COVID-19: Cases Of Eris Subvariant EG.5 Jump; Here Are Symptoms COVID-19: Cases Of Eris Subvariant EG.5 Jump; Here Are Symptoms
Covid-19: Cases Of Eris Subvariant EG.5 Jump; Here Are Symptoms Cases of a COVID-19 strain known as Eris, whose official name is EG.5, have increased according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).Already the most prevalent subvariant in the US, Eris now accounts for 29.4 percent of COVID cases in the US in the CDC's report released Saturday, Sept. 30. Two weeks ago, Eris accounted for 24.5 percent of US cases. Eris is an offshoot of the highly-contagious Omicron strain. In a Risk Evaluation statement on the EG.5 strain released late last week, the World Health Organization said cases of the subvariant have …
Gunman Nabbed Year After Shooting 23-Year-Old Outside Long Island Club, Police Say Gunman Nabbed Year After Shooting 23-Year-Old Outside Long Island Club, Police Say
Gunman Nabbed Year After Shooting 23-Year-Old Outside Long Island Club, Police Say A suspected gunman has been arrested more than a year after he allegedly shot a man outside a Long Island club. Joseph Llapa, age 22, of Bay Shore, was taken into custody Thursday, Sept. 28, in connection with a July 2022 shooting outside the Smithtown Social Bar & Lounge, located in Smithtown on West Main Street. Suffolk County Police said it was shortly before 4 a.m. July 3, 2022, when Llapa shot a 23-year-old man in the arm as the victim got into the passenger seat of a car. The victim was taken by ambulance to South shore University Hospital in Bay Shore and treated for non-life-t…
Storm Price Gouging: Consumers Warned To Watch For Rising Expenses In NY Amid Massive Rainstorm Storm Price Gouging: Consumers Warned To Watch For Rising Expenses In NY Amid Massive Rainstorm
Storm Price Gouging: Consumers Warned To Watch For Rising Expenses In NY Amid Massive Rainstorm Officials are urging New Yorkers to keep an eye out for stores and services that may be using the rainstorm to charge extra for essential goods. On Friday, Sept. 29, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a warning to consumers against price gouging amidst the ongoing state of emergency caused by rainstorms and flooding across Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New York City. Related: State Of Emergency: 'Extreme Weather Event' Threatening Areas In NY, Hochul Says Price gauging can affect anything from essential goods — such as food, gas, and batteries — to services like …
State Of Emergency: 'Extreme Weather Event' Threatening Long Island, Hochul Says State Of Emergency: 'Extreme Weather Event' Threatening Long Island, Hochul Says
State Of Emergency: 'Extreme Weather Event' Threatening Long Island, Hochul Says A severe weather system bringing several inches of rain to Long Island has prompted New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare a state of emergency in the region. The state of emergency, declared by Hochul on Friday, Sept. 29, covers all of the Long Island, New York City, and Mid-Hudson region and comes in the midst of a weather system with peak rainfall amounts of three inches per hour, according to Hochul's office. The deluge has resulted in flash flooding throughout the region which has caused several impacts to transit systems.  Hochul said that she would be directing state agencies to…
'Huge' 400-Pound Stingray Pulled From Long Island Sound 'Huge' 400-Pound Stingray Pulled From Long Island Sound
'Huge' 400-Pound Stingray Pulled From Long Island Sound A Connecticut Fish and Wildlife crew made quite the catch while trawling Long Island Sound.  While spending a day out on Long Island Sound on Wednesday, Sept. 27, a Long Island Sound Trawl Survey crew managed to pull a 400-pound roughtail stingray from the water, Connecticut Fish and Wildlife announced.  The mammoth creature measured over 6 feet long and 5 feet wide, which officially made it "HUGE," Fish and Wildlife official said on social media  It was a rare sight, as while stingrays are found along the Atlantic coast from Florida to New England, they do not often ve…
New Update: Flood Rescue Teams Staged In Nassau Amid Heavy Rain, Hochul Says New Update: Flood Rescue Teams Staged In Nassau Amid Heavy Rain, Hochul Says
