Yaphank - (WALK) Long Island voters will select their local fire commssioners this week. The winners will have control over a total of $311 million in spending, and corresponding influence over our property taxes.

Elections are set for 126 fire districts Island-wide Tuesday. The districts are defined as independent public agencies with unsalaried commissioners. Commissioners are responsible for carrying out district policies, setting budgets, and purchasing equipment.

BACK TO THE FUTURE?
A potential complication this year:  Most of the fire districts in Suffolk and approximately 25 percent of districts in Nassau may use the old, lever-style voting machines, according to elections officials.

Many of the new, optical-scan voting machines were impounded by court order during recounts of the general elections in November, and may not be available Tuesday. Using the old machines is in defiance of State law, so results may be subject to legal challenges, say State officials.  Some districts are pursuing wavers to permit the use of lever-machings, others may use paper ballots.

Board of Elections officials say voting house may vary by district.  Residents are encourged to call their local districts or check Websites for polling hours and locations.




One potential complication for elections this year complicationyear: most of the districts in Suffolk and

Chicago, IL - (WALK)  Economic observers are still studying this year's Black Friday shopping trends and trying to figure out what America's shopping habits indicate about the health of our economy.

As of Sunday the folks at ShopperTrakare reporting mixed signals.  Researchers at the Chicago-based company say the number of U.S. shoppers was up this year, by 2.2 percent, but actual sales were up by a very slight 0.3 percent.  Analysts say those numbers reflect consumers who are eager to shop, but saving their dollars for irresitable bargains.

The term "Black Friday" was coined by retailers who hope robust sales will pull their businesses out of any red ink, and into the profitable black.  We won't have to wailt long for the next big economic shopping-indicator is Monday, "Cyber Monday," a big day for on-line Christmas and Holiday shopping.

Jamaica (WALK) - Last night, the Long Island Rail Road finally finished replacing the switching equipment that was damaged by flames Monday, when a fire hit a switching tower near the Jamaica station.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that their work is not done. Now that the repairs have been made, track signals and switches must undergo safety testing.  LIRR officials say that more than 200 wires have been replaced, and they are now being tested, one by one.

It was another morning of disrupted service for train commuters, as the LIRR once again cancelled more than a quarter of its rush hour trains. Commuters who do make it to the Jamaica station often find that their connecting train has been cancelled, forcing them to find an alternate way to work, via subway or bus.

The railroad will continue to run at 75% capacity in the morning and 66% in the afternoon until the safety testing is completed. For updated service advisories as repairs progress, click here.

Jamaica (WALK) - Officials at the Long Island Rail Road say as much as 75 percent of regular service should be restored in time for Thursday morning's commute.

Patience is definitely a virtue this week for Long Island Rail Road riders.  Come Thursday it's been four days since the railroad's century-old switching system was knocked out by a fire in a control tower near the Jamaica station, and LIRR officials warn that it could be days more before it is back up and running.
 
For now, the system is being operated manually, with about a quarter of this morning's rush hour trains cancelled. Only the Port Washington branch is unaffected, because its trains do not pass through Jamaica.

The chaos unfolded Monday, when antiquated switching equipment caught fire inside a control tower near the Jamaica station. The equipment was designed in 1913 and requires workers to use levers and pulleys to control the track switches. Congressman Steve Israel described the system as "something you'd see in a Flintstones cartoon."

LIRR electricians must now inspect more than 200 wires, one by one, for damage, before the switching system can return to service.

Ironically, the old switch system is scheduled to be replaced with a state-of-the-art upgrade this fall. LIRR President Helena Williams says that the system will allow the railroad to restore service more quickly in the future.

For the latest delays, cancellations and changes on your branch, click here.

Jamaica (WALK) - It may be several days before things are back to normal for the LIRR following Monday's switch fire.  Officials predict at least 25% of its scheduled train service will again be out of service during Wednesday's commute.

The electrical fire at a major switching tower near the Jamaica station knocked out the LIRR's aging track switch system. Service all but came to a halt on all branches except Port Washington, the only LIRR line that does not pass through Jamaica. 

With the electrical signal system disabled, trains can only proceed through the Jamaica area using a manual switching system. Crews are assessing the damage, but Rail Road officials admit it could be several days before the damage to the tower's switching system and wiring is fixed. Over 200 wires need to be checked for fire damage.

