Since the pandemic began to wane, New York-watchers have stoked fears about an urban doom loop : Millennials like me — liberated from the chains of our desks — would abandon Midtown Manhattan and perhaps the city or state altogether in search of lower costs of living. The commercial tax base would be obliterated, leaving no funds to support essential services like the subway. To prevent this dystopian future, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams convened an expert panel that I served on, and they released the “ Making New York Work for Everyone ” plan (also known as the “‘New’ New York” plan) in December, a sweeping set of 40 proposals to keep the economy humming. The goals of the plan, broadly, are to reimagine the city’s business districts, to make it easier for New Yorkers to get to work, and to generate inclusive growth that positions the city to “lead the emerging industries of the 21st century.” But now, it is budget season in Albany. The proverbial “three men in a … [Read more...] about Will Ambitious Plans for a ‘New’ New York Get Crushed in Albany?
Indicted new york congressman
Grand jury schedule sparks new speculation about Trump indictment
Former President Donald Trump is facing a possible indictment in connection with his involvement in an alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Close attention is on the Manhattan grand jury's schedule in the case, with speculation growing that an indictment could come this week. However, in Florida the Palm Beach County state attorney said that people are reading too much into the grand jury's schedule. A Manhattan grand jury considering evidence related to Donald Trump 's alleged hush money payment to an adult film star won't meet Wednesday , which has generated online speculation about when a possible indictment could be issued. The former president has been investigated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in the case, which concerns a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels of $130,000 during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied all the allegations, including Daniels' claim that they had an … [Read more...] about Grand jury schedule sparks new speculation about Trump indictment
New Hampshire court dismisses latest Pamela Smart petition
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s highest court on Wednesday turned away the latest attempt to get a sentence reduction for Pamela Smart, who is serving life in prison for plotting with her teenage lover to have her husband killed in 1990. Smart, 55, was 22 and working as a high school media coordinator when she began an affair with a 15-year-old student who later shot and killed her husband, Gregory Smart. Though she denied knowledge of the plot, she was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and other crimes and sentenced to life without parole. Having exhausted her judicial appeal options, Smart asked a state council for a sentence reduction hearing last year. The five-member Executive Council, which approves state contracts and appointees to the courts and state agencies, rejected her request in less than three minutes, prompting the appeal to state Supreme Court. But the court dismissed the petition for lack of jurisdiction on Wednesday, saying that ordering the … [Read more...] about New Hampshire court dismisses latest Pamela Smart petition
New Kia EV9 electric SUV is a funky, fresh take on family hauling
Kia's new flagship three-row electric SUV has been fully revealed, bringing fresh styling and innovative technology to the company's electric vehicle (EV) lineup. It's a combination of what is expected from a family-friendly sport utility vehicle (SUV), and a new show of what Kia is capable of, from luxe appointments and an energy-efficient powertrain to sustainable materials and spaciousness. "The Kia EV9 transcends all aspects of traditional SUV thinking and represents the pinnacle of Kia's design and engineering capabilities," Ho Sung Song, Kia's president and CEO, said. "Created to meet the needs of all family members, the EV9 also spearheads Kia's rapid transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider, not just by its advanced EV architecture, but also through the numerous recycled and sustainable materials used in its creation." As the market stands now, the EV9 has few direct competitors in the American market. However, that is expected to change drastically over … [Read more...] about New Kia EV9 electric SUV is a funky, fresh take on family hauling
Trump lawyer claims hush money probe is “dead” as investigation continues
A lawyer for Donald Trump has claimed the hush money investigation into him is "dead," one week from the day the former president claimed he would be arrested as part of the probe. Trump attorney Lindsey Halligan told Newsmax that the "weak" case against the former president is ending with no indictment for the Republican. Halligan's claim appeared to be more of a suggestion rather than an indication from authorities, adding that if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg 's inquiry is not "dead" then "it should be." Trump made an uncorroborated claim that he would be arrested in New York on Tuesday, March 21 , as part of the investigation into whether the $130,000 he arranged to be paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep an alleged affair the pair had a secret before the 2016 election amounted to a campaign violation. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, and denies having an affair with Daniels in 2006. It is widely believed that a grand jury in New York who have … [Read more...] about Trump lawyer claims hush money probe is “dead” as investigation continues
