NYC NOW - November 4, 2024: Midday News

Episode Date: November 4, 2024

Some doctors are making a last-minute push to support Proposition 1, a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the New York State constitution. Meanwhile, tech workers at The New York Times walked off the job Monday after contract talks stalled over the weekend. Plus, ahead of Election Day, WNYC's Community Partnerships Desk has been visiting laundromats across the region, speaking with voters about what's motivating them this election season. We head to Star Laundromat on Staten Island.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, November 4th. Here's the midday news from Michael Hill. Some doctors are making a last-minute attempt to get voters to support Proposition 1 on Election Day. The ballot initiative would enshrine abortion rights in the New York State Constitution, if approved, More than 150 health providers have released a letter today saying Prop 1 will help ensure continued access to reproductive health care.

Dr. Linda Prine signed on. She practices in New York City and prescribes abortion pills to people in other states with restrictive abortion laws. Dr. Prine says there are cases of patients needing in-person follow-up care. They need to be assessed in a medical facility because they're having very heavy bleeding and they're afraid to go to the hospital. Some opponents of Prop 1 say abortion rights are not politically at risk in New York. New York Times tech workers have walked off the job one day before Election Day. After failing to reach an agreement with management yesterday,

members of the Times Tech Guild say they're now on strike. The Guild represents more than 600 workers at the paper. That includes software engineers, product managers, data analysts, and designers, like the people make the famous election day needle. Tech Guild workers hit the picket line this morning at 9 o'clock. A New York Times spokesperson says, we look forward to continuing to work with the Tech Guild to reach a fair contract,

but also noted that the workers are among the highest paid individual contributors in the company. The Times also criticized the timing of the strike, calling it unnecessary and in odds with the paper's mission. 57 with some sunshine now, partly sunny and 59 a day. Election day tomorrow, partly sunny and 71 and gusty, even warmer, though, on Wednesday up to 77. Stay close. There's more after the break. After months of anticipation and what feels like an endless stream of polls, ads, and debates, the time has come for voters, you, we, us to weigh in.

Tomorrow is the general election with polls opening at 6.5. 6 o'clock in the morning in New York, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. For months now, WNYC's Community Partnership's desk has been crisscrossing the New York metro area, as you've been hearing, talking with voters about what's driving them to the polls this year, if at all. And all of those conversations have been happening in laundromats. It's a perfect project that we call suds and civics. This morning editor, George Bodarky, is at Star Longement on the north shore of Staten Island,

where he spent quite a bit of time over the last few months. George, in all the conversations you've had, is there a particular message or concern that's come up again and again? Yes, Michael, costs are too high, especially groceries. 60-year-old Emeka O'Kecchi does his wash here on Staten Island. He was planning to head across the street to the grocery store after getting his laundry done. As soon as I'm done, I'm going to walk in there to buy some things,

but things are getting pretty expensive every day, and I wish it comes down. 29-year-old Eddie Volez is a fast food manager here on Staten Island. He says people earning a minimum wage of $16 an hour in New York can't keep up with expenses. Rents, for example, some places do like $1,300, even $2,100, for instance, and that wouldn't be enough considering utility bills like, you know, gas, water, electric. At Bubbles-Russ in Patterson, New Jersey, 30-year-old Melanie Cruz shared a similar sentiment. She's the mom of a 10-year-old and an 8-month-old.

