NYC NOW - Evening Roundup: Gov. Hochul’s Favorability Drops, Truckers Use Queens Neighborhood as Parking Lot, NYC Mayoral Race and Civics Week

Episode Date: March 10, 2025

A new Siena College poll shows nearly half of New York voters have an unfavorable view of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Plus, residents who live near JFK Airport say their neighborhoods are inundated with illegally parked trucks and other commercial vehicles. Also, the latest from a busy campaign weekend for those in the race for New York City mayor. And finally, students in New York City Public Schools share projects that encourage them to use their voices to advocate for changes in their communities.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City. From WMYC, I'm Jenae Pierre. Half of New York State voters say they have an unfavorable view of Governor Kathy Hokel. That's according to a new Sienna College poll. 40% of voters in the polls said they have a positive view of the governor, while 50% said they have a negative one. Sienna pollster Steve Greenberg says voters seem to have their minds made up about Hokel. She's never hit 50%.

She's never had a majority of New Yorkers view her favorably. That's in the last three and a half years. But the governor is still the frontrunner in next year's Democratic gubernatorial primary. The Sienna poll found she has a 40-point lead over two potential Democratic challengers, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado and Bronx Representative Richie Torres. Queens residents who live near JFK Airport say their neighborhood, neighborhoods are inundated with illegally parked trucks and other commercial vehicles. In 2022, Mayor Eric Adams vowed to crack down on the truckers, but locals say the issue persists.

Sandra Long lives in Rosdale. Sometimes they separate the tractor trailers from the trailer from the tractor, and they'll take the trailer, the tractor away and leave the trailer. On a recent tour of the area, 17 vehicles were parked illegally. The sidewalk was littered with bags of trash and empty liquor bottles. The Port Authority says they've added 150 truck parking spaces at the airport. The NYPD says officers have issued more than 100 tickets in the area since December. Mayoral candidates hit the campaign trail hard this past weekend, some for the first time. We'll recap the busy campaign weekend after the break.

Yet another candidate is looking to make a splash among Democrats running for New York City Mayor. City Council Speaker Adrian Adams held her first. campaign event over the weekend. She joined the field last week with just over 100 days until primary day. My colleague Michael Hill talked with WMYC's senior politics reporter Bridget Bergen for the latest from the busy campaign weekend. Bridget, last week you told us about former Governor Cuomo officially entering the race in his first campaign event. How did it compare to Speaker Agent Athens this weekend? Yeah, Michael, so just as a refresher on that, remember that Cuomo event was up on the seventh floor of a union office building.

actually around the corner from our station here in Manhattan. There was a protest outside of women who wanted to remind his supporters on the press of the sexual harassment allegations that led to his resignation in 2021. You know, there were wristbands and multiple security checkpoints. Inside, this was his walk-on song. It was New York Groove. So you can hear New York Groove. That's that rock song from the 1970s under the cheers of his supporters.

Now, of course, you know, that's a song from the time when the city was in crisis, which is very much in keeping with the city and crisis theme that is so central to Cuomo's pitch to voters, the vibes and crowd at Speaker Adams launch event really could not have been any more different. How so? Well, no wristbands, of course. It was totally open to the public. Instead of unions hosting the event, there were local elected officials, tenant association

presidents, and the AKA's Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. And this was playing when Speaker Adams. was introduced. I do my head tall. Check my nails. Baby, how you feel? So that's a little Lizzo for you this morning, Michael, a song about resilience from this century,

so different vibes. Her event was on the ground floor of the Rochdale Village shopping center with about 250 people seated there, plus shoppers who just kind of gathered around. And that location is incredibly important. Ranchdale Village is the second largest Mitchell Lama housing development in the state. Michalamah means home ownership, and it's right in the heart of Southeast Queens,

a vote-rich part of the city that can influence the outcome of a Democratic primary and as Speaker Adams is establishing from the start. This is her home turf. Every New Yorker has their corner of the city that they call home, but Southeast Queens is my corner. Now, I'll note, Michael, she's really leaning into her first name in this race. Her campaign signs all say Adrian for mayor. trying maybe to distance herself from the baggage of the current mayor, Eric Adams.

