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College Student Faces Final Year Of School After Mother Killed In Fiery Hudson Valley Crash College Student Faces Final Year Of School After Mother Killed In Fiery Hudson Valley Crash College Student Faces Final Year Of School After Mother Killed In Fiery Hudson Valley Crash
College Student Faces Final Year Of School After Mother Killed In Fiery Hudson Valley Crash A New York college student now facing his final year of school without his mother after she was killed in a fiery crash in Orange County earlier this week is receiving a wave of support from community members.  SUNY Oneonta senior Devin Lester lost his mother, Jodi Lester, 56, of Monroe, when her vehicle crashed and caught fire early Sunday, Sept. 6.  As Daily Voice previously reported, New York State Police troopers came upon the vehicle fire on Cedar Cliff Road in the Town of Monroe at around 2:26 a.m. The Town of Monroe Fire Department extinguished the flames.  …

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by Ben Crnic
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Restaurant In Historic Hudson Valley Building Announces Closure — Here's What's Next Restaurant In Historic Hudson Valley Building Announces Closure — Here's What's Next Restaurant In Historic Hudson Valley Building Announces Closure — Here's What's Next
Restaurant In Historic Hudson Valley Building Announces Closure — Here's What's Next A restaurant housed inside a more than 250-year-old Orange County landmark is preparing to serve its final meals, but its owners say something new is already taking shape.   Old Stone House Restaurant, located at 21 Hathorn Rd. in Warwick, will close after service on Sunday, Sept. 13, according to an announcement posted by the restaurant on Tuesday, Sept. 8.  The restaurant has operated for five years after its owners spent years restoring the historic property.  The owners did not give a specific reason for the closure but described the move as the beginning of a new c…

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by Ben Crnic
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Owl Caught In Soccer Net While Snacking On Rabbit Rescued In Westchester Owl Caught In Soccer Net While Snacking On Rabbit Rescued In Westchester Owl Caught In Soccer Net While Snacking On Rabbit Rescued In Westchester
Owl Caught In Soccer Net While Snacking On Rabbit Rescued In Westchester An owl's lunch was unexpectedly interrupted when the bird became tangled in a soccer net while eating a rabbit in Northern Westchester, officials said.  The unusual rescue happened in Armonk on Aug. 28, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said on Tuesday, Sept. 8.  An Environmental Conservation Officer responded after receiving a report of an owl stuck in a soccer net. When he arrived, he found the owl wrapped in the netting with a rabbit it had been eating, according to the DEC.  The officer carefully cut away the netting and freed the owl,…

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by Ben Crnic
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Westchester Man, 26, Battling Cancer For Third Time — But Isn't Facing It Alone Westchester Man, 26, Battling Cancer For Third Time — But Isn't Facing It Alone Westchester Man, 26, Battling Cancer For Third Time — But Isn't Facing It Alone
Westchester Man, 26, Battling Cancer For Third Time — But Isn't Facing It Alone A 26-year-old man from Northern Westchester who survived cancer twice as a child is facing the disease for a third time — and his community is now rallying around him.   Cortlandt Manor native Ian Manzares was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in November 2025 at age 25, according to family and friends. It is the latest chapter in a battle with cancer that began more than two decades ago. Manzares was just 4 years old when he was diagnosed with stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma. He underwent treatment and beat the disease, only to receive another cancer diagnosis 10 years…

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by Ben Crnic
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Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How NY Fared Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How NY Fared Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How NY Fared
Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How NY Fared A new report shows which cities offer the best affordability, activities, and other benefits for retirees. WalletHub released its 2026 Best & Worst Places to Retire ranking on Monday, Aug. 31. The personal finance website compared 182 US cities across 45 measures covering affordability, activities, quality of life, and health care. The study evaluated cities using factors including adjusted cost of living, taxes, recreation and senior centers, museums, weather, crime rates, access to health care providers, hospital quality, and life expectancy. The analysis assumes retirees ar…

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by Chris Spiker
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Italian Restaurant Closing After 30 Years In Westchester: 'We Are Deeply Grateful' Italian Restaurant Closing After 30 Years In Westchester: 'We Are Deeply Grateful' Italian Restaurant Closing After 30 Years In Westchester: 'We Are Deeply Grateful'
Italian Restaurant Closing After 30 Years In Westchester: 'We Are Deeply Grateful' A longtime Westchester County Italian restaurant is closing its doors after three decades of serving generations of diners.  Pasquale Ristorante, located at 2 Putnam Ave. in Port Chester, announced this week that it has made the “difficult decision” to close after 30 years in business. No reason for the closure was given, and the announcement did not specify a final day of business. “This is not simply the closing of a business; it marks the end of a remarkable chapter filled with friendships, celebrations, memories, and countless meals shared together,” the restaurant said in a social…

