Regional Briefs – March 29, 2016

Lawyer Accused of Cheating Immigrant Clients Acquitted

NEW YORK – A lawyer accused of cheating 30 immigrant clients was acquitted of all criminal charges, The Associated Press reported. Owolabi Salis was arrested in July 2014, accused of stealing $4,500 apiece from 30 clients by telling them they would qualify for green cards when they didn’t.

Former Denver Police Official Named NYPD Training Head

NEW YORK – The NYPD swore in a new deputy commissioner of training, Tracie Keesee, formerly a member of the Denver Police Department. She is a founder of the Center for Policing Equity, a think tank aimed at strengthening police-community relationships.

NYC Taxi Commission to Crack Down on Harassment

NEW YORK – The Taxi and Limousine Commission is proposing rule changes to protect passengers from improper behavior and conversations from cabbies, the Daily News reported. They want a $1,000 fine, three points on a driver’s license and a 30-day suspension. The rules will be discussed April 21.

High Winds Cause Outages In Lower Hudson Valley

NEW YORK – High winds Tuesday left hundreds of people without power in parts of the Lower Hudson Valley, The Associated Press reported. The speed limit on the Tappan Zee Bridge was reduced to 45 mph due to wind gusts of up to 50 mph in parts of the region.

NY Recovers $1.35M From Fraudulent Unemployment

ALBANY – New York recovered a record $1.35 million in fraudulently collected unemployment benefits in this year’s first quarter, The Associated Press reported. The amounts came from people who claimed benefits but were ineligible. The largest amount, more than $153,000, came from Erie County.

This article appeared in print on page 30 of the March 30th, 2016 edition of Hamodia.