They do have a few things in common. Both are from that part of Southeast Queens. Both went to Bayside High School, but, of course, they're no relation. You mentioned the importance of Southeast Queens. Would you say a little bit more about why it matters so much in a primary election? I mean, Michael, Southeast Queens got a shout out more than two dozen times during the speeches on Saturday. And as I mentioned, it's a very vote-rich area for Democrats. It's where one of the largest populations of middle class black New Yorkers live in the city.

We're talking neighborhoods like Ratchell Village, Hollis, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans, Beasley Park, Jamaica, all incredibly key to Mayor Adams' success in 2021. And it's where the speaker is counting on making inroads and what will be a very challenging campaign. You know, as we look at the broader field of candidates, she was not the only candidate making a direct appeal to black voters across the city this weekend. Brooklyn State Senator Zellmer Mirey spoke to Reverend L. Sharpton's National Action Network on Saturday. Here's a little bit of what he said, taking aim at another candidate who had traditionally relied on support from voters in the black community. So-called leaders who were coming before you today asking to be your mayor, who sat in the governor's mansion, sat in our pews on Sunday and cut our schools on Monday. I mean, I think he can probably tell who he's talking about there.

Michael. He is going after former Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose administration did make initial cuts to school funding and never fully funded so-called foundation aid that goes to, you know, some of the neediest schools in the state. For his part, Cuomo was also on the campaign trail this weekend at Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Harlem and proposing 5,000 more police officers to improve public safety. And what were the candidates up to this weekend? So really all the candidates were out there trying to get their petition signatures. That April 3rd deadline is, quickly approaching. I'm sure some of you maybe spotted them at farmers markets and your subways. Another big event, some candidates were involved with was the interview process for the Working Families Party endorsement. They actually opened the process up to people to observe, and they scheduled a selection of the candidates to participate yesterday afternoon. Brad Lander, Zeran Mammani, Zellner Myrie, Adrian Adams, Jessica Ramos, and Michael Blake were all scheduled to participate. So no Cuomo and no former controller Scott Stringer.

list. Yeah. To say that Cuomo and the Working Families Party are at odds with each other would be an understatement. Governor Cuomo, when he was in office, really pushed legislation to threaten the existence of the Working Families Party. He wanted to increase the number of votes the party needed to keep their ballot line. And, you know, that just has created kind of an ongoing existential crisis for the party. This was, of course, years after the WFP begrudgingly supported his re-election campaign way back in 2014 instead of endorsing the more liberal candidate Zephyr Teachout. Stringer also has a complicated history with the party. He had their endorsement in 2021, but then they actually rescinded it after reports of sexual harassment claims from a former

campaign staffer two decades earlier. Stringer has consistently denied those claims. So not really a big surprise that neither would participate, but we will certainly be watching as the WFP decides what will likely end up being a slate of candidates it endorses in this election. Bridget, I think I can say if there was no other political race taking place, this mayor's race would be enough. That is absolutely true, Michael. That's WMYC's senior politics reporter Bridget Bergen talking with my colleague Michael Hill. It's civics week at New York City Public Schools. All week long, students are focusing on the theme, democracy begins here with projects that encourage them.

to use their voices to advocate for changes in their community. As part of the curriculum, students were invited to submit soapbox speeches on issues they care about. Here's one from first grader, Famela Karsula, at PS-173 in Fresh Meadows, Queens. Today, I want to talk to you about how some kids are being mean to other kids. This is a big problem because kids might grow up thinking that's right to. be mean to others. Imagine a world where people respect each other in school, at work, at home, and the community. There will be less hate in the world. We can solve this problem by teaching kids to use kind words and showing kids how to listen with respect. I need you to show people that

kids can be nice. We can all choose to be kind, so let's do it. That was first grader for Mella Karsula at PS-173 in Fresh Meadows Queens. Thanks for listening to NYC now from WMYC. I'm Jenae Pierre. We'll be back tomorrow.