Violent Crime Numbers Drop Across Queens Once Again, But With Some Exceptions

Every precinct in Queens reported a reduction in violent crime, with the exception of the 106th in Howard Beach and the 100th in Far Rockaway.

Brooklyn +Friday Night Fire In P/D+

Brooklyn +Friday Night Fire In P/D+ Fire Department called on all hands to go to work Friday night in Brooklyn for a fire in a 25x40 2.5 story private dwelling with a peaked roof at 719 East 3rd Street between Ditmas Avenue and Avenue F, searches were negative.

Jackson, NJ - Police Are Investigating Anti-Semitic Slur That Was Painted On Truck

Jackson, NJ - Benjamin Kirsch, 50, the son of a Holocaust survivor, was outraged to find anti-Semitic slur written across the front fender of his company's trucks.
"The only good that could ever come of this is to remind people that they should never forget that the war against racism and anti-Semitism is never over," said Kirsch, who was most upset that this happened during Hanukkah.
Township police said they are vowing to find the author of the slur.
"What makes this more outrageous is the fact that our victim is the son of a Holocaust survivor," Police Capt. David Newman said. "The full resources of the Jackson Police Department and the law enforcement community will be utilized to ensure that those responsible for this display of hatred are apprehended and brought to justice."

Bronx +Major Deegan Traffic Alert+

Bronx +Major Deegan Traffic Alert+ A motor vehicle accident southbound of the Major Deegan and I-95 is blocking some lanes, PD and tow are on the scene, heavy traffic delays through out the area.

Crown Heights - Largest Increase In Murders

Even as Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and the NYPD take a well-deserved bow for driving crime in New York City to record lows this year, upward spikes of shootings and violent crime in some inner-city neighborhoods show there's more work to be done.
In Brooklyn's 71st Precinct, which covers Crown Heights, murders jumped to 21, up from nine last year, the largest increase in the city.

Queens +Aircraft Emergency+

Queens +Aircraft Emergency+ At J.F.K. Airport a plane with 300 people aboard that just took off for London, has one engine on fire, fire is visible from the the tower, plane is returning and crash trucks with numerous units from PD, FD, Aviation and PAPD are all standing by.

U/D: 23:38
The plane British Airways Boeing 747 Flight 116, has a 5 minute ETA back to the airport.
FD just transmitted a 2nd alarm.

U/D: 23:44
Plane with engine on fire is circling the airport.

U/D: 23:48
Plane has landed with a successful emergency landing, and the fire is out at this time.

U/D: 23:59
The fire suppressed by the pilot, by releasing an extinguishing agent by the press of a button.

Williamsburg +Child Struck+

Williamsburg +Child Struck+ A motor vehicle accident with a child that was struck by a vehicle on Bedford Avenue and Keap Street, Hatzolah on the scene will be transporting the child, child is conscious.

Crown Heights +Pedestrian Struck+

Crown Heights +Pedestrian Struck+ A motor vehicle with a pedestrian that was struck on the corner of President Street and Kingkston Avenue, Hatzolah EMS on the scene.

Austria to Compensate 3000 Holocaust Survivors

Austria - About 3,000 Holocaust survivors have been approved to receive the first payouts from an Austrian fund, and another 3,000 should be approved shortly.

Kiryas Yoel +Early Morning Fire+

Kiryas Yoel, Monroe +Early Morning Fire+ A Fire early this morning in Kiryas Joel at 43 Forest Road reportedly happened from a menorah that was still burning at 3 am.

Hackensack - Searchers Recover Body Of Police

Hackensack - +Searchers Recover Body Of Police Officer+ NYPD divers recover the body of police Officer Robert Nyguen, whose Radio Emergency Patrol truck plummeted 45 feet from a bridge into the Hackensack River in blinding fog and rain.

Queens +Van Wyck Exp MVA+

Queens +Van Wyck Exp MVA+ A motor vehicle accident on the northern ramp of the Van Wyck Expressway to the L.I.E. Westbound, Hatzolah on the scene.

