NYC NOW - April 24, 2024: Midday News

Episode Date: April 24, 2024

Columbia University officials say they’ll continue negotiating with student protestors for the next 48 hours as protests on the school’s West Lawn continue. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Eric Adams praises the new housing measures out of Albany as a big win for New York City. Plus, millions of New Yorkers are exposed to dangerous air pollutants each year, and the climate crisis only threatens to make it worse. The American Lung Association recently published its annual ‘State of the Air’ report on Wednesday. WNYC’s Michael Hill speaks with Trevor Summerfield, the New York advocacy director for the American Lung Association, to break down the findings. Finally, WNYC’s Community Partnerships Desk is highlighting hidden gems across New York City, like a Queens bookshop that exclusively sells BIPOC literature to reflect the community around it.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Wednesday, April 24th. Here's the midday news from Kerry Nolan. Columbia University officials say they'll continue negotiating with student protesters for the next 48 hours as protests on the school's West Lawn continue. According to a university spokesperson, the students have agreed to remove a significant number of the tents on the lawn, along with several other terms. Protest organizers must also make sure people who aren't affiliated with Columbia are not part of the encampment or protests. University leaders say they'll report back on the status of the negotiations as they continue. Mayor Adams says the new housing measures out of Albany are a big win for New York City.

The mayor joined Governor Hokel in Manhattan yesterday for a rally in support of the housing package. I tell people all the time that housing is the precursor to sleep that allows you to experience the American dream. The package includes a tax break for New York City developers who include affordable units in their building. It also includes new eviction protections for some, but not all, renters. Both the mayor and the governor say it'll help spur development in the city as vacant apartments are few and far between. The measures were included in the new state budget, which the governor and lawmakers approved over the weekend, nearly three weeks after it was due. We'll see a mix of sun and clouds today. It'll be breezy with scattered showers possible this afternoon and high temperatures in the upper 60s. We have a chance of rain this evening, then skies will clear over.

night, and this is WNYC. Stay close. There's more after the break. On WNYC, I'm Michael Hill. Millions of people living in and around New York City are exposed to dangerous air pollutants each year, and the climate crisis only threatens to make it worse. The American Lung Association every year publishes its state of the air to make sense of these threats. Its latest report is out today. Here to walk us through the report, Trevor Somerfield.

He's New York Advocacy Director for the American Lung Association, and he's joining us on Morning Edition. Let's get started with the basics here. What does this report cover? This report covers a lot of things around ozone and particle pollution, and this covers a lot of counties around the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, metro area, did rank 13th most polluted cities in the U.S., according to our 20. 25th annual state of the air report. And this report every year really looks at, again, short-term particle pollution and ozone pollution across the metro area. What does that actually mean, Trevor, and how does it manifest physically for New Yorkers

and those, as you said, in the metro area here? In the past year, you know, we've saw climate change in wild. wildfires, particularly manifest itself with short-term emergency department visits for people living with asthma in particular, particularly children that was back in June of last year. But then also, when you look at the short-term particle pollution that comes from that as well, then you're looking at potentially people developing COPD or potentially lung cancer. Trevor, what's causing the high levels of ozone pollution in this region? We have, you know, especially in the metro area down in New York City,

there's a lot of, you know, vehicle traffic, a lot of, again, smog and emissions that are getting pushed out into communities. And then also, again, commercial residential units as well that are still using, you know, diesel fuel, if you will. It's dirty, smoggy air that's causing this stuff. Trevor, do we have hotspots in this region for ozone and air pollution? In particular, you have some areas in Fairfield, Connecticut that fares very important. with an F grade. So that is one area that I would highlight. Why is it?

Well, when it comes to ozone and particle pollution, it's really just a matter of where it settles, right? So really, again, I think, you know, Fairfield, again, has been at the top of the list for the last few years. And really, again, you're talking about transportation pollution and just where it carries. I'm curious. What is the New York City area doing well?

and why from the association's perspective? Well, I mean, we've worked on a couple of things, especially with idling trucks, you know, things that we can work on that, again, reduce pollution in communities so that people can breathe better. And then we've also, you know, we have a great team in New York State that has worked on asthma in particular, that, you know, go into people's homes and evaluate environment,

environmental risks and other things like that that are really kind of hands-on and in-depth. And I think that's really something that we're proud of and that we do year-round. Trevor, when we start thinking about this issue, we throw around words and phrases like the climate crisis and sustainability. So much of the air quality seems to be tied up in big national and international conversations about all that. Do you have any suggestions as to what we as individuals person to person can do to improve the air quality right around us? Oh, sure.

I mean, you know, the one thing that I absolutely love and encourage, I mean, I encourage people to walk as much as you can. Get outside, enjoy the, you know, outdoor space. If you can also as well, get an induction stove in your home too. And if you can, also start exploring some of the electric vehicle benefits that might help you save some electricity, but also, you know, helps you travel easier and is cleaner. Trevor Summerfield is New York advocacy director for the American Lung Association. Trevor, thanks so much for joining us on this. Hey, thank you so much for having me. Ever been to a space that instantly puts you at ease away from the daily grind of life?

Maybe that's a pocket park or quaint coffee shop in your neighborhood. WNMC's Community Partnerships desk is highlighting some of these treasures across the five barrels. This morning we pay a visit to a Queens bookshop that exclusively sells BIPOC literature to reflect the community around it. My name is Adrian Sepeda. I am Ecuadorian American and I own the World's Borough Bookshop right here in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, where I grew up. A few things played a role. to me wanting to open up the bookshop, one of those being that I went to school for literature.

And that was the first time I ever read a book where the character reflected me. That's one of the main reasons why I decided to open the shop, so I can have different Bipak authors in here amplified to reflect the neighborhood I live in. Because on top of Queens being the most diverse borough, Jackson Heights itself is extremely diverse. A lot of times people are just learning about their culture

through these books because they've never seen a Bengali writer, a Tibetan writer and they're finally able to see that reflected in front of them all over the store. My name is Hilary Takuri with me being Ecuadorian myself. It's really great to see someone also Ecuadorian fostering this bookish space here, going in and seeing all these books by Bipak authors just out on the shelves and just finally being able to see myself reflected with intention and care. It was such a different experience compared to the other bookstores that I've been to. The World Sparrow Bookshop is really important to me. I kind of view it as a second home.

My name is Melanka Bermanova. Finding this store was a big turning point in getting me a little bit out of an era of isolation in my life. I'll come here after work and just talk to Adrian or whoever's here. And it just like lifts my mood to have conversations with people. so it's definitely a pick-me-up place and a home base at the same time. Voices from the Wurlsboro Bookshop in Queens, one of many New York City's neighborhood gems. 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. Thank you.