News: Long Island Father Delivers Baby in SUV

(Long Island, N.Y.) A thirty-three-year old Selden man delivered his daughter in an SUV with the aid of an emergency dispatcher on the phone. The couple was about five miles from Stony Brook University Medical Center when his wife yelled that she was having the baby.

She began feeling her first contractions at five that morning and sources claimed that she mistook them for indigestion. The father put the couple’s older son on a school bus at around 8:15, during which the mother’s water broke. She called the hospital, assumed she had plenty of time, and packed her bags for what she expected to be a long wait.

The wife, despite being a nurse in an intensive care unit, stated she was not prepared for the delivery in any way. The husband, who also has a medical background, said that he didn’t know anything about how to deliver a child.

Sources stated that after realizing they were not going to make it to the hospital, the couple looked for a place to park. The soon-to-be-father decided to pull into a parking lot of the Hawkins Path Elementary School and walked around to the other side of the vehicle. He called 911 at 8:33am, and the dispatcher walked him through the birth until the baby was safely delivered.

The baby was almost completely outside the birth canal when the husband began assisting in the birth. After the delivery, the dispatcher instructed him to clear the baby’s airway and the startled newborn immediately began crying. The dispatcher also instructed the father to tie off the umbilical cord via shoelace, which served as a makeshift string.

Firefighters arrived and used a clamp on the umbilical cord, which was cut while they attempted to pacify the child. Reports stated that the veteran dispatcher had observed more emergency births in his twenty-eight-year-career than he could recall. The dispatcher praised the new father for remaining calm through the procedure, claiming that he followed instructions perfectly.

The father stated that when he first pulled into the parking lot he was in a state of panic. Reports also stated that the mother gave birth seven years ago, prior to which the labor lasted for nearly ten hours. The mother of the infant didn’t expect a speedy delivery, claiming it was surreal and that she was still in shock about the birth circumstances.

News: LIPA Still Dealing with Storm Costs

(Long Island, N.Y.) Weeks after Tropical Storm Irene has shaken residents across Long Island, the Long Island Power Authority is still dealing with the excess costs. A reported $176 million has been the estimated final price tag for the most expensive storm in history for the Long Island utility corporation. While it was previously calculated to cost over the $100 million marker, the heightened expenses has gotten many Long Islanders fearing rate increases from the Long Island Power Authority.

The most expensive storm for the company is likely to be covered in part by federal disaster relief funds. An estimated seventy-five percent of the costs should be absorbed by government funds; however, applying for such assistance could spread over the next few months. The Long Island Power Authority needs to embark upon the lengthy application process to obtain a speedy compensation for storm-time expenses.

The major sources of the expense come from labor and the extra materials required for making repairs. Over seven thousand workers were used to help in the restoration process, which lasted for more than a week after the onset of the storm. Labor costs include the transportation, food, lodging, and equipment charges necessary to sustain the excess out-of-town workforce in local hotels.

An estimated three to four thousand entered the workforce from out-of-town and stayed locally for a week or more following Tropical Storm Irene. The other costs associated with labor came from National Grid employees and contractors who worked overtime following the storm’s damage to Long Island power lines. Material costs included utility poles, wires, and transformers for repairs.

The storm left 523,000 Long Island Power Authority customers without power, topping the 2010 Nor’easter which affected 263,000. While the price tag for Tropical Storm Irene breached $175 million, last year’s storm cost roughly $68 million in expenses. Federal funds reimbursed around $50 million of those expenses, promoting the Long Island Power Authority to reduce rates.

The Long Island Power Authority’s storm budget for this year was a mere $47 million, which will hardly put a dent in Tropical Storm Irene’s whopping expenses. Last year the Long Island Power Authority spent $200 million in expenses, a chunk of which was used for advance preparation for a hurricane that never hit Long Island. As a rough estimate, $34-40 million in new costs for the Long Island Power Authority could translate to a 1% increase in rates for customers.

