New Law Prohibits Lawsuits Over Unpaid School Meal Fees In New York New Law Prohibits Lawsuits Over Unpaid School Meal Fees In New York
New Law Prohibits Lawsuits Over Unpaid School Meal Fees In New York New York schools and school districts will not be allowed to file lawsuits against families for unpaid meal fees under a new law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the law signed on Thursday, July 29 builds on the state's "No Student Goes Hungry" program that is meant to protect families from "legal tactics related to their inability to make payments for school meals." "Taking families to court over unpaid school meals is cruel, draconian, and runs counter to a school's fundamental mission to ensure the wellbeing of every student," Cuomo said. "This legislation builds upon this administration's work …
Security Tightened, Roads Closed Near State Capitol As Inauguration Day Nears Security Tightened, Roads Closed Near State Capitol As Inauguration Day Nears
Security Tightened, Roads Closed Near State Capitol As Inauguration Day Nears Though “no specific threat” has been identified, security around the New York State Capitol in Albany has been beefed up in the wake of the deadly pro-Trump Capitol Hill riots in Washington D.C. and in advance of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Additional law enforcement patrols began increasing security on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Capitol, with some nearby roads closed down as a precaution as the state prepares for any potential threats. In advance of the inauguration, State Police troopers have also ramped up security at the state Capitol, some entrances w…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Store Shut Down For Violating State's On Pause Order COVID-19: Hudson Valley Store Shut Down For Violating State's On Pause Order
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Store Shut Down For Violating State's On Pause Order After receiving more than a dozen complaints of a business operating in violation of state order, officials closed down an establishment in the Hudson Valley. Police received a total of 13 complaint referrals from the state's On Pause Enforcement Task Force, reporting that NJA Auctions, located in Ulster County at 3139 Route 9W in Saugerties, was open for business. According to the complaints, there were "many customers in attendance, although being a non-essential business," Saugerties Police Chief Joseph A. Sinagra said. An investigation found that NJA Auctions had placed signs…
Mom Admits To Killing 2-Year-Old Daughter, Slashing Police Officers In Westchester Mom Admits To Killing 2-Year-Old Daughter, Slashing Police Officers In Westchester
Mom Admits To Killing 2-Year-Old Daughter, Slashing Police Officers In Westchester A Westchester mother has admitted to killing her 2-year-old daughter and attempting to slash a pair of police officers. Cynthia Arce, pleaded guilty in Westchester County Court that she intended to kill her daughter, Gabriella Boyd, and that she stabbed two police officers on April 28, 2018 in Mamaroneck. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted aggravated assault. Arce was previously offered a deal of 25 years to life if she pleaded guilty in the death of her child. Arce reportedly turned down the initial offer, and a judge has put a timetable on how long she has to ac…
Writer From Area Eyes Legal Action Against Trump After Sex Assault Claims Writer From Area Eyes Legal Action Against Trump After Sex Assault Claims
Writer From Area Eyes Legal Action Against Trump After Sex Assault Claims A prominent author from the Hudson Valley who claims she was sexually assaulted by President Donald Trump in the 1990s is contemplating taking legal actions against the commander-in-chief. E. Jean Carroll, now 76, alleged in a New York Magazine column that Trump was among her most “Hideous Men,” alleging that she was sexually assaulted by the now president. Carroll lives in a cabin In the Hudson Valley. She is best known for her "Ask E. Jean" column, which has been featured in Elle magazine since 1993. In a new interview with the Daily Beast, Carroll said that she is now "thinking about hi…
Legal Action Authorized Against Mayor, Rapper, After High School Melee Legal Action Authorized Against Mayor, Rapper, After High School Melee
Legal Action Authorized Against Mayor, Rapper, After High School Melee The Mount Vernon School District Board of Education has passed a resolution authorizing legal action against Mayor Richard Thomas and rapper Fatboy following last week’s chaotic incident at the high school. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas and rapper “Fatboy” made an appearance at the high school on Friday, Jan. 11, unbeknownst to the school, its principal, or Mount Vernon Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton. During the visit - which was without notice or authorization - students got riled up and proceeded to begin fighting when the rapper reportedly “made it rain,” throwing money around, whic…
$1.39M Suit Seeks Unpaid Taxes From Area Couple $1.39M Suit Seeks Unpaid Taxes From Area Couple
$1.39M Suit Seeks Unpaid Taxes From Area Couple Federal officials are suing a Hudson Valley couple who owe more than a million dollar in unpaid taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced that the federal government is suing Michael Satz and Marietta Staples of Staatsburg in Dutchess County in an effort to help the IRS collect $1.39 million in unpaid taxes. The lawsuit alleges that they have refused or failed to pay on income taxes dating back more than a decade, to 2016. According to reports, tax liens have previously been levied against the couple in 2008, 2009 and 2016. They were refiled in each of t…
