Jahlil Rush

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned from office in disgrace, but he created history on the way out with his Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul must now prove to New Yorkers that her administration will be better than her predecessors.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the next set of winners of the “Get a Shot to Make Your Future” incentive for a full scholarship to any CUNY or SUNY school of the winner’s choice. The scholarships will include enough funding to cover not only the student’s tuition fees but their room and board as well.

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s 1996 critically acclaimed graphic novel, “Batman: The Long Halloween,” was given the green light to be turned into an animated movie. The movie finally arrived after months of anticipation, and it did not disappoint.

CUNY students, City Council members and other CUNY representatives joined forces to combat Mayor Bill de Blasio’s executive budget that would decrease CUNY’s funding. According to the Professional Staff Congress, the CUNY staff and faculty union, de Blasio’s executive budget would cut city funding from CUNY community colleges by $77 million, eliminating funds necessary for providing academic and mental health services.

Tuition has always served as an obstacle in college students’ pursuit of excellent quality education. Some students take a semester up to a year off due to not being able to make payments. The New Deal for CUNY bill stresses the importance of returning to the days of a tuition-free CUNY.

The New York City Council passed a legislation on June 17 that will help small businesses in New York City hit by COVID-19. The legislation includes relief for small businesses, easing of code enforcement and fine slashings.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on June 15 that all state COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted since 70% of the population aged 18 or older has received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

CUNY began distributing $118 million in federal emergency grants to 150,000 students in both community colleges and senior colleges in May. The funding was part of the stimulus relief package passed by Congress in December 2020.

Social media platforms have played a large role in the present divisive political era, and former President Donald Trump’s now-banned social media accounts is an example of a user who used their accounts wrongfully. Facebook’s announcement to uphold Trump’s banishment from the site is necessary given his history, but his influence is still far too strong.

Reza Salazar, an actor and musician who works in theater, film and television, was on tour with his band when the pandemic hit in March 2020. “I remember thinking, oh, this is just going to be a few days. This is great. You know, you just stay home and relax for a bit,” he said. “Who would have thought this would still be going on a year and a half later?”

As New York City continues its slow path to recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, residents are also preparing for the upcoming primaries for the mayoral race, which will be held later this month.

The next New York City mayor will determine how the quality of life at CUNY will progress. Mayoral candidate Dianne Morales’ “Free CUNY” proposal proves that she is the only candidate who understands the impact CUNY has on New York City.

Twenty-nine-year-old Diana Iser was new to CUNY’s Baruch College, having just transferred from CUNY’s Borough of Manhattan Community College for the spring 2020 semester. Iser was looking forward to her college experience now that she found herself at a four-year institution. But her excitement about the new chapter in college life came to a halt about six weeks into the semester when on March 18, 2020, CUNY fully transitioned to remote learning as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold

New York led a 50-year battle in legalizing marijuana and, thanks to the combined efforts of New York Democrats and New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act has been passed.

With New York’s swift vaccination rollout instilling more public optimism in reopening the state, lawmakers are turning their attention to restoring the economy during the post-pandemic stage.