NYC NOW - Evening Roundup: Mayor Adams Expands Targeted Crime Reduction Program, New Jersey Braces for Medicaid Cuts, Association of Volleyball Professionals Take Over Wollman Rink, and Museum of Natural History Welcomes SNAP Recipients

Episode Date: July 18, 2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expanding a program that seeks to reduce violent crime on specific blocks. Plus, New Jersey could lose more than $3 billion in federal Medicaid funding after President Trump signed a new law that many low-income people rely on for health insurance. Also, the Association of Volleyball Professionals is transforming Wollman Rink into a sand court and showcasing some of the world’s best players. And finally, New Yorkers who receive food benefits can now visit the Museum of Natural History for free.

Mayor Adams expands his targeted crime reduction program. New Jersey braces for Medicaid cuts. The Association of Volleyball professionals take over Woolman Rink in Central Park. And the Museum of Natural History welcomes SNAP recipients. From WMYC, this is NYC Now. I'm Jinné Pierre. Mayor Eric Adams is expanding a program that seeks to reduce violent crime and disorder on specific New York City blocks.

The initiative is called Everyttaxie. Every block counts and involves numerous city agencies from the NYPD to the Parks Department. It's expanding to five blocks, each in Corona Queens, Inwood in northern Manhattan, and the north shore of Staten Island. Adam says earlier efforts in Brooklyn and the Bronx have been successful. We know there's still blocks where we do have shootings, and we want to zero in on those locations and stop the violence and stop the quality of life concerns that New Yorkers are facing. A volunteer resident, dubbed a block CEO, is tasked with communicating with city officials about what's going on. New Jersey could lose more than $3 billion in federal Medicaid funding after President Trump signed a new law cutting the program that many low-income people rely on for health insurance. Sarah Aedleman is the commissioner of New Jersey Human Services, the agency that runs Medicaid for the state.

She says the state can't make up the entirety of the cuts. There's no scenario where the state can take a $4 billion cut in federal funding and find state funds to make up for all of that. The consequences here are dire. Families across the garden state are now bracing for the cuts. But WMYC's Mike Hayes says, beyond the dollars, this law also changes how people qualify for Medicaid. For example, starting in 27, able-bodied adults will have to work 80 hours a month. month to qualify, which is going to pose some challenges for people like gig workers or people in non-traditional nine-to-five jobs. And it's expected to lead to more people getting kicked

off the roles. There are exceptions in place for like caregivers, but not for all of them. Not for all of them. The new law only gives work exceptions to caregivers of children under the age of 14. Teresa Liu lives in Baskin Ridge, New Jersey, and she's the mother of autistic twin boys with high support needs. Teresa says she only works part-time because caring for her sons is a full-time job. That means she's unable to fulfill the work requirements that come with this new law

because her boys are turning 14 next year. It's criminal. Like this bill should be criminal because it really does erase the chance for a lot of these children to have a future. Doctors are also concerned about this new law. My colleague Mike talked with Dr. Eileen Conte, She's an ophthalmologist who runs a private practice in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Mike says Dr. Conti has firsthand experience with what happens when Medicaid patients lose coverage. She told me about one woman who, in fact, went blind because she lost her coverage. This woman was suffering from glaucoma, and she just all of a sudden stopped coming in for her appointments. She couldn't afford the costly eye drops that you have to take to treat that disease. Dr. Conti told me the woman eventually started showing up again. After a year, she was able to get back on some health care coverage, but by that time, she had completely lost her vision in one of her eyes. The state estimates that 350,000 New Jerseyans will lose their health coverage under President Trump's new law.

In New York City, 300 tons of sand has been poured over Central Park's Woolman Rink for a weekend of beach volleyball. More on that after the break. This weekend, pro beach volleyball is taking over. Central Park. The AVP, that's the Association of Volleyball Professionals, is transforming Woolman Rink into a sand court and showcasing some of the world's best players. One of those players is Melissa Humana Paredes. The silver medalist from Canada currently plays for the Palm Beach Passion, one of eight teams in the league. Playing the game she loves at this level is a dream come true for Melissa. She grew up around the sport and has been playing competitively

since the age of 12. My dad was an Olympic beach volleyball coach at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. And so growing up, I kind of was in gyms and I was on beaches with his team. So I was exposed to it at a pretty young age. And I fell in love pretty quickly. And when I was about 15, 16 years old, I started representing my country internationally. And, you know, I haven't stopped ever since. For New Yorkers, beach volleyball isn't a sport you see every day.

Historically, it's been known as a sort of grassroots game. associated with beaches in places like Southern California or Brazil. But the AVP is hoping to change that by showcasing players in places like the Big Apple and showing fans that beach volleyball can be played anywhere. It can be played in the middle of New York City in a concrete jungle, in a metropolitan city, in the middle of Central Park. I think the opportunities are endless for this sport. And I think it's great to grow the game.

It's not just played on beaches. In fact, we often don't play solely on beaches anymore. We're often in tennis stadiums or in a makeshift part. lot. And so I think it just diversifies the game and promotes it in different settings because it's meant to broaden horizons. The AVP League's New York stop is happening this weekend at Woolman Rink in Central Park. Doors open Saturday night at five with matches starting at six. And on Sunday, doors open at 11 in the morning with play at noon. All right, before we hop into the weekend, a heads up on some perks for New Yorkers who receive food benefits. You can now visit the

Museum of Natural History for free. The museum is already pay what you wish for state residents. The new Discoverer membership for SNAP recipients comes with other benefits like free entry to ticketed exhibits, access to member entrance and parking discounts. And you can bring guests for free. To enroll, just show up to the museum with your New York State EBT card. The membership lasts for one year. Now, whether you decide to head out to the museum or check out the AVP's Beach volleyball games this weekend, expect some cooler temperatures compared to the past few days of sweltering conditions. According to the National Weather Service, humidity levels will rise this weekend, but they won't be quite as muggy as earlier this week. Sunday's real-filled

temperatures could reach the lower to mid-90s. There are also chances of showers over the weekend and a marginal risk of flooding in some areas. Either way, make the most of your weekend. Thanks for listening to NYC now from WMYC. Until next time, I'm Jenae Pierre.