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Hurricane Sandy

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$2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy $2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy
$2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy A former New York contractor confessed to stealing millions of dollars from homeowners who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy to fund his lavish lifestyle. Alexander Almaraz, age 56, who formerly lived on Long Island in Freeport, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in Central Islip federal court on Thursday, Sept. 5. Prosecutors said Almaraz, who owned Design Concepts Group (DCG) in Freeport, targeted homeowners who suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and later received relief funds from the governor’s office. Earlier Report: Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar,…

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by Michael Mashburn
Lifestyle
Chuck Scarborough To Mark 50 Years With WNBC: 'Giant In American Journalism' Chuck Scarborough To Mark 50 Years With WNBC: 'Giant In American Journalism'
Chuck Scarborough To Mark 50 Years With Wnbc: 'Giant In American Journalism' To celebrate journalism legend and localresident Chuck Scarborough's 50th year with NBC 4 New York, the network will hold a week of tributes that will look back at memorable moments throughout his career.  To commemorate  the 80-year-old Scarborough's lengthy career, NBC 4 New York will hold a ceremony on Monday, March 25 at 10 a.m. during which the Empire State Building will be illuminated in the journalist's honor. Those who want to watch this special event can stream it live on the station's "NBC New York News" channel.  Additionally, at 4 p.m. on Monday, the network …

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Beloved NY Anchor Ruschell Boone Dies At Age 48: 'A Tenacious Journalist' Beloved NY Anchor Ruschell Boone Dies At Age 48: 'A Tenacious Journalist'
Beloved NY Anchor Ruschell Boone Dies At Age 48: 'A Tenacious Journalist' Longtime Spectrum News NY1 anchor and reporter Ruschell Boone has died just months after returning to the anchor chair following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Boone died Sunday, Sept. 3, at the age of 48 due to cancer-related complications, the station announced Tuesday, Sept. 5. “For 21 years, Ruschell was a member of our staff, as well as a friend and mentor to many.” A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Boone immigrated to the Bronx with her family when she was 11 years old.  The Emmy award-winning journalist joined NY1 in 2002 as a Queens reporter after discovering a passion for journa…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar, Oh My: NY Contractor Charged In $2M Hurricane Sandy Relief Fraud Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar, Oh My: NY Contractor Charged In $2M Hurricane Sandy Relief Fraud
Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar, Oh My: NY Contractor Charged In $2M Hurricane Sandy Relief Fraud A New York contractor is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from Hurricane Sandy victims and using the money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Alexander Almaraz, age 55, who formerly lived on Long Island, in Freeport on , is expected to be arraigned on wire fraud charges in federal court in Central Islip on Thursday, Jan. 26, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District. Prosecutors said Almaraz, who owns Design Concepts Group (DCG) in Freeport, targeted homeowners who suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and later recei…

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
NY State Senator Resigns NY State Senator Resigns
NY State Senator Resigns A New York state senator has resigned after serving nearly eight years in the state Legislature. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat representing the state’s 9th District on the South Shore of Long Island in Nassau County, announced his resignation Friday, July 29, in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. "Today is my last day as an elected official, and I will start a new chapter in my life next week in the private sector,” Kaminsky wrote. “It has been an incredible honor and privilege to work on behalf of the residents of Long Island’s South Shore for the past eight years.  …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Isaias: 'Your Franchise Can Be Revoked, I Am Not Bluffing,' Cuomo Warns Utility Companies Isaias: 'Your Franchise Can Be Revoked, I Am Not Bluffing,' Cuomo Warns Utility Companies
Isaias: 'Your Franchise Can Be Revoked, I Am Not Bluffing,' Cuomo Warns Utility Companies Gov. Andrew Cuomo is threatening to pull the plug on some of the state’s utility companies as thousands remain without power in New York nearly a week after Tropical Storm Isaias ran roughshod over the East Coast. On Monday, Aug. 10, six days after the storm struck, Cuomo called out the utility companies for their lack of preparedness for another storm, nearly a decade after Hurricane Sandy devastated New York. Cuomo said that he’s spoken to the utility companies numerous times, and that they are failing to provide an essential service to their customers, specifically naming Con Edison and …

