President Biden awarded the Medal of Valor to FDNY's Lt. Vanderstar and firefighter Gaffney for their life-saving actions during separate fire incidents.

New York and New Jersey workers saw a minimum wage increase on New Year's Day, rising to $16.50 and $15.49 per hour, respectively, as part of their states' efforts to maintain living standards amidst inflation.

Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez reported a record decline in gun violence for 2024 with the lowest number of shootings and victims on record, outperforming pre-pandemic levels.