5 NYC News Updates with Brian Lehrer: Cold Blue, Gun Buyback, Mayor Adams, World AIDS Day, Photo Contest

NYC Cold Blue and Outreach

• ❄️ New York City officials have increased outreach to homeless residents due to bitterly cold weather, declaring a cold blue from Friday 4 PM to Saturday 8 AM.
• 📞 Residents can contact 311 to request outreach assistance for individuals seen living outdoors.
• 🚨 In New Jersey, Essex County also has a cold blue in effect daily through Tuesday, with Newark, East Orange, and Irvington opening emergency shelters.

Gun Buyback Event in Brooklyn

• 🔫 Law enforcement is holding a gun buyback event in Brooklyn this Saturday at St. Paul's Community Baptist Church to remove guns from streets.
• 💰 Participants turning in operable handguns and rifles will receive a $500 bank card and Apple AirPods; 3D printed guns will yield a $200 bank card.
• 🕵️ The event requires no ID and all transactions are anonymous.

Political Dynamics and Generational Change

• 🤝 Donald Trump and JD Vance have made positive remarks about Mayor-elect Eric Adams, contrasting with New York's Democratic senators.
• 🚫 Adams, however, is not seeking retribution against Senator Schumer, declining to call for his replacement as Democratic leader, and instead focused on building a governing coalition.
• 💡 A narrative of younger Democrats challenging the party's gerontocracy is questioned, with the suggestion that ideological change, not just generational change, is the primary driver, using ageism as a potential wedge.

World AIDS Day and Government Stance

• 🗓️ The Trump administration's decision to no longer commemorate World AIDS Day is highlighted, with a memo warning employees against using government funds or communication channels for the occasion.
• ⚠️ This stance is seen as potentially linked to AIDS being associated with marginalized groups, drawing parallels to Florida's "don't say gay" policy.
• 🔬 The timing is critical, coinciding with potential breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

WNYC Photo Contest

• 📸 The Brian Lehrer Show is hosting its annual best photo on your phone contest as a holiday tradition.
• 🖼️ Listeners can submit their most beautiful, spectacular, creative, or thought-provoking photos from 2025 at wnyc.org/bestphoto, with a preference for non-professional photographers.
• 🏆 Winners will be featured on WNYC's Instagram, gain bragging rights, and have a chance to discuss their photo on air.
• 🍂 Brian Lehrer shared a photo of fall foliage in the Bronx, noting that peak fall colors in NYC occur in November, not October.