News: Long Island Hosts 25th Annual Beach Cleanup

(Long Island, N.Y.) For the past twenty-five years, over ten thousand volunteers have cleaned up forty thousand pounds of garbage and debris from the beaches at Robert Moses State Park. This year’s cleanup took place on September 17th, 2011 at Robert Moses State Park, Field #2 and began at ten in the morning.

A state senator from Babylon released a statement describing the event. Volunteers will collect data and it will be sent to the American Littoral Society and The Ocean Conservancy in Washington, D.C. It will be analyzed and compared with data from around the planet. The agencies involved in the data collection will then implement international programs and policies to control debris in hopes to keep our beaches clean and safe.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will also evaluate the effectiveness of existing laws to prevent debris from washing up on our shores. The Department of Environmental Conservation was created in 1970 to combine all environmental conservation groups into a single state agency designed to protect and enhance the environment.

Reports stated that the event runs during the annual Great South Bay Cleanup. This cleanup does not have as long of a history as the other, however, many Long Island environmentalists feel that it has had a tremendous impact on the cleanliness of the island.

The Great South Bay Cleanup is held annually on the third weekend of September. Participants meet at the Yacht Service Boatyard on Ocean Avenue. Coffee and bagels are provided to the volunteers and boats are launched to the islands.

During previous years the participants received t-shirts as well as certificates for their efforts in the cleanups. Many Long Island parents feel that this is especially important for the children involved in order to give them a sense of accomplishment.

The Long Island Beach Buggy Association, along with the State Park Region, will be sponsoring the event. Reports stated that the participants expected to attend the event will include numerous conservation organizations, sportsmen’s groups, and Boy and Girl Scout Troops from the area. Participants were urged to wear comfortable walking shoes, gloves, and sunscreen, and were also requested to bring nonperishable food items that will be donated to local food banks.

News: Smithtown School Busing Revote

(Long Island, N.Y.) Controversial Smithtown busing schedule cutbacks left only a third of original bus riders in zones where buses service. The vote for cutbacks, which is part of the town’s new policy, is currently being challenged as fears rose concerning the unsafe routes taken by students on their way to school.

A public hearing was held at the district administration office building where many parents fought for a revote on a bill which reduced the number of students bused to school grounds. The previous vote passed by around eight-hundred of seven-thousand total votes. The vote would cut nearly $800,000 in costs for the school district.

Nonetheless, many are opposed to the plan and many parents stressed that the students’ safety should take precedence over the school board’s desire to save money. The new policy implemented a rule that would eliminate bus routes for elementary school students who lived less than a half-mile from the school. The higher grades would not be bussed if they were less than a mile away.

The policy also reduced the maximum distance that buses would travel from twenty to fifteen miles. Reports stated that some believe the ruling will not be overturned and said that the vote should not have been scheduled. Supporters of the vote stated that the cuts were needed, that there was no way around them, and that the original vote should be considered sufficient.

If reversed, the original vote that dates back to May would immediately reactivate last year’s bussing plan. The initial policy allowed all but seven-hundred students to take the bus to school. The current plan leaves over two-thousand students out of the bus schedule, and bussing will continue accordingly as of October 11th.

One official at the meeting joined the many with concerns about children walking in unsafe areas. Many Long Islanders felt that, even with the cuts, they will not see a drop in taxes.

Reports also stated that many Long Islanders were watching the story closely as property taxes reach an all-time high. Long Island has some of the highest property taxes in the United States, as well as some of the highest paid executives in education.

News: 9/11 Memorial Draws Steady Crowds

(Long Island, N.Y.) Long Island family members of victims of the September 11th attacks were among the first visitors to the 9/11 memorial site. Family members of victims were the only ones permitted to visit the site on the day of the ten year anniversary. The public was welcomed to visit the following day, during which the memorial has drawn steady crowds.

