkers supported a ban on horse carriage rides.
    • Just last month, another carriage horse named Lady collapsed and died at West 51st Street and 11th Avenue, bringing proposals for reform or closure of the carriage industry back into the spotlight.
    • This month also marked the third time this year alone where a carriage horse took off running in Central Park when a horse named Bambi ran out with no person at the reins, frightening visitors and causing three horse carriage passengers to jump out of the speeding buggy. Earlier this year, in May, a similar incident occurred when a pair of runaway carriage horses broke a driver’s wrist and injured others in Central Park after they bolted.

    September 17, 2025 NEW YORK

    Sources NYC.gov/mayors-office
    Midtown Tribune news , Big New York news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Trash Revolution Expands to Brooklyn: Mayor Adams Announces Full Containerization in Community District 2

    Trash Revolution Expands to Brooklyn: Mayor Adams Announces Full Containerization in Community District 2


    Mayor Eric Adams, alongside Deputy Mayor Jeff Roth and Acting DSNY Commissioner Javier Lojan, announced the next phase of New York City’s “Trash Revolution” in Brooklyn’s Community District 2. Following the successful containerization in West Harlem, the initiative will now bring modern, rodent-resistant “Empire bins” to schools and high-density buildings in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and beyond. This move is aimed at cleaning up the streets, improving quality of life, and combating the city’s rodent problem. By 2026, the city plans to extend this system to several Brooklyn neighborhoods, using self-loading trucks and a flexible bin system tailored to the needs of each building. The effort, supported by a $32 million budget commitment, marks a significant step toward a cleaner, safer New York City.

    Return of the Trash Revolution: Following Major Success in Manhattan, Mayor Adams, Acting Dsny Commissioner Lojan Announce Brooklyn Community District 2 as Next to Be Fully Containerized

    Deputy Mayor Jeff Roth, Operations: Good morning. My name is Jeff Roth. I’m the deputy mayor for Operations, and I want to welcome you all to the next front in the trash revolution right here in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, but please try to contain your excitement. 

    We all know New York City produces a lot of trash, the equivalent of 100 747s every single day, but we’ve never had a dedicated spot to collect it, not really. Our trash has sat in leaky black bags wherever we could find space for it, against fences, city bike docks, cram necks to doorways and hydrants, and in a feat that surely earns them their moniker, New York’s strongest have had to navigate all that street infrastructure for decades until now. This administration has said enough. 

    We first changed set out times for our trash. We required food businesses across the city to containerize, then chain businesses, all businesses and smaller residences. We were able to do that by taking a team of over 150 people from New York, and we were able to get them to the nearest residential buildings. And today we’re taking our next leap right here in Brooklyn. The trash revolutionary himself, ladies and gentlemen, Mayor Eric Adams.

    Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you, thank you. Thanks so much. Such an important initiative. When I was a police officer, this was my precinct, the 88 precinct. And when you get here and walk through the parks, we will often be encountered by rats and rodents. And that was one of the top missions we wanted to do. to move towards dealing with just the cleanliness of the city. And I really want to thank Commissioner Lojan for his just picking up the mantle and continuing to succeed with our rats who have always also played a major role. 

    We stated from the beginning, the trash revolution has been a huge win for New York City. I hear it often when I’m on the subways or walking through the streets that people are stating we have all the rats gone. And it’s clear that this movement is carrying out the function that we wanted. And it’s a massive, massive success. And we’re going to continue to move in the right direction. And we started with changing out to set out times. 

    There was a lot of pushback. But we realized not having trash bags on our streets at an earlier time would assist us in dealing with the roading problem. We were facing in the city and unsightly bags. When we change those times, we were able to coordinate. With the union and ensure that garbage was put out later. And that played a major role in getting the bags off the street off our streets. We’re seeing cleaner streets and sidewalks, better quality of life and massive decline in roading activity. 

    In fact, the number of rat sightings and 311 calls have dropped for nine straight months. And while the rats are crashing out, we are ramping up today. We’re announcing the next phase in the trash. Revolution, the Battle of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Community Board 12 will soon become the second neighborhood in New York City to have all of this trash fully containerized. Following the success of Community Board 9 in West Harlem, we’re rolling out the new Empire bins to schools in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill this fall. And this is an example of the bins. 

    This rollout would expand to downtown Brooklyn, Boreham Hill, Brooklyn Heights. Fulton Ferry, Dumbo, Vinegar Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2026. This is part of a citywide transformation that started with the set out times and also our $32 million commitment in our best budget ever to ensure our streets remain clean. So we’re striking back against rats and filth by expanding the use of our Empire bins. 

    These are more than just better bins. They are part of a new system that will improve the modernized trash collection in our city. The Empire bins are serviced by an automated self-loading truck, a first of its kind in North America. We put it in place during this administration. These trucks have been running on the streets of West Harlem since April and will soon revolutionize how we pick up trash here. In the borough of Brooklyn. And everyone knows I hate rats and rotors moving through our street. And four years ago when we brought on our trash revolution that included our rat czar, we moved the city in the right direction. And we hired a great team and Acting Commissioner Lojan is really placing this initiative on a fast track. Cannot thank him and his team enough. Community Board 9 in Manhattan has now become the first. 

    New York City neighborhood to have 100 percent of this trash covered by containerization requirements. A part of this reason we have had so much success is because we have engaged the community. Clear communications and conversations with the community. 

    So while we’re mandating Empire bins at schools in all buildings with more than 30 units, we will conduct an extensive one to one outreach to build this with 10 to 30 units. Offering them the option to the Empire bins or the smaller wheelie bins already in use as smaller properties. This is a flexible part of engaging the community and really getting buy-in on how we deal with trash in our city. And so we again want to thank our partners, particularly DSNY and all of our city agencies who were involved in the Battle of Brooklyn and getting rid of our rodents here in our borough have started. And we’re looking forward to that success. We’re going to turn it over now to our amazing commissioner at the Department of Sanitation, Commissioner Lojan.

    Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan, Department of Sanitation: Good morning. Thank you, Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor Roth. New Yorkers have a proud history of getting things done. The Empire State Building was built in 14 months. The Chrysler Building was built in 20 months. And the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel was built in four years. 

    In recent years, however, many New Yorkers have grown to think that we can no longer get things done without. With any speed. Well, we are here once again to prove them wrong. We can do great things, and with the right leadership, we can do them quickly. 

    For decades, New Yorkers have traveled the world and marveled at how every other city from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires put their trash in clean, sealed containers. And then came home to mounds of smelly, black trash bags. And the city that told them we can’t do that here. The streets of New York City have to be dirty. Well, in the last three years, we have shown that the city that built bridges. 

    We have shown that the city that built bridges. tunnels, and skyscrapers that awed the world can also be a clean city. How did we do it? We started by telling New Yorkers that rush hour is not trash hour. You have to put your trash out for collection at night, not in the afternoon. We also picked up trash earlier, often in just a few hours. 

    Next, we required all businesses to put their trash in containers. Then we said buildings with one to nine residential units had to put their trash in containers. Every step was met with cynics who said they loved the idea, but it just couldn’t work here. Well, it’s working. New Yorkers adjusted their habits. They changed their decades-long way of doing things. And we have a cleaner city with 70 percent of trash in containers and fewer rats as a result. 

    The remaining 30 percent of trash was a bigger challenge. They told us it would take years to build new trucks that did not exist in North America. We didn’t accept that the city that built the Empire State Building in 14 months was a clean city. We would have to wait five years for a new truck. In a matter of months, we had 1,100 Empire bins, just like this one, across the streets of West Harlem, requiring that every last bit of trash be placed in a bin, serviced by trucks that, yes, had to be built from scratch as part of a joint operation that brought in manufacturers from Italy. 

    We put an end to all trash bags across all of West Harlem. We called it our moon landing. And if you heard us say that the day after our moon landing, we would immediately begin evaluating, so that we could expand to another district. You might have been one of those naysayers, thinking this is just another pilot. But today, we are here to say that these Empire bins are crossing the East River. We are about to bring cleaner streets and sidewalks to all of Brooklyn Community District 2. 

    In the coming weeks, schools in the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill areas will have Empire bins. And next year, high-density residential buildings across the entire district will have them. Not just here in Fort Greene, but downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Fulton Ferry, Dumbo, Vinegar Hill, Boreham Hill, and Clinton Hill. 

    Every building with more than 30 units will receive at least one Empire bin for their trash. And every building with 10 to 30 units will have a choice. They can have one of these Empire bins, or they can use smaller wheelie bins for their trash. These bins are sturdy, rodent-resistant, and locked. 

    Only a building manager will be able to open it with a card key. And these bins will be serviced by newly developed trucks operated by two sanitation workers. Who will raise the bins and empty them into the side of the truck. 

    Tomorrow begins a period of intense outreach. Our teams will be on the ground, knocking on doors, speaking to property owners and building managers, to let them know that the era of black bags is coming to an end here. We will be letting them know that our city with a history of doing great things will also have clean streets and sidewalks and fewer rats. Thank you, Mayor Adams, for having the courage to see this through. Thank you.

    Mayor Adams: Thank you.

    Humberto Ronda: Good morning, everyone. Thank you, Mayor Adams. Thank you, commissioner. Thank you, deputy mayor. My name is Humberto Aranda. I am a superintendent for 10 years on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. And at first, I was skeptic of the Empire bins. 

