The Gateway Development Commission has sued the Trump administration for withholding funds that threaten to derail a $16 billion rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River; the Commission warns that construction may grind to a halt within days. Washington’s fondness for brinkmanship continues apace, even as millions of New York and New Jersey commuters brace for more subterranean suspense.
New York City in brief
Top five stories in the five boroughs today
New York City’s record cold snap brought nearly 80,000 complaints about inadequate heat and hot water in January, the driest month since records began in 2010, prompting the city’s housing agency to work overtime while some tenants, particularly in places like Flatbush, froze in their own homes. With repairmen outnumbered and building boilers out-aged, we wonder if layering up will join bagels as signature local fare.
Though America’s headline inflation in 2026 stubbornly cools, households from Houston to Hartford still feel the pinch as car insurance, rent, food, utilities and transport costs all outpace wallet recovery. Experts advise reading the fine print—scrapping seldom-used subscriptions or braving generic brands—but the real key may be accepting that the only thing shrinking faster than your grocery bill is the average American’s patience for thrift.
A fresh feasibility study and a sharper political will—courtesy of Mayor Mamdani—have revived New York’s long-stalled plan to shutter Rikers Island, where nearly 50 detainees died during Eric Adams’s tenure and the air, like the prison system, remains toxic. We note fanciful talk of turning the tainted landfill into a renewable energy hub, proving there’s at least energy behind grand ideas, if not always their execution.
Donald Trump urged Republicans to "nationalize" U.S. elections—currently managed by states per the Constitution—citing his unproven belief in widespread voter fraud and state-level corruption, remarks made on Dan Bongino’s podcast following an FBI search at a Georgia elections center. While Congress can tweak election rules, a federal takeover seems unlikely; apparently, local control still has friends in high places—and in hallowed documents.