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Lifestyle
LEGOLAND Theme Park In Hudson Valley Announces Re-Opening Date, New Experiences LEGOLAND Theme Park In Hudson Valley Announces Re-Opening Date, New Experiences
Legoland Theme Park In Hudson Valley Announces Re-Opening Date, New Experiences Everything is awesome at the Hudson Valley’s newest theme park as LEGOLAND prepares for opening day with new attractions and experiences. In Orange County, the LEGOLAND New York Resort announced that it will officially be opening for its first full season on Friday, April 8 with a host of improvements, including the debut of its new water playground. In July 2021, LEGOLAND New York opened up for the first time after years in development, representing the first major theme park in the region in more than 40 years. Earlier story - New Hudson Valley Theme Park LEGOLAND Celebrates Opening, No…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Apologizes For Comment At Anti-Vax Rally His Wife Called 'Reprehensible' Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Apologizes For Comment At Anti-Vax Rally His Wife Called 'Reprehensible'
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Apologizes For Comment At Anti-Vax Rally His Wife Called 'Reprehensible' Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has issued a public apology after being blasted by critics - including his own family - for making an Anne Frank reference during an anti-vaccine and mandate rally in Washington, DC. During the event on Sunday, Jan. 23, Kennedy drew the ire of many when he implied that Anne Frank had more freedom in hiding from the Nazis than people have under the current US vaccine policies. “What we’re seeing today is what I call turnkey totalitarianism. They are putting in place all of these technological mechanisms for control we’ve never seen before,” Kennedy said. “It’s been the…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Dies At Prison In Hudson Valley Former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Dies At Prison In Hudson Valley
Former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Dies At Prison In Hudson Valley Embattled former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, once one of the state’s most powerful politicians, has reportedly died at the age of 77 in a Hudson Valley prison. A Democrat, Silver was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison in July 2021 on corruption charges and died at the Otisville Correctional Institution in Orange County on Monday, Jan. 24, officials announced. Silver, who at one point represented most of Manhattan, was found guilty of two counts of honest service wire fraud, two counts of honest services mail fraud, two counts of extortion under the color of off…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Orange Juice Prices Could Increase Amid Lower Yield, Report Says Orange Juice Prices Could Increase Amid Lower Yield, Report Says
Orange Juice Prices Could Increase Amid Lower Yield, Report Says Orange juice prices could increase as Florida orange groves are seeing a lower crop yield this season.  According to a January report from the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Statistics Board, the 2021-2022 forecast of Florida oranges is 44.5 million boxes, which is 1.5 million fewer than the December forecast. The USDA said if the forecast is realized, the final production will be 16 percent less than last year.  ABC News reported that this lower yield could lead to higher prices, adding that prices are already high due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According…

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by Nicole Valinote
Schools
NY Launches Plan To Address School Bus Driver Shortage NY Launches Plan To Address School Bus Driver Shortage
NY Launches Plan To Address School Bus Driver Shortage New York has a plan to address the growing shortage of school bus and truck drivers that has plagued the state of late. Under the plan presented by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the state would expand the availability of road tests for Commercial Driver License (CDL) applicants while permitting qualified third parties to offer the road tests, which would reduce the time it takes to get CDL drivers on the road. Much of the shortage concerns have been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we continue to fight this pandemic, we remain committed to expanding opportunities for New Yorkers, sup…

