Impact Update

After THE CITY exclusively reported that New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management has ceased holding trials of operators cited for unlicensed pot product sales despite a proliferation of illegal storefronts, the Daily News followed with an editorial, headlined “Not fine with no fines,” demanding that the state legislature increase fines and fund stepped-up enforcement. “The consequences for flouting the law now seem to be close to zero,” lamented the News, citing THE CITY’s coverage.

A proposed City Council resolution calls on the state legislature to pass a pending bill that would ensure policies and procedures for student mental health crisis become part of schools’ safety plans, with the aim of minimizing police intervention. The measure, introduced by Queens Councilmember Tiffany Cabán, cites “a May 2023 investigation by THE CITY and ProPublica” which “found that New York City schools continue to call on safety agents and other police officers to manage students in distress thousands of times each year” despite a Department of Education regulation that requires schools to deescalate crisis situations. With the ProPublica Local Reporting Network, THE CITY investigation revealed that in more than 1,300 incidents documented by the NYPD since 2017, students ended up in handcuffs while they waited for an ambulance to arrive, with some as young as 5 or 6 years old.

A new bill would require the Department of Corrections to notify the public within 24 hours of any death in custody. This move for more transparency comes on the heels of a recent story revealing the DOC’s lack of openness around jail fatalities. If passed into law, the measure would mandate timely reporting that could help hold Corrections more accountable.

A construction company operator was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday in connection with the death of Luis Sánchez Almonte, a 47-year-old Dominican laborer who was crushed to death at a Brooklyn building site in 2018. THE CITY reported on Almonte’s death in 2019.

The Daily News published an unsigned editorial critical of the NYPD following findings from our story that showed that the criminal summonses for minor quality-of-life infractions have skyrocketed, especially among people of color.

After a CITY investigation on sexual harassment and abuse at a DHS asylum shelter, the New York Immigration Coalition urged Mayor Adams to protect resident safety. The call to action stemmed from allegations of persistent misconduct at the GLo Hotel, run for the city by nonprofit 163rd Street Improvement Council. On the heels of the disturbing revelations, advocates demanded reforms to safeguard vulnerable migrants placed by Homeless Services.

After a spate of fires linked to unstable e-bike batteries, THE CITY published safety tips on properly charging and storing them. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams then turned the guidance into shareable cards distributed by his office. The informative materials stemmed directly from CITY coverage that spotlighted risks from lithium-ion bike batteries following multiple blazes across the city.

THE CITY won the Online News Association’s Digital Video Storytelling Award for his video report “Videos Show NYPD Chiefs Intervened Before Voiding of Ex-Cop’s Gun Arrest” in the Medium Form, Small/Medium Newsroom category.

The families of MTA employees who died from COVID will be able to keep their extended health insurance, which was part of a benefit package for relatives of deceased workers. This comes after a story by THE CITY highlighted that the coverage was set to expire soon. Following the reporting, the MTA took steps to ensure these grieving families could continue the insurance aid issued specifically in response to pandemic deaths among transit personnel.

In response, state Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz and state Senator Jamaal T. Bailey announced a new Senate bill (S6592) to establish the New York COVID-19 children’s fund. As part of the publicly funded initiative — known as “baby bonds’’ — the state will invest $1,000 per year for eligible minors. Once a child turns 18, they can use the funds to pay for an education, buy a home or start a business. The bill covers children who lost a “parent, custodian, legal guardian or related adult household member” regardless of immigration status.