Lottery Ticket Worth Over $30K Sold At Deli In Hudson Valley Lottery Ticket Worth Over $30K Sold At Deli In Hudson Valley
Lottery Ticket Worth Over $30K Sold At Deli In Hudson Valley A lucky lottery player took home a large sum of cash after buying a top-prize-winning ticket at a market and deli in Northern Westchester.  The winning Take 5 ticket, worth $30,778, was sold for the drawing on Sunday evening, Dec. 3, New York Lottery officials announced.  The ticket was bought in Ossining at the South Side Mini Market & Deli located at 256 Spring St.  For those who want to try their hand at winning, Take 5 drawings are televised twice a day at 2:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Those who win have up to a year to claim their prize. 
Hochul Urgers NYers To Stay Prepared As Massive Storm System Sweeps Through Hochul Urgers NYers To Stay Prepared As Massive Storm System Sweeps Through
Hochul Urgers NYers To Stay Prepared As Massive Storm System Sweeps Through As a powerful storm accompanying a cold front sweeps through New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging residents to remain prepared. The system arrived in the region around midday on Sunday, Dec. 10, with heavy rain quickly following. Related story: Power Outages, Travel Disruptions, Flooding Possible From Potent Windswept Rainstorm  Long Island, New York City, and the Hudson Valley will see several inches of rain and strong winds that could cause flooding and power outages North Country, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Capital District and Upper Mid-Hudson regions will also see …
Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have Residents In Region Killed Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have Residents In Region Killed
Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have Residents In Region Killed A Utah man has admitted to paying thousands of dollars worth of Bitcoin to arrange for the murders of two New York residents. Christopher Pence, age 43, of Cedar City, Utah appeared in Albany federal court on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and pleaded guilty to using the internet to solicit and pay for murder. According to prosecutors, Pence admitted to contacting the administrator of a website dedicated to arranging contract killings in 2021. He confessed to paying them $16,000 worth of Bitcoin to facilitate the murder of two Hoosick Falls residents in Rensselaer County. Pence gave the administrato…
ID Released For Hudson Valley Resident Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train ID Released For Hudson Valley Resident Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train
ID Released For Hudson Valley Resident Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train The identity has been released of a local resident who was killed after being struck by a Metro-North train near a station in Northern Westchester County. The incident happened on Friday, Dec. 8 around 9 a.m., when the person on the tracks at Chappaqua station was struck by a Harlem Line train, according to a MTA spokesperson. On Saturday, Dec. 9, the MTA identified the person as 42-year-old David B. Gerrard, a resident of Chappaqua. As a result of the incident, Harlem Line trains were delayed by around 10 to 15 minutes. All trains returned to normal service by 11 a.m., officials said. …
COVID-19: US Sees Surge In Hospitalizations, Deaths; Take These Steps, CDC Director Says COVID-19: US Sees Surge In Hospitalizations, Deaths; Take These Steps, CDC Director Says
Covid-19: US Sees Surge In Hospitalizations, Deaths; Take These Steps, CDC Director Says COVID-19 is on the rise just in time for the height of the holiday season. "COVID is starting to increase again after being stable for the last few weeks," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy Cohen said this week.  Nationwide, in the latest data for the week ending Saturday, Dec. 2, there was a 17.6 percent rise in COVID hospitalizations (a total of 22,513) and 25 percent increase in deaths. COVID accounted for three percent of deaths in America from Sunday, Nov. 26 to the end of last week. In addition, the test positivity rate went up around one percent. …
Person Killed After Being Hit By Metro-North Train In Hudson Valley Person Killed After Being Hit By Metro-North Train In Hudson Valley
Person Killed After Being Hit By Metro-North Train In Hudson Valley A person was killed after being struck by a Metro-North train near a station in Northern Westchester, officials said. Click here for a new, updated story - ID Released For Local Resident Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Northern Westchester The incident happened on Friday, Dec. 8 around 9 a.m., when an unauthorized person on the tracks at Chappaqua Station was hit by a Harlem Line train, according to a MTA spokesperson. The person's identity has not yet been released.  As a result of the incident, Harlem Line trains were delayed by around 10 to 15 minutes. All trains ret…
Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At Synagogue In Region Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At Synagogue In Region
Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At Synagogue In Region The man accused of opening fire at a New York synagogue on the first day of Hanukkah has been federally charged. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 28, of Schenectady, appeared in Albany federal court on Friday, Dec. 8, where he was arraigned on one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to the criminal complaint, Alkhader approached Albany’s Temple Israel, located on New Scotland Avenue, at around 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7 armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. He then fired the weapon twice into the air, prosecutors allege. Earlier Report: New Update: Shooting At NY Syna…
Alerts Issued For Teens From Region Missing Several Days Alerts Issued For Teens From Region Missing Several Days
Alerts Issued For Teens From Region Missing Several Days Police in the region are asking for the public’s help with two separate missing teen cases. Gabrella Lopez, age 13, of Schenectady left home on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and hasn’t been seen since, according to Schenectady Police. No other information was given. Anyone with tips is asked to contact the department’s Youth Aid Bureau at 518-382-5256. In an unrelated case, Troy Police announced they’re looking for 16-year-old Julissa O’Reilly, who was reported missing on Tuesday, Dec. 5. She was last seen in the downtown Troy area sometime on Wednesday night, Dec. 6. “We are concerned for her s…
Former NYPD Officer From Hudson Valley Admits Helping Gang Leader Escape Justice: Feds Former NYPD Officer From Hudson Valley Admits Helping Gang Leader Escape Justice: Feds
Former Nypd Officer From Hudson Valley Admits Helping Gang Leader Escape Justice: Feds A former New York City Police officer from Northern Westchester has admitted to warning gang members about a federal investigation into their activity as well as helping the group's leader escape arrest for murder, federal officials said. Mohegan Lake resident Gina Mestre, a 33-year-old former NYPD officer, has pleaded guilty to charges relating to her obstructing a federal investigation into the Shooting Boys gang and helping the group's leader evade justice for murder, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday, Dec. 7. Earlier Report -…
New Update: Shooting At Synagogue In Region On First Day Of Hanukkah Investigated As Hate Crime New Update: Shooting At Synagogue In Region On First Day Of Hanukkah Investigated As Hate Crime
New Update: Shooting At Synagogue In Region On First Day Of Hanukkah Investigated As Hate Crime This story has been updated. A shooting at a New York synagogue on the first day of Hanukkah is being investigated as a hate crime. The incident happened at Albany’s Temple Israel, located on New Scotland Avenue, on Thursday, Dec. 7. According to Albany Police, the 28-year-old man fired two shots from a shotgun in the building's parking lot. Nobody was injured. The shots were first heard by the temple's director of Early Childhood Center, who called 911. At least two dozen preschool-aged children were inside the building at the time, police said. The facility was immediately placed…
Flu Cases Up, Now Deemed 'Prevalent' By NY Health Officials Flu Cases Up, Now Deemed 'Prevalent' By NY Health Officials
Flu Cases Up, Now Deemed 'Prevalent' By NY Health Officials If you haven’t gotten your flu shot this year, now’s the time to do so. New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald declared that influenza is “now prevalent” in the state on Wednesday, Dec. 6. The declaration requires healthcare workers who have not received this year’s flu vaccine to wear masks in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices. "Health care personnel who are not vaccinated against the flu this season need to take extra precautions and wear a mask in health care facilities, as they are exposed to sick patients and come into close contact with those most vulnerab…
Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme
Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme Henry Hill immortalized the line "as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."  That mantra didn't work out well for a pair of brothers - one of whom pretended to be a New York mobster - to get a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his employer in Washington, DC.  New York native Corry Blue Evans, 31, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in an elaborate fraud, extortion, and money laundering scheme that involved several other close-knit co-conspirators who worked to exploit the multi-million dollar scheme. The sentence comes y…
