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Northern Westchester

Police & Fire
School Employee Accused Of Shoving, Endangering Disabled Student In Westchester School Employee Accused Of Shoving, Endangering Disabled Student In Westchester
School Employee Accused Of Shoving, Endangering Disabled Student In Westchester A 28-year-old employee of a school in the region faces a felony charge after allegedly endangering a disabled student, police said. The events leading to the arrest began in Northern Westchester at around 5:45 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, when a suspicious incident at the Shrub Oak International School at 3151 Stony St. prompted a police response, Yorktown Police announced on Friday, Nov. 15.  An investigation determined that a school employee, identified as Dutchess County resident Sebastian Borba-Ferreira of East Fishkill, allegedly shoved and "committed other endangering actions" on…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Bobcats Sighted At Nature Preserve In Westchester Bobcats Sighted At Nature Preserve In Westchester
Bobcats Sighted At Nature Preserve In Westchester Although bobcats usually don't like to make their presence known, two of the creatures were captured on camera at a Northern Westchester nature preserve.  The two felines were sighted on Thursday morning, Nov. 14 at the Old Field Preserve on Mead Street in the Lewisboro hamlet of Waccabuc, according to the Lewisboro Parks and Recreation Department.  In a social media post, the Parks and Rec Department shared photos of the bobcats and said such sightings "highlight the importance of preserving natural habitats for wildlife to thrive." "If you’re out enjoying the preserve, kee…

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by Ben Crnic
News
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Westchester Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Westchester Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Westchester 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…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Past Athletes Inducted Into High School's 2024 Hall Of Fame In Westchester Past Athletes Inducted Into High School's 2024 Hall Of Fame In Westchester
Past Athletes Inducted Into High School's 2024 Hall Of Fame In Westchester Several standout athletes from years past, including three complete teams, were honored by being inducted into a Northern Westchester high school's hall of fame. The honorees were recognized during a halftime ceremony held at the Lakeland-Somers football game on Friday evening, Oct. 25, Lakeland Central School District officials said.  Those inducted into the 2024 Hall of Fame included:  Basketball player Jen Ritz, who graduated in 2004 and was the first Lakeland High School basketball player to play for a Division I team at Iona College (now Iona University). A captain for…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Westchester Shooting Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Westchester Shooting
Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Westchester 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 …

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Market Reopens In Westchester After Fire At Previous Locale Market Reopens In Westchester After Fire At Previous Locale
Market Reopens In Westchester After Fire At Previous Locale A market that was forced to close after a devastating fire has reopened in a new location in Northern Westchester.  Mast Market, a cafe and organic food store originally located in Mount Kisco, held a soft reopening in Bedford at 1 Court Rd. on Saturday, Oct. 26.  The reopening comes more than a year after a blaze at its Mount Kisco locale on South Moger Avenue on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, that forced the market to relocate to Bedford.  Earlier Report - 3-Alarm Blaze Breaks Out At Business In Mount Kisco Although the market is now open to customers, it will not launc…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Man Accused Of Threatening People At Basketball Game At Sports Club In Westchester Man Accused Of Threatening People At Basketball Game At Sports Club In Westchester
Man Accused Of Threatening People At Basketball Game At Sports Club In Westchester A 44-year-old man was criminally charged after threatening people at a basketball game held at a Northern Westchester sports club, police said. Pelham resident Joseph Francis III was arrested on Sunday, Oct. 20 following an incident at the Solaris Sports Club in Yorktown at 201 Veterans Rd., Yorktown Police announced on Wednesday, Oct. 23.  According to the department, just before 7 p.m., multiple callers told police that a man was screaming at people and threatening them at a basketball game held at the club. Officers soon arrived at the scene and found Francis allegedly engaging…

