Regional Briefs – January 28, 2015

Teen Snow-Tubing Hits Light Pole and Dies

HUNTINGTON, N.Y. – A 17-year-old boy snow-tubing down a Long Island street with friends Monday night crashed into a light pole and died, The Associated Press reported. Sean Urda, who had lost control of the tube, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

School Evacuated After Chemistry Lab ‘Mishap’

WOOLWICH, N.J. – High school students were evacuated Monday morning after a chemistry lab “mishap” sent a dozen teens and five faculty members to a hospital, The Associated Press reported. An experiment gone awry released potentially toxic fumes but no one was seriously injured.

Secaucus Parking Deck Collapse Under Investigation

SECAUCUS, N.J. – Officials are trying to determine what caused the top deck of a parking garage to collapse in Secaucus, The Record reported. The deck was being cleared by a snowplow when it collapsed Saturday morning. No one was injured, although an unoccupied SUV in the garage was destroyed.

NY Judiciary Proposes Spending $2.1 Billion in Coming Year

ALBANY – New York judicial officials have proposed spending almost $2.1 billion in the coming fiscal year, up about 2 percent. Spending proposals include continued expansion of e-filing of court documents, funding 25 additional family court judges and adding $15 million for New Yorkers who can’t afford lawyers.

Coyote Captured in Manhattan, 2nd This Month

NEW YORK – For the second time this month, a wild coyote was captured in Manhattan. The female coyote was found in the sprawling Stuyvesant Town housing complex in lower Manhattan Sunday morning, was sedated and released in a wilderness area in the Bronx. Most coyotes pose no danger to people.

Man Videotapes Near-Collision On New Jersey Turnpike

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – A motorist stopped in traffic captured on videotape a near-miss of a tractor-trailer sliding on black ice on the New Jersey Turnpike, WABC reported. The man began shooting video of trucks who had fishtailed when he saw a truck hauling two trailers narrowly miss his car before it jumped the barrier and ended up in the opposite lanes. No one was hurt.

Toddler Left in Day Care Van Found Wandering

ROCHESTER – A 3-year-old boy left alone in a day care van was found wandering on a Rochester street, The Associated Press reported. He was picked up around 8 a.m. Monday and fell asleep in a back seat of the van. Two workers unloaded the other children but then drove off, forgetting the toddler still strapped into his seat. The boy awoke, got out of the van and was spotted at 11 a.m. The two workers were charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Man Whose Murder Conviction Was Overturned Dies in Crash

LAKE RONKONKOMA, N.Y. – A man who served nearly 18 years in prison before his conviction on a charge he killed his wife was overturned in 2012 died on Friday in a car crash, The Associated Press reported. John Grega, 52, lost control of his van and hit a tree.

NY Growers to Benefit on China Apple Deal

ALBANY – New York apple growers expect to benefit after the U.S. agreement with China on Monday allows all U.S. grown apples access to the Chinese market, The Associated Press reported. New York growers aren’t likely to start shipping apples to China anytime soon because of high transportation costs.

This article appeared in print on page 20 of the January 28th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.