    As a typical New Yorker, we all have those fears of change. But clean, safe, and convenient was three words that came to my head first. Clean. All streets are clean. With no trash laid alongside the roads anymore. Safe. No rodents anymore. No more rats. And convenience. All building workers can dispose of the trash at any given time. That is a major improvement. And I want to thank everyone that was involved in this idea of the Empire bins. Also, I want to thank a major shout out to the DSNY workers that work hard every day to keep the streets clean. And thank you everyone once again for the idea of the Empire bins.

    [Crosstalk.]

    Question: [Inaudible.]

    Mayor Adams: That’s good for them. We’ll see what happens.

    Question: In the context of the rollout, are you a Darth Vader or someone else? 

    Mayor Adams: I like the Darth Vader character. What’s happening? 

    Question: [Inaudible.] Like, have you had that sort of struggle? How will you use that for the next process?

    Mayor Adams: A community engagement. You know, as the commissioner stated, knocking on doors, you know, and really just engaging people on how people want cleaner streets. People don’t want rodents in their streets coming through their garbage, their trash. 

    On my block, on Lafayette Avenue, we were having a severe rodent problem until the containerization was put in place, and we’re seeing less rats. And it’s just important for us to realize there are sacrifices we have to make, and these bins don’t take up all the parking spaces, and it’s a good tradeoff. We want cleaner streets. That’s one of the top things we hear.

    Question: Is there a piece of data from the district that we can look at next year?

    Acting Commissioner Lojan: So we anticipate by the end of 2026, we should be mostly completed, but that’s also depending on, you know, some procurement. But, yeah, by next fall, we’ll begin the residential portion of this.

    Mayor Adams: Hold on. Before we do that, we just really want to thank our rat czar. She has done an amazing job going all over the city dealing with this action. This was the first time it was put in place, and we’re looking to make sure it’s a permanent position. But thank you. Thank you so much for your service. Good job. Job well done. Why don’t we, you guys can, let me get these off topics. What the hell are they going to do with the press?

    Question: [Inaudible] in the poll, it shows that Mamdani is actually gaining ground with the Black voters. I wanted to get your response to that, because, you know, that’s been the heart of your domain. I’ve been reaching out to them. I was with you yesterday. You were at two super centers in Brooklyn yesterday. You know, your reaction to the gain around the Black voters is that [inaudible]. 

    Mayor Adams: No, it doesn’t. It’s all about communications. We have not done one TV ad, not one mailing. We have just started knocking on doors. This is the whole process. We’ve been here before. I keep going. Going back seven months out from the primary. Andrew was up to win the primary through [inaudible] by 87 percent. 87 percent. 

    He was up 20… I think, 5 percent in the polling. We’ve been here before. Andrew Yang was beating me by 14 points. He was walking around with a tape measure, measuring the drapes at City Hall. We don’t call the mayor Andrew Yang. We call the mayor Eric Adams. This is all part of the process. Let the process play out, and the voters will decide. And whatever the voters decide is fine. 

    We have 14 people running for mayor. 14 people. I’m the mayor. So this has been a beautiful ride being the mayor of the greatest city on the globe. And whatever the voters decide, the direction they want to go in, I’m going to support. I’m a lifetime New Yorker. I love this city, and I’m always going to serve this city in one capacity or another. 

    But it’s too early. This is– Races are won within three to four weeks. That’s when races are won. Yes. I said that over and over again. If y’all stop reporting, I’m going to Saudi Arabia, and I’m going to HUD, and I’m going to the Yankees game with the president, and I’m going to Washington, D.C., and I’m dropping out on Friday, and I’m dropping out on Tuesday. 

    Y’all are undermining my campaign. You know, I don’t think the voters want me out as much as you guys want me out. Let me do what I do. Will my campaign change? I will tell y’all when it’s changed. But all of these false reports and rumors are undermining my campaign. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life, when the press is playing such a major role in undermining the campaign of the candidate that has been very clear on what he’s doing. And when that changes, I will announce it. 

    [Crosstalk.]

    Mayor Adams: Hold on, brother. We’re going to do the press, and then I’ll come to you and get your question, okay? No, all good. I’ll come. I’m not going to forget you, okay?

    Question: My question was actually just one clarification on that. You said a little bit of it. [Inaudible.]

    Mayor Adams: I like that question. That’s a sharp suit, by the way. You know, I like that question. Think about this for a moment. You stated that you want to hear directly from me. I told the paper directly that I was not at Yankee Stadium with the president. They wrote anyway that I was there. I told them I was never offered a job to Saudi Arabia. 

    They wrote anyway. I said. I was. I told them I was never offered a job to HUD. They wrote anyway that I was. I told them I was not going to Washington. They wrote anyway that I was. I told them two weeks ago, you’re stepping down on Friday. I said, no, I am not. They wrote anyway. So why am I saying directly from me? Because you’re going to write and report anyway. Give me another question. Go ahead, brother. What was your question?

    Question: I’ve been in Fort Greene since the 95 and I was recently evacuated from Fort Prince Hayden by a military helicopter company. I think it’s been [inaudible] has made it huge. [Inaudible], you’re the only one left in there. [Inaudible] I know the problem is that it’s going to be a little bit of a force, but what is it that we’re doing? It’s to maintain the diversity that Fort Greene enjoyed for so long with the [inaudible] and I remember you like the 88 precinct as well, thank you.

    Mayor Adams: No, so true, we, and as I was sitting here, I noticed that also, there’s a stark change in this community and we’re hemorrhaging Black and brown working class people because of the cost of living in this city. And I’ve stated over and over again. I cannot control the price of bread, but we put bread back in the pockets of New Yorkers at the tune of $30 billion. And the goal is to build more housing. 

    Many of these communities were not building housing fast enough. And we are clearly the most pro-housing administration in the history of this city. We have built, we have made sure we maintain and zone this city for 426,000 units. I’m not saying that we’re going to stop. That is more than 12 years of Bloomberg, eight years of de Blasio combined. 

    We did it in three and a half years. Because our goal is to build housing so the richness of this community, particularly longstanding New Yorkers, can be here and enjoy the prosperity of the city. But I see the same, not only here, Bed-Stuy, going into even East New York, parts of Queens. And we want to make sure that new arrivals and longstanding New Yorkers can have a place to live in New York City. Thank you. Thank you. Got to bounce.

    September 16, 2025 New York City Hall

    Sources: Midtown Tribune news , Big New York news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • NYC. Mayor Eric Adams Celebrates First Day of School and Makes Education-Related Announcement (Video)

    NYC. Mayor Eric Adams Celebrates First Day of School and Makes Education-Related Announcement (Video)

    Mayor Eric Adams, Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen cut the ribbon on New York City’s first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Early College Prep High School as students returned for the 2025–2026 school year. Located in Queens, the new school offers a tuition-free early college program where students can earn up to 64 college credits toward an associate degree while celebrating HBCU traditions. The opening comes as part of the Adams administration’s launch of seven new schools across the city, alongside expanded literacy and math initiatives, stricter classroom technology policies, new after-school programs, and major investments in student success across all five boroughs.

    Mayor Adams, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos Cut Ribbon at City’s First HBCU Early College Prep High School, Welcome Students Back at First Day of 2025–2026 School Year

    Adams Administration Opens Seven New Schools for 2025-2026 School Year.  New Technology Policies, Investments in Student Success Build on Administration’s Commitment to Student Achievement Across All Five Boroughs.

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and Delaware State University (DSU) President Dr. Tony Allen today celebrated the return to school of approximately 1 million public-school students and staff and cut the ribbon at the Historically Black Colleges Universities (HBCU) Early College Prep High School in Queens. The HBCU Early College Prep High School — the first-of-its-kind for New York City Public Schools — will bring an innovative, tuition-free, early college high school experience to students, where they can earn up to 64 college credits for an associate degree in Liberal Arts from DSU, an HBCU. The event welcomed the first cohort of students with performances and words of encouragement while marking the beginning of a transformative school year, which will include the expansion of signature initiatives in NYC Reads and NYC Solves, the internet-enabled device policy designed to limit distractions in the classrooms, and significant investments in hiring more teachers, among other major announcements.

    “We are ringing in the school year with more investments to prepare our students for bold futures. Today, we are opening seven new public schools across the five boroughs, including the first ever HBCU Early College Prep High School, expanding programs for students with autism, rolling out our first batch of 5,000 new after-school seats, and so much more as we invest in our students and families,” said Mayor Adams. “We are thrilled to start the school year with these new investments, offering schools that honor our students’ rich backgrounds and histories and meet local needs, provide rigorous instruction, and prepare all of our students for the future. Our administration is laser focused on making New York the best place to raise a family, and that starts with providing our kids with a quality education.”

    “The first day of school is my favorite day of the year. As I watched my own daughter prepare for her first day of middle school, I was reminded of the tremendous trust families across the city place in us with their most precious gifts: their children. That is why we are committed to delivering on our promise to provide a world-class education that prepares every single student for success,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “This year, we’ve opened seven brand-new, innovative schools, launched a device policy that will create more focused learning environments, and expanded our incredibly successful NYC Reads and NYC Solves programs to 186 additional schools across our system. I am beyond proud to lead New York City Public Schools in this groundbreaking work, and I can’t wait to see our students thrive throughout this new school year.”

    HBCU Early College Prep High School today opened its doors for over 100 ninth-grade scholars as part of its historic first day. Led by founding principal and HBCU alumnus Dr. Asya Johnson, HBCU Early College Prep provides students with the world-class education of a New York City Public School while preparing them for life beyond high school and success in college. The school’s structure is rooted in the rich legacy of HBCUs and offers students a comprehensive experience that includes college courses, Greek life, Founder’s Day activities, Mr. and Miss Freshman competitions, Homecoming celebrations, and more.