New York - More Than 100,000 Jews In The City Are Living Just Above Poverty Line

New York - About 104,000 Jews live just above the poverty line, caught in a world where they are too poor to lead a comfortable life but too wealthy to receive government assistance, a report released yesterday said. The report, documented 53,000 Jewish households whose income was at least $22,530 - or 150% above the federal poverty line - but less than $35,000 for a household of three people.

The report published yesterday said one-third of Jews in the metropolitan area living near the poverty line were struggling to cope with a serious or chronic illness; needed help finding a job; needed help caring for the elderly, or had a child with a learning disability.

The study was based on extensive telephone interviews of 4,533 Jewish households living near the poverty line.

Queens +G.C.P. Overturned Vehicle+

Queens +G.C.P. Overturned Vehicle+ A MVA with an overturned vehicle and people injuried eastbound of the Grand Central Parkway and Jewel Avenue, PD ESU to upright and EMS for the aided, majot traffic delays through out the area, Highway units also to respond.

U/D: 11:11
Vehicle has been removed, all lanes are reopened now.

The Year 2006 Will Start One Second Later Than Expected

The year 2006 is going to come in with one second later than expected.
The scientists in charge of maintaining world time have to insert a "leap second," in order to keep atomic time sync'd up with the Earth's rotational time.
On the U.S. East Coast, the extra second occurs just before 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Atomic clocks at that moment will read 23:59:60 before rolling over to all zeros.

Rockland +Palisades Pkwy Traffic Alert+

Rockland +Palisades Pkwy Traffic Alert+ A 2nd motor vehicle in the same area on the southbound of the Palisades Interstate Parkway near Nyack Tpke, PD on the scene with two lanes blocked, traffic through out the area.

Bensonhurst +Motor Vehicle Accident+

Bensonhurst +Motor Vehicle Accident+ Hatzolah requested with ALS equipment to a motor vehicle accident in Bensonhurst at 24th Avenue and 86th Street.

Jewish Council of Yonkers renaming and redefining

Yonkers - The Jewish Council of Yonkers will change its name and executive director in 2006, the new name will be the JCY, with the words "Serving Westchester County" appearing on new letterheads.

The change reflects the agency's outreach to municipalities beyond Yonkers. And the falling number of synagogues and Jewish groups in the city of Yonkers has required a redefinition of its mission.

Nyack +Overturned Tractor Trailer+

Nyack +Overturned Tractor Trailer+ On the northbound of the New York State Thruway near exit 10, a tractor trailer car carrier overturned on the roadway with throwing vehicled all over the road.

NY Daily News Wants To Know How To Spell Chanukkah

To C or not to C? That is the question.

Hanukkah or Chanuka? Two Ns? Two Ks? An H at the end or not?

There are more than 20 different spellings of the name of the Jewish winter Festival of Lights and, apparently, no one ever sat down and decided on a single way to spell it.
There's Channuka, Channukah, Chanuka, Chanukah, Chanuko, Hannuka, Hannukah, Hanuka, Hanika, Hanukah, Hanukka, Hanukkah, Kanukkah, Khannuka, Khannukah, Khanuka, Khanukah, Khanukkah and Khanike. Sometimes even Xanuka.
Oy. It's enough to make you look forward to Purim.

Brooklyn - +Police On The Lookout For Bank Robber+

Brooklyn - +Police On The Lookout For Bank Robber+ The robber is described as 25-35 years old and could range in height from 5-foot-6 to 5-10 while weighing approximately 170 pounds. He has been seen wearing a long, black North Face coat, black baseball cap and blue jeans.
On Friday, he allegedly struck two banks in Williamsburg, the Banco Popular on Graham Avenue and then an hour later the Chase Bank on Havemeyer Street, by producing a note and demanding money. On Monday, cops say he hit the North Fork Bank on Queens Boulevard.

