NYPD Sergeant Runs NYC Marathon Cancer-Free After Years-Long Battle
This year's New York City Marathon marks a milestone for more than just the race itself, which turns 50 on Sunday. NYPD Sergeant Tatiana Simons will cross the start line cancer-free for the first time in years after battling the disease through her last five marathons. Simons, promoted to sergeant on Friday, began racing with New York Road Runners back in 2014 while still at the Police Academy. Running became both a professional asset — useful for chasing suspects as a patrol officer — and a personal coping tool during treatment, she said, describing the rhythm of her feet hitting pavement as a release for difficult emotions. Her determination showed most clearly in 2025, when she ran the Boston Marathon and underwent a double mastectomy the very next day, despite others urging her to skip the race. Simons credits her father, a retired NYPD sergeant whose badge she now carries, as a source of her work ethic. On Sunday, her husband, an NYPD Harbor Patrol lieutenant, her two young sons, and her father plan to cheer her on. The marathon runs 26.2 miles from Staten Island through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx, finishing in Central Park, with roughly 60,000 runners from over 140 countries expected.
Nov 1, 2026
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Daddy Yankee Returns With 'La Postal,' Featuring Bronx-Raised Cardi B
Daddy Yankee is back with a new album, and one of its biggest surprises has a New York tie: Bronx-raised rapper Cardi B joins him on “Cosita,” a sultry bachata track on the 15-song La Postal. The release follows Daddy Yankee's 2022 exit from music after his farewell world tour, when he said he would devote his life to his faith. Last year's Lamento En Baile reflected that turn. La Postal is more secular, with love in its many forms as the running theme. The lead single, “BOTZ (Bésame Otra Vez),” folds electronic elements into reggaeton and brings back the hard-edged rapping of his earlier hits. Other guests include Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh on “Pokito,” Myke Towers on “Se Va,” Danny Ocean on “Alfombra Voladora,” Bizarrap on “Pa' Que Llorar” and De La Rose on “Enawo.” The album lands weeks before the Latin Recording Academy names him Person of the Year at a tribute gala in Las Vegas, held the night before the Latin Grammy Awards on Nov. 12.
Nov 1, 2026
Upper West Side Rallies to Save Barn Owl Family After Rooftop Nest Destroyed
A family of seven barn owls nesting atop a West 75th Street water tower became the center of a neighborhood uproar this week after construction crews disturbed their nest during roof repairs. The owls — two parents and five fledglings — had drawn crowds of admirers since first being spotted in early October, marking what birders called the first known barn owl nesting in Manhattan in roughly a century. On Thursday, workers removing the water tower's roof reportedly used a torch near the nest, sending smoke into it. Onlookers alerted authorities, believing the owls, protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, would be left alone. But work resumed Friday, prompting state Sen. Erik Bottcher and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal to rush to the building and demand it stop. Hoylman-Sigal said he contacted state environmental officers to deliver a cease-and-desist order to the construction company, while Bottcher said he reached out to Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office. New York Road Runners also canceled a planned drone show nearby to avoid further disrupting the birds. By afternoon, NYPD and state conservation officers met with workers and repairs appeared to pause. Wildlife advocates, including the Wild Bird Fund and NYC Bird Alliance, are now working with the Wildlife Conservation Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology to find a replacement roost, as the young owls are not yet able to hunt on their own.
Nov 1, 2026
City Says Marcy Houses Clear of Asbestos After Steam Leak Scare
New York City officials say air testing has come back clean at Brooklyn's Marcy Houses after a steam leak left asbestos-laden residue on exterior walls at two buildings in the Bedford-Stuyvesant complex. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Department of Environmental Protection inspected 502 and 504 Marcy Ave. last Thursday, following weeks of resident complaints. The issue also knocked out heat and hot water for several buildings. Officials relocated four of 23 affected households through October 31, while a fifth family chose to stay with relatives. The city reported that all 24 air monitors placed in apartments along the impacted wall tested negative for asbestos as of Friday, as did samples from the daycare center, management office, and the exteriors of two other buildings. Heat and hot water were restored to the affected buildings late Thursday night and into early Friday morning. NYCHA spokesperson Andrew Sklar said testing of exterior areas will continue until remediation work is finished, even though interior results have so far all come back negative. The city has cleaned the sidewalk, nearby cars, and building facade, but work in the courtyard remains ongoing. Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office did not respond to requests for comment.