Suspect Nabbed In Shooting That Killed 32-Year-Old Near Home In Region Suspect Nabbed In Shooting That Killed 32-Year-Old Near Home In Region
Suspect Nabbed In Shooting That Killed 32-Year-Old Near Home In Region A suspect is behind bars in connection with a deadly shooting in the region that claimed the life of a 32-year-old man. The incident happened at around 3 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, in Albany’s West Hill neighborhood, on Judson Street near First Street. When officers arrived, they found Elijah Thompson with a gunshot wound to his chest. Earlier Report: ID Released For Victim Killed In Early-Morning Shooting Outside Albany Home He was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Albany Police. On Wednesday, Dec. 6, detectives announced that Dario …
Seen Him? Missing 16-Year-Old Could Be In Hudson Valley Seen Him? Missing 16-Year-Old Could Be In Hudson Valley
Seen Him? Missing 16-Year-Old Could Be In Hudson Valley A missing 16-year-old boy who hasn't been seen in a week may be in the Hudson Valley. The NYPD is seeking the public's assistance in locating Kinje Mann who was last seen leaving his Brooklyn home on Thursday, Nov. 30 around 11 a.m., said the NYPD. Mann is described as having a light complexion and curly blonde hair. He is approximately 5-foot-8 and 147 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white sweater and dark-colored jacket and was carrying two black backpacks.  His mother, Bristol Fahran, said on Facebook the teen may be camping in the Hudson Valley or elsewhere in the NYC…
Thousands Of NY Inmates Wrongly Punished Over Faulty Drug Testing, Report Finds Thousands Of NY Inmates Wrongly Punished Over Faulty Drug Testing, Report Finds
Thousands Of NY Inmates Wrongly Punished Over Faulty Drug Testing, Report Finds Solitary confinement, delays in parole eligibility, and suspended family visits were imposed on thousands of New York prison inmates over faulty drug testing. A report by the New York State Inspector General released Thursday, Nov. 30, found that over 2,000 inmates were wrongly punished between 2016 and 2020 due to defects in both the manufacturing and administration of drug tests. The tests, made by Sirchie Finger Print Laboratories, were used by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to detect drugs in prison contraband. Click here to read the full report by th…
Hudson Valley Man Sold Fentanyl To Victim Who Died In Burning Car After Taking It: Feds Hudson Valley Man Sold Fentanyl To Victim Who Died In Burning Car After Taking It: Feds
Hudson Valley Man Sold Fentanyl To Victim Who Died In Burning Car After Taking It: Feds A 37-year-old Northern Westchester man faces possible prison time after selling fentanyl to a victim who died in a car fire shortly after taking the drugs, federal officials announced.  Mohegan Lake resident Perry Freeman has been charged with distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a victim, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Monday, Dec. 4.  According to federal officials, on Nov. 10, 2021, Freeman sold fentanyl to the victim. A short time after this, police responded to a burning car in a parking lot in Mohegan Lake, onl…
Boston Woman Killed By Shark In Bahamas Boston Woman Killed By Shark In Bahamas
Boston Woman Killed By Shark In Bahamas A 44-year-old Boston woman was killed Monday, Dec. 4, while paddleboarding in the Bahamas after she was attacked by a shark, multiple media outlets reported.  The woman and her husband were about a mile from the five-star Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort when she was attacked, Royal Bahamas Police Force Spokesperson Sergeant Desiree Ferguson said in a news conference.  Related: Woman Killed By Shark In Bahamas ID'd By Police A lifeguard who spotted the couple went out in a boat after the incident began to unfold, according to CBS News. Related: 'It Violently Turned At M…
Powerball Ticket Worth $1 Million Sold In Hudson Valley Powerball Ticket Worth $1 Million Sold In Hudson Valley
Powerball Ticket Worth $1 Million Sold In Hudson Valley Just in time for Christmas, a winning second-prize Powerball ticket was sold in the Hudson Valley. The ticket worth $1 million for the Monday, Dec. 4 game, was sold in Rockland County at the Coco Farms Of Nyack located at 53 Route 59, said New York Lottery officials.  The winning numbers for the game were: 18-19-27-28- 45 and a Powerball of 9. The Powerball numbers are drawn from a field of one to 69. The red Power Ball is drawn from a separate field of one to 26.  The Powerball drawing is televised every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11 p.m.
