Tragedy was B”H averted on Sunday afternoon, after a child nearly drowned in Woodmere. Rockaway-Nassau Hatzolah was dispatched to reports of a 2-year-old that was pulled from a swimming pool on Browers Point Branch in Woodmere, just after 4:00PM. Bichasdei Hashem, the child was conscious and breathing when Hatzolah arrived on the scene just moments later. The child was being transported to Long Island Jewish Hospital by Hatzolah Paramedics and was reportedly in stable condition. *****SIGN UP NOW —- GET YOUR NEWS IN RECORD TIME***** Make sure you are one of the more than 22,000 that signed up to YWN WhatsApp Status to receive news in live time. Click this link – or send a message to 1-888-4-YW-NEWS (888-499-6397) – to see our status posts***** (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A home’s multilevel deck collapsed Saturday evening at the Jersey Shore during an event weekend, trapping people and injuring at least 22, including some children, officials said. No deaths were reported. The collapse happened around 6 p.m. Saturday in Wildwood during the annual New Jersey Firemen’s Convention. It was unclear how many people were on or under the decks at the time, or how many were firefighters, but authorities said those who were trapped were quickly removed. The annual convention attracts thousands of current and former firefighters to the resort town. Firefighters were likely among those hurt or trapped. Cape May Regional Health System said 21 people were taken there, at least three of them children.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing to enact a statewide ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes amid growing health concerns connected to vaping, especially among young people. The Democrat announced Sunday that the state health commissioner would be making a recommendation this week to the state Public Health and Health Planning Council. The council can issue emergency regulations that would go into effect as soon as they are voted on and start being enforced in as soon as two weeks, following a short grace period for retailers, officials said. In announcing the action, Cuomo sharply criticized the flavors that are for sale, like bubble gum and cotton candy. “These are obviously targeted to young people and highly effective at targeting young people,” he said.

The NYPD is investigating another hate incident, this one in Flatbush. Sources tell YWN that two swastikas were found in the park at a public school yard located at 700 Cortelyou Rd. Hate Crimes Task Force is working the case. No further details were available. *****SIGN UP NOW —- GET YOUR NEWS IN RECORD TIME***** Make sure you are one of the more than 22,000 that signed up to YWN WhatsApp Status to receive news in live time. Click this link – or send a message to 1-888-4-YW-NEWS (888-499-6397) – to see our status posts***** (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Alfred Feratovic pled guilty in Manhattan federal court to fraudulently under-reporting income in his United States individual income tax returns between 2012 and 2017, while employed as an officer for the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”). Feratovic, who is no longer with the NYPD, was arrested and charged in connection with this offense in June 2019, and he pled guilty today to aiding the preparation of fraudulent tax returns before United States District Judge Ronnie Abrams. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Berman said: “Alfred Feratovic admitted today that while enforcing the laws as an NYPD officer, he was violating the law himself by falsifying his tax records and failing to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income.

New York is expanding anti-tobacco initiatives to discourage the use of vaping devices and e-cigarettes too. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday signed an executive order directing state agencies overseeing anti-tobacco programs to address the newer methods of tobacco use. Cuomo also signed into law a mandate that state anti-tobacco campaigns include vaping as well as traditional tobacco. The changes come as public health officials around the nation investigate hundreds of lung illnesses believed to be related to vaping. Cuomo, a Democrat, signed legislation in July raising the statewide smoking age to 21. Earlier this week he announced plans to require health warning posters in shops selling vaping products.

A new smartphone app is giving people a modern way to send anonymous tips to the New York Police Department. The NYPD CrimeStoppers app unveiled Thursday lets people send tips in 10 different languages, along with photos and videos — all from their iPhones or Android devices. Police officials say the app also enables investigators to have anonymous, two-way text conversations with tipsters. Lt. Phil Roy says the new app ensures anonymity because its technology masks a user’s IP address. Tipsters are given a code number they can use to track their case and potentially collect a $2,500 reward if the information they provided leads to an arrest and indictment. The department says it developed the app over the last seven months and only spent about $3,000 on the effort. (AP)

Lots of rabbis write weekly columns, blogs and inspirational newsletters, which are typed or even dictated with easy-to-use voice-to-text technology. Only one labors letter by letter, typing his words painstakingly with his eyes. Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz, despite being in advance stages of a particularly nasty form of ALS that curtails his movements in totality (he needs a respirator to help him breath), publishes a popular column on Chabad.org that is followed by thousands of readers. Utilizing eye-tracking technology, he writes his column on the weekly Torah portion using the movement of his pupils.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Hagaon HaRav Shlomo Gissinger ZATZAL, the Rov at Khal Zichron Yaakov, one of Lakewood largest Shuls and kehillas. He was 75. Rav Gissinger suffered from an illness the past few months. He was rushed by Hatzolah to a Manhattan hospital overnight and was admitted with a serious infection. On Thursday afternoon, his condition turned critical and was Niftar at around 6:00PM. Rav Gissinger was involved in dozens of Lakewood organizations, Mosdos and Chesed projects, and was one of Lakewood’s original Rabbonim and Poskim. The Levaya will take place on Friday morning at 10:30AM at his shul located at 175 Sunset Road in Lakewood. Boruch Dayan Ha’Emmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The attached video was taken on Thursday morning on 57 Street between 15th and 16th Avenues, in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn. As the viewer will see, it is “alternate side parking” today on that street, and the cars simply double park to allow the street sweepers to come by. But some cars do […]