Nov 1, 2026
Tracy Morgan to Lead 2026 NYC Marathon as Grand Marshal
Comedian and actor Tracy Morgan, a self-described New York sports superfan who lives near Yankee Stadium, has been tapped as Grand Marshal of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. Morgan, known for "30 Rock" and "The Last O.G.," called the honor incredible and said he's grateful to take part. The marathon returns Sunday, marking the 50th anniversary of its five-borough course, which debuted in 1976 with just over 2,000 runners. This year's field is expected to include roughly 60,000 runners from 140 countries, alongside celebrity participants such as Jennifer Connelly, Antoni Porowski and former Giants star Tiki Barber. Morgan will be joined by honorary grand marshals George Hirsch, Gary Corbitt, Keisha Sutton-James and Estee Stimler, honoring the five "trailblazers" credited with creating the five-borough race decades ago. The course starts on Staten Island, crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn, winds through Queens, Manhattan and a brief stretch of the Bronx, before finishing in Central Park near 67th Street and West Drive. Runners begin in waves from 8:05 to 11 a.m. Spectators can watch for free along most of the route, with grandstand seats near the finish available for $55. Coverage airs locally on WABC-TV and nationally on ESPN2 starting at 8 a.m.
Nov 1, 2026
Mamdani Says Trump Agreed to Fast-Track Visa for Mother of Slain Bronx Teen
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday that President Donald Trump agreed to immediately grant a travel visa to the mother of Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old originally from Ghana who was fatally shot this week while walking to school in the Bronx. Mamdani wrote on X that he spoke directly with Trump and secured the arrangement so the boy's mother, identified by Ghana's foreign minister as Doris Adu Gyamfi, could travel to the U.S. to say goodbye to her son. The White House had not responded to a request for comment as of Saturday. Frimpong was shot in the abdomen near Crotona Park around 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Officers drove him to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No suspects have been named. Ghanaian Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa said his ministry would help with the visa process and that Ghana's government would cover travel costs and contribute to funeral expenses. The Ghana Diaspora Public Affairs Collective noted other recent attacks on Ghanaian Bronx residents, including a robbery and a fatal stabbing, and called on city leaders to engage more directly with the community. A Mamdani spokesperson said the mayor called the family Friday and that the city's Office of Community Safety sent grief counselors and outreach workers to the neighborhood.
Nov 1, 2026
Phoebe Bridgers Drops Live EP From Her Phone-Free Madison Square Garden Show
Phoebe Bridgers has released a new live EP capturing her phone-free concert at Madison Square Garden earlier this year. The five-track project, "Live at Madison Square Garden," is out now as a Tidal exclusive, available for $5.99 with or without a subscription. The June show was part of a short run of intimate, no-phones pop-up concerts Bridgers staged ahead of her Lost Tour, promoting her album "Lost Weekend." Tickets to the MSG date were priced at just $1, and attendees were required to lock away their phones for the performance. The new EP includes the single "Lost Boys," along with "Kill Me," "I Can't Wait," "Other Plans," and an extended rendition of "Long Lost Weekend." The release marks the latest step in Bridgers' partnership with Tidal, which also sponsored the original MSG gig. A Tidal executive said the platform aims to help artists sell exclusive material directly to fans with minimal fees. Bridgers is currently finishing the North American leg of her Lost Tour with sold-out shows in Los Angeles before heading to Europe next month, wrapping up in Stockholm in December. She is also expected to perform on "SNL" soon, her first appearance on the show since 2021.
Nov 1, 2026
NYC Students Get New Sneakers Ahead of Marathon Weekend
More than 400 New York City public school students received brand-new running shoes on Friday in Central Park, two days ahead of the TCS New York City Marathon. The giveaway, organized by New York Road Runners and New Balance, brought together kids from 12 schools across all five boroughs. It's part of Rising New York Road Runners, the nonprofit's free youth running program that reaches more than 100,000 children citywide. Students unboxed their new sneakers at the event, with organizers stressing the value of getting young people moving and active. The shoe donation is part of a longer-running partnership between New York Road Runners and New Balance, which since 2017 has given out free shoes to nearly 70,000 students at over 1,000 schools and community centers nationally. Among those connected to the program is Nouri, who got her first pair of running shoes through the initiative at age 11 and has since become a youth ambassador for New York Road Runners. Organizers noted that the goal isn't necessarily to produce future marathoners — Sunday's race will feature elite runners from around the world — but to spark healthy habits early and show kids that an active lifestyle can start with something as simple as a good pair of shoes.
