right now on news 4 new york, danger in the park. violent crime on the rise in some of the places new yorkers trust to be safe. and you parks are seeing a big spike in assaults and robberies. >> tonight, 4 investigators where you and your family could be at risk. here's news 4's natalie pasquarella. everyone hold hands. hold hands. hold hands. >> reporter: very shara, a camp counselor in flushing meadows park, nothing is more important than protecting her kids. >> like the little buggers. want to keep them safe. >> reporter: of all parks in the city, flushing meadows ranks

startling numbers from the nypd show that while violent crime has dropped citywide, down 50% in central park, it's up 23% in other parks. >> we've never seen a jump like this before. >> reporter: jeff croft is president of new york parks advocates, which crunched the latest nypd crime reports comparing the most recent nine months to the same period last year. it found rapes were up 40%, felony assault jumped 34%, and robberies spiked 15%. >> 417 victim of violent crime. it's pretty shocking. and the fact that's more than a person a day. >> reporter: topping the list, crotona park in the bronx, which had 17 violent crimes. an increase of 89% over the past nine months. followed by prospect park, where 15 violent crimes represented a jump of 275%. flushing meddles on, 67%

meadows park has been a forgotten stepchild of the new york city parks system. our crime rates have always been relatively high compared to other large parks. >> reporter: overall, crime in parks is only up 3%. commissioner bratten says you have to put the stats in perspective. >> some of the victimization you're seeing is reflective of those many larger numbers of people in the parks. the overall numbers are still very, very small. >> reporter: it's true that only five parks register double-digit violent crime riverside in manhattan round out the top five. the percentage of increases raises questions about law enforcement in the parks. >> you're inviting the public into public parks, but you're not providing adequate security. and that's a huge, huge issue as we've seen from this enormous spike in crime. >> reporter: i reached out to the parks department and the mayor's office responded saying crime across the city is at an all-time low. crimes in parks remain rare.

officers. later this week, we look into what's being done to keep you safe out there. >> thank you. more investigations mean more answers. if you have something you think 4 investigates should take a closer look, call 1-866-news-244. new at 5:00, police on the jersey shore searching for the driver behind a deadly hit and run. the victim's husband apparently heard it all over the phone. barn cut township police say 61-year-old victim was out for her regular walk before 8:00 this morning when she was struck by a large suv. the driver left the scene. police say the woman was on the phone with her husband at the moment of impact. >> he heard a loud sound like a thud. then the line essentially went dead. her husband tried calling back, wasn't sure what had happened. came out looking for her. >> a public works employee found the victim on the road and began cpr, but it was too late. there were no witnesses, but

measurement equipment. they believe the suv was a chevy silverado, tahoe, or suburban. the suspect charged in a shooting at irving plaza in may is suing the concert venue. troy avenue is a rapper whose real name is roland collins. he's blaming poor security for the gunfight that killed his bodyguard at a t.i. concert. he was also shot in the leg. troy avenue's lawyer says security does not check for guns for the vip area and claims that's what led to the rapper >> if you come in the front door here, everyone gets wanded and patted down. when people come in the back, they were not. >> going through a lot. i just want to get my life back. that's it. >> police say collins was caught on surveillance video firing a gun at the venue and is still facing charges. he and his lawyer maintain that any gun brought into irving plaza did not belong to him or anyone associated with him. so far, no comment from irving plaza. and new tonight, a new york

campaign to raise awareness about us and sexual assaults. the campaign kicked off and will be seen on billboards, social media, and heard on local radio stations for two months. the campaign aims to inform students about their rights and reduce the number of sexual assaults through prevention. starting today, connecticut's department of motor vehicles will automatically register residents to vote. the dmv says every application or renewal of the license or non-driver i.d. will serve as voter registration. customers can check a box to opt out. the change is part of an connecticut and the u.s. department of justice. a dolphin saved after getting trapped in a new jersey creek. >> in 15 minutes, the difficult rescue caught on camera. plus this -- >> reporter: can these glass jars cure what ails you whether you're an olympic athlete or just an ordinary new yorker? i'm roseanne colletti. i'll tell you what you need to know about cupping therapy. comfortable conditions may lead today with temperatures in the 80s. it's going to start to feel like

few days. i've got your storm team 4

many people noticed this on michael phelps' back. see that, those circles? those big purple circles you've seen there and on other athletes are from a form of therapy called cupping. >> believe it or not, you don't

how some new yorkers are getting in on the action. >> reporter: the little glass jars leave the distinctive purple and red welts. the residual marks of good therapy for sore muscles, according to gold medalist michael phelps and other members of team usa. this 14-year-old new yorker with a twisted ankle concurs with them. >> my muscles after it usually feel a lot looser instead of being uptight. >> reporter: what's healing art dating back to the egyptians and chinese. william kai is a licensed acupuncturist but didn't need a license to learn or practice cupping. >> since i'm 7 years old, i do myself. >> reporter: he says the treatment involves first igniting a tiny bit of flammable substance such as alcohol inside of a glass cup or jar. when the fire burns out, place the cup upside down on the skin, and the cooling air inside the