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Beloved Longtime Westchester Hardware Store Employee Dies At 67 Beloved Longtime Westchester Hardware Store Employee Dies At 67
Beloved Longtime Westchester Hardware Store Employee Dies At 67 A business in Northern Westchester is mourning the loss of a former employee who spent more than four decades leaving a large impact on people during something as routine as a hardware store visit.  Pleasantville resident Cindy Hite, who spent more than 40 years working at Berger Hardware in Hawthorne, died on Monday, Oct. 14 at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer, according to her obituary.  Born in White Plains in 1957, Hite graduated from Westlake High School in Thornwood in 1975 before going on to earn her associate's degree at Westchester Community College in Valhalla.&n…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Car Engulfed In Flames On Taconic Parkway In Westchester Car Engulfed In Flames On Taconic Parkway In Westchester
Car Engulfed In Flames On Taconic Parkway In Westchester A vehicle fire prompted an early morning response on the Taconic State Parkway. The blaze happened on Saturday, Oct. 19 around 8:30 a.m. in Northern Westchester, when an SUV caught on fire on the southbound side in Hawthorne. Arriving fire crews soon found the vehicle consumed by flames and quickly hosed it down, putting the blaze out completely.  The response took around an hour and sent plumes of smoke up into the air on the parkway, as seen in images of the fire released on the Hawthorne Fire Department's social media page.  No injuries were reported. 

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Husband-Wife Team To Open New Westchester Eatery: Here's When Husband-Wife Team To Open New Westchester Eatery: Here's When
Husband-Wife Team To Open New Westchester Eatery: Here's When A husband and wife who have already seen success in the restaurant business are set to open another eatery in Northern Westchester with a Spanish flair. Vida Restaurant, owned by Marc Taxiera and Brianne Meyers-Taxiera, will open in late October at 14 Marble Ave. in Thornwood. The eatery will be run by the same team that opened Augustine's Salumeria in Mamaroneck in 2022 and will offer Spanish cuisine, including modern interpretations of tapas, which are small appetizers. Some examples of these that will be offered by Vida include papas brava, which consist of smashed crispy potato bites; …

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by Ben Crnic
News
First Responders Put Out Fire, Save Unconcious Woman From Westchester Home First Responders Put Out Fire, Save Unconcious Woman From Westchester Home
First Responders Put Out Fire, Save Unconcious Woman From Westchester Home Two heroes are being recognized for their quick-thinking actions that saved a woman's life and prevented her Northern Westchester home from being destroyed by a fire.  Joseph Abreau and Paul Mullin of the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps were honored by county officials for their rescue of an Ossining resident in mid-September, officials announced on Monday, Oct. 7.  According to county officials, on the day of the rescue, Abreau and Mullin responded to an Ossining residence and found a woman on the floor who had fainted. They also discovered that dark smoke was pourin…

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Lifelong Firefighter Who Served Department In Westchester For Over 60 Years Dies Lifelong Firefighter Who Served Department In Westchester For Over 60 Years Dies
Lifelong Firefighter Who Served Department In Westchester For Over 60 Years Dies A fire department in Northern Westchester is mourning the loss of one of its beloved life members who spent more than six decades helping his community.  The death of David Brown, a life member of the Bedford Hills Fire Department, was announced on Sunday, Sept. 22. His age was not made public.  Brown originally joined the department in March 1963 and served for a total of 61 years. During his decades as a firefighter, he served as an engineer in 1966; a secretary from 1967 to 1972 and 1980; as Vice President from 1981 to 1993; as President from 1993 to 1997; and on the Board of D…

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Beloved Town Employee, Firefighter From Westchester Dies At 62 Beloved Town Employee, Firefighter From Westchester Dies At 62
Beloved Town Employee, Firefighter From Westchester Dies At 62 A much-loved town employee from Northern Westchester who spent more than two decades serving the public as a firefighter has died.  John Scott Parker, who worked as North Salem's Assistant Building Inspector and spent over 20 years with the Katonah Fire Department, died on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the age of 62 following a battle with cancer, according to his obituary.  Born in Sept. 1962, Parker was known for living his life to the fullest and always seeking new challenges to solve, his obituary said. Friends and loved ones knew him for his passion for motorcycles, fishing, and dr…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Missing Man Found At Night After Long Search In Westchester Nature Preserve Missing Man Found At Night After Long Search In Westchester Nature Preserve
Missing Man Found At Night After Long Search In Westchester Nature Preserve Thanks to the perseverance of police and first responders, a missing man was successfully found at a Northern Westchester nature preserve following a nighttime search.  The hiker was reported missing on Wednesday night, Sept. 11, when police and firefighters were requested to help search for them at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in the area of Michigan Road, according to the Bedford Police Department.  The hiker had already been missing for several hours and did not have enough battery power left to dial 911 at 10 p.m. when Bedford Police joined the search along with the Pound Ridg…

