NYC News Roundup: Brooklyn Bridge Ship Collision, Weekend Shootings, Rutgers President, Homeless Shelters, Rockaways Subway

Brooklyn Bridge Ship Collision

• 🚢 A Mexican Navy ship, the Wattak, struck the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge, resulting in two deaths and 22 injuries.
• ⚠️ Officials believe the ship lost power and veered off course, hitting the bridge less than five minutes after departing.
• ⚓ Investigators are examining the role of a harbor pilot and a tugboat, which may have become untethered or insufficient to prevent the accident.
• 🌉 While there was no structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge itself, a survey platform was hit.
• 🎭 Sailors on the ship's mast, part of a customary performance, were harnessed in but could not disembark in time.

Weekend Shootings and Rutgers Leadership

• 🚨 Three people died in separate shootings across the city over the weekend.
• 📍 Incidents occurred in Harlem, Fordham Heights, and East New York, with victims ranging in age from 18 to 57.
• 🎓 William F. Tate IV will be named the 22nd president of Rutgers University, starting July 1st.
• 👨🏾‍🏫 Tate, a social scientist, will be the university's second Black president, succeeding Jonathan Holloway.

Homeless Shelters and Infrastructure

• 🏘️ New York City is encouraging nonprofits to own homeless shelters rather than leasing from private landlords.
• 🏢 This model, exemplified by the new Ruby D shelter in the Bronx, aims to create more inviting and cost-effective emergency housing.
• 💰 Nonprofits can use city contracts as guarantees for lenders, potentially saving taxpayer money compared to rising rental costs.
• 🚇 Subway service to the Rockaways has resumed after a four-month shutdown for infrastructure upgrades, including new wave barriers and replacement of the South Channel Bridge.