NYC NOW - April 15, 2024: Midday News

Episode Date: April 15, 2024

The NYPD is investigating a pair of shootings in the South Bronx just after 3 AM Monday morning that left two men dead and another injured. Meanwhile, newly released New York City data shows more than 1,000 public school students in migrant shelters had their education halted in March because of expiring 60-day notices. Also, the Bryant Park Picnic Performances return this year with a lineup of free shows. Plus, it’s been hectic over the past month in New Jersey politics, from First Lady Tammy Murphy bowing out of the U.S. Senate race to news that the state’s 'County Line' ballot system might be coming to an end. WNYC’s David Furst speaks with New Jersey reporter Nancy Solomon to learn what’s happening next. Finally, it's Poetry Month, and we're playing your poems on our show. 11-year-old Kyle Shih of Manhattan sent us this poem, titled 'Roosevelt Island Tramway.’

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, April 15th. Here's the midday news from Lance Lucky. The NYPD is investigating a pair of shootings in the South Bronx early this morning that left two men dead and another injured. Police say a 26-year-old was shot and killed just after 3 a.m. inside a building in Longwood. Then about an hour later, two people were shot outside of McDonald's in Melrose,

died and the other is in critical condition. Police have made no arrests as investigations continue. Newly released, city data shows more than a thousand public school students in migrant shelters had their education halted in March because of expiring 60-day notices. 300 of those students were able to transfer to a new school, but more than 700 others are no longer enrolled. In October, the Adams administration announced a 60-day notice of eviction for families with kids in migrant shelters. Many council members say the policy is cruel and hurts children's education. The Bryant Park Picnic Performances returned this year with a lineup of free shows. Precious Fondren has more.

Get ready for a summer of picnic outings in Midtown Manhattan. The Bryant Park Corporation has announced the lineup for its picnic performances, featuring free shows on the park's lawn. This year, guests can see the New York City Opera, the Mark Moore's Dance Group, and even a tribute to the music of the James Bond movies. Dan Fishman is the vice president of Pond. public events at Bryant Park. He says there's something for everyone. It's just a great place to come with your friends and family. It's doing something fun for free, outdoors. And then while you're

at it, you know, these happen to be some of the best and brightest artists in the city and around the country. The picnic performances start May 31st and end on September 13th. 75 degrees now, maybe 78 this afternoon and some rather gusty winds, sunny and 68, tomorrow. Stay close. There's more after the break. Seismic events in New Jersey over the last month have sent longtime political reporters scrambling for superlatives. They say it's hard to overstate just how much politics, as usual, might be changing in New Jersey. And then to really drive the point home, we had an actual earthquake. Nancy Solomon covers New Jersey politics and hosts Ask Governor Murphy for WNYC.

She joins us with a look at what is next. Nancy, let's touch on some of these big events. First Lady Tammy Murphy bowed out of the U.S. Senate race, and the state's unusual county line ballot system could be coming to an end. It suffered what could turn out to be a mortal wound in federal court. Give us the elevator version of what the line is and what the heck is happening in New Jersey. Oh, boy, it's crazy days on the politics beat, David. I feel like our listeners probably know my elevator pitch as well as our pledge drive phone number at this point. But here goes. This is the only in New Jersey ballot design where the county political parties or machines

endorse candidates and then those candidates are placed by county clerks on the ballot all in one line. So typically voters see names they recognize at the top of the line and that signals to voters that these are the legit candidates. Every other state, uses what's called an office block ballot where candidates for a particular office are grouped together. The Senate primary between Democrats, Andy Kim and Tammy Murphy brought this very little understood feature into the forefront because Tammy Murphy had the backing from the machines and would benefit from the county line. Andy Kim sued saying the system was unconstitutional and a federal judge granted him a preliminary injunction to bar counties from

using the line in the Democratic primary. Okay, that was a little longer than an elevator pitch. Well, it's a long elevator ride. Well, there is an appeal in the works to that ruling, and there was a hearing in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. Tell us about that. Yeah, you know, I thought it was really fitting that the courthouse was across the street from the Liberty Bell and the National Constitution Center. You know, these two of the most powerful political machines in the state, the Democratic committees of Camden and Middlesex counties argued that the decision should not be overturned, or should be overturned, I'm sorry, and their central, you know, so their pro-county line, their central argument is that candidates have a right to associate with

