N.Y. Today: He Hears Voices in His Head. He Also Helped Win an Election.
He ran a successful political campaign, sometimes from a psych ward.
New York Today
May 18, 2025
A Canadian Goose pictured at the Central Park Reservoir.

A ‘Quixotic’ Fight to Protect a Bird That Can Be Hard to Love

Two New York men who bonded over bird-watching at the Central Park Reservoir are united in their efforts to save the nests of its resident Canada geese.

By Hilary Howard

Behind a Museum Door, These Beetles Are Eating Flesh for Science

The six-legged staffers of the American Museum of Natural History’s Bug Colony do their grisly work under a lid. The result: neatly tidied bones.

By Corey Kilgannon and Graham Dickie

Councilman Chi Ossé, wearing a suit and a white dress shirt, speaks outside in front of a bank of microphones.

What to Know About Broker Fees in New York City

A new law that will require many landlords, and not renters, to cover broker fees is set to take effect in less than two months. It may change how New Yorkers move.

By Mihir Zaveri

A black-and-white archival photo shows Murray Kempton, wearing a dark suit and smoking a pipe while sitting on steps outside a building.

Big CITY

He Stood Up for the Black Panthers, and He Stood Up for Richard Nixon

From the tabloid to the highbrow, Murray Kempton was prolific and impossible to pin down. It’s hard to imagine a columnist today who would be allowed to do what he did.

By Ginia Bellafante

People stand looking at a large electric sign showing arrival and departures.

Economic Toll of Train Strike Could Ripple Well Beyond New Jersey

The longer New Jersey Transit engineers are off the job, the more businesses that rely on commuters will suffer.

By Matthew Haag

A map of New York City shows which candidate had the most donors in each neighborhood.

See Who Your Neighborhood Is Funding in New York City’s Mayoral Race

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is the current front-runner but Zohran Mamdani has gotten more donations from individuals than any other candidate.

By Keith Collins

Sandeep Salter stands at a kitchen counter in her home making scones.

How a Sustainable Clothing Entrepreneur Spends Her Sundays

For Sandeep Salter, who co-founded the sustainable goods shop Salter House, Sunday is “family day.” That means scones, pancakes and a daring walk along the Promenade in Brooklyn.

By Ilana Kaplan

A black and white drawing of several people sitting beside one another on the subway, including a woman and a man who are dressed up for the evening. He is in a tuxedo and bow tie and one of the other passengers is taking a picture of him.

METROPOLITAN DIARY

‘She Was Trying to Tie Her Partner’s Bow Tie but Kept Failing’

Help with a tricky task on the Q, losing an E Street memento and more reader tales of New York City in this week’s Metropolitan Diary.

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