Philip Marcelo, Author at The Rapid City Post

Striking nurses walk a picket line outside NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, in New York, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Mount Sinai nurses approve new contract ending strike at its NYC hospitals

February 11, 2026

Mount Sinai nurses have approved a new contract, ending a monthlong walkout at its hospitals in New York City. The hospital system said Wednesday that an overwhelming majority of its unionized nurses voted to ratify new three-year pacts. Mount Sinai’s CEO nurses will begin reporting back to work Saturday. The union didn’t immediately comment but has said the deal calls for pay raises of more than 12% over three years, among other priorities sought by nurses.

A document that was included in the U.S. Department of Justice release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, photographed Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, shows a diagram prepared by the FBI attempting to chart the network of Epstein's victims and the timeline of their alleged abuse. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Epstein files rife with uncensored nudes and victims’ names, despite redaction efforts

February 4, 2026

Nude photos. The names and faces of sexual abuse victims. Bank account and Social Security numbers in full view. All of these things appeared in the mountain of documents released publicly by the U.S. Justice Department as part of its effort to comply with a law requiring it to open its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein. A review by The Associated Press and other news organizations has found countless examples of sloppy, inconsistent or nonexistent redactions that have revealed sensitive private information. Lawyers for some of the accusers have called on the Justice Department to temporarily take down the information. The Justice Department says it is taking down all inadvertently disclosed private information it’s been made aware of.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), speak in front of members of the New York State Nurses Association union during a picket outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and US Sen. Bernie Sanders rally with nurses on ninth day of strike

January 20, 2026

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders are rallying with nurses in Manhattan during the ninth day of their strike. The democratic socialists on Tuesday called on hospital executives to return to the negotiating table to resolve the contract impasse that prompted some 15,000 nurses to walk off the job last week. The union says it has held one bargaining session with each of the three hospital systems impacted since the strike began on Jan. 12. Both sides say those meetings ended with little progress. There are so far no plans this week to resume talks.

Striking nurses demonstrate outside Mt. Sinai Hospital, in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Nurses restart contract talks with another major hospital system on 5th day of strike

January 16, 2026

New York City nurses on strike say they’ve restarted contract talks with another one of the major hospital systems affected on the fifth day of the walkout. The New York State Nurses Association said Friday that its bargaining team has begun meetings with their counterparts at three Mount Sinai hospitals on Friday. The union met Thursday night with NewYork-Presbyterian administrators but both sides said the lengthy meeting ended with little progress made to end the city’s biggest strike of its kind in decades. Negotiations still have not resumed with Montefiore, the third major hospital system impacted. Each medical center is negotiating with the union independently.

Striking nurses demonstrate outside Mt. Sinai Morningside Hospital, in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NYC nurses on strike set to resume negotiations with hospitals on 4th day of walkout

January 15, 2026

New York City nurses on strike are set to resume negotiations with hospital administrators to try to bring an end to a walkout that’s in its fourth day. The two sides haven’t met since Sunday, as roughly 15,000 unionized nurses went on strike at three major hospital systems Monday. But the New York State Nurses Association says its bargaining members will meet with their counterparts at NewYork-Presbyterian on Thursday evening. They’ll meet with officials at two affected hospital systems, Mount Sinai and Montefiore, on Friday. Each medical center is negotiating with the union independently.

What to know as New York City nurses strike for a 3rd day

January 14, 2026

New York City nurses are striking for a third day with both sides seemingly digging in for the long haul. Negotiations don’t appear to be on the table Wednesday with any of the three major hospital systems affected by the walkout. Picketing nurses also held a rally at a Bronx hospital in which their leaders took aim at hospital administrators, saying they are “blatantly mischaracterizing” their contract demands. Meanwhile the hospital systems say they’ve committed to keeping on the travel nurses they brought on to fill work gaps at least through next week. The walkout involves about 15,000 nurses at the Mount Sinai, Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian hospital systems.

