*The New York City Water Board meets Friday morning to vote on a 14.5 percent increase in city water rates. If the vote passes, the new rates would take effect July 1. With the economy as tight as it has been, the potential water rate increase could not come at a worse time. Con Edison is proposing another rate increase as well as the Rent Guidelines Board which recently proposed a rent increase.

*The Department of Homeland Security is due to announce Friday that New York will get more than $175 million in transit anti-terror grants, up from the roughly $153 million expected in February.

*An elderly woman was seriously injured after falling through the gap in a Long Island Rail Road station in Queens.

*A 69-year old man from Levittown was hurt after he tried using a garden hose to fight a fire that broke out in his house. He and three firefighters were taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

*This Sunday, May 18, will be the Flatbush Hatzolah Chinese auction – at Shaarei Zion on Ocean Parkway and Avenue T. Click on the following link to purchase tickets http://www.hatzolohauction.org/?AID=FOVJJ

*A Superior Court judge in Trenton is expected to rule this afternoon on how tests of the state’s electronic voting machines will be conducted, after the manufacturer, voting rights advocates and state officials failed to produce a plan they could all accept. (Star Ledger)

*LAKEWOOD — A pedestrian who was struck Wednesday morning, in a hit & run, at the intersection of Route 88 and Clover Street remained hospitalized in critical condition Thursday, police said.

*The former head of retired Governor George Pataki’s security detail has apparently committed suicide in his New Windsor home. Retired Inspector Gary Berwick was found dead in his home by a family member, according to officials.

*On Sunday, Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS together with the Bikur Cholim of Passaic-Clifton will be hosting a community wide Health and Safety Fair. For more information call the Bikur Cholim office at 973-249-8811.

*LANDSDOWNE, Md. — County police fatally shot a man while attempting to serve an arrest warrant. When police came to the door, the man displayed a handgun. Baltimore County police homicide officers are investigating the incident. Four officers have been placed on administrative leave.

*BALTIMORE, Md. — The American Automobile Association released a survey that says the number of Americans traveling 50 miles or less for this month’s holiday will fall nearly one percent, 31.7 million this year compared to 32 million last year, due to high gas prices.

*BALTIMORE, Md. — Say goodbye to those blinking blue lights on Park Heights Avenue.City police are phasing out the early generation of blue-light cameras and replacing them with more sophisticated closed-circuit units. 
The portable cameras represent about 18 percent of Baltimore’s crime cameras, according to Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III. Their technology requires considerable manpower, rendering them ineffective.

Baltimore has a surveillance system that includes 454 closed-circuit cameras, which are wired to a monitoring center. The city wants to phase out its 102 “podds” — for portable overt digital display system — cameras, which include the well-known boxy, blue-light variety.

*BALTIMORE, Md.. — The Clarence Du Burns arena in Canton said that over the past few months, someone has been using the arena’s name to scam businesses for hundreds of dollars claiming that the money will go to a youth soccer league for children with special needs.

*WASHINGTON, Dc. — The National Weather Service has cancelled all flood watches and warnings for the area, including Baltimore, because of rainfall that was not sufficient to cause flooding.

*OXON HILL, Md.. — The Woodrow Wilson Bridge — the expansion of which has been touted as a major improvement along Interstate 95 — was to blame for huge delays on the day the bridge’s second span was dedicated. Preparation for the event began early Thursday, and caused drivers to slow down to see what was happening. The ceremony started at 11 a.m. and ended around noon. It took drivers over 1 1/2 hours to drive the 7 to 8 mile backup.

*BALTIMORE, Md.. — The MTA is about to end its shuttle bus service from park-and-ride lots to major sporting events in Baltimore. The service will end June 2. The $10 bus runs have carried fans to Orioles and Ravens games and the Preakness Stakes. The rules would allow Maryland Transit to charge its normal express fares of up to $4, but the agency says it can’t afford to operate the shuttles for that fare.

*BALTIMORE GAS PRICES:
Cheapset in NW Area (As of 2:00 AM on Friday): $3.73, Park Heights and Northern Parkway
Most Expensive: $3.79 Texaco, Reisterstown Road & Fallstaff Road

Weather for the Baltimore Area: Today: Chance of Rain. High 65, Low 52. Shabbos Day: Mostly Sunny, High 74, Low 54. Sunday, Partly Cloudy, 30% chance of rain. Highs in Upper 60’s.

REMINDER: Preakness road restrictions have been placed into effect. Due to high traffic in the Greenspring Avenue and Park Heights Avenue corridors, please remember to be extra careful when crossing streets and watch young children as they cross.

(YWN Desk / YW-MD-03)