From Columbia Radio News in New York, I’m Stephanie Horton
The police officer injured yesterday in a Washington Heights shootout left the hospital this morning to bagpipes and roaring applause from his fellow officers.
AMBI: [APPLAUSE] Justin, how you doin’ Justin? [APPLAUSE] (4 seconds)
Officer Justin Vartanian left St. Luke’s around 11AM holding his wife’s hand. The incident injured the officer and left one suspect dead. The name of the shooting victim has not yet been released. We’ll have more on the incident after this newscast.
As of last night the number of confirmed measles cases in New York City since October has reached 359. According to the CDC that’s the largest outbreak in the country. Last week the city ordered families in certain Brooklyn zip codes to vaccinate or they could face a $1000 fine. Some sued the city saying the order violated their first amendment rights. But today a judge upheld the city’s ruling.
New York City shoppers will soon have to pay 5 cents for paper bags. That begins March 2020 along with the ban on plastic bags. City council members voted yesterday to impose the fee to encourage shoppers to bring reusable bags.
The death of a Brooklyn infant was declared a homicide today. The father of 6-month-old Gianni Gilmore was officially charged with the boy’s death. It was determined the child died from shaken baby syndrome almost one year ago.
The price of a 30-day MetroCard is going up by $6 this Sunday. A 7-day card will cost a dollar more but the cost of a single ride will stay the same at $2.75.
The Yankees’ have decided to suspend the use of the late singer Kate Smith’s rendition of “God Bless America” during their traditional seventh-inning stretch. The singer used racist language in a 1939 song.
This afternoon the Long Island Rail Road will run eight extra trains out of Penn Station for riders who wish to leave work early to observe Good Friday and Passover.
Its 72 degrees outside and partly cloudy. Heavy rain is expected early tomorrow morning. A flash flood watch is currently in effect until tomorrow afternoon.
For Columbia Radio News, I’m Stephanie Horton