Something Fishy: Wild Salmon, Red Snapper, Lemon Sole Are Often Mislabeled, State AG Says Something Fishy: Wild Salmon, Red Snapper, Lemon Sole Are Often Mislabeled, State AG Says
Something Fishy: Wild Salmon, Red Snapper, Lemon Sole Are Often Mislabeled, State AG Says The fresh fish you’re buying at the supermarket may not match its label, new research finds.  New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood has issued an advisory stating that some of the most common types of fish are likely to be mislabeled. Here’s how the risk breaks down by species: Salmon: 27 percent mislabeled Red snapper: 67 percent mislabeled Lemon sole: 87.5 percent mislabeled What’s truly alarming is the fact that the mislabeled fish species were often cheaper less desirable and even less environmentally sustainable than the types listed on their labels. For example, far…
Company Must Pay $3.2M For Defrauding Customers In Hudson Valley, State AG Says Company Must Pay $3.2M For Defrauding Customers In Hudson Valley, State AG Says
Company Must Pay $3.2M For Defrauding Customers In Hudson Valley, State AG Says A fuel and heating company defrauded a wide range of customers, including homeowners, school districts and local governments in the Hudson Valley of more than $1.7 million of overpayments and duplicate payments, the New York Attorney General's Office announced. Wappingers Falls-based Morgan Fuel & Heating Company, Inc., which conducts business as Bottini Fuel, must now pay more than $3.2 million in criminal restitution and civil damages following a criminal conviction, Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood and State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said. The conviction was for falsif…
Videos Show Incidents That Led To HS Football Coach's Firing For Assaulting Student-Athlete Videos Show Incidents That Led To HS Football Coach's Firing For Assaulting Student-Athlete
Videos Show Incidents That Led To HS Football Coach's Firing For Assaulting Student-Athlete A lawyer for a student-athlete who said he was slapped and punched by a former coach and teacher in Westchester, has released two videos of the incident. The ex-teacher, 44-year-old Sheddrick Wilson of Ossining, an assistant coach at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, was charged Friday with two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, after surrendering to police in White Plains. The one-time Houston Oilers wide receiver also resigned from the school Friday afternoon. Now, the student's attorney, Jared Rice of New Rochelle said the videos tell the story. "It's unaccept…
Lawsuit: North Salem Man Suffered Brain Damage When Rod Fell At Costco Lawsuit: North Salem Man Suffered Brain Damage When Rod Fell At Costco
Lawsuit: North Salem Man Suffered Brain Damage When Rod Fell At Costco A 62-year-old man who claims he suffered irreversible brain damage when a steel rod fell on him at a Brookfield Costco in 2016, has sued the wholesale chain. Peter Aurigemma Jr. of North Salem filed the seven-page lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut in Hartford, claims that he was severely injured when he was reaching for a package of paper towels from the top of a display 7- to 8-feet high when he was struck in the face by a falling steel rod. The suit, which was filed for Aurigemma by his attorney, Christopher Sochacki of Litchfield-based Cramer & An…
State Sues Purdue Pharma, Alleging Illegal Conduct, 'Scheme To Misrepresent Opioid Products' State Sues Purdue Pharma, Alleging Illegal Conduct, 'Scheme To Misrepresent Opioid Products'
State Sues Purdue Pharma, Alleging Illegal Conduct, 'Scheme To Misrepresent Opioid Products' A lawsuit has been filed against a prominent pharmaceutical company that allegedly misrepresented its products - including OxyContin - as being more benign than they are for decades. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced a lawsuit against Stamford-based Purdue Pharma L.P., Purdue Pharma Inc., and Purdue Fredrick Company, Inc. on Tuesday.  The company allegedly took part in a “decades-long and continuing pattern of persistent deceptive and illegal conduct, whereby Purdue's misled prescribers and patients about the risks of its opioids, including OxyConti…
Cuomo Goes National In Battle Against NRA Cuomo Goes National In Battle Against NRA
Cuomo Goes National In Battle Against NRA The National Rifle Association, the nation's top pro-gun lobby and one of its most powerful interest groups, said regulatory efforts by Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle could make it “unable to exist as a not-for-profit or pursue its advocacy mission." Cuomo, on Twitter, responded: "If I could have put the @NRA out of business, I would have done it 20 years ago. I'll see you in court." In a July 20 amended complaint, first reported by the New York Law Journal, the NRA accused Cuomo, as well as state Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo, of issuing a “ser…
NY Judge: Trump Admin Acted In 'Bad Faith' By Adding Citizenship Question NY Judge: Trump Admin Acted In 'Bad Faith' By Adding Citizenship Question
NY Judge: Trump Admin Acted In 'Bad Faith' By Adding Citizenship Question Citing “bad faith,” a federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to disclose additional information regarding its decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Judge Jesse Furman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York announced on Tuesday that lawyers representing the government must produce a log of documents that were being withheld, as well as provide an explanation for why the administration did so.  Furman further demanded that the government include documents from the Commerce and Justice Departments in their disco…
