Local Politics · New York, NY
Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed Wednesday that Linda Tigani will remain chair of New York City's independent Commission on Racial Equity (CORE) until at least summer 2027, after City Council members opposed her immediate replacement. The Black, Latino and Asian Caucus urged retention in an Oct. 27 letter, citing ongoing reparations and truth-and-reconciliation work. Mamdani expressed intent to nominate Christopher Alexander, executive director of the NAACP New York State Conference, for a potential August 2027 start, though no appointment has been finalized. The dispute follows months of tension between CORE and City Hall over missed racial equity plan deadlines, including an August Manhattan Supreme Court ruling that found both former Mayor Adams and Mamdani failed to meet charter requirements.
Public Safety · New York, NY
A disciplinary trial for off-duty NYPD officer Wayne Isaacs, who killed unarmed 37-year-old Delrawn Small in a July 4th weekend road confrontation in East New York, Brooklyn in 2016, is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2027. Isaacs was acquitted of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter charges in 2017, but the Civilian Complaint Review Board substantiated misconduct charges against him in 2020. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials Rosmarie Maldonado recommended dropping the disciplinary charges late last year, but Commissioner Jessica Tisch overrode that recommendation to proceed with the trial. The proceedings will determine whether Isaacs violated department guidelines and could result in termination.
Crime · New York, NY
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged Anna Mochalova, 32, with two hate crimes over attacks on two Jewish men in the Diamond District on Oct. 21, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced Wednesday. The first stabbing occurred around 5:50 p.m. on West 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues; the second took place near Sixth Avenue and West 45th Street shortly after. Prosecutors describe the weapon as a sharp object consistent with a needle, noting its contents remain unknown pending investigation. Mochalova was arraigned Sunday in state court and is due back Oct. 29 after partially securing a $150,000 bond; each federal charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Community brief · New York, NY
The MTA announced Wednesday that starting Thursday through Saturday, costume-clad riders on the New York City Subway, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad can collect novelty station-sign stickers and Halloween-themed collectors' maps at select stations. Two subway locations per borough will feature temporary spooky renamings such as "Slime Sq-42 Street" for Times Square-42 St and "Ghoul Central Terminal" for Grand Central Terminal,…
