NYC NOW - February 15, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: February 15, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: The New York City Council is considering legislation to reduce pollution and traffic from cruise ships docking in New York City. Meanwhile, Congress on Wednesday rejected a long-shot bid to temporarily double the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions for most married couples. Plus, a Queens man, who admitted to smuggling three Burmese pythons in his pants through the U.S.-Canadian border crossing, has been sentenced to a year of probation and fined $5,000.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Thursday, February 15th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. The New York City Council will consider legislation today to reduce pollution and traffic from cruise ships docking in the city. WNMIC's Catalina Goner reports. The R-Air Water Act would require cruise ships that dock at city terminals to plug into shore power rather than keeping their engines running. If past cruise operators would also have

to develop traffic mitigation plans in order to lessen congestion, vehicular noise and pollution, and other disruptions in streets surrounding cruise terminals. The bill was drafted by council member Alexa Aveles, who represents Red Hook, home to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Avelas plans to join co-sponsors and advocates on the steps of City Hall for a rally in support of the bill before the hearing begins at 10 o'clock this morning. A long-shot bid to temporarily double a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions for most married couples was defeated yesterday in Congress. The so-called salt cap has led to bigger tax bills for many residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and other high-cost, high-tax states.

Legislation would have doubled the cap for married couples who filed taxes jointly and make up to half a million. million dollars for the 2023 tax year. Democrats and a handful of Republicans voted against this bill. Some of those Democrats called it an election year ploy to help vulnerable swing district Republicans. The cap is set to expire at the end of next year. Federal prosecutors say a queensman who admitted to smuggling three Burmese pythons in his pants through a U.S.-Canadian border crossing is getting a year probation and a third. fine of $5,000. U.S. Attorney's upstate office says in 2018, Calvin Bautista crossed into northern New York with the snakes while riding on a bus from Montreal to New York City. The young adult

snakes were hidden in the inner thigh of his pants in snake bags tied to the pants drawstring. Bautista's lawyer did not comment. 28 and partly cloudy now. Increasing clouds today in a high of 37, the real field mid-teens, gusty, great walking weather. 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. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.