redden as the blood vessels expand. >> important -- >> reporter: fear of broken skin or a burn does little to dissuade proponents who look to cupping to reduce pain andin flamz. chris gonzalez believes combined with acupuncture, the treatments helped him recover from facial paralysis of bell's palsy. >> some said it would take years, six months. mine was less than a month. >> reporter: he's trying cupping what do we know about this treatment? western medical societies remain somewhat skeptical. they say existing studies on the efficacy are too small and too poorly done to be convincing beyond a placebo effect. that is doing nothing to detract from the olympic moment of an old remedy. roseanne colletti, news 4 new york. >> tune in tonight at 7:30 for the inside look at everything

olympics tonight. meal the human emoji and how the local gymnast earned the nickname. "the olympic zone" at 7:30. special program could help you breeze through the airport on your next trip. >> learn about how it works and what could be keeping you from signing up. plus this -- >> reporter: phone scammers are at it again. this time using green technology to try and steal from homeowners. coming up, what they're doing and how you can protect

a rescue team made a rare

stuck in a creek. because it was low tide, the animal couldn't get out. the team used kay ax and cargo -- kayaks and cargo net to rescue the seven-foot dolphin. neighbors who lived in the area for 30 years say they've never seen a dolphin here before. >> sometimes they get lost or could be looking for food and wander and don't have enough sense about them to turn around and go back the way they came. they keep going. >> rescuers drove the dolphin about a mile down the road and released it into the delaware bay. >> job well done. janice saying we better brace for humidity down the road? >> not you, david, but sabila, bad hair day -- you're lucky you don't have to deal with it. >> i'm grateful. okay. you know what i mean. >> i'm good with it. i'm good with it.

temperatures across the tri-state. 81 in la grangeville. 86 in wapin g er's falls. comfortable today, 83 in the city. 84 in newburgh, 79 in monticello and islip. 70s to the mid-afternoon. humidity's not that bad. generally in the range of, say, 40% to 50%. some areas seeing 30% relative humidity. higher along the shore. overall, the temperatures weren't all that hot today. it felt relatively comfortable. the central part of the country, above 100 through texas to the gulf coast, through new orleans. there's all this tropical moisture spinning over florida, georgia, and alabama. once our winds kick in out of the southwest, we'll tap in to some of that. that starts on wednesday. that's when we get the bad hair days. 73 tonight, it's mild, comfortable. sunshine tomorrow. a little bit warmer, up to 88.

it's worse when we get to wednesday. the rest of the week into the weekend, high humidity, high heat. hit or miss thunderstorms. this goes into the weekend. we're talking about tropical downpours where it's like turning on the faucet and shutting it off. we could see flash flooding in spots. it's going to be like a steam path once we reach the 90s -- steam bath once we reach the 90s. you f you've sat in a steam room or bath, you know what i'm talking it. 50s and 60s in the suburbs. a south wind kicks in. tomorrow, we still have that south wind. we're up to 88. it's going to be a warmer day tomorrow and a touch more humid. we'll start to feel it tomorrow. by the time we get to the weekend, look out. into the 90s. and even though the temperature's only around 90 to 92, tell feel close to 100. hazy, hot, and humid. three hs the next several days with relief not until next week.

thank you very much. thank you. one step forward in the fight against drug addiction. scientists now have the green light to start testing an anti-cocaine vaccine. researchers at cornell medicine and new york presbyterian have developed the treatment. animal studies show the vaccine weaken the impact of cocaine by preventing the drug from reaching the brain. the vaccine allows ant fwoids attack cocaine -- antibodies to attack cocaine when it passes from the lungs to the blood stream. new york state is remindin while driving. the new warning comes on the heels of a new report that shows more and more people are snapping pics behind the wheel. more than 70,000 posts on instagram are of driver selfies. new york state is eighth on a list of the most instances across the country. if you're an at&t customer, you might get a refund check in the near future. the company's agreed to pay nearly $8 million in refunds and fines following a federal investigation.

without their knowledge for phony directory assistance services provided by third parties. at&t says it's implemented strict new policies. one way to avoid long lines at airport customs is to join a preapproved traveler program like global entry. a new jersey woman was shocked to find out what she was denied. she said better get baquero. by u.s. customs and border protection. they allow preapproved travelers they consider low risk faster clearance at customs. you go to a special kiosk, scan your fingerprint and complete a customs declaration, and you're through. that's why the program appealed to sharon ross. sharon ross and her husband are big travelers with a bucket list of places they'd like to see now that her husband was diagnosed with parkinson's disease six years ago. >> was really his idea because

through the long lines, and his brother who travels even more than we do said it's such a breeze, it's great. you know, should have no problems. >> reporter: there's a $100 nonrefundable fee apply for global entry. you fill out an application on line, and if that's approved, there's a mandatory in-person interview. >> she did say, have you ever been arrested, you know, convicted of a crime. that's the way i heard it. i honestly just said no bec i think background check are really -- must go into some background today because it never interfered with my nursing career, with my teaching career. >> reporter: it is the time when sharon was arrested as a teenager. >> then when i got the letter, said denied, new jersey, 1974. i think -- >> reporter: you had to go back. >> yeah. you know, then i remembered --