    As the school year begins, New York City Public Schools opened the doors to seven new schools  in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and on Staten Island, bringing world class education, accelerated programming, and career readiness to over 500 students. With more than 1,600 schools serving diverse communities across the five boroughs, New York City Public Schools remains dedicated to reflecting these communities while upholding excellence and preparing students for success in college, career, and life, including by opening of two new FutureReadyNYC schools, bringing a reimagined high school experience to students so they can plan for a bright future with good careers.

    Today also kicked off the New York City Public Schools’ new cell phone and electronic device policy, in line with the New York state mandate passed this year by the state Legislature. While more than half of the city’s public schools already had a cell phone restriction policy in place, under the revised policy, starting this school year, personal internet-enabled devices — such as smartphones, tablets, and smart watches — cannot be used during the school day by students. This work comes on the heels of multi-year consultations with school communities and alongside the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop well-rounded policies that meet the needs of students enrolled in New York City Public Schools.

    Additionally, 186 schools across 14 districts will implement Mayor Adams’ signature curricula, NYC Reads and NYC Solves, for the first time this year, which will bring high-quality, evidence-based foundational reading and math curricula to middle school students across the five boroughs. These comprehensive programs also provide targeted resources, professional development, and curriculum enhancements for educators. The Adams administration and New York City Public Schools recently celebrated the release of new state test data revealing a substantial increase in reading and math scores for public school children in the city, between grades 3 through 8 in the 2024-2025 school year.

    Today’s announcement also builds off two years of core educational accomplishments under the Adams administration, including instituting nation-leading dyslexia screening for all students, adding 57 Gifted and Talented programs, helping 13,658 students complete work-based learning experiences for the 2024-2025 school year through FutureReadyNYC, cementing new labor contracts for teachers and other education officials, investing $167 million in new funding to secure critical early childhood education programs, dramatically increasing early childhood education enrollment to 150,000 children across the city’s system, and securing mayoral accountability twice in three years while investing $180 million to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan.

    “As an advocate for educational equity and opportunity, I am proud to celebrate the opening of New York City’s first HBCU Early College Prep High School in partnership with Delaware State University,” said New York City Councilmember Kevin C. Riley. “This model not only prepares students for academic success but also honors the cultural pride and excellence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. By offering tuition-free college credits, we are breaking barriers and creating opportunities for our Black and Brown youth, an investment in the next generation of leaders who will shape our city and beyond.”

    September 4, 2025 HBCU Early Prep 88-15 182 Street Jamaica, NY 11423
    City Hall Manhattan, New York

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

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Mayor Adams, NYPD Report Crime Down, Address Bronx Shootings and Safety Measures

    Mayor Adams, NYPD Report Crime Down, Address Bronx Shootings and Safety Measures

    NY News Mayor Adams and NYPD Highlight Historic Crime Midtown Tribune News

    Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch appeared live on PIX11’s Morning News at 7 AM September 3, 2025, to review the latest NYPD crime stats. Overall crime in New York City fell nearly 7% year-over-year, with transit crime down more than 22%. Officials noted shootings are still at record lows citywide, though recent Bronx incidents have fueled concern. Adams pointed to gangs and repeat offenders as key challenges, while Tisch highlighted historic gang takedowns, more guns seized, and thousands of new recruits, including school safety officers. Both stressed that New York remains the safest big city in America, with expanded police presence and safety plans in place as schools reopen.

    Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears Live on PIX11’s “PIX11 Morning News at 7 AM”

    September 3, 2025

    Hazel Sanchez: The numbers are in, and they show crime is down across New York City. The NYPD releasing its August data, which shows that major crimes are down nearly 7 percent from this time last year. 

    Dan Mannarino: Transit crime also dropped more than 22 percent year to year. Same for robberies, same for assaults and grand larceny. And while the numbers really tell one story, we’re seeing another, especially in the Bronx, where shootings are actually on the rise. Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, they are joining us now from City Hall this morning with a more detailed look at these numbers. So good to see both of you. Good morning. 

    Mayor Eric Adams: Good to speak with you, Dan, as well. 

    Mannarino: Let me begin with this, Mr. Mayor. Help us make sense of the numbers, right? How the data can show that shootings are at historic lows across the city, but it also shows there’s a 4 percent increase in the number of shooting incidents compared to last year. So how do you kind of explain that one? 

    Mayor Adams: And you’re talking about in the month of August, as you stated, overall crime is down, as well as shootings [being] down for the year. Look, we have some high profile cases. And when you peel them back, you will see that we’re dealing with two elements that we have communicated throughout the entire year, particularly throughout the time I’ve been in office, recidivism and gangs. 

    So when you start dismantling gang databases, when you start allowing a revolving door criminal justice system, this is the result. So we’ve been doing our job in the criminal justice system, but clearly those two components are hurting our public safety movement.  

    Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: And I would just add that shooting incidents and shooting victims for the first eight months of the year, citywide, are at record lows right now. We’ve continued that each month. In the month of August, shooting incidents citywide were up ever so slightly.  

    But importantly, in the borough of the Bronx, where we’ve had a number of high profile shootings, shooting incidents for the month of August are actually down 20 percent. So this August was actually safer than last August, even in the borough of the Bronx. 

    Sanchez: But what happened in the Bronx just the last couple of days and then after Monday’s parade, how does the data actually account for that too? 

    Police Commissioner Tisch: Well, the numbers are what they are. Yes, we have had a number of high profile incidents in the Bronx, particularly over the past several weeks. But one thing that you should know is that we have deployed over a thousand additional officers to walk foot posts in the Bronx, on the streets and at the times where we know that the shootings occur. And my expectation is that those officers are going to quell some of the violence that we’ve seen over the past two weeks. 

    Mannarino: What are you attributing the rise or the numbers that we’re seeing in the Bronx? Are you attributing it to gang violence? What are you attributing it to? 

    Police Commissioner Tisch: A lot of it, Dan, is gang violence. And the mayor has been very clear with us. He wants us to go after gangs and guns. And we have done that in a big and frankly historic way this summer and this year. We have more gang takedowns this year than we have ever had in NYPD history.  

    More guns off the street over the past three and a half years under the mayor than ever in history. So those two ingredients, going after gangs, going after guns, in addition to having lots of cops out in foot posts, [and] precision policing in the right places, has led to the historic crime declines that we are discussing today. 

    Sanchez: Yeah, I mean, Mayor Adams, we’ve been here before where perception, reality, they’re two different things. But how successful do you really feel, though, that the summer violence reduction plan was? 

    Mayor Adams: Well, as the commissioner stated, the numbers don’t lie and you use the numbers to indicate are you moving in the right direction. Look over this weekend, the number of shootings we had. And then look at cities across America, Chicago, over 50 people shot, over 50 people shot. And so when you look at what we’re doing here, we remain the safest big city in America.  

    And we know these high profile shootings, Franklin Avenue, you saw fourteen people shot. You saw four people shot in the Bronx. We know this plays on the psyche of New Yorkers, but when you look at what this Police Department is doing under this commissioner, you are seeing record lows in crime.  

    Now we need the other parts of the criminal justice system to do their job, and that includes looking at what we did with Raise the Age, looking at what we did with bail reform and these other aspects that’s causing this revolving door. The shooters have records of shootings and records of carrying guns. This is terrible. 

    Mannarino: You mentioned Chicago and the president has now set his sights on Chicago and sending in the National Guard. Commissioner Tisch, I know you met recently with the Attorney General Pam Bondi and expressed to her that you don’t need the National Guard. Was she on board? Have you been assured that New York City will not get things like we’ve seen in LA and now soon to be Chicago? 

    Police Commissioner Tisch: So we had a very polite discussion. And as usual for me, I was very direct in saying to the attorney general that in New York City, we got this and we don’t want or need extra help. Because in fact, in my opinion, the extra bodies here are not helpful. Those people are not trained to be on the streets in New York City to deal with street crime.  

    So I explained that in my opinion, it would be more of a hindrance than a help. And New York City police officers are the best trained in the world and they’re the best cops in the world. Let them do their thing.  

    Mannarino: And the response?  

    Police Commissioner Tisch: We had a nice discussion. Obviously, she wasn’t in a place to make any guarantees, but I think my message was delivered loud and clear. 

    Sanchez: Commissioner, as we head back to school, the NYPD has hired nearly 3,000 new recruits this year. Does that number also include school safety officers? 

    Police Commissioner Tisch: Yes, we’ve done a huge push around hiring school safety officers and we will continue to do that. For as long as I’ve been in the Police Department, there’s always been drama around the number of school safety officers we have. And so we’ve put in place a hiring plan, hopefully to end that drama.  

    But importantly, starting tomorrow, the NYPD school safety plan goes into effect. And we have lots of officers, over 500 officers that are going to work corridors that kids travel to and from school at the times they’re traveling to and from school just to make sure that their pre-school and post-school commutes are nice and safe. We’ve got to keep our kids safe. 

    Mannarino: Absolutely. That is a priority. While we have you, I want to shift gears here and talk about you for a moment. There was a lot of news about you being in Florida yesterday, your trip to Florida. Can you talk about why you went to Florida and if you met with anybody from the Trump administration while you were there? 