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by Zak Failla
News
Here's Who Will Be Eligible For $5,000 Stimulus Checks Here's Who Will Be Eligible For $5,000 Stimulus Checks
Here's Who Will Be Eligible For $5,000 Stimulus Checks It is unlikely that the federal government will distribute a fresh round of stimulus checks to most Americans again, but some will qualify for some financial assistance in 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, eligible Americans received as many as three stimulus checks to help them ride out the pandemic, though a fourth is unlikely, outside of a specific group. Parents who gave birth to a child in 2021 will be eligible for a 2022 stimulus check of up to $1,400, similar to the third round that was issued in March last year. Eligible new parents who inform the IRS they had a baby — or babies …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Albany's Director Of Operations Taking Job In Westchester Albany's Director Of Operations Taking Job In Westchester
Albany's Director Of Operations Taking Job In Westchester One of Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan’s top aides announced that he will be leaving upstate to take on a new job in Westchester. Brian Shea, the director of operations for the City of Albany is heading to Westchester, where he will serve as Rye’s newest assistant city manager beginning in February. Prior to his time in the mayor’s office, Shea was chief of staff to the mayor, serving as a chief spokesperson for the mayor and as Albany’s public information officer. Shea also spent time working for the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services after receiving his underg…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Here's How Much, When Minimum Wage Will Increase In Westchester Here's How Much, When Minimum Wage Will Increase In Westchester
Here's How Much, When Minimum Wage Will Increase In Westchester Workers in downstate New York are all getting a holiday bonus this year, as minimum wage rates get bumped for the third straight year. As of Friday, Dec. 31, minimum wage workers in Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties will see a bump in their paychecks as their hourly wages will rise to a minimum of $15, putting them on par with employees at large firms in New York City, which has been at that benchmark for three years. Minimum wage employees in those counties had previously been getting $14 an hour. Fast-food workers across New York also make $15 an hour, regardless of location, wh…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: These Will Be Key Signs When End To Pandemic Is Coming, CDC Director Says COVID-19: These Will Be Key Signs When End To Pandemic Is Coming, CDC Director Says
Covid-19: These Will Be Key Signs When End To Pandemic Is Coming, CDC Director Says The COVID-19 pandemic is now nearly two years old, and there's still no end in sight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says there are two key signs to look for down the line that are key indicators when the time comes that it does finally wind down. The first is a manageable number of hospitalizations, and the second is a significant drop in the number of daily deaths, she said in an interview with ABC News. To get there, Walensky emphasized the importance of relying on strategies that have proven to be effective, namely vaccines and mask…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
It's Opening Day For New Restaurant In Hudson Valley It's Opening Day For New Restaurant In Hudson Valley
It's Opening Day For New Restaurant In Hudson Valley A new restaurant is set to throw open its doors in the Hudson Valley. The International Buffet & Grill, in Dutchess County, opens on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 2355 South Road in the town of Poughkeepsie, taking the place of a Golden Corral that shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not a lot is known about the new restaurant except it serves a variety of international food including American, Mexican, Italian, and Dominican, the restaurant said on Facebook. Some choices on the buffet will include pizza, chicken rotisserie, desserts, and a chocolate fountain. The restaurant…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month
Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month Andrew Cuomo is no longer sitting inside the Governor’s Mansion in Albany, but he is still collecting a hefty paycheck from New York State. The embattled former governor, who resigned over the summer following an investigation into nearly a dozen of complaints of sexual harassment, received his first pension check last month to the tune of $4,219.11, according to the New York State comptroller’s office. His first payment was sent in October 2021, officials said. Cuomo's annual benefits add up to $50,629.32, which he will get the amount for the rest of his life, plus future cost of living …

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by Zak Failla
Business
CVS To Close 900 Stores As It Adjusts To Increasing Number Of Online Shoppers CVS To Close 900 Stores As It Adjusts To Increasing Number Of Online Shoppers
CVS To Close 900 Stores As It Adjusts To Increasing Number Of Online Shoppers Nearly one thousand CVS stores are set to close over the next three years as the retail giant continues to pivot away from retail and leans into the company's healthcare services. On Thursday, Nov. 18, the company announced that it planned to shut down at least 300 stores annually for the next three years as it re-evaluates its business strategy. The closures will begin in spring 2022. CVS made the announcement as it continues to contend with digital competition and online shopping, which was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the company to pivot its plans for the future. …

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by Zak Failla