NYS Senator Joe Addabbo's Statement on the Proposed Cuts to NYC Homeland Security Federal Funding

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), released the following statement on the New York State Senate Homeland Security hearing held on Friday, April 8, 2011, and the proposed cuts to New York City’s Homeland Security federal funding:

It was my intent to participate in a focused hearing which was to examine the security of the New York City residents, and surrounding areas, ten years after the tragedy of 9/11. Based on the testimony of witnesses and my questioning of those witnesses, my main concern continues to be the governmental funding and interaction of the entities involved in maintaining the safety of individuals, namely the NYPD, FDNY, MTA and Port Authority. I intend, as the ranking member of the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, to continue my efforts in finding the means available to improve the safety and security of people locally and throughout the city and state.

News & Notes from NY Senator Joe Addabbo - 15th Senate District

SENATOR ADDABBO STATEMENT ON ACTING CHANCELLOR DENNIS WALCOTTAPPEARING BEFORE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach), a member of the Senate’s Education Committee, released the following statement:

The visit by Acting Chancellor Dennis Walcott to the NYS Senate Education Committee was both promising and encouraging for the Department of Education and the children in the school system. I stated at the meeting that I look forward to working with Mr. Walcott through the fiscal, policy and administrative challenges that face our public schools. I have known Mr. Walcott for over 15 years and have always found him to be professional and dedicated to public service.

SENATOR JOSEPH P. ADDABBO, JR. STATEMENT ON PIA’S ELIMINATION FROM AMERICAN IDOL

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) released the following statement on last week’s elimination of contestant and Howard Beach resident Pia Toscano from the popular TV show:

“Pia’s elimination from American Idol was shocking and premature. If I had the chance to give Pia a message, it would be to express my appreciation for her God-given talent, for exciting a community and for touching the hearts of millions of people around the country. I am so proud to have Pia within my district.”

ADDABBO: WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN SECURING AREAS TEN YEARS AFTER 9/11

Senate Revisits Public Protection Concerns

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), who serves as ranking Minority member on the Senate’s Veterans, Homeland Security, & Military Affairs Committee, participated in this past Friday’s public hearing on Homeland Security 10 years later after September 11, 2001, to listen and respond to testimony on public protection since the terrorist attacks. Among the attending witnesses were Peter King, United States Congressman and Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security; Michael O’Meara, Executive Vice President of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Police Benevolent Association; Richard Daddario, NYPD Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Counter-terrorism; and Douglas Zeigler, Director of Security for the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

While the hearing became increasingly contentious when the topic of religious sects were being discussed, the first half of the hearing included testimony from the NYPD, MTA, the Port Authority and other public safety personnel. “The critical issues were the lack of funding allocations for improved security measures and the need for upgrading the communication systems between our safety-related agencies,” stated Senator Addabbo. It was mentioned at the hearing that some of the radios and means of communicating among the agencies were over 20 years old. Addabbo said that he intends to discuss with the Port Authority the issue of security at JFK Airport and on the Airtrain.

Congressman King spoke at great length as to how terrorist threat levels are as high as 9/11, and reiterated that these are very real threats as we approach the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Michael O’Meara gave insight as to the issue of communication between the Metropolitan Transit Authority Police and the ongoing discussions with the MTA to correct and improve radio frequency communications between MTA Police and the MTA. The radio system, according to Mr. O’Meara, has not worked since its implementation some 20 years ago.

The use and placement of security cameras on New York State tunnels, bridges and pedestrian areas was explained by Douglas Ziegler. Currently, almost 4,000 cameras have been placed within the MTA system, with the intention of more to come.

A future similar Senate hearing concerning the status of security measures since the 9/11 tragedy is being scheduled in Albany.

Together with above release, here are two complementary statements from the Senator:

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., released the following statement on NYS Senate Homeland Security Hearing held on Friday, 8, 2011:

It was my intent to participate in a focused hearing which was to examine the security of the New York City residents, and surrounding areas, ten years after the tragedy of 9/11. Based on the testimony of witnesses and my questioning of those witnesses, my main concern continues to be the governmental funding and interaction of the entities involved in maintaining the safety of individuals, namely the NYPD, FDNY, MTA and Port Authority. I intend, as the ranking member of the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, to continue my efforts in finding the means available to improve the safety and security of people locally and throughout the city and state.