New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York attorney general sues Trump administration over offshore wind project freeze

January 9, 2026

New York’s attorney general has sued the Trump administration for halting two major offshore wind projects expected to power more than 1 million homes. State Attorney General Letitia James said last month’s order by the federal Department of the Interior to halt the projects was arbitrary and unwarranted. The department cited national security concerns in the Dec. 22 order. The department declined to comment on the lawsuit. James said the Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind projects had already cleared years of extensive security and safety reviews. She said pausing them now threatens the state’s economy and energy grid.

FILE - Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine watches a baseball game between the Miami Marlins and New York Mets, Aug. 3, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine reports to NYC lockup where Nicholas Maduro and Luigi Mangione await trial

January 6, 2026

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is joining Venezuela’s president and the man charged with gunning down United Healthcare’s CEO in a notorious federal lockup in New York City. The embattled 29-year-old artist, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, reported to the Metropolitan Detention Center in his native Brooklyn on Tuesday to serve out his latest stint behind bars. The facility is so troubled that some judges have refused to send people there. It currently houses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing Brian Thompson, the leader of the country’s biggest health insurer.

FILE - A subway rider swipes his MetroCard in a turnstile as he enters the 34th St. subway station, July 23, 2007, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

New York subway ends its MetroCard era and switches fully to tap-and-go fares

December 28, 2025

The New York City transit system is retiring the MetroCard after more than 30 years. The gold-and-blue swipeable card was introduced in 1994 to replace the subway token, which had been used for half a century. The last sales and refills on MetroCards will be Dec. 31, though existing cards will still work for some time into 2026. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is fully transitioning to OMNY, a contactless payment system rolled out in 2019. The system allows riders to tap their credit card, phone or other smart device to pay their fare, much in the same way they do for other purchases.

Andrew Dykes, left, is led to the courtroom by law enforcement personnel at Nassau County court in Mineola, N.Y., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, on charges for the 1997 killing of a young mother and her daughter that had long been tied to an infamous string of killings on Long Island known as the Gilgo Beach murders. (AP Photo/Phil Marcelo)

Army vet and ex-state trooper pleads not guilty in 1997 killing once linked to Gilgo Beach murders

December 18, 2025

A retired Army veteran and former state trooper has pleaded not guilty in the 1997 killing of a young mother whose remains were found near the victims of Long Island’s infamous Gilgo Beach killings. Andrew Dykes formally entered the plea Thursday during his arraignment in Nassau County court in Mineola. The 66-year-old was arrested earlier this month in Tampa and held in a Florida jail until his extradition to New York. He’s charged in the killing of Tanya Denise Jackson. Dykes had been the father Jackson’s 2-year-old daughter, Tatiana Marie, who was also found killed. Dykes’ lawyer Joseph Lo Piccolo described him as a “law-abiding” citizen these past 30 years.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier to be arraigned in New York court over sports betting scheme

December 7, 2025

Miami Heat player Terry Rozier is set to appear in a New York court on charges he helped gamblers placing bets on his performance in NBA games. The 31-year-old point guard will be formally arraigned in Brooklyn federal court Monday on federal wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges. Rozier previously appeared before a federal judge in Orlando in late October, when prosecutors first announced the charges. Rozier, through his attorney, has denied any wrongdoing. The Ohio native was one of three current or former NBA players ensnared in a sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports.

FILE - Cleveland Guardians baseball player Emmanuel Clase leaves Brooklyn federal court, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz face May trial date in gambling case

December 2, 2025

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are facing a May trial on charges that they took bribes to help gamblers betting on their pitches. U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto on Tuesday said jury selection would begin May 4 in Brooklyn federal court, with the trial opening the following week or sooner. Prosecutors told the judge at the brief hearing that both sides have been in pretrial discussions but have not talked about a possible plea deal in the case. The pitchers and their lawyers declined to comment outside the courtroom. They’re due back in court Jan. 15.