New Update: Flood Rescue Teams Staged In Nassau Amid Heavy Rain, Hochul Says With heavy rain pummeling much of New York and causing flash flooding concerns, Gov. Kathy Hochul is updating residents on the planned emergency response to the downpours.  As a precautionary measure in response to the barrage of rain, flood rescue teams will be staged in Westchester and Nassau Counties by the New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in case they are needed in the event of emergencies, Hochul announced on Friday, Sept. 29. Earlier Report - 'Stay Vigilant': Hochul Warns Hudson Valley Residents To Prepare For Heavy Rain The announcement came in…
'Stay Vigilant': Hochul Warns Long Island Residents To Prepare For Heavy Rain 'Stay Vigilant': Hochul Warns Long Island Residents To Prepare For Heavy Rain
'Stay Vigilant': Hochul Warns Long Island Residents To Prepare For Heavy Rain As forecasts call for a long stretch of heavy rainfall, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is warning residents to prepare for potential flash flooding. The warning comes as forecasters predict heavy downpours in the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island regions beginning on Thursday night, Sept. 28, and lasting through Friday night, Sept. 29, which may bring as much as five inches of rain in some locations, according to Hochul's office. Related Report - New Storm System Could Dump 3-Plus Inches Of Rainfall To Much Of Region: Here's Timing The conditions may cause flash flooding to th…
22-Year-Old Long Island Gun Trafficker Known As 'JuJu' Sentenced 22-Year-Old Long Island Gun Trafficker Known As 'JuJu' Sentenced
22-Year-Old Long Island Gun Trafficker Known As 'JuJu' Sentenced A 22-year-old Long Island man who pleaded guilty to trafficking “ghost guns,” ammunition, and more to alleged gang members will now spend years behind bars, officials announced. On Monday, Sept. 25, Jeramya Sloan, also known as “JuJu,” was sentenced to 46 months in prison for selling weapons across Suffolk County, according to the Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office. Sloan, who is from Selden and East Patchogue, admitted to selling the guns from December 2019 through January 2021 to people he thought were Bloods gang members. Of the eight gun transactions involved in his…
Baldwin Man Forced Women Into Sex Trafficking Ring, Bribed Addicts With Drugs, Feds Say Baldwin Man Forced Women Into Sex Trafficking Ring, Bribed Addicts With Drugs, Feds Say
Baldwin Man Forced Women Into Sex Trafficking Ring, Bribed Addicts With Drugs, Feds Say Two Long Island men are facing federal charges for allegedly running sex trafficking rings. Lamont Young, age 41, of Hauppauge, and Michail McKen, age 35, of Baldwin are named in separate indictments that were unsealed in federal court in Central Islip Wednesday, Sept. 27. According to prosecutors, both men forced women to engage in prostitution by subjecting them to violence. Young spent a decade recruiting victims, beginning in 2011, by promising them financial stability, prosecutors said. He allegedly then used violence, fraud, and coercion to force them into performing commercial sex a…
Support Swells For Sisters Injured In Bus Crash Involving Farmingdale HS Students Support Swells For Sisters Injured In Bus Crash Involving Farmingdale HS Students
Support Swells For Sisters Injured In Bus Crash Involving Farmingdale HS Students In just one day, the community has gathered to help more identified victims of a charter bus crash carrying Long Island high school students — this time, two sisters who were both injured in the incident, one of whom saved the other’s life. “My two babies were on that bus.” Natalie and Ashely Betts are two Farmingdale High School students who were on the charter bus that crashed in Orange County on Thursday, Sept. 21, according to a GoFundMe launched by the girls’ aunt and a Facebook post by their father. The sisters, like the 40-odd other people on the bus, were on their way to Pennsyl…
'Meet Me Outside': Heated Phone Call Led Long Island Man To Gun Down 37-Year-Old, Jury Finds 'Meet Me Outside': Heated Phone Call Led Long Island Man To Gun Down 37-Year-Old, Jury Finds