    Mayor Adams: The goal of the trip was to get away for a day to deal with some personal issues in Florida. And at the same time, you know, I had a birthday celebrating [my] 65th–  

    Mannarino: Happy Birthday.  

    Mayor Adams: And I had some former colleagues that I was able to see. What I did on my time and how I paid for it was my dime and you know my rule. My time, my dime, my time. 

    Mannarino: So did you meet with anybody from the Trump administration? 

    Mayor Adams: I met with several political figures in Florida while I was there from various parts, including the mayor from Miami administration. 

    Sanchez: Okay. Well, mayor, I know how much you love polls. We’ve talked about this before, but the latest ones have you in third place. Do you think that’s going to change now that independent candidate Jim Walden dropped out? 

    Mayor Adams: Well, we’re going to continue to move forward and just stay focused. I keep bringing it back and sharing with everyone where the Democratic primary winner was at this distance in the race. The goal is not to be distracted. Dan, you heard me say this over and over again, stay focused, no distractions and grind.  

    Mannarino: Never heard that. Mr. Mayor, let me ask you, because you know what the rumors are going to say. You went to Florida. You’re now talking about meeting with political figures that you are looking for some, for an out of the race and that you’re looking for a potential future job. So are you planning to stay in this till November? Can you quell that rumor that you were absolutely saying in this or are you looking for another job? 

    Mayor Adams: Well, I said it over and over again, it didn’t quell it. So what is the purpose of continuing saying the same thing that is not going to quell? Listen, I’m a retired captain in the Police Department, former state senator, former borough president. I’ve never had a problem finding jobs as I transition. And that’s not what I’m looking for right now. I’m looking to continue to serve the people of the City of New York.  

    Mannarino: Just to be very clear, just to be very clear, because I know you’re staying in the race till November– 

    Mayor Adams: Dan, I said that over and over again. It didn’t satisfy you last month. It didn’t satisfy you the previous month. It’s not going to satisfy you this month–  

    Mannarino: Well Mr. Mayor, you know, just to be fair, I did ask you a number of times if you were running as a Democrat and you always said, “Yes, I am.” And then you went independent. 

    Mayor Adams: No, Dan. I’m still a Democrat, Dan. You know, let’s be clear. I’m still a Democrat. I am still a Democrat. And so, again, no matter how many times I answer the questions, you’re going to have to do your job of asking. And I’m going to do my job of answering. 

    Mannarino: It’s my birthday gift to you to keep asking the questions.  

    Sanchez: And you see a path to victory, Mr. Mayor?  

    Mayor Adams: I answered that three months ago. I answered it again last month and I’ll answer it again this month. Yes.  

    Mannarino: All right. Mayor Adams, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Commissioner, by the way, I heard you say earlier that you were direct. You never. Good to see both of you. Thank you so much.  

    Mayor Adams: All right. Take care.  

    September 3, 2025 Manhattan, New York

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

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  • Mayor Adams: NYC Crime at Record Lows, Bronx Shootings Drive Perception Gap

    Mayor Adams: NYC Crime at Record Lows, Bronx Shootings Drive Perception Gap

    Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch joined 1010WINS’ Morning Drive on September 3, stressing that New York City remains the safest big city in America despite summer shootings in the Bronx. NYPD reports show August saw record lows for shootings, burglaries, and shoplifting, with major crime down 7% this year. Tisch pointed to precision policing and unprecedented gang takedowns, while Adams pressed for tougher courts and federal action to stem the flow of illegal guns. Both officials emphasized that crime numbers tell a different story than headlines, underscoring public safety progress under the current administration.

    Transcript: Mayor Adams Calls In for Live Interview on 1010WINS’ “Morning Drive”

    Susan Richard: Shooting, subway crime, and shoplifting are now at record lows in New York City. That is the word from the NYPD, which says new crime stats show the safest August ever in the boroughs. And while the numbers may say one thing, multiple shootings have been making headlines in the Bronx this summer. And so the NYPD has added a thousand more cops to the beat in that borough. Well, joining us live to talk more about this this morning, both Mayor Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Thank you for being here.

    Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Great to be on with you

    Richard: All right. Do we have a situation yet once again where perception and reality are not on the same page?

    Mayor Adams: Yes. And we were clear that some of these high profile shootings were multiple victims. It just creates a feeling of [being] unsafe. And we have been focusing on that. But the numbers don’t lie. The city continues to be the safest big city in America. And under the police commissioner and her team, we’ll continue to drive down crime in the city.

    Police Commissioner Tisch: And I’ll just add. Let me tell you what some of the results were overall in August. Major crime was down 7 percent for the first eight months of the year. We have the lowest number of shooting incidents, the lowest number of shooting victims citywide in recorded history. Retail theft is down 22 percent. Burglaries in the month of August, we have never had a lower August for burglaries. We are seeing very good things in terms of the overall crime numbers in the city, despite a number of troubling incidents that we’re addressing.

    Richard: We know, commissioner, that you spoke directly with Attorney General Pam Bondi, but President Trump is still dangling the idea of sending in the National Guard to help with policing here in the city. You have both said emphatically that we don’t need that. Is there any area in which it might actually help?

    Mayor Adams: Yeah, where we could use the federal authorities’ help is stopping the flow of guns in our city. We meet every morning with our local, state, and federal law enforcement officials. But where the help is needed, is not on the ground. It’s stopping the flow of guns on the ground. As we saw, we saw a person come across the country with an AR-15 and shoot four innocent New Yorkers.

    This is where the help is needed. But when it comes down to it, with the rubber meets the road, our numbers are clear and we know these high-profile shooters give the indicator that we’re not moving in the right direction, when in fact, the numbers are showing we are.

    Richard: Well, let’s talk about what’s behind the specific gun violence in the Bronx. Are we talking [about] armed robberies? You’ve mentioned gang violence, that mass shooting in that park, the basketball tournament. What is the plan for tackling whatever the root cause is? And is there one root cause or multiple?

    Police Commissioner Tisch: So, much of the violence that we’ve seen over the past few weeks in the Bronx is gang-related. We know who the gang members are, thanks to our criminal group database, and we know where they operate. And so you can be sure that we have deployed a thousand cops in the borough of the Bronx [and] on the streets in the times we know the crime has occurred.

    We are focused on precision policing, the right blocks, the right time, and we know who the people are that are in these gangs, and we are going after the gangs. This year, we have done more gang takedowns in New York City than we ever have in the past.

    Richard: But here’s the thing, a thousand more cops on the street, they’re not going to be there forever. So once the cat’s away, is the mouse going to start playing again?

    Police Commissioner Tisch: Well, let’s just put this in perspective, okay? This August, when we did have a number of high-profile shootings in the Bronx that were terrible, still, our shooting incidents in the borough of the Bronx are down 20 percent. So yes, we have seen a problem or problematic incidents over the past two weeks, but I don’t want your listeners to feel like everything is completely out of control. The shootings, in particular in the borough of the Bronx, are trending downwards year to year.

    Mayor Adams: But we can stop the cats from playing if the courts and the criminal justice system do their job. The recidivism of those who are shooters, who have shot before, and who have carried guns before, are almost always apparent and present in these shootings. We have to stop the revolving door of our criminal justice system.

    Richard: And I understand what the numbers are saying. I would imagine, and this question really is for both of you, certainly, mayor, you know, you’re the one who’s talking directly to family members. We had that, you know, that teenager who took a bullet lodged behind her eye. I mean, you know, it’s hard for them to hear numbers, you know, these family members of innocent victims.

    Mayor Adams: And it is. And when I partner with individuals like Jackie Rowe-Adams, who lost several children to gun violence, and other mothers who are dealing with this issue, Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. and others, it hurts. And I feel this personally, not only professionally, because I’m in the hospitals with these families. I’m speaking with them and communicating with them.

    And I ask them, let’s turn our pain into purpose. We must have a criminal justice system that includes the courts, includes our lawmakers, and includes law enforcement to stop this flow of guns and to stop this violence that we’re seeing. NYPD, they’re doing their job under this commissioner. And we need the other components of the law enforcement community to do the same.

    Richard: All right. I have one quick question, a final one for the commissioner. We’re in the middle of a mayoral race. Would you want to stay on as commissioner, regardless of who wins that race?

    Police Commissioner Tisch: So I have been very clear that it is not the place of the police commissioner to get involved directly in political elections. But what I will say is that Mayor Adams and I are completely aligned on public safety policy [and] on sanitation policy. And it has truly been an extraordinary privilege to work under him as police commissioner of the City of New York.

    Richard: All right. Mayor Adams, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, thank you so much for your time this morning.

    Mayor Adams: Thank you. Take care.

    September 3, 2025 Manhattan, New York

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

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  • New York. Adams Taps Doug Lipari to Supercharge NYC Jobs, Pumps Billions into Worker Wins

    New York. Adams Taps Doug Lipari to Supercharge NYC Jobs, Pumps Billions into Worker Wins

    Mayor Eric Adams is doubling down on jobs for New Yorkers, naming Doug Lipari as the new head of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development to drive a fairer, stronger city economy. Lipari, a city government vet with over a decade of know-how, previously kickstarted the Office of Community Hiring, which has funneled over $3.3 billion in city contracts since 2024 to create jobs and apprenticeships for low-income folks and NYCHA residents. Adams also rolled out a slick new digital tool to crack down on wage and labor violations in construction, ditching clunky paper records for good. With National Workforce Development Month on the horizon in September 2025, these bold moves aim to put every New Yorker on the path to a solid paycheck and a thriving career.

