NYC NOW - Evening Roundup: Cuomo Returns to the Campaign Trail, NYPD Deploys Quality of Life Teams, NJ Lawmakers Hope to Implement Domestic Violence Tool, Bushwick Woman’s Recovery From Drug Addiction Starts on TikTok and NYC’s ‘Amaya Papaya’ Wins Love Island

Episode Date: July 14, 2025

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he’ll be campaigning as an independent in New York City’s mayor’s race. Plus, the NYPD began rolling out its new quality of life teams Monday across Manhattan. Also, a bill making its way through the state house would allow law enforcement to use a common domestic violence risk assessment tool more widely. Meanwhile, a Brooklyn woman uses TikTok to post about her daily life as she recovers from an addiction to crack cocaine. And finally, New York City's very own Amaya Espinal has won this season of the reality dating show "Love Island.”

Andrew Cuomo campaigns as an independent. The NYPD officially deploys quality of life teams. New Jersey lawmakers hope to implement a domestic violence tool. A Bushwick woman's recovery from drug addiction starts on TikTok. And New York City's own Amaya Papaya wins Love Island. From WMYC, this is NYC Now. I'm Jene Pierre. Andrew Cuomo is getting back on the campaign trail.

the former governor lost to Democratic nominee Zoramamam Dani in last month's primary election, but he says the fight to, quote, save the city isn't over yet, and he'll be campaigning as an independent. Every day I'm going to be hitting the streets, meeting you where you are, to hear the good and the bad, problems and solutions. Because for the next few months, it's my responsibility to earn your vote. Cuomo was widely criticized during the primary for running a campaign. that limited his contact with voters. A spokesperson from Mumdani's campaign says he remains focused on addressing the affordability issues facing New Yorkers. The NYPD is rolling out new quality of life teams Monday across Manhattan.

WMYC's Catalina Gornela has more. The so-called Q teams are made up of specially trained NYPD officers assigned to target low-level nuisances, things like illegal vending, reckless scooter riding, and blocked sidewalks. They launched in April as a pilot in six precincts. In two months, they handled thousands of calls issuing more than 6,000 summonses and making more than 350 arrests. Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the goal isn't zero tolerance policing. It's responsiveness. Manhattan precincts will get their own teams this week.

The rest of the city will follow in weekly phases, finishing by Labor Day. In New Jersey, there's a bill making its way through the state. House that, if passed, would allow law enforcement to use a common domestic violence risk assessment tool more widely. The tool is known as Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment, or O-D-A-R-A. The assessment consists of 13 questions, which the officers ask victims, and it takes about 10 minutes to complete. Questions like, are you concerned about future assaults? Do you have any children together? And so on. State Senator Van Goghawal of Mummond County sponsored the He says, expanding the requirement could save lives.

By putting this in, I think it's going to hopefully get some people out of some very horrific situations. Officers in New Jersey already used the ODARA, but in limited situations. Senator Gapal says the bill he's sponsoring builds on a 2017 Attorney General's directive that designates ODARA as a risk assessment tool for law enforcement. And this tool really predicts the likelihood that an arrestee who has committed violence against an intimate, partner will repeat or escalate that violence against their partner. And this resulting score of that will give law enforcement and victim actual metrics on how the incidents compare to other DV domestic violence cases. Abusers have a tendency to escalate their abuse. So by implementing this ODARA in all DV calls, it allows for interventions before the abuse gets worse.

The Assembly voted unanimously in favor of the bill, but it's still making its way through the legislative process. And if that goes well, then it'll be up to Governor Phil Murphy. The governor has not chimed in on this yet, but we are hopeful that the bill is going to continue. It got out of committee unanimously in the Assembly. So our hope is we really get this done in lame duck in November so we can have this law by January. That state Senator Vingapal of Mummuth County. After the break, how one Brooklyn woman turned her addiction recovery into a TikTok community of over 200,000 followers. Stay close. You're listening to NYC now. New York City and state officials frequently sound the alarm about how

social media can harm mental health, especially for young people. But on platforms like TikTok, many users post about their recovery from mental health and substance use disorders to find support. My colleague Caroline Lewis checked in with one Brooklyn woman who has a amassed 200,000 followers on TikTok posting about her daily life as she recovers from an addiction to crack cocaine. Holla back young age 70 days. So I woke up feeling really good. Holla back young age 33 days.