Reports stated that visitors were captivated by the memorial and were silenced in deep reflection upon the three-thousand names engraved in bronze. Some of the names were among the six who died in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. The general public has had limited access to Ground Zero since the days following the tragic events of September 11th 2001.

A spokesperson for the site stated that everyone involved in creating the memorial was proud that they kept their promise to open in time for the tenth anniversary. Reports claimed that some of the family members of victims, who had attended the opening day events, also returned for the public opening.

Reports described visitors browsing electronic directories to locate the names of their loved ones on the memorial. Many also came to view the pear tree, which lived through the attacks, and has subsequently been dubbed the Survivor Tree.

Perhaps the only problem with the opening of the memorial came when two letters of a name were misplaced. The error was discovered by a family member of the victim, and a spokesperson stated that officials have been addressing the mistake along with a construction team. The name was allegedly entered wrong in the site’s database. According to sources, the spokesperson released a statement saying that officials were extremely sorry for the pain the mistake has caused the family.

Officials at the police checkpoints, which were constructed to protect Long Islanders visiting Manhattan during the opening, will likely end their posts as early as Wednesday. Sources stated, however, that the Police Commissioner will decide if the security will remain at current levels after an assessment of the area.

The checkpoints increased traffic as police searched random vehicles. Reports stated that many motorists are looking forward to the open roads, and are hoping that traffic returns to normal after the checkpoints are abandoned. The searches were likely a response to reports of a tip regarding car bombs on bridges or tunnels. Sources claimed that as of yet no suspects have been placed in custody.

News: Long Island Primaries Begin

(Long Island, N.Y.) Long Islanders headed to the polls Tuesday to vote on the candidates who will appear on the ballot in November’s general election. The results will decide which candidates will be on the ballot for the Nassau County and Suffolk County legislature. The polls will also decide positions for many town judges and were open until nine that evening.

Sources also stated that there will be additional primaries to determine who will run on the Republican and Conservative lines in the fifth, sixteenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth districts in Nassau County. The eighteenth district is the only district that does not have any candidates seeking reelection. Voters who wish to participate can find their local voting areas by logging on to the board of elections websites for both Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Many members of the town council will be determined by primaries in Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southold, and Smithtown. Reports stated that two lawmakers are being challenged by new candidates for their positions on the Conservative Party line. Voters from across Long Island will know the major-party candidates for the town and county offices as soon as the voting ends.

Sources claimed that the voter turnout was excessively low for some of the elections. This has caused some races for county and town positions to become extremely close. Reports stated that 572 of 598 districts had been unofficially accounted for in Suffolk County as of late Tuesday night.

Sources stated that in last year’s elections one of the ballot machines had technical issues, causing residents to rely on more obsolete methods of voting. According to reports, Long Islanders wishing to cast a vote had to resort to paper ballots. Other sources also cited that the voter booths were located too far from the walls, making some complain of the apparent lack of privacy.

There have been no reports of issues in this year’s elections. The general election will be held on November 1st, during which all residents are urged to get to their perspective voting stations.

News: Long Islanders Remember 9/11

(Long Island, N.Y.) More than a thousand people visited Point Lookout for the ten year anniversary of 9/11 where two chrome replicas of the Twin Towers were displayed. Also shown was a beam from the World Trade Center to remind people of what occurred on that fateful day. The event featured flags with white tags for writing messages and the names of those who perished a decade ago.

The beachfront memorial was one of the largest on Long Island. The traditional solemn bagpipes played as many looked on in tears during a very emotional gathering. Reports stated that some of the younger attendees, who were born after the September 11th attacks, still paid their respects to the loved ones they never met.

Sources claimed that many Long Island family members of the terrorist victims visited the newly opened 9/11 memorial site in New York City. The site opened in correlation with the ten year anniversary, and reports stated that only family members were allowed to visit on the opening day. Many family members never visited the site before the event, but claimed that they felt closer to their loved ones while in the area.

