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Department of Environmental Conservation

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Hudson Valley Wildfires Near Containment As Governor Mobilizes Multi-Agency Hudson Valley Wildfires Near Containment As Governor Mobilizes Multi-Agency
Hudson Valley Wildfires Near Containment As Governor Mobilizes Multi-Agency As the wildfires continue to burn across the state and in the Hudson Valley, Gov. Kathy Hochul outlined the extensive efforts to combat them, highlighting the crucial roles played by local and national agencies in tackling the blazes. On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Hochul provided an update on the ongoing wildfire situation in the state, prompting a robust response from more than 400 fire departments and over 1,300 personnel.  These teams have worked tirelessly to contain fires in Orange and Ulster counties, closely coordinating with local fire departments and first responders. Hochul said th…

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by Daily Voice
Police & Fire
Forest Rangers Rescue Severely Injured 78-Year-Old From Hudson Valley Mountain Forest Rangers Rescue Severely Injured 78-Year-Old From Hudson Valley Mountain
Forest Rangers Rescue Severely Injured 78-Year-Old From Hudson Valley Mountain A hiker on a mountain in the region who may have broken their pelvis in a fall was rescued by forest rangers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The incident occurred in Ulster County at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, on Overlook Moutain in the Echo Lake area in Woodstock.  According to the DEC, Ulster County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance for an injured hiker on Overlook Mountain in the area of Echo Lake. Rangers called the hiker’s daughter and learned the 78-year-old from France was unable to walk or even sit up.  Rangers Franceschina and Mart…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Hudson Valley Resident Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus; 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared Hudson Valley Resident Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus; 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared
Hudson Valley Resident Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus; 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared A New York resident has died days after contracting the state’s first human case of a rare but serious mosquito-borne virus in nearly a decade. The Ulster County resident died from complications stemming from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office confirmed on Monday, Sept. 23. It marks the first human case of EEE in New York State since 2015. Earlier Report: Human Case Of Severe Mosquito-Borne Virus Confirmed In Ulster County, First In NY Since 2015 “We’ve been informed this patient has passed away from EEE, we extend our sympathies and our hearts go out t…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Not So Fast: Wanted Fisherman Tries Fleeing From Capital Region Cops In Rideshare, Police Say Not So Fast: Wanted Fisherman Tries Fleeing From Capital Region Cops In Rideshare, Police Say
Not So Fast: Wanted Fisherman Tries Fleeing From Capital Region Cops In Rideshare, Police Say In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the most efficient means of escape. A Greene County fisherman found himself in handcuffs after he allegedly attempted to flee from police in a rideshare vehicle. The incident happened Tuesday, July 2, along Catskill Creek in the town of Durham.  Officers with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) spotted a man and woman fishing and asked for their fishing licenses. According to the agency, the man did not have an ID and gave them the name and birthdate of someone else with an active fishing license.  A check of his motorcycle’s …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Slithery Surprise: 12-Foot Python Attacks Crews Responding To NY Water Main Break Slithery Surprise: 12-Foot Python Attacks Crews Responding To NY Water Main Break
Slithery Surprise: 12-Foot Python Attacks Crews Responding To NY Water Main Break It wasn’t exactly what crews expected to find on a busted pipe call. In the region, employees with the Albany Water Department got quite a scare on Friday, July 12, while responding to a broken 48-inch water transmission line in Tivoli Lake Preserve. Shortly after arriving on site, crews encountered a 12-foot-long snake. Albany Water initially identified the creature as a boa constrictor. Still, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) later clarified to Daily Voice that the serpent was actually a reticulated python measuring a whopping 12 feet, 10 inches long.  A DEC …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
New Advisory Issued To NYers For Extreme Heat, Severe Storms, Unhealthy Air: Hochul New Advisory Issued To NYers For Extreme Heat, Severe Storms, Unhealthy Air: Hochul
New Advisory Issued To NYers For Extreme Heat, Severe Storms, Unhealthy Air: Hochul New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging residents to stay safe and hydrated as hot, humid air rolls into much of the state ahead of severe storms predicted to bring heavy rains and flash flooding.  In an announcement on Monday, July 8, Hochul warned that above-average temperatures and high humidity would arrive in the state in the next few days. This includes "feels like temperatures" at or above 95 degrees, which can cause an increased risk of heat illnesses, Hochul's office said.  Related Report - Rounds Of Thunderstorms Expected Over Span Of Days: Here's Timing In res…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Homeowner Shoots Black Bear Who Entered Residence In Hudson Valley Homeowner Shoots Black Bear Who Entered Residence In Hudson Valley