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., released the following statement on the witness list for the NYS Senate Homeland Security Hearing held on Friday, 8, 2011:

As I have previously stated, I intended to participate in a NYS Senate hearing focused on the public safety of individuals in New York City, ten years after the 9/11 tragedy. In my opinion, there should have been separate hearings with one having witnesses from governmental entities who would testify as to their plans to secure people and another, separate hearing with witnesses of all backgrounds giving testimony on their cultural and ideological theories toward their views on Americans. The global issue of terrorism as it pertains to our safety is so complex and intricate, that I believe separate Senate hearings were warranted.

ADDABBO: STATEMENT ON SAFETY OF AIRTRAIN & JFK AIRPORT

Generally, I have a daily concern for security in and around the JFK Airport property, including the Airtrain. The gateway to millions of visitors to New York is right in our backyard and therefore, my interest in the airport’s safety measures, which are a high priority for me. I intend to continue my working relationship with the all aspects of the Port Authority to ensure the safety of my constituents. In a recent conversation with the Port Authority regarding the inoperable radio usage near the Jet Blue Terminal, they advised me that the situation is being addressed and should be resolved shortly. I plan on having advanced discussions and meetings with the Port Authority about their vision for improved security at JFK.

SENATORS INTRODUCE CLEAN WATER LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AND VOW TO KEEP NEW YORK’S WATER SAFE & CLEAN

As new information continues to surface on the dangers of horizontal hydraulic fracturing, particularly in relation to the wastewater produced during the hydro-fracking process, Senators Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), Ranking Member of the Environmental Protection Committee Tony Avella (D-Queens) and Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) have introduced a package of bills that aim to keep New York’s water clean against the effects of hydro-fracking. First and foremost, the package calls for a ban on hydro-fracking. While working towards this goal, the package installs a series of necessary, common sense measures that would implement stronger regulations and heightened scrutiny that will keep New Yorkers, and their water, safe.

A series of articles produced by the New York Times has revealed that studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency show that the wastewater produced in hydro-fracking is far more dangerous than previously reported. Even before it enters the ground, the frac fluid used in drilling poses serious threats to the environment and human health, as it is made of a combination of undisclosed chemicals that often contain carcinogenic materials. However, as reported by the New York Times, wastewater produced in hydro-fracking grows even more dangerous once it’s blasted through rock thousands of feet below ground. There, the frac fluid picks up salts and radioactive elements, like radium, that are naturally embedded in the Earth.

To address these issues, the first three bills in the Clean Water Package will implement tighter regulation and ensure transparency so the public can be assured that proper precautions are in place to monitor both frac fluid and the resulting wastewater. The bills providing for increased regulation are absolutely necessary to provide immediate and necessary oversight to keep the public and environment safe while ample political support is gathered to establish an all out ban, which has been proposed by Senator Avella. Senator Krueger’s bill (S.425) is currently on the agenda to be voted on in the Environmental Conservation Committee on Tuesday, the 12th.

The bills in the Clean Water Package are:

• S.425 (Krueger) - Would provide greater regulation of the use of hydraulic fracturing fluids used for oil and gas drilling, including prohibiting the use of frac fluids containing chemicals that pose a risk to human health.
• S.2697 (Avella) – Would provide for comprehensive regulation of oil and natural gas operations.
• S. 4251 (Addabbo) – Would require treatment works to test waste from hydraulic fracturing operations for radioactivity.
• S.4220 (Avella) – Would prohibit the use of hydraulic fracturing in the process of drilling for natural gas and/or oil.

Senator Liz Krueger said, “I don’t see it as that great of a request to require these gas companies to inform the public on what chemicals they’re blasting into the Earth. They want us to just fall into line and not ask any questions, to just ‘trust them.’ Well, we saw what they did with Pennsylvania’s trust, and I say no. Not here, not in New York. I tend to believe that if you guard a secret with your life it’s not because you’re hiding something good or harmless, it’s because you know that whatever you’re hiding will bring negative consequences for you if it comes to light.”