The weather's changing y'all. Kim Quidone has posted videos on TikTok almost every day for the past year. They usually start with an update on how long it's been since she last used drugs. The videos often show her in the courtyard of her public housing conference. complex in Bushwick, with frequent appearances by her neighbors and young grandchildren. Yeah, we're hanging on the park, me and Zion, say, hi. Hi! So you want to come play with us?

I meet up with Quidon in the Bushwick courtyard as she approaches her one-year-sober anniversary. The 48-year-old has her dark hair in a bun on top of her head and is wearing big gold hoop earrings. She brings her friend Riz, who records all her videos. Riz and me been friends for years. Riz asks me not to use his real name to protect his privacy. He tells me about the first video he recorded with Quedone a year ago, back when she was still using drugs. She said, Riz, I bet you I got a story that can make you laugh. And I was like, all right, I'm going to record you. And if you make me laugh, I'm going to post it. The story Quidone

told was about hiding naked in a refrigerator to evade her parole officers. Looking around, that's your refrigerator. I have no food anyway, right? And like, I want to say 10 hours, we had almost 50,000 views. Commenters soon started encouraging Quidon to get sober. And a week later, she took their advice, kicking a 20-year habit. When you're an addiction, you live in a dark place, so, like, you don't associate with too many people because you have your own mindset about using and that's it and how am I going to get my next drug. But seeing that there was people that really cared about my well-being and was willing to help me,

it really made me want to change the way I was living. Dr. Jonathan Avery is the vice chair of addiction psychiatry at New York Presbyterian and Wild Cornell Medical Center. He says finding community is crucial for recovery, whether it's in person or online. So many people come to addiction care saying, I don't want to involve my family, my friends, and it's so hard to do big change for yourself alone. Dr. Avery and other addiction recovery specialists say using social media comes with risks. Users can encounter misinformation or be confronted with the behaviors and people they're trying to get away from. But Dr. Avery says posting about recovery can also normalize it and help inspire others.

I think we need more people like her sort of saying, hey, I'm in recovery. It's great. You know, and life moves on. Quidon says she does occasionally get negative comments. At first I would let it bother me, but now I come to look at it like they haven't changed. something about them. Quidone projects a positive outlook, but she says the last year hasn't been easy. She's had to figure out how to manage her anxiety and has faced serious challenges. Her 20-year-old son Ariel died of appendicitis shortly after being released from Rikers in March.

It starts to rain as she talks about it. I was clean and sober. I was finally being a chance to be a mom and they took that away. And that's the saddest part about it. But she says she never wants to go back to using. drugs and having support helps. A few days after our interview, Quidon hosts a party in the courtyard in Bushwick, with music and balloons celebrating a year of sobriety. Quidon's adult daughters come by with her grandkids.

So do old friends and some of her online followers. One of them is 54-year-old Rochelle Blygin. She's with a group of friends, and they're all from the Lower East side, just like Quodon. We came up in the same era. And I could have easily. fell victim to the same thing. So, you know, just women supporting women, another mother supporting another mother.

Kodon says she plans to keep posting, as long as it helps her recovery. That's WMYC's Caroline Lewis. Before we go, a big congratulations to New York City's very own, Amaya Espinal, who has won this season of the reality dating show, Love Island.

The Dominican American won with her partner, Brian Aranales, another Dominican American from Boston. It's still unclear exactly where Amaya is from. She won over viewers and gained the nickname Amaya Papaya for her humor and silly metaphors. The chaotic season reached water cooler status in the U.S. this year. Even Mayor Adams stepped out to congratulate Amaya, identifying her as a Bronx native. He added that, quote,

New York City is the Love Island Villa of America. Thanks for listening to NYC now from WMYC. I'm Jene Pierre. We'll be back tomorrow.