Morning Headlines: NYPD Warns Federal Cuts Could Jeopardize Record Low Subway Crime, Gov. Hochul Rules Out State Funding for Statue of Liberty Amid Governmen...

Janae Pierre: Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Thursday, October 2nd. Here's your morning headlines from Michael Hill.

Michael Hill: New York's subways just had their safest summer on record, but city officials say looming federal funding cuts could put that progress at risk. WNYC's Charles Lane reports.

Charles Lane: The NYPD says transit crime is down 5% so far this year, and shootings have again hit record lows. Officials credit redeploying officers from desk jobs to the subway system and high crime zones, but Commissioner Jessica Tisch warns proposed cuts to counter-terrorism funding could reverse those gains.

Commissioner Jessica Tisch: It will absolutely be a less safe place six months from now. Let me be clear. These funds are the backbone of the NYPD's counter-terrorism programs.

Charles Lane: Right now, New York's attorney general is suing to block the cuts.

Michael Hill: The White House did not immediately respond to our request for comment. New York State will not step in if the federal government shutdown closes the Statue of Liberty. WNYC's Jimmy Vielkind reports.

Jimmy Vielkind: Governor Hochul says more than 100,000 federal employees won't get a paycheck because of a congressional funding dispute. That includes the park rangers at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, two iconic attractions in New York Harbor, but the Democratic governor won't pay to keep them open. That's a break from the last shutdown in 2018. Former governor Andrew Cuomo spent around $65,000 a day so people could keep visiting. Hochul says she wants people to blame Republicans who control the federal government.

Governor Hochul: Liberty Park may stay closed because people need to know where this came from.

Jimmy Vielkind: For their part, Republicans are blaming Democrats, led by Senator Chuck Schumer, for walking away from a funding bill.

Michael Hill: New Jersey is issuing a statewide drought watch after another stretch of dry weather. Over the past three months, rainfall across the Garden State has been one to six inches below average. Temperatures, however, remain up from the average. As a result, officials say reservoir and groundwater levels have dropped to concerning levels. The new alert comes less than three months after the state lifted a summer drought warning, which is more severe than a watch. Residents are strongly encouraged to conserve water by taking quicker showers and refraining from watering yards. 54 and clear, sunny and 66 for a high on this Thursday with a light wind, and then tonight low in the mid-50s. Then tomorrow we start a warming trend, mostly sunny and 72 and chilly Friday night and Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, sunshine and 79.

Janae Pierre: Thanks for listening. This is NYC Now from WNYC. Catch us every weekday three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. More soon.

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