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Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

Dear New Yorkers,

Major crimes all fell sharply in the city last year — with some plunging to their lowest levels in modern recorded history.

But how much should New Yorkers trust local crime statistics? And what numbers do criminologists and police officials believe matter most?

Those questions are taking on added meaning with President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard in cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles, where the White House says crime is spiraling to dangerous levels — even though violent crimes are generally trending down in large U.S. cities.

To make sense of the real picture, we wrote a guide on how to read crime stats like an expert.

Weather ☀️

Sunny but cold, with a high near 36.

MTA 🚇

No overnight C trains. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s in effect today, Jan. 16.

By the way…

The Bronx Zoo will allow you to name a roach in exchange for a donation.

Our Other Top Stories

All three striking hospital systems have agreed to meet with the New York State Nurses Association and federal and state mediators, in the first sign of progress since 15,000 nurses walked off the job earlier this week, THE CITY has learned. Some returned to the negotiating table last night. New York City is facing a $12 billion budget gap over the next two fiscal years, new Comptroller Mark Levine told THE CITY in an interview ahead of a report to be published by his office today. Read more here about the estimate that’s much higher than the gap projected in the previous budget update — and higher than other estimates from other fiscal monitors. Newly-elected City Council Speaker Julie Menin rolled out new leadership roles for the city’s legislative body yesterday, elevating its newest members to chair more than half of the committees.

SPONSORED Keep This in Mind to Help Avoid Scams: How to Pay When Buying From Someone You Don’t Know   [chase.com/digital/resources/privacy-security] Credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks, wires or sending money to others using a P2P (person-to-person) payment app are examples of the many ways consumers can pay for everyday transactions. To help protect their money from scammers, it’s important for people to understand that how they pay matters, especially when buying something from someone they don’t know or trust. Here are some tips from JPMorganChase:  Never make checks out to “cash,” use permanent ink, and write the amount in numbers and words.   For person-to-to person payments, if you are purchasing goods or merchandise, including things like concert tickets, a credit or debit card that offers purchase protection may be a better option.   When using credit and debit cards, two-factor authentication can help block anyone who gets your banking information from using it, and setting up credit monitoring helps you know if your card is used fraudulently.   For wire transfers, never provide your bank account details to unfamiliar or suspicious individuals and avoid wiring money to people or businesses you are unfamiliar with, especially if prompted by suspicious phone calls or emails.     Learn more about protecting your finances at chase.com/digital/resources/privacy-security

Reporter’s Notebook

A Go on Wind Again A federal judge on Thursday allowed construction to resume on Empire Wind, one of New York’s two major in-progress offshore wind projects. After the Trump administration issued a stop-work order for construction in federal waters, developer Equinor had to pause work on the project, which is slated to bring enough renewable energy to power about half a million New York City homes when it’s in operation in 2027.

Equinor sued and said the project could be dead if construction didn’t resume by Friday, as a specific vessel needed for the work would only be available for a short amount of time. Empire Wind is about 60% complete, with more than $4 billion spent so far.

The decision marks another loss for Trump in his ongoing battle against offshore wind.

— Samantha Maldonado

Things To Do

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

Friday, Jan. 16: Line dance at Betsy Head Park in Brooklyn from 9 to 10 a.m. RSVP. Saturday, Jan. 17: Calling all Heated Rivalry obsessives! Head to Tompkins Square Park at 3:30 p.m. to sing “All The Things She Said,” by t.A.T.u. at the top of your lungs. Saturday, Jan. 17: Jam out with fellow jazz musicians at Smalls Jazz Club in the West Village. Starting at 2 p.m. with no cover charge.

THE KICKER: It takes more than a couple of laughs to land a set at the Comedy Cellar.

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

Love,

THE CITY

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