Northeast
NY lawmakers call for transit chief’s ouster, float reforms after Duffy decries subway ‘s—hole’
New York State Republicans are demanding the ouster of the city’s transit chief, citing poor subway service despite an infusion of cash from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “congestion pricing” Manhattan toll zone.
A press conference came on Wednesday, days after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited Dover, N.J., to assess a massive sinkhole that had closed down I-80. Republicans are also calling for an audit of the entire transit agency.
There, Duffy criticized Hochul for failing to rescind congestion pricing and said New York officials need to get a better handle on subway crime.
“If you want people to take the train, to take transit, then make it safe, make it clean, make it beautiful, make it wonderful, don’t make it a s—hole, which is what she’s done,” he said.
“We don’t have to be at war over this,” Hochul reportedly said in that regard.
NY LAWMAKERS BLAST MTA AFTER COMMENTS ‘DISMISSIVE’ OF CRIME ISSUE
State Sen. Steve Chan, R-Bath Beach, announced a bill at the Albany conference that would add two more members to the state-owned MTA’s board: one representing NYPD transit police and another representing the transit police union.
Chan, a retired NYPD sergeant and immigrant from Hong Kong, condemned a string of dangerous incidents on the rails in and around his Brooklyn district, including the nationally reported case of a passenger set on fire in nearby Coney Island.
“If it takes two men two days to dig a half a hole, then how long would it take one guy to dig a hole?” Chan asked at the presser.
“The question can be answered by [MTA Chair] Janno Lieber, because that’s what he does every year: dig himself a hole,” he said.
“The motto of the MTA seems to be, ‘the higher the cost, the less we have to offer you.’ So every year around this time, the MTA comes with their hand with a tin cup, ‘We need more money,’ and year after year, the Democrats in Albany bend the knee to a mismanaged, misguided and bloated, lackluster transit system.”
Chan said that during his decades as a cop, he saw the best and worst of the subways, but today they’re leaning toward the worst.
He said there was once a time only a few years ago when solo passengers could feel safe underground at 3 a.m., but not today.
“I know private companies that could run the MTA better. I bet I can take a company and give them one single bus line. They’ll turn a profit right away.”
Chan lamented what he called a criminal “free-for-all” in the subway system, arguing that claims of reduced crime are the result of lax enforcement and downgraded charges.
SUBWAY MAYHEM SPURS CUOMO TO URGE HALT TO NEW NYC DRIVING TAX
Sen. Bill Weber, R-Clarkstown, said his constituents north of the city have had to pay a surtax to the MTA for what he called inefficient service and have to choose whether to brave the indirect transit options or the congestion pricing tolls.
He suggested the MTA is blaming NJTransit, which operates MTA trains that pass through the Garden State on their way to either Spring Valley or Port Jervis, and he also called for Lieber’s ouster.
“Two bills that I’m proposing today … will bring more money back into the pockets of Rockland [County] taxpayers and hopefully will get the MTA moving in the right direction,” he said.
Sen. Jack Martins, R-Mineola, added that he hopes the MTA succeeds but has long doubted it.
“Their success is our success. Their success is New York State’s success,” he said, calling the agency’s $19.9 billion budget an appropriation without results.
“[For] every dollar that comes out [of a New Yorker’s] pocket that goes to fund the MTA, and frankly, we get nothing for it. It’s time for congestion pricing to be repealed. It’s time for an audit and a real audit that goes into the waste, fraud and abuse that exists at the MTA.”
Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, closed the conference by saying the GOP caucus wants the MTA to succeed, and that harsh criticism should not be misconstrued as wishing for failure.
“[But] every time we throw them more money, we’re part of the problem. If we want accountability, the easiest way is to say, ‘The spigot’s turned off until you show us that you’re willing to make changes with the billions of dollars that you get, then we can have a conversation about other things we can do financially.’”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a top MTA official rejected the collective claims and criticized Martins in particular.
“The LIRR is operating with record on-time performance and crime on the subway is down 24% since last year. And the MTA has a balanced operating budget, so it’s mind-boggling how some politicians are apparently not capable of reading a budget,” MTA chief of policy John J. McCarthy said.
“Mr. Martins has a track record of being wrong. He fought improvements on the LIRR, opposing the Third Track Expansion Project [in Nassau County] – a project that only moved forward when Martins left office.”
“Now Mr. Martins is back in office, the project is done, and he is trying to make believe there is no improvement – meanwhile it only happened because he was out of the picture.”
An MTA official acknowledged that NJ Transit does run service to Rockland and Orange counties and that it could be better, in regard to Weber’s critique.