Senator Avella added, “Perhaps our greatest resource as New York City residents is the clean, unfiltered and refreshing water we receive every time we turn on our faucets. It is clear to me, that until we can be assured that the practice of hydro-fracking presents absolutely no threat to New York’s residents and their drinking water, we must completely ban fracking.”

Senator Addabbo said, “Today, I join my Senate colleagues, Tony Avella and Liz Krueger, to support their respective bills, which together with mine, would amend the environmental conservation law, requiring new regulations from the DEC. My new bill authorizes the DEC Commissioner, after hosting a public hearing, to force regulations requiring treatment facilities handling wastewater to test for radioactivity levels. The DEC will identify tests to be performed on the water, including ingredients found within the hydro-fracking fluids, and would prohibit the acceptance, treatment or discharge of hydro-fracking-produced waste. This was in response to EPA and drilling industry studies that concluded radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways.”

There are many ways this wastewater puts human health and the environment in danger. In other states, wastewater is often stored in open pits until transported for ultimate disposal, but chemicals evaporate from these open pits, contributing to air pollution. Even prior to fracking, the trucks are carrying the fluids in high concentrations, and are subject to leaks and spills, causing contamination of surface waters. The fracturing fluid left underground can migrate or seep through fractures in underground formations, cracks in well-bore casings or through abandoned wells, polluting groundwater.

As has been made clear by a number of incidents related to natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, high-volume hydro-fracking continues to present unacceptable risks.

ADDABBO: GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL INTO LAW EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS THROUGH 2011

Extended Benefits Will Provide Relief for 166,000 New Yorkers

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), a member of the Senate’s Labor Committee who supported the measure, is pleased to report to his constituents that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a measure that extends federally funded unemployment insurance benefits throughout 2011. This bill, S.3928, amends the Labor Law to allow New York to take advantage of provisions contained in the recently enacted Federal Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 by modifying provisions concerning unemployment insurance extended benefits.

The extension would have expired early this spring, giving people who lose their jobs up to 80 weeks of unemployment checks instead of up to 93, for people now on the unemployment rolls, said the Senator. Without this new law, the state would not be able to continue to pay a total of 93 weeks of benefits and would have forfeited $620 million in federal payments to the unemployed, negatively impacting approximately 166,000 New Yorkers.

Since 2009, New York State has participated in a two-year, federally funded unemployment insurance program. In December 2010, the U.S. Congress extended the federal program by an additional year. The governor’s legislation amends New York State law to allow the state to qualify for the additional third year of the program.

Under the program, benefits for all private sector and nonprofit employees are fully federally funded. This act is effective immediately and “shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after February 1, 2011.”

Added Addabbo, “The unemployment rate in Queens is about 8.5 percent; it’s between 8.9-9.2 percent for New York City, and 8.7 percent for our state overall. While some reports have noted that the worst of the long recession has ended, many of my people have been seeking jobs for the past year, and for some, almost two years. The governor requested quick legislative action, which has allowed us to access federal funds to assist those on unemployment. This law will give them a safety net as they continue to pursue time-consuming and daunting efforts to re-enter the workforce.” The senator is hopeful that future extensions of unemployment benefits would be unnecessary due to an improving economy and new jobs in the city. “The main goal is to find people stable employment,” Addabbo concluded.

Progress Report: The MTA Capital Security Program - New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli

Improvements Made Despite Delays and Cost Overruns

Despite significant delays and unplanned costs, the MTA has greatly improved its security through capital improvements, operational initiatives and enhanced cooperation with other security agencies, according to a report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“The capital security program the MTA has implemented since 9-11 has made New Yorkers more secure,” said DiNapoli. “The MTA has made progress, particularly in the last two years. But the mass transit system is still inherently vulnerable. Individual projects in this program are months if not years behind schedule and well over budget, and additional capital improvements are needed. My office will continue to track MTA management of this program.”

The projects in Phase 1 of the MTA’s capital security program target the system’s most vulnerable and heavily used assets, including stations, transit hubs, bridges and tunnels. Each project involves one or more facilities and security improvements to elements such as electronic security and surveillance, fire, life and safety and evacuation enhancements, perimeter protection and structural hardening. This phase, originally scheduled for completion by September 2008, will not be completed until June 2012.