FILE - In this photo provided by the Office of the Mayor of New York, Mayor Eric Adams, third left, participates in the ribbon cutting ceremony and sign unveiling of Bally Links, formerly Trump Links, at Ferry Point in the Bronx borough of New York, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office via AP, File)

New York backs 3 new casinos, including at Mets stadium and a golf course Trump once ran

December 1, 2025

New York City is set to get its first Vegas-style casinos, with one near the New York Mets’ stadium and another potentially seeing a windfall for President Donald Trump. A state panel approved three casino proposals for gambling licenses on Monday. Manhattan won’t see any casinos, as competing proposals were already scrapped. One of the casinos would be at a golf course that used to be operated by the Trump Organization. When it sold the operating rights to Bally’s, the casino company promised to pay another $115 million if it won a casino license. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the casinos could unlock billions for transit funding.

Portland Trail Blazers' head coach Chauncey Billups arrives at Brooklyn federal court, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case

November 24, 2025

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has pleaded not guilty to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and another former NBA player. The Hall of Famer was arraigned Monday in a federal court in New York City. Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. He previously appeared before in an Oregon federal court when prosecutors announced the indictment on Oct. 23. His attorney said at the time that the five-time All Star was a “man of integrity” and denied the charges.

FILE - The seal of the United States is displayed on the facade of Federal court in Brooklyn, Jan. 17, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Chinese drug trafficking suspect handed to the US by Mexico pleads not guilty in NYC

November 19, 2025

A Chinese drug trafficking suspect who escaped custody in Mexico only to be recaptured in Cuba has been turned over to the U.S. to face charges he trafficked large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl into the country. Zhi Dong Zhang pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday at his arraignment in Brooklyn federal court. His lawyer declined to comment following the court appearance. Federal officials say Zhang ran a vast drug trafficking and money laundering network that imported thousands of kilograms of cocaine and other drugs into the United States and other countries. Zhang remains in custody pending his next court date in January.

FILE - A horse dawn carriage takes passengers for a loop through Central Park in New York on Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Proposal to ban Central Park horse carriages voted down by key NYC council committee

November 14, 2025

Central Park’s iconic horse carriages will trot on, for now. A proposal to ban the popular tourist activity failed to clear a key New York City Council committee on Friday. The council’s Committee on Health voted against sending the bill to the full council for its consideration. The union representing industry workers applauded the panel for standing up for their members, many of whom are immigrants. Animal rights advocates who have long called for ending the industry derided the vote as a “sham.” The debate over the popular tourist draw was revived over the summer when a carriage horse collapsed and died near its stable.

Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech at a mayoral election night watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

From Bollywood to bodegas, Mamdani’s mayoral campaign found visual inspiration in unlikely corners

November 8, 2025

Zohran Mamdani’s winning run for New York City mayor featured a memorable campaign design that drew its inspiration from a wide range of influences, helping the democratic socialist appeal to young and diverse voters. The colors were meant to reflect the vibrant primary colors that help bodegas, yellow cabs, hot dog vendors and other small businesses stand out amid the city bustle. The stylized font was meant to evoke hand-painted signs and old-school Bollywood posters. David Schwittek, a professor at Lehman College, said the design choices sent a clear message that the campaign was focused on working class New Yorkers.

The Rockettes rehearse for the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, in New York, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

High-kicking Radio City Rockettes mark 100 years with Christmas Spectacular

November 6, 2025

A high-kicking staple of the New York City holiday season is marking a century of wowing crowds: the iconic Radio City Rockettes are turning 100. The famed dance troupe is opening its annual Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan starting Nov. 6. The show dates to 1933 but the troupe itself traces its roots to the founding of the “Missouri Rockets” in St. Louis in 1925. The dance troupe was eventually moved to New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Over the decades, they’ve become a cultural touchstone in New York and nationally.

