(S10, E6)
In the sixth episode and series finale of season 10, the AudioFiles shows off their great reporting and show production abilities.

First, Airport travelers have adjusted to COVID-19 after a year and a half of restrictions. Next, local researchers say dolphins are on the rise around New York City. Some are turning to whale watching boats to learn more about what dolphins are up to in the Big Apple. Later, reporter Emily Nadal speaks with prison reform advocates who are focused on rethinking the corrections system for women. We also look at the lack of conversation surrounding infertility in the Black community.

Producer: Angela Palumbo
Host: Syed Haq
Associate producer: Clark Adomaitis
Reporters: Harry Parker, Rachael Robertson, Vanessa Ague, Aaron Tremper, Emily Nadal, Jared Wright.
Guests: Emani King Mack and Regan Elyse Murray

Engineer: Chad Bernhard
Editors: Kalli Anderson and Maggie Freleng

Reported by Harry Parker

Reported by Vanessa Ague

Reported by Aaron Tremper
Photo By Celia Ackerman

Reported by Emily Nadal

Music by Clark Adomaitis

Reported by Vanessa Ague

Reported by Jared Wright

Going to the hair salon can feel like a chore. Your time in the chair can take hours, or maybe small talk with your hairstylist is awkward. But if you’re lucky, getting your hair done can be like going over a friend’s house for drinks, friendly gossip AND some pampering. We go inside Lennyn’s Beauty Salon in Valley Stream, Long Island to find out what sets Dominican hair salons apart from the rest. 

Reported by Amanda Rozon

Caption: New Green Earth Deli owner Francisco Marte says My Bodega Online isn’t helping the business much just yet because many people don’t know about it yet. (Photo by Denny Jacob)

Like every other business in the city, bodegas were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. As their customers stayed home and began getting what they needed online rather than in-person, many started to realize they needed to integrate technology into their business.

Reported by Denny Jacob

Music credit: Clark Adomaitis

In the fourth episode of season 10, we take a trip around New York to see what’s going on with renters, restaurant owners and the arts in the city that never sleeps. 

First, we hear about some supply and demand issues Citi Bike users are facing. Then, we travel to Brooklyn, and hear from restaurants in Bay Ridge that still haven’t received their pandemic aid. We also hear about how New Yorkers going on rent strikes in response to the lack of necessary repairs in their homes. Finally, we’ll check out a new show at the Flea Theater that you cannot see. Instead, the story is told through smells and sounds.

Producer: Syed Haq

Host: Clark Adomaitis

Associate producer: Angela Palumbo

Reporters: Emily Nadal, Vanessa Ague, Harry Parker, Sarah Molano and Cailley LaPara

Guests: Caroline Galderisi and Ramona Ferreyra

Engineer: Chad Bernhard

Editors: Kalli Anderson and Maggie Freleng

Photo by Daryan Shamkhali on Unsplash

Theater is back in New York this fall, and theater lovers across the city are excited to be able to go to shows again. At the Flea Theater, Odd Man Out is a new production that you can’t see. Instead, the story is told through sounds and smells. Audience members hear the story of a blind man while wearing headphones and an eye mask the entire evening. Reporter Vanessa Ague goes behind the scenes to learn how the play was made. 

Reporter: Vanessa Ague

Music: Isolation waltz – Written by Bryan Teoh on Freepd.com

The past 19 months have been hard, especially for those working with the sick, and those dying, in hospitals. Reporter Olivia Bensimon spoke to a hospital chaplain during COVID-19 about the role they play and how they can support people spiritually. 

Reporter: Olivia Bensimon 

Music by Clark Adomaitis

Citi Bike users have noticed something different about the service lately. Reporter Emily Nadal investigates. 

Reporter: Emily Nadal

Photo: Emily Nadal

Photo credits: Sarah Molano

Tenants at an Eastern Crown Heights building say they’ve lived with horrible building conditions and landlord abuse for years. This month, the tenants have decided to stop paying rent until their repairs are made. 