After more than nine years, the MTA has completed 11 of the original 16 security projects as well as elements of the five remaining projects. The MTA has hardened all 14 facilities planned for Phase 1; improved lighting, communication systems, and smoke and fire detection equipment in 15 facilities; installed perimeter protection around four facilities; and despite significant setbacks, the electronic security program.

As of December 2010, the MTA had completed 31 of 38 planned construction tasks and the remaining seven tasks were all in the process of construction, though more than 60 percent of the 38 tasks were behind their established schedules, including 11 that were behind by more than one year (five tasks were more than 30 months late). The cost of Phase 1 (including two facilities that were deferred from Phase 1 to Phase 2) has grown from $591 million to $851 million, an increase of 44 percent.

Electronic security projects in particular have encountered significant problems. The cost of this program has nearly doubled, growing from $265 million to $515 million. The MTA has continued work on the electronic security program by hiring other contractors, but full implementation is not scheduled to be completed until June 2011. A lawsuit between the MTA and Lockheed Martin, the original contractor responsible for the electronic security program, is still ongoing.

The MTA has also implemented a number of operational initiatives that have improved the system’s safety: security personnel have been increased, coordination with other security agencies has been enhanced and the MTA has implemented a public relations campaign to encourage the public to report suspicious activity.

The Comptroller noted that additional capital improvements are needed to improve overall security. Phase 2 will fund some of the remaining 33 security projects of the original 57 that were identified through a risk-based assessment. However, the MTA will not begin work on the remaining 16 projects until the scope is determined and funding becomes available.

Comptroller DiNapoli maintains a comprehensive approach to oversight of the MTA. Since 2007, DiNapoli has issued 27 reports on the MTA, including 14 audit reports and 13 reports examining MTA finances and operations. There are currently eight audits underway in various stages of completion, including a forensic audit of MTA use of overtime and one audit that is being performed jointly with the New York City Comptroller’s Office.

Click here for the report: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/mar11/MTASecurityRpt12-2011.pdf

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Follow NYS Comptroller on Twitter: @NYSComptroller

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli: MTA Bus Fleet Maintenance Too Expensive

Nearly half of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus fleet—including virtually all of the fleet’s hybrid-engine buses—have not been properly inspected according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. In addition, 62 percent of the MTA’s buses failed to meet reliability goals despite maintenance costs that topped $777.7 million in 2008. That amount was double the maintenance costs of other comparable transportation agencies around the nation.

“New Yorkers aren’t getting what they pay for when it comes to bus service,” said DiNapoli. “Other cities across the nation spend much less on maintenance and get better results. The MTA needs to step up bus maintenance performance and bring down maintenance costs.”

Three of the MTA’s seven constituent agencies provide bus service in New York City and Long Island. The MTA’s Regional Bus Operations oversees the authority’s 6,200-bus fleet and maintenance services at 29 depots and two overhaul facilities. DiNapoli’s audit examined records from the MTA’s Regional Bus Operations division between 2007 and 2009.

Auditors found that:

• Nearly two-thirds of the 29 bus depots did not meet their performance goals;
• Maintenance costs per mile of operation were much higher than other bus fleets around the nation;
• 584 of the MTA’s 1,255 required maintenance inspections were performed poorly, or not at all; and;
• Mechanical failures were more frequent than expected. One depot had a goal of 4,674 miles between failures, but its actual distance traveled between failures was 3,581 miles.

DiNapoli’s auditors recommended the MTA:

• Improve the reliability of its bus fleet;
• Identify reasons why maintenance costs are so high and develop a plan to reduce them, and;
• Prepare a comprehensive maintenance plan that includes information on maintenance program objectives and unscheduled maintenance operations.

MTA officials agreed with DiNapoli’s recommendations. Click here to read the full audit, or visit www.osc.state.ny.us.

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli Releases Audits

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today the following audits have been issued:

New York City Department of Education, Non-Competitively Awarded Contracts (Follow-Up) (2010-F-26)
The New York City Department of Education must comply with applicable procurement requirements when awarding non-competitively bid contracts. In audit report 2008-N-1, DiNapoli’s auditors examined whether the department complied with requirements and found that it didn’t. When auditors followed up, they found that department officials had made significant progress in correcting the problems identified in the initial report.