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by Zak Failla
News
Isaias: Con Ed Draws Ire Of Westchester Officials For Handling Of Tropical Storm Isaias: Con Ed Draws Ire Of Westchester Officials For Handling Of Tropical Storm
Isaias: Con Ed Draws Ire Of Westchester Officials For Handling Of Tropical Storm Con Edison has drawn the ire of some elected officials in Westchester as thousands remain without power as the utility company works to recover from Tropical Storm Isaias. Though crews are working around the clock to make repairs following the devastating storm, more than 70,000 of Con Edison’s 360,045 customers remain without power, with some possibly not being able to turn the lights back on until Monday, Aug. 10. As of 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, 70,376 of Con Ed’s 360,045 Westchester customers were still reporting outages as crews responded to 4,853 outages. In a statement, Con Edi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Isaias: Here's How Many Are Now Without Power In Westchester Isaias: Here's How Many Are Now Without Power In Westchester
Isaias: Here's How Many Are Now Without Power In Westchester More than 100,000 Westchester residents remain in the dark a day after Tropical Storm Isaias ripped through the region, toppling trees and power lines. In one of the largest outage events in its history, 95,054 of Con Edison’s 360,045 customers remain without power as the utility company deals with 5,067 outages as of around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5. NYSEG was also reporting that 28,734 of its 33,278 Westchester customers are reporting outages. “The storm’s gusting winds shoved trees and branches onto power lines, bringing those lines and other equipment down and leaving 257,000 custo…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Playland Boardwalk Reopens Six Years After Hurricane Sandy Playland Boardwalk Reopens Six Years After Hurricane Sandy
Playland Boardwalk Reopens Six Years After Hurricane Sandy The northern portion of Playland's waterfront boardwalk has reopened, nearly six years after it was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Tuesday's reopening, marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, was timely as the county-owned parked celebrated Independence Day with fireworks on Tuesday night, July 3 and Wednesday, July 4.  The cost of the project was $4.6 million for design and construction. The 700-foot North Boardwalk restores scenic views of Long Island Sound to visitors at Playland Park in Rye, after being closed for construction since 2012. Westchester County Executive George Latimer led Tu…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
U.S. Congressman From Westchester: Con Ed Must Pay For Slow Storm Response U.S. Congressman From Westchester: Con Ed Must Pay For Slow Storm Response
U.S. Congressman From Westchester: Con Ed Must Pay For Slow Storm Response Westchester Congressman Eliot Engel has joined the cacophony of area officials and residents calling on Con Edison to make some sort of restitution after some residents have been “literally left in the dark” for nearly a week. Engel penned a letter to Con Ed Chairman John McAvoy - which can be seen below - called on the utility company to “do what’s right,” calling Con Ed’s response to the recent stores “completely inadequate,” and stating that there should be a refund for residents who remain without power. Citing the poor response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Engel said that Con Ed has fai…

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by Eliot Engel
Lifestyle
Westchester Resident Takes Natural Disasters In Stride Westchester Resident Takes Natural Disasters In Stride
Westchester Resident Takes Natural Disasters In Stride Eli Russ credits the start of his career with a 10 a.m. phone call in October 2010. On the other end was his best friend telling him there was an apartment fire in Larchmont. The then 16-year-old didn't hesitate. He was on his way. But first, he needed to ask his mom for a ride.  Thus, began the odyssey of a first responder. As president of the Mamaroneck High School (MHS) Red Cross Club -- for all of 30 days --  Russ had knowledge -- though no experience. His backpack stocked, he did what he was assigned upon arrival at the scene: helping evacuees from the burning building recollect at th…

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by James Miranda