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
Former Westchester Resident Gwyneth Paltrow Raves Over Pizzeria In Connecticut Former Westchester Resident Gwyneth Paltrow Raves Over Pizzeria In Connecticut
Former Westchester Resident Gwyneth Paltrow Raves Over Pizzeria In Connecticut Actress and Goop Founder Gwyneth Paltrow posted a (belated) food tour of her recent trip to Connecticut, and the A-lister said a famed Connecticut pizzeria "surpasses the hype" and raved about a stop at a local oyster company.  Paltrow was in New Haven last month dropping off her stepson at Yale, according to Page Six, and during her visit, she hit up two of New Haven's most famed restaurants: Sally's Aspizza and Fair Haven Oyster Co. Paltrow, a former New York resident who lived in the Northern Westchester hamlet of Waccabuc in Lewisboro, uploaded a "(A very delayed) College Drop…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Man Accused Of Masturbating In Front Of Victim At Library In Westchester Man Accused Of Masturbating In Front Of Victim At Library In Westchester
Man Accused Of Masturbating In Front Of Victim At Library In Westchester A 39-year-old man was taken into custody after allegedly exposing himself to a woman in a library in Northern Westchester, police announced.  Buffalo resident Kenneth Hughes was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 4 in connection with an incident on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the John C. Hart Memorial Library at 1130 East Main St. in Shrub Oak, Yorktown Police said on Friday, Sept. 6.  According to the department, at around 1:20 p.m. on the day of the incident, Hughes pulled his pants and underwear down in full view of the victim. He then allegedly started masturbating, police added. …

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by Ben Crnic
News
$2.4M Scheme: Former Westchester Town Employee, Business Owner Admit To Illegal Dumping Plot $2.4M Scheme: Former Westchester Town Employee, Business Owner Admit To Illegal Dumping Plot
$2.4M Scheme: Former Westchester Town Employee, Business Owner Admit To Illegal Dumping Plot A former Northern Westchester town employee has admitted to allowing a business owner to illegally dump unauthorized material at an environmentally fragile facility in exchange for cash bribes, federal officials announced.  Verplanck resident Robert Dyckman, age 52, and Cortlandt Manor resident Glenn Griffin, age 55, both pleaded guilty to charges related to the $2.4 million scheme, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Monday, Aug. 26.  According to federal officials, Dyckman, the former Assistant General Foreman for the Town o…

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by Ben Crnic
Politics
RFK Jr. Considering Dropping Longshot Presidential Bid To Help Trump, Report Says RFK Jr. Considering Dropping Longshot Presidential Bid To Help Trump, Report Says
RFK Jr. Considering Dropping Longshot Presidential Bid To Help Trump, Report Says The chances of seeing another Kennedy back in the White House next year appear to be growing even thinner. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering dropping his longshot presidential bid in an effort to boost former President Donald Trump’s chances of winning, his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, told the Impact Theory podcast. In the interview, which was recorded on Monday, Aug. 19 and publicized the following day, Shanahan said the independent campaign is currently considering two options going forward. Earlier Report: Kennedy Appeals Ruling in NY Ballot Access Residency Case Involving Katon…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
2 People Rescued After Cars Crash, Flip Into Swift Water Below Parkway In Westchester 2 People Rescued After Cars Crash, Flip Into Swift Water Below Parkway In Westchester
2 People Rescued After Cars Crash, Flip Into Swift Water Below Parkway In Westchester Two people had to cross a ladder over fast-moving water to get to safety after their cars crashed and overturned next to a stream during heavy rain in Northern Westchester.  The rescue happened on Sunday, Aug. 18 at around 4:30 p.m., when two vehicles crashed and flipped on the Taconic State Parkway in Yorktown, eventually ending up in a stream 100 feet off the road, according to the Yorktown Heights Volunteer Fire Department.  Because of heavy rain that had just passed through the area, the normally small stream had turned into a "swift water scenario," the department said, …