Zohran Mamdani reacts as he walks on stage to speak at a mayoral election night watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Zohran Mamdani’s rise: From Queens lawmaker to New York City mayor

November 4, 2025

Zohran Mamdani has stormed onto the national political scene by winning New York City’s mayoral election. Mamdani was unknown to most New Yorkers when he announced his run for mayor roughly a year ago. But that was before the state lawmaker from Queens won over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June’s Democratic primary. The 34-year-old completed his stunning political ascension by again vanquishing Cuomo, as well as Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, in the Tuesday general election. Mamdani, who was born in Uganda to Indian parents, becomes the city’s first Muslim, first African-born and first South Asian mayor — not to mention its youngest mayor in more than a century.

From left, Mayoral candidates, Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

Early voting begins in New York City mayor’s race and contest to pick New Jersey’s next governor

October 24, 2025

Polling places open Saturday for in-person voting in two of the year’s most closely watched elections: The New York City mayor’s race and the contest to pick New Jersey’s next governor. New Yorkers are choosing between Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is on the ballot as an independent. The New Jersey governor’s race features Republican state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill. New York has allowed early voting since 2019. New Jersey adopted early voting in 2021. Early voting in both states runs through Nov. 2. Polling sites in all three states will then open widely for Election Day on Nov. 4.

A missing person flyer for Petros Krommidas hangs on a telephone pole, Thursday, October. 9, 2025, in Long Beach, N.Y. (AP Photo/Phillip Marcelo)

A candidate disappeared months ago after an ocean swim. Can he still win?

October 13, 2025

A local candidate in the suburbs of New York City will remain on the November ballot, despite vanishing months ago after a night swim in the Atlantic Ocean. A state judge recently ruled that Democrats can’t replace Petros Krommidas as their candidate for Nassau County’s 4th Legislative District. The 29-year-old Columbia University graduate has been missing since going out for a swim in Long Beach on April 23. Local Democrats had attempted to field a new candidate, but Republicans objected and sued. Some Democrats and friends of Krommidas are calling on residents to vote for him regardless.

Suspect in Gilgo Beach serial killings loses bid to separate case into multiple trials

September 23, 2025

The suspect in Long Island’s infamous Gilgo Beach serial killings has lost his bid to separate the sprawling case involving seven brutal killings spanning decades into multiple trials. Judge Timothy Mazzei ruled Tuesday that the trial against Rex Heuermann would move forward as a single trial. Heuermann’s lawyers argued there was no “unique and consistent modus operandi” common to all the murders. But prosecutors noted the victims were all petite women in their 20s involved in the sex trade. They also said the remains of nearly all of the victims were found in the same location not far from Heuermann’s home.

FILE - A vacant lot is on 1st Avenue by the United Nations building in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

There will be no casino in Manhattan after all proposals are rejected by locals

September 22, 2025

Plans to build the Big Apple’s first full-service casino in the heart of the city have run out of luck. A local panel on Monday rejected the last of three Manhattan proposals vying for one of up to three new state licenses to operate a casino in the lucrative New York City market. The proposal was for a six-acre project near the United Nations headquarters dubbed “Freedom Plaza.” A Jay-Z-backed plan to build a Caesars Palace in Times Square and another proposal for a resort on Manhattan’s West Side were both voted down by two other local boards last week. Five proposals still remain in the race for up to three gaming licenses.

A horse dawn carriage takes passengers for a loop through Central Park in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NYC mayor throws support behind bill to ban Central Park horse carriages

September 17, 2025

New York City’s mayor has thrown his support behind a proposal to end the horse-drawn carriages that have been fixtures in Central Park for more than 150 years, citing safety concerns. Mayor Eric Adams also issued an executive order on Wednesday ordering police to “prioritize enforcement” against horse-drawn carriages operating outside their legally designated areas in order to illegally solicit fares or impede traffic or bike lanes. The Democrat’s comments come after the storied park’s overseers, the Central Park Conservancy, announced in August they were also backing a ban over safety concerts. Animal rights groups have long called for ending the industry.

