LaGuardia Airport, once infamous for its subpar conditions, has been named the best airport in the U.S. by Forbes Travel Guide, following a $8 billion transformation. This same airport was once compared to a “third-world country” by President Biden, but after years of extensive renovations, it now ranks at the top of the list. A survey of 5,000 travel experts and frequent flyers recognized LaGuardia’s remarkable improvements, which include updated customer amenities, expanded gate areas, and state-of-the-art terminals. Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton credited the public-private partnerships with Delta Air Lines and LaGuardia Gateway Partners for turning the once-derided airport into a modern marvel.

A man who took in an orphaned squirrel and made it a social media star vowed Saturday that New York state’s decision to seize and euthanize the animal “won’t go unheard.” “We will make a stance on how this government and New York state utilizes their resources,” Mark Longo said in a phone interview. He declined to specify his possible next steps but said officials would hear from him soon about what happened to Peanut the squirrel and Fred, a rescued raccoon that was also confiscated and put down. The state Department of Environmental Conservation took the animals Wednesday from Longo’s home and animal sanctuary in rural Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border. The agency said it had gotten complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally and potentially unsafely.

As the annual New York City Marathon gears up for Sunday, residents and travelers should prepare for significant road closures along the marathon route. The 26.2 marathon route starts in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island before traveling across the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. The race begins with the professional wheelchair division at 8 a.m., with the final wave of runners taking off at 11:30 a.m. The marathon route then moves into Brooklyn, over the Pulaski Bridge into Queens, the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, the Madison Avenue Bridge into the Bronx and the Willis Avenue Bridge into Manhattan. The finish line is located at West 67th Street in Manhattan’s iconic Central Park.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with Rep. Mike Lawler and former Congressman Lee Zeldin, visited Rockland County on Thursday in support of Lawler’s reelection bid. The high-profile visit included meetings with numerous local Jewish community leaders, underscoring the support Lawler enjoys among residents. The delegation’s first stop was in Monsey, where they met with the Viznitzer Rebbe. Speaker Johnson then proceeded to meet with the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Joel, HaRav Aron Teitelbaum Shlita, who made a special trip to Monsey from Kiryas Joel, greeting the Speaker at his vacation residence. The group then visited the Skvere Rebbe, where Chaskel Bennett, a member of Agudath Israel of America’s Board of Trustees, was also in attendance.

On the eve of arguably the most critical presidential election in modern US history both for the safety of the American Jewish community and for the future of the US-Israel relationship, and at a time when a major political gathering in New York City with numerous Jews in attendance is labeled a ‘Nazi Rally’, many in the Jewish community are anxious about the future. Support for President Trump is seeing a notable increase within Jewish communities, especially among frum Jews. For example, the Satmar Rebbe recently declared that “Trump is better for the Jews,” a rare endorsement signaling that traditional Chassidic support for Democratic candidates may be shifting. It is anticipated that other Chassidic groups will soon echo this sentiment.

This summer, Mayor Eric Adams introduced the “NYC Bin,” a new official trash can set to become mandatory for all residential buildings with one to nine units by June 2026. In the interim, starting November 12, residential properties can use any bin up to 55 gallons with a secure lid, with penalties for non-compliance beginning at $50 and escalating up to $200 per violation. The NYC Bin, which became available for purchase in July, is priced at $53.01 for the largest 45-gallon model, with shipping included. The city also offers optional recycling and compost bins, although these are not required. City officials attribute the bin’s reduced price to bulk ordering, making it available exclusively to New York City residents.

A Jewish man was attacked and slashed in the face Tuesday morning while walking through the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The victim, a local resident in his late 20s, was approached by an assailant in a ski mask who stabbed him without any apparent provocation. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital in serious but stable condition and is expected to require surgery. “This is a very serious incident, and the Jewish Future Alliance is deeply concerned about it. Witnesses at the scene testified that it was unprovoked,” said Yaacov Berman, a liaison for Chabad Headquarters. The attack follows a troubling trend of rising antisemitic incidents in New York City and across the United States.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has approved an additional $35 million in funding to jumpstart the planning and design process for a new Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). This move is the first substantial action to implement the newly introduced EWR Vision Plan, a comprehensive roadmap aimed at transforming Newark Liberty into a world-class international gateway. With the newly approved funds, combined with $20 million from a previous allocation, the total $55 million will support preliminary design and planning for a modernized Terminal B, as well as assessments of associated infrastructure and utility needs.

A Jewish woman has filed a lawsuit against Hackensack University Medical Center, alleging that the hospital misplaced her stillborn son’s remains and performed an unauthorized autopsy, disregarding her religious beliefs and explicit instructions, Lakewood Alerts reported. The 34-year-old mother, who underwent an induced birth of her stillborn son at the northern New Jersey hospital on September 28, 2022, had explicitly declined an autopsy, as per halacha and already knowing the reason for why the child was stillborn – he had a congenital heart defect. The lawsuit, filed in August in U.S. District Court, asserts that despite the woman’s clear refusal, an autopsy was performed nearly a year later without her consent.

Thousands gathered at Yeshiva Chaim Berlin in Flatbush to pay their final respects to the beloved Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Shlomo Halioua, zt”l, who was Niftar on Sunday afternoon at the age of 66. Hespeidim were delivered by his sons, sons-in-law, and prominent rabbanim, including HaRav Chaim Kitowitz, HaRav Malkiel Kotler, HaRav Elya Yarmalk HaRav Yitzchok Meir Senderowitz, HaRav Avigdor Kitowitz and others, highlighting his dedication to the Yeshiva, Tzidkus, Anivus, Hasmada and his incredible Chesed. At the Levaya, it was revealed that Rav Halioua had been battling illness for some time, choosing to keep it private to avoid burdening the yeshiva. Despite his suffering, he mustered the strength to attend Simchas Beis HaShoeva, where he spoke, danced, and greeted the crowd.