NYC NOW - September 7, 2023: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: September 7, 2023

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: New York City public schools open today amidst potential school bus disruptions due to driver negotiations. Meanwhile, several New York City officials, including Mayor Adams, are accused of using their homes for illegal short-term rentals. And as fresh COVID vaccines are set to arrive soon, it’s worth noting that those under 65 without major health issues remain less vulnerable to severe effects.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Thursday, September 7th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. It's the first day of school, public school in New York City, but some students may have trouble getting there on school buses. Ongoing negotiations to a strike by school bus drivers has resulted in some of the drivers skipping prep for the big day.

The Education Department says this means drivers may not be familiarized with their new routes or not coordinated with families about pickup and drop off times. About 150,000 students use school buses operated by drivers threatening to go on strike over wages. Their union insists today will be like any other first day of school. Several New York City elected officials, including Mayor Adams, are denying complaints that they turned their homes into illegal short. short-term rentals, WNIC's David Brand explains. There's a mystery dogging New York City's mayor, controller, and about two dozen city council members. Who keeps telling 311 they're running illegal hotels? WNYC reviewed Department of Buildings Records showing the politicians were hit with nearly identical illegal short-term

rental complaints this summer. They all say the allegations were bogus. So what's going on? While city officials declined to provide any information, there seems to be a pattern. Several complaints were filed on the same day, some even back to back. And the complaints came just a few months before the city started enforcing new restrictions on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb. Fresh COVID vaccines are due in the coming weeks, and some New Yorkers may be wondering if it makes sense to take them.

People younger than 65 without major health conditions are still less likely to become hospitalized or die because of COVID. But as science reporter, Sarah Slossil, Explan explains the annual vaccine still lowered the chances that people develop symptoms and feel sick after an infection. That pattern is still true for all ages. If you don't want to get sick, then a way to help yourself is to get vaccinated. It's also another layer of protection against the possibility of developing long COVID,

which can happen even if you're young and healthy. After multiple years of vaccine rollouts and infections, most people have some form of hybrid immunity. which health experts consider strong defense against severe outcomes, mask wearing can also help protect those most at risk. 78 and clear right now in the city is still under a heat advisory because today's sunny and 94 but the real feel closer to 99. Be careful out there. 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 dive. and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.