FILE - In this June 20, 2019, file photo, tourists visit Times Square in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Jay-Z-backed plan for Times Square casino loses bid for NYC license amid Broadway opposition

September 17, 2025

A proposed Caesars Palace casino in Times Square that’s backed by Jay-Z has lost its bid for a lucrative New York City-area gambling license amid fierce opposition from the Broadway theater industry. A state-commissioned community advisory committee on Wednesday rejected the $5.4 billion plan to redevelop an office tower into a Caesars-branded hotel, gambling and entertainment complex. Local board approval was required for the proposal to be considered by the state Gaming Commission. Developers envisioned the Caesars gambling hall becoming one of the world’s preeminent resort casinos. But Broadway theater owners and producers said it would destroy their industry.

FILE - New York City Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa pets one of his cats as he speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his apartment, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file)

Trump dismisses cat-loving NYC Republican candidate for mayor as ‘not exactly prime time’

September 12, 2025

President Donald Trump says the Republican candidate for New York City mayor is “not exactly prime time.” Trump made the comment about Curtis Sliwa on Fox & Friends on Friday and also disparaged the candidate’s plan to house rescue cats at the mayoral mansion if he wins. The remarks come as pressure mounts for opponents of Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani to drop out of the race. Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign says it’s polling voters to gauge his support — though continues to insist he is still running for reelection. Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, but Cuomo is now running as an independent.

Flags and flowers are placed in the inscribed names at the National September 11 Memorial in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Donald King)

US marks 24th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks

September 10, 2025

Americans are marking 24 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims. At the World Trade Center site in New York City, the nearly 3,000 victims’ names will be read aloud. At the Pentagon in Virginia, a memorial service will honor the 184 service members and civilians killed. And near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony honors the victims of Flight 93. The remembrances are being held during a time of increased political tensions. The 9/11 anniversary comes a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a college in Utah.

Volunteers work during the "NYC Meal Pack For 9/11 Day" at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Wednesday, Sep. 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Volunteers prep millions of meals for fellow New Yorkers on 24th anniversary of 9/11

September 10, 2025

People across the country are taking part in a national day of service marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. The effort kicked off Wednesday in Manhattan where thousands of volunteers began assembling more than two million meals for needy New Yorkers aboard the USS Intrepid. Organizers say the effort is among at least 25 large-scale volunteer service projects taking place in cities across the country. Overall, about 30 million Americans are expected to participate in the service day, which is meant to serve as a counterpoint to the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

FILE - Hagi Abucar places flowers for his former coworker Lindsey Herkness on the south reflecting pool during the 9/11 Memorial ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Sept. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)

Trump seeking ways to take over 9/11 memorial in NYC

September 5, 2025

President Donald Trump’s administration says it’s looking at ways the federal government can assume operation of the 9/11 memorial in New York City. The White House on Friday said the administration has had “preliminary exploratory discussions” about the idea but declined to elaborate. The office noted that the Republican pledged during his campaign last year to make ground zero a national monument. Beth Hillman, president and CEO of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, says the idea of the government taking on the costs “makes no sense” as the Trump administration pares back federal spending. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was also critical of the idea.

A horse dawn carriage takes passengers through a loop in Central Park in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

As bikes and strollers fill Central Park, its managers want to push horse carriages out

August 23, 2025

The nonprofit that manages Central Park has thrown its support behind a proposal to end the horse-drawn carriages that have been fixtures in the greenspace for more than 150 years. The Central Park Conservancy said in an Aug. 12 letter to city officials that the popular tourist activity has an outsized impact on public safety and park infrastructure. Animal rights groups have long complained the carriages have no place in a busy city and that the horses are frequently overworked and live in substandard conditions. The calls to end the trade come after a carriage horse collapsed and died on a Manhattan street this month.

FILE - Former U.S. Rep. George Santos arrives at federal court for sentencing, April 25, 2025, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, file)

Disgraced former US Rep. George Santos to begin serving his 7-year fraud sentence

July 24, 2025

Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos is set to begin serving a seven-year prison sentence for the fraud charges that got him ousted from Congress. The New York Republican is slated to report to federal prison by 2 p.m. on Friday. It’s unclear where he’ll serve his time. Santos and his lawyers have declined to comment, as has the federal Bureau of Prisons. Santos pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He admitted that he deceived donors and stole the identities of nearly a dozen people to fund his congressional campaign. He served less than a year in Congress before being expelled in 2023.