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by Ben Crnic
Politics
Kennedy Appeals Ruling in NY Ballot Access Residency Case Involving Westchester Home Kennedy Appeals Ruling in NY Ballot Access Residency Case Involving Westchester Home
Kennedy Appeals Ruling in NY Ballot Access Residency Case Involving Westchester Home Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is appealing a judge's ruling that his listing of a Northern Westchester home on nominating petitions as a place of residence was false.  Following Judge Christina Ryba's ruling that Kennedy does not meet the legal requirement of a New York resident and cannot appear on the state's election ballots, the presidential hopeful has decided to keep fighting, according to a statement released by his campaign on Wednesday, Aug. 14 According to Ryba, Kennedy made a false statement when he listed his Katonah address at 84 Croton Lake Rd. as…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Man Rescued From Water Below Dam In Westchester Man Rescued From Water Below Dam In Westchester
Man Rescued From Water Below Dam In Westchester First responders had to make their way through traffic before saving a man from the water below a dam in Northern Westchester.  The rescue happened just before 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10, when a man became trapped in the water below the Croton Dam's spillway, according to the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department.  Officers from the Westchester County Police Department soon arrived and were able to lower a flotation device to the man as fire crews fought vehicle and pedestrian traffic to get to the scene.  Once they were able to get to the dam, the fire department lowered a swimme…

