NYC NOW - July 14, 2023: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: July 14, 2023

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: The City Council overrides Mayor Adams’ veto and votes in favor of bills expanding rental assistance. Meanwhile, a recent lawsuit challenges the MTA’s plan to reassign elevator operators in Washington Heights, citing safety risks for riders with disabilities. And, to mark hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, two of New York City’s library systems commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with special library cards.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Friday, July 14th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. 75 and cloudy, mostly cloudy today, 86, late afternoon, showers and thunderstorms are likely. The city council has voted to override Mayor Adams veto of a set of bills that expand rental assistance. WNIC's Elizabeth Kim reports. The 42-8 vote marks a major defeat for the mayor, who argues the legislation would be too costly for the city.

Speaker Adrian Adams defended the proposals as a way to help low-income New Yorkers avoid eviction at a time when the city's shelter population is at record levels and rents are soaring. This is a personal matter for many of us. The fact that we have to override a veto is incomprehensible to me. The mayor says he's reviewing his options. and next steps. He's hinted that he may challenge the laws in court, and he has several months to decide. The laws go into effect in 180 days. A new lawsuit argues that an MTA plan to reassign elevator operators at stations in Washington Heights poses a safety risk to riders with disabilities. 19 operator jobs at four stations along the A and 1 train lines are due to be eliminated on Sunday. Lawyer Arthur Schwartz of the Transport Workers Union says,

these elevator operators are the eyes and ears for stations deep underground. And by cutting them out, there's a lot of concern in the local neighborhood about how these elevators will now be unsafe after Sunday. The MTA says it's reviewing the lawsuit. Two of New York City's library systems are saluting hip-hop's 50th anniversary by offering special library cards. WNYC's precious foundron has more. Starting today at New York Public Libraries, you can get a library card with the iconic mural from the hip-hop film Wild Style on it.

And in Queens, you can get one that features original art from the fashion pioneers, The Shirt Kings. 53-year-old Rennell Curtis is a longtime Queens resident who picked up her card at a special event at the Central Queens Library. She already has a library card, but says she just had to get the Shirt Kings ones too. This is one genre that I was here actually before the genre, so I feel like a little bit of ownership, you know? a little bit of a whole lot of loyalty to hip hop. So I'm up for anything hip hop. Both library cards are available while supplies last. 75 and cloudy now.

A flood watch till midnight for parts of Southern Connecticut and southeast New York. Our forecast today, late afternoon showers and thunderstorms likely, mostly clouding 86, and we have shower and thunderstorm chances through the weekend. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every week. three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.