Regional Briefs – January 30, 2015

East Ramapo Among 90 Stressed School Districts

ALBANY – East Ramapo is one of 90 fiscally stressed school districts, New York state’s comptroller found, or 13 percent of the 672 reviewed. Ten face “significant” stress, 27 are “moderate” and 53 “susceptible.”

NJ Transit Expands Mobile Ticketing to Interstate Routes

NEWARK – NJ Transit riders between New Jersey and New York no longer have to line up to get monthly passes. Passengers can now download a free My Tix app and display it on their mobile devices when boarding buses. NJ Transit plans to next offer the app to intrastate passengers.

Historic Woolworth Mansion Extensively Damaged in Fire

GLEN COVE, N.Y. – The historic mansion on Long Island built by five-and-dime store founder F.W. Woolworth sustained extensive damage in a fire Wednesday, Newsday reported. Owner Martin Carey, the brother of former New York Gov. Hugh Carey, is distraught but nobody was injured.

Visits to NY Parks, Historic Sites Rose 3% in ‘14

ALBANY – Attendance at New York state parks and historic sites hit 62 million in 2014, a 3-percent increase over the previous year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. The state’s 180 parks and 35 historic sites attracted 1.9 million more visitors than in 2013. Cuomo wants to spend $110 million this year upgrading the parks.

NY AG Proposes Limit On Late Fees in Storm

ALBANY – New York’s attorney general is sending letters to 62 banks, mortgage lenders and utilities asking they temporarily suspend late fees for customers on Long Island hit by this week’s snowstorm, which interrupted mail service and banking, The Associated Press reported.

Biker Who Sparked NYC Roadway Melee Pleads Guilty

NEW YORK – A motorcyclist who touched off a bloody, caught-on-video confrontation between a bike gang and an SUV driver in Manhattan last year pleaded guilty Wednesday. Christopher Cruz expects a four-month jail sentence; a conviction could have meant more time. Several others, including an undercover police detective, are heading toward trial.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the January 30th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.