    Mayor Adams Appoints Doug Lipari as Executive Director of Office of Talent and Workforce Development, Celebrates Historic Investments in Workers

    What you should know

    • Lipari Brings Over a Decade of Government Experience to New Role,
      Previously Served as Inaugural Executive Director of Office of Community Hiring 
    • Since Launching Community Hiring in 2024, Over $3.3 Billion in
      City Contracts Subject to Community Hiring Requirements, Unlocking Job and Apprenticeship Opportunities for Low-Income New Yorkers and NYCHA Residents
    • Adams Administration Will Also Launch New Digital Labor Compliance Tool to Bolster Enforcement of Wage and Labor Requirements on
      Building Service and Construction Projects

    NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today appointed Doug Lipari as the executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent) and celebrated historic efforts by the Adams administration to create a more equitable New York City workforce. Lipari previously served as the acting executive director of NYC Talent as well as the executive director of the Office of Community Hiring (OCH) within NYC Talent. As executive director of NYC Talent, Lipari will help lead the city’s extensive workforce development system to prepare New Yorkers for and connect them to good-paying careers. Mayor Adams launched the Office of Community Hiring to work with contractors to identify promising local talent and create job and apprenticeship opportunities for low-income New Yorkers. Since launching in 2024, over $3.3 billion in city contracts have been subject to community hiring requirements, including construction and building services contracts that require a significant portion of labor hours be performed by people who live in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing or in a ZIP code where at least 15 percent of the population lives below the federal poverty threshold. Finally, Mayor Adams announced a new digital tool that will track building and construction contracts with prevailing wage requirements, transitioning away from the city’s outdated paper-based process and allowing the city to better enforce wage and labor requirements. Mayor Adams’ appointment of Executive Director Lipari and his additional updates on workforce development efforts come in anticipation of National Workforce Development Month, a nationwide celebration held annually in September to highlight the importance of workforce development to both local cities’ and the nation’s economy.

    “Making New York City the best place to raise a family means making sure that every New Yorker can find a good-paying job. From city agencies to private employers to job seekers, we’re helping align our city’s workforce development system, unlocking opportunity, and creating an economy where everyone can thrive,” said Mayor Adams. “There is no one better to continue leading these critical efforts than Doug Lipari. Doug has the experience, dedication, and skill to keep breaking down silos across our workforce development system and lead ambitious initiatives that help New Yorkers find a job. From making sure that low-income New Yorkers and NYCHA residents are able to find a good job through our Office of Community Hiring to helping lead project labor agreements that make sure New Yorkers are paid a fair wage, Doug has been on the frontlines of the fight for a more equitable economy for a decade, and I know he is the right person to help lead at this moment.”

    “Making New York City the best place to live, work, and raise a family has always been the priority and North Star of the Adams administration,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr.  “Doug Lipari’s dedication to that mission and successful track record overseeing the Office of Community Hiring make him the perfect leader to continue the great work at the Office of Talent and Workforce Development. I am excited to continue working with Doug in this new capacity and am confident that his leadership will continue to move this important work forward.”

    “I am honored to lead the Office of Talent and Workforce Development on behalf of the City of New York and am grateful to Mayor Adams for his trust and ongoing commitment to the career success of all New Yorkers,” said NYC Talent Executive Director Lipari. “I’m excited to continue working alongside the dedicated NYC Talent team to deliver meaningful improvements across the workforce system, through close partnerships with industry, government, labor, nonprofits, education, and philanthropy, so that our local economy thrives.”

    Mayor Adams originally created the Office of Community Hiring in 2023 to use the city’s purchasing power to bolster economic opportunity and connect city vendors with a pipeline of talent. Through community hiring, the city sets workforce goals for vendors to provide employment and apprenticeship opportunities for low-income individuals and those living in low-income communities. Since launching the office, 66 projects worth over $3.3 billion have been released with community hiring goals, helping connect low-income New Yorkers and NYCHA residents to a broad range of careers from construction to building services to social services and more.

    Additionally, to help make sure that workers on city construction and building services projects are paid what they deserve, Mayor Adams announced a new digital tool that will allow the city to more effectively monitor labor and wage requirements, including New Yorkers contracted through community hiring. Starting next year, city agencies administering contracts with prevailing wage requirements will receive and analyze payroll records on a new digital platform, transitioning away from a paper-based process and bolstering the city’s efforts to track and enforce compliance. The digital tool will increase publicly available wage data through a public dashboard and enable the city to track community hiring goals on construction and building service projects.

    NYC Talent works to align the city’s extensive network of agencies, employers, and educational institutions around shared priorities and better connect New Yorkers to good-paying careers. NYC Talent’s work includes:

    ·         Implementing community hiring, which incorporates goals into city contracts to ensure that job and apprenticeship opportunities are made available to low-income New Yorkers, NYCHA residents, and those living in low-income ZIP codes. Once fully implemented, Community Hiring will be the nation’s largest program of its kind.

    ·         Setting young people up for career success by coordinating and championing record investments across agencies in programs like the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s Summer Youth Employment Program and New York City Public Schools’ Summer Rising, as well as institutionalizing career-connected learning via initiatives like New York City Public Schools’ FutureReadyNYC and the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative, New York City Public Schools’ Summer Rising, as well as institutionalizing career-connected learning via initiatives like New York City Public Schools’ FutureReadyNYC and the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative.

    ·         Strengthening partnerships with employers through a reinvigorated New York City Workforce Development Board and a new complementary advisory council to make sure the city’s talent development system is preparing New Yorkers for in-demand skills and occupations, with focused partnership and investment in critical economic sectors such as tech, health, and in other areas where careers will build a more future-focused, more resilient city and infrastructure.

    ·         Making historic progress towards Mayor Adams’ moonshot goal of connecting New Yorkers to 30,000 apprenticeships by 2030, so that proven learn-and-earn models can support diverse, new sectors and occupations and create new good career pathways for students and young people.

    ·         Connecting job seekers to career opportunities and working closely with public and private stakeholders to strengthen New Yorkers’ access to workforce services through deeper community engagement, stronger interagency partnerships, and improved technology solutions, especially for job seekers who face historic employment barriers.

    “The appointment of Douglas Lipari as executive director signals a continued commitment to advancing the mission of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City. “We value our strong partnership with the city and are proud to collaborate in building a workforce system that is responsive to industry needs and expands opportunity for New Yorkers.”

    “Doug Lipari is a proven leader who is deeply dedicated to connecting hardworking New Yorkers with good-paying, union careers, making him an incredible choice for executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Gary LaBarbera, president, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “As the Mayor’s Office unveils more plans to ensure that blue-collar workers, like our tradesmen and tradeswomen, are given fair and dignified opportunities to pursue the middle class, Doug will offer the leadership and counsel necessary to implement these tools effectively. The Building Trades congratulates him on this new role and looks forward to continuing our collaboration moving forward.”

    “We’re proud to know and work with Doug and see this well-deserved recognition of his leadership,” said Grace C. Bonilla, president & CEO, United Way of New York City. “At a time when our city needs it most, Doug’s stewardship of the NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development has been instrumental in helping New Yorkers achieve shared prosperity, a goal we share at United Way of New York City, as we unite the power of community with citywide possibility.”

    “On behalf of the entire NYC Workforce Development Council, we enthusiastically support the appointment of Douglas Lipari to lead the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Michelle Adams, senior managing director of external relations and business development, Tishman Speyer. “Doug’s energetic leadership and proven track record within city government, particularly with the successful launch of Community Hiring, have already created significant opportunities for New Yorkers. The Council is eager to partner with Doug to continue strengthening our city’s talent pipelines and building a more dynamic economy.”

    “I’m thrilled to congratulate Douglas Lipari on his well-deserved appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development. Doug’s deep commitment to collaboration, innovation, and the use of effective, evidence-based practices makes him the right leader at the right time,” said Adria Powell, co-chair, New York City Workforce Development Board; president & CEO, Cooperative Home Care Associates. “I’ve had the privilege of working with him through the New York City Workforce Development Board, and I know firsthand how dedicated he is to building a more agile and equitable workforce system. I look forward to continuing our partnership as we strengthen government coordination, improve service delivery, and sustain the public-private partnerships essential to driving inclusive economic growth for all New Yorkers.”

    “JobsFirstNYC congratulates Doug Lipari on his appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Marjorie D. Parker, president and CEO, JobsFirstNYC. “Doug’s leadership will be critical to ensuring that all New Yorkers — especially young adults — have access to career pathways and economic opportunity. We look forward to building on our strong partnership to further strengthen the city’s workforce ecosystem, which supports residents, employers, and the economy.”

    “Douglas Lipari is a steady hand in New York City’s workforce development efforts, and his leadership has already helped deliver real progress through community hiring and the expansion of equitable pathways into quality jobs,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC). “His appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development comes at a pivotal moment for our city. On behalf of our 220+ members who serve more than half a million New Yorkers each year, NYCETC looks forward to partnering with Doug and his team to ensure that our workforce ecosystem continues to grow stronger, more impactful, and more inclusive. Together, we can advance an agenda that delivers lasting opportunity, economic mobility, and prosperity for every New Yorker.”

    “The Adams administration has made a very wise choice in appointing Doug Lipari as executive director at NYC Talent,” said David Fischer, interim executive director, New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP). “Doug is a thoughtful, conscientious, and highly effective public servant who brings a deep understanding of workforce development and its vital importance to the City’s economy. NYATEP celebrates Doug’s appointment and looks forward to continuing our work with him and his team.”

