Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues
Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues As dry conditions continue, open fires have been banned in Westchester County-owned parks. The ban was announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6 by Westchester Parks officials, who also said it was effective immediately.  The ban follows a Drought Watch declared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Tuesday, Nov. 5 as a result of low precipitation levels. According to parks officials, wooded environments in parks such as camping sites and remote areas have an increased fire risk because of the rain shortage.  During the ban, charcoal and propane fires are only a…
Bridge 'Red-Flagged,' Immediately Closed To Traffic In Cortlandt Bridge 'Red-Flagged,' Immediately Closed To Traffic In Cortlandt
Bridge 'Red-Flagged,' Immediately Closed To Traffic In Cortlandt Traffic on a more-than-century-old bridge in Northern Westchester has been halted following the discovery of structural deficiencies, officials announced.  The Quaker Bridge, which carries Quaker Bridge Road over the Croton River in Cortlandt, was "red-flagged" and closed to vehicular traffic, Cortlandt town officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6.  The bridge, built in 1894, is owned and maintained by Westchester County. Plans had already been in place to replace it with a new structure, as it was known to be structurally impaired, town officials said. However, the bridge has n…
Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting
Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting A New York State Police trooper who claimed someone shot him on a roadway in the region is now under criminal investigation amid growing doubts over his story. On Long Island, state police “have reason to believe that the incident did not occur the way it was reported” by trooper Thomas Mascia, an agency spokesperson told reporters Wednesday morning, Nov. 6. Police confirmed that the five-year department veteran is now the subject of both a criminal investigation and an internal probe being conducted by state police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Earlier Report: T…
Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting
Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting A New York State Police trooper who claimed he was shot on a roadway in the region has been sidelined amid doubts about his story. On Long Island, trooper Thomas Mascia, age 27, was suspended without pay and stripped of his agency-issued service weapon, an NYSP spokesperson told Daily Voice. The agency is investigating whether Mascia, of West Hempstead, shot himself in the leg, NBC New York reports. It comes after state police confirmed it was conducting a joint investigation with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office into what DA Anne Donnelly described as “certain inconsisten…
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Cases of whooping cough are five times higher than at this time a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning. Officially known as pertussis, those infected have persistent, chronic fits of coughing followed by a “whoop” sound. "Reports of pertussis cases were lower than usual over the past few years, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.," the CDC said in a new advisory. "However, the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns where more than 10,000 cases are typically reported each year. It's likely mitigation measures used during the…
Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA
Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA A New York State Police trooper who suffered a gunshot wound on a roadway in the region may not have been entirely truthful about what happened. On Long Island, state police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s office are investigating “certain inconsistencies” in Trooper Thomas Mascia’s reporting of the alleged incident, a spokesperson for DA Anne Donnelly told Daily Voice. On Monday, Nov. 4, State Police executed a search warrant at Mascia’s home in West Hempstead. The agency also canceled the BOLO (be on the lookout) for the suspect vehicle. Earlier Report: Trooper Shot In W…
Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Yorktown Supermarket: Police Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Yorktown Supermarket: Police
Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Yorktown Supermarket: Police A 34-year-old man was caught with items stolen from a supermarket in the region after officers found him hiding behind a rock wall, police said. In Northern Westchester County, Shrub Oak resident Jonathan Tozzo was arrested following an incident in Yorktown on Thursday, Oct. 24, Yorktown Police announced on Tuesday, Oct. 29.  According to the department, at around 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, a concerned citizen alerted a Yorktown officer about a man hiding behind a wall on East Main Street. When the officer approached the man, later identified as Tozzo, he quickly walked away and ignored co…
Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail On Saw Mill Parkway In Westchester Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail On Saw Mill Parkway In Westchester
Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail On Saw Mill Parkway In Westchester One person was killed after a vehicle left the roadway in Northern Westchester County and crashed into a guardrail.  Brand-new update: ID Released For 29-Year-Old Killed In Northern Westchester Crash It happened around 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3 in Chappaqua on the southbound Saw Mill Parkway.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, Westchester County Police said. A passenger was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The southbound lanes of the parkway were closed in that area for several hours for an investigation by Westchester County PD patrol o…
NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls
NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls A days-long search for a New York mother and her two children was unsuccessful after police say the woman jumped with them off Niagara Falls. State Police say that 33-year-old Chianti Means, Roman Rossman, age 9, and Mecca Means, 5 months old, crossed over the guardrail and went over the falls on Luna Island, which is attached to Goat Island, on Monday night, Oct. 28. "The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation," according to New York State Police. All three were residents of Niagara Falls. New York St…
Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation
Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Outrage is swirling after New York wildlife officials seized and later euthanized beloved social media sensation “Peanut” the squirrel. Chemung County resident Mark Longo, of Elmira, took to Instagram Wednesday, Oct 30, telling his 581,000 followers that Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers had seized the animal, which he rescued in 2017 after its mother was struck by a car. “Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he wrote. “To the people who called (DEC), there’s a special place in hell for you.” In a…
Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY
Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY A young woman was killed and an infant hospitalized after a vehicle crashed into an Amish carriage on a New York road. The incident happened around 4:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in Herkimer County in the village of Newport, located about 70 miles west of Sarasota Springs. New York State Police say a preliminary investigation revealed that a 2017 Jeep Renegade operated by a 36-year-old Newport man was traveling east on Butler Road when it struck the rear portion of the Amish Buggy traveling in the same direction. As a result of the collision, Rebecca Swartzentruber, age 31, from Newport, and 1…
Overpass Bridge Where Fallen Officer Was Killed Renamed In His Honor In Westchester Overpass Bridge Where Fallen Officer Was Killed Renamed In His Honor In Westchester
Overpass Bridge Where Fallen Officer Was Killed Renamed In His Honor In Westchester Nearly two years after the death of a beloved police officer, the Westchester County bridge where he was fatally struck in a head-on crash is now forever named in his memory.  In a ceremony held on Wednesday, Oct. 30, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the renaming of the Tuckahoe Road Bridge over the Sprain Brook Parkway in Yonkers after Yonkers Police Detective Sergeant Frank Gualdino, who was killed in a crash in December 2022 at the age of 53. On Dec. 1, 2022, Gualdino, a Putnam County resident who lived in Mahopac, was driving on Tuckahoe Road while on duty when a speed…
Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows
Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows A New York State Police trooper who was shot and injured while trying to help a highway motorist is back home with his family. Thomas Mascia, age 27, was released from Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow on Friday morning, Nov. 1. Law enforcement officers from across Nassau and Suffolk counties gathered outside the hospital for a “walk-out” ceremony honoring the injured trooper. Earlier Report: 'All-Out' Manhunt Underway After Trooper Shot In West Hempstead; Cash Reward Being Offered “I’m feeling good,” he told the crowd. “I’m going home.” The jubilant scene came two d…
Body Of Somers Man Found In Neighboring Town Body Of Somers Man Found In Neighboring Town
Body Of Somers Man Found In Neighboring Town Authorities are investigating the death of a man whose body was found along a Hudson Valley road.  The body of  Northern Westchester County resident Charles Flowers, age 81, of Somers, was discovered on Stoneleigh Avenue in Putnam County on Wednesday, Oct. 30 around 1 p.m. in the town of Carmel, according to Trooper AJ Hicks of the New York State Police. Hicks said that Flowers had been a patient at Putnam Hospital in Carme but had been discharged before his death.  Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of Flowers's death along with the Putnam C…
Westchester Locale Selects New City Manager Westchester Locale Selects New City Manager
Westchester Locale Selects New City Manager A Westchester County city's new manager ended up being quite a familiar face despite an extensive recruitment effort that spanned multiple states.  In an announcement on Thursday, Oct. 31, New Rochelle officials revealed that Wilfredo Melendez was unanimously selected as the new City Manager and will begin serving on Sunday, Dec. 1. Melendez had previously been serving as Acting City Manager since April following the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Kathleen Gill.  Earlier Report - New Rochelle City Manager Kathleen Gill Resigns Suddenly The city's decision …
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Somers Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Somers Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Somers Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says A 40-year-old man who allegedly shot his girlfriend and her two children in Northern Westchester and then led authorities on a 12-hour manhunt is in the United States illegally and has had past encounters with Border Patrol, officials said. Fernando Andres Jimenez Meza, who allegedly shot and killed 15-year-old Michael Raimondi and injured his mother and brother during an incident in the Baldwin Place section of Somers on Monday, Oct. 28, is an unlawfully present citizen of Chile, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said on Friday, Nov. 1. He entere…
Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning
Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning Cases of walking pneumonia have spiked significantly, especially among children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning in a brand-new advisory. The agency said increases in M. pneumoniae-associated pneumonia infections began late this past spring, peaked in August, and have remained high.  The CDC said it's using various surveillance tools "to better understand any differences in demographics, severity of illness, and outcomes as compared to M. pneumoniae infections prior to the COVID-19 pandemic." The agency said it's also contacting heal…
33-Year-Old Woman Murdered At Hamptons Resort Attended College In Westchester 33-Year-Old Woman Murdered At Hamptons Resort Attended College In Westchester
33-Year-Old Woman Murdered At Hamptons Resort Attended College In Westchester A woman who was found murdered at a posh Long Island resort had connections to the Hudson Valley. Sabina Rosas, age 33, was killed at the posh Shou Sugi Ban House, located in the Hamptons hamlet of Water Mill, on Monday, Oct. 28, according to Suffolk County Police. Rosas, a Brooklyn artist who also went by the name Sabina Khorramdel, was found dead in her guest room by a staff member at around 12:30 p.m. Earlier Report: Suspect In Murder At Water Mill Spa Found Dead 200 Miles Away As Friends Mourn 'Gifted Artist' Detectives did not say how the woman died, only that she was “a victi…
'All-Out' Manhunt Underway After Trooper Shot On NY Highway; $5,000 Reward Being Offered 'All-Out' Manhunt Underway After Trooper Shot On NY Highway; $5,000 Reward Being Offered
'All-Out' Manhunt Underway After Trooper Shot On NY Highway; $5,000 Reward Being Offered Authorities said an “all-out” manhunt was underway after a New York State Police trooper was shot on a Long Island highway. The incident happened on the Southern State Parkway in West Hempstead, in the westbound lanes near exit 17, at around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. New York State Police said a trooper patrolling the highway pulled up behind what he thought was a disabled vehicle and took down the license plate number. Earlier Report: NYSP Trooper Shot On Southern State Parkway In West Hempstead; Suspect On Run He then exited his patrol car and was walking toward the vehicl…
Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Somers Shooting Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Somers Shooting
Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Somers Shooting Although the family rocked by a Northern Westchester shooting that left a 15-year-old boy dead faces a long, arduous road of healing and recovery, they will not go it alone thanks to the generosity of their community.  The shooting happened at around 11:35 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, when Fernando Jimenez, age 40, shot his girlfriend and her two children with an illegally possessed handgun in the Baldwin Place section of Somers during a domestic dispute, according to New York State Police. Earlier Report - Name Released Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Somers Shooting That Led To …
Westchester Tightens Road Repaving Standards To Stop 'Patch Jobs' Westchester Tightens Road Repaving Standards To Stop 'Patch Jobs'
Westchester Tightens Road Repaving Standards To Stop 'Patch Jobs' To address incomplete road repairs left behind by private companies, Westchester County will be enforcing new legislation that raises repaving standards.  In an announcement on Wednesday, Oct. 30, Westchester County Executive George Latimer revealed that he signed into law a new amendment to Chapter 813 of the Westchester County Laws involving repaving on county roads by private contractors. The new legislation will require companies performing work on county roads to perform curb-to-curb replacement instead of spot repaving, making sure that construction ends with streets in safe…
Trooper Shot On NY Highway; Suspect On Run (Developing) Trooper Shot On NY Highway; Suspect On Run (Developing)
Trooper Shot On NY Highway; Suspect On Run (Developing) A New York State Police trooper is recovering after being shot on a Long Island highway. The incident happened on the Southern State Parkway in West Hempstead, in the westbound lanes near exit 17, late Wednesday night, Oct. 30. According to police, a trooper exchanged gunfire with a suspect before the suspect fled the scene.  The trooper was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition early Thursday, Oct. 31. Authorities did not elaborate on the nature of their injuries. Police said the suspect was a dark skinned man driving possibly a black Dodge Charger with temporary Ne…
Over 100 Sex Offenders To Be Kept Off Westchester Streets On Halloween With Educational Program Over 100 Sex Offenders To Be Kept Off Westchester Streets On Halloween With Educational Program
Over 100 Sex Offenders To Be Kept Off Westchester Streets On Halloween With Educational Program To help ensure the safety of young trick-or-treaters in Westchester on Halloween night, county officials will be requiring registered sex offenders to attend a program intended to keep them off the streets. In an announcement on Monday, Oct. 28, Westchester officials said more than 100 registered and non-registered sex offenders on probation within the county will have to attend an educational program at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.  The program is intended to teach offenders about the impact of their actions and …
Suspect In Murder At Posh LI Resort Found Dead 200 Miles Away As Friends Mourn 'Gifted Artist' Suspect In Murder At Posh LI Resort Found Dead 200 Miles Away As Friends Mourn 'Gifted Artist'
Suspect In Murder At Posh LI Resort Found Dead 200 Miles Away As Friends Mourn 'Gifted Artist' A Pennsylvania man suspected of murdering a woman at a high-end resort in the Hamptons was found dead hundreds of miles from the crime scene in New York. Thomas Gannon, age 56, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, according to Suffolk County Police. Gannon was considered the prime suspect in the killing of 33-year-old Sabina Rosas at the posh Shou Sugi Ban House, located in the Long Island hamlet of Water Mill, on Monday, Oct. 28. Earlier Report: Update: Woman Murdered At Water Mill Resort ID'd Rosas, a Brooklyn artist who also went by th…
