Regional Briefs – July 20, 2015

Simmons: Animal Reference Wasn’t About ‘the’ Holocaust

NEW YORK – The animal-rights activist who compared horse-drawn carriages in Central Park to the Holocaust said Sunday he wasn’t comparing it to the WWII genocide but to “a” holocaust. He was condemned by the ADL and Councilman David Greenfield. He refused to apologize, but said he would use different phrasing in the future.

Excessive Heat, Humidity Scorches NYC

NEW YORK – High humidity and temperatures in the 90s combined Sunday to create brutal weather conditions in New York, the National Weather Service reported. The city remains under an excessive heat warning through Monday night.

Man Sees Robbery Video of Himself, Turns Himself In

TRENTON – A clueless gunman seen on surveillance video robbing a business Tuesday watched the clip released by police and followed the “see something, say something” prompt — he turned himself in, NJ.com reported. Dwaine Whitaker was charged on Friday.

Two Commuter Trains Sideswipe; No Injuries

NEW YORK – Two commuter trains scraped sides on the nation’s biggest railroad during evening rush hour in Queens on Friday, breaking windows and snarling service but no one was injured, The Associated Press reported. The LIRR trains were on parallel tracks and heading in opposite directions.

Man Escapes Serious Injury When Car Falls on Him

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – A New Jersey man escaped serious injury on Saturday afternoon when the car he was working on fell on top of him, The Associated Press reported. Toms River firefighters were soon able to lift the vehicle off the 66-year-old man, who was hospitalized with shoulder pain.

Propeller Falls Off Plane, Slices Through Roof

HAGAMAN, N.Y. – A propeller fell off a single-engine plane on Thursday, slicing through the roof of an empty home, the Schenectady Daily Gazette reported. The pilot was able to safely glide the plane to his nearby private landing strip.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the July 20th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.