NYC NOW - January 19, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: January 19, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Recent inspection reports from the Department of Buildings reveal that 20% of Manhattan parking garages inspected following a fatal collapse in April exhibit unsafe conditions, including cracking, corroding, and separating concrete. Also, New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh has made a trip to Washington D.C. to advocate for awareness and action regarding the hazards of defective e-bike batteries. Additionally, an education equity advocate warns that a new lawsuit might hinder progress in diversity initiatives across New York.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Friday, January 19th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. 20% of Manhattan parking garages inspected after a deadly garage collapse in April had unsafe conditions, including cracking, corrupt, separating concrete. That's according to New Department of Buildings inspection reports posted online. Eric Crowley of Cowley Engineering said one garage was shut down because of significant concrete corrosion. Enough for injury to people and damage to cars.

And a real question about the structural capacity of the floor slabs. All told unsafe conditions were uncovered in 110 garages, with thousands more to be inspected on a rolling basis. The Department of Building says it finds 400 property owners from missing engineering inspection reports. court deadlines. New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh continues to sound the alarm on the dangers of faulty e-bike batteries. She went to Washington, D.C. yesterday for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Kavanaugh says the battery's high-energy content makes the flames fast-moving and destructive. Our fire marshals have remarked that most fires caused by arson do not cause as much damage

as these batteries do when they fail. The city recorded nearly 270 fires caused by lithium. ion battery packs in 2023. That's up about 20% over the year before. Covenant joins other fire safety leaders in calling on Congress to pass a bill that would require the federal government to set nationwide safety standards for lithium ion batteries. An education equity advocate says a new lawsuit could set back diversity initiatives in New York. The lawsuit alleges racial discrimination in a popular extracurricular science program, executive director of New York Apple seed, Naya Berg, says such programs are vital to diversifying the ranks of STEM programs. It's important for STEM to be diverse so that we can reap the benefits that come with having a diverse

workplace. Asian American parent groups claim in a federal lawsuit file this week that the state's science technology program favors black, Hispanic, and Native American applicants while making it tougher for white and Asian students. State Labor Department data show white and Asian workers are overrepresented in STEM jobs, while black and Hispanic workers are underrepresented. Alternate side parking canceled today in the city because of the snow forecast, but yep, yeah, we still must pay the parking meters.

Snow in the forecast, as we said, mainly after 10 this morning, one and three inches in the city, three to seven on the Jersey shore, high and your 30 today, cold this weekend. 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.