NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Medicaid Cuts Could Hit Bronx Hard, Braille Library Launches New E-Readers, and Woman to Sue NYPD Over Crown Heights Protest Mob

Episode Date: July 10, 2025

The Hochul administration warns that federal Medicaid cuts could hit the Bronx especially hard, threatening both health coverage and jobs in the borough. Meanwhile, in honor of Disability Pride Month, the Andrew Heiskell Library, New York City’s only braille and talking book library, is rolling out new electronic Braille readers. And in Brooklyn, a woman has filed notice of intent to sue the city, alleging police failed to intervene when a mob of Orthodox Jewish men surrounded her outside a Crown Heights synagogue after a protest of Israel’s security minister. She says she was not participating in the demonstration.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Thursday, July 10th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. The Hoke administration predicts the federal Medicaid cuts will hit the Bronx especially hard, taking a toll on both health coverage and jobs. WNYC's Caroline Lewis reports. Health care is a major piece of the Bronx's economy and the sector largely runs on Medicaid. Medicaid insures about two-thirds of Bronx residents, one of the highest rates in the country. In one Bronx congressional district, the 15th, the state estimates more than 100,000 residents will lose their insurance as a result of the federal spending cuts. State hospital groups are projecting the same district will lose nearly 3,000 hospital jobs.

Statewide, 1.5 million residents are expected to lose health coverage, and an estimated 34,000 hospital jobs are expected. to disappear. It's Disability Pride Month. New York City's only Braille and Talking Book Library is launching brand-new e-readers. The Andrew High School Library in Midtown Manhattan is now offering electronic braille reading devices on free long-term loan. Books in traditional print braille can take up a lot of space. The electronic readers are the size of a paperback book and display one line of braille at a time

so you can carry hundreds of books in one device. Ashley Dale is the supervising librarian at the library. She calls the new readers a crucial step in reading accessibility. And this is really important for us to be bridging both the digital divide with our library patients as well as the income divide. A device like this traditionally retails for over $1,000. The library also hosts weekly Braille and Technology Workshop for people, new to low vision or blindness. A Brooklyn woman says the NYPD failed to properly protect her as a mob of

Orthodox Jewish men and boys accosted her in the aftermath of a pro-Palestinian protest this spring. That's according to a notice the woman has filed with the city controller's office declaring her intent to sue. She claims the crowd surrounded her after a protest of Israel's security minister at a historic synagogue in Crown Heights. The woman says she was not participating in the protests. Attorney Leo Glickman represents her. We believe that the NYPD, under city leadership, shows a bias against pro-Palestinian protesters. The NYPD says its hate crimes task force is investigating the incident. 72 and cloudy now, chance of showers and thunderstorms high of 81.

Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC. Catch us every weekday, 3,000. times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. More soon.