YONKERS, NY — A car speeding away from police Tuesday night in suburban New York City barreled into another car, splitting that vehicle in half and killing five people, officials said. The 36-year-old driver of the speeding car and four 18-year-old men, who were ejected from the other vehicle, died in the crash. The fatal collision happened around 9:30 p.m. in Yonkers, Mayor Mike Spano and Police Commissioner John Mueller said. WNBC-TV reported that friends described the four 18-year-olds as recent high school graduates. Spano said the crash, on Riverdale Avenue near Culver Street in the Ludlow Park neighborhood, was “nothing short of tragic.” “Four young lives were cut short by the recklessness of one individual,” Spano said in a statement.

Verena Kansog hasn’t visited her mother in a year, fearing her work as a New York City paramedic would expose her to the coronavirus. But after a grueling separation, Kansog is headed home for the holidays after becoming one of the first members of the city’s fire department to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. “It means the world to me,” she said. “I understand people are hesitant to get it, but I really hope they follow our suit.” After nine harrowing months, the Fire Department of New York began vaccinating its own members Wednesday, starting with the front-line EMTs who this year responded to more than 1 million emergency medical calls throughout New York City.

The Tri-State area will be impacted by thunderstorms, heavy rain and wind gusts topping 70 mph on Thursday night into Friday morning, before colder air sweeps into the tri-state on a blustery Erev Shabbos. Conditions will become increasingly cloudy and very windy during the day Thursday ahead of rain that arrives towards evening, according to AccuWeather. The high will be 59. The rocky weather hits Thursday night into early Friday, when wind gusts will kick up to 50, 60 or even 70 mph. The strongest gusts are possible along the coast. Expect power outages at the height of the storm between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. The low will be 55. A High Wind Warning will be in effect for New York City and Long Island, as well as parts of New Jersey and Westchester, from 6 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday.

New York City will send sheriff’s deputies to the homes or hotel rooms of all travelers coming from the United Kingdom to ensure they comply with the city’s two-week COVID-19 quarantine requirement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. De Blasio announced the enforcement action amid concern about a new, fast-spreading strain of the virus that has been detected in the U.K. Airlines flying from London to New York agreed this week to test passengers before they board. All travelers to New York, regardless of where they’re arriving from, are required to fill out forms with contact information and where they’ll be staying. They will then be sent a quarantine order by certified mail, de Blasio said. People who fail to comply will face a fine of $1,000 per day, de Blasio said.

A New York City health care worker suffered a “significant allergic reaction” to a COVID vaccine, the city Health Department said Wednesday. “With more than 30,000 COVID-19 vaccinations administered in New York City, we have received a single report of a serious adverse event in a health care worker. The health care worker, who had a significant allergic reaction, has been treated and is in stable condition,”, the NYC Health Department told YWN in a statement. “Vaccines do have side effects and allergic reactions – while uncommon – are known to occur.

A Delta flight out of New York City was halted after a Florida couple traveling with a Great Dane puppy fled the aircraft with the pet using an emergency slide, an airline spokesman and authorities said Tuesday. The incident involving Antonio Murdock and Brianna Greco occurred on Monday as the jet was leaving for a flight from LaGuardia Airport to Atlanta, said the spokesperson, Morgan Durrant. Witnesses reported seeing a panicky Murdock force open the front cabin door and jump out using the emergency chute leading to the runway. He was quickly followed by Greco with the puppy in tow. Murdock, 31, and Greco, 27, were taken into custody on charges including criminal mischief and trespassing, among others.

New York expects to have received 930,000 coronavirus vaccine doses by the end of next week, a supply that should be used in an inoculation push at nursing homes, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday. Cuomo told reporters he’s asking health care providers to work through the holidays in hopes of vaccinating all nursing home residents and staffers. He said about 50,000 people have received doses so far. “I understand it’s been a long year and everybody needs time off,” Cuomo said. “But we are in a foot race.” He added, “A vaccine is the best gift you could give a nursing home resident.” Nationally and in New York, deaths are on the rise: COVID-19 has killed about 320,000 Americans and counting. Cuomo said New York recorded another 139 deaths Monday.

The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan will remain in her role until President-elect Joe Biden decides whether to replace her upon taking office. The federal court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday extended the tenure of acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss, the second woman to helm one of the country’s most prestigious prosecutor’s offices. “It is the privilege of a lifetime to lead the women and men of this District as they pursue justice without fear or favor and write the latest chapter in this Office’s proud legacy,” Strauss said in a statement. Strauss, 73, took office in June upon the ouster of Geoffrey S. Berman, who as U.S. attorney led investigations into several allies of President Donald Trump.

A group of prominent Boro Park dayanim and Misaskim representatives had a face to face meeting with a senior El Al executive on Monday to discuss a serious problem that arose last week for kohanim and to ensure that concrete steps are being taken to prevent future recurrences. Misaskim arranged the meeting between El Al Vice President for North and Central America Yoram Elgrabli and the Karlsburger Rebbe, Rav Yechezkel Roth, the Debrecziner Rebbe, Rav Moshe Stern, Rav Herschel Ausch and Rav Moshe Roth in Boro Park in light of the December 16th discovery that aronos were no longer being placed in special boxes that prevented issues of tumah for kohanim on JFK flights.

Startling footage has emerged of a truck carrying hundreds of propane tanks bursting into flames following a crash early Tuesday morning in New York City. Investigators told the New York Post that the truck likely overturned on the Long Island Expressway around midnight after passing over black ice. The truck was carrying 294 propane tanks and its driver told police that he lost control while attempting to avoid another vehicle that had cut him off, according to WABC. It reportedly took hours for firefighters to extinguish the massive blaze caused by the wreck. The driver is said to have refused medical treatment at the scene and there were no other reports of injuries.