The memorial at Ground Zero was fully opened to the public the day after September 11th, 2011. It was estimated that about 1,500 people obtained reserved tickets and were allowed to walk the plaza where the towers once stood. At the center of the memorial stood two giant reflecting pools that displayed waterfalls; many were unaware that tickets were being collected for the anniversary.

Reports also stated that many sporting events featured remembrance introductions with full field-size American flags. Many Long Islanders watched games from their homes which featured special presentations commemorating 9/11. One documentary that aired alongside Sunday Night Football featured a cameraman who followed a newly hired firefighter during the attacks.

Increased security was observed for any Long Islanders entering Manhattan for precautionary measures, as there were some reports of heightened risk of terrorist activity. Sources claimed that authorities had received a credible threat from a terrorist organization. According to reports, K-9 units were trained in order to detect bombs in vehicles, and were deployed on bridges and tunnels with armed guards at train stations.

A fighter jet was used to escort a flight from Los Angeles to New York, and three people were detained due to suspicious activity in the air. The suspects made repeated trips to the bathroom and were absent for prolonged periods of time. Security remained tight even in the days after the 9/11 anniversary, and reports stated that the police presence has been increased while undercovers roam the area.

News: LI Pharmacy Shooter Pleads Guilty

(Long Island, N.Y.) The thirty-three-year-old man responsible for the Medford Pharmacy shootings, which occurred on June 19th, pleaded guilty to five counts of murder in the first degree. The killer will be sentenced to two life sentences without the possibility of parole. Sources claimed that his next court appearance will be on October 17th.

The killer had originally pleaded not guilty to the unspeakable crimes and was expected to keep his plea throughout court proceedings. Many followers of the case believe that his wife had arranged some type of plea bargain, which in turn downgraded her charges. Some followers of the case believe that this eventually caused the killer to change his plea to guilty as evidence against him mounted.

Many Long Islanders who have become invested in the case have rejoiced at the news of the killer’s guilty plea. They claimed that they may finally have the justice they have been waiting for since the shooting left them shaken. Officials handling the case were pleased that relatives of the victims wouldn’t have to listen to details of the killings during a lengthy trial process.

A Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney commented on the case, calling the killings “the most cold-blooded robbery-homicide in Suffolk County history.” Authorities were able to retrieve a matching fingerprint at the crime scene as well as a handgun found at the killer’s home. The weapon was registered to the killer.

Since June, the shooting has been referred to as the Medford Massacre, the Father’s Day Massacre, and other descriptions of the gruesome crime. There have also been numerous copycat robberies, but none have involved the loss of four innocent lives. One of the victims, a thirty-three-old mother of two, was set to have a wedding next month; her fiancé watched the shooter leave the store before walking into the brutal scene.

The killer aimed a gun through a backpack on that fateful morning and shot the pharmacist in the abdomen. He then turned to the seventeen-year-old clerk before shooting the pharmacist two more times. Lastly, he proceeded to move toward the unguarded customers, killing both.

During the robbery the gunman stole around ten-thousand pills of hydrocodone, a drug used to make Vicodin. Upon returning home, the killer was reported to have waved at his neighbors while working in his yard. The killer also attempted to create an alibi by wearing disguises and removing them while visiting a local convenience store.

Police received hundreds of tips and after just two days of investigation and were able to put the couple’s home under surveillance. The police then took him into custody the following day, and reports stated that thirty police officers arrived as backup. The killer was photographed with injuries to his face after he was arrested, and the Police Commissioner stated that he was extremely violent during the arrest.

The killer did not have a previous criminal record and served eight years in the Army as a private. The killer’s Facebook page portrayed an attraction to weapons, and a Springfield XD pistol was listed among his interests.

News: Three Ex-Islanders Killed in Russian Jet Crash

(Long Island, N.Y.) According to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry, three former New York Islanders and members of a Russian hockey team were killed in a plane crash claiming forty-three lives. Many believe that this will be remembered as one of the most tragic air disasters in sports history. National Hockey League fans and players are in shock around the world after the crash in Yaroslavi, Russia.

