NYC NOW - March 6 2024: Midday News

Episode Date: March 6, 2024

Governor Kathy Hochul calls on the New York National Guard to help conduct bag checks at busy subway stations after a recent string of violent crimes. Governor Hochul's office will also launch a new program called "File Your State Taxes" next Tuesday under a partnership with the nonprofit Code for America. Finally, The spring season for the United Solo Theater Festival kicks off in New York City this week with more than 50 one-person shows. One show, GUAC, details the life of Joaquin Oliver, a teen who died in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.The show is written and performed by his father, Manuel, and focuses on the personal tragedy and a call to activism. Reporter Jeff Lunden has more.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Wednesday, March 6th. Here's the midday news from Michael Hill. Soldiers from the New York National Guard are coming to a train station near you. That's according to Governor Kathy Hochel, who says 750 members of the force will help conduct bag checks at busy subway stations, another 250 officers from the state police and MTA police,

also will stop passengers and check for bags. Hogle says the push is necessary after a string of high-profile violent crimes in the system, including a subway conductor, someone slashed in the neck last week. Because no one heading to their job or to visit family or to go to a doctor appointment should worry that the person sitting next to them possesses a deadly weapon. The governor says anyone who refuses to have their bag checked by a police officer, or soldier will not be allowed to ride the subway saying, quote, they can walk, end of quote, if they don't want to be searched. New Yorkers can file their taxes for free with help from the state this year.

Governor Hokel's office says a new program called File Your State Taxes is launching next Tuesday under partnership with the Nonprofit Code for America. The program will allow eligible residents to file their state taxes at no cost after finding their federal taxes through the IRS. his new direct file pilot program. Generally, the programs will be open to those claiming the standard deduction with certain sources of income. 49 with light rain out there now, floodwatch kicking in at 1 o'clock this afternoon. Rain today, mainly in the afternoon, could be heavy at times and rain again tonight as well. Stay close.

There's more after the break. The United Solo Theater Festival, Spring Season kicks. off in New York City this week. It will feature more than 50 one-person shows, including Guac. It details the life of teen Joaquin Oliver, who died in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjorie Stonewood Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The show is written and performed by his father, Manuel, and focuses on the personal tragedy and a call to activism. His reporter, Jeff London. At the very beginning of Guac, Manuel Oliver, a big burly man with a bushy gray beard, takes the stage and addresses the audience directly.

When you lose a son, what do you do? What do you do? What do I do? We do what we do best. That first line brings people in a kind of way of putting themselves a little bit in my shoes. Oliver spoke from his home in Florida. Gwock first played in New York City last October and was named Audubon. favorite at United Solo Festival. So this is what this is about. Like, what do you do? And now they want to hear what is it that you do?

There must be an answer. He's asking the question. He might give us the answer during the show. And I think I do give my answer. And for the next hour, Oliver tells his story about coming from Venezuela with his family, his close relationship with his son. I'm not an actor, so it's hard for me.

And I have to admit that I'm glad that I can do this. I'm glad that somehow Joaquin is giving me that strength. Much of guac is silly and sweet, how father and son bond over their love of movies and rock and roll. In particular, Leonard Skinnerd's free bird. Every time we were just doing whatever and the song will be played, stop doing. It doesn't matter what you're doing. Homework, taking a shower.

Like, oh, go ahead. Listen to the guitar solo and just play the air guitar. He knows how to connect with an audience. In a way, then most actors have a challenge doing. Chicago-based director Michael Cody helped Emmanuel Oliver Shape Gwack. It's played in cities like Chicago, Houston and Atlanta, among others. Cody says that while New York has lower rates of gun violence, audiences were moved by the story.

This play is about bringing the proximity of the issue closer to those who haven't experienced it. And I think with the New York audience, I feel like hearing Manny's story is about seeing this guy come to this country to experience the American dream and get punished for it. and I feel like that really resonated with our New York audience. In fact, he says that after performances last fall, audience members stayed afterwards

to speak with Manuel Oliver and his wife Patricia. Oliver's storytelling doesn't pull any punches. As the piece goes on, he describes unflinchingly the moment that he and his wife were taken into a small room and told by a policewoman that... Joaquin Oliver is one of the 17 victims. And that's the moment that cuts your life. That's the moment. That voice changes everything.

Oliver says in telling this story, this is not in any way catharsis for me. This is not in any way something that I do and then I feel better. United Solo's artistic director Omar Sangara says he wanted to bring Gwok back this spring because the theme of gun violence is even more relevant. He says the show is a call to action. It is motivating. It is not letting us mourn only, but it gives us a light, a purpose and directions to carry the thing called hope.

And to put the audience more in Manuel Oliver's shoes, there are two moments in the piece where he asks the audience to participate. At one point, he pauses the play so people can take out their cell phones and call a loved one, to tell them they are all right and they are loved. It's something he'll never get a chance to do again with Joaquin. And at the end, he asks the audience to stand up and play air guitar to Leonard Skinner's Freebird enjoy a celebration of Joaquin. And Oliver hopes that the answer to that first question,

What Do You Do? Is that after seeing Guac, New York audiences will become activists themselves. For WNYC News, I'm Jeff London. 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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