'Meet Me Outside': Heated Phone Call Led Long Island Man To Gun Down 37-Year-Old, Jury Finds What began as an argument over the phone ended with a 37-year-old Long Island man shot to death, and now, two years later, his killer is facing decades in prison. A Suffolk County jury found Michael Gilbert, age 29, of Riverhead, guilty of murder and related charges Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the shooting death of Tyrell Durham in Moriches. According to prosecutors, on Nov. 26, 2021, Gilbert overheard a phone call in which his girlfriend, Lashonda Coles, asked Durham’s girlfriend why she was with “the guy that knocked her teeth out.” The conversation was also overheard by Durham, who began yell…
Early-Morning Thief Nabs Work Truck From Long Island Municipal Building Early-Morning Thief Nabs Work Truck From Long Island Municipal Building
Early-Morning Thief Nabs Work Truck From Long Island Municipal Building Police are investigating the early-morning theft of a work truck from a Long Island municipal building. The incident happened at around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, in Riverhead, at the Riverhead Water District Garage located on Pulaski Street. According to Riverhead Town Police, someone broke into the building before making off with a 2002 white Chevrolet work truck. The culprit also stole various copper pipes and tools, and damaged a fence while fleeing. Investigators later found the truck abandoned in Coram thanks to the help of an onboard GPS system. No arrests had been made as of …
Capitol Riot: NY Man Who Punched Cop, Stole Shield Sentenced To Federal Prison Capitol Riot: NY Man Who Punched Cop, Stole Shield Sentenced To Federal Prison
Capitol Riot: NY Man Who Punched Cop, Stole Shield Sentenced To Federal Prison A New York man will spend nearly three years in federal prison for assaulting a police officer while trying to breach the US Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Jonathan Munafo, age 36, of Albany, was sentenced to 33 months behind bars in US District Court in Washington, DC on Friday, Sept. 22. “His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” reads a statement from the US Attorney’s Office. Related Report: 'No Regrets': Pot-Smoking Schenectady Man Donning Fak…
'Despicable': Thousands Of Child Porn Images Found At Long Island Man's Home, DA Says 'Despicable': Thousands Of Child Porn Images Found At Long Island Man's Home, DA Says
'Despicable': Thousands Of Child Porn Images Found At Long Island Man's Home, DA Says A Long Island man is facing charges after police allegedly uncovered thousands of images depicting child sex abuse inside his home. Dominick Umbrino, age 70, of Ridge, was arraigned on 60 criminal counts in Suffolk County Court on Monday, Sept. 25. According to prosecutors, New York State Police were tipped off by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Umbrino was searching for child pornography online. During a search of his Ridge home, investigators reportedly found multiple electronic devices containing over 2,000 images and videos of children being sexually abused.…
NY Times Columnist Apologizes For Viral $78 Newark Airport Meal Tweet NY Times Columnist Apologizes For Viral $78 Newark Airport Meal Tweet
NY Times Columnist Apologizes For Viral $78 Newark Airport Meal Tweet "I probably shouldn't have written that tweet." David Brooks, a conservative columnist for the New York Times, expressed regret for a tweet where he complained about spending $78 for a meal of a hamburger, fries and bourbon at Newark Airport. This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport. This is why Americans think the economy is terrible. pic.twitter.com/1qeV9qOBL3 — David Brooks (@nytdavidbrooks) September 21, 2023 The viral post on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) has been viewed more than 38 million times, earning Brooks plenty of mockery and the restaurant, Smokehouse, lo…
Double-Fatal Crash: Update Released On 5 Farmingdale HS Students' Conditions, Bus Driver ID'd Double-Fatal Crash: Update Released On 5 Farmingdale HS Students' Conditions, Bus Driver ID'd
Double-Fatal Crash: Update Released On 5 Farmingdale HS Students' Conditions, Bus Driver ID'd An update has just been released on the conditions of five students who suffered critical injuries after a charter bus crashed down a 50-foot ravine, killing two adults on board, late last week in the Hudson Valley. The crash happened on westbound I-84 in Orange County at 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, in the town of Wawayanda, near Exit 15. The bus, which was heading to a band camp in northeastern Pennsylvania, went through a wire barrier and down the embankment. It was one of six buses carrying marching band members from Farmingdale High School on Long Island. Around 43 people …