Winning $50K Powerball Ticket Sold At Hudson Valley Store Winning $50K Powerball Ticket Sold At Hudson Valley Store
Winning $50K Powerball Ticket Sold At Hudson Valley Store A popular Hudson Valley store known for winning lottery tickets strikes again as another winning third-place Powerball ticket was purchased there. The ticket, worth $50,000 for the Saturday, Dec. 2, Powerball drawing was sold in Orange County at the Smoke 4 Less store on Plank Road in Newburgh, said New York Lottery officials.  The winning numbers were 28-35-41-47-60 and a Powerball of 3. The winning ticket had four matching numbers and the Powerball, officials said. The winning numbers for the Powerball game are drawn from a field of one to 69. The red Power Ball is drawn from …
$28K Theft: Home Health Aide From Region Admits Stealing From Dementia Patient $28K Theft: Home Health Aide From Region Admits Stealing From Dementia Patient
$28K Theft: Home Health Aide From Region Admits Stealing From Dementia Patient A home health aide from the region has admitted stealing thousands of dollars from her patient. Rensselaer County resident Lakeisha Stewart, age 43, of Rensselaer, pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny in Albany County Court on Friday, Dec. 1. Stewart admitted that between January and February 2023, she cashed several checks from the victim’s account while working as their home health aide. The victim was diagnosed with dementia and was unable to consent to the payments, prosecutors said. Altogether, Stewart stole approximately $28,500 from the victim. She faces up to six months in j…
Vet Tech From Dutchess Convicted Of Stealing Lifesaving Medications From Facility Vet Tech From Dutchess Convicted Of Stealing Lifesaving Medications From Facility
Vet Tech From Dutchess Convicted Of Stealing Lifesaving Medications From Facility A former veterinary technician faces years in prison after stealing lifesaving oncology medication from an animal hospital in the Hudson Valley, officials announced.  Dutchess County resident Elisa Sanchez was convicted of charges relating to the theft of medication from a facility in Putnam County on Friday, Dec. 1, Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced on Monday, Dec. 4.  Sanchez, a former veterinary technician for Guardian Veterinary Specialists in Southeast at 4 Hardscrabble Heights, stole lifesaving oncology medications used to treat animals sufferi…
Support Floods In For Children Of Beloved Hudson Valley Attorneys Killed In Thanksgiving Crash Support Floods In For Children Of Beloved Hudson Valley Attorneys Killed In Thanksgiving Crash
Support Floods In For Children Of Beloved Hudson Valley Attorneys Killed In Thanksgiving Crash Weeks after a tragic Thanksgiving crash in Connecticut that killed two beloved attorneys from Westchester, their community is coming together to ensure that the couple's children will be taken care of.  Scarsdale residents Toby Cohen, age 41, and Brooke Peltz Cohen, age 37, were both killed in a crash in Hartford County on Thursday, Nov. 23 just after 7:15 p.m. near the Bristol/Farmington town line on Stevens Street in Bristol.  Earlier Report - New Update: Scarsdale Parents Of 3 Killed In Thanksgiving Crash Were Beloved Attorneys According to Bristol Police, …
Power Outage Measure: New Law Forces NY Companies To Prioritize Fixing Downed Wires Power Outage Measure: New Law Forces NY Companies To Prioritize Fixing Downed Wires
Power Outage Measure: New Law Forces NY Companies To Prioritize Fixing Downed Wires A new law signed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will force utility companies in the state to quickly respond to downed wires reported by members of the public.  The legislation, which was announced on Wednesday, Nov. 22, will protect residents during storms by requiring utility companies to respond to reports of downed wires no later than 72 hours after the response to the emergency event ends, according to Hochul.  Before the new law was signed, power companies were only required to have a plan to secure a wire on a schedule if it was reported by a municipal emergency official.&nb…
These Dutchess County Roadways To Be Repaved As Part Of $100M Project These Dutchess County Roadways To Be Repaved As Part Of $100M Project
These Dutchess County Roadways To Be Repaved As Part Of $100M Project Thanks to $100 million in new funding, over 560 miles of roadway across the state of New York will be repaved to make them more resilient to freak weather events. The $100 million investment, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced, will support repaving projects on nearly 568 miles of busy roadways throughout the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Long Island, and more.  Hochul said the effort comes as a result of severe weather that has been battering the state more and more.  "From a devastating blizzard to historic flooding, we are living in a time of record-breaking weather events which hav…
COVID-19: 'We're Going Back Up Again,' CDC Director Says Amid Post-Thanksgiving Increases COVID-19: 'We're Going Back Up Again,' CDC Director Says Amid Post-Thanksgiving Increases
