Articles by JAKE OFFENHARTZ

Weather May Have Contributed to Plane Crash That Took 6 Lives of Family, Partners

When they boarded a small plane bound for upstate New York this past weekend, the six passengers — a pair of close-knit siblings, their parents and partners — were on the cusp of a new chapter in a family life …

New York City Live Poultry Markets Ordered Shut Due to Avian Flu

Live poultry markets in New York City raced to sell off all their chickens and other fowl Friday after seven cases of avian flu were detected and state officials ordered markets in the metropolitan area to close for a week. …

Ex-Yankee Mariano Rivera and Wife Deny Knowing of Church Abuse

New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife are accused in a lawsuit of failing to protect a young girl who was sexually abused by an older child during a summer camp trip sponsored by their church. In a …

AI Weapons Scanners in NYC Subway Found Zero Guns in Month Test

A pilot program testing AI-powered weapons scanners inside some New York City subway stations this summer did not detect any passengers with firearms — but falsely alerted more than 100 times, according to newly released police data. Through nearly 3,000 …

Contractor’s Drilling of Hole Caused Leak in Underwater Tunnel to Manhattan

An underwater tunnel that passes beneath New York City’s East River sprung a leak last Wednesday after a city contractor mistakenly drilled a hole through it, sending streams of water into the heavily used passage as officials scrambled to plug …

New York City Turns to AI-Powered Scanners to Keep Guns Out of Subway

New York City is turning to AI-powered scanners in a new bid to keep guns out of its subway system, but the pilot program launched Friday is already being met with skepticism from riders and the threat of a lawsuit …

Manhattan Tourist Site The Vessel, Closed in 2021 After Suicides, Will Reopen This Year

The Vessel, a climbable sculpture that drew hordes of tourists to the Hudson Yards megadevelopment on Manhattan’s west side before a string of suicides forced its closure in 2021, will reopen to the public later this year with added safety …

Mayor Says New York City Will ‘Iron Out Kinks’ in Errant Chatbot

An artificial intelligence-powered chatbot created by New York City to help small business owners is under criticism for dispensing bizarre advice that misstates local policies and advises companies to violate the law. But days after the issues were first reported …

Construction Workers Had Little Warning as Baltimore Bridge Collapsed. Why?

In the moments before the cargo ship Dali rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge and sent it crumbling into the water, a flurry of urgent warnings crackled over radios and enabled police to block traffic from getting on the …

New York Police Target Critics, Including Judges and Journalists, Using Social Media

The first “NYPD: Most Wanted” video was meant to be intimidating. Over a pounding soundtrack, the montage cuts among stock images and body-camera footage of actual police raids. A fake gun discharges. Real officers break down a door, barking orders …