Regional Briefs – February 3, 2015

Two Hurt in Park Slope Manhole Explosion

NEW YORK – Two people were injured Monday when a manhole in Park Slope exploded due to the freezing temperature, the Daily News reported. The cover shot 50 feet into the air and hit a man in the head. A 93-year-old woman was hit by glass when her window shattered.

County Government Plans Tool Lending Library

GLOUCESTER, N.J. – Camden is trying to make it more affordable for do-it-yourselfers by launching a tool lending library, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The idea is based on the West Philly Tool Library, where members pay dues of up to $50.

Student Dies in Hudson Valley After Touching Hot Wires

HYDE PARK, N.Y. – A 19-year-old student from Rhode Island died Saturday after suffering an electric shock from hot utility wires, The Associated Press reported. Noah Black, a sophomore at the Culinary Institute of America, was with three friends on federally owned property when he came into contact with low-hanging electrical lines.

Helicopter Crashes on Frozen River; No Injuries

CARTHAGE, N.Y. – A helicopter pilot and his passenger on Sunday walked away uninjured from a crash on a frozen section of the Black River, the Watertown Daily Times reported. The pair was taking a “pleasure ride.”

EMT’s Catch Man Who Tried to Steal Ambulance

PERTH AMBOY, N.J. – EMT’s early Sunday chased a man who tried to steal their ambulance as they were treating a patient, NJ.com reported. When Marco Cabrera, 25, put the gear on drive, the siren went off, a safety feature that’s activated when the vehicle is shifted out of park. Cabrera fled on foot but the crew members gave chase and captured him.

Alaska Senator: Make Central Park a Wilderness Area

JUNEAU, Alaska – Angered at President Barack Obama’s designation of much of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness, Alaska state Sen. Cathy Giessel suggested the government buy New York’s Central Park and close it off to development, The Associated Press reported. Federal overreach is a big theme in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the February 3rd, 2015 edition of Hamodia.