one another and that it's within the right of the party to essentially put a thumb on the scale and tell voters, these are the people that we want you to vote for. on the ballot. Remember, this issue is all about primaries when candidates from within the party are competing against each other. The county line is really a throwback to the days when party bosses decided who would be the nominee for the party, not voters. And the lawyers argue the county party organizations are within their rights to continue to do that. The appellate judges said that they'd rule quickly. The ruling will only affect the June primary, but I think if the lower court decision were to be overturned, it could really have an influence on that same lower court judge who

ruled on the June primary, who's going to eventually decide a much larger case about whether the county line could be used in any election going forward. So we'll see what happens. Well, you've been talking about the line with Governor Phil Murphy on your monthly Ask Governor Murphy Call-in Show for years, but you had him in the hot seat for the first time since all of these big developments. And he said that he thinks the amount of airtime given to the topic has been, quote, ridiculous and perhaps resents the association of the line with Democrats in New Jersey. Here's what the governor had to say. I think the progressives out there are reasonably happy with us.

I just think it's a flyspec issue that people have conflated with Donald Trump and others and made this about an assault on democracy when, in fact, the key on a Democratic Party is getting good candidates, share our values, getting out there and doing the legwork that you need to do to get elected. That's what it is to be a strong Democratic Party. What about that, that the line has gotten too much attention, and there are more important things going on in this election year? Well, I would argue the county line became an issue in the Kim Murphy race because democracy is top of. mind among voters, especially the most active and involved voters, and especially in New Jersey, where that race is, you know, the Senate race was to replace Senator Bob Menendez, who's charged with corruption and bribery. So, you know, the governor just doesn't accept or want to

acknowledge that voters were put off by the idea of his wife, not just running, but getting a huge leg up by the party bosses. It's also true that Phil Murphy was a beneficiary of the county line himself in 2017 when he first ran for governor and that he's been able to get a lot done by working with the party bosses, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. That's not what I'm saying. But I think he really has a fierce loyalty to them. And he really hates it when I call them bosses, by the way. Okay. Tammy Murphy says she dropped out of the race because she didn't want to spend money on negative advertising, beating up another Democrat, and creating more division. Yeah, I mean, I hate to sound so cynical, but that would really be the first

time in history of political campaigning that someone backed out for that reason. Listen, her path to victory in the primary was the county line. She had the endorsements in all the large Democratic strongholds, and that could have made the difference. So it's true. that with the line in jeopardy, she was left with only one way to win, flood the airwaves with anti-Kim ads. And maybe Team Murphy was concerned that that would hurt their brand. But the campaign was already hurting them among progressives, many of whom have been big supporters of the governor. So, you know, I don't think you can call the county line a flyspec of an issue. Well, so much of this line talk has been about the Senate race. In fact, just the Democrat

primary, but that's not all that is at stake this year, is it? There aren't actually a huge number of competitive primaries. The biggest one is in Hudson County. Congressman Rob Menendez, son of Bob, is facing a challenge by Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bala. And if the court decision on the line holds, Bala has a real shot at unseeding Menendez, Jr. in Patterson and larger Passaic County around Patterson, home to the second largest Arab-American population in the country. Congressman Bill Pasqurell is facing a primary from Mohamed Kaurula. He's a small-town mayor who got national attention last year when he was turned away from a White House Eid celebration because he happens to have the same name as someone on a terrorism watch list. You know, that's a significant touchstone in the Muslim American community as it is.

But now, with the war in Gaza driving so much political debate and activism, Kairula could give Pascal a run for his money. WNYC's Nancy Solomon. Thanks for speaking with us. Thanks, David. On WNYC, I'm Michael Hill. It's Poetry Month, and we're playing your play. poems on the air. Our theme this year is local, as you've been hearing, 11-year-old Kyle Shea of Manhattan

sent us. This poem called Roosevelt Island Tramway. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, fresh and clean, empty and idle, ready to do its duty. The many passengers, some tourists, some residents, ready to board, like on any ordinary day. The gears and wheels spinning and turning, The tram jolting, gliding along the thick ropes, far above the cherry blossoms, gaining altitude over the East River, leaving Roosevelt Island and entering Manhattan, parallel to the Queensboro Bridge, passing by tall residential buildings,

entering a swarm of towers, and hovering over many cars and trees, Losing altitude, diving down, slowly moving towards the platform. Passengers ready to leave. Over and over, crossing the river from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. The tram welcomes all riders. Kyle, I feel like I've been on the tramway right there. We want to hear from you, send us your poems about your neighborhood, your street, your building, your tramway, whatever local means to you.

Go to WNYC.org slash poetry to find out how. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. Also subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be back this evening.