NYC NOW - May 21, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: May 21, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Brooklyn Pastor Lamor Whitehead is headed to jail after a judge revoked his bail on Monday for proclaiming his innocence on a podcast. In other news, street safety advocates say five people were killed by cars in Queens over the weekend, making 2024 one of the deadliest years for the borough since the Vision Zero initiative began. Plus, flags will fly at New York state buildings in honor of retired New York State Police member Benedicto Albizu Jr., who died earlier this month from an illness related to his assignment at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 attacks.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, May 21st. Here's the morning headlines from David First. A Brooklyn pasture who calls himself a mentee of Mayor Adams is going to jail. A jury recently convicted Lamore Whitehead of multiple federal charges, including wire fraud. Yesterday, a judge decided to jail Whitehead while he awaits sentencing. after receiving a message about Whitehead's comments on a podcast called Let's Be Clear with Minister Jamal Bryant.

On the podcast, Whitehead denies stealing from his church. I've had Bentley's, Range Rovers, you name it. I had all the cards. That's just me. And I always was into jury. I like houses. I like to purchase houses, calls and jury. That's just what I like to do. And closed. Whitehead's defense attorney did not immediately respond to request for comment. Street safety advocates say five people were killed by cars in Queens over the weekend. They say 2024 is turning out to be one of the deadliest years for the borough streets since the city's Vision Zero initiative began. WNYC's Charles Lane reports. Transportation alternatives says traffic deaths

are 40% higher than average in Queens this year. The past weekend was particularly bad. Fatalities included a five-year-old who was struck and killed near a playground. Elizabeth Adams is deputy director of the advocacy group. She says the city is failing to make streets safer. We have the tools to change it, you know, and to throw our hands up is callous and cruel. The city is required to build 50 miles a bike and bus lanes a year by law. The Transportation Department says it's fallen behind, but says it's using every tool available to make roads safer. Flags on state buildings throughout New York will form.

fly at half staff today from sunrise to sunset to honor a fallen state trooper. Governor Kathy Hokel says that's to honor a retired member of the New York State Police named Benedicto Abizu Jr. She says he died earlier this month from an illness related to his assignment at the World Trade Center site following the 9-11 attacks. His funeral services were held yesterday. 58 degrees right now warming up today and over the next several days. Some patchy fog this morning than mostly sunny skies today, getting up to a high of 83 this afternoon. Tonight, we'll just drop down to 64 degrees with partly cloudy skies, up to 87 tomorrow with sunshine expected, partly sunny on Thursday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high

near 90. 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 podcast. podcast. See you this afternoon.