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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, In Brooklyn’s District 41, which spans parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill, Weeksville and Brownsville, two challengers in the Democratic primary — Isis McIntosh Green and Reginald Bowman — are trying to oust incumbent City Councilmember Darlene Mealy. Mealy, 58, was first elected to her seat two decades ago. And she has been charged with absenteeism for nearly as long.    Mealy has not been the prime sponsor of a single bill so far this session. She also skipped about a third of the Council’s meetings this year, City and State reported last month. In neighboring areas, Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights Councilmember Chi Ossé in District 36 has introduced 11 bills and seen two of them pass. Councilmember Crystal Hudson, who represents Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights and Bed-Stuy in District 35 has introduced 26 bills and seen seven of them pass.  McIntosh Green, a former chief of staff for Assemblymember Latrice Walker, argued that Mealy hasn’t delivered for constituents in terms of local funding or getting service from city agencies.   “A lot of the complaints were, ‘The office is never opened, staff is always transitioning,’” McIntosh Green said. “We don’t have someone to call when we’re having these issues.”   Read more here. Some other items of note: City Council primary elections are coming up, in redrawn districts. Remember: Every single one of New York’s 51 council seats are up for grabs. There are also DA races in The Bronx and Queens. Look up your district with our Know Your District tool, which includes candidates as well as information about how redistricting shaped your area. Brush up on ranked choice voting, and what it means for your choices. Early voting started over the weekend, on June 17, and runs through June 25. Election Day is June 27.  Lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly last week approved matching bills designed to lower insurance rates for dollar van drivers through a state-regulated program. The legislation, now on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk, would also set up a separate fund aimed at rebuilding the ranks of a once-thriving business. As THE CITY reported in April, hundreds of dollar vans  have dropped off the books since 2015, when there were 584 — and the number of drivers has plummeted from 223 in 2019 to 69 today. Advocates and elected officials said that shakeup has come at a significant safety cost for those who catch rides with dollar vans.  Long before the NYPD targeted Muslims, Black radicals and other groups, the Italian Squad prompted objections about its aggressive tactics. In the latest episode of the FAQ NYC podcast, veteran NYC journalist Paul Moses, who wrote a book on the subject, talks with THE CITY Executive Editor Alyssa Katz about the NYPD’s efforts more than a century ago to grapple with organized crime preying on Italian immigrants, and the challenges and threats faced by the Italian American officers trying to stop them. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker.  Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 8/10. Another very pleasant day. High temperatures will reach the upper 70s with a mix of clouds and sunshine. Easterly winds and onshore flow will keep it a bit more humid, but we're not complaining too much overall. The vibes are still good! THE KICKER: Tomorrow is the summer solstice — and the annual Make Music NY fest, which will take place in multiple public locations across the city on Wednesday afternoon. Unlike other music festivals, this one invites participation.    Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday. Love, THE CITY P.S. If you liked something about today's newsletter, or didn't, let us know at zshah@thecity.nyc

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