Prediction Market Probe, Tremont Busway Project, Special-Education…

Politics & Policy

• New York City Council Announces Investigation of Deceptive and Predatory Marketing Practices by Prediction Market Platforms · Speaker Julie Menin launched an investigation into prediction market platforms including Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, and Gemini Titan, demanding info on their marketing to protect consumers, minors, and vulnerable individuals. A hearing will determine if stronger safeguards are needed. (NYC Council)
• Editorial | One costly mistake by Mamdani in pied-a-terre tax plan · Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax plan rollout is criticized as a major misstep after releasing an incomplete tax proposal, potentially hurting its effectiveness and reception. The editorial highlights mismanagement risks in policy announcements. (AM New York)
• Man convicted of killing female Queens jogger to appeal conviction, arguing DA used unconstitutional means to get evidence · Chanel Lewis, convicted in 2019 for the 2016 Queens jogger Karina Vetrano murder, won appellate permission to challenge his conviction based on alleged unconstitutional evidence gathering and possible fraudulent testimony. His appeal will revisit key prosecutorial practices. (AM New York)
• NYC lawmaker to intro bills aimed at getting illegal e-motos off city streets · Council Member Shaun Abreu plans legislation targeting illegal electric motorcycles after a teenager’s fatal crash, aiming to clear unregulated e-motos and boost street safety. Bill introduction is expected this week. (AM New York)
• Mamdani Is Hitting Many Milestones on Childcare. Except One. · Despite progress on childcare services, Mayor Mamdani’s administration lacks a sustainable funding stream; the report examines models other cities use to secure ongoing childcare funding. (Vital City)

Housing, Transportation & Infrastructure

• EXCLUSIVE: Mamdani admin to break ground on Tremont Avenue busway to speed up service for 40,000 riders in Bronx · Mayor Mamdani will break ground Wednesday on the Tremont Avenue busway to accelerate service for 40,000 Bronx daily riders, marking the borough’s first dedicated busway after delays. (AM New York)
• Nearly a Third of NYC’s Trash Gets Incinerated Elsewhere. What Would It Take to Stop The Practice? · NYC exports nearly 30% of its trash for incineration out of state; halting this requires drastic waste reduction, with Philadelphia’s council debating a similar ban to address health and pollution concerns. (City Limits)
• New York will test new thermal tech that cools down NYC subway platforms · Mayor Mamdani, Gov. Hochul, and MTA plan to pilot thermal energy networks at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway complex to reduce summer heat on platforms. (6sqft)
• MTA to retrofit every NYC bus with area for open strollers · The MTA announced all NYC buses will be retrofitted to provide open stroller areas, eliminating previous requirements to fold strollers to board and improving accessibility for parents and caregivers. (6sqft)
• What’s Up With the MTA’s New Vending Machines? · Commuters report new NYC subway platform vending machines selling sodas for $3.50, signaling an upgrade in station amenities. (Hell Gate)

Culture & Lifestyle

• Bronx Students Get Hands-On Technology Training Through Partnership with City, LinkNYC & Partners · Over a dozen Bronx and Brooklyn high school students gained fiber optic splicing and smartphone repair skills at Brooklyn’s Gigabit Center through a LinkNYC partnership with Digital Girl, Inc. and Fix It With Piggy. (Norwood News)
• Chinese Immigrants Are Now New York City’s Largest Foreign Born Group. Here’s What That Means. · For the first time since the 1990s, Chinese immigrants have become NYC’s largest foreign-born population, surpassing Dominicans; growth spreads Chinese communities beyond Manhattan’s Chinatown, influencing city services and politics. (NYC Now)
• Bill Ackman’s Big Brain Bet · Billionaire Bill Ackman and architect Neri Oxman are constructing a neuroscience medical center on the Upper West Side devoted to comprehensive brain research. (Adriane Quinlan)
• LISTEN: Big Brother Is in the Big Apple · A podcast episode discusses NYC’s high insurance costs, ongoing surveillance concerns, and who benefits or pays the city’s rising expenses. (FAQ NYC)
• A Brooklyn Cantina Opens a Next-Door Taqueria That Leans Toward Mexico City · Bed-Stuy’s Olmo Mexican restaurant is expanding with Peral, an all-day taqueria and cafe collaboration with Mexico City’s Cicatriz bar, launching late summer amid a wave of Mexico City dining in NYC. (Eater NY)

