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Schools
Trump Weighs In On NY School Mascot Battle: ‘Long Live The Massapequa Chiefs!’ Trump Weighs In On NY School Mascot Battle: ‘Long Live The Massapequa Chiefs!’
Trump Weighs In On NY School Mascot Battle: ‘Long Live The Massapequa Chiefs!’ President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind a Long Island school district fighting to keep its Native American-themed mascot. Trump came to the defense of the Massapequa Chiefs, blasting New York’s push for a rebrand as “ridiculous” and “an affront to our great Indian population," in a Truth Social post on Monday, April 21. The school district has been ordered to retire its decades-old mascot under a 2023 New York State mandate banning Indigenous-themed names and logos in public schools. “I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the M…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Man Drove Drunk With 3 Kids In Car, Nearly 3 Times Legal Limit In Hudson Valley: NYSP Man Drove Drunk With 3 Kids In Car, Nearly 3 Times Legal Limit In Hudson Valley: NYSP
Man Drove Drunk With 3 Kids In Car, Nearly 3 Times Legal Limit In Hudson Valley: Nysp A 42-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving drunk with three children in his vehicle in Dutchess County and registering a blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit, police said.  The incident happened on Friday, April 18, when a trooper pulled over a 2016 Acura on Old Post Road in Wappinger for multiple traffic violations, New York State Police announced on Tuesday, April 22.  Police said the driver, Jordan T. White, 42, of Poughkeepsie, showed signs of intoxication and failed field sobriety tests. Troopers then discovered that three children, ages 1, 8, …