Everything is just too expensive now to a point where I don't think our children, when they get older, are going to be able to survive on their own. They would definitely need help, especially with minimum wage is just not where it should be. And some 80 miles away at Fountain Square Laundry and Beacon in New York's Hudson Valley, Mary Beth Romeo reflected on the challenges her family faces in trying to buy a home. She's 43, her wife is 40, and they have a 3-year-old. son. We have pretty good job. So I'm a personal chef. She's a chiropractor and we can't afford a house. I think my dad bought a house on disability and my mom bought a house as a bartender and it's just not like

that anymore. It makes me feel like it's harder to get by in this generation as like a mom, as a person in the working world. Okay, so economic concerns are on top of mind, George. What other issues are people thinking about? Safety is a big one, Michael. Seventy-fifty. five-year-old Juana Lidiano was getting her wash done at bubbly laundry in the Bronx. We have to care about our children to make so they live in cleaning environment and they get help that they need it. At Madison Ave Laundrie in East Harlem, 67-year-old Donna Johnson says she wants to see a greater investment in mental health care and drug treatment programs. My concern is the safe injection sites because you see needles all over the street. Kids live in the community, so that's really a concern of mine.

five-year-old Erin Sonata also does her wash at Madison Ave. As a teacher, she says investing in education is what matters most to her, but housing affordability is also a big issue for her. I really also find housing really important for my students because I have so many insecurely housed students. Those are the things that I'm looking that I think are most important and that I care about when I'm usually high about. And also women's rights and everything else, but those are the things that I can think about a lot. And we heard a very emotional response here on Staten Island to the issue of immigration from 39-year-old Yvonne Ramirez. As a DACA recipient, she says she's frustrated by the lack of a clear path to citizenship.

They really need to consider the toll that it takes on families and individuals for the fact that I myself was here since I was three. So to feel like you don't even have a country because I don't have a way to claim Mexico because I don't really know it. I was just born there. And then I've lived here my whole life and not being able to participate or engage with the only country I've known is like it doesn't make sense. I can definitely certainly hear it there, George. Now, a record number of people cast their ballots as we've been reporting, George, in early voting last week, so there's clearly a lot of enthusiasm for this election.

Are you hearing that too, George? For sure. Salio Sousseau in the Bronx says he never misses an opportunity to vote. I need changes. Not only me, but the community also need changes. And the country needs changes. We need better for the future. So that's the reason why I always vote. And then I always tell my friends and, you know, neighbors, let's go vote. If you don't see any changes for the particular person, next time don't vote for him or don't vote for her. Vote for someone who can make changes. Now, 41-year-old Omar Fall was doing his wash at Madison Ave Laundrie in East Harlem. He's also all-in on voting in this year's election. I'm excited because people's choice really have an impact on the future decision and what's going to happen in this country.

But then there's Matthew Mont-Leon. He's in his early 40s and owns a tattoo parlor in Beacon, New York. He says he votes, but not in national elections. It doesn't seem like we're getting anybody but red or blue anytime ever again. And the red or blue is going to be the redder blue team's pick, not the people's pick. It's not our president. It's nobody's president. We're voting for Congress's president.

I'm not interested in that sort of politics, honestly. The local politics has been the only thing I've ever been able to feel or see or impact myself. George, you've talked with a lot of people and a lot of laundromats. Is there a voice or a comment that really stands out to you? A common refrain we hear is that candidates don't follow through on their campaign promises, which makes some people less likely to vote. Take Eddie Veles here on Staten Island. It just feels like there's no need to vote at that point when you get all these promises,

but neither party follows through. I just think they're just imitating clowns, in my opinion. I mean, everyone has their opinion. I have mine. I just find political talk just one. big joke. It's really a reminder to candidates on this day before the election that if you promise something, follow through.

George Bedarky is WNYC's Community Partnerships Editor. He's live at Star Linger Man on Staten Island this morning. But, George, your day is just getting started, isn't it? That's right. We're just getting rolling. I'll be joining the Brian Lair's show from Bubbles or Us in Patterson, New Jersey, later this morning. And we'll be stopping by all things considered this afternoon from Stye, Wash and Dry.

in East New York, Brooklyn, Michael. A long day for a George Badarky. George, thank you. A lot of washing and folding there, George. Oh, yeah. Thank you, Michael. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Check us out for updates every weekday, three times a day, for the latest news headlines and occasional deep times.

And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be back this evening.