Business & Economy

• ‘I Know About Tariffs’: Small Biz Struggles With High Costs, Trump Chaos · NYC small businesses have claimed no significant tariff refunds six months after the Supreme Court struck down Trump-era tariffs, even as import levies remain high, complicating recovery for many importers. (Carol Chen)
• ‘Debt Heads’ explores the cost of financial freedom · A new piece examines how NYC’s soaring housing and living costs make financial independence increasingly elusive for a generation promised freedom through credit. (Spectrum News Staff)

Civic Services & Government

• Sharp drop in NYC schools’ reading tests leaves some questioning results of state exams · NYC students’ literacy scores plummeted sharply on state tests, prompting educators and officials to question the exams’ accuracy and reliability amid mounting concerns over learning progress. (Gothamist)
• 5 Things To Know About NYC’s Surge in Mosquitoes With West Nile Virus · The NYC Health Department reported nearly double the mosquito samples infected with West Nile virus this year compared to last with no human cases yet; residents are urged to take precautions during peak mosquito season. (Haidee Chu)
• NYPD detective indicted for beating prisoner inside Brooklyn precinct: DA · Brooklyn DA indicted NYPD Detective Raymond Ng for allegedly beating a handcuffed man, causing an orbital fracture, inside the 76th Precinct; the victim had no prior convictions. (AM New York)
• City’s public defender strike ends after Bronx Defenders reach tentative deal · The public defender strike involving over 1,000 legal aid union members ended last week after the Bronx Defenders secured a tentative contract agreement with the city. (Queens Daily Eagle)
• Federal court upholds ruling opening prosecutor discipline records to the public · A federal appeals court reaffirmed that New Yorkers have a right to access records of prosecutorial disciplinary proceedings, advancing transparency in the criminal justice system. (Queens Daily Eagle)

Events

• LOUIS VUITTON FIRST FRIDAYS AT THE FRICK! (SPONSORED) · The Frick Collection invites visitors to a free evening of art, music, drinks, and talks on Friday, August 7 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. as part of Louis Vuitton First Fridays after-hours programming. (The Skint)

DEEP DIVE

NYC Misses Legal Deadlines in Most Special-Education Cases, Auditors Find

New York City continues to falter in meeting legal deadlines for special education services, despite decades of litigation and a federal court order mandating reforms. Families who win cases requiring services like speech therapy or tutoring must have those services implemented within 35 days, yet recent audits show just over 36% compliance for service orders and under 13% for payment deadlines. Although these figures mark improvement from early 2023, the Education Department still misses deadlines in the overwhelming majority of cases.

The city’s struggle to comply with these legal mandates stems from a long history of delays and inadequate provision of special education services. The federal oversight follows a class-action lawsuit from 2003 that exposed systemic failures requiring the city to deliver services promptly. The audit comes after a Manhattan federal judge ordered additional reforms in 2023 to accelerate compliance. However, data indicate persistent systemic inefficiencies and resource challenges in actually implementing timely services, leaving many families waiting despite court victories.

This situation affects thousands of families relying on legally mandated support for their children’s education, impacting student outcomes and family well-being. With nearly 16,000 impartial hearing cases expected last school year, the ongoing delays risk legal backlash and continued court scrutiny. The Education Department faces mounting pressure to fully comply or face further judicial intervention, making this a critical issue New Yorkers reliant on special education must watch closely. (Alex Zimmerman, Chalkbeat)