NYC NOW - July 29, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: July 29, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: New FDNY data shows e-bike battery fires in 2024 are similar to 2023, but deaths have decreased from 13 to one. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has issued an emergency stop on parts of a new law that limits solitary confinement in city jails due to safety concerns. Plus, a new city-run volunteer group tackling rat problems is recruiting new members.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, July 29th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. More than 140 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries and e-bikes have occurred so far this year. But WNYC's MacC's Matt Katz reports there's actually some surprising news in this year's numbers. FDNY data shows there were about. not the same number of e-bike battery fires in the first half of this year as there were in the

first half of 2023. But while there were 13 deaths through this point last year, so for this year, there's only been one. FDNY officials say the fires are increasingly starting outside, where fire is less likely to result in injury and death. The officials say that means New Yorkers are heating FDNY warnings to keep e-bike batteries out of their homes. To incentivize outdoor charging, the city is planning for the installation of charging stations on city sidewalks. Mayor Adams has halted parts of a new law that banned solitary confinement in city jails. His emergency order stops the Department of Correction from enacting certain parts of the law, which requires a four-hour time limit on holding prisoners in isolation.

The order comes after Adams vetoed the original bill banning solitary confinement after the council had approved it. The council overrode that veto in January. The city's management of Rikers Island is already under review by a federal monitor. Adams' executive orders says banning solitary confinement at the jail could hinder the correction department's ability to make the facilities safer. Do you hate rats? You may be in good company joining the New York City Radpack.

The new city-run volunteer group is recruiting rabbit-rodent-hating residents to get involved in rat mitigation. New York State Assembly member Jennifer Rochkimer says she's one of its first members. So we are on the road to progress and we are all here to say as one united rat pack that this is our city and this city does not belong to the rats. To join the group and get an official rat pack t-shirt or a hat, New Yorkers have to attend a rat information workshop, join the rat Zahar on a walking tour and complete a volunteering project. 71 with clouds right now. We have a chance of showers with thunderstorms late morning,

partly sunny, mid-80s for a high. And then tonight a slim chance of showers in thunderstorms. That is overnight after midnight, a low around 72. Then tomorrow chance of morning rush hour showers and thunderstorms gusty in 85. 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.