    “Doug Lipari is the right leader for NYC Talent at the right moment. He has already shown what effective coordination can deliver for both job seekers and employers, and as executive director, he will scale those successes with collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based solutions,” said Tom Grech, president and CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce. “Doug’s focus on measurable results and strong public-private partnerships will strengthen New York City’s workforce system, advancing equity, supporting employers, and keeping our city competitive in a rapidly changing economy.”

    “The Jobs Council is proud to partner with the city and welcome Doug Lipari as the new executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development,” said Kiersten Barnet, executive director, New York Jobs CEO Council. “Doug’s commitment to public-private partnerships and industry engagement will strengthen our shared efforts to connect New Yorkers to meaningful career opportunities. We look forward to continued collaboration with the NYC Talent team under Doug’s leadership.”

    “I am very happy to congratulate Douglas Lipari on his appointment as the new executive director of NYC Talent. Here at the NYU School of Professional Studies, one of our missions is to prepare our students to be leaders in their industries. With Doug’s appointment today, we have gained an invaluable partnership toward that endeavor,” said Angie Kamath, Harvey J. Stedman dean, NYU School of Professional Studies. “As the rise of artificial intelligence creates a moment of change across a multitude of workforces, I am excited to partner with Doug, who I have known to be a skillful leader and responsible steward of workforce development.”

    “We at WPTI warmly congratulate Doug on this appointment. His vision and commitment to collaboration and innovation come at a pivotal moment for New York’s workforce,” said Sherazade Langlade, CEO, Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI). “We are excited to partner in building a stronger, more coordinated system that delivers equity, opportunity, and shared prosperity for all New Yorkers.”

    “The BTEA is pleased to see the appointment of Douglas Lipari as executive director of NYC Talent. Mr. Lipari has played a key role in ensuring that New Yorkers from diverse communities benefit from access to skilled, unionized jobs,” said Elizabeth Crowley, president and CEO, Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA). “Our contractors, who build and continue to rebuild New York City, applaud his promotion and look forward to collaborating further to create meaningful opportunities that connect vulnerable New Yorkers with strong, sustainable career pathways in the building trades.”

    “NYC Talent plays a critical role for the city, helping to ensure that public-private partnerships work efficiently and effectively for both New Yorkers and employers,” said Saskia Traill, president and CEO, ExpandED Schools. “We are thrilled that Doug Lipari, a seasoned city leader, has been appointed executive director, and we look forward to working with him in this important role.”

    “As a member of the New York City Workforce Development Board, I know how essential strong leadership is to building a responsive and inclusive workforce system,” said Linda Baran, president and CEO, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. “Doug’s appointment as executive director of NYC Talent is an important step in advancing collaboration and creating pathways that connect New Yorkers with opportunity.”

    “Mayor Adams has made an excellent choice in appointing Doug Lipari. He is the right leader to ensure New York City’s workforce development strategy meets the needs of our modern economy,” said Jessica Walker, president and CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. “His commitment to innovation and collaboration is clear, and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with him to connect New Yorkers to meaningful careers and power our city’s economic engine.”

    “Subcontractors Trade Association congratulates Doug Lipari on his appointment as executive director of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development. Doug has been a true partner to the construction industry: accessible, collaborative, and deeply committed to ensuring that workforce programs meet the needs of all stakeholders,” said Felice Farber, executive director, Subcontractors Trade Association. “His leadership in launching community hiring has shown how government and industry can work together to create opportunity, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with him to strengthen both New York’s workforce and its construction sector.”

    About Doug Lipari

    Before being appointed executive director of NYC Talent, Lipari was the inaugural executive director of the Office of Community Hiring team within NYC Talent, where he led the successful launch of Community Hiring. Lipari will continue to lead that work along with NYC Talent’s broader portfolio of strategic initiatives related to apprenticeships, industry partnerships, and addressing barriers to employment. Lipari also plays an instrumental role in negotiating the city’s Project Labor Agreements, which cover several billion dollars of city capital construction projects.

    Before joining NYC Talent in 2023, Lipari was the deputy general counsel of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services. Lipari has over a decade of city government experience and a clear understanding of the city’s role in driving economic mobility for New Yorkers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duquesne University and a Juris Doctor from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

    Lipari will report to Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr..

    August 29, 2025 Manhattan, New York

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

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  • New York City Bolsters CDL Training for Formerly Incarcerated

    New York City Bolsters CDL Training for Formerly Incarcerated

    New York news People in New York Humor style

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams unveiled a major expansion of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program targeting justice-involved individuals, aiming to train 300 participants in 2026—a 15-fold increase from the 2025 pilot. In partnership with Emerge Career, the initiative has already shown strong results, with all 2025 graduates landing trucking jobs offering salaries of $78,000 to $124,800. Addressing a 60% unemployment rate among formerly incarcerated individuals and a national shortage of over 60,000 truck drivers, the program provides tuition-free training and job placement, boosting economic stability and curbing recidivism. The move underscores Adams’ focus on workforce development as a public safety strategy.

    Mayor Adams Announces Major Expansion of Big-Rig Training Program for Justice-Involved New Yorkers

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=UJLUBuMKaYc%3Ffeature%3Doembed

    What you should know

    • Innovative Partnership Between MOCJ and Emerge Careers Produced Job Offers in High-Demand Trucking Industry for Every Graduate of Inaugural 2025 Program
    • Starting Salaries Range From $78,000 to $124,000 for Population That Typically Faces 60 Percent Unemployment Post-Incarceration
    • Newly Announced Expansion Will Increase Participation 15-Fold from Inaugural Class, Putting 300 More New Yorkers on Pathways to New Careers and Financial Stability

    NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) Director Deanna Logan today announced a massive expansion of its successful Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program for justice-involved individuals. The multi-million-dollar investment with reentry workforce development partner Emerge Career will ensure hundreds of New Yorkers will benefit from the life-changing training, personalized coaching, and job placement offered through the program next year — a dramatic increase from 2025’s initial pilot program.

    The innovative program addresses two critical needs: financial stability for individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement and filling workforce gaps in an industry facing significant labor shortages. The average unemployment rate for Americans getting out of incarceration is 60 percent — 12 times the overall national average. However, every single graduate of the 2025 program secured a full-time CDL job offer, with starting salaries ranging from $78,000.00 to $124,800, demonstrating both the program’s life-changing impact and its cost-effectiveness for the city’s workforce pipeline.

    “One mistake should not destroy a person’s life because a bend in the road should not be the end of a road,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are driving second chances in New York City by expanding our Commercial Driver’s License training program. This innovative program provides formerly justice-involved New Yorkers with the skills they need to earn a CDL and connects them with meaningful employment opportunities in an industry facing significant labor shortages. By providing upstream solutions to downstream problems, we are shifting up a gear to prevent recidivism, keep our city safe, and put justice-involved New Yorkers on a path to build their American Dream in the greatest city in the world.”

    “Research has taught us that one of the easiest ways to improve community safety is to help New Yorkers find financial stability,” said MOCJ Director Logan.  “The data is also showing us that our investments in Emerge Career are paying immense dividends, in real second chances and wealth creation for some of our city’s most disadvantaged communities.”

    “This partnership with the City of New York shows what’s possible when government embraces bold, human-centered technology to truly uplift its people,” said Zo Orchingwa, co-founder and co-CEO, Emerge Career. “We’re deeply grateful for the city’s trust in our vision and its commitment to those too often left behind. While this expansion marks a significant milestone, it’s only the start — our goal is to create lasting high-wage careers for every disadvantaged New Yorker and to transform reentry workforce development — establishing New York City as a leader in innovative, data-backed reentry workforce solutions.”

    “What sets Emerge apart is our deep collaboration with the broader community,” said Gabriel Saruhashi, co-founder and co-CEO, Emerge Career. “Our all-in-one workforce development platform gives case workers, emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, and supervision agencies real-time visibility into participants’ journeys — which is how our participants succeed at rates 50 percent higher than national averages and earn nearly twice as much as the typical graduate. This expansion will bring in $24 million in new wealth for their communities and the city.”

    According to the American Trucking Association, the U.S. is facing a shortage of more than 60,000 drivers. CDL training provides a fast, accessible path to high-wage, stable employment in a critical industry that urgently needs talent — making it especially well-suited for ideal justice-impacted individuals who are often excluded from licensed professions. 

    After providing tuition-free training to 20 participants in 2025, MOCJ will expand the program to 300 participants in 2026, with additional expansions planned in the future.  The announcement builds on the Adams administration’s broader commitment to investing in upstream solutions to public safety and economic mobility.

    MOCJ — and its Community Innovations team — relies on data to guide its outreach efforts. Research consistently shows that poverty and limited access to vocational training and education are major contributors to incarceration and recidivism. According to a 2018 Brookings study, more than 80 percent of incarcerated men were jobless and had no income in the year prior to their incarceration. After release, only 20 percent reported earning at least $15,000 in their first year back in the community. By contrast, newly employed graduates of the city’s CDL program have secured positions with starting salaries ranging from $78,000 to $124,800.  

