NYC NOW - August 2, 2023: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: August 2, 2023

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: State Senator Andrew Gounardes is pushing a state bill that requires New York City drivers with more than six speeding tickets in a year to install speed-limiting devices in their cars. Meanwhile, nurses at New York City's public hospitals are voting on a new contract that could hike their pay by over $20,000 within two years. Lastly, the Mets have sent pitcher Justin Verlander back to his former team, the Houston Astros.

Welcome to NYC now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Wednesday, August 2nd. Here's the morning headlines from Tiffany Hanson. A Brooklyn lawmaker is introducing a new state bill that would force New York City drivers who rack up more than six speeding tickets in one year to install a device in their car that makes them slow down. State Senator Andrew Garnardis says many of New York City's municipal

vehicles already have technology that stops them from speeding. Cars with those devices drive at or below the speed limit more than 99% of the time. Garnardis says his proposal wouldn't take away anyone's car. We are just going to take the vehicle that you are turning into a weapon and putting other people's lives in jeopardy by driving recklessly, and we are going to make it safer. A spokesperson for the city's Department of Transportation says it welcomes partnerships with colleagues at all levels of government. Nurses at New York City's public hospitals are getting their biggest pay bump ever. WNYC's Caroline Lewis has more. Nurses in the NYC Health and Hospitals system are voting this week on a new contract with the city government. If it's approved, nurses pay will

jump more than $20,000 in just two years. Starting salaries are currently around $84,000. The New York State Nurses Association, which represents the workers, says the raising are needed to close the salary gap between public and private hospitals. The gap has made it harder to fill vacancies in the public system. But some city officials resisted the request for pay parity. The head of the city's Office of Labor Relations has raised concerns about the cost to taxpayers. Contract negotiations had stalled for months until an arbitrator stepped in and took the union side. And the Mets' fire sale is over. The Mets dealt pitcher Justin Verlain. back to the Houston Astros yesterday.

The three-time Syyang Award winner signed a two-year contract with the Mets in December after winning two World Series titles. In six seasons with the Astros, he was expected to be a mainstay at the top of the Mets' rotation and lead them on a deep post-season run this season. The team currently sits near the bottom of the standings in the National League East. The Mets dealt several players ahead of yesterday's trading deadline, including Verlanders, co-o-aise Max Scherzer, and release. pitcher David Robertson. Currently 65 degrees. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.