Meet Crown Heights’ secret weapon in NYC’s war on rats

Plus: The G train is shutting down this summer [View this email in a browser.]( Gothamist relies on your support to make local news available to all. Not yet a member? [Consider donating and join today.]( [Meet Crown Heights’ secret weapon in NYC’s war on rats]( [first image]( [Today's newsletter is curated by James Ramsay]( Weather: ⛅ Partly sunny, highs in the mid 70s. It's Thursday in New York City, where Luna the Crown Heights schnauzer has already killed 65 rats so far this year — enough to earn herself an official citation of honor from her local City Council member. We rode along with Luna on a recent night to see her hunting skills in action — and to observe [the sobering limits of what vigilante pups can contribute to the city's war on rats](. Here's what else is happening: - The G train is shutting down in sections this summer for signal upgrades. [Here's what commuters who rely on the G need to know](. - Gov. Kathy Hochul signaled this week that she's likely to [keep National Guard soldiers in subway stations]( this summer — though she declined to say what metrics she's using to determine if their presence is stopping crime. - Nassau County officials have [requested a no-fly zone]( above the T20 Cricket World Cup — which begins this weekend — following a social media post that appears to threaten spectators with drones, a rifle and a pipe bomb. - Elected officials and residents of eastern Queens plan to [publicly denounce the pending expansion]( of New York City's e-scooter sharing program, arguing that the scooters would present safety hazards in their neighborhoods. - The City Council yesterday took a step toward granting itself [more say over the mayor’s appointment of 21 key commissioners]( leading to a tense exchange between a mayoral representative and councilmembers. - Some of the city's largest nonprofits that help New Yorkers facing homelessness, food insecurity and mental illnesses are contending with [alarming staffing shortages]( according to a report from the Center for an Urban Future. - A bill in Albany that would make it easier for prosecutors to convict people accused of sex crimes appears [unlikely to pass in the Assembly]( — which could have big implications for a pending retrial of Harvey Weinstein. - The Massachusetts Port Authority board officially voted yesterday to make Richard Davey, the current president of New York City Transit, [their agency's new CEO](. - Police said they've arrested an 18-year-old driver accused of [spraying a fire extinguisher]( into the rolled-down window of an unsuspecting NYPD traffic agent. - The owner of Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has pleaded guilty to [stealing more than $32,000 in wages]( from employees of the Manhattan location. - The family that opened Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitana exactly 100 years ago is putting the legendary Coney Island establishment [up for sale](. - In this era of spambots clogging job application sites, [the "who you know" game is back](. - [Congrats to Minnesota on beating Boston]( last night to win the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League championship. - "And never forget: New York ferries [serve alcohol]( ["When she sees a rat, it's like a scene in a movie where there's a friendly robot and someone presses the Terminator button and then its eyes turn red and the claws come out and it's like, 'Must kill.'"]( - Crown Heights resident Zach Henson on his [RAT-HUNTING SCHNAUZER LUNA]( More from Gothamist [second image]( [I tried it: A $200 luxury bus to the Hamptons that serves wine while you sit in traffic]( Other amenities on the Blade helicopter company's Hamptons Streamliner bus include motion-canceling “hoverseats,” high-speed Wi-Fi, bagels and a spacious bathroom. [Parts of Flaco the Owl are being housed at the American Museum of Natural History]( Portions of the remains of Flaco have been transferred to the museum's frozen tissue specimen collection. [We Rely On Your Support]( [NYC lands $500K FEMA grant to protect historic sites in flood-prone areas]( The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission said it plans to reach out to landlords and business owners interested in revamping their buildings to protect against climate-related disasters. [Your guide to Pride: 13 events in New York City this June]( The festivities kick off June 1 at noon with Staten Island's Pride Festival and culminate with the NYC Pride March — the nation’s largest — on Sunday, June 30. [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [New York Public Radio] [WNYC]( | [WQXR]( | [NJPR]( | [GOTHAMIST]( [WNYC STUDIOS]( | [THE GREENE SPACE]( Copyright © New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 [TERMS OF USE]( You can update your [PREFERENCES]( or [UNSUBSCRIBE]( from this list.