Department of Health, Inappropriate Medicaid Payments for Dental Services Provided to Patients With Dentures (Follow-Up) (2010-F-33)
The Department of Health administers the Medicaid program. In audit 2008-S-125, DiNapoli’s auditors reviewed claims for a five-year period and found that dentists may have been overpaid as much as $2.9 million for services provided to patients with dentures. Auditors determined that the Medicaid claims processing system, eMedNY, lacked the controls necessary to detect and prevent such overpayments. Auditors recommended that appropriate controls be developed and implemented. When they followed up, auditors determined that department officials made some progress in correcting the problems they identified but improvements were still needed.

City University of New York, Kingsborough Community College: Selected Financial Management Practices (Follow-Up) (2010-F-39)
The City University of New York consists of eleven senior colleges, six community colleges, and several other specialized and professional schools. In audit report 2008-N-9, DiNapoli’s auditors examined whether one of the community colleges (Kingsborough) complied with requirements relating to payroll, procurement and waiving of tuition, and found certain instances of non-compliance in all three areas. When auditors followed-up, they found that officials had made progress in correcting the problems they identified.

State Education Department, St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf: Selected Financial Management Practices (Follow-Up) (2010-F-40)
St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf is one of 11 private schools that receive operating aid directly from the state to provide educational services to disabled students. In audit report 2008-S-160, auditors identified a number of internal control weaknesses in the areas of procurement, cash disbursements and payroll. Auditors also found that the school’s board of trustees was not providing effective oversight of financial operations. When auditors followed up, they found that officials had made significant progress in correcting the problems identified, but improvements were still needed.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Natural Heritage Trust, Sources of Trust Revenues (2009-S-11)
The Natural Heritage Trust maintains over 200 custodial accounts for account holders, including the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. DiNapoli’s auditors examined whether Office of Parks revenue was incorrectly deposited into the custodial accounts of the trust. They found that more than $3.5 million in revenue was deposited into trust accounts incorrectly. Auditors recommended the Office of Parks recover the funds and improve controls over revenue.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise Reporting (2010-S-9)
State agencies and public authorities are required to promote the participation of minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) and women-owned business enterprises (WBEs) in state contracts and procurement opportunities. Specifically, agencies must establish annual goals for such participation and make a “good faith” effort to achieve these goals. DiNapoli’s auditors examined the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s performance and found that it was establishing annual goals and making a good faith effort to reach them. However, the MTA’s goals were unreasonable, and as a result, they have consistently fallen short of their goals. Auditors also found that the MTA was not accurately reporting results of its efforts and was overstating its procurements. Auditors recommended improvements to comply with contract requirements.

Weather Emergency Declaration Issued by Mayor...

New York City Office of Emergency Management
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
12:30 PM

WEATHER EMERGENCY DECLARATION

At the direction of the Mayor, the public is hereby advised that significant snowfall has been forecast for the evening rush hour tonight, through tomorrow's morning rush hour. The snow is forecast to taper off this afternoon before becoming more severe this evening and overnight.

1. The public is urged to avoid all unnecessary driving for the duration of the storm and until further directed, and to use public transportation wherever possible. If you must drive, use extreme caution. Information about any service changes to public transportation is available on the MTA website at http://www.mta.info/.

2. Any vehicle found to be blocking roadways or impeding the ability to plow streets shall be subject to towing at the owner's expense.

3. Effective immediately, alternate side parking, payment at parking meters and garbage collections are suspended citywide until further notice.

4. The Emergency Management, Fire, Police, Sanitation, and Transportation Commissioners will be taking all appropriate and necessary steps to preserve public safety and to render all required and available assistance to protect the security, well-being and health of the residents of the City.

Motorwoman Saves Rider on Subway Tracks by Joseph Mollica, Larry Celona and Tom Namako - NYPOST.com

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A quick-thinking MTA motorwoman saved a man’s life after he jumped on the tracks to pick up a dropped bag today, gesturing for him to "get down" under the platform as her M train came barreling in to the Queens station, witnesses and sources said.

The dramatic events unfolded at the Woodhaven Blvd. stop around 1:45 p.m. today, when New Jersey resident Joseph Pientek, 55, foolishly leapt to the tracks to retrieve a bag.

But he was caught like a deer in the headlights when he realized he couldn’t get back up to the platform as the train came chugging into the station, witnesses and sources said.