On Long Island, Suffolk Legislator Wayne Horsely (D-Babylon) criticized the LIRR for poor communication with passengers and for failing to update its systems, "While Long Islanders are being slammed by the MTA tax, service cuts, and rate hikes, the fact that the LIRR switching station operates in the framework of pre-World War One technology is astounding and unbearable," said Horsley.  He continued, "The LIRR's lack of technical savvy and ability to inform customers is exacerbated by the sad fact that a rap video about "watching the gap" was the top story on the LIRR's information page until 1:00 a.m. (Tuesday) while morning commuters were clamoring for news about their morning trains."

LIRR officials say the track switching system at the heart of today's problems is due to be replaced with a state-of-the-art computerized system this fall.  As for the fire, its cause is still under investigation, but it may be related to Monday's rainy weather.

New York - (WALK) A limited service-schedule is in effect for Long Island Rail Road commuters following Monday's system-wide service interruptions.  About 75 percent of the usual number of trains will be available for westbound service, said LIRR officials.

An electrical fire in the LIRR track switch system left as many as 100,000 commuters struggling for alternate ways home Monday evening.  The fire broke out at about 11:00 a.m. at a signal tower near the Jamaica station.  Officials suspect the cause of the fire is weather-related, according to LIRR president Helena Williams.

The fire was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported, but service was suspended on every LIRR branch which runs through Jamaica.  Service continued on the Port Washington branch.

TUESDAY SERVICE PLAN

Port Washington branch service will operate as usual, but 33 of the LIRR's usual 144 westbound morning trains are cancelled, -a 25 percent service-reduction.
For full details, click here. 

Yaphank - (WALK) He's been missing since mid-June, and Suffolk Police would like our help in locating a man and his dog.

Michael Taus, 25, of West Islip, and his dog Romeo" (pictured) were last seen on June 18 at their home on Everdell Avenue.  Police later recovered Taus' vehicle in Elmont.

Taus reportedly runs a car-and-boat detailing business.  Police say he'd made a date with a woman he met on-line, and are hoping there may be witnesses or others who may help locate him.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Suffolk Police Missing Persons Section at 631-852-6040, or contact the Suffolk Police Crime Stoppers tips line at 800-220-8477.  All calls to the Crime Stoppers line will be confidential.

Smithtown, NY (WALK) - Coach. Teacher. Friend. Are all words used to describe Pat Harmon, who for the past few years has been battling brain cancer. Late last week, Harmon lost his battle to cancer and services are being held to remember him. 

Albany (WALK) - So who wouldn't love having a four-day work week?

State employees, that's who- because it'll mean they'll get less pay. Governor Paterson wants to furlough all unionized state workers for one day a week until New York finally adopts a budget. He's going to include the furlough program in an emergency spending bill that he's sending to the Legislature. Paterson says the furloughs would save the state as much as $30 million a week.

This sets the stage for a showdown next week between Governor Paterson and state lawmakers, who oppose the furloughs. If they vote no on the emergency spending bill, state government operations would run out of money and shut down.

The state budget is already over a month late, by the way.

Bethpage - (WALK) If the Motion Picture Academy had an award for "Suspense," no doubt, for millions of Cablevision subscribers, this year's winner is a co-production of Disney and Cablevision.  Movie fans are watching for a happy ending, an Academy Award telecast Sunday evening.

Long Islanders in the habit of starting their Sunday mornings with WABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News or This Week, were greeted with a screen-graphic and voice-over announcement explaining Cablevision's side of the story: Disney/ABC is responsible for the impass, for rejecting a retransmission deal and pulling their programming from Cablevision.

Cablevision claims to pay Disney a total of approximately $200 million for the Disney's variety of channels and programs, but Disney is demanding an additional $40 million, or roughly $1 per-month per-subscriber for WABC/7.  Cablevision reportedly countered with an offer of approximately 25 cents.

Prospects for an agreement in time for the "Oscar" telescast at 8:30 p.m. are slim.  In an earlier dispute over fees, the Food Network and HGTV were pulled from Cablevision for several days in January.  Both sides in the Disney/Cablevision dispute appear unwilling to budge.

Technology to The Rescue

Viewers who need their ABC-7 fix have options.  WABC is an "over the air" broadcaster, and their signal is free to anyone who has a broacast digital-receiver, available at most tv and appliance stores.  With the proper gear, some Long Islanders can receive WABC-7 from New York, and others on Eastern Long Island may pull-in ABC programs from network affilate WTNH-TV, Channel 8 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Too "Old School?"  Most ABC Network programs are also available on-line, at HULU.COM or at ABC.COM   The best bet?  Tune in to the WALK Breakfast Club Monday for Cindy's "Show-Biz Buzz."