State Politics
New York deploys National Guard to NYC subway
Following several instances of violent crime in New York City, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that she will deploy the National Guard and State Police to protect subway riders. This comes as part of a five point safety plan to restore public confidence in the safety of the subway system, which has waned in recent years amid rising crime.
A joint force of 1,000 personnel will be deployed to execute the plan. This includes 750 members of the National Guard, and 250 assorted state police and transport officers. NYC Mayor Eric Adams is also deploying a further 1,000 police officers to the subway system.
These officers will be tasked with increased random bag checks across the system. These bag checks will be designed to target knives and guns hidden in bags, which have been used in a string of violent attacks in the city.
Hochul’s plan will also install additional cameras, allocate $20M for mental health outreach, and to work with DA’s to target repeat offenders. Adams expressed interest in looking into airport-style technology that could help detect weapons when people are in the system.
Kathy Hochul told the press that “this creates a deterrent effect” and that she hopes potential criminals will see this and think that “it just may just not be worth it.”
Not all reactions have been positive. New York Civil Liberties Union executive director Donna Leiberman told the press that the plan is “another unfortunate example of policymaking through overreaction and overreach.” Several other disgruntled New Yorkers have also expressed disappointment with the inconvenience it may cause to those who are simply trying to use the subway for their daily commute.
Some citizens have also expressed doubts on the plans efficacy. For a system that serves over 4 million people a day, 2,000 officers doing bag checks is not that large of a deterrent.
This is part of a broader tougher-on-crime approach that New York Democrats have been using to try to slow voter attrition in the state. Republicans have made gains recently in the state, with gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin performing shockingly well in the election, and the congressional delegation picking up a number of swing seats.
In a surprise move by the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee, Oklahoma City has been named the host of two events for the Olympic Games. Come Olympic season, OKC will be hosting the Olympic Canoe Slalom and Softball events, as Los Angeles does not have the necessary facilities locally.
LA28 stressed that the Oklahoma facilities were “built to international competition standards,” and that this move allowed the City of Los Angeles to save money on venues they would not continue to use after the Olympics.
Softball has a long tradition in Oklahoma City, which has hosted the Women’s College World Series every year except 1990. They already have these world class facilities in place, as well as an in-built and enthusiastic audience for the sport.
Oklahoma City also recently completed construction on Riversport Rapids, a world class canoeing and kayaking facility, in 2016. They currently offer consumer rafting experiences as well as training facilities for athletes. In preparation for the Olympics, they will also use it to host the Canoe Slalom World Championships in 2026.
While the plan is still awaiting approval from Los Angeles, LA28 has received approval from all relevant international bodies for the move. However it is unlikely that LA will deny the request considering the cost benefits laid out under the plan.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday that the infamous Rikers Island prison is “ready” to receive Former President Donald Trump. Trump is currently facing potential temporary incarceration following repeated violations of his gag order.
The judge overseeing Trump’s hush money trial, Judge Juan Merchan, made it clear on Monday that if the Former President continued to violate his gag order, he could be placed in jail. He called Trump’s repeated violations a “direct attack on the rule of law.”
Putting the Former President in jail could prove difficult for the New York City Department of Connection. Due to the high security required for his incarceration, the options could be very limited.
Despite Rikers Island’s poor reputation, city officials could be of the mind that they are best equipped to handle a prisoner of Donald Trump’s stature. Eric Adams told the media that “they’re professionals, they’ll be ready.”
Off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida, two teenagers were caught throwing heaps of trash into the ocean from their boat. The teenagers were partying on their speeding boat with their friends when they committed the offense. Wavy Boats, a social media account, first uploaded the viral video on April 30.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) led the investigation, which the Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were also involved in. The FWC wanted to send a message that the state of Florida “doesn’t tolerate this” and wants to “protect [their] environment.”
According to a South Florida newspaper, after turning themselves in on Friday, the two teenagers (unnamed) face “felony third-degree charges of causing pollution so as to harm or injure human health or welfare, animal, plant, aquatic life or property, which amounts to $50,000 in fines or up to five years in prison.”