Homeowner Shoots Black Bear Who Entered Residence In Hudson Valley A black bear is still on the loose after breaking into a Hudson Valley home and being shot by the homeowner. The incident occurred in Orange County on Thursday, March 28 in Greenwood Lake. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), a department police officer responded to the residence after a homeowner called 911 to report a black bear broke into an enclosed front porch.  The homeowner reported shooting the black bear once with a handgun and the bear ran off into the woods, DEC officials said. Attempts to locate the bear were unsuccessful. DEC’s investiga…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Lost Hikers Rescued By Forest Rangers In Hudson Valley Lost Hikers Rescued By Forest Rangers In Hudson Valley
Lost Hikers Rescued By Forest Rangers In Hudson Valley Two lost hikers in the region were guided to safety by forest rangers as darkness set in the region. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11 in Ulster County in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area in the town of Shandaken. According to officials with the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the two hikers, ages 28, and 31, lost the trail and called 911 as darkness began to fall. Forest Ranger Horn called one hiker’s cell phone and helped guide the pair a short distance back to the trail. The hikers shared tracking information with Ranger Horn to en…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Increased Crash Risk: Watch For Deer During Mating Season, State Warns Motorists Increased Crash Risk: Watch For Deer During Mating Season, State Warns Motorists
Increased Crash Risk: Watch For Deer During Mating Season, State Warns Motorists With the arrival of fall, there is an increased risk of crashes involving deer, both the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are warning motorists. Deer are most active and more likely to enter public roadways this time of year as they search for mates during their breeding season, which is the months of October, November, and December. According to the University at Albany’s Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, in 2022, 41.5 percent of the crashes between deer and vehicles occurred during this three-month…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Taxidermist Admits Improperly Disposing Of Animals, Other Violations At Capital Region Business Taxidermist Admits Improperly Disposing Of Animals, Other Violations At Capital Region Business
Taxidermist Admits Improperly Disposing Of Animals, Other Violations At Capital Region Business A taxidermist in the region has admitted to improperly disposing of animal parts and other violations. The Schenectady County business owner, who operates a taxidermy company in Glenville on Scotch Bush Road, pleaded guilty and paid a fine for Environmental Conservation Law violations on Monday, Oct. 3. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), officers executed a search warrant at the business in April 2023. Inside, they reportedly found animal parts that were improperly disposed of and susceptible to Chronic Wasting Disease, which affects deer, elk, reindeer, and m…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Hikers Ticketed For Leaving Chairs At Summit Of Hudson Valley Mountain Hikers Ticketed For Leaving Chairs At Summit Of Hudson Valley Mountain
Hikers Ticketed For Leaving Chairs At Summit Of Hudson Valley Mountain A group of hikers was ticketed for allegedly taking three Adirondack chairs to the summit of Slide Mountain and then refusing to bring them down. The incident took place in Ulster County on Saturday, July 8 after the Catskill 3500 Club notified Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger Martin about a group of hikers carrying three Adirondack chairs toward the summit of Slide Mountain in the town of Shandaken, said DEC officials. The hikers from New Jersey indicated they intended to leave the chairs at the summit for public use. Slide Mountain is located in the Slide Mountain Wi…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Illegally Killing Bear Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Illegally Killing Bear
Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Illegally Killing Bear A Hudson Valley homeowner has been accused of allegedly killing a black bear without provocation.  The incident took place in Dutchess County on Saturday, April 22 in the town of Dover.  According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call for shots fired and witnessed an individual dragging the bear back to his residence when they arrived at the location. The sheriff's office contacted State Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Kevin Wamsley who responded to the scene and interviewed the homeowner wh…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Coops! Driver Ticketed After Mini Cooper Gets Stuck On Hiking Trail In Capital Region Coops! Driver Ticketed After Mini Cooper Gets Stuck On Hiking Trail In Capital Region
Coops! Driver Ticketed After Mini Cooper Gets Stuck On Hiking Trail In Capital Region A man is facing several tickets after driving his car onto a popular hiking trail in the region and then getting stuck, authorities said. Forest rangers in Albany County were called Tuesday, Feb. 21 with reports of an abandoned vehicle in the woods approximately a half mile from the Albany Pine Bush Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). An investigation by rangers and Albany Police determined that a 42-year-old Troy man had driven a Mini Cooper through a split rail fence at the trailhead. He then proceeded to drive down the hik…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Slithery Surprise: 14-Foot Python Found On Side Of NY Road Slithery Surprise: 14-Foot Python Found On Side Of NY Road