Nov 1, 2026
Nets Lean on Moritz Wagner to Fix Defensive Communication
The Brooklyn Nets are leaning on veteran center Moritz Wagner to help solve a communication problem on defense. Head coach Jordi Fernández says his players talk plenty off the court but need to carry that chatter onto it, especially while rotations and coverages are still being ironed out. Wagner, newly adjusting to the Nets' system, scored 15 points in Tuesday's overtime loss in Boston. Fernández praised his willingness to direct teammates from the bench and on the floor despite still learning the playbook, calling him a reliable veteran presence. After Thursday's practice, center Day'Ron Sharpe pointed to small defensive breakdowns — reaching in, failing to get back, overhelping — as costly mistakes the team needs to limit. He noted the Boston film showed promise, with players like Noah Clowney and Chaney Johnson hustling back from the corners and teammates covering for each other's rotations. Forward Michael Porter Jr. echoed the sentiment, saying the group took a step forward in staying connected and communicating through good and bad stretches of the game. Fernández has set incremental defensive goals, aiming to climb from the bottom of the league rankings to 20th, then 15th. Getting there, he says, depends on Wagner and his teammates making that in-game communication a habit rather than a highlight.
Nov 1, 2026
NYC Marathon Weekend Kicks Off With 50th Anniversary Celebration
Race weekend for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon officially began Friday evening with New York Road Runners' annual Opening Ceremony at the finish line in Central Park. This year's event marked the 50th anniversary of the marathon's five-borough course, first run in 1976. The ceremony, presented by United Airlines, inducted women's running pioneer Lynn Blackstone and marathon co-founders George Hirsch and the late Percy Sutton into the NYRR Hall of Fame. Late Olympian and coach Jeff Galloway received the 2026 Abebe Bikila Award. NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer and Race Director Ted Metellus gave opening remarks, followed by a Parade of Nations featuring runners from around the world, honorary grand marshals, past champions and youth program participants. More than 50 former marathon winners attended, including Kathrine Switzer, Gary Muhrcke, Sharon Lokedi and Tegla Loroupe, alongside veterans of the original 1976 race like Fred Abramowitz and Dave Obelkevich. The marathon itself runs Sunday, with defending champions Hellen Obiri, Benson Kipruto and wheelchair star Marcel Hug leading a field stacked with Olympians and national record holders. Eyewitness News anchors Liz Cho and Mike Marza will also run, raising money for the Alzheimer's Association in support of former colleague Bill Ritter. Coverage begins at 7 a.m. Sunday on Channel 7.
Nov 1, 2026
A Year After Subway Hate Crime, NYC Man Reclaims His Marathon Dream
Daniel Cho, 46, is running this year's New York City Marathon, a year after a violent hate crime nearly ended his chance to ever compete. On Oct. 29, 2025, Cho was attacked on the platform of the Bowery J/Z subway station while heading to pick up a race t-shirt. He was raising funds for Apex for Youth, a Chinatown-based nonprofit supporting low-income Asian American youth, when a stranger punched him while shouting a racist slur, knocking him onto the tracks. Cho climbed back to the platform and called 911, giving police a description that led to a quick arrest. Authorities say his attacker was linked to four other anti-Asian assaults that same day. The injuries — including facial fractures and nerve damage — forced doctors to pull him from last year's race just days before it began. Cho underwent surgery to insert a titanium plate, along with months of therapy and acupuncture to address PTSD and lingering numbness. By spring, he decided to train again. Cho, who works for the city's Campaign Finance Board, says he's now running both to support Apex for Youth and to raise awareness about violent crime survivors, including the recent rise in felony assaults on the city's transit system. He says he's looking forward to seeing his family at mile 14 on race day.
Nov 1, 2026
Knicks' Turnover Woes Deepen Early in Title Defense
The reigning NBA champion Knicks are off to a rocky start, sitting at 2-4 through six games, and turnovers are a big reason why. New York has coughed the ball up 93 times this season, including 13 giveaways in a 98-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia on Friday. That total puts the Knicks among the league's worse offenders alongside Detroit, Brooklyn, Minnesota and Houston, a surprising slide for a team that ranked among the NBA's stingiest with the ball last season. Head coach Mike Brown said players are pressing too hard for big plays instead of simple, safe ones, describing it as trying to "hit a home run" on every possession rather than settling for "singles." Captain Jalen Brunson echoed that sentiment, saying hesitation and overthinking have led to risky, low-percentage passes. The team has also been adjusting its offense to run more through Karl-Anthony Towns, who is seeing more touches and longer possessions than last season but has also averaged over four turnovers a game so far. Forward Josh Hart said the team needs to be more careful and deliberate with its decision-making. Backup guard Jose Alvarado has missed recent games with an ankle injury. Despite the slow start, Brunson expressed confidence the team will clean up its mistakes as the season progresses.