FILE - Rapper Daniel Hernandez, known as Tekashi 6ix9ine, is escorted by police as he arrives for a court hearing at the Palace of Justice, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez, File)

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine faces possible prison time after admitting to drug possession

July 23, 2025

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from prison by possessing drugs. It is his latest run-in with the law since he completed a federal prison sentence on racketeering and conspiracy charges. The performer, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, pleaded guilty in 2018 to his involvement with the violent Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. He was given a lenient two-year sentence for his cooperation against other gang members. But last November, Hernandez was found in violation of his probation and sentenced to another 45 days in federal custody. He declined to comment after Wednesday’s hearing. Guildelines call for between three and nine months in prison when he’s sentenced Sept. 25.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at the Nashville International Airport, Thursday, July 17, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Trump officials lash out at NYC after shooting of off-duty US customs officer

July 21, 2025

The Trump administration is lashing out at New York City officials over their sanctuary policies. The criticism comes after two men living in the U.S. illegally were arrested in connection with the nonfatal shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer at a park. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the suspects had lengthy criminal records and should not have been free to commit Saturday’s robbery-gone-wrong. The officer is recovering and expected to survive. Border czar Tom Homan, meanwhile, vowed to send more federal immigration agents into sanctuary cities. Immigrant and civil liberties groups say the Trump administration is “exploiting a tragedy” to further its immigration agenda.

FILE - Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow catches a ball during NFL football practice on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

NYC pawn shop owner pleads guilty to his role in burglary of NFL star Joe Burrow’s home and others

July 18, 2025

A Manhattan pawn shop owner has pleaded guilty to serving as a fence for luxury items stolen from wealthy people across the country, including a brazen burglary at the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy admitted Friday that he purchased watches, jewelry and other high-end goods to sell despite knowing they were stolen. The charge he pleaded guilty to in Brooklyn federal court carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prosecutors said Nezhinskiy fenced the stolen goods for international burglary crews, some of which targeted homes of prominent professional athletes.

FILE — People walk in front of the Minskoff Theatre where "The Lion King" plays on Broadway in New York, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Inside the high-stakes battle to win a New York City casino license

July 16, 2025

Eight projects are vying for a state license to operate a casino in the lucrative New York City market. Each has dangled the prospect of generational investment in America’s largest metropolitan region, including thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of taxable gambling revenues for the state. Among the notable proposals are a Caesars Palace casino in Times Square, a gambling hall along Coney Island’s boardwalk, and a Hard Rock casino and hotel next to the home stadium of baseball’s New York Mets. The state Gaming Commission has said it plans to pick up to three proposals by December.

FILE - A vehicle stops at Terminal 1 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Feb. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Woman convicted of stowing away on flight to Paris faces extradition to Connecticut

July 10, 2025

A woman convicted of stowing away on a flight from New York to Paris without a boarding pass or a passport won’t be released from custody. Authorities say she faces new charges of breaching security at a Connecticut airport. Svetlana Dali was sentenced Thursday to time already served behind bars for her illegal ride to Paris last year. But a federal judge in Brooklyn said she would not be released as Connecticut authorities are seeking to extradite her. The 57-year-old has been in federal custody for nearly seven months. Prosecutors say Dali was able to get through security checkpoints at Bradley International Airport near Hartford last November.

An MS-13 leader is sentenced to 68 years in case involving 8 Long Island murders

July 2, 2025

The leader of an MS-13 gang clique in New York City’s suburbs has been sentenced to 68 years in prison in a federal case involving eight Long Island murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls. Alexi Saenz had faced up to 70 years in prison at his sentencing Wednesday in Central Islip federal court. He pleaded guilty last year to his role in authorizing the killings, which focused the nation’s attention on MS-13 violence. Saenz’s lawyers sought 45 years behind bars. Prosecutors previously withdrew their intent to seek the death penalty.