The location is roughly one-hundred-and-fifty miles northeast of Moscow. Sources claimed that a Yak-42 aircraft crashed into the banks of the Volga River just after takeoff. The Ex-Islanders were members of the Kontinental Hockey League club named Lokomotiv.

According to sources, players from Lokomotiv’s main roster and four players from the youth team were on board. The crash claimed the lives of eight former National Hockey League players and a coach. Eight crew members were among those who perished.

The Kontinental Hockey League suspended all games for five days, postponing the start of their season. Reports stated that the league plans to rebuild the Lokomotiv team to be able to compete this season. The Kontinental Hockey League president is asking teams to volunteer three players to create a draft pool for the new team.

Lokomotiv also will promote a handful of youth team players. Sources claimed that there are about three team members from the league who would like to join the team immediately. As of early Friday, thirty-five bodies have been recovered from the site and reports stated that the recovery operation will continue throughout the night.

Two men survived the crash, have been listed in grave condition, and have been airlifted to a Moscow hospital for treatment. One sustained burns over ninety percent of his body and has not improved since arrival; burns over fifty percent are considered extremely life-threatening. The second survivor suffered burns of over fifteen percent and has a broken femur.

According to reports, the plane didn’t have enough speed or power to lift off around four in the afternoon, and clipped a runway beacon. Sources claimed that the plane crashed about a mile-and-a-half from takeoff. Investigators said that the crash could have been due to a pilot error or the result of mechanical failure.

Sources stated that the Yak-42 was first flown in 1975 and has been commercially available since 1980. Yak-42s, which are known as reliable aircrafts, have been grounded pending further investigation. Reports stated that the Russian president spoke about making changes to the country’s aviation industry, being that it has been criticized for cutting corners and putting cost ahead of safety. A memorial ceremony will be held at Yaroslavl’s arena to remember those whose lives were lost in the crash.

News: Update – Pharmacy Shooter Gets No Leniency

(Long Island, N.Y.) After months of waiting the families of the Medford pharmacy massacre finally have justice served. The killer’s attorney stated that there should be some closure for the families as the killer will not be appearing in the appellate courts. The Suffolk County District Attorney stated that the killer will never again see the light of day.

Reports stated that the District Attorney also promised the families in a private meeting that he would do everything possible to ensure the thirty-three-year-old shooter spends the rest of his life in prison. Some family members and friends of the victims have claimed that closure will be harder to find. They said that the killer had shown no remorse about the murders, and that no amount of justice will bring back their loved ones.

Sources claimed that the judge told the killer at the court proceeding that he will receive no leniency in his sentencing after admitting to the slayings. The shooter’s wife pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and will likely be sentenced to twenty-five years in prison. She had admitted to planning the robbery with her husband.

According to reports, some stated that even the killer’s attorney would not minimize the gravity of the slayings. Sources stated that the killer will be sentenced to four consecutive sentences of life without parole. It was previously thought he may receive two life sentences, but the ruling is set to be issued on October 17th.

Nearly three dozen family members of the victims were present at the court proceeding, each hearing the events of the killings told in the courtroom. Reports stated that one family member wept throughout the entire hearing. Sources claimed that one grieving attendee shouted to the killer “you’re a coward for what you did to those families.”

Reports stated that the killer’s wife claimed that her husband did it because he lost his job and she was sick. The wife is charged with robbery and aided detectives during most of the investigation. She stated early in the case that there had been pressure to identify her husband as the man responsible for committing the crime.

Sources stated that the killer stole the pills to fuel his wife’s addiction. The prosecution’s evidence included fingerprints found at the scene, a weapon registered in his name, and an estimated two-thousand of the ten-thousand pills found inside the home. In a final statement, the shooter’s attorney stated that the killer is one of the worst offenders to be represented throughout a forty year career in law.