Regional Briefs – July 21, 2019

Woman, Child Killed in NYC House Blaze

NEW YORK (AP) – A woman and a child have been killed and two teens injured in a fire in a two-story home.

The Fire Department of New York says the call about the blaze at the Queens home on 117th Street came in at 9:38 a.m. Sunday.

Firefighters responded to the scene, and found the four people.

Officials say a 50-year-woman and a 7-year-old girl were killed. A teenager was in critical condition, and another teen had non-life threatening injuries.

Small Plane With 4 Aboard Crashes North Of NYC; All Survive

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (AP) – Officials say a small plane with four people aboard crashed close to the Hudson Valley Regional Airport north of New York City.

According to the Dutchess County executive’s office, one person suffered serious injuries, a second a back injury and the others walked away from the Piper PA-46 that went down Friday afternoon on its final approach to the airport in Wappingers Falls, about 75 miles of New York City.

State Audit Finds Lapses At New York Mental Health Agency

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – New York state’s Office of Mental Health isn’t complying with a state law requiring that a parent or guardian be informed whenever a patient is injured or mistreated in a state-regulated institution, according to a state audit released Friday.

The report from auditors in the office of Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli examined eight mental health facilities to check compliance with the 2007 law, which mandates notification within 24 hours whenever a patient is injured, abused or neglected. The legal guardian may also request access to investigatory reports on the event.

Drivers See Little Change In Gas Prices

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Drivers in New Jersey and across the nation are seeing little if any change in prices at the pump despite the Gulf Coast hurricane.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $2.82, a penny higher than the previous week and below the average of $2.90 at this time last year.

The national average gas price Friday was $2.78 a gallon, also up a penny from the previous week and below the average of $2.85 at this time last year.