NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: NYPD Bomb Squad Faces Wave of Retirements, REAL ID Officially Required for Domestic Flights, and MTA Tests Flood Doors

Episode Date: May 7, 2025

Nearly half of the NYPD’s bomb squad is eligible to retire this year, including many of their dogs. Meanwhile, starting this Wednesday, travelers without a passport must show a REAL ID to board domestic flights. Plus, the MTA will close the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel overnight from Wednesday through May 13th to test its massive flood doors as part of hurricane preparedness.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Wednesday, May 7th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Nearly half of the NYPD's bomb squad could retire this year, along with their dogs. WNMIC's Charles Lane reports. The NYPD Detectives Union says 22 of the bomb squad's 45 officers have reached 20 years of service and could retire this year. The union president says the retirements could threaten the city's 24-hour bomb protection. That would also mean the bomb-sniffing dogs and their expensive training could go as well. The number of detectives has fallen steadily since 2020, losing about 8% of its ranks.

In March, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department is in a, quote, hiring crisis and lowered education standards in order to boost recruitment. A spokesperson for the department said it is working to keep the unit staffed. to JFK, LaGuardia, or how about Newark this morning? Starting today, if you don't have a passport, you must present your real ID even to fly within the USA. WNIC's Sean Carlson has more. A real ID is a driver's license, learner's permit, or non-driver identification card that meets federal security criteria. Without it, you won't be able to board a plane flying within the United States or enter certain federal facilities or nuclear power plants. You can, however, use a passport instead.

Technically, real ID enforcement begins today, but earlier this week, Homeland Security Secretary Christy Knoem said, if you do show up at the airport with an old ID, you still will be allowed to fly for now, but you should be prepared to spend more time getting through security. Heads up for late-night drivers, the MTA is testing its massive flood doors at the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel this week. It's part of the ongoing prep for hurricanes and coastal storms.

That means overnight closures start tonight and run through Tuesday morning. One tube with the tunnel will close each night. This is between nine at night and five in the morning. Friday night's test will run later from 11 at night to 7 Saturday morning. During these times, drivers can expect just one lane open in each direction through the remaining tube. Today's forecast, light chances of showers by 8 this morning. We may be through that by now. And then after 2 o'clock this afternoon, mostly sunny and sunny.

74 with the light wind today. And then tomorrow, a chance of late morning, afternoon showers, and maybe with thunderstorms into the evening, partly sunny and 74. 58 with sunshine now. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC. Check us out for updates every weekday. Three times a date for the latest news headlines and occasional deep dives.

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