New York City in brief

New data from New York’s Health Department show a so-called “super flu” (really just H3N2 with better marketing) is overwhelming the city: weekly case counts halved on Staten Island, but hospitalizations surged to 130. Across the state, admissions are up 24% and pediatric deaths have ticked upwards. Officials urge vaccination—no panacea, but in a season like this, we’ll take any edge we can get.

New York and eleven states have sued the Trump administration in Rhode Island, contesting a federal rule that threatens to withhold over $300 billion in health, education, and research funding unless states recognize only two biological sexes in official policy. The plaintiffs, mostly Democratic-led, label the move a “novel and ambiguous” test of loyalty; we note that the government’s fondness for binary choices persists—at least when cash is on the line.

Vowing to keep New York livable, Governor Kathy Hochul’s latest State of the State address in Albany laid out over 200 initiatives, from a $1.7 billion boost in childcare funding to curbs on insurance costs, more housing, and better services for migrants. We welcome her realism about the Big Apple’s wallet-busting reputation, though whether these promises will bite or just nibble at runaway costs remains anyone’s guess.

Kathy Hochul, New York’s governor, announced plans to extend the Second Avenue subway into Harlem and modernize Jamaica Station in Queens, aiming to shave costs and time for an estimated 240,000 daily riders. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s tunnelling contract is already north of $1.9 billion, with service not due until 2032—proof that when New York builds a train, even eternity needs an ETA.

Nearly 15,000 nurses at three of New York City’s biggest hospital systems strolled off the job after talks with management—Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian—foundered over wages, staffing, and healthcare benefits. While administrators bemoan “reckless demands” and scramble for replacements, unions say patient safety is at stake. The two sides remain stalwart; for now, tempers and temp agencies are both running overtime.