Steve Kastenbaum
@skastenbaum.bsky.social
Craig Newmark School of Journalism grad student, NY Gritty Podcast host, former Westwood One News Bureau Chief/CNN Radio Correspondent/1010 WINS reporter. Pizza and bagel aficionado. Brooklynite. Guitarist. Runner. Dad. http://nygritty.com
Not only did a member of the Park Slope Food Coop (co-op) @foodcoop.bsky.social use a blatant antisemitic trope in their zoom meeting, when the person who was logged in under an alias said, "Jewish supremacism is a problem in this country," other members applauded. forward.com/culture/8266...
Proposal to ban Israeli products roils a Brooklyn members-only grocery
Park Slope Food Coop battle spills into politics and pulpits ahead of long-brewing boycott vote
forward.com
NYC has a history of women in mayoral administrations who got stuff done, who were effective leaders, from Alair Townsend in the Koch era to Kathryn Garcia. Remember the name Maria Torres-Springer. She worked in Bloomberg, de Blasio & Adams admins. www.statecraft.pub/p/how-to-run...
How to Run New York City
Maria Torres-Springer's lessons from three mayoral administrations
statecraft.pub
My story in @cityandstateny.bsky.social NYC bounces back faster from flash floods thanks to progress with storm mitigation projects. But the Trump admin. is putting the brakes on funding. New York is getting wetter, and federal help is drying up www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/...
New York is getting wetter, and federal help is drying up
Floods are hitting harder, but New York City is bouncing back faster.
cityandstateny.com
With all the issues that are top of mind for New Yorkers at the moment, who imagined that animal welfare would be a factor in the race for more? But it is. There's lots to discuss. Check out @hollypret.bsky.social's story in @cityandstateny.bsky.social www.cityandstateny.com/politics/202...
How NYC governs for the dogs
Elected officials are dealing with hundreds of thousands of barking, pooping, drama-prone constituents.
cityandstateny.com
Seen first in @cityandstateny.bsky.social - Is NYC turning the corner following a years long slump in new residential construction? Data from 2025 second quarter new building permit filings shows a 43% increase year-over-year, via upcoming REBNY report. www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/...
Is NYC’s housing engine finally restarting? New residential permit filings jump in second quarter
Building permits are up 43% year-over-year as the new 485-x tax break takes effect. Most projects are capped at 99 units – just below the wage trigger in the new program.
cityandstateny.com
NEW: The 1199 endorsement of Cuomo does not automatically carry over into the general election - 1199 SEIU’s Executive Council is scheduled to consider endorsements at their next meeting. Sources familiar with the process said they'll meet next week. @cityandstateny.bsky.social @1199seiu.org
Good morning from the polling station at P.S. 282 in Park Slope where a steady stream of voters have been coming and going ever since the polls opened at 6 AM. The temperature was 83 degrees, going to a muggy 99. Follow @cityandstateny.bsky.social later today for results.
ICYMI: You may have heard mayoral candidates mention it at debates. Mamdani has gotten only 3 bills passed into law during his time in the Assembly. What are those three laws? What else has he done in Albany? The story in @cityandstateny.bsky.social www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/...
Zohran Mamdani’s 3 bills
The democratic socialist Assembly member has championed ambitious reforms, with limited success in getting them enacted into law.
cityandstateny.com
It's been mentioned a bunch of times by several mayoral candidates - Only 3 bills sponsored by @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social have been signed into law since he entered the Assembly. What were those bills? What else has he done? Read it @cityandstateny.bsky.social www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/...
Zohran Mamdani’s 3 bills
The democratic socialist Assembly member has championed ambitious reforms, with limited success in getting them enacted into law.
cityandstateny.com
www.cityandstateny.com/politics/202...
The cops showed up at Mercedes Narcisse’s house. She blames her City Council opponents
The Brooklyn City Council member took to Instagram to condemn what she described as false 311 complaints. Her opponents said they had nothing to do with the early morning incident.
cityandstateny.com
Congress members denied entry to Manhattan ICE facility, claim overcrowding, unsanitary conditions www.nydailynews.com/2025/06/08/c...
Congress members denied entry to Manhattan ICE facility, claim overcrowding, unsanitary conditions
Two members of Congress were prevented from entering an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Manhattan today after attempting to inspect it amid widespread detainments and claims of unbe…
nydailynews.com
AOC's ranked mayoral endorsements announcement followed a flurry of endorsements from groups and individuals in recent weeks. Many backed more than one candidate. Not all ranked their choices. What's a voter to think? My story in @cityandstateny.bsky.social www.cityandstateny.com/politics/202...
Some endorsers aren’t ranking their preferred NYC candidates. Is that too confusing for voters?
In this new ranked-choice reality, we’re seeing “tiers” and “slates” and “co-endorsements.”
cityandstateny.com
I'm very proud of this article that we just published on @cityandstateny.bsky.social by Austin C. Jefferson and @skastenbaum.bsky.social, which examines whether state lawmakers can do anything to stop the recent wave of ICE arrests at federal courthouses: www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/...
Can NY stop ICE from arresting immigrants at federal courthouses?
