Hochul Provides Update On Wildfires In Hudson Valley Hochul Provides Update On Wildfires In Hudson Valley
Hochul Provides Update On Wildfires In Hudson Valley As the wildfires continue to burn across the Hudson Valley, Gov. Kathy Hochul updated what's being done to mitigate and contain them. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Hochul said a multi-agency response had been deployed to fires in Orange and Ulster counties in close coordination with local fire departments and first responders.  According to Hochul, an aerial investigation shows the Orange County fire named the Jennings Creek/Sterling State Park wildfire in New York and New Jersey now encompasses 5,000 acres, half of which is in New York, and is 10 percent contained in both states. The fire in …
Risk Increases For Major Hurricane To Develop In Days: Here's Timing, Track Scenarios Risk Increases For Major Hurricane To Develop In Days: Here's Timing, Track Scenarios
Risk Increases For Major Hurricane To Develop In Days: Here's Timing, Track Scenarios Extremely warm water temperatures and low wind shear will increase the risk for the development of a major hurricane in the Gulf of America. The timing for tropical development in the western Caribbean is between Thursday, Nov. 14, and Monday, Nov. 18, according to AccuWeather. (See the image above.)   “We’ll likely be dealing with a hurricane as we head into this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "There is increasing confidence that a tropical storm will develop in the central to western Caribbean later this week.  “We could be dealing with a st…
Fireball Lights Up East Coast Sky, Captivating Hundreds Across NY Fireball Lights Up East Coast Sky, Captivating Hundreds Across NY
Fireball Lights Up East Coast Sky, Captivating Hundreds Across NY A bright fireball streaked across the East Coast on Monday, Nov. 11, catching the attention of hundreds of people from Connecticut to Virginia (did you see it? Send footage to clevine@dailyvoice.com). The American Meteor Society reported that 236 people witnessed the fireball around 7:48 p.m., with sightings spanning 13 states, the District of Columbia, and Ontario, Canada (click here for the sightings map). Witnesses described the fireball as a striking light blue or green that illuminated the sky for four to seven seconds, moving diagonally from the upper right to the lower left. The eve…
5, Including Ex-NYPD Cop, Nabbed For Illegal Online Sports Betting Operation: DA 5, Including Ex-NYPD Cop, Nabbed For Illegal Online Sports Betting Operation: DA
5, Including Ex-nypd Cop, Nabbed For Illegal Online Sports Betting Operation: DA Five individuals, including a former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, were indicted following an investigation into an alleged illegal online sports betting ring. Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced on Thursday, Nov. 7 that the news comes after a 14-month investigation involving wiretaps and surveillance.  The investigation, which began in July 2023, allegedly uncovered an illegal sportsbook operation running from September 2023 to April 2024. According to the indictment, Anthony Pellegrino, age 59, of Merrick, set up online accounts for his asso…
Gun Buyback Event To Be Held In Westchester Gun Buyback Event To Be Held In Westchester
Gun Buyback Event To Be Held In Westchester In an effort to protect residents from gun violence, the New York Attorney General's Office will be buying back firearms during an event to be held in Northern Westchester.  The gun buyback event will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Peekskill at 1040 Main St. (Route 6/202), the New York Attorney General's Office announced.  The event will be held by the AG's Office in addition to the New York State Police, Peekskill Police Department, Westchester District Attorney's Office, and the Peekskill chapter of the NAACP.  The fol…
COVID-19: Health Department Urges NYers To Get Vaccine As Respiratory Illness Season Starts COVID-19: Health Department Urges NYers To Get Vaccine As Respiratory Illness Season Starts
Covid-19: Health Department Urges NYers To Get Vaccine As Respiratory Illness Season Starts With respiratory illness season underway, the New York State Department of Health is actively urging residents aged 6 months and older to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine.  This recommendation aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recent update, which emphasizes the importance of a second dose of the 2024-2025 vaccine for older adults and those at higher risk. The CDC now advises that adults aged 65 and older, along with individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, should receive a second dose six months after their initial vaccination. This u…
Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages
Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages A woman has pleaded guilty to sending racially motivated death threats to a man in  New York. Kristin Keeble, age 54, of Pageland, South Carolina, admitted to transmitting threats to injure another person across state lines, according to the US Attorney's Office of the Northern District of New York. Keeble sent four profanity-laced, racially derogatory audio messages through Facebook Messenger on Oct. 26, 2023  to a Greene County man who resides in the village of Catskill. In the messages, she threatened to kill the man, along with a woman he knew and the woman's children, claimi…
No, The FBI Says It Isn't Investigating 301 Election Bribery Claims Or Other Lies No, The FBI Says It Isn't Investigating 301 Election Bribery Claims Or Other Lies