FILE - Revelers walk along Market Street during a Pride Parade, June 30, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

NYC, San Francisco and other US cities capping LGBTQ+ Pride month with a mix of party and protest

June 28, 2025

The monthlong celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride is reaching its rainbow-laden crescendo as New York and other major cities around the world host major parades and marches. Sunday’s festivities in Manhattan, the nation’s oldest and largest Pride celebration, kick off with a march that passes the landmark Stonewall Inn. In San Francisco, marchers will head down the city’s central Market Street. Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis and Toronto, Canada are among the other major North American cities hosting Pride parades on Sunday. Organizers say this year’s events are taking a more defiant stance than in previous years in the face of rollbacks of LGBTQ+ friendly policies.

FILE - Members of the Goya family wait for a ride, with their belongings, in front of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

New York City closes arrival center for migrants in once grand Manhattan hotel

June 24, 2025

New York City has closed the arrival center for migrants it had established in a once grand Manhattan hotel. The Roosevelt Hotel served as the first stop for tens of thousands of immigrants arriving in the city seeking free shelter and services until its closure Tuesday. The hotel had been an emblem of the city’s fraught efforts to manage the flood of new migrants when it opened two years ago. Migrant families lined the sidewalk outside the hotel waiting for shelter beds. It is not clear what happens next to the storied hotel, which is blocks from Grand Central Terminal.

FILE - The Unit 2 reactor at Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, N.Y., is seen, April 26, 2021, almost one year after it was shut down. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

New York governor seeks to build the state’s first new nuclear power plant in decades

June 23, 2025

New York’s governor is calling for the construction of the state’s first new nuclear power plant in decades. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday directed the state’s power authority to develop a plant in upstate New York. The Democrat says she envisioned an advanced facility that would help create a clean, reliable and affordable electric grid for the state. Hochul says the state needs to secure its “energy independence” if it wants to continue to attract large manufacturers. She wants the power authority to develop “at least” one new nuclear energy facility with a combined capacity of at least one gigawatt of electricity.

FILE - Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil is seen at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Mahmoud Khalil can remain jailed over claims he lied on green card application, judge says

June 13, 2025

A federal judge says the Trump administration can continue to detain Columbia University protester Mahmoud Khalil on allegations that he lied on his green card application. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz conceded in a brief filing Friday that the Republican administration can continue to hold the legal U.S. resident on those grounds since they were not addressed in his ruling earlier this week. The judge previously determined that Khalil couldn’t continue being held based on the U.S. secretary of state’s determination that he could harm American foreign policy. Khalil has been detained since March. He denies that he wasn’t forthcoming on the application.

FILE - Authorities work at the home of suspect Rex Heuermann, bottom right, in Massapequa Park, N.Y., July 24, 2023. Heuermann has been charged with killing at least three women in the long-unsolved slayings known as the Gilgo Beach killings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Daughter of accused Gilgo Beach killer believes her father ‘most likely’ did it, new film says

June 10, 2025

The daughter of Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer, told a new documentary she believes her father “most likely” responsible. The admission from Victoria Heuermann comes near the end of “The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets,” a three-part documentary released Tuesday on NBC’s streaming service Peacock. Her mother, Asa Ellerup, is also prominently featured in the documentary and steadfastly defends her ex-husband’s innocence. Heuermann’s lawyer didn’t immediately comment. The Manhattan architect has pleaded not guilty to killing seven women, most of them sex workers, and dumping their bodies on a desolate stretch of beachside road on Long Island.

FILE - Nicole Daedone, center, founder and former CEO of OneTaste, departs Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 in New York. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon, File)

Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation’ women’s wellness company OneTaste convicted in forced labor trial

June 9, 2025

The leaders of a sex-focused women’s wellness company that promoted “orgasmic meditation” have been convicted of federal forced labor charges. A Brooklyn jury on Monday found 57-year-old Nicole Daedone and 44-year-old Rachel Cherwitz guilty after deliberating for less than two days following a roughly monthlong trial. Daedone is the founder of OneTaste Inc., and Cherwitz is the California company’s former sales director. Prosecutors argued the two had groomed adherents to do their bidding for years. Daedone’s defense lawyer cast her as a “ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur” who created a unique business around women’s sexuality and empowerment.