Donald Trump’s bizarre Alvin Bragg baseball bat “threat” explanation
Donald Trump has denied he incited violence to be carried out against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in one of his recent Truth Social posts, blaming the outrage on "fake news media." On March 23, Trump shared an article on Truth Social that used an image of the former president holding a baseball bat next to a photo of Bragg, the prosecutor leading the Stormy Daniels hush money investigation in which the Republican faces a potentially historic indictment and arrest over. Hours later, Trump warned on Truth Social of the potential for "death and destruction" should Bragg's investigation result in a criminal charge against the former president, leading to accusations that Trump is inciting his supporters to carry out attacks and violent disorder with his social media activity. In an interview with Sean Hannity on Monday, the Fox News host asked Trump why he would "open yourself up to criticism" with his Truth Social posts. Trump said that he was unaware that … [Read more...] about Donald Trump’s bizarre Alvin Bragg baseball bat “threat” explanation
Health Insurer Hoped to Disrupt the Industry, but Struggles in State Marketplaces
Oscar Health was going to be a new kind of insurance company. Started in 2012, just in time to offer plans to people buying insurance under the new federal health care law, the business promised to use technology to push less costly care and more consumer-friendly coverage. “We’re trying to build something that’s going to turn the industry on its head,” Joshua Kushner, one of the company’s founders, said in 2014, as Oscar began to enroll its first customers. These days, though, Oscar is more of a case study in how brutally tough it is to keep a business above water in the state marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act. And its struggles highlight a critical question about the act: Can insurance companies run a viable business in the individual market? Oscar has attracted 135,000 customers, about half of them in New York State. And some of its efforts with technology have been successful. But for every dollar of premium Oscar collects in New York, the company is losing … [Read more...] about Health Insurer Hoped to Disrupt the Industry, but Struggles in State Marketplaces
Stocks rise on Wall Street as bank fears ease further
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are following markets in Europe and Asia higher Wednesday as Wall Street shakes off a bit more of the fear that dominated it earlier this month. The S&P 500 was 1% higher in early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 230 points, or 0.7%, at 32,624, as of 9:40 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 1.3% higher. They followed similar sized gains in other markets around the world, and the S&P 500 is on track to close what’s been a tumultuous month with a modest gain. That’s despite the month being dominated by worries about banks and whether the industry is cracking under the pressure of much higher interest rates. Big actions by regulators recently have calmed some of the worries around banks, including a government-brokered takeover by one Swiss banking giant of another. In that deal, UBS said Wednesday it’s bringing back former CEO Sergio Ermotti to help it absorb its troubled rival, Credit Suisse. Ermotti led the bank … [Read more...] about Stocks rise on Wall Street as bank fears ease further
Outlook for Bay Area home prices is changing. Here’s the latest data
While home prices are still expected to decline in the Bay Area over the next year, the outlook is improving a bit, according to new data — even amid ongoing economic pressures in the Bay Area. Projections by Zillow show that home values in the San Francisco metro areas will likely decrease 2.7% in the next year, compared with the 3.6% decline the real estate listings website was forecasting in December. That comes even as tech layoffs continue and amid the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the crisis at First Republic , known as one of the biggest local providers of mortgages. What’s driving the expectation of a smaller year-over-year decline? Notably, buyer demand started to rebound quite a bit after hitting near-historic lows late last year, said Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst for the Bay Area real estate group Compass. “We will know much more once the spring selling season, typically the most active of the year, really gets underway,” he said. “But … [Read more...] about Outlook for Bay Area home prices is changing. Here’s the latest data
Stephen Colbert Calls Nashville Shooting ‘Horrible and Familiar’
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now . ‘Horrible and Familiar’ An armed assailant shot and killed six people at a Nashville elementary school on Monday. Stephen Colbert called the situation “horrible and familiar, and horrible because it is so familiar,” noting that the tragedy was “the 130th mass shooting of 2023, and 2023 is only 87 days old.” “Not doing anything about this is an insane dereliction of our collective humanity. And the obvious solution here is one President Biden has proposed: an assault weapons ban. We’ve had one before, from 1994 to 2004 — and it worked. During that ban, the risk of dying in a mass shooting was 70 percent lower than it is today. That just makes sense. Fewer guns equals fewer shootings.” — STEPHEN COLBERT “It’s not complicated. It might be hard, but it’s not complicated. That’s … [Read more...] about Stephen Colbert Calls Nashville Shooting ‘Horrible and Familiar’