Stephen Brown

New York

Accountability Editor at WNYC (New York, NY)

Accountability Editor at Gothamist

Editor @wnyc and @gothamist covering politics, transit, education, etc. [email protected]

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Articles

Early voting starts today in NYC. Here's what to know before heading to the polls.

1 week ago | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown |Brigid Bergin

It’s decision time. Early voting for New York City’s primary starts Saturday and goes until Sunday, June 22. Primary Day is June 24. Now’s your chance to cast ballots in the Democratic primary for mayor, comptroller and public advocate — provided you’re registered as a Democrat. There is also a Republican primary for city comptroller and three local party positions. If you still need to register to vote, the deadline for that is also Saturday.
Adams orders removal of bike lane protection along stretch of Brooklyn's Bedford Avenue

2 weeks ago | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown

Protective barriers on a stretch of Brooklyn’s longest bike lane will be removed in response to complaints from residents, Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday. The Bedford Avenue bike lane has been the subject of controversy in South Williamsburg since it was first installed under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Mamdani and Lander endorse each other in NYC mayor’s race

2 weeks ago | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown |Elizabeth Kim

One day after Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani ganged up on Andrew Cuomo in the final debate of the Democratic mayoral primary, the comptroller and Queens assemblymember announced they will cross-endorse each other in the ranked choice race. "As Brad and I exposed the ex-Governor's record of corruption and scandal on last night's debate stage, New Yorkers could see Cuomo for what he really is: a relic of the broken politics of the past," Mamdani said in a statement.
Congestion pricing flub mirrors Trump admin’s Signalgate screwup

2 months ago | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown |Stephen Nessen

This column originally appeared in On The Way, a weekly newsletter covering everything you need to know about NYC-area transportation. Sign up to get the full version, which includes answers to reader questions, trivia, service changes and more, in your inbox every Thursday. If MTA Chair Janno Lieber was looking for more ammo in his fight to defend congestion pricing against the Trump administration, he just got an arsenal — courtesy of the Trump administration.
Congestion pricing tolls expected to stay on through fall, court filing shows

2 months ago | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown

The MTA and federal transportation department have reached a deal that will keep congestion pricing cameras on into the fall, a new court filing indicates. The new timeline was included in a document detailing a proposed schedule of legal briefings in a suit brought by the MTA against the federal government. Both sides agreed on a briefing schedule through October.
Columbia bows to Trump administration, hoping to restore federal funding

Mar 21, 2025 | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown

Columbia University bowed to many of President Donald Trump’s demands Friday in a bid to restore $400 million in federal funding. Columbia interim President Katrina Armstrong announced she will ban masks on campus, with exemptions for health or religious reasons, train three-dozen campus police officers with authority to arrest people, and appoint a new senior vice provost who will conduct a “thorough review” of the Middle East studies department.
Trump administration cancels $400M in funding for Columbia University

Mar 7, 2025 | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown

President Donald Trump's administration canceled $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University on Friday, citing what it called "relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment" on campus. The federal education department said the university had failed to comply with antidiscrimination laws.
DOJ directs prosecutors to drop Mayor Adams’ corruption case, reports say

Feb 10, 2025 | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown

The Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams, the Associated Press and New York Times reported Monday, handing him a political lifeline as he seeks reelection. News of the directive comes on the same day the Democratic mayor ordered his senior officials to refrain from criticizing President Donald Trump, whom Adams has courted since his reelection, according to the outlet THE CITY.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin surrenders to Manhattan prosecutors, reports say

Dec 19, 2024 | gothamist.com | Stephen Brown

Mayor Eric Adams’ closest adviser has surrendered to Manhattan prosecutors, according to multiple news reports. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who until this past weekend was Adams' chief adviser, was spotted by photographers from the New York Daily News walking into the criminal courthouse ahead of an expected arraignment on bribery charges on Thursday. The New York Times reported the charges will involve two businessmen who allegedly gave Lewis-Martin’s son a $100,000 loan he used to buy a Porsche.
Queens judge puts hold on plan for new Long Island City bike plans

Oct 27, 2024 | gothamist.com | Ramsey Khalifeh |Stephen Brown

A state judge has put a project to add bike lanes through an industrial section of Long Island City on pause after businesses along the stretch claimed the process to redesign the roads went through illegally. The judge said before the project can move forward, it’ll need to go through a city environmental review process — calling into question whether new bike lanes could be completed this year.