Regional Briefs – January 6, 2015

Wrongly Convicted Man Dies 4 Months After Getting $7.5M

PENNELLVILLE, N.Y. – A man who four months ago received $7.5 million for being wrongfully imprisoned for nine years died Saturday of lung cancer, the Post-Standard of Syracuse reported. Dan Gristwood, 48, was found to have been coerced by police into falsely confessing to killing his wife. The real attacker confessed in 2003.

NY Raising Penalties for Failed Wage Notifications

ALBANY – New York raised penalties to $50 a day — previously that was weekly — for failing to provide new workers within 10 business days with written notice in their primary language of the rates of pay, whether hourly, daily, by shift, weekly, salaried or commission, as well as any tip, meal or lodging allowances under New York’s minimum wage law.

Christie Takes Victory Lap At Swearing-in Series

TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie will next week attend inaugurations of GOP governors he helped elect in Iowa, Ohio,  Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois, South Carolina and Maryland. Christie is weighing a 2016 presidential bid, which these visits could only help.

Mayors, Lawmakers Speak Against PATH Cuts

JERSEY CITY – Lawmakers want to send a message: don’t reduce rail service between New York City and northern New Jersey. At a news conference Monday, mayors of Jersey City, Hoboken and Newark protested cost-cutting plans by Govs. Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo.

Volunteer Firefighter Rampage Damages Fire Station

CLARKSVILLE, N.Y. – A volunteer firefighter rampaged through the Clarksville fire station, causing $30,000 in damage, The Associated Press reported. Damean Kessler, 21, was arrested for the Dec. 21 incident and is in county jail on $25,000 bail.

2 Top Thruway Officials Resign

ALBANY – Two more top Thruway officials resigned at a time when the agency is under scrutiny for how it will pay for the new Tappan Zee Bridge, the Albany Times-Union reported. Executive Director Thomas Madison and CFO John Bryan’s resignations follow that of Chairman Howard Millstein. No reason was given for the resignations.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the January 6th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.