Covid-19: 'We're Going Back Up Again,' CDC Director Says Amid Post-Thanksgiving Increases Key metrics in weekly data indicate the first major nationwide COVID-19 uptick in months following the Thanksgiving holiday. Speaking at a Congressional hearing on Thursday, Nov. 30, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said: "We are going back up again, which we expected after a lot of travel and gathering at Thanksgiving." Nationwide, in the latest data for the week ending Saturday, Nov. 25, there was a 10.6 percent increase in emergency room visits and 10 percent increase in hospitalizations. In addition, the test positivity rate went up 1.2 perc…
Hudson Valley Man Charged With Homicide In Fentanyl Death Hudson Valley Man Charged With Homicide In Fentanyl Death
Hudson Valley Man Charged With Homicide In Fentanyl Death A Hudson Valley man has been charged with homicide for allegedly selling fentanyl to a man who later died. Orange County resident Timothy Lempicki, age 36, of Washingtonville, a village in Blooming Grove, was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday, Nov. 30. According to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, Lempicki was also charged with manslaughter, and criminal sale of a controlled substance. Hoovler said the charges were filed in connection with the death of a man who was found dead in New Windsor on Sunday, July 17, 2022.  An autopsy revealed that the man had died du…
Gunman Who Killed 24-Year-Old Postal Worker In Region Sentenced To Prison Gunman Who Killed 24-Year-Old Postal Worker In Region Sentenced To Prison
Gunman Who Killed 24-Year-Old Postal Worker In Region Sentenced To Prison More than a year after a young postal worker was shot to death in the region, his killer is heading to prison. Laquan Fallen, age 24, of Albany, was sentenced to between five and 15 years in prison in Albany County Supreme Court on Friday, Dec. 1. It followed his guilty plea to manslaughter for shooting and killing 24-year-old Czsar Lewis in Albany. Earlier Report: Postal Worker From Albany Who Died At Age 24 Remembered As 'Bright Light' According to prosecutors, the two were near Central Avenue and Robin Street on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, when Fallen shot Lewis with a handgun. He was…
Former Officer Avoids Prison Time After Stealing From Hudson Valley Charity For Children Former Officer Avoids Prison Time After Stealing From Hudson Valley Charity For Children
Former Officer Avoids Prison Time After Stealing From Hudson Valley Charity For Children A former police officer and co-founder of a Westchester-based charity for autistic children has been sentenced after stealing $24,000 from his own organization named after his son, officials announced.  New Rochelle resident Christopher Greco, age 52, was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge for stealing from Christopher’s Voice, Inc., a New Rochelle-based charity for autistic children that he co-founded, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Friday, Dec. 3. Earlier Report - Former Police Officer Steals $24K From New Rochelle Charity Fo…
RSV Cases Spike Past COVID-19, Flu In NY RSV Cases Spike Past COVID-19, Flu In NY
RSV Cases Spike Past Covid-19, Flu In NY Health officials are urging New Yorkers to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations as cases of RSV have skyrocketed past cases of the flu and COVID-19. On Wednesday, Nov. 29, the New York State Department of Health urged eligible New Yorkers to get vaccinated against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The recommendation was published alongside data comparing the number of RSV cases alongside COVID-19 and flu cases across the state. From Saturday, Oct. 21 to Saturday, Nov. 25, COVID-19 cases dropped from around 200 cases to just over 150, while the flu increased from under 50 to around…
Update: Teen Driver In Crash That Killed Sergeant From Putnam Won't Be Tried In Criminal Court Update: Teen Driver In Crash That Killed Sergeant From Putnam Won't Be Tried In Criminal Court
Update: Teen Driver In Crash That Killed Sergeant From Putnam Won't Be Tried In Criminal Court A 16-year-old who is charged in connection to a crash that killed a beloved police sergeant in Westchester will be charged in Family Court rather than criminal court, authorities announced. The development in the case, which centered around the December 2022 crash that killed Yonkers Police Department Det. Sgt. Frank Gualdino, was announced by the Yonkers Police Department on Thursday, Nov. 30. A 16-year-old Yonkers boy had been criminally charged with one count of criminally negligent homicide in connection to the crash in late October. However, the boy's case will now be transferred …
COVID-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks COVID-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks
Covid-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks Nationwide cases of the so-called COVID-19 Pirola subvariant have tripled in two weeks. The strain officially known as BA.2.86 has been particularly prominent in New York.  It now makes up 9 percent of COVID cases in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). World Health Organization (WHO) authorities said they consider BA.2.86 to be part of the Omicron variant family, but that could change if the strain spreads more widely even though Pirola's 30 mutations are from the BA.2 lineage, which was the dominant Omicron strain …