Nov 1, 2026
Jogger Stabbed in Neck on Brooklyn Waterfront Path, Critical Condition
A 28-year-old woman remains in critical condition after being stabbed in the neck while jogging along a waterfront path in Brooklyn's Bath Beach neighborhood Friday night, according to the NYPD. Police say they received a 911 call just after 8 p.m. reporting a stabbing on a bike path near Bay Parkway and Cropsey Avenue. Responding officers found the victim with a neck wound and rushed her to NYU Langone Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition as of Saturday morning. Investigators noted that the stretch of path where the attack occurred lacks surveillance cameras, complicating efforts to identify a suspect. In response, the NYPD has deployed additional detectives along with aviation, K-9 and scuba units to assist in the search over the weekend. As of the latest update, no arrests have been made and police have not released a suspect description. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact authorities. The attack has raised fresh concerns among local runners and residents about safety along the city's waterfront trails, particularly in areas without camera coverage.
Nov 1, 2026
Formerly Homeless New Yorkers Lead Street Outreach Effort in Manhattan
A Manhattan-based outreach initiative is using workers who themselves experienced homelessness to connect chronically homeless New Yorkers with housing and services. The Neighborhood Navigators program, launched by the Manhattan district attorney's office, aims to keep people off the streets and out of the criminal justice system. Outreach worker Felipe Ramos, who has lived through homelessness, incarceration and mental illness, said his background helps him build trust with people he encounters on Manhattan's streets. The Mamdani administration awarded the program $1.25 million this year as the city develops a broader homelessness strategy. Nearly 5,000 people slept on the street, in parks or in the subway this year, the highest figure in over a decade. District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the office started the program after seeing people fall through gaps between city agencies. The DA's office contracted nonprofit The Bridge to run it starting in 2024, using forfeiture funds, and more than 175 people have since been placed in housing. The program currently operates in Central and East Harlem, Chinatown, the Lower East Side, Washington Heights, Inwood, and parts of Midtown West including Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea. Workers say building long-term relationships, sometimes spending entire days with a single client, has been key to their results.
Nov 1, 2026
Trump Clashes Take Center Stage in NY Attorney General Race
New York's attorney general election, set for Tuesday, has become a referendum on incumbent Letitia James' years of legal battles with President Trump. James, a Democrat and former Brooklyn city councilmember and public advocate, has filed more than 80 suits against the Trump administration since taking office in 2018, covering immigration, Medicaid and housing policy. She also won a civil fraud case against Trump's businesses in 2023, though a $500 million penalty was later overturned on appeal and the matter remains before the state's top court. A federal mortgage fraud indictment against James herself was separately dismissed by a court. Her Republican challenger, former federal prosecutor Saritha Komatireddy, argues James has turned the office into a political platform rather than focusing on crime and fraud. Komatireddy, who has worked under both Democratic and Republican administrations, says she'd redirect the office toward street-level crime, an approach some legal experts call impractical given that local district attorneys typically handle such cases. Komatireddy's campaign gained momentum after a combative debate performance this month, which Trump praised online, helping her raise roughly $500,000 in less than two weeks. Early voting continues through Sunday, with Election Day Tuesday.
Nov 1, 2026
Bronx E-Bike Fire Death Toll Rises to Four
The death toll from an e-bike battery fire in the Bronx has climbed to four, police said Saturday. Two teenage boys and an adult woman died from injuries sustained in the blaze, joining 10-year-old Zion Maine, who was killed earlier in the week. Fire officials say the e-bike's battery ignited in the kitchen of an 11th-floor apartment at the Patterson Houses in Mott Haven just before 1 a.m. Wednesday. The bike had reportedly been stored near the unit's front door, blocking the family's main exit as the fire spread. Zion died at a nearby hospital shortly after the fire. His father, 37-year-old Courtney Maine, remained in stable condition as of Saturday. The three other victims hospitalized were identified by family as Maine's two sons and his partner, Syida Adams, though police had not officially confirmed their identities. Neighbors described Zion as a well-liked presence in the Patterson Houses community, where residents have lived for years. Lithium-ion battery fires tied to e-bikes and similar devices have become a growing safety concern across New York City in recent years, prompting renewed calls for stricter storage and charging regulations in residential buildings.
