NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: City COVID Sick Leave Ends Thursday, Bronx Lawmakers Push for Gun Control, and Heat Wave Safety Measures

Episode Date: July 28, 2025

New York’s mandatory paid sick leave for COVID-19 expires this Thursday. The policy required public employers and large companies to provide 14 days of paid leave to workers under quarantine. Meanwhile, Bronx elected officials are calling on federal lawmakers to do more to curb the flow of illegal guns into New York City. Plus, with a heat wave pushing temperatures as high as 105 degrees, officials are urging New Yorkers to stay safe and use available cooling centers across the five boroughs.

Welcome to NYC now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, July 28th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. New York's mandatory paid leave for COVID-19 expires on Thursday. WNYC's Tiffany Hanson has more. The COVID-19 emergency leave law was passed in 2020. It required public employers and companies with more than 100 employees to provide 14 days of paid sick leave to anyone under a quarantine order. The law was enacted without an expiration date, but a provision to sunset the law on July 31st was included in this year's budget, which Governor Hokel signed back in April.

The Health Department says more than 47,000 people have died in New York City since its first confirmed case in February of 2020. Bronx elected officials are urging federal lawmakers, members of Congress, To do more to stop the flow of illegal guns into New York City, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark says local efforts alone are not enough. 161st Street right there is where my office is no gun shops there. But meanwhile, in the 4-Role Commissioner, you said three guns in an hour, that's insane. So I need our federal partners to help us as well.

Officials say the NYPD has seized more than 3,000 illegal guns so far this year, but lawmakers warned that until federal regulators, regulations tighten shootings will continue. City officials are urging New Yorkers to stay safe during this week's heat wave. Temperatures could feel as high as 105 degrees through Wednesday. Cooling centers will be open across the five boroughs. Mayor Adams says the city is activating every resource to protect people as the city prepares for more flash floods as well.

Some storms could bring downpours with rain falling fast. up to two inches an hour. The city is also asking people to stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activity during the hottest hours, and check on neighbors. We're at 77 now with sunshine, but heat advisory is kicking in later today all the way to Wednesday night, and then sunny today with a high of 90,

feeling hotter than that. Tomorrow, sunny in 93, feeling hotter than that. Wednesday is slim chance of afternoon showers in storms, mostly sunny 92, but again, feeling hotter than that. that. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC. Catch us every weekday, three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. More soon.