Regional Briefs – February 2, 2016

MTA Rails See Uptick In Ridership in 2015

NEW YORK – Ridership increased in 2015 on the nation’s two largest commuter railroad systems. There were 86 million riders on Metro-North connecting NYC to its northern suburbs. The LIRR saw the highest number of riders since 1949, with 87.6 million commuters.

NY Students Win $20,000 For Anti-Hunger App

HARRISON, N.Y. – High school students won a $20,000 grant from Verizon for their concept for an app to combat hunger, The Associated Press reported. The app would give people purchasing food the chance to buy a meal for a needy person. The students will now turn their idea into a working mobile app.

Lawmaker: Postpone NYC Vote on Horse Carriages

BROOKLYN – Councilman David Greenfield wants the City Council vote on the horse carriage deal postponed from its Friday schedule following a hearing last week during which de Blasio officials were unable to answer basic questions. He wants to know how many people would lose their jobs and how pedicabs would be affected.

NY State’s 2015 Payroll Was $15.51 Billion

ALBANY – The 2015 payroll for New York state employees was $15.51 billion, up 1.8 percent from the year before, the Empire Center said, . The state ended 2015 with 227,326 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees, down from 229,041 a year earlier. The 50 highest-paid worked for SUNY or CUNY.

This article appeared in print on page 24 of the February 3rd, 2016 edition of Hamodia.