Detained Columbia graduate claims ‘irreparable harm’ to career and family as he pleads for release

June 5, 2025

A Columbia graduate facing deportation over his pro-Palestinian activism on campus has outlined the “irreparable harm” caused by his continued detention as a federal judge weighs his release. Mahmoud Khalil said in court filings unsealed Thursday that the “most immediate and visceral harms” he’s faced during his months in custody relate to missing out on the birth of his first child. He also cited potentially “career-ending” harms from the ordeal, noting that Oxfam International has already rescinded a job offer. Khalil’s statement was among a number of legal declarations submitted by his lawyers highlighting the wide-ranging impacts of his arrest.

FILE - Chiefs signs and logos are displayed Massapequa High School in Massapequa, N.Y., Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

New York won’t rescind Native American mascot ban despite Trump’s threat of cutting federal funds

June 5, 2025

New York education officials have refused to rescind the state’s ban on Native American mascots and team names, despite threats from the Trump administration that it risks losing federal funding. State officials suggested in a letter to the U.S. Department of Education on Thursday that they could instead broaden the state ban to include names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups that the department deems offensive. The federal agency last week determined New York’s ban is discriminatory because names and mascots that are still permitted are also derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the “Dutchmen” and the “Huguenots.”

Trump’s education secretary threatens to pull funding from NY over its Native American mascot ban

May 30, 2025

President Donald Trump’s top education official says her department has determined that New York is discriminating against a school district that is refusing a state order to get rid of its Native American chief mascot. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island on Friday that the state could risk losing federal funding or face a Justice Department investigation. McMahon says her department will be asking the state to voluntarily sign a resolution rescinding its ban on Native American mascots and allowing districts to continue using the image and name of their choosing.

FILE - Signs, including some advising drivers of congestion pricing tolls, are displayed near the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel in New York, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Judge temporarily blocks Trump from retaliating against New York over congestion toll

May 27, 2025

A federal judge has temporarily prevented President Donald Trump from retaliating against New York over its Manhattan congestion toll. Judge Lewis Liman on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the federal government from withholding federal funds or taking other punitive actions against the state for imposing a new toll on drivers entering the busiest part of Manhattan. The toll had been approved under former President Joe Biden, but Trump has been a vocal critic of the program. The native New Yorker’s namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, which generally covers Manhattan south of Central Park.

Former New York state trooper pleads guilty to faking his own shooting

May 21, 2025

A former New York state trooper has pleaded guilty to charges that he shot himself then falsely claimed he was wounded by an unknown gunman on a Long Island highway. Thomas Mascia formally changed his plea during a court appearance Wednesday in Mineola. He had been charged with official misconduct, tampering with evidence and falsifying documents. Mascia’s parents also pleaded guilty Wednesday to firearms charges. Prosecutors say Mascia shot himself in a park, stashed the gun, drove to the highway and called for backup. His lawyer has said Mascia suffers from untreated mental health issues.

This undated photo provided by the Library of Congress shows the Thomas Indian school in Irving, N.Y. (Library of Congress via AP)

NY governor apologizes for ‘atrocities’ at state boarding school for Native Americans

May 20, 2025

New York’s governor has formally apologized for the “atrocities” she says were committed at an upstate boarding school where Native American youths were forcibly separated from their families and forced to assimilate into American society. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said on her Tuesday visit to Seneca Nation land that her budget will include funding to create new education materials about local indigenous communities and their contributions. Seneca President J. Conrad Seneca, who invited the Democrat, said the apology was overdue. The Thomas Indian School in western New York operated from 1875 to 1957 and was among hundreds of such boarding schools across the U.S.

Philip Marcelo.