When the veteran operator, Crystal McCray, spotted him with little time to spare, she frantically motioned for him to retreat into the small space under the platform, the sources and witnesses said.

Pientek made the move just in time, and McCray, who would have been moving at about 30 miles-per-hour slammed on her brakes, sources said.

"She did the right thing. That’s your best chance to live. It seems like she saved the day," said conductor Ralph Cabrera, who was familiar with the incident.

As he cowered in the space, three 85,000-pound subway cars narrowly passed him by before the train came to a screeching halt.

"I remember falling down then getting back up. It was so confusing, so many people were telling me what to do. I feel like I won the lottery," Pientek said from his bed at the Elmhurst hospital emergency room.

Rescue crews rushed to the scene, and per usual protocol, said the train should not be moved.

Instead, the FDNY workers slipped Pientek under the train, then up between two cars, and strapped him to a gurney inside the M subway where riders would usually sit.

They then scrambled up the stairs and out of the station, bringing Pientek to the hospital, where he was treated for shock but no physical injuries.

McCray, who just began her 12th year on the job, was shaken after the incident, and taken to an MTA facility to be drug an alcohol tested — a routine matter in near-miss incidents.

"She does not consider herself to be a hero. She’s just extremely happy he was not hurt," her supervisor said.

A Train Motorman Tells of Harrowing Ride by Tom Namako - NYPOST.com

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Some bad advice from Duke Ellington during the recent blizzard...

It was a "suicide mission" that had him side-stepping the third rail in blinding snow.

A motorman whose A train got stuck during the blizzard recounted the treacherous night, saying yesterday that he climbed onto the tracks a terrifying 20 times over a desolate stretch of Jamaica Bay to manually clear snow from the signals.

Yann Willam Hicks, who's been a driver for four years, was forced to do the work by hand because the metal "signal" arms that automatically shut down a train when they're hit were frozen in the upright position.

"I had to get off at every signal because they were stuck in the upright position. I did this on the bridges above the water!" Hicks said. "We'd travel for a bit, get stuck, I'd get out, then we'd travel again. This happened about 20 times."

Hicks said he was astonished when his dispatcher told him to drive the train in the weather, knowing the subway couldn't handle the haul.

"I told the dispatcher, 'You've got to be kidding! You're sending us out in this stuff? This is suicide!' " he said.

And the risk of falling from the tracks was the least of his concerns

"Every time I jumped off the train, I couldn't see the third rail -- I had no idea where it was," he said about the high-voltage line that could have fried him had he come in contact with it.

When part of his train finally crawled into Aqueduct station, he was told he couldn't advance because a train carrying 500 passengers in front of him was stuck.

At first, the riders were infuriated with him, but eventually, Hicks said, the passengers realized he was as stuck as they were.

"I was calling dispatchers every 15 minutes asking what was up. That was the hardest thing -- when the passengers got irate. They were taking it out on us, banging on doors," he said.

tom.namako@nypost.com

Snow Strands Subway Passengers In 'A' Train For Nearly 11 Hours In Queens CBS New York

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Riders Stuck On Train With No Food, Water or Bathrooms

AP Photos/Bebeto Matthews

For many New Yorkers, getting stuck on a subway train for more than a couple of extra minutes can be a serious annoyance – and the thought of being stuck for hours is a nightmare.

But in the midst of this blizzard, it became a reality for some folks trying to get home from Kennedy Airport.

Stranded passenger Susan Jutt joined CBS 2 via cell phone from a crowded A train Monday morning just after 5:30 a.m. At that point, she and approximately 400 other riders had been stuck on the train for just over five hours.

“Most of the people are just waking up now, and there’s no water and no bathrooms so it’s a little difficult,” Jutt said.

The immobile train was sitting above ground at the Aqueduct Racetrack station, and according to Jutt, just about everyone on the train was coming from Kennedy Airport after their flights were canceled.

“There was no other way to get out of the airport, the air train closed down, so there were shuttle buses that took us to the subway,” Jutt said.

NYC Transit Spokesman Charles Seaton said snow drifts and ice on the third rail had stalled the trains at the Broad Channel and Aqueduct stops in Queens, north and south of Kennedy Airport.