Slithery Surprise: 14-Foot Python Found On Side Of NY Road Wildlife officers in New York got a slithery surprise on Valentine’s Day when a massive reticulated python was found on the side of a Long Island road. Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers were called Tuesday, Feb. 14, with reports that a large snake had been found on the side of the road in the town of Medford, according to the agency. When officers arrived, they found the python curled up in a ball. They quickly determined that the reptile, which measured 14 feet long, was dead. Officers removed the snake from the roadway to “appropriately dispose of it,” the agency s…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Mountain Rescue: Rangers Carry Injured Hiker Mile To Safety In Capital Region Mountain Rescue: Rangers Carry Injured Hiker Mile To Safety In Capital Region
Mountain Rescue: Rangers Carry Injured Hiker Mile To Safety In Capital Region Forest rangers carried an injured hiker a mile to safety after the hiker suffered an ankle injury in the Catskill Mountains. The hours-long rescue operation began at around 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 in Greene County, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).  Crews were told that a hiker had been injured on the west side of Sugarloaf Mountain, near the town of Hunter. After reaching the 65-year-old hiker, who is from Connecticut, a ranger determined that additional crews would be needed to carry the hiker the one mile down the mountain in icy condition…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Fuel Spill With Side Of Fries - 42,000 Pounds Of Them: Truck Hits Hutchinson Parkway Overpass Fuel Spill With Side Of Fries - 42,000 Pounds Of Them: Truck Hits Hutchinson Parkway Overpass
Fuel Spill With Side Of Fries - 42,000 Pounds Of Them: Truck Hits Hutchinson Parkway Overpass This story has been updated. A truck carrying 42,000 pounds of frozen french fries struck an overpass on a Westchester County parkway, causing a fuel spill and a closure of the roadway's lanes in one direction.   The incident happened on Wednesday morning, Feb. 1 around 6:50 a.m., when a tractor-trailer traveling south on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Scarsdale hit the Mamaroneck Road bridge, Westchester County Police Public Information Officer Kieran O'Leary said.  As a result of the crash, 75 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from the trailer's refrigeration unit onto the parkway and int…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Deerly Departed: NY Hunter's Buck Confiscated After Facebook Post Deerly Departed: NY Hunter's Buck Confiscated After Facebook Post
Deerly Departed: NY Hunter's Buck Confiscated After Facebook Post A New York hunter learned the hard way that if you’re going to break the rules, it’s probably best not to announce it on social media. Department of Environmental Conservation officers in Greene County were tipped off on Wednesday, Dec. 7, about a Facebook post showing a man with a deer that had been taken illegally, the department said. Officers learned that the man had moved from the Capital Region to the town of Hope in Hamilton County. Investigators there were able to track down the man’s location, where they spotted the prized buck hanging on a property. While interviewing the man, h…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Man Accused Of Illegally Killing Deer Near Home In Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Illegally Killing Deer Near Home In Hudson Valley
Man Accused Of Illegally Killing Deer Near Home In Hudson Valley A Hudson Valley man has been issued multiple tickets by state conservation officials for allegedly killing a deer out of season. The incident took place in Ulster County on Friday, Oct. 28 at a home in the town of Rochester. The state Department of Environmental Conservation officials responded to a home in Rochester after receiving reports of multiple deer being killed with the aid of bait, according to the DEC. The person responsible, who was not identified, admitted to shooting the deer behind his property and claimed the large trough of corn and horse feed in his backyard was intended …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Spotted Lanternfly Confirmed In Westchester Spotted Lanternfly Confirmed In Westchester
Spotted Lanternfly Confirmed In Westchester The invasive spotted lanternfly continues its invasion of New York. A state effort to track the spread and prevalence of the insect using community reports and digital mapping shows it has now been spotted in all five boroughs of New York City, across Long Island, and throughout the Hudson Valley. Earlier Report: Capital District Among Regions In NY That Have Been 'Infested' By Invasive Insect, Schumer Says As of November 2022, the insect, also known as Chinese blistering cicada, has been confirmed in 16 New York counties, including Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Coyote Attacks 2 Local Residents On Walk In Northern Westchester Coyote Attacks 2 Local Residents On Walk In Northern Westchester
Coyote Attacks 2 Local Residents On Walk In Northern Westchester A town in the region is warning residents to be on the lookout for a rabid coyote after two residents were attacked while walking. The incident took place in Northern Westchester on Thursday, Nov. 17 shortly after 5 p.m. in North Salem on Turkey Hill Road. One person was bitten with a puncture wound on their leg. The second person was not injured, North Salem Town Supervisor Warren Lucas said. "The person with the puncture wound is on their way to the hospital likely for rabies shots," Lucas said in a Facebook post. "The presumption is that the coyote is rabid. It attacked the tires of a c…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Mother Bear Illegally Shot, Killed In Hudson Valley, DEC Says Mother Bear Illegally Shot, Killed In Hudson Valley, DEC Says