Police say they need the public's help to track down this serial bank robber. If you have any information, please call 1-800-577-TIPS.

Bronx +Bruckner Exp Traffic Alert+

Bronx +Bruckner Exp Traffic Alert+ Southbound Bruckner Expressway and Tremont Avenue a motor vehicle accident between a car and a garbage truck in the center lane of the highway, PD of the 45th Pct are on the scene, requesting EMS to respond and Highway units on a rush, traffic backed up.

Rockland County +G.S.P. Closed+

Rockland County +G.S.P. Closed+ The southbound of the Garden State Parkway at the New York State Thruway is closed, with aprox 30 - 40 vehicles stopped on the Parkway due to drag racing.

Fallsburg +2nd Alarm Working Fire+

Sullivan County, Fallsburg +2nd Alarm Working Fire+ Working heavy structure fire in a private dwelling at the Pine Tree Country Estates at Laurel Park Road, M/A from Monticello, Woodbourne and Hurleyville are responding to the scene, Loch Sheldrake on stand by.

Ohio - Nazi Guard To Be Deported

Cleveland, Ohio - An immigration judge has ordered John Demjanjuk, an Ohio man accused of being a Nazi concentration camp guard, deported to his native Ukraine.

New York City Likely To Report Lowest Homicide Rate Since 1963

New York City - This year, the city likely will report its lowest rate of homicides in more than four decades, according to recently released police data. Fulfilling police and law enforcement predictions over the past few months, the year-end crime statistics are on track to reflect the lowest homicide rate in the city since 1963, when 549 homicides were reported.

Brooklyn - Heavyweight Fight To Be Latke Champ

Brooklyn - In what was billed as the country's first latke-eating competition, eaters slurped 33 pounds of the Chanukah treats.

The three-minute battle was close until the end, with the three contestants dunking their latkes in apple juice to make them easier to digest.

Hundreds gathered outside Borough Hall cheered wildly as the group swallowed latkes
whole.

Hours prior to the contest all three food guzzlers admitted uncertainty about who would prevail, but Booker, the 420-pound "people's champ," ate his way to the top by swallowing 50 hamantaschen and, in a separate contest, 21 baseball-sized matzo balls.

Brooklyn +B.Q.E. Traffic Alert+

Brooklyn +B.Q.E. Traffic Alert+ A MVA with a vehicle overturned on Brooklyn Queens Expressway and 39th Street with FD on the scene has PD closing down all lanes of the B.Q.E.

Brooklyn Man Wins Dreidel Spinning Contest

A Brooklyn man won at the Borough Park Adult Day Care the dreidel spinning contest.
The winner, Mr. Goffermn says he owes all his success to his faith, his rabbi, and a little practice.
"I play every year,” Goffermn said. “I know this game from my childhood."
Candy or small prizes are usually given out as prizes.

Manhattan - NYPD Officer Arrested For Possessing Defaced Firearms

Manhattan - Four men were arrested yesterday for possessing defaced firearms, including one police officer from the 104th Precinct in Queens who was suspended after the arrest.
According to police, officers in Washington Heights responded to a 911 call of an assault taking place around 1:34 a.m. yesterday at 180th Street and Audubon Avenue. Officers stopped a black GMC Yukon, and found three guns with defaced serial numbers in the vehicle.
Police arrested Officer Donald Medard, 30, who has been on the force since 2003, as well as two others.

U/D: 16:58
Prosecutors said today that there is more to this bizarre story. They have evidence that the officer was planning to shake down and rob drug dealers in Washington Heights. However, he was not charged with that yet -- only with criminal possession of a weapon.

Study: Orthodox Jews Are More Risk-Taking Pedestrians

Orthodox Jews live dangerously when it comes to crossing roads.

A Scientist magazine recently reported a study that suggests, that devout Orthodox Jews are three times as likely to be risk-taking pedestrians than their neighbors in secular communities.

