Regional Briefs – May 25, 2016

Cuomo Task Force to Study Privatizing State Fairgrounds

ALBANY – A new task force will analyze the State Fairgrounds in Onondaga County to determine if there would be an economic benefit to privatizing it, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. Included in a $50 million plan is a 315-site RV park, new attractions, rest stations, and phone charging stations.

Feds Loses $450K Camera During Underwater Study

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Researchers on a vessel chartered by the federal government to conduct scallop surveys off the New Jersey coast Wednesday lost a $450,000 underwater camera, the Standard Times reported. Officials suspect a cable towing the camera got snagged on a shipwreck.

Year After Obama Praise, Camden Sees Crime Rise

CAMDEN, N.J. – It was a year ago that President Barack Obama praised Camden as “a symbol of promise for the nation,” but since then, nearly 50 people have been killed in the city, up 42 percent from the year before, the Courier-Post reported.

County Agrees to Pay $1 Million for False Arrest

MINEOLA, N.Y. – A Suffolk County woman falsely arrested in 2009 for taking pictures outside an Air National Guard base for a “Support Our Troops” website will get $1 million, The Associated Press reported. Nancy Genovese spent four days in jail for criminal trespass before posting bail.

A Pup Named Potato? 15 Were Registered in NYC Last Year

NEW YORK – Bella and Max are NYC’s top dogs for 2015, the Health Department announced Wednesday. There were 1,127 dogs named Bella and 1,073 named Max. There were 27 dogs named Bean, 17 Raisins and 15 named Potato. There were 605 Daisys, 10 Tulips, four Primroses and two Daffodils.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the May 26th, 2016 edition of Hamodia.