that the charge appeared in her background check because -- >> within a week, they dropped all the charges on me. >> reporter: she appealed the decision right away. we checked with u.s. customs and border protection which says "all applicants get a thorough background check from criminal, law enforcement, customs, immigration, agriculture, and terrorist agencies." she admits she didn't reveal the 40-year-old charge but says even after she remembered it didn't think it would be an issue. >> iss when you do these naughty things. even if it was a real long time ago. >> true. if you are denied, for example, if you give false or incomplete information on an applicationor if you've been convicted -- application or if you've been convicted of any criminal offense, you can appeal to the cpb trusted traveler ombudsman. we asked them to look at sharon's case, and the good news is, problem solved.

for global entry, and she's now grateful that it will be a little bit easier for her to continue working on that travel bucket list with her husband. you do have to be careful. try to remember everything. back to you. >> good job. and to get in touch with our consumer investigative team, log on to nbcnewyork.com/gethelp or call 1-866-news-244. everyone who reaches out will get a response from our team at our consumer investigative center. next, we're shining a on a scam that does sound legit. how a promise to get the government to pay for solar panels on your home could wipe out your bank accounts. and chuck has a look at what's coming up at 6:00. >> this will sound almost sacrilegious to some, the city is considering making a major change to the 133-year-old brooklyn bridge. we'll show you what it is. plus, the major changes on the jersey shore. the beach town made famous for partying thanks to snooki and the situation is taking drastic action to change its ways. those stories and more all new

we have a warning about a new scam. calls from windslers who claim they can help you get grants for solar panel installations. >> apparently what they want is your personal information so they can rip you off. we have more on how they make the scam sound legitimate. >> reporter: this latest phone scam began popping up here in brookhaven a couple weeks ago. officials say the scammers are

register a local number when in fact the calls are coming in from either out of state or even out of the country. >> thank you for calling the contact center. how can i help you? >> reporter: brookhaven town's hotline has received more than a dozen complaints about the latest phone scam. resident say the scammer claim to be working with the town to promote the use of solar panels. >> these calls are false, they're scams. they're preying on people. >> reporter: brookhaven's supervisor says the scammers pris solar panels. along the way, they ask for personal financial information like bank account or social security numbers. >> how many people know about solar panel? what are they going to question? >> reporter: that's why the scam hit home with the head of the ronkonkoma solar panel company. >> the industry which is growing gets a black eye. >> reporter: sun nation co-founder mike bayliss worries that a scam like this could hurt legitimate solar companies like his.

that could ultimately come back to harm them. >> reporter: as with every telemarketing call to your home, the advice is the same -- be skeptical, ask questions, and when in doubt, hang up. >> no one should be giving financial information over the phone at all. >> you've always got to be alert, you know. it's a tough world these days. >> reporter: right now it's unclear if anyone has actually lost money as a result of these phone scams. but these calls, you should report it to new york's attorney general. we're in brookhaven town, news 4 new york. and that does it for us. thank you for watching. >> stay with us as the news continues. now at 6:00, brooklyn bridge expansion? why the city says this legendary landmark bridge 1995 undergo a major change -- bridge 1995 undergo a major change to make it safe for the thousands who cross it every day. the queens neighborhood

murdered unites as the search for her killer continues. and dirty golf. how did a public golf course become a stage for strippers in broad daylight? an i-team exclusive. news 4 at 6:00 starts now. good evening, i'm chuck scarborough. >> i'm natalie pasquarella. one of new york city's most famous landmarks may soon be altered and expanded. safety concerns for pedestrians and bike lifts might force a change on the brooklyn bridge. >> the city busier than ever, and record numbers of tourist crowding streets and landmarks. the tight walkway across the and that has the city thinking about expanding the historic promenade, changing the appearance of the iconic bridge. news 4 has more from lower manhattan. andrew? >> reporter: well, you're exactly right. what a recipe for congestion. a record number of tourists, a record number of cyclists, all on a very famous bridge. today the city said it's time to start thinking about doing something about those crowds. on the city's most famous

crowd does it get? >> super disgustingly crowded. >> reporter: sarah of park slope said a surge of cyclists and tourists has jammed up her daily walk across the brooklyn bridge. >> usually i'm getting slapped in the face by tourists using selfie sticks. >> reporter: many blame the bikes which whiz by within inches of people's arm and legs. >> i think they come down here too fast sometimes. it's not necessary. this is a pedestrian walk. >> there's a lot of anecdotal ne crowded. i don't think anyone would deny otherwise. >> reporter: transportation commissioner polly trottenberg announced a seven-month pilot study to see if the city could widen the 17-foot bridge path on the 133-year-old bridge, or potentially build a new walking deck above the vehicle traffic. >> a bit crowded. >> reporter: engineer daniel sharp said it's doable -- >> anything's possible. comes to money. how much money they want to