According to the study, Orthodox Jews totted up the number of times a pedestrian either jaywalked, walked on the road as opposed to the footpath, crossed without looking for traffic or crossed without holding an accompanying child’s hand.

Gaza - +Britons Kidnapped+

Three Britons have reportedly been kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.

Flatbush +MVA+

Flatbush +MVA+ A motor vehicle accident on Avenue N and East 26th Street, ESU and FD on the scene reporting no pin, Hatzolah on the scene operating.

Passaic, NJ +Three Alarm Fire By Menorah+

Passaic, NJ +Three Alarm Fire+ A three alarm fire ripping through and destroying a house on Main Street and Tample in Passaic, NJ last night, was caused by a Chanukkah menorah, no one was seriously injuried.

Montreal - PM Condemns Anti-Semitic Attacks On Edmonton synagogue As `un-Canadian'

Montreal - Prime Minister Paul Martin has condemned anti-Semitic graffiti found on an Edmonton synagogue, calling it un-Canadian.Martin, speaking at a Chanukkah celebration, said the vandalism shows that the struggle for freedom and peace continues."This is not Canada, what happened in Edmonton," he said. "Let us understand that, and we will condemn it with every fibre of our being.
"A swastika and an anti-Semitic message were spray painted on the side of Edmonton's largest synagogue.The police hate crimes unit is investigating the act of vandalism - the latest of several attacks at Beth Shalom synagogue over the last five years.

New York - Transit Union Announces Tentative Contract

New York- The executive board for the city transit workers union approved a tentative new contract, five days after it ended a paralyzing bus and subway strike that stranded millions of commuters.

Williamsburg +Child Struck+

Williamsburg +Child Struck+ A motor vehicle accident with a child that was struck by a vehicle at Division Avenue and Bedford Avenue, child is in stable condition, Hatzolah EMS transporting the child over the Williamsburg Bridge via escort by NYPD.

Brooklyn +Belt Pkw Traffic Advisory+

Brooklyn +Belt Pkw Traffic Advisory+ MVA with some lanes blocked is causing heavy delays on the Belt Parkway westbound near Flatbush Avenue, PD on the scene.

Crown Heights +Motor Vehicle Accident+

Crown Heights +Motor Vehicle Accident+ A MVA between two vehicles in Crown Heights at Albany Avenue and Lefferts Street, Hatzolah on the scene requesting back up.

NYS - DMV Inspection Policy Changes For 2006

NYS - The Department of Motor Vehicles is implementing a new policy that will eliminate the month-long cushion vehicle owners have had when it comes to getting their cars inspected.
Under the new policy, vehicles will have a 10-day time period for getting the vehicle inspected in the month that the inspection sticker expires.
The old policy allowed motorists to take the entire month to get an inspection done.
DMV officials say they're making the change so garages and other businesses that inspect vehicles aren't faced with a last-minute rush at the end of each month.
Driving with an expired inspection sticker could result in fines of $75 or more.

Monticello - Progress Made in Catskill Casino Project

Monticello - The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe believes its plan to build a casino at the Monticello Raceway is one step closer to reality. The Tribal Council reports that Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs has sent a letter to New York Gov. George Pataki that addresses some concerns the governor had last month about the tribe’s plans before the Bureau.

“The Tribal Council is confident that the department has responded adequately and affirmatively to Gov. Pataki and that the Tribe’s development of a casino project in Sullivan County has moved one step closer to reality,” Saint Regis Mohawk tribal chief Lorraine M. White says. Tribal Council leaders also note that the letter puts a time frame of January 2006 for the department to complete its review and issue a determination on the tribe’s environmental submissions and whether they satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act.

"In light of this commitment, we again ask the governor to support our efforts to develop a casino in Sullivan County and to issue his immediate concurrence.” White said.