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by Ben Crnic
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SUNY WCC Launches New Teacher Transfer Program SUNY WCC Launches New Teacher Transfer Program SUNY WCC Launches New Teacher Transfer Program
SUNY WCC Launches New Teacher Transfer Program SUNY Westchester Community College has launched a new associate degree program for students planning to teach middle and high school. The Liberal Arts and Sciences: Adolescence Education (Teacher Education Transfer) program is designed for students seeking careers teaching grades 7 through 12. According to SUNY Westchester Community College, the program was created in response to demand for qualified educators, including about 411,549 teaching positions nationally that are either unfilled or staffed by teachers who are not fully certified for their assignments. The program includes concentr…

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by Daily Voice
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Over 100 New Hybrid-Electric Bee-Line Buses Joining Fleet In Westchester, Ending Diesel Era Over 100 New Hybrid-Electric Bee-Line Buses Joining Fleet In Westchester, Ending Diesel Era Over 100 New Hybrid-Electric Bee-Line Buses Joining Fleet In Westchester, Ending Diesel Era
Over 100 New Hybrid-Electric Bee-Line Buses Joining Fleet In Westchester, Ending Diesel Era Westchester County is rolling out more than 100 new hybrid-electric buses for its Bee-Line system, replacing the last diesel-powered buses in the fleet, officials announced.  County Executive Ken Jenkins announced the arrival of the 116 new buses on Tuesday, Sept. 1, calling the investment an effort to modernize the system while reducing emissions and improving the experience for riders.   The new fleet consists of 111 40-foot New Flyer Xcelsior hybrid-electric buses and five 35-foot models. Sixteen of the 40-foot buses are specifically designed for express service, incl…

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by Ben Crnic
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4 WMCHealth Hospitals Earn National Stroke Care Honors 4 WMCHealth Hospitals Earn National Stroke Care Honors 4 WMCHealth Hospitals Earn National Stroke Care Honors
4 Wmchealth Hospitals Earn National Stroke Care Honors Four WMCHealth hospitals in the Hudson Valley have received national American Heart Association honors for stroke care, spotlighting a regional system built to speed access to specialists. The Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus awards went to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie, HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, and Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern. According to WMCHealth, the designation is awarded to hospitals that meet high standards for quickly identifying strokes and beginning treatment. The 2026 honors are tied to data from …

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by Daily Voice
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Family Seeks Help Sending NY Man Home After Fatal CT Crash Family Seeks Help Sending NY Man Home After Fatal CT Crash Family Seeks Help Sending NY Man Home After Fatal CT Crash
Family Seeks Help Sending NY Man Home After Fatal CT Crash The family of a New York man killed in a Connecticut dirt bike crash is asking the community's help in sending him home. Jose Eduardo, 21, of Mount Carmel, New York, died Sunday, Aug. 23, after crashing a dirt bike on railroad tracks in Waterbury. His family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to return his body to his homeland.  “There are no words to comfort our family at this time,” the fundraiser said. “We asked for help to be able to send my nephew’s body to Guatemala since his body will have to be taken to his native country." The campaign had raised more than $2,400 by Monda…

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by Josh Lanier
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Got Tennis Skills? NY, NJ Players Can Earn Cash For 8 Hours On Camera Got Tennis Skills? NY, NJ Players Can Earn Cash For 8 Hours On Camera Got Tennis Skills? NY, NJ Players Can Earn Cash For 8 Hours On Camera
Got Tennis Skills? NY, NJ Players Can Earn Cash For 8 Hours On Camera Tennis players across the New York and New Jersey area have a chance to earn some cash in front of the camera. Grant Wilfley Casting is seeking people with a high level of tennis skill to portray players in the “Untitled Tennis Project,” according to a casting call. The background role pays $241 for eight hours and will film outdoors in Queens, the casting company said. Tentative shoot dates are Sept. 14 and 15 at night and Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 during the day. Applicants must be at least 18, local to the New York/New Jersey area, and provide their tennis experience and skill level. Both SAG…

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by Cecilia Levine
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Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation
Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation A Connecticut mother who was nearly killed after stopping to help three teenagers who crashed on Interstate 95 in July said she is "overwhelmed with gratitude" after Taylor Swift donated $50,000 to support her recovery. Ashlie Taunton, of Ledyard, was severely injured July 18 after she stopped to help teenagers whose vehicle had hydroplaned off I-95 in Hopkinton, Rhode Island, during a rainstorm. Moments after she helped the last person out of the vehicle, a second car veered off the road. She shoved a teenager to safety before the car struck her. The 42-year-old's heroism has drawn nationa…

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by Josh Lanier