Regional Briefs – December 14, 2017

Firefighters Rescue Group Stuck in Freezing Gorge

ROCHESTER – Firefighters on Wednesday rescued three people from a Maplewood Park gorge as the weather dipped, WHAM reported. It took about five minutes to lower a rope and raise the two male and one female hikers.

MTA Board Approves 3rd LIRR Track Project

NEW YORK – The MTA okayed on Wednesday a $2 billion project to construct a third track to part of the LIRR, allowing more trains to run in both directions between NYC and Long Island, The Associated Press reported. The vote culminates a decades-long effort to overcome funding obstacles.

Arsonist Tried Torching NJ Police Station

GALLOWAY, N.J. – Police are seeking a man who tried to set fire to the Galloway Township Police Headquarters on Tuesday using a glass bottle containing a fuel-based accelerant, the Associated Press reported. The bottle shattered over the lobby doors but did not ignite.

Immigration Agents Arrest 101 in 14 New Jersey Counties

NEWARK – Of the 101 people arrested by federal agents around New Jersey last week, 80 had a criminal record, nine had misdemeanor convictions and five had arrest warrants, The Associated Press reported. Overall, there were 8,200 deportations in the state this year — 40 percent more than last year.

International Panel Seeks Info on Lake Ontario Floods

ROCHESTER – An international panel is asking businesses and property owners along Lake Ontario to complete a survey about flood damage blamed on record rainfall this spring and summer, The Associated Press reported. The joint U.S.-Canadian survey studies the extent of flooding, erosion and damage.