Workers had been intermittently dispensing information to the passengers. At one point, the plan was to have another train come to pull the defunct A train out of the station.

“That never happened,” Jutt said. “I have seen workers, I know they’ve been trying.”

Most passengers remained in good spirits despite the frustrating situation.

“I think everybody’s been pretty good natured considering how difficult this has been,” said Jutt.

By noon the trains had been pulled into stations. Seaton says there are no trains stuck anywhere.

“It’s really still a mess out there on the subways and buses,” Seaton said. “Let us clean up the rest of the system, get the trains moving, if you do not have to use mass transit today, if you don’t have to go anywhere — don’t.”

Troubled Company Denied $100(M) Contract by State Comptroller - Rejected MTA Contract with SAIC - Mocker Blog – WPIX-TV

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NY State Comptroller [Tom DiNapoli] rejects MTA contract for subway radio upgrades based on current controversy between city and company. State asks MTA to provide an explanation of company's role, if any, in current city payroll system problem.

What happens next? Info and video below: click here

MTA has some homework before the contract could be resubmitted. Here's theletter from the NY State Comptroller to NYCTransit:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/dec10/Schaffner122110.pdf

This has to be the most reviewed contract in MTA history. MTA says it did several reviews. NYC Comptroller John Liu urged caution and several NY Council Members, including Letitia James [and Joe Addabbo].

Here's the MTA's statement to me tonight:

"We share the Comptroller's concerns, and in light of the gravity of recent developments it is essential that we pursue additional review before proceeding with this contract."

Queens-Midtown Tunnel Turns 70 After Opening in Depression Years By Philip Newman - YourNabe.com

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Sandhogs tighten a bolt in a tunnel-lining ring. Six cylindrical jacks on the back of a shield are visible behind the men. Courtesy by Michael Bobco/Courtesy MTA Bridges and Tunnels

The Queens-Midtown Tunnel, built during the Great Depression during the administrations of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, turned 70 Monday.

The tunnel took 20 years of lobbying and planning and four years of construction.

“From its inception, the Queens-Midtown Tunnel was a key link in the metropolitan region’s transportation network, providing a vital conduit for businesses, daily commuters and families exploring the cultural riches that exist from Manhattan to Queens and Long Island,” MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Jim Ferrara said.

The city Board of Estimate approved $2 million to design and build an East River tunnel, but it was put on hold when the stock market crashed in 1929.

LaGuardia in 1935 created the Queens-Midtown Tunnel Authority with the promise of $58 million in loans available under Roosevelt’s New Deal.

But LaGuardia told the new agency’s three members that “you are starting from scratch with no appropriation and nothing but an idea and a law.”

The groundbreaking for the tunnel took place Oct. 2, 1936, with the push of a button by Roosevelt. Over three years, the tunnel’s two tubes were dug using dynamite, drills and four circular cutting shields — each 31 feet in diameter.

After each forward shove of the cutting shields, sandhogs who were paid $11.50 a day assembled cast iron rings lining the tunnel. Work went ahead at 18 feet per week.

On Nov. 8, 1939, LaGuardia pulled a switch to blast the final 6 feet of rock in the tunnel.

A year and a week later, Roosevelt was the first person to drive through the new tunnel.

The new tunnel cost motorists 25 cents and in its first full year of operation 4.4 million vehicles used it, while in 2009 it served 27.7 million motorists.

Thomas Edison Film From Moving Train Shows Subway System Only Marginally Improved In Past 111 Years (VIDEO) - The Huffington Post

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Sixteen years after the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, Thomas Edison made this film from the front car of the BMT train that once crossed the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

Although the train which Edison rode in 1899 appears to be moving at roughly the same speed as the modern-day BD and Q trains which crawl across the Manhattan bridge, it seems that the view has improved slightly in the past 111 years.

Shot in scratchy black-and-white film in September, 1899, the film shows glimpses of the Manhattan skyline along with the steel girders and tall stone arches of the bridge itself.

WATCH:

Transit Worker Kent Morgan Expected to Live After Falling 20 Feet from Queens Subway Track by Ben Chapman & Jonathan Lemire - NY Daily News

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MTA workers inspect the scene where one of their fellow workers fell from the tracks to the street at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 114th Street in Queens on Saturday.