'Where Words Fail, Music Speaks': Community Shows Support For Victims Of Farmingdale Bus Crash 'Where Words Fail, Music Speaks': Community Shows Support For Victims Of Farmingdale Bus Crash
'Where Words Fail, Music Speaks': Community Shows Support For Victims Of Farmingdale Bus Crash In the days following a tragic high school band bus crash that killed two pillars of the community, Long Islanders near and far from the school have rallied to show their support in whatever way they can. “I kept hoping someone would wake me up and tell me it was only a bad dream.” Just days after the Thursday, Sept. 21 Farmingdale High School bus crash on I-84 in Orange County that killed two adults and injured dozens of students, Greg Warno is still at a loss for words. Earlier Report: Bus Crash: Farmingdale HS Band Director, Retired Teacher ID'd As Victims In Horrific Rollover…
Clown Makeup-Wearing Rapist Gets 18 Years For 'Horrific' Attack On Woman At Long Island Home Clown Makeup-Wearing Rapist Gets 18 Years For 'Horrific' Attack On Woman At Long Island Home
Clown Makeup-Wearing Rapist Gets 18 Years For 'Horrific' Attack On Woman At Long Island Home More than three years after a man broke into a Long Island home and raped a woman, the perpetrator is heading to prison. Joseph Johnson, age 33, of Wyandanch, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Monday, Sept. 25. It came months after he pleaded guilty to first-degree rape stemming from an attack at a Wyandanch home. Earlier Report: Face Paint-Wearing Rapist Admits Breaking Into Wyandanch Home, Sexually Assaulting Woman According to prosecutors, Johnson admitted to breaking into the victim’s home on Sept. 19, 2020. He then raped the woman before stealin…
2 Hit-Run Drivers Leave Bicyclist For Dead On Long Island Roadway 2 Hit-Run Drivers Leave Bicyclist For Dead On Long Island Roadway
2 Hit-Run Drivers Leave Bicyclist For Dead On Long Island Roadway Police are investigating a hit-run crash involving two different cars that left a bicyclist dead on a busy Long Island roadway. The incident happened at around 6:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 25 in Central Islip, near East Suffolk and Lowell avenues, just steps from the Central Islip Long Island Rail Road station. Felix Cesi Oliva Cruz, age 65, of Bay Shore, was riding a bicycle northbound across East Suffolk Avenue when he was struck by two eastbound vehicles, according to Suffolk County Police. He was taken by ambulance to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore where he was pronounced de…
COVID-19: Here's How To Order Free At-Home Tests Through Mail Now COVID-19: Here's How To Order Free At-Home Tests Through Mail Now
Covid-19: Here's How To Order Free At-Home Tests Through Mail Now The federal program offering free COVID-19 rapid at-home tests through the mail has just been restarted. Every American household may order four of the tests starting Monday, Sept. 25 by visiting covid.gov/tests, the Department of Health and Human Services says. But first, before throwing out tests past their expiration dates, HHS recommends visiting this page to see if expiration dates have been extended. The news comes as a newly identified COVID-19 strain BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, with around 30 mutations, has now been identified in 10 states. Earlier report - COVID-…
Tobacco-Related Cancers Down In NY, New Report Finds Tobacco-Related Cancers Down In NY, New Report Finds
Tobacco-Related Cancers Down In NY, New Report Finds Fewer New Yorkers are being diagnosed with tobacco-related cancers. A new report released by the state health department Thursday, Sept. 14, found that several of the cancers most often associated with smoking declined throughout the state between 2016 and 2020. Incident rates of esophageal, laryngeal, and lung cancer - those most closely related to tobacco use - steeply declined both in New York City and elsewhere in the state, the report found. Rates of oral cancer, however, increased by 1.3 percent each year between 2006 and 2020 among those living in New York City. Researchers also no…
