Regional Briefs – December 26, 2014

High Winds Damage Buildings in Buffalo

BUFFALO – High winds Thursday collapsed two buildings in Buffalo and prompted gale warnings on Lake Ontario and wind advisories for travelers. The National Weather Service reported gusts of 67 mph. Waves on Lake Ontario were 15 to 20 feet high.

Flatbush Bus Driver Arrested After Pedestrian Killed

NEW YORK – A city bus driver was arrested Wednesday after he hit and killed a man in East Flatbush, The Associated Press reported. Reginald Prescott, an 8-year MTA veteran, was charged with failing to yield; Jean Bonne-Annee, 78, died.

Mayor Fined for Using Town’s Generator After Sandy

NORTH HALEDON, N.J. – A New Jersey mayor was fined $100 for borrowing a generator from his town in the days after Superstorm Sandy to power his ice cream shop, The Record reported. North Haledon Mayor Randy George said he will appeal, since he was offered use of the generator and didn’t ask for it.

Poll: New York Voters Back Ban on fracking

ALBANY – New Yorkers back by 55 percent Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision last week to ban fracking, to Quinnipiac poll found, with 25 percent against. Supporters say fracking damages the environment and leaks into reservoirs while opponents say that it allows the United States to become energy independent.

Woman Drives to Driver Job Offer Drunk

FORT EDWARD, N.Y. – A 50-year-old woman applying to be a driver for Meals on Wheels drove to the job interview drunk, The Associated Press reported. Staffers smelled alcohol and asked her to leave. She walked away, but a sheriff’s deputy saw her return 15 minutes later, get into a pickup truck and drive away.

2 Hamptons Towns Ban Some Plastic Checkout Bags

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. – Southampton and East Hampton banned single-use plastic bags used for grocery purchases, joining a number of towns nationwide and California, Newsday reported. Advocates say the bags often end up as litter, but one town lawmaker called it “overreaching government,” preferring to educate consumers instead.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the December 26th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.