Good morning. Major crimes on the Long Island Rail Road reached an 18-year high in 2023, when measured per rider. According to statistics obtained by Newsday, over 160 major crimes were reported including burglaries, grand larcenies and assault. Last year saw 45 assaults, about double the amount from 2022.
MTA police say this could be a result of their increased patrols on trains last year to crack down on fare evasion. They say more cops means a greater likelihood of confrontations with disruptive passengers.
This comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul paused a congestion pricing plan that was meant to increase ridership on public transit and funding to support the MTA.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Connecticut families flocked to state parks on Father’s Day. DEEP officials had to close six parks midday on Sunday after reaching parking capacity. These included Gardner Lake, Sleeping Giant, Wadsworth Falls, Squantz Pond, Burr Pond and Bigelow Hollow. DEEP oversees 110 state parks across Connecticut.
FAA says Empire Wind turbines could be too tall. The Federal Aviation Administration is looking at planned wind turbines off Long Island’s south shore, part of the Empire Wind offshore wind farm. Some blades would stand at 499 feet above ground level, extending into airspace. However, they can be built outside of two miles of a visual-flight-rule route, as defined by the FAA. Wind developer Equinor says they believe the turbines of concern make up a very small percentage of the entire wind farm.
Connecticut car crashes with large animals on the rise. According to state police, there have been over 375 reported car crashes with large animals, mostly deer, since May 1. This is a 25% increase from the same period last year. State wildlife biologists advise residents to watch out for deer around dawn and dusk.
Unvaccinated New York public school students barred from attending. About 1,500 children were ordered by the state to be removed from nearly 290 schools. That’s after submitting fraudulent vaccine records for mumps, measles, and polio. Parents received the falsified records from midwife Jeanette Breen to avoid a 2019 law that removed a religious vaccine exemption.
Local news reporters ratify union contract. Reporters from the Hartford Courant and seven other Tribune publications have ratified their first union contract with Alden Global Capital. This comes five years after voting to unionize. The contract will provide Courant reporters a 6% raise over two years, social media protections, byline rights, and other benefits.
Fairfield County families of four earning $100,000 are considered low-income. Federal labor and housing data company MarketWatch Guides says the county’s high cost of living and slowed income growth make it hard to find and stay in housing. Households in Connecticut and on Long Island that earn more than $90,000 annually can qualify for housing assistance.
Sound on Sound organizers owes Bridgeport money from last year. Organizers of the Sound on Sound music festival, now called Soundside, owe the city nearly $300,000 in invoices. The money is for police and park department staff stationed at Seaside Park during last year’s event. Founders Entertainment, who merged with event production company C3 Presents, will pay the remaining invoices. Soundside will be held this year on September 28 and 29.
Free federal student aid applications are down 10% in New York. In 2023, about 60% of students applied for FAFSA, but only 50% of students have applied so far in 2024. On Long Island, about 51% of students have applied. Education officials believe this is due to a delayed rollout of a new FAFSA application.