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
150+ College Leaders Blast Trump For 'Unprecedented Overreach' On Higher Education 150+ College Leaders Blast Trump For 'Unprecedented Overreach' On Higher Education
150+ College Leaders Blast Trump For 'Unprecedented Overreach' On Higher Education More than 150 college leaders issued a scathing letter criticizing the Trump administration's escalating threats against universities. The American Association of Colleges and Universities released the public letter on Tuesday, April 22. The group of university presidents accused President Donald Trump of "unprecedented government overreach," warning that the crackdown could harm students and democracy. Trump has demanded that colleges eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, along with other orders aimed at limiting campus activism. The Trump administration has paused…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Army Ditches Old Fitness Test: Here’s What Soldiers Have To Do Now Army Ditches Old Fitness Test: Here’s What Soldiers Have To Do Now
Army Ditches Old Fitness Test: Here’s What Soldiers Have To Do Now The U.S. Army is scrapping the Army Combat Fitness Test and rolling out a new five-event test aimed at boosting readiness and combat strength, officials announced on Monday, April 21. The new test, called the Army Fitness Test (AFT), becomes the official fitness test for all soldiers starting this summer, according to Army Public Affairs. “The five-event AFT is designed to enhance Soldier fitness, improve warfighting readiness and increase the lethality of the force,” officials said. The AFT includes: A three-repetition maximum deadlift Hand-release push-up arm extension Sprint-drag-carr…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Car Blaze Closes Road, Fills Air With Smoke In Mahopac Car Blaze Closes Road, Fills Air With Smoke In Mahopac
Car Blaze Closes Road, Fills Air With Smoke In Mahopac A vehicle blaze temporarily closed a busy Putnam County road and sent smoke up in the air on Tuesday morning, April 22.  The fire happened around 9:09 a.m. on Tuesday at the intersection of Croton Falls Road and Mud Pond Road in Mahopac, according to the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighters responded alongside the Carmel Police Department and found a vehicle engulfed in flames. The driver was not injured.   Traffic was diverted for about 30 minutes while crews worked to extinguish the fire and safely reopen the roadway. Firefighters did not reveal the cause of the…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Dump Truck's Load Catches Fire On I-684 Off-Ramp In Westchester, Prompts Firefighter Escort Dump Truck's Load Catches Fire On I-684 Off-Ramp In Westchester, Prompts Firefighter Escort
Dump Truck's Load Catches Fire On I-684 Off-Ramp In Westchester, Prompts Firefighter Escort Firefighters in Westchester County were called to an unusual roadside fire after debris in a dump truck ignited near a busy highway exit. The fire broke out around 9 a.m. on Monday, April 21 on the Interstate 684 Exit 6 off-ramp in Katonah, according to the Katonah Fire Department.  There, a load of construction debris caught fire inside a dump truck, prompting the driver to pull off the road and call for help. Fire crews, who had just cleared from a separate emergency involving a stuck elevator at the Katonah Metro-North train station, raced to the scene and used a hose lin…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
3 Kids Found In Drunk Driver's Car In I-95 Traffic Stop In Westchester: Police 3 Kids Found In Drunk Driver's Car In I-95 Traffic Stop In Westchester: Police
3 Kids Found In Drunk Driver's Car In I-95 Traffic Stop In Westchester: Police A Connecticut woman was arrested on Interstate 95 in Westchester County after allegedly driving drunk with three children in her car, police said. The incident happened late Sunday night, April 20, at around 11:13 p.m., when troopers pulled over a 2014 Toyota Camry traveling northbound in Rye for multiple traffic violations, New York State Police announced on Tuesday, April 22.  Police said the driver, Claudia R. Ruiz, 40, of Greenwich, showed signs of intoxication and failed field sobriety tests at the scene. Troopers also said they found three children, ages 1, 6, and 11, were passen…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Late-Night Fire Engulfs Vehicles, Threatens Train Tracks In Westchester Late-Night Fire Engulfs Vehicles, Threatens Train Tracks In Westchester
Late-Night Fire Engulfs Vehicles, Threatens Train Tracks In Westchester A fast-moving blaze involving multiple vehicles tore through an outdoor storage area in Westchester, forcing train slowdowns and triggering a second-alarm response, firefighters said.  The fire broke out justr after midnight on Monday, April 21, in the west end of New Rochelle, spreading quickly and creating dangerous conditions due to numerous fuel sources in the area, according to the New Rochelle Fire Department.  Crews arrived to find flames moving rapidly through storage lots near the train tracks. The MTA shut down traffic on the closest track and imposed a slowdown on three…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Trump Administration To Resume Student Loan Debt Collections, Millions Face Seized Paychecks Trump Administration To Resume Student Loan Debt Collections, Millions Face Seized Paychecks
Trump Administration To Resume Student Loan Debt Collections, Millions Face Seized Paychecks The Trump administration will begin seizing tax refunds and garnishing paychecks from millions of Americans in default on their student loans for the first time in five years. The Department of Education announced it will restart collections on its defaulted student loan portfolio on Monday, May 5. The agency said about 42.7 million people owe more than $1.6 trillion in student loan debt. About five million borrowers are already in default, with millions more in late-stage delinquency. "American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan p…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Wind-Whipped Blaze Scorches 19 Acres In Hudson Valley Wind-Whipped Blaze Scorches 19 Acres In Hudson Valley
Wind-Whipped Blaze Scorches 19 Acres In Hudson Valley A fast-moving brush fire fueled by wind and dry conditions scorched nearly 20 acres of wooded land in Putnam County, firefighters said.  The fire broke out around 1:15 p.m. on Friday, April 18 near 926 Peekskill Hollow Rd. in Putnam Valley, the Putnam Valley Volunteer Fire Department said on Monday, April 21. When firefighters arrived, they found a large brush fire burning under the power lines and spreading quickly through dry leaves and thick vegetation.   Steep, rocky terrain made access difficult, prompting a mutual aid response from several surrounding fire departments.…

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by Ben Crnic
Lifestyle
Moviegoers Give 'Sinners' An 'A': First Time Ever For Horror Flick Moviegoers Give 'Sinners' An 'A': First Time Ever For Horror Flick
Moviegoers Give 'Sinners' An 'A': First Time Ever For Horror Flick “Sinners” is turning into a big hit with moviegoers and critics. The vampire movie became the first horror film to earn an ‘A’ rating from CinemaScore, an exit poll organization that has been surveying moviegoers for 47-years, Deadline reported. While movies like “Get Out”, “The Lost Boys” and “Child’s Play 2”, achieved an A-, only “Sinners” earned the vaunted “A.” “Sinners” which sees Michael B. Jordan play twin brothers whose plans to open up a juke joint in 1930s Mississippi do not go as planned, overperformed at the box office this past week, earning $48 million at the box office, endi…

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by Sam Barron
News
Oscars Now Requires Voters To Watch Nominated Films Before Voting: Report Oscars Now Requires Voters To Watch Nominated Films Before Voting: Report
Oscars Now Requires Voters To Watch Nominated Films Before Voting: Report Ahead of the 98th Annual Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has implemented a rule that seems straightforward: Voters must actually watch all the nominated films before they vote in a category. Academy members will only be able to access final round ballots for categories in which they’ve confirmed they’ve watched the nominated films, Variety reported. The Academy said it will monitor viewing activity through its members-only Academy Screening Room stream platform, according to Variety. If a film is seen outside the platform, voters must submit a form indicating when a…

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by Sam Barron