Reported by: Sarah Molano

Once a month, waterfront volunteers check up on a box of oysters in the Gowanus Canal. As the canal undergoes dredging by the EPA, the canal’s inhabitants — including the oysters — have to contend with a changing habitat. Cailley LaPara reports from a recent oyster health checkup. 

Reporter: Cailey LaPara

Photo by Ben Stern on Unsplash 

Some New York City restaurants and bars were stiffed by the federal government’s response to COVID. Around two-thirds of these establishments face bankruptcies unless they can secure new funding. Harry Parker spoke with some Bay Ridge small business owners about their experience seeking rescue.

Reporting: Harry Parker

Anitza Bermudez, 33, had been thinking about next steps since she stopped working at the onset of the pandemic to help her 7-year-old son with remote school. When she came across the HOPE Program, she knew this was the right thing for her. Not only would she learn all the necessary skills she’d need to enter the workforce as an electrician, but she would also be able to make an environmental difference in the South Bronx neighborhood she grew up in. For 10 weeks, Anitza painted the roofs of buildings in a reflective white paint which is supposed to help reduce the buildings heat and energy consumption during the summer and when in concentrated areas, generally lower the ambient heat of a neighborhood.

Music by: Clark Adomaitis
Reported by: Olivia Bensimon

AudioFiles reporters Syed Haq, Olivia Bensimon, and Harry Parker hit the streets on Election Day and asked New Yorkers what issues mattered to them in this municipal general election.

Music by: Aaron Tremper

Reported by: Syed Haq, Olivia Bensimon, Harry Parker

Our program starts with timely news and flows to related stories about climate and transportation. We start off with a story about NYCHA’s response to water damage from Hurricane Ida. Then we hear about activists at East River Park, and our first guest is a 19-year-old Brooklyn Pipeline Activist. Also in the mix is a transportation story about bridge carpooling to save tolls.

We have a dedicated 15 minute arts and culture segment featuring music from an avant-garde, city-funded orchestra and a story reported at this year’s ComicCon.

Lastly, we end with a story about an Algerian-American Muslim who shares his experience regarding prejudice against him after 9/11, and our second guest discusses a man detained at Guantanamo Bay.

Producer: Clark Adomaitis
Host: Angela Palumbo
Assistant Producer: Syed Haq
Stories by Harry Parker, Clark Adomaitis, Emily Nadal, Vanessa Ague, Aaron Tremper, Paige Perez, and Syed Haq.
Guests: Aderinsola Babawale and Latif Nasser
Music by Clark Adomaitis, Aaron Tremper, and the Moving Orchestra.

Cosplayers are finding creative ways to dress up COVID safety requirements as Comic Con returned to New York this month. Aaron Tremper reports.

Reported by Aaron Tremper
Photo Credit – Andre Chen

Many music groups are returning to the stage this fall with help from New York’s City Artist Corps grants. The Moving Orchestra was one of them. They’re a group of musicians, dancers and visual artists led by pianist Joey Chang and violinist Katherine Kyu Hyeon Lim. They gave their first in-person concert after a year of Zoom events on October 9

Reported by Vanessa Ague
Photo Credit – The Moving Orchestra Instagram

The George Washington Bridge connects New York and New Jersey and happens to be the busiest bridge in the world. It’s a toll bridge and it costs $16 to cross it. But some daily commuters have found a creative way to save time and money on their daily crossing.

Reported by Emily Nadal
Photo Credit- Emily Nadal

Extreme weather events draw the news to NYCHA housing quality but in general extreme weather are the least of their concerns and the systemic under investment has lead to horrific tales. Ida was just one in a series of misfortunes impacting nycha residents they’re just negligence related.

Reported by Harry Parker
Photo Credit – Syed Haq

This episode marks the 10th season of AudioFiles! In our first episode, we hear the latest on small businesses and community projects coming out of the pandemic. We’re joined later on by food policy specialists to help us understand the historic increase in SNAP benefits, and a community gardening expert on “activist gardening.”