Existing state law only limits arrests at state courthouses, and it’s not clear the state Legislature has the power to stop arrests in federal buildings.
cityandstateny.com
ICE agents are staking out immigration courts, often masking their faces, waiting to arrest people after cases are unexpectedly dismissed. Can NY state stop them? @repdangoldman.bsky.social called it Gestapo tactics. Our story in @cityandstateny.bsky.social www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/...
Can NY stop ICE from arresting immigrants at federal courthouses?
Existing state law only limits arrests at state courthouses, and it’s not clear the state Legislature has the power to stop arrests in federal buildings.
cityandstateny.com
Every day is a race against time to protect the country's most vulnerable residents against the effects of Climate Change. The effort is in doubt under Trump. All Authors Working on Flagship U.S. Climate Report Are Dismissed www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/c...
All Authors Working on Flagship U.S. Climate Report Are Dismissed
The Trump administration told researchers it was “releasing” them from their roles. It puts the future of the assessment, which is required by Congress, in doubt.
nytimes.com
Eviscerated retirement savings. Blown-up supply chains. Pissed-off allies. sbg1.bsky.social writes about the aftermath of Donald Trump’s tariff announcements.
Donald Trump’s Ego Melts the Global Economy
On a chilly Wednesday afternoon, the President announced he would single-handedly blow up a century’s worth of globalization.
newyorker.com
Tesla Recalls Nearly All Cybertrucks Over Stainless Steel Panels Falling Off www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/b...
Tesla Recalls Nearly All Cybertrucks Over Stainless Steel Panels Falling Off
The recall of about 46,000 vehicles includes all models that were manufactured from November 2023, when the Cybertruck was first produced, through February.
nytimes.com
A Chill Sets In for Undocumented Workers, and Those Who Hire Them www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/b...
Undocumented Workers, Fearing Deportation, Are Staying Home
Fearing roundups, many immigrants are staying home. Construction, agriculture, senior care and hospitality employers say labor shortages will worsen.
nytimes.com
The GOP convinced voters they were the party that cared about the American worker. Then, they put Elon Musk in charge of the work force, despite his history of treating workers like they were disposable, and being anti-labor movement. www.cnn.com/2025/02/24/p...
‘It’s bedlam’: Federal workers left in limbo as clock ticks down to Musk’s email deadline | CNN Politics
Federal workers spent Monday trying to figure out how – or even whether – to respond to Elon Musk’s weekend email blast telling them to explain their work last week or risk losing their job.
cnn.com
Mayor Adams has not answered questions about the DOJ investigation and four deputy mayors resigning. He lost the confidence of his top four managers. New Yorkers deserve to know who is running the city. These deputy mayors were were the public servants who implemented policies and put out fires.
Manhattan Buses Got a Bit Faster in First Month of Congestion Pricing www.thecity.nyc/2025/02/21/c...
Manhattan Buses Got a Bit Faster in First Month of Congestion Pricing
Just as President Donald Trump moved to shut down the tolling plan, data shows — and riders say — the bus experience going crosstown has become better.
thecity.nyc
Hochul Aims to Increase Oversight Over Adams in Wake of Trump Deal www.thecity.nyc/2025/02/20/g...
Hochul Aims to Increase Oversight Over Adams in Wake of Trump Deal
The governor, who had been mulling using her power to oust the embattled mayor, cites “the will of the voters” to keep him in place — despite his pact to drop corruption charges.
thecity.nyc
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh's request for 'out of the box thinking' sparked demotion drama: EXCLUSIVE www.nydailynews.com/2023/02/11/f...
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh’s request for ‘out of the box thinking’ sparked demotion drama: EXCLUSIVE
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh asked her top brass for fresh ideas to tackle issues within the department, but her chiefs were more interested in how far outside the city they could drive their t…
nydailynews.com
If the NYC mayor either steps down or is removed from office, public advocate Jumaane Williams would fill the void and oversee a special election in as soon as 90 days. It would be a non-partisan, ranked choice vote to fill the remainder of the term.. Then, in June, we'd still have the Dem primary.
An extremely reliable source told me someone working on Cuomo's upcoming campaign already reached out to them to see if they'd be interested in a position at City Hall in a Cuomo administration. Seems to be just a matter of when he announces he's in the race. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/n...
He Nearly Ended Cuomo’s Career. Now He Says His Ex-Rival Should Be Mayor.
H. Carl McCall, whose 2002 primary race with Andrew M. Cuomo became a racially charged clash, is urging the former governor to run for mayor of New York City.
nytimes.com
Old friend just laid off by USDA, 1 mos short of his probationary period as senior researcher. Brilliant person who left a tenured faculty position several yrs ago to join USDA. Bright early-career researchers also being laid off. USDA is terminating a generation of highly-qualified scientists.
Man who threatened to shoot up synagogue on X caught at Lincoln Tunnel www.nydailynews.com/2025/02/15/m...
Man who threatened to shoot up synagogue on X caught at Lincoln Tunnel
The Port Authority police were checking all the bridge and tunnel crossings for Luis Ramirez’s red Ford F150 after they were flagged by the NYPD about the rambling threats he made on X.
nydailynews.com
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten's resignation letter.
