NYC NOW - February 13, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: February 13, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: One person is dead and five others are injured after a subway shooting at the Mount Eden train stop in the Bronx on Monday. No arrests have been made. Meanwhile, polls are open in eastern Queens and Long Island, where voters are replacing ousted Congress member George Santos. Also, the city health department wants to ban smoking tobacco or using e-cigarettes while dining outdoors. Finally, the New Jersey legislature passes a new bill with changes to how the state enforces town requirements to build more low-income housing.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, February 13th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. A subway shooting killed one person and heard five others in yesterday afternoon's rush hour at a West Bronx subway station. The NYPD says the shooting happened at the Mount Eden stop along the foreline about 4.45 in the afternoon. Police have not reported any arrest.

The MTA says northbound four trains are running express from 149th Street to Burnshout Avenue while police continue their investigation. Polls have just opened in eastern Queens and Long Island where voters are replacing ousted Congressmember George Santos. WNIC's Bridget Bergen has the details. The choices between Democratic candidate Tom Swazi and Republican nominee Mazzi Pillop. Recent polls show the race is a dead heat. Swazi is a moderate Democrat who served in Congress for three terms. before making an unsuccessful run for governor in 2022. Pillup is still a registered Democrat, serving her second term in the Nassau County Legislature. The campaign has been dominated by

national issues, including the migrant crisis, abortion, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and chaos in Washington, D.C. While turnout in special elections is often low, the winter storm could further depress turnout in this race. The New York City Health Department wants to ban smoking tobacco or using e-cigure. while dining outdoors. Current law allows for smoking or e-cigarette use in outdoor dining areas as long as specific rules are adhered to. The City Health Department now wants to remove that section of the law altogether.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg famously banned smoking inside bars and restaurants. That was back in 2003. The City Health Department did not respond to our request for comment. New Jersey's has stepped closer to making sweeping changes to how the state enforces town requirements to build more low-income housing. The State Assembly passed legislation yesterday. The bill says towns can earn extra credit toward their affordable housing obligations if they put units near train stations or grocery stores. Zoe Baldwin is the New Jersey Director for the Regional Plan Association. She says the bill would encourage local governments not to push its

lower income housing to the outskirts of town. This is the first affordable housing legislation that would really incentivize communities to build housing where people in. The bill still needs to pass. The bill still needs to pass the state senate before it can be sent to the governor's desk. 33 with snow right now, heavy at times a day, up to nine inches in Central Park, high to mid-30s today. 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.

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