Brooklyn +Gowanus Exp Traffic Alert+

Brooklyn +Gowanus Exp Traffic Alert+ A MVA on the eastbound of the Gowanus Expressway near 34th Street has all three lanes currently shut down, only the H.O.V. lane is open, NYPD Highway units are enroute.

NYS - Minimum Wage Taking Hike

NYS - The ranks of minimum-wage earners across New York state are getting a raise in January.

The state's minimum wage will increase on New Year's Day from $6 to $6.75 an hour. State officials say some 360,000 New Yorkers earn the minimum wage.

The wage hike is part of a three-year increase approved by the state Legislature. The first increase came last January 1. The next boost to $7.15 is set for Jan. 1, 2007.

Flatbush - +Kids Unhurt After Bus Accident+

Flatbush - +Kids Unhurt After Bus Accident+ Seventeen boys, ages 4-5 from Yshiva Oholei Torah were on the way to school when their bus hit a SUV in Flatbush yesterday.
All of the children escaped serious injuries, they were taken to Kings County Hospital as a precaution to be examined.

Portugal - Builders Reveal Hidden Synagogue

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PORTO, Portugal, - A false wall discovered during renovations of a building in this city has revealed a dark secret from Portugal's past: a 16th-century synagogue.

Built when Portugal's Jews had been forced to convert to Catholicism or risk being burned at the stake, the house of worship was hidden behind a false wall in a four-story house.

A scholar of Porto's Jewish history, said that as soon as the workers told him of the wall, "I knew there had to be some kind of Jewish symbol behind it."

His hunch was confirmed when the wall came down to reveal a carved granite repository, about five feet tall, arched at the top and facing east toward Jerusalem. It was the ark where the medieval Jews kept their Torahs. The ark contained pieces of decorative green tile that further confirmed its age. Specialists determined that the tiles had been glazed by a method used in the 16th century.

Manhattan +George Washington Bridge Traffic Alert+

Manhattan +George Washington Bridge Traffic Alert+ A motor vehicle accident with Port Authority. Police Department confirming a pin on the G.W. Bridge, NYPD ESU Units responding.

Baldwin - Another Menorah Damaged In NY

Baldwin, N.Y. - An 8-foot menorah erected outside the Long Island Rail Road Train Station was vandalized for the second year in a row.

Vandals broke several bulbs and ripped the cord off the menorah, Nassau County police said. No one has been arrested and police aren't sure whether the vandalism was a bias crime or not.

Brooklyn +Heart Attack In Vehicle+

Brooklyn +Heart Attack In Vehicle+ A motorist had a heart attack in his vehicle at Coney Island Avenue between Ave's R and S, aided in traumatic arrest, Hatzolah on the scene have CPR in progress and requesting additiona Medic's in a rush.

Brooklyn +NYPD Officer D.W.I.+

Brooklyn +NYPD Officer D.W.I.+ A NYPD officer was arrested in East New York yesterday morning while driving intoxicated. The officer, Robert Vargas, from Transit District 33 in Brooklyn, was pulled over and arrested at Williams Avenue and East New York Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. He has been suspended from the Police Department.

Brooklyn +Serious Accident+

Brooklyn +Serious Accident+ A serious motor vehicle accident involving a truck at McDonald Avenue and Webster Avenue, aided was poss pinned, Hazolah on the scene, ESU enroute.

Brooklyn +Belt Pkwy Traffic Advisory+

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Brooklyn +Belt Pkwy Traffic Advisory+ A motor vehicle accident on the eastbound of the Belt Parkway, near the Verezano. Bridge due to dense fog, an off-duty F/F is on the scene reporting a pin, requesting FD Resque to respond also ESU Trk-6 reporting overturn.

U/D: 07:38
Eastbound Belt Parkway has been closed now.

St. Petersburg +Unidentified Gas Released In Stores+

St. Petersburg, Moscow +Unidentified Gas Released In Stores+ Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry says at least 78 people have been sickened by the release of unidentified gas in stores in St. Petersburg.

