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Politics
NYers Urged To Beware, Report AI Election Misinformation NYers Urged To Beware, Report AI Election Misinformation
NYers Urged To Beware, Report AI Election Misinformation State leaders are urging New Yorkers to beware purposely misleading election information generated by artificial intelligence. On Thursday, Sept. 5, New York Attorney General Letitia James released an online guide to help voters identify and report AI-generated “deepfakes” that can create videos depicting politicians saying or doing something they never did. Misinformation can also deceive voters on things like eligibility to vote, and where, when, or how to vote. “New Yorkers deserve to be well-informed, not misinformed, about their choices for the upcoming November elections,” James said…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Driver Nabbed In Stolen Vehicle After Chase In Yonkers: Police Driver Nabbed In Stolen Vehicle After Chase In Yonkers: Police
Driver Nabbed In Stolen Vehicle After Chase In Yonkers: Police The driver of a stolen car was taken into custody after leading officers on a pursuit throughout a city in Westchester, police said. The events leading up to the arrest began on Thursday, Sept. 5 around 3:20 a.m., when officers tried pulling over a vehicle on Palisade Avenue in Yonkers that had been reported stolen from New York City and had committed several traffic infractions, according to Yonkers Police Sgt. Robert Spink.  However, the car did not stop and instead led officers on a short chase in the city before police caught up with it and detained those inside, Spink said, adding…

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by Ben Crnic
Traffic
Stretch Of Busy Westchester Road Reopens: Alternating Traffic To Continue For Weeks Stretch Of Busy Westchester Road Reopens: Alternating Traffic To Continue For Weeks
Stretch Of Busy Westchester Road Reopens: Alternating Traffic To Continue For Weeks Although a section of a well-traveled roadway in Northern Westchester has reopened to motorists after months, an alternating traffic pattern will continue for weeks, officials announced.  The stretch of Route 116/121 in North Salem between Baxter Road and the intersection of Route 121 (Peach Lake Road) and Route 116 (Titicus Road) reopened to traffic on Wednesday, Sept. 4 after being closed in July for a culvert replacement, according to North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas. Earlier Report - Section Of Route 121/116 In North Salem To Close For Extended Time: Here's Where Although …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
State DOT Employee From Westchester Accused Of Falsely Claiming Overtime Hours State DOT Employee From Westchester Accused Of Falsely Claiming Overtime Hours
State DOT Employee From Westchester Accused Of Falsely Claiming Overtime Hours A 63-year-old New York Department of Transportation employee from Northern Westchester faces charges for allegedly logging over 100 hours of overtime that he did not actually work, police said.  Yorktown resident Raymond Bergin, a Maintenance Supervisor for the NYSDOT, was arrested on Monday, Aug. 26 following a joint investigation conducted by his employers and New York State Police, authorities announced on Thursday, Sept. 5.  According to State Police, Bergin was found to have falsely claimed more than 180 hours of overtime he did not work.  After his arrest, he was charg…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Suspect At Large After Shooting Cat In Hudson Valley Suspect At Large After Shooting Cat In Hudson Valley
Suspect At Large After Shooting Cat In Hudson Valley Authorities in the Hudson Valley are offering a $500 reward for any information that could help lead to the arrest of a suspect who shot an owned cat with a metal projectile.  New, updated report - New Update: Reward Increased For Suspect Who Shot Cat In Patterson The incident happened in Putnam County around the time of Tuesday, Aug. 20, when a 3-year-old neutered male orange tabby cat named Kiwi was shot with what is believed to be an airgun pellet, the Putnam County SPCA announced on Thursday, Sept. 5.  The cat, owned by a resident of Bullet Hole Road in Patterson, was th…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Building To Be Demolished Following Devastating Hudson Valley Fire Building To Be Demolished Following Devastating Hudson Valley Fire
Building To Be Demolished Following Devastating Hudson Valley Fire A Hudson Valley apartment building that was destroyed by a quick-moving fire will be demolished this week. The incident occurred in Rockland County around 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3, at The Highlands  (the former Avalon Gardens) in Nanuet. According to Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, the fire destroyed eight units, leaving all homeless. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Rockland County Fire Coordinator Chris Kear said construction workers installing lighting may have hit a gas line, igniting the fire. He added the official cause of the fire is still pendin…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Drunk Driver Caught At Train Station After Head-On Hit-Run Crash In New Rochelle: Police Drunk Driver Caught At Train Station After Head-On Hit-Run Crash In New Rochelle: Police
Drunk Driver Caught At Train Station After Head-On Hit-Run Crash In New Rochelle: Police A 35-year-old alleged drunk driver from Connecticut was apprehended while waiting for a train following a head-on crash in Westchester County from which he fled the scene, police said.  Fairfield County resident Rogelio Salamanca-Lopez of Stamford was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 4 in connection with a crash that happened just before 8 p.m. on the same day in New Rochelle, according to New Rochelle Police Captain J. Collins Coyne.  At the time of the crash, a pickup truck allegedly driven by Salamanca-Lopez left Interstate 95 North at Exit 16 and collided head-on with a four-…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
$2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy $2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy
$2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy A former New York contractor confessed to stealing millions of dollars from homeowners who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy to fund his lavish lifestyle. Alexander Almaraz, age 56, who formerly lived on Long Island in Freeport, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in Central Islip federal court on Thursday, Sept. 5. Prosecutors said Almaraz, who owned Design Concepts Group (DCG) in Freeport, targeted homeowners who suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and later received relief funds from the governor’s office. Earlier Report: Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar,…

