Regional Briefs – April 12, 2018

Young Girl Mauled by Pit Bull on Long Island

BELLPORT, N.Y. – A 7-year-old girl was seriously wounded when a pit bull attacked her Wednesday afternoon inside her home, Newsday reported. A man was bitten in the hand after he used a shovel to beat off the dog.

Suspected Pipe Bomb Found Along Upstate Tracks

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. – A 3-foot-long plastic pipe with protruding wires that looked like a pipe bomb was found near railroad tracks Wednesday, but an FBI lab determined it to be harmless, The Associated Press reported. The device was found by a Canadian Pacific Railroad worker.

Judge Who Bought Gun Suspended for Violating Terms

ALBANY – New York’s highest court suspended a Rochester judge Wednesday after she tried to buy a shotgun in violation of her probation for a drunk driving conviction, The Associated Press reported. Leticia Astacio hasn’t been assigned cases since her 2016 arrest.

NY Grape Growers, Processors Meet to Boost Industry

WESTFIELD, N.Y. – The purple grapes that wind up as jelly and juice are the topic of a summit Thursday that brought together growers and others interested in boosting the industry, The Associated Press reported. New York is the nation’s second largest producer of Concord grapes, behind Washington.

NJ Governor Signs Bill to Keep Abusers Out of Schools

TRENTON – New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Wednesday a bill aimed at preventing teachers accused of misconduct from being hired by other school districts, The Associated Press reported. An investigation concluded that bad teachers were being moved from one district to another.

2 Cops Arrested for Stealing From Cars That They Stopped

PATERSON, N.J. – Two police officers were arrested Wednesday for unjustified stopping of vehicles, detaining the occupants, searching the autos and stealing, The Associated Press reported. Jonathan Bustios and Eudy Ramos also arrested a man, then offering to drop charges if he helped Bustios get a gun.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the April 13th, 2018 edition of Hamodia.