    Today’s announcement continues to build off Mayor Adams’ different investments in diversion programs and upstream solutions, including through recent investments in the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget, which continues Mayor Adams’ ‘Best Budget Ever.’ Investments include:

    • Funding to invest in alternatives to incarceration services, including case management, substance abuse programming, group counseling, housing placement assistance, health care, and other services for adults charged with a crime ($7.6 million).
    • Covering the indirect rate for non-profits that provide re-entry services, indigent defense, supervised release, and other criminal justice programming that was previously funded with stimulus dollars ($6.5 million).
    • Helping to stabilize recently decarcerated individuals with re-entry services, including job readiness training; mental, physical, and behavioral health care; counseling; housing assistance; and mentoring ($4.7 million).
    • Supporting “Project Restore,” a community-based gang violence intervention program that addresses barriers to personal growth, including economic insecurity, disconnection from education and employment, a lack of role models, and unhealed trauma ($2 million).
    • Funding to create the South Bronx Community Justice Center, which will provide programming for gun violence prevention initiatives, crisis intervention, and high school equivalency education ($2 million).

    “Having a job is the pillar of living a productive life – and an essential component of rehabilitation and re-entry into society after a prison term,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “The expansion of this training program will afford this foundational opportunity to many more people returning from incarceration. This is exactly the type of intervention that helps reduce crime by offering people a better path, so I commend Mayor Adams and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice for this promising initiative.”

    “Providing justice-involved individuals stable, good-paying jobs can help them get back on their feet and on the pathway to success, and I thank the mayor and his administration for their commitment to expanding this important initiative,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. “This program can be life changing for New Yorkers who are re-entering into their communities.”

    “Securing a job is key to avoiding recidivism,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “The city’s commercial driver’s license training program has proven to be a success in providing employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals. I thank Mayor Adams for expanding this valuable program that will provide gainful employment opportunities for those reentering the workforce.”

    August 27, 2025 Manhattan, New York

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

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Mayor Adams Outlines Plans to Curb Gun Violence, Boost Housing in NYC

    Mayor Adams Outlines Plans to Curb Gun Violence, Boost Housing in NYC

    NYC NEWS MAOYR ERIC ADAMS TV NEWS

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams, appearing on News12’s “Ask the Mayor” on August 27, 2025, addressed a recent spike in gun violence and outlined initiatives on school safety and affordable housing. Following mass shootings in Midtown and Crown Heights, and multiple incidents in the Bronx, Adams detailed a mobilization plan targeting gang activity and repeat offenders, with increased police focus on hotspots and community crisis teams to prevent retaliatory shootings. He highlighted a new job training program for justice-involved individuals, offering commercial driver’s licenses to deter crime through employment. On school safety, with classes nearing, Adams defended a cell phone ban to reduce violence and distractions, and noted enhanced security measures, including cameras and mobile metal detectors. Responding to a Bronx resident’s call for NYPD cameras, he pledged to review the request. Adams also emphasized housing efforts, citing rezoning initiatives and projects like Willets Point to address a 1.4% vacancy rate driving up costs. On autonomous vehicle testing, he stressed preserving taxi jobs while exploring accessibility benefits. Defending his veto of a City Council decision to block a Bronx casino proposal, Adams argued for including the borough in development discussions.

    Mayor Adams Participates in Live Interview on NEWS12 and Takes Questions From New Yorkers

    Amanda Bossard: Hello, everyone, and thanks for being with us here on News12, where local matters. I’m Amanda Bossard, and this is Ask the Mayor. It is a pleasure to be back here with you for the next half hour, as we give you the opportunity to ask New York City Mayor Eric Adams your questions right here on the air. 

    So the number to dial is 718-861-6800, and it will be at the bottom of your screen throughout the program for reference. With that, we’d like to welcome back once again tonight to our studios, New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Always a pleasure to have you with us.

    Mayor Eric Adams: Great to be here. Enjoy this time of day, [on] this day of the month, to come around and talk.

    Bossard: A great opportunity to answer those questions directly from New Yorkers. I’ll kick off the conversation, though, unfortunately, on a somber note this evening, and talk about this recent spree of violence, specifically gun violence, that we’ve seen in just the short time since we last spoke with you. 

    We’ve seen a mass shooting in Midtown claim the life of a Bronx officer, another mass shooting where fourteen people were shot inside of a Crown Heights lounge, and then this past weekend in the Bronx specifically, back to back to back shootings, a multiple shooting unfolding in the Bronx as recently as today. 

    I know in response to this recent violence, you have said that in the Bronx specifically to address gangs and younger shooters that we’re seeing, you’ve issued a full mobilization plan directive to the chief here in the borough. What do you expect to be part of that plan, and how soon do you expect to see it being implemented to immediately address this violence we’re seeing?

    Mayor Adams: It is extremely unfortunate. When you see the good work we have done on removing the illegal guns off our streets, and what the police commissioner has done in identifying hotspots, and when you look at these large number of shootings out of one incident, fourteen people in Brooklyn in a night club, four in the Bronx over the weekend, it just really hurts all of the efforts that were put in place. 

    And there’s a common denominator we’re seeing over and over again. Young shooters, gang involvement, repeated offenders. That repeated offenders that we talked about on some of our laws, that’s just, you know, we are seeing repeated offenders. 

    So what we’re going to do– the commissioner is going to make sure that we have the attention in the Bronx, looking after the hotspots, knowing some of the known gang members, using our crisis management team members, because they are the best at dealing with retaliatory shootings. 

    We know how well they do. And so the team must zero in, identify what is causing this uptick in gun violence that we’re seeing. And we have to respond. And the commissioner has done a good job in doing so for the last seven months with the lowest number of shooters and shooting victims. And we have to make sure we continue the implementation of the plan and continue to drive down gun violence.

    Bossard: You spoke specifically about how young people are getting caught up in the gun violence, and we’re seeing that number sadly rise, despite other statistics on the decline. We have school a little bit more than a week away at this point. 

    What efforts are in place right now to ensure that this street violence doesn’t seep into our classrooms, especially as families now navigate this new normal with the cell phone ban? I’m sure parents are concerned about not having such easy access to their kids while they’re in class.

    Mayor Adams: And I’m glad you asked that because, believe it or not, cell phones contribute to violence. And that is why the goal was to remove cell phones from schools. This is going to be the first year that it’s going to be actually done. The governor, kudos to her, for partnering with the lawmakers in Albany to state that we have to take the cell phones out of the school. They’re distractions, they’re used for bullying, they’re used to start fights with children. 

    And really, it’s just not the place for our children. Many have tried. We wanted to take our time and make sure we got it right. And that’s exactly why it took this long. Because we have to get it right. We don’t want to start and then turn back. 

    But to those parents that are concerned about notifications when something happened, like what happened today, where a mad gunman went in and shot innocent babies, they want to be notified. And so we have to be using state-of-the-art technology, communication methods, so when something does happen, we can immediately let families know what we’re dealing with and if a child is in harm’s way.

    Bossard: You mentioned this active shooting situation that we saw unfold earlier today at a Minneapolis Catholic school where two children, sadly, were lost in that situation. Of course, people fear the worst could happen here at home. 

    In terms of specific security safeguards, should we expect to see more metal detectors? Any other extra efforts in light of the violence that we’re seeing with schools so closely approaching?

    Mayor Adams: Good question. First of all, many of our schools, we probably did all by now, but many of our schools, when you come to the school, [there’s] no more just [opening] doors. There is a camera with a bell. The school safety agent must buzz you in. So that’s an important mechanism that we put in. That was the first time this has ever been done. 

    If we didn’t do all the schools, I know we’re in the process of doing so to make sure that anyone cannot just wander into the school building. We do roving metal detectors and checks using metal detectors based on the circumstances. Some of them are surprise metal detectors that come into the school. They are able to move around. 

    We have been looking at more technology because it’s getting better and better and better. That is our goal to use technology to make sure we keep our city safe. And we’re going to continue to focus on that. 

    We have a great team of school safety agents. There’s going to be some movement with the school safety division that the commissioner is going to be announcing, but it’s all about making sure we create a safe environment on our school campuses.

    Bossard: And then when we expand this conversation surrounding safety at the national level, we’ve heard from President Donald Trump as of late saying that he’s considering sending the National Guard to New York City. You’ve said that’s not needed. 

    Other members of your administration have echoed that sentiment with the violence we’ve seen as of late. Why say we don’t need the National Guard right now? Why not welcome that help?

    Mayor Adams: Because you don’t– Because the National Guard would send the wrong message, number one, a visible uniform presence in New York City, it could impact business. It could impact the entire perception of our city. The numbers are in the right direction with the decrease in crime, our seven major crime categories, what we’re doing. [What] the Police Department is doing already and taking guns off our street. And just think about it. 

    Our subway system with 4.6 million riders is only five average felonies a day with 4.6 million people. So it’s the safest that it has been in decades when you take [out the] two years of COVID. So we know how to do it here in the city. And if we need to help other cities, if the president or White House determines they would like to see some of the things we’re doing, we’re more than willing to do so. 

    But we also coordinate with our federal, state, and city partners every day at 10 a.m. in the morning. We meet in something called HIDTA. We go after trigger pullers. We go after shooters. We go after those who are known to carry guns. So we are coordinating already. 

    The real need of the federal government, we have to stop the flow of guns in our cities. When you have a person that has an AR-15, drives across the country and shoots four innocent people and himself, that is what our focus point must be. We have to stop this fixation with guns like what we saw happen in another state.

    Bossard: Yeah, and a lot of pressure being applied to those federal lawmakers to act on that now more than ever. I do want to get to our first caller of the evening. We have Noel who’s called in from Soundview. Thanks so much for the call, Noel. And what’s your question for the mayor this evening?

    Question: Yes, good evening, Mayor Adams. 

    Mayor Adams: Good evening. 