‘Exceptional Kid’: Farmingdale Junior Firefighter Among Severely Injured In Deadly Bus Crash ‘Exceptional Kid’: Farmingdale Junior Firefighter Among Severely Injured In Deadly Bus Crash
‘Exceptional Kid’: Farmingdale Junior Firefighter Among Severely Injured In Deadly Bus Crash Support is pouring in for a high school student and aspiring firefighter who was among those severely injured in a New York charter bus crash that killed two teachers and injured dozens of students. Audrina Crocitto was onboard the Regency charter bus carrying members of the Farmingdale High School marching band from Long Island to a camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania when it careened off I-84 in Orange County, in the town of Wawayanda, and rolled several times down an embankment Thursday, Sept. 21. The crash injured at least 43 students and killed the school's band director, 43-year-old Gina Pe…
Bus Crash: LI Charter Company Has 'Satisfactory' Safety Record, But It's Not Perfect Bus Crash: LI Charter Company Has 'Satisfactory' Safety Record, But It's Not Perfect
Bus Crash: LI Charter Company Has 'Satisfactory' Safety Record, But It's Not Perfect The New York charter bus company involved in a deadly highway crash that killed two educators and left dozens of high school band students hospitalized holds a “satisfactory” safety rating, though records show nearly two dozen maintenance violations in recent years. A check of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) website shows that Regency Charter Buses, based in Suffolk County in Nesconset, was involved in one injury crash in the past two years. Records do not specify who was at fault. The company was given a “satisfactory” safety rating in March 2019, though records r…
Long Island Man Strangles, Rapes Woman On Drive Home After Befriending Hospital Patient: Cops Long Island Man Strangles, Rapes Woman On Drive Home After Befriending Hospital Patient: Cops
Long Island Man Strangles, Rapes Woman On Drive Home After Befriending Hospital Patient: Cops A Long Island man is locked up without bail after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman he met while the two were hospitalized. Rupert Cruz, age 63, of Coram, was arraigned on rape and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Sept. 21. According to prosecutors, Cruz met the 32-year-old victim in June 2023 while they were both patients at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson. He reportedly offered her a ride home when they were discharged, and she accepted. Once inside the car, Cruz allegedly gave the woman a drink from an opened soda can and began making sexual advances, whi…
NY's Own Emma Roberts Accused Of Transphobia On Set Of 'American Horror Story' NY's Own Emma Roberts Accused Of Transphobia On Set Of 'American Horror Story'
NY's Own Emma Roberts Accused Of Transphobia On Set Of 'American Horror Story' Actress Emma Roberts is accused of mistreating a transgender co-star on the set of her hit show, “American Horror Story.” During an Instagram Live session on Tuesday, Sept.19, actress Angelica Ross, who is a transgender woman, accused Roberts of making transphobic comments in 2018, during filming of the show’s ninth season, “1984.” According to Ross, Roberts jokingly told another actor, John Carroll Lynch, that Ross was “being mean” to her, to which Lynch replied, “Okay ladies, that’s enough, let’s get back to work.” That’s when Roberts, according to Ross, replied with “Don’t you mean lady…
'D Brooks Special': Newark Airport Restaurant Drops Price Of $78 Meal To $18 After Online Post 'D Brooks Special': Newark Airport Restaurant Drops Price Of $78 Meal To $18 After Online Post
'D Brooks Special': Newark Airport Restaurant Drops Price Of $78 Meal To $18 After Online Post You too can eat and drink like a well-known New York Times columnist at Newark Airport, but now at a discounted rate. Smokehouse, located in Terminal A at the airport, announced on social media it is offering a hamburger, fries and a double shot of whiskey for $17.78.  Earlier report: NY Times Columnist Mocked For Alleged $78 Meal At Newark Airport The move comes in response to a post from David Brooks, who bemoaned that his meal consisting of those items cost $78. Just added to the Menu. We’re the topic of America right now! #youcantbeatourmeat Nina Dawkins Kevin W Wortha…