A track worker took a terrifying plunge from an elevated Queens subway Saturday, falling more than 20 feet to the street below, officials said.

Kent Morgan, 50, slammed onto the asphalt under the No. 7 line, leaving a pool of blood on Roosevelt Ave., near Citi Field.

Morgan was rushed to New York Hospital Queens after the harrowing 11a.m. accident and is going to survive, his grateful family said.

"We believe it's a miracle," said wife, Aleda Morgan.

"He's in a significant amount of pain right now because of his injuries, but he's going to be fine," she said. "We pray for him every day."

Morgan, a transit supervisor, was overseeing a switch replacement near the intersection of Roosevelt Ave. and 114thSt. when he fell, MTA officials said.

With a yell, he toppled through a path next to the tracks and plummeted to the street below.

He landed on his side, and his head bounced on the hard street, witnesses told rescue workers.

Some of his fellow track workers stabilized him until paramedics arrived. Morgan, a father of two, was alert and conscious when he was loaded into an ambulance, FDNY officials said.

He suffered a fractured elbow, a broken ankle and a gash to his head, his wife said.

Morgan is normally based in the Bronx. Two of his brothers also work for the MTA, officials said.

His family and several co-workers piled into his hospital room to send good wishes to the well-liked veteran supervisor.

The cause of the fall was not immediately known. The incident is under investigation, officials said.

The incident did not disrupt train service. The Flushing-bound No. 7 train was already skipping the nearby 111th St. station this weekend as part of scheduled maintenance work.

Queens Bus Driver William Allan Rescues Two-year-old Boy and his Infant Brother at 4 a.m by Tom Namako, Jennifer Bain, and Jamie Schram - NY Post

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An eagle-eyed Queens bus driver rescued a two-year-old boy when he spotted him shivering on the street at 4:00 a.m. wearing only underwear – and now police are searching for the apparent absentee mother and the child is in the city’s care.

Veteran bus operator William Allan, himself a father of two, stumbled upon the heartbreaking scene on Wednesday morning as he was starting his Q55 bus route.

Turning the corner on to 60th St. and Putnam Ave. in Ridgewood, he saw young Thomas Baginski, alone, confused, and scared as cars whizzed just feet away.

Allan said the sight shook him to the core.

"I pulled the bus over and got out - he reached his arms up to me, he wanted me to pick him up," he said. "He couldn’t even really move he was just so frozen cold."

As he held the boy, Allan called 911 and brought him on the bus. He shut the door and cranked up the heat, hoping to stave off any signs of hypothermia.

"He was sitting in the seat by the front door. The elevated train went by and he said ‘choo choo.’" Allan recalled.

"That’s the only thing he said – it touched me – I’ll always think of him now when I hear the train," he said.

The boy was so small, Allan said, he could have been hurt or abducted with little notice while on the streets alone.

"If he walked between cars, no one would see him," he said. "I won’t want to think about what would have happened."

Police arrived and scoured the area for open apartment building doors. They found one about a block away, and inside, the found an open apartment door.

Inside the room another young boy, Anthony Baginski, 1, was sleeping in a crib.

There were no adults around.

Police began walking up neighbors, trying to find a parent. One person called father Piotr Baginski, 33.

Baginski arrived 20 minutes later and told police that the children’s mother, Zuzanna, 24, told him just four hours before that she was with the children in the apartment, though she was apparently gone.

Police now have a warrant for the mother and are looking for her, and the kids are in the custody of the city’s Administration for Children’s Services.

Neighbors said the behavior at the apartment wasn’t new.

"Those kids are always running around outside naked," said Chhatwal Kishore, 34, who lives nearby.

"One time the boys were alone naked on the porch. The little one was about to fall off and I caught him," he said.

Other neighbors admitted they should have called police on the family, but, as Kishore said, "you don’t want to mess with someone’s kids."

"Thank God the bus driver found him," said Luz Chacon, who lives in the same apartment as Kishore.

Allan’s friends at the nearby Fresh Pond bus depot are calling him a hero.

"I may have prevented a tragedy," he said. "But I was just doing by job and using my observational skills. What made me look? I was trained to look in every direction."

Allan said he’s looking forward to seeing "the outcome of this."