New Year, New Buses: Veolia Buses Replace MTA Buses This Sunday
Today is the last day that the buses in Nassau County will be functioning under MTA control. Starting on Sunday, the new system, dubbed NICE – short for the Nassau Inter-County Express, will take the place of the MTA buses, after much debate and outcry from Nassau residents. MetroCards will be accepted by the new NICE system – an agreement was reached with the MTA in order to make the transition running smoothly. Additionally, Veolia has reached a tentative agreement with over 800 union bus drivers, although there has not been a union vote yet.
For more on this story, click here.
Two Teens Shot at N. Amityville House Party
Earlier this morning, around 12:15am, two teenagers attending a house party in North Amityville were shot when a car drove by, and open fire on the crowd. Police say at least five shots was aimed at the group, and two people were shot – a 16 year old girl from Huntington Station who is in serious, but stable condition, and an 18 year old man from Copaigue, who was hit in the calf by gunfire, but treated and released. Suffolk County Police are still looking for the assailants, and ask that anyone with any information contact them at 1-800-220-TIPS – all calls will remain anonymous.
For more on this story, click here.
Police Still Investigating Fatal Shooting in East Meadow
Investigation is still underway for the shooting of a fleeing suspect that ended with the suspect being killed on the scene early Friday morning in a shopping center parking lot in East Meadow. The man, 41 year old Dwayne Oxley, would not cooperate with police when asked to step out of his vehicle, and when he exited the vehicle there was a struggle with the responding officer, who was shot in the leg when his weapon discharged. According to a witness, Ronnie – manager at the nearby tanning salon, Oxley was shot while being pursued by the second officer that had responded to the scene, and the police were not in the wrong – just doing their job.
For more on this story, click here.
Cops Release Composite Sketch of Female Burglar Targeting the Elderly
Nassau PD have released a composite sketch of a burglar they say is targeting the elderly who is suspected to have burglarized at least four homes in the past week. The woman, described as having large eyes, between 5’ 6” and 5’ 8”, light skinned, possibly Hispanic, drives a blue or gray car with out of state plates, and is working with a partner. They have been variations of the following plan: the woman lures a resident out of their home, striking up a conversation about yard work, while her male accomplice breaks into the home. Police ask if you have any information about these robberies to contact them at 1-800-244-TIPS, all calls will be kept confidential and anonymous.
Verizon Wireless Scraps $2 “Convenience” Fee
After a massive outpouring of discontent from Verizon Wireless online, the company has scrapped their plans to impose a $2 fee on customers paying with credit or debit cards online. The fee was meant to encourage customers to enroll in automatic bill pay, which wouldn’t be subjected to the fee, however, instead what was created was customer outrage, provoking Verizon Wireless to reconsider the fee. Customers all over the country were outraged, calling the fee unwarranted and unfair – by paying online they do not even interact with a Verizon employee, something Verizon customers believe be saving the company money, rather than costing them more. 2011 has been a year where consumers have been rebelling against fees that they find to be unfair, and the backlash against Verizon this week solidifies this trend as not likely to change in 2012.