Nov 1, 2026
80-Year-Old Manhattan Runner Set for 20th NYC Marathon After Heart Scares
An 80-year-old Manhattan woman is preparing to run her 20th New York City Marathon on Sunday, just weeks after doctors treated her for a second heart arrhythmia in as many years. Laverne Johnson, who moved to New York in the 1990s and began running the marathon that year, will compete alongside her daughter, Lori Milhaven, 60, a two-time cancer survivor, as part of a mother-daughter team. Johnson has set a personal goal of finishing 20 marathons before turning 80. Last year, Johnson was hospitalized at Mount Sinai West on the Upper West Side after suddenly struggling to walk just a few blocks to dinner with her daughters. Doctors diagnosed severe heart failure caused by an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, worsened by her intense training. Cardiac electrophysiologist Dan Pugliese performed an emergency procedure to stabilize her heart rhythm but cleared her to keep running once she recovered. She went on to complete her 19th marathon weeks later under a run-walk plan. Doctors recently caught a second arrhythmia earlier and treated it with another cardioversion procedure. This time, Johnson says she has no restrictions and plans to run the entire course. Johnson, originally from Missouri, took up running as a young single mother and now also runs a corporate training business in the city.
Nov 1, 2026
11,000 Runners Hit the Dash Before NYC Marathon's Big Day
Thousands of runners gathered on Manhattan's East Side Saturday for the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, the traditional warm-up race ahead of Sunday's TCS New York City Marathon. About 11,000 athletes ran the 3.1-mile course, which started near the United Nations building, wound through Midtown, and finished in Central Park on the marathon's actual finish line. Habtom Samuel won the men's open division in his New York Road Runners debut, crossing in 13:31 to extend his unbeaten rookie professional season. He edged 2024 Olympian Edwin Kurgat and 2025 Dash champion Amon Kemboi. On the women's side, Rachael Rudel, fresh off a USATF 20K national title, took her first Dash crown in 15:35, ending a three-year win streak by Annie Rodenfels. Americans swept the podium, with Josette Andrews and Ednah Kurgat close behind. The race also honored the marathon's 50th anniversary. Gary Corbitt, son of marathon course co-founder Ted Corbitt and this year's Honorary Grand Marshal, ran alongside past NYC Marathon champions Hendrick Ramaala, Meb Keflezighi, Uta Pippig and Franca Fiacconi. Leaders from the Berlin, Boston, London and Tokyo marathons also competed in a friendly showdown. The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon airs Sunday starting at 7 a.m.
Nov 1, 2026
Mamdani Orders Overhaul of Brooklyn's Third Avenue After Nurse's Death
New York City officials announced plans this week for a major redesign of Third Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, following the death of a nurse killed by a hit-and-run driver two months ago. Jiayi Zheng, 28, was struck and killed at 55th Street while walking home from a shift at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn. Her killer has not been found, and no arrests have been made, according to the NYPD. The city's transportation department says it will overhaul 2.1 miles of the corridor, which runs beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, cutting the number of car lanes from as many as eight down to four and adding protected bike lanes in both directions. New pedestrian islands will also shorten crossings on a roadway officials describe as roughly 50 yards wide in places. Street parking will remain. Work on the stretch from 62nd to 43rd Streets, plus new bike lanes on 60th Street, is set to begin next year, with the remainder of the corridor to 20th Street following in 2028. Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration says it's reviving redesign plans that stalled under former Mayor Eric Adams. City data shows 17 deaths on the corridor over the past decade, including another NYU Langone nurse killed while biking in 2020.
Nov 1, 2026
Council Weighs Bill for Mamdani's Promised Community Safety Agency
The New York City Council is set to hold a hearing Friday on legislation to establish a Department of Community Safety, a central campaign promise from Mayor Zohran Mamdani aimed at overhauling how the city responds to violence and mental health crises. Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler is sponsoring the bill, which he says already has 34 cosponsors, enough for a veto-proof majority. Restler said the goal is to expand violence-interruption work tied to the city's Crisis Management System, better coordinate homeless and mental health services across agencies, and eventually allow trained responders rather than police to handle more 911 calls around mental health emergencies. The push follows renewed scrutiny of NYPD responses to people in crisis, including the recent police shooting of Jabez Chakraborty in Queens and a 2024 lawsuit from Raul de la Cruz, who was shot by officers during a mental health episode. Mamdani has so far created only a scaled-back Office of Community Safety by executive order, short of the full agency he pitched while campaigning. Political observers say he remains under pressure from progressive supporters to follow through, especially since other public safety pledges — like scrapping the NYPD gang database — remain unfulfilled. Restler said he hopes the new department will mark a shift away from broken-windows-style policing.
Nov 1, 2026