State Sues Manufacturers Of Foam That Contaminated Drinking Water In Area State Sues Manufacturers Of Foam That Contaminated Drinking Water In Area
State Sues Manufacturers Of Foam That Contaminated Drinking Water In Area New York State is suing the 3M Company and five other companies to recover the cost for environmental cleanup and natural resource damages caused by the toxic chemicals in firefighting foam they manufacture. The lawsuit, the first of its kind, says the use of the foam at five military and civilian airports including Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, caused a public nuisance by threatening public health, contaminating the environment, damaging natural resources, and interfering with the public's use and enjoyment of these resources. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Barbara U…
Some Migrant Kids Separated From Parents In Westchester, Cuomo Says Some Migrant Kids Separated From Parents In Westchester, Cuomo Says
Some Migrant Kids Separated From Parents In Westchester, Cuomo Says Some migrant children who were separated from their parents at the border of the United States and Mexico are being housed in shelters in Westchester County, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “We have about 10 facilities in this state. We haven’t spoken with all of them. We know there are over 70 children, just by the ones that we have talked about but they are in Dobbs Ferry, Lincolndale, Irvington, three in the Bronx, one in Syosset and one in Kingston,” Cuomo said during a conference call on Tuesday when he announced his intention to sue the federal government over the treatment of…
See You In Court: Cuomo To Sue Trump Administration Over Child Separation See You In Court: Cuomo To Sue Trump Administration Over Child Separation
See You In Court: Cuomo To Sue Trump Administration Over Child Separation New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has added fodder to the fire President Donald Trump has come under for his administration's “zero tolerance” policy of separating children from their families as they cross the Mexican border, vowing to file a lawsuit over the policy. On Tuesday, Cuomo announced that the state is planning to file a multi-agency lawsuit against the Trump Administration on the grounds that the federal government is violating the Constitutional rights of thousands of immigrant children and their parents who have been separated at the border, unless the policy is not rescinded in the n…
Investors Seek $17M From Westchester Developer In Fraud Suit Investors Seek $17M From Westchester Developer In Fraud Suit
Investors Seek $17M From Westchester Developer In Fraud Suit More investors from Westchester and Connecticut are demanding at least $17 million in damages and a court order stopping White Plains developer Michael D’Alessio and Michael Paul Enterprises from selling or transferring properties. They claim he misappropriated their funds on housing projects in Scarsdale and Manhattan. D’Alessio and his enterprises carried out a massive scheme to defraud them, investors allege in three lawsuits filed in Westchester Supreme and County Court. The Westchester Bank also sued, demanding $881,000 on a $1 million loan D’Alessio took out in 2015, according to new…
PetSmart Under Fire After Four Dogs Die During Grooming Appointments PetSmart Under Fire After Four Dogs Die During Grooming Appointments
PetSmart Under Fire After Four Dogs Die During Grooming Appointments PetSmart is facing backlash after a fourth dog - including three in New Jersey - was pronounced dead after being taken in for routine grooming appointments in the past few months, according to multiple reports. In the past five months, four dogs have been found dead - most recently when an 8-year-old corgi died in Toms River - during grooming appointments, leading to allegations of animal mistreatment at the nationwide store. According to a report from NBC's "Today," one of the dog owners, who lost her bulldog during a grooming appointment on Dec. 29, is planning a lawsuit, claimi…
NY AG Files Suit Against Trump Administration Over Citizenship Question NY AG Files Suit Against Trump Administration Over Citizenship Question
NY AG Files Suit Against Trump Administration Over Citizenship Question A multi-state coalition of elected officials, led by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, officially filed a lawsuit in district court to block President Donald Trump and the federal government’s to bring back a question asking about citizen status in the 2020 United States Census. Schneiderman - leading a coalition of 18 state Attorneys General and six cities and the bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors - filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration from demanding citizenship information in the census, stating that “demanding citizenship information from the census would …
Numerous Women Accuse Westchester Voice-Over Coach Of Sexual Misconduct Numerous Women Accuse Westchester Voice-Over Coach Of Sexual Misconduct
Numerous Women Accuse Westchester Voice-Over Coach Of Sexual Misconduct As the #MeToo movement continues to grow across the country uncovering the famous (and many that aren't) for sexual misdeeds, a Westchester voice-over coach known nationally has been accused by at least 16 women of sexual misconduct, according to multiple sources. Peter Rofé, who owns and runs PDR Voice-Over Coaching in Irvington has become the latest target online, and by law enforcement (although NYPD said no cases are current) for being sexually inappropriate with many of his clients, according to CNN.com. Rofé is known for his voice work in hundreds of commercials, video games, audioboo…