Jersey City +JCPD ESU Truck Off Bridge+

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Jersey City +JCPD ESU Truck Off Bridge+ NYPD ESU Truck-8 and Truck-1 are enroute to Jersey City due to reports of a JCPD RMP going off the Hanckensack Bridge into the Hanckensack river in about 44FT of water and has not been seen since, Dive teams from NYPD Harbor and from other towns are responding, also off-duty dive teams to respond.

U/D: 21:20
2, JCPD Officers are missing. JCFD DEPT1A requested FDNY Dive Teams to respond.

U/D: 21:47
FDNY R-1, TAC-1 and MAR-6 on the scene requesting heavy equipment from Army Corps Of Engineers.

U/D: 22:12
The RMP has been located with the two officers inside in unknown condition, one of them is being removed right now from the water to UMDNJ.

U/D: 22:31
The 2nd officer might also been located ATT in unknown condition.

U/D: 12/26/05 07:59
The 1st officer has died, the other officer is still missing.

Williamsburg +C.O. Incident+

Williamsburg +C.O. Incident+ Fire Department and Hazmat requested to 82 Division Avenue between Bedford Avenue and Berry Street for a C.O. incident and C.O. detector activation in a dwelling with some people complaining to have C.O. exposure symptoms.

U/D: 20:08
Two aided are being transported by Hatzolah, command post set up by Hatzolah EMS.

Brooklyn +Belt Pway Traffic Sdvisory+

Brooklyn +Belt Pway Traffic Sdvisory+ A MVA blocking two lanes on the westbound side of the Belt Parkway at exit 4, is causing heacvy traffic delays all the way to Cropsey Avenue.

Monroe +MVA With EMS+

Orange County, Monroe +MVA With Monroe EMS+ On Lake Road and Route 17-M an accident involving an EMS ambulance from Monroe while enroute to an emergency with some injuried, Fire Department requested to the scene also additional BLS and ALS unbits to respond.

Borough Park +Motor Vehicle Accident+

Borough Park +Motor Vehicle Accident+ A MVA involving two vehicles in Borough Park at 14th Avenue and 55th Street, Hatzolah on the scene requesting an ambulance to respond.

New Windsor - +Community Menorah Vandalized+

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New Windsor, NY - +Community Menorah Vandalized+ In the New Windsor-Cornwall area, even before Chanukkah began, the large community menorah, was vandalized and destroyed.

Police on the scene investigating.

Triborugh Bridge +Jumper Hanging+

Triborugh Bridge +Jumper Hanging+ A jumper hanging from the Tribourgh Bridge opposite side of 125th Street next to a large snow pile, FD on the scene Harbor Units and ESU TRK-2 responding.

U/D: 11:28
Jumper is now down in the water underneath the expressway.

U/D: 11:32
FD and ESU diver have the EDP in custody in stable condition.

Williamsburg +Child Struck+

Williamsburg +Child Struck+ A motor vehicle accident with a child that was struck by an auto on Middleton Street and Lee Avenue, Hatzolah on the scene.

New Mexico - +Arresst In Explosive Theft+

Albuquerque, NM - +Arresst In Explosive Theft+ The FBI has arrested four men in connection with the theft of 400 pounds of explosives from storage depot.

Queens +Airport Delays+

Queens +Airport Delays+ Due to dense fog, J.F.K. International and Laguardia Airports are both reporting up to one hour departure delays but no arrival delays.

Williamsburg +B.Q.E. MVA+

Williamsburg +B.Q.E. MVA+ A motor vehicle accident between two vehicles at the Floshing Avenue exit of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, has Hatzolah responding and PD on the scene.

Manhattan +West Side Highway Traffic Alert+

Manhattan +West Side Highway Traffic Alert+ A serious accident on the West Side Highway northbound and 180th Street, PD and FD are on the scene requesting Highway A.I.S. Team for poss job, major traffic delays through out the area.