Update: 5 Farmingdale HS Students In Critical Condition After Bus Goes Down Embankment Update: 5 Farmingdale HS Students In Critical Condition After Bus Goes Down Embankment
Update: 5 Farmingdale HS Students In Critical Condition After Bus Goes Down Embankment As school bells rang and a new day started for students at a Long Island high school where five of their fellow classmates remain in critical condition following a horrific bus crash that killed two adults, state, and federal officials are investigating the incident. The Orange County crash happened at around 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, on I-84 in the town of Wawayanda, near Exit 15A. The charter bus carrying marching band members from Farmingdale High School in Nassau County was heading to Greeley, Pennsylvania for band camp when one of the six buses carrying students went through the wi…
Razor-Wielding Man Who 'Terrorized' Long Island Family, Disfigured Victim's Face Gets 18 Years Razor-Wielding Man Who 'Terrorized' Long Island Family, Disfigured Victim's Face Gets 18 Years
Razor-Wielding Man Who 'Terrorized' Long Island Family, Disfigured Victim's Face Gets 18 Years A Long Island man who viciously attacked his ex-girlfriend’s family with a razor blade in a desperate attempt to get to her will serve nearly two decades in prison. Guillermo Ayala Jr., age 30, of Calverton, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, Sept. 20. According to prosecutors, Ayala and the mother of his children were returning home from dinner on Dec. 2, 2022, when Ayala began demanding that she show him her cell phone to see who she’d been talking to. Earlier Report: Calverton Man Admits Slashing Ex-Girlfriend's Family With Knife When sh…
Bus Crash: Farmingdale HS Band Director, Retired Teacher ID'd As Victims In Horrific Rollover Bus Crash: Farmingdale HS Band Director, Retired Teacher ID'd As Victims In Horrific Rollover
Bus Crash: Farmingdale HS Band Director, Retired Teacher ID'd As Victims In Horrific Rollover Tributes have begun pouring in for the victims of a deadly high school bus crash in New York that claimed the lives of two educators, including a beloved band director, and left several students hospitalized. Latest update - Double-Fatal Update: 5 Students In Critical Condition After Bus Crashes Down Embankment On I-84 The Orange County crash happened at around 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, on I-84 in the town of Wawayanda, near Exit 15. A charter bus carrying marching band members from Farmingdale High School, in Nassau County on Long Island, was heading to Greeley, Pennsylvania fo…
Employee At Teen Center On Long Island Rapes 16-Year-Old, Police Say Employee At Teen Center On Long Island Rapes 16-Year-Old, Police Say
Employee At Teen Center On Long Island Rapes 16-Year-Old, Police Say An employee at a teen rehabilitation center on Long Island has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing an underage resident. Manuel Roias, age 51, of Miller Place, was arrested on rape and related charges Thursday, Sept. 21, following an investigation by the Riverhead Police Department. Roias is an employee at Timothy Hill Ranch in Riverhead, described as a Christian rehabilitation center for troubled teens and young adults.  He works as an assistant director of maintenance at the facility, according to his LinkedIn page. Investigators determined that Roias had a sexual relation…
NY Times Columnist Mocked For Alleged $78 Meal At Newark Airport NY Times Columnist Mocked For Alleged $78 Meal At Newark Airport
NY Times Columnist Mocked For Alleged $78 Meal At Newark Airport A tweet by David Brooks, a conservative commentator who writes for the New York Times, complaining about the price of a meal at Newark Airport has gone viral, with some questioning its authenticity. Brooks lamented that his burger, fries and alcohol combo cost $78 in a post on  the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) that has been viewed almost 15 million times. This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport. This is why Americans think the economy is terrible. pic.twitter.com/1qeV9qOBL3 — David Brooks (@nytdavidbrooks) September 21, 2023 "This is why Americans think the economy i…