Regional Briefs – July 23, 2018

Some Residents Near Steam-Pipe Rupture Return Home

NEW YORK – Some residents who live near where a steam pipe exploded last week were allowed to return home Sunday night after nine buildings in the Flatiron District were declared safe from asbestos, The Associated press reported. Forty buildings were evacuated, displacing hundreds.

Flood Alerts Issued in the Catskills Due to Heavy Rains

WOODRIDGE, N.Y. – The National Weather Service issued flood alerts Monday for Sullivan County as heavy rains fell. Showers and thunderstorms will persist through Friday, though the flood alert ended at 5:30 Monday.

State Issues $3M Grant For Gardens in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN – State taxpayers are funding a $3.1 million grant for community gardens in Brooklyn. Eight existing community gardens will be renovated and an additional 14 gardens will have new water connections added. The work should be complete by fall of 2019.

WWII Hero’s Lost Purple Heart Returned to Family

BROOKLYN – A lost Purple Heart medal was returned to the family of a Brooklyn Navy sailor who died when his vessel was attacked by a German submarine in 1943, The Associated Press reported. Rubin Keltch’s medal was received by his niece during a ceremony Friday at a Bronx park named for him. It was found at a Vermont flea market.

Air Force Intercepts Plane Near Trump Golf Course

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – A U.S. Air Force fighter jet on Saturday intercepted a small aircraft flying near President Donald Trump’s private golf club in New Jersey, The Associated Press reported. The president spent the weekend there.

Paper Problem Leads LIRR to Issue Tickets for 2019

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. – It’s back to the future on the Long Island Rail Road. The nation’s largest commuter train system said Friday it was printing next month’s tickets on paper marked for 2016 and 2019 due to a problem with its usual supply, The Associated Press reported. Riders were told to ignore the big “19” instead of “18.”