Regional Briefs – April 12, 2016

Llama Thanks Students for Taking Common Core Tests

COHOES, N.Y. – A llama paid a surprise visit to the 3rd grade at Abram Lansing Elementary School on Thursday, the Albany Times-Union reported. Pastiche the llama wanted to thank students for taking the Common Core tests.

TD Bank Pulls Coin Counters After Accuracy Questioned

CHERRY HILL, N.J. – TD Bank is taking all of its coin counting machines out of service after reports indicated that the machines were miscalculating deposits by nearly $50, WPVI reported. Tests at coin-counters at 17 locations found that just one was accurate to the penny.

Tickets for Texting While Driving Continue To Increase

ALBANY – The number of tickets for talking while driving is dropping in New York — though more people than ever are caught texting behind the wheel, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. There were 132,000 tickets in 2015 for talking, down from 250,000 in 2011. But fines for texting shot up from 9,000 to 85,000.

Lawsuit Against Christie Over Security Spending Tossed

TRENTON – A lawsuit against Gov. Chris Christie for using taxpayer dollars to pay for his security detail as he ran for president was dismissed, The Associated Press reported. The plaintiffs accused the Republican of violating his financial responsibilities to the state by forcing taxpayers to cover the cost.

Woman Who Falsely Reported Car Theft Sentenced

TRENTON – A Newark woman who falsely reported her car had been stolen so she could get an insurance settlement received a three-year prison term, The Associated Press reported. Janette Bautista, 58, got a $6,686.50 insurance settlement before an investigation determined that she had abandoned the vehicle.

This article appeared in print on page 64 of the April 13th, 2016 edition of Hamodia.