Regional Briefs – NNovember 27, 2014

Spirit Flight Diverted After Lightning Strike

TAMPA, Fla. – A Spirit Airlines flight from Tampa was diverted Tuesday night after it was struck by lightning, the Tampa Tribune reported. The plane landed safely in Fort Lauderdale and another aircraft flew the passengers on to Atlantic City.

Cuomo Backs Off Firing Official for Spilling Gallon

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. – A top environmental official at Lake George will not be fired by Gov. Andrew Cuomo for failure to report the spill of a single gallon of fuel, the Post-Star in Glens Falls reported. Dave Wick on Wednesday was instead suspended without pay until Dec. 10.

Native Americans Ask To Rename Squaw Island

BUFFALO – Native Americans asked the city of Buffalo to rename Niagara River’s Squaw Island, calling the term offensive, the Buffalo News reported. Lawyers are researching who owns the 60-acre island, the city or the Seneca Nation, which occupied it until the early 1800s.

Drunk Driver Crashes Into Car And House, Setting it Ablaze

CLAY, N.Y. – A drunk driver crashed his car into a home, setting a fire that left a family homeless, The Associated Press reported. Brian Austin was driving at 1:00 a.m. Wednesday when he hit a car parked in a driveway, crashed into the house and struck a gas line, sparking a fire that destroyed his vehicle and the home. The homeowner pulled Austin from the burning car just in time.

NY Assembly to Review Unregulated Lenders

NEW YORK – The Assembly held a hearing Tuesday to help the poor get financial aid without resorting to high-cost, unregulated loans, The Associated Press reported. One option is a “borrow and save” loan, which automatically place a percentage in a savings account to be accessed when the loan is repaid.

De Blasio: Mistake to Ban Press From Union Meeting

NEW YORK – Mayor Bill de Blasio acknowledged Tuesday that it was “a mistake” to bar New York Post reporters from a July union meeting because the union believed them to be spies from Cablevision. A city report said Tuesday that the reporters were improperly kept away.

This article appeared in print on page 7 of the November 27th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.