Big Hits BG | radioNOVO News NY News Roundup for June 17, 2026

Good morning. Topping our statewide roundup, millions of New York families struggling with grocery costs are getting a massive financial cushion this week. State officials announced the official launch of the Summer EBT program, which automatically distributes one-hundred-and-twenty dollars per eligible child on specialized debit cards to cover food expenses through the summer months. The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance says cards will begin landing in mailboxes statewide this week.Meanwhile, a major utility provider is under intense pressure from state regulators this morning following a scathing independent audit. The New York State Public Service Commission has issued seventy-two mandatory recommendations for National Grid after investigators uncovered systemic gaps in oversight. The report reveals equipment failures frequently forced the company to send customers estimated bills instead of actual meter readings, and accuses National Grid of misallocating costs among its affiliates. The utility is now ordered to overhaul its management and build an immediate response plan.In western New York, jury selection continues this week in the high-profile federal death penalty trial of Payton Gendron. Gendron is already serving life without parole after pleading guilty to the racially motivated 2022 mass shooting that claimed the lives of ten black people at a Buffalo Tops supermarket. U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo is presiding over the federal proceedings, where potential jurors are completing extensive questionnaires. If convicted on federal hate crimes, the jury will ultimately decide whether Gendron will face execution.Turning to transportation and sports, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is urging commuters to completely avoid driving in midtown Manhattan today. Major stretches of Fifth and Sixth avenues are closed off to allow a fleet of shuttle buses to transport tens of thousands of fans to a World Cup match at MetLife Stadium. New Jersey Transit has drastically altered afternoon rail schedules, meaning travelers heading to and from the city should prepare for massive gridlock through the evening rush.And finally, freshwater anglers across the state are officially hitting local lakes and rivers this week. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has opened the regular harvest season for largemouth and smallmouth bass, which runs through November thirtieth. State officials remind fishermen to check specific size and catch limits for local bodies of water, noting that regional waterways consistently rank among the top ten bass fisheries in the nation.For more news, download the radioNOVO app. I’m Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News, a service of Seven Mountains Media.