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The Boston Red Sox are currently resisting becoming significant sellers in the trade market. At the moment, Boston sits last in the American League East at eight games under .500. Despite entering 2026 with high hopes, the club has struggled mightily during the first half of the season. Because of this, many believe that the Red Sox will make some significant moves this summer.
Nevertheless, WEEI’s Rob Bradford is now reporting that Boston officials are rebuffing outside interest in three key relief pitchers. According to Bradford, teams asking about the possible availability of Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, and Justin Slaten are being turned away. The reporter, however, specifically claims that the club is rejecting potential offers as of right now.
The situation regarding the trio could certainly change in the near future. Assuming the Red Sox continue to falter, team officials may eventually opt to offload the standout relievers. So far this season, Chapman, Whitlock, and Slaten have been three of the team’s top pitchers in their bullpen. Chapman has allowed one earned run all season, while Whitlock and Slaten have provided stability working ahead of the closer.
Whitlock has been out of action since landing on the injured list on May 28 with knee inflammation. The reliever is expected to return to Boston’s bullpen in the coming days, though. Chapman is also dealing with an injury issue. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy confirmed on June 5 that the closer is enduring a “minor hamstring” problem. So far, Chapman has avoided the IL.
Boston Red Sox Eyeing Other Deals as Chapman, Whitlock, and Slaten are Off Limits
GettyAroldis Chapman would receive plenty of interest if the Boston Red Sox opt to trade him.
While the Boston Red Sox are holding on to their top relievers for now, they are willing to offload Connor Wong. According to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey, team officials are gauging interest in the backup catcher. The veteran backstop is available for trade because Boston has three catchers on the roster. Along with Wong, the Red Sox also have Carlos Narvaez and Mickey Gasper at the position. McCaffrey believes that Boston prefers to keep Gasper over Wong.
The Red Sox, however, are also being linked with making a key addition to the roster. ESPN’s Buster Olney recently claimed that Boston is specifically looking to acquire a right-handed hitter. With Trevor Story and Caleb Durbin struggling, Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela are currently the club’s two most prominent righties in the lineup. Not only are the Red Sox eyeing a new bat, but they are willing to spend significant money to do so.
Boston Likely to Become Sellers if Struggles Continue
Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has admitted that the club is being patient in the trade market. According to Breslow, it is just too early in the season to really commit to being a buyer or seller. The exec also claimed that while he is having “a lot of conversations” with other teams, he still believes that his current roster can turn things around.
Nevertheless, the situation can change fairly rapidly if Boston does not start to improve quickly. The Red Sox are already 11 games back in the division and have to jump six other teams to be in a wild card place. Boston will try to get a win streak going when they face the New York Yankees on Saturday, June 6.
Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore
PITTSBURGH (WKBN) – Morgan Wallen has canceled his concert that was set to happen Saturday night in Pittsburgh.
According to Ticketmaster, Wallen canceled the show at Acrisure Stadium for Saturday, June 6.
Wallen wrote on his Instragram account that the show was canceled due to the threat of severe weather.
Ticketmaster says if you bought a ticket, you don’t have to do anything — they will issue you a refund to your original method of payment and the money should appear on your account within 14-21 days.
If tickets were transferred to you, the refund will go to the fan who originally purchased the tickets from Ticketmaster.
The show was part of Wallen’s “Still the Problem” tour.
Two people have been arrested in connection to a shooting at an event hall in Waterbury last weekend.
Officers received information about a shooting at So Blu’Niq on Wolcott Street on Sunday around 5 a.m. It was also reported that a victim from the incident had admitted themselves to the hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.
Police said they made contact with the 27-year-old victim at the hospital. According to investigators, she had a gunshot wound to her abdomen and her arm. She is reportedly still admitted and receiving treatment, but is considered to be in stable condition.
Investigators responded to So Blu’Niq and found a crime scene. Authorities said they determined there was an isolated disturbance that happened inside the business that escalated to a firearm being discharged and the woman being hit by a projectile.
While investigating, authorities said they also determined that at the time of the incident, liquor and alcoholic beverages were illegally being sold without a permit or license.
Warrants were secured for a 50-year-old woman from Waterbury and a 29-year-old man from Waterbury.
The woman was taken into custody on Friday and is being charged with illegal sale of alcohol. She is set to appear in court on June 10.
The man was taken into custody on Wednesday and is facing charges including assault, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a pistol/revolver by a convicted felon, illegal discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment and carrying a pistol without a permit. He appeared in court on Thursday on a $1.5 millon bond.
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