WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - A recap of Eric Adams’ 2023, guards confiscate toys at migrant shelter, Adams sets limits on migrant charter buses

 

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Dear New Yorkers,

Mayor Eric Adams is entering his third year in office — but he says it feels longer than that.

“Being mayor is like dog years: every day is a multiple number of years,” he said at a recent town hall, while rattling off his administration’s highlights.

The list included projects to build more housing, private sector job growth, and a reduction in three major crime categories over the last two years — homicides, shootings and rapes — although overall crime is up since Adams took office.

But Adams has also been hounded by a number of issues, like corruption probes into his 2021 campaign, and a continued asylum-seeker crisis that he has blamed for a widening budget gap. That deficit has forced him to slash spending at every city agency, with more cuts expected in January.

And the mayor’s ability to compartmentalize has been tested this year:

In July, six men — including a former NYPD officer who is friends with the mayor — were indicted over an alleged scheme to funnel campaign donations through phony donors to secure public matching funds and gain influence with Adams.  A month later, THE CITY highlighted a cluster of similar straw donations centered around a supermarket in Flushing, Queens.  In September, Adams’ former buildings commissioner Eric Ulrich was indicted on bribery charges by the Manhattan district attorney.  Then, on Nov. 2, the FBI raided the Brooklyn home of the 2021 Adams campaign’s top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs. Days later, the FBI seized the mayor’s phones following an event at NYU as federal investigators probe alleged links from the government of Turkey to his 2021 campaign.

Though the mayor has yet to be accused of any wrongdoing, the scandals surrounding him are taking a political toll: earlier this month, a Quinnipiac University poll pinned Adams with the lowest approval rating — 28% — of any mayor since they started asking in 1996.

Read more about Adams’ second year in office — and what 2024 might hold — here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Thursday's Weather Rating: 3/10. Heavy rain clears out this morning, but fog and showers continue into the afternoon hours. It remains anomalously warm, with high temperatures in the mid 50s. The vibes remain unsettled and damp...again.

Our Other Top Stories

Security guards at the cavernous migrant shelter for families at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn confiscated toy scooters from children who were playing with their prized new possessions on Christmas Eve, according to videos and eyewitness accounts. Mothers who spoke with THE CITY described security guards taking the mini scooters from three children at around 9 p.m. on Dec. 24. The guards wore uniforms from Arrow Security, a company which has a $140 million contract with the city. A spokesperson for the city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation, which oversees the Floyd Bennett migrant shelter, said the guards acted appropriately since scooters are not allowed inside the complex.  A lot can happen in a “New York minute.” The first episode of FAQ NYC’s year-end mini-series delves into stories about the drug trade from Clifford Michel, a former staffer at THE CITY, and Steve Lynn, a former kingpin. There are also stories (and a song) about glamour, gloom and gumption from the filmmaker and writer Hugo Perez and the singer and actress Flo Ankah.

Reporter’s Notebook

Adams Sets Emergency Limits on Migrant Buses

Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order Wednesday requiring charter buses arriving in New York City carrying migrants from southern-border states to give city officials 32 hours notice and only drop people off during weekday mornings between 8:30 am and noon.

Buses covered by the order also must drop off migrants at a loading zone on West 41st Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan — unless the city Department of Emergency Management authorizes a different location in advance, the order states.

Before announcing the new rule, Adams joined the mayors of Chicago and Denver to discuss the influx of asylum seekers in their cities.

Last week, 14 buses arrived in New York in one day — the most ever since the crisis began, according to officials — and more than 14,700 people have come over the last month, the mayor said.

“We can’t allow buses with people needing our help to arrive without warning at any hour of the day,” Adams added.

Warning letters will be sent to charter bus companies the city has identified as “engaging in transporting newly arrived migrants” and those who violate the new executive order could face between $500 and $2,000 fines — and have buses impounded.

— Katie Honan

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Thursday, Dec. 28: Winter Recess Family Activities, with daily, winter-inspired programs to keep kids entertained during the holiday break. Free with museum admission through Dec. 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. Sunday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Fireworks with live music by Quintessential Playlist. Free from 10 p.m. at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. Monday, Jan 1: The Coney Island New Year’s Day Polar Plunge, in which New Yorkers run into the wintery ocean to fundraise for local community groups. Free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Coney Island Beach, Stillwell Ave.

THE KICKER: City Council members have proposed making Dec. 4, Jay-Z’s birthday, an official public holiday in NYC, reports BK Reader.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Thursday.

Love,

THE CITY

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