No, The FBI Says It Isn't Investigating 301 Election Bribery Claims Or Other Lies The Federal Bureau of Investigations said it has seen a rise in fake stories using the agency's name and insignia being shared online in an attempt to undermine the recent presidential election.  The FBI cited four fake stories being shared on social media trading on the agency's reputation to give credence to lies.  Those included a video stating that “at least 301 electors reported attempted bribery and blackmail" from a political party, the agency said in a news release. Another claimed that agents had tried to cover up the bribery scheme by pressuring news media outl…
New Images Of Stranded New England Astronaut Spark Concerns New Images Of Stranded New England Astronaut Spark Concerns
New Images Of Stranded New England Astronaut Spark Concerns NASA is assuring the public that a Massachusetts astronaut is in good health after recent photos of the woman sparked concerns to the contrary. Pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, has been stuck aboard the International Space Station since early June after NASA discovered multiple problems with the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft. The 59-year-old retired Navy officer, along with her colleague Butch Wilmore, were originally scheduled to return home after eight days. They’ll now hitch a ride back to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025. Earlier …
Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says
Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says An Iranian operative and two associates living in America have been charged in a murder-for-hire plot targeting United States citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump. Federal authorities have charged Farhad Shakeri, an alleged operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with two New York City associates in a plot to assassinate a US citizen critical of the Iranian government.  The case highlights the continued threat posed by Iran’s attempts to silence dissidents and even target top US. officials. According to the Department of Justice criminal complai…
Students Targeted With Racial Texts At School District In Hudson Valley Students Targeted With Racial Texts At School District In Hudson Valley
Students Targeted With Racial Texts At School District In Hudson Valley Officials are investigating after several Hudson Valley students were the targets of explicitly racist text messages that were also sent to Black and Brown students in several states since Election Day. The incidents occurred in Rockland County on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Nyack's middle and high schools. "While there are slight variations in the wording, these texts are horrific and explicitly racist, specifically threatening “to make students slaves, take them to plantations to pick cotton or that they will be deported to Africa,” said Nyack School District Intermin Superintende…
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child A Hudson Valley man has admitted to sexually abusing a child repeatedly. Rockland County resident Luis Quinac-Morales, age 41, of Spring Valley, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh. Beginning in 2016, Quinac-Morales routinely sexually abused the 12-year-old girl in the Village of Spring Valley. The repeated sexual abuse consisted of sexual intercourse, Walsh said.  “The defendant in this case subjected a 12- year-old innocent child to horrific sexual abuse," Walsh said. "My Office works in collaboration with our partner…
$2.5B 2025 Budget Proposed In Westchester: Here's Where Funding Would Go $2.5B 2025 Budget Proposed In Westchester: Here's Where Funding Would Go
$2.5B 2025 Budget Proposed In Westchester: Here's Where Funding Would Go If you're worried about tax increases, the proposed 2025 Westchester County budget may come as some relief.  The $2.5 billion proposed 2025 Westchester County operating budget was unveiled by County Executive George Latimer in a presentation given on Thursday, Nov. 7.  According to Latimer, the budget proposal maintains the same tax levy as the 2024 budget, making it the sixth consecutive year without an increase if it is passed. The proposal "prioritizes key areas such as public safety, emergency preparedness, housing, health and mental health services, as well as environmental …
These Over-The-Counter Decongestants Don't Work, FDA Says These Over-The-Counter Decongestants Don't Work, FDA Says
These Over-The-Counter Decongestants Don't Work, FDA Says A common ingredient found in most oral over-the-counter cold medicines should be removed from the market because it doesn’t work, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. This follows an extensive review that found the drug ineffective for treating nasal congestion. Oral phenylephrine, widely marketed in cold and allergy medications, has been in use for decades as a go-to nasal decongestant.  However, an FDA review, backed by last year’s unanimous recommendation from the Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee, found that phenylephrine in oral form does not deliver effective conge…
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters A husband and wife will avoid jail after admitting fault in a fire at their New York vacation rental that killed two sisters. On Long Island, Peter Miller, age 56, and Pamela Miller, age 55, were each sentenced to community service in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the deaths of Lindsay and Jillian Wiener, CBS New York reports. The 19-year-old Lindsay and 21-year-old Jillian, both of Potomac, Maryland, were vacationing with their brother and parents at the Millers’ Noyac home when the blaze broke out on the morning of Aug. 3, 2022. Earlier Report: Sisters On Vacation K…
Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues
Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues As dry conditions continue, open fires have been banned in Westchester County-owned parks. The ban was announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6 by Westchester Parks officials, who also said it was effective immediately.  The ban follows a Drought Watch declared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Tuesday, Nov. 5 as a result of low precipitation levels. According to parks officials, wooded environments in parks such as camping sites and remote areas have an increased fire risk because of the rain shortage.  During the ban, charcoal and propane fires are only a…
Bridge 'Red-Flagged,' Immediately Closed To Traffic In Westchester Bridge 'Red-Flagged,' Immediately Closed To Traffic In Westchester
Bridge 'Red-Flagged,' Immediately Closed To Traffic In Westchester Traffic on a more-than-century-old bridge in Northern Westchester has been halted following the discovery of structural deficiencies, officials announced.  The Quaker Bridge, which carries Quaker Bridge Road over the Croton River in Cortlandt, was "red-flagged" and closed to vehicular traffic, Cortlandt town officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6.  The bridge, built in 1894, is owned and maintained by Westchester County. Plans had already been in place to replace it with a new structure, as it was known to be structurally impaired, town officials said. However, the bridge has n…
Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting
Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting A New York State Police trooper who claimed someone shot him on a roadway in the region is now under criminal investigation amid growing doubts over his story. On Long Island, state police “have reason to believe that the incident did not occur the way it was reported” by trooper Thomas Mascia, an agency spokesperson told reporters Wednesday morning, Nov. 6. Police confirmed that the five-year department veteran is now the subject of both a criminal investigation and an internal probe being conducted by state police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Earlier Report: T…
Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting
Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting A New York State Police trooper who claimed he was shot on a roadway in the region has been sidelined amid doubts about his story. On Long Island, trooper Thomas Mascia, age 27, was suspended without pay and stripped of his agency-issued service weapon, an NYSP spokesperson told Daily Voice. The agency is investigating whether Mascia, of West Hempstead, shot himself in the leg, NBC New York reports. It comes after state police confirmed it was conducting a joint investigation with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office into what DA Anne Donnelly described as “certain inconsisten…
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Cases of whooping cough are five times higher than at this time a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning. Officially known as pertussis, those infected have persistent, chronic fits of coughing followed by a “whoop” sound. "Reports of pertussis cases were lower than usual over the past few years, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.," the CDC said in a new advisory. "However, the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns where more than 10,000 cases are typically reported each year. It's likely mitigation measures used during the…
Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA
Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA A New York State Police trooper who suffered a gunshot wound on a roadway in the region may not have been entirely truthful about what happened. On Long Island, state police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s office are investigating “certain inconsistencies” in Trooper Thomas Mascia’s reporting of the alleged incident, a spokesperson for DA Anne Donnelly told Daily Voice. On Monday, Nov. 4, State Police executed a search warrant at Mascia’s home in West Hempstead. The agency also canceled the BOLO (be on the lookout) for the suspect vehicle. Earlier Report: Trooper Shot In W…
Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Westchester Supermarket: Police Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Westchester Supermarket: Police
Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Westchester Supermarket: Police A 34-year-old man was caught with items stolen from a supermarket in the region after officers found him hiding behind a rock wall, police said. In Northern Westchester County, Shrub Oak resident Jonathan Tozzo was arrested following an incident in Yorktown on Thursday, Oct. 24, Yorktown Police announced on Tuesday, Oct. 29.  According to the department, at around 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, a concerned citizen alerted a Yorktown officer about a man hiding behind a wall on East Main Street. When the officer approached the man, later identified as Tozzo, he quickly walked away and ignored co…
Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail On Saw Mill Parkway In Westchester Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail On Saw Mill Parkway In Westchester
Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail On Saw Mill Parkway In Westchester One person was killed after a vehicle left the roadway in Northern Westchester County and crashed into a guardrail.  Brand-new update: ID Released For 29-Year-Old Killed In Northern Westchester Crash It happened around 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3 in Chappaqua on the southbound Saw Mill Parkway.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, Westchester County Police said. A passenger was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The southbound lanes of the parkway were closed in that area for several hours for an investigation by Westchester County PD patrol o…
NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls
NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls A days-long search for a New York mother and her two children was unsuccessful after police say the woman jumped with them off Niagara Falls. State Police say that 33-year-old Chianti Means, Roman Rossman, age 9, and Mecca Means, 5 months old, crossed over the guardrail and went over the falls on Luna Island, which is attached to Goat Island, on Monday night, Oct. 28. "The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation," according to New York State Police. All three were residents of Niagara Falls. New York St…
Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation
Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Outrage is swirling after New York wildlife officials seized and later euthanized beloved social media sensation “Peanut” the squirrel. Chemung County resident Mark Longo, of Elmira, took to Instagram Wednesday, Oct 30, telling his 581,000 followers that Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers had seized the animal, which he rescued in 2017 after its mother was struck by a car. “Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he wrote. “To the people who called (DEC), there’s a special place in hell for you.” In a…
Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY
Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY A young woman was killed and an infant hospitalized after a vehicle crashed into an Amish carriage on a New York road. The incident happened around 4:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in Herkimer County in the village of Newport, located about 70 miles west of Sarasota Springs. New York State Police say a preliminary investigation revealed that a 2017 Jeep Renegade operated by a 36-year-old Newport man was traveling east on Butler Road when it struck the rear portion of the Amish Buggy traveling in the same direction. As a result of the collision, Rebecca Swartzentruber, age 31, from Newport, and 1…
Overpass Bridge Where Fallen Officer Was Killed Renamed In His Honor In Westchester Overpass Bridge Where Fallen Officer Was Killed Renamed In His Honor In Westchester
Overpass Bridge Where Fallen Officer Was Killed Renamed In His Honor In Westchester Nearly two years after the death of a beloved police officer, the Westchester County bridge where he was fatally struck in a head-on crash is now forever named in his memory.  In a ceremony held on Wednesday, Oct. 30, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the renaming of the Tuckahoe Road Bridge over the Sprain Brook Parkway in Yonkers after Yonkers Police Detective Sergeant Frank Gualdino, who was killed in a crash in December 2022 at the age of 53. On Dec. 1, 2022, Gualdino, a Putnam County resident who lived in Mahopac, was driving on Tuckahoe Road while on duty when a speed…
Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows
Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows A New York State Police trooper who was shot and injured while trying to help a highway motorist is back home with his family. Thomas Mascia, age 27, was released from Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow on Friday morning, Nov. 1. Law enforcement officers from across Nassau and Suffolk counties gathered outside the hospital for a “walk-out” ceremony honoring the injured trooper. Earlier Report: 'All-Out' Manhunt Underway After Trooper Shot In West Hempstead; Cash Reward Being Offered “I’m feeling good,” he told the crowd. “I’m going home.” The jubilant scene came two d…
Body Of Westchester Man Found In Neighboring Town Body Of Westchester Man Found In Neighboring Town
Body Of Westchester Man Found In Neighboring Town Authorities are investigating the death of a man whose body was found along a Hudson Valley road.  The body of  Northern Westchester County resident Charles Flowers, age 81, of Somers, was discovered on Stoneleigh Avenue in Putnam County on Wednesday, Oct. 30 around 1 p.m. in the town of Carmel, according to Trooper AJ Hicks of the New York State Police. Hicks said that Flowers had been a patient at Putnam Hospital in Carme but had been discharged before his death.  Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of Flowers's death along with the Putnam C…
New Rochelle Selects Next City Manager New Rochelle Selects Next City Manager
New Rochelle Selects Next City Manager A Westchester County city's new manager ended up being quite a familiar face despite an extensive recruitment effort that spanned multiple states.  In an announcement on Thursday, Oct. 31, New Rochelle officials revealed that Wilfredo Melendez was unanimously selected as the new City Manager and will begin serving on Sunday, Dec. 1. Melendez had previously been serving as Acting City Manager since April following the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Kathleen Gill.  Earlier Report - New Rochelle City Manager Kathleen Gill Resigns Suddenly The city's decision …
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Westchester Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Westchester Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Westchester Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says A 40-year-old man who allegedly shot his girlfriend and her two children in Northern Westchester and then led authorities on a 12-hour manhunt is in the United States illegally and has had past encounters with Border Patrol, officials said. Fernando Andres Jimenez Meza, who allegedly shot and killed 15-year-old Michael Raimondi and injured his mother and brother during an incident in the Baldwin Place section of Somers on Monday, Oct. 28, is an unlawfully present citizen of Chile, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said on Friday, Nov. 1. He entere…