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by Michael Mashburn
Traffic
Water Main Work To Cause Months-Long Closure, Traffic Impacts On Street In Westchester Water Main Work To Cause Months-Long Closure, Traffic Impacts On Street In Westchester
Water Main Work To Cause Months-Long Closure, Traffic Impacts On Street In Westchester Part of a busy Westchester County road will be affected by closures and lane restrictions for months as crews work to install a new water main.  A stretch of Putnam Avenue in Port Chester between King Street and Willett Avenue will be either restricted to one eastbound lane or closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the foreseeable future, Port Chester Police announced on Thursday, Sept. 5.  The traffic impacts come as a result of water provider Veolia's effort to install a larger water main to serve its customers, the department said.  The project is estimated to take a few months…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Man Hospitalized After Being Hit By Scooter In Yonkers Man Hospitalized After Being Hit By Scooter In Yonkers
Man Hospitalized After Being Hit By Scooter In Yonkers Authorities are looking for the rider of a scooter that struck a man in Westchester and left him hospitalized.  The crash happened on Friday, Aug. 30 just after 5 p.m. near the White Castle location at 257 South Broadway in Yonkers, where a scooter hit a pedestrian, according to Yonkers Police Sgt. Robert Spink.  Arriving officers found the man with non-life-threatening injuries to his face. He was later hospitalized, Spink added.  The scooter's rider continued going north on South Broadway after the crash. A search conducted by police later proved unsuccessful.  …

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
'Dawson's Creek' Actor With Ties To Region Dies At 51 'Dawson's Creek' Actor With Ties To Region Dies At 51
'Dawson's Creek' Actor With Ties To Region Dies At 51 An actor with ties to the region who was known for roles on several popular television shows such as "Dawson's Creek" is being remembered for his enduring positivity following a battle against an eating disorder.  Actor Obi Ndefo died on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at the age of 51 after a long illness, his sister Nkem Ndefo announced in a social media post on Monday, Sept. 2.  "Tragically, Obi’s heart gave out in his longstanding battle against the eating disorder orthorexia," Nkem Ndefo wrote in a post on X, adding, "As his family, we share this news to bring attention to …

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
2 Top-Prize-Winning Lottery Tickets Sold In Stores On Same Street In Yonkers 2 Top-Prize-Winning Lottery Tickets Sold In Stores On Same Street In Yonkers
2 Top-Prize-Winning Lottery Tickets Sold In Stores On Same Street In Yonkers In an incredible twist of fate, two winning lottery tickets were both purchased at neighboring establishments on the same street in Westchester in a single day.  The two top-prize-winning Take 5 tickets, both worth $18,004.50, were purchased for the drawing on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at stores on Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers, New York Lottery officials announced.  One ticket was bought at the ShopRite location at 278 Tuckahoe Rd., while the other was bought at the Smoker's Haven Inc. smoke shop next door at 328 Tuckahoe Rd.   The identities of those who bought the tickets wer…

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by Ben Crnic