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Highest Paid LIRR Employee Sentenced For Overtime Fraud Scheme Highest Paid LIRR Employee Sentenced For Overtime Fraud Scheme
Highest Paid Lirr Employee Sentenced For Overtime Fraud Scheme A longtime employee of the Long Island Railroad who was once the highest-paid employee of the MTA will spend time behind bars for orchestrating an overtime fraud scheme, federal officials announced. Holbrook resident Thomas Caputo, age 56, who became the highest-paid MTA employee in 2018 through the overtime scheme, was sentenced to eight months in prison for conspiracy to commit federal program fraud. Caputo was also sentenced to three years of supervised release with six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service. US Attorney Damian Williams said that Caputo submitted …

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by Zak Failla
News
19-Year-Old Struck, Killed By LIRR Train In Nassau County 19-Year-Old Struck, Killed By LIRR Train In Nassau County
19-Year-Old Struck, Killed By Lirr Train In Nassau County A 19-year-old Long Island resident was struck and killed by an LIRR train. Nicolai Farguharson, of Baldwin, was killed around 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 30 after being struck by an MTA train in Baldwin near Grand Avenue and Sunrise Highway, the MTA said. Following the incident, the LIRR Babylon Branch was suspended as a result for a period of time.  An investigation is underway by the MTA police. 

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
Cuomo Loyalist Larry Schwartz Resigns From MTA Post, Hochul Administration Announces Cuomo Loyalist Larry Schwartz Resigns From MTA Post, Hochul Administration Announces
Cuomo Loyalist Larry Schwartz Resigns From MTA Post, Hochul Administration Announces One of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top advisors and loyalists has officially stepped away from his position on the MTA board. Current Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced that Schwartz, a Long Island native who also served as Deputy County Executive in Westchester and Suffolk counties, officially resigned from the transit board on Dec. 31 after announcing his intention to depart in October. Schwartz was nominated by Cuomo and joined the board in 2015. His term was scheduled to expire in 2023. He was his most senior advisor during Cuomo’s first term in 2011 and also served as the for…

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by Zak Failla
News
LIRR Worker Sentenced For Overtime Scheme LIRR Worker Sentenced For Overtime Scheme
Lirr Worker Sentenced For Overtime Scheme One of five Long Island Rail Road employees charged with a conspiracy to defraud the MTA through an overtime scheme has been sentenced to three months in prison. Joseph Balestra, age 52, of Blue Point, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Jan. 4, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.  Balestra, who must also repay $109,641 in restitution, said during sentencing, he took full responsibility for his role in the scheme. Following his three months in prison, he will have to serve three years of supervised release, three months of which will be s…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Person Struck By LIRR Train Person Struck By LIRR Train
Person Struck By Lirr Train A man standing on tracks of the Long Island Rail Road was seriously injured after being struck by an eastbound train. According to officials, the person was struck around 12:50 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 9 near the New Hyde Park station.  The 12:14 a.m. train originated from Penn Station en route to Ronkonkoma, MTA officials said. The man was transported to an area hospital, his condition was not revealed. As a result of the hit, there were disruptions on LIRR service on the Ronkonkoma, Oyster Bay, and Port Jefferson Lines which started at approximately 12:45 a.m., and service wa…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
First New LIRR In Nearly 50 Years To Open This Week First New LIRR In Nearly 50 Years To Open This Week
First New Lirr In Nearly 50 Years To Open This Week The first new Long Island Rail Road station in nearly 50 years is set to open for service this week. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the LIRR Elmont Station will open on Saturday, Nov. 20. Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin and Acting MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber attended a ceremonial first train ride and ribbon-cutting event for the new station, which was held on Tuesday, Nov. 16. The opening of the station on Saturday is set to coincide with the New York Islanders' first home game at UBS Arena, officials said. The new station will initially just offer eastbound service to the arena, al…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
LIRR Back In Service After Train Hits Car On Tracks LIRR Back In Service After Train Hits Car On Tracks
Lirr Back In Service After Train Hits Car On Tracks Train service on the Long Island Railroad's Montauk branch was temporarily suspended after a vehicle was struck by a westbound train. The crash took place around 10:25 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 26, when a westbound Montauk Branch train from Patchogue headed for Babylon hit a car on the tracks east of Sayville, said the MTA. One person in the vehicle was taken to the hospital, a railroad spokesman said.  The number of people in the vehicle and what caused the collision are still under investigation.