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
Support Pours In For Family Of Westchester Bus Driver That Lost Their Young Son Support Pours In For Family Of Westchester Bus Driver That Lost Their Young Son
Support Pours In For Family Of Westchester Bus Driver That Lost Their Young Son After a well-loved bus driver and school monitor lost his young son from an illness, a Northern Westchester community came together to make sure his family had the means to give him a proper farewell.  Winston Batista, a beloved bus driver and school monitor with the Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District for almost 25 years, found himself struggling with funeral costs after losing his son, Aiden, following a two-year illness. His predicament caught the attention of community members such as Michael Portnoy, a Lewisboro town employee who grew up knowing Batista.  …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Fallen Tree Blocks School Bus Carrying Young Campers In Westchester Fallen Tree Blocks School Bus Carrying Young Campers In Westchester
Fallen Tree Blocks School Bus Carrying Young Campers In Westchester Several young summer campers in Northern Westchester face longer rides home because of a fallen tree that has blocked a school bus's route and prevented it from turning around.  The incident happened in Lewisboro just before 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, when a tree fell on Route 35 in front of a bus carrying young campers from the Little Explorers camp at Lewisboro Elementary School.  According to the Lewisboro Parks and Recreation Department, the bus is too large to turn around, so the children on board will have a delayed ride to their bus stops.  However, the ch…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
10 Escape After Boat Capsizes On Hudson River Off Westchester Coast 10 Escape After Boat Capsizes On Hudson River Off Westchester Coast
10 Escape After Boat Capsizes On Hudson River Off Westchester Coast Thanks to their wise decision to wear life jackets, ten people emerged unscathed after their vessel overturned on the Hudson River off the coast of Northern Westchester.  The incident happened on Tuesday, July 30 around 3:30 p.m., when a boat overturned on the Hudson River off Oscawana Island in Cortlandt, sending several people into the water, Westchester County Police said on Thursday, Aug. 1.  Arriving officers from the department's Marine Unit found that a total of ten people had jumped from the vessel as it began to capsize. Luckily though, they had been wearing lif…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Drivers Hospitalized After 2-Car Crash On Busy Westchester Roadway Drivers Hospitalized After 2-Car Crash On Busy Westchester Roadway
Drivers Hospitalized After 2-Car Crash On Busy Westchester Roadway A busy Northern Westchester roadway was closed for hours as crews responded to a two-car crash that left people hospitalized. The crash happened on Tuesday, July 30 around 3:40 p.m., when two cars collided on Route 100 in Somers, according to the Somers Volunteer Fire Department.  Arriving first responders found two heavily damaged vehicles on the road, including one that had flipped on its side. They then closed the roadway and took the drivers to a nearby hospital.  Route 100 was closed for around two hours following the crash before it was reopened to traffic, the departm…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Superintendent Put On Administrative Leave In Westchester Superintendent Put On Administrative Leave In Westchester
Superintendent Put On Administrative Leave In Westchester A Northern Westchester school district has appointed a new acting superintendent after putting its previous leader on administrative leave.  The North Salem Central School District announced on Wednesday, July 24, that Superintendent Duncan Wilson had been placed on administrative leave.  In his place, Adam VanDerStuyf was named Acting Superintendent on Monday, July 22, according to the school board.  VanDerStuyf, who has been with the district since 2015, has held roles such as Director of Pupil Personnel Services and Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Personnel Se…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Driver Hospitalized After Striking Fire Hydrant On Busy Westchester Road Driver Hospitalized After Striking Fire Hydrant On Busy Westchester Road
Driver Hospitalized After Striking Fire Hydrant On Busy Westchester Road Several water mains had to be turned off after a driver hit a Northern Westchester fire hydrant while experiencing a medical emergency. The crash happened in Millwood on Saturday, July 13 just before 10:30 a.m., when a vehicle struck a hydrant near the intersection of Seven Bridges Road and Millwood Road (Route 133), according to the Millwood Fire Department. Arriving first responders and police found that the driver was suffering from a medical emergency and removed them from the vehicle before performing life-saving measures. The driver was later taken to a nearby hospital in a "conscious…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Lightning Strike Sparks Blaze At Historic Inn In Westchester Lightning Strike Sparks Blaze At Historic Inn In Westchester
Lightning Strike Sparks Blaze At Historic Inn In Westchester An over 120-year-old former convent in Northern Westchester that has since been converted to an inn was damaged by a lightning strike and resulting fire.  The blaze began in Peekskill on Wednesday, July 17 just after 4:15 p.m. when lightning from a passing thunderstorm struck the Abbey Inn & Spa at 900 Fort Hill Rd., according to the Yorktown Heights Volunteer Fire Department, which helped respond to the incident.  Arriving fire crews raced to the 122-year-old building and began cutting into the layers of asphalt shingles, foam insulation, tar, plywood, and lumber in the roof …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Support Pours In For Daughter Of Retired Westchester Police Officer Battling Cancer Support Pours In For Daughter Of Retired Westchester Police Officer Battling Cancer
Support Pours In For Daughter Of Retired Westchester Police Officer Battling Cancer Community members have come together to raise funds for the young daughter of a well-known retired police officer in Northern Westchester who is fighting a courageous battle against cancer.  The fundraising effort began after 18-year-old Andrea Wright, the daughter of retired Peekskill Police Officer Andre Wright, was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer in her uterus after experiencing severe pain in her stomach. Because the cancer was aggressive and rapidly spreading, Wright was taken to Montefiore Medical Center in New York City and scheduled for emergency surgery, during which a…

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Beloved Westchester High School Student Dies At Age 16 Beloved Westchester High School Student Dies At Age 16
Beloved Westchester High School Student Dies At Age 16 A 16-year-old Northern Westchester high school student is being remembered for her determination to keep working and learning throughout her courageous battle with cancer.  Brooke Audrey D’Aleo, a student at John Jay High School in Lewisboro, died on Thursday, June 27 at the age of 16 after a battle with leukemia, according to her obituary.  Born in 2007, D’Aleo began life as a joyful baby, "always smiling and giggling," her obituary said. As the years went on, she grew into a role model for her younger sister and best friend, Paige, and became known for her selflessnes…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Car Damaged By Fire On Busy Parkway In Westchester Car Damaged By Fire On Busy Parkway In Westchester
Car Damaged By Fire On Busy Parkway In Westchester A car fire prompted a large response from firefighters on a busy parkway in Northern Westchester. The blaze happened on Tuesday, June 25 around 5 p.m., when a car caught on fire on the southbound Taconic State Parkway in Millwood, according to the Millwood Fire Department. Fire crews soon arrived at the scene and found the burning car on the parkway's shoulder. The blaze was put out after around 45 minutes, the department said. No injuries were reported. The department did not give details on the cause of the fire. 

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by Ben Crnic