    Question: My question for today is about the crime that’s going on in our borough, the Bronx. You know, it’s kind of concerning, you know, and it’s just, I was wondering to see what–  how can we fix that? How can we address that much better? 

    It’s kind of scary to even go outside to go to the store when someone’s getting robbed. You can’t wear any jewelry, you can’t wear– you have to be actually keeping your head on a swivel. And it’s scary.

    Mayor Adams: Well said, Noel. And we don’t want you living that way in our city where you are afraid just to enjoy the beauty of the city. I hear over and over again from people, they hear about these terrible incidents, but they say, “Eric, I feel safer walking the streets, I feel safer going out in my parks at night.”

    What we’re seeing in the city, we have really dealt with the issue of crime in the city. And when you do– there’s always this bar graph [that shows] how crimes are in big cities. We’re the safest big city in America. Safest in America. The largest in America. Very complex.

    But we have a Police Department that is second to none. And they’re doing a good job. And Noel, we must make sure that, I like to say, that we have to be reactive to go after those crimes, but we have to be proactive. And what does proactive action mean? 

    What we did today, we just announced justice-involved people are now able to get free training for their CDL and tractor trailer driving. It is a job that pays between $74,000 to $124,000 a year. No high school diploma needed. We’re going to be training three hundred more. That is how you prevent crime, by having people have the employment they deserve.

    Bossard: Yeah, and this opportunity that’s being created to hopefully stop that cycle of violence, like you mentioned, repeat offenders being one of the big issues right now and trying to stem that. Well, the conversation is just getting started here on Ask the Mayor tonight. 718-861-6800 is the number to dial if you have a question. Call in right now. We’ll be right back right after this.

    [Commercial Break.] 

    Bossard: Welcome back to another edition of Ask the Mayor here on News12 with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. As we continue the conversation with our callers right now, we have Sidney who’s on the line. He’s called in from [inaudible] tonight. Sidney, thank you for calling and what’s your question for the mayor?

    Question: Good evening, Mr. Mayor. 

    Mayor Adams: Good evening. 

    Question: Mr. Mayor, we had a shooting this morning on College Avenue. We had three people shot around 8:30 this morning, College Avenue, 170. And I have asked in the past, [where] I live– I’m a resident here, if we could get a NYPD camera. I asked the previous borough president and I asked Ms. Gibson and nothing, nothing has happened yet. 

    I’ve spoken to detectives on the 44 precinct. They agree with me and they told me they even have mentioned it, but it’s up to the politicians to allocate the money. And I understand that. And I also understand that Ms. Gibson gave $1.2 or $1.1 million for cameras, for sanitation and police. And I’m hoping maybe you could pick up the phone tomorrow and let her know, please give College Avenue that well-needed NYPD camera at the intersection of College Avenue.

    Mayor Adams: Is College Avenue and what, what is the cross street?

    Question: It’s between College Avenue, it’s right on College Avenue, East 170 Street, the intersection.

    Mayor Adams: Okay. Okay. Let me look into it. Let’s find out from Chief Gurley, who’s here in the Bronx and let us find out exactly how we can move it forward if [there’s] a need for it. Okay.

    Bossard: Mr. Mayor, I’ll ask, what is the determining factor for where those resources are placed?

    Mayor Adams: Because you’re talking about making sure that you deploy it correctly. If there are issues of violence there, if there are issues such as a shooting like this, if there’s a known gang activity. And so you want to make sure it’s where it is needed, like that is how you deploy the resources correctly. And so they’ll do an analysis to determine where you want to deploy these cameras. 

    Bossard: So Sidney, thank you for the followup. It’s now on the mayor’s radar for sure. Let’s get to another caller that we have on the line. I believe Anika has dialed in from Co-op City. Thanks so much for the call tonight, Anika. And what’s your question for the mayor when you’re ready?

    Question: Yes, my question is, when the years to come, would it be a change with affordable housing and supportive housing?

    Mayor Adams: Tell me more about that, Anika. I want to understand your question.

    Question: [Inaudible.] 

    Bossard: I think she’s breaking up a little bit, unfortunately.

    Mayor Adams: Okay. You broke up, Anika, but I think I got the gist of it. When you talk– when we talk about housing in the city, we have rent stabilized. We have our affordable housing, a stock of– when people want to build higher, we are able to do zoning changes and we’re able to leverage the number of units that are going to be affordable. It could be anywhere from 20 percent, 30 percent, in some cases, 50 percent. 

    And like our Willets Point project, it is 100 percent affordable, 2,400 units. Here’s what we were having our problem. We were seeing that it’s an inventory issue. When you have only 1.4 percent vacancy, you could build units, but the demand is so high. 

    So like in the Bronx, for example, you could have a 500 unit building. But if you have 14,000 people trying to get those 500 units because we haven’t built enough, that’s the problem. That’s why we continue to put shovels in the ground. We have preserved, created, and zoned for over 426,000 units of housing in the next decade throughout [the] City of Yes. 

    We did five neighborhood rezoning with 50,000 units of housing. We just did a major rezoning in Manhattan where you get 10,000 units of housing. We just did Fordham South where we’re going to do several hundred units of housing, just creating new communities. 

    And so we have to build more. And that’s what this administration, what we have done so that we can make sure that we have the inventory. Because the inventory is low, then the price goes up.

    Bossard: The supply and demand equation, right?

    Mayor Adams: There you are. So now for the first time through our City of Yes, we’re going to be developing all over the city. Not over developing communities, but just enough to say that we can all share the responsibility of housing.

    Bossard: Housing, a perennial topic that comes up, especially the need for more affordable housing from our viewers. So good to see work continues on that front. When we talk about keeping up with the times, one of the most recent announcements coming from you is these new driverless cars that we’re going to see piloted in some parts of the city, specifically downtown Brooklyn and parts of Manhattan. 

    I think the big question coming from a lot of people [is], how do you regulate autonomous vehicles? And of course, keep things safe for those who are inside of the vehicle and everyone outside in a city as busy as New York.

    Mayor Adams: People automatically jump to the conclusion that, okay, we’re going to have these for taxis. That is not true. We want our men and women who are taxi drivers to continue to be taxi drivers. It’s good employment, the hardworking men and women, and we believe that is a good middle class income. 

    We’re testing out the technology and that technology can be used in many ways. And we’re testing the technology, driverless vehicles, they are here. We need to make sure that we’re not displacing employees, but at the same time, we should use the technology to be a benefit. 

    Let’s say a person who, for whatever reason, is visually impaired and they want to just be able to have control of their lives and not be restricted. So this technology can be used appropriately and we’re looking forward [to it] on our city streets. These are some of the most complicated streets to drive on.

    Bossard: If you can navigate New York City, you’re pretty safe to make it anywhere else in this country, at least by my opinion here. In terms of safety, we are confident that the technology is going to keep that in mind as well.

    Mayor Adams: A lot of tests. When I was in– I believe, when I was in the borough president’s office, it was the first time I found out about Waymo. So it’s safe technology.

    Bossard: All right. Great to hear and very reassuring for a lot of people watching. More conversation right on the other side of this quick break. Stay with us here on News12.

    [Commercial Break.] 

    Bossard: Thanks for staying with us here on News12 for this edition of Ask the Mayor with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Last time you were with us, Mr. Mayor, we were talking about the Bally’s Casino proposal in the Bronx specifically, and since then, you have issued a veto to the City Council’s decision to pretty much halt that proposal from being able to move forward. 

    Your veto would allow it to continue to be considered by the state. What was your motivation behind that decision, considering that people in the area say, we don’t want this here, and what is your response to the council saying, well, we plan to override that.

    Mayor Adams: And they have a right to. They have a right to override the veto. What I was saying is that I’m not for or against any of the projects, and we don’t make the ultimate decision anyway, but why do we deny the Bronx all the time? Why is the Bronx the place where we say always no? I said this is a City of Yes, and the Bronx is part of that City of Yes, and many Bronx electeds supported having an opportunity to discuss and put Bally’s as one of the places that is being considered, and they should have the right to do so. 

    If you don’t give them the right to do so, then they’re not even in play, and so I think Bronx residents should be part of the conversation, should be part of if the determination is made, they should be part of that conversation, and it’s just wrong to use the council as saying we’re going to prevent the Bronx from having an opportunity to be part of the conversation. Doesn’t mean that they’re going to win it, it just means why are we denying the Bronx once again? I just don’t believe that.

    Bossard: Understood. We are inching closer to September, which means November is going to be here sooner than we realize. We just got some new poll numbers that put the Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in a comfortable lead. I think he has more than 40 percent of support based on those polls. 

    I know the idea of other contenders dropping out, banding together, supporting one candidate in opposition to perhaps Mamdani has been floated around. Is that something that you would at all consider as we get closer to November?

    Mayor Adams: The ballot is the ballot. That’s what many people don’t understand. The ballot is going to be Eric Adams, Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, and the last person, I don’t even remember who he is. That is the ballot. 

    And so we must go after those 2.5 million voters that have yet to vote, a million Independents, hundreds of thousands of Republicans that are going to make a decision, and the process is going to move forward. 

    And I think voters must decide, you know, if we would have listened previously when Mamdani was 1 percent in the poll, we would have had a different primary winner if he would have dropped out.

    Bossard: And a long way to go between now and November. Mr. Mayor, thank you as always for the time and for the conversation, and thank you all for watching. We’ll see you next time here on News12.

    August 27, 2025 Manhattan, New York

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

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York