Also in this episode:

• 1. Reporter Hannah Fullmer follows DeVaughn as she uses her newly renovated bookmobile to serve her community—bringing books and better representation to her neighborhood.

• 2. Denny Jacob reports on how the market is attracting vendors from the Bronx and beyond.

• 3. Reporter Olivia Bensimon spoke to drivers outside City Hall on their second week of a 24/7 picket about their debt and what would happen if the City doesn’t find a way to support them.

• 4. Reporter Hannah Fullmer talks with 45th St. Composter Victoria Costa about the future of the group.

• 5. Yessenia Moreno covers the 4th annual Brooklyn Brujeria Festival, an event honoring diasporic music, dance and spirituality in Latinx culture.

• 6. Angela Palumbo reports on how some NYC students have opted to commute to classes to avoid living in the most expensive city.

Host: Jared Wright

Lead Producer: Sarah Molano

Associate Producer: Aaron Tremper

Reporting by Denny Jacob, Hannah Fullmer, Vanessa Ague, Angela Palumbo, Olivia Bensimon, and Yessenia Moreno

Engineer: Chad Bernhard

Guest: Gil Lopez, Alexina Cather, and Dr. Charles Platkin

Editors: Kalli Anderson and Maggie Freleng

Music by Aaron Tremper, Victor Guerrero and Clark Adomaitus

Photo by Yessenia Moreno

Check out our reporting on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/newmarkjschool/sets/audio-fiies-2021

According to a recent report by rental assistance company Zumper, New York City is officially the most expensive place to live in the country. Due to consistently high living costs, some NYC students have opted to commute to classes to avoid living in the most expensive city. These commutes are long and expensive, but these students are saving money in the long run. Angela Palumbo reports.

Reporting by Angela Palumbo
Photo by David Klein

LaTanya DeVaughn says, “Every neighborhood deserves a bookstore, even for just one day.” That’s why she created Bronx Bound Books, a bookstore on wheels. Reporter Hannah Fullmer follows DeVaughn as she uses her newly renovated bookmobile to serve her community—bringing books and better representation to her neighborhood.

Music by Clark Adomaitus

Reporting and Photo by Hannah Fullmer

When the city suspended its curbside composting program, local groups across the city stepped up to pick up the slack. The 45th Street Composters in Queens started collecting compost at an empty lot in their neighborhood that they lease from the landowner for just $1. With curbside composting returning, the group is worried about what happens next. Reporter Hannah Fullmer talks with 45th St. Composter Victoria Costa about the future of the group.

Reporting and Photo by Hannah Fullmer

On Saturday, hundreds gathered under the Manhattan Bridge, at Dumbo Archway, for the 4th annual Brooklyn Brujeria Festival. It’s an event honoring diasporic music, dance and spirituality in Latinx culture.

Yessenia Moreno reports.

Reporting and Photo by Yessenia Moreno

The Riverdale POP-UP Market started as a way to help small businesses in the Bronx recover and grow despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Things have improved in the borough since last year, but there’s still a long way to go. One bright spot has been the number of entrepreneurs that have started new businesses since then. Denny Jacob reports on how the market is attracting vendors from the Bronx and beyond.

Music by Aaron Tremper and Victor Guerrero

Reporting and Photo by Denny Jacob

Yellow cab drivers led by the New York City Taxi Workers Alliance have been protesting outside City Hall for over two weeks, demanding Mayor Bill de Blasio adopt their alternative plan for medallion debt relief. Drivers say the city artificially inflated the price of the medallion over the years, and by allowing ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft to flood the streets, effectively left them to drown in their debt. Reporter Olivia Bensimon spoke to drivers outside City Hall on their second week of a 24/7 picket about their debt and what would happen if the City doesn’t find a way to support them.

Music Credits: “Where’s Me Breesh” by Victor Guerrero

Reported by Olivia Bensimon