NYPD: Text Message Terror Threat is a Hoax

NEW YORK, NY — A chilling terror warning spreading across the U.S. and Israel is a hoax, NYPD officials said Tuesday.

The threat, which has popped up on forwarded e-mails and blog posts across the world, warns of an attack in New York today. It says the warning originated with a Muslim cab driver who told a Jewish woman he picked up of a Jan. 7 plot.

Video – Bloomberg Kicks Off Pothole Filling Season

BROOKLYN, NY [NY1] — With winter comes snow and ice, and of course, potholes.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the department of transportation commissioner were in Brooklyn Monday to announce that the pothole-filling season is in full swing.

Video – Authorities Driving up Thruway Tolls

SCOTTSVILLE, NY — Betty Rogowski says the Thruway’s toll increase can best be described in two words, highway robbery.

NYC Mayor Heads to Israel to ‘Show his Support’

NEW YORK, NY [AP] — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is heading to Israel with police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and New York Rep. Gary Ackerman.

Spokesman Andrew Brent says the mayor “is going in order to show his support for Israel.”

Break For Mayor’s Strongholds

Two of Mayor Bloomberg’s crucial voting bases got some transit-related relief this month, just as his controversial campaign for a third term heats up.

The city agreed to change the headache-causing alternate-side parking rules for Riverdale residents, cutting the number of street-sweeping days in half. And Staten Island express-bus riders found out that a possible $2.50 fare hike will be, at most, $1.25, compliments of the mayor.

Both Riverdale and Staten Island heavily favored Bloomberg in his contentious 2005 race against Fernando Ferrer.

MTA Releases Worst-Case Plan, Says Fare Hikes A Must

NEW YORK, NY [NY1] — The MTA has said all along it needs to raise fares to close its massive budget gap and now they’re saying just how much those fares could go up.

Under the plan, riders can expect to shell out as much as $3 for a subway or bus fare, along with big increases for weekly or monthly MetroCards. There could also be major service cuts as well — a plan that’s not sitting well with many commuters.

Finest Big Faux of Force – Fleet of “Fake Police Cars”

NEW YORK, NY — The NYPD is making an unusual move to ensure no one notices a decline in the number of cops on the streets – decking out the vehicles used by traffic-enforcement agents, auxiliary police and school-safety agents so they look like regular cruisers.

The move will be phased in slowly with the special units – who have typically used cars painted dark blue – to be given the white cars that are taken out of use from the main fleet.

Governor Paterson Proposes Soda ‘Obesity Tax’

ALBANY, NY — New York state could impose a 15 per cent ‘obesity tax’ on high-calorie soft drinks as the governor tries to pay off a crippling $15 billion budget deficit.

Non-diet versions of popular drinks including Coke and Pepsi could be targeted, taking political advantage of fears over obesity and ill-health.

Tax Rebate Checks ‘May’ be in Mail, Sez Mayor Bloomberg

NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Bloomberg said for the first time Friday that “maybe we will” send out that $400 property tax rebate he has been holding hostage for more than a month.

Although not specific, the mayor seemed to link mailing the rebate – worth $256 million to more than 600,000 homeowners – to striking a deal with the City Council on a disputed budget modification plan.

Latest From Kent Ave. Bike Lane: Hasidic Chicken

BROOKLYN, NY — The Hasidic community has been upset over bike lanes in their South Williamsburg for months, what with the immodest apparel of female bicyclists and the lanes taking up street space. Previously, the Hasidim announced they would use private buses to intentionally block bike lanes; now a reader tells us about her ride today:

Notice for People Riding Subway with Baby Carriages

NEW YORK, NY — In a letter sent to President Howard Roberts, Jr. of the MTA, Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) expressed concern about a growing number of constituent complaints he received involving the 34th Street, Herald Square Station in Manhattan.

NYC Transit Agency Rolls Out Vintage Subway Cars

NEW YORK, NY [AP] — Holiday shoppers are being treated to a trip back in time as New York City’s transit agency runs a subway train featuring vintage cars.

The Nostalgia Train’s cars operated from the 1930s to the 1970s. Ceiling fans, padded seats and incandescent light bulbs were considered state of the art back then.

The train operates on the V line between Queens and lower Manhattan. It runs on Sundays until the end of the year.

New “Broken Parking Meter” Bill Signed into Law

NEW YORK, NY [CHI] — Mayor Bloomberg signed Councilman Felder’s parking meter bill into law yesterday. The new law will clarify the rules for parking at a broken parking meter. Currently, New York City traffic rules create a confusing scheme where drivers can park at a missing meter up to the amount of time normally allowed at that parking zone, but caps the allowed time at one hour if the parking meter is broken. Nearly 40,000 tickets were given last year for parking for more than one-hour at a broken parking meter. The new law, which will take effect March 1st, allows motorists to park at a broken meter for the full length of time otherwise allowed in the parking zone. If the broken meter is in a 2-, 4-, or 6- hour parking zone, then motorists can park at the broken parking meter for two, four, or six hours.

Late workers, students get notes blaming NY subway

NEW YORK [AP] — People late for school or work because of New York City subway delays can get notes from the transit agency to give to their teachers or bosses.

The New York City Transit division says it gives passengers the notes so they can prove they’re not lying about being delayed while riding the subway.