Support Pours In For Restaurant Owners, Tenants After Fire Damages Westchester Eatery Support Pours In For Restaurant Owners, Tenants After Fire Damages Westchester Eatery
Support Pours In For Restaurant Owners, Tenants After Fire Damages Westchester Eatery Following a devastating blaze that severely damaged a beloved Westchester restaurant and left several tenants without homes, community members are pitching in to help those impacted rebuild.  The fire began at around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at Tarrytown's Tarry Tavern at 27 Main St. and went on to significantly damage the building, Tarrytown village officials said. Earlier Report - Fire Damages Tarrytown's Tarry Tavern Although there were no injuries and the blaze was prevented from spreading to surrounding buildings, the incident left restaurant employees without jobs and …
Name Released Of Boy Killed In Northern Westchester Shooting That Led To Manhunt, Arrest Name Released Of Boy Killed In Northern Westchester Shooting That Led To Manhunt, Arrest
Name Released Of Boy Killed In Northern Westchester Shooting That Led To Manhunt, Arrest This story has been updated. The name has been released of a teenage boy who was killed in a fatal shooting in Northern Westchester that led to a 12-hour manhunt and the arrest of a suspect. Fernando Jimenez, age 40, shot his girlfriend and her two children with an illegally possessed handgun in the Baldwin Place section of Somers during a domestic dispute at about 11:35 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, according to New York State Police. One of the children, a 10th-grade student at Somers High School now identified as Michael Raimondi, age 15, was killed.  The boy's brother, a 13-year-…
Lawsuit Alleges Westchester's Sean Combs Sexually Assaulted 10-Year-Old: Report Lawsuit Alleges Westchester's Sean Combs Sexually Assaulted 10-Year-Old: Report
Lawsuit Alleges Westchester's Sean Combs Sexually Assaulted 10-Year-Old: Report The latest lawsuits filed against hip-hop mogul and New York native Sean Combs are accusing him of sexually assaulting both a 10-year-old and a 17-year-old boy in separate incidents, according to reports.  The two civil lawsuits were filed against Combs on Monday, Oct. 28, according to a report by ABC News. The outlet reported that the first of the lawsuits alleges that the parents of a 10-year-old boy beginning a music career brought him to New York from Los Angeles to meet with Combs so he could meet people in the industry. Once there, Combs allegedly told the family's consultan…
McDonald's IDs Source Of E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Quarter Pounders McDonald's IDs Source Of E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Quarter Pounders
McDonald's IDs Source Of E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Quarter Pounders Health officials have pinpointed the specific ingredient that triggered an E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s that killed one person and sickened dozens more across several states. Testing done by the Colorado Department of Agriculture eliminated Quarter Pounder beef patties as the source of the outbreak, McDonald’s confirmed on Sunday, Oct. 27. That leaves the restaurant’s slivered onions, which are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers, as the likely source of contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Earlier Report: E. Coli Outbreak Tied To McDonald'…
Former Congressional Candidate From Westchester Gets Years In Prison For Fraud Former Congressional Candidate From Westchester Gets Years In Prison For Fraud
Former Congressional Candidate From Westchester Gets Years In Prison For Fraud A former congressional candidate from Westchester who once held several leadership positions in county and city government will spend several years in prison for stealing restaurant workers' wages and using them for himself.  Mount Vernon resident Derickson Lawrence, age 67, who unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat to represent New York's 16th Congressional District in 2018 and 2016, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for defrauding his payroll company's client and a COVID-19 relief program, according to court documents.  Lawrence had been the chief…
Major Brush Fire In Hudson Valley Spreads Smoke For Miles Major Brush Fire In Hudson Valley Spreads Smoke For Miles
Major Brush Fire In Hudson Valley Spreads Smoke For Miles A major brush fire over at least a dozen acres in the Hudson Valley produced smoke that spread across the New York border into Connecticut. The blaze broke out at around 12:05 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 in Putnam County in the area of Route 301 and East Boyds Road in the town of Kent and was finally contained late in the day on Sunday, Oct. 27. While responding, crews observed a large fire on the mountain and immediately requested mutual aid from neighboring departments, according to the Kent Fire Department.  Responding crews located the large brushfire of approximately 5 to 6 acres…
Red Light Camera Programs To Be Extended In These Westchester Locales Red Light Camera Programs To Be Extended In These Westchester Locales
Red Light Camera Programs To Be Extended In These Westchester Locales To protect motorists on New York roads, Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the creation of a new red light camera program in the Hudson Valley and the expansion of other initiatives across the state.  In an announcement on Wednesday, Oct. 23, Hochul revealed that she signed legislation to extend several existing red light camera programs in Westchester, Albany, and Nassau counties.  The legislation also includes the "largest expansion" of the red light camera program in New York City's history, Hochul's office said. "The safety of all New Yorkers is my top priority and we know that …