36th Street
The Story
New Yorkers are still reeling from yesterday's attack.
What happened?
Yesterday, a man wearing a gas mask opened a smoke canister on a moving subway in Brooklyn during rush hour. And opened fire — injuring at least 17 people and leaving a city on edge. Schools in the area went into lockdown. Officials have named a 62-year-old man — with addresses in Wisconsin and Philadelphia — as a person of interest. The crime isn’t being investigated as an act of terrorism. NYC officials say surveillance cameras that could’ve captured the shooting weren’t working. It comes as violence has been on the rise on NYC's subway system and across the country.
What do you mean?
Last year, more than 400 felony assaults were reported on the subway. Earlier this year, the city mourned 40-year-old Michelle Go after she was pushed in front of an oncoming train. A survey by Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) found that former subway riders cited crime as a top concern. The city has responded to the violence by testing out platform barriers at three stations. As well as by cracking down on loitering at stations.
And the rest of the country?
Gun violence has continued to go up. At least 10 major US cities set new homicide records last year, including Philadelphia and Portland. And there were 485 murders in NYC — reportedly the highest in 10 years. It comes as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders saw more than 9,000 hate crimes since the beginning of the pandemic. And as Congress hasn’t passed major gun control legislation since 1994.
theSkimm
NYC has added police officers to its subway system since crime ticked back up at the start of the pandemic. But the violence hasn't stopped. And yesterday saw some of commuters' worst fears come true.
States v Roe: Oklahoma
Welcome to our series on abortion rights and restrictions. theSkimm is tracking state actions in the lead-up to a landmark Supreme Court decision expected by July. Here’s the latest…
Yesterday, Oklahoma Gov Kevin Stitt (R) signed a bill making it a felony to perform an abortion. Anyone (including doctors) found guilty of administering the procedure faces a max fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years in prison. There are no exceptions for rape or incest — only for medical emergencies.
Last month Idaho joined Texas in allowing residents to sue abortion providers and anyone else helping to perform abortions for tens of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, dozens of states have intro’d abortion restrictions since January alone.
Here’s where states stand on abortion. A ruling from the Supreme Court on the fate of Roe v Wade is expected within three months.
And Also...This
Whose party is over…
British PM Boris Johnson. Yesterday, Downing Street shared that police slapped Johnson with a fine for his role in the “partygate” scandal. ICYMI, Johnson and staffers broke COVID-19 lockdown rules to attend parties during the height of the pandemic. Now, Johnson says he’s paid the fine — while ignoring the calls for him to resign.
What's the bane of our existence and the object of all our desire...
Money. Inflation is now the highest since 1981. That's according to the Consumer Price Index, which measures the average price of things like food, housing, and gas. The bump (8.5% since last year) comes despite efforts by the Fed to curb it with higher interest rates. But that move alone has some whispering 'recession.' In the meantime, a well-diversified portfolio could help you earn enough to beat inflation.
Who people are mourning…
Who's giving meaning to 'a whole new ball game'...
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