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
LIRR Back In Service After Train Hits Car On Tracks LIRR Back In Service After Train Hits Car On Tracks
Lirr Back In Service After Train Hits Car On Tracks This story has been updated. Train service on the Long Island Railroad's Montauk branch was temporarily suspended after a vehicle was struck by a westbound train. The crash took place around 10:25 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 26, when a westbound Montauk Branch train from Patchogue headed for Babylon hit a car on the tracks east of Sayville, said the MTA. One person in the vehicle was taken to the hospital, a railroad spokesman said.  The number of people in the vehicle and what caused the collision are still under investigation. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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by Kathy Reakes
News
14-Year-Old Struck, Killed By LIRR Train 14-Year-Old Struck, Killed By LIRR Train
14-Year-Old Struck, Killed By Lirr Train A teen was killed after being hit by a Long Island Railroad train. Christopher Coluccio, age 14, of West Sayville, was found next to the tracks near the Patchogue LIRR station around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, MTA officials said Officials said the investigation is ongoing. Police notified Coluccio's family and the Bayport-Blue Point school district. Coluccio reportedly might have been wearing earbuds at the time of the crash.  Bayport-Blue Point Superintendent Timothy Hearney, in a statement, said: "As many of you know, this has been a difficult week, and unlike any other for our school com…

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by Kathy Reakes
Weather
NY Prepares Emergency Response As Tropical Storm Henri Treks Toward Region NY Prepares Emergency Response As Tropical Storm Henri Treks Toward Region
NY Prepares Emergency Response As Tropical Storm Henri Treks Toward Region New York is getting ready for Tropical Storm Henri, with coastal areas, especially eastern Long Island, the most likely to feel its impact. In one of his final acts in office, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed state agencies to prepare an emergency response as the storm approaches the Hudson Valley and Long Island, with high winds and heavy rain expected. Officials said that there is the potential for wind gusts of up to 65 mph beginning on Sunday, Aug. 22, or Monday, Aug. 23, prompting Cuomo to encourage those areas to prepare for tropical storm-like weather. Earlier story - Brand…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Person Hit By Train On Long Island Person Hit By Train On Long Island
Person Hit By Train On Long Island A person who was hit by an MTA train on Long Island has been transported to an area hospital alive. The incident took place in Suffolk County in Bridgehampton around 11:59 a.m., Thursday, July 22, said the Southampton Town Police. The person was transported alive to Stony Brook Hospital, officials said. “The LIRR is reporting delays on the Montauk Branch after a person was struck by a westbound train at 11:59 a.m. at the Sag Harbor Turnpike railroad crossing in Bridgehampton," said MTA Spokeswoman Kayla Shults. Members of the Bridgehampton Fire Department and Bridgehampton Ambulance respo…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Person Struck, Killed By LIRR Train Person Struck, Killed By LIRR Train
Person Struck, Killed By Lirr Train Train service was delayed after a person was struck and killed by an LIRR train. The incident took place around 5:39 p.m., Monday, June 21, in Nassau County when the pedestrian was struck by the train at Bellmore Station, said MTA officials. It was the 5:12 a.m. train from Babylon due to arrive in Penn Station at 6:14 a.m., MTA said. Service was never suspended but was restricted to a single track in the area.  The incident train was held at the station and customers were accommodated by other trains, MTA officials said. During the incident, there were 18 peak period delays, mostly …

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by Kathy Reakes