Mother Bear Illegally Shot, Killed In Hudson Valley, DEC Says A man from the region was ticketed after allegedly illegally shooting and killing a bear in the Hudson Valley. The incident took place in Ulster County in the town of Rochester in October, said the state Department of Environmental Conservation. According to a report from DEC, two department officers received reports that someone had illegally killed a bear. The complainant said a local hunter shot the female bear with a bow and then, with two accomplices, tracked the animal into the woods and killed it with a shotgun.  The hunter posted several pictures of himself and the two ac…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
'Cold, Hungry, Thirsty': Lost Students Rescued Hours After Bus Leaves Them In Adirondacks 'Cold, Hungry, Thirsty': Lost Students Rescued Hours After Bus Leaves Them In Adirondacks
'Cold, Hungry, Thirsty': Lost Students Rescued Hours After Bus Leaves Them In Adirondacks Two college students in New York had to be rescued by state Forest Rangers after getting left behind in the woods of the Adirondacks while on a day retreat. Emergency crews in Warren County were called at around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, with reports that two students were lost near Dippikill Pond, located about 10 miles northwest of the town of Warrensburg. A Forest Ranger contacted the students via phone and responded to the area, where he was able to make voice contact with them, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said.  He then made his way to them a short time …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Fuel Spill In Capital District Draws Large Response Fuel Spill In Capital District Draws Large Response
Fuel Spill In Capital District Draws Large Response Emergency crews responded after a fuel spill was discovered in a creek in the area. Greene County 911 was first alerted of trouble at around 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 20, with reports of a diesel spill in Catskill Creek in the village of Catskill, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Several of the department’s officers, along with a team of its Spill Responders and local police, were called to the scene. Crews deployed approximately 150 feet of boom floats and 75 feet of absorbent boom to contain the spill, according to officials. Investigators determined that t…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY Bumps Starting Pay For Lifeguards Amid Staffing Shortage NY Bumps Starting Pay For Lifeguards Amid Staffing Shortage
NY Bumps Starting Pay For Lifeguards Amid Staffing Shortage Lifeguards in New York are getting a pay raise. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new directive Wednesday, June 22, increasing the starting pay rates for lifeguards at state park beaches and pools, as well as campgrounds and day-use area beaches. Newly hired lifeguards at upstate facilities will see a 34-percent increase in pay from $14.95 per hour to $20 per hour. And starting pay at downstate facilities will go up 21 percent from $18.15 per hour to $22 per hour. Hochul said the idea is to better attract qualified candidates amid a staffing shortage at New York State Park and Department of E…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Police Warn Of Black Bear Spotted At Cemetery In Capital District Police Warn Of Black Bear Spotted At Cemetery In Capital District
Police Warn Of Black Bear Spotted At Cemetery In Capital District Authorities are warning people to be on the lookout after a black bear was spotted hanging around a cemetery in the Capital District. Several people spotted the bear in Albany, at Graceland Cemetery on Delaware Avenue, at around 2 p.m. Friday, May 27, Albany Police said. Those in the area should exercise caution and keep pets on a leash, police said. They advised anyone who sees the bear to not approach the animal and call 911. Black bears are rarely seen by most New Yorkers, but have increasingly been spotted in semi-rural environments, agricultural areas, and sometimes urban centers, ac…

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by Michael Mashburn
Lifestyle
Watch: Black Bear Makes Its Way Up Driveway In Northern Westchester Watch: Black Bear Makes Its Way Up Driveway In Northern Westchester
Watch: Black Bear Makes Its Way Up Driveway In Northern Westchester A Northern Westchester family received an unexpected visitor when a black bear took a tour of the neighborhood. In Armonk, a Chestnut Ridge Road resident captured video of the four-legged visitor who was taking in the sights while wandering in his backyard at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24. During the short video, the bear can be seen peacefully walking up the driveway, setting off a security light before making its way toward a nearby wooded area. Related story - Coyote, Bear Sightings Reported Within Days In This Northern Westchester Town The Department of Environment…

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by Zak Failla
News
Hiker Dies After Fall In Capital District Hiker Dies After Fall In Capital District
Hiker Dies After Fall In Capital District A Hudson Valley woman has died after she reportedly fell while hiking in the Catskill Forest Preserve. Forest Rangers were first alerted of trouble at around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 22, with reports of a fallen hiker in Greene County, near Platte Clove Road in the Town of Hunter, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The woman, identified as a resident of Hopewell Junction in Dutchess County, was pronounced dead at the scene. Rangers conducted a technical rope to retrieve her body, DEC officials said. Her body was turned over to the Greene County Coroner, who wil…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
12-Year-Old Attacked By Bear At Park In Hudson Valley 12-Year-Old Attacked By Bear At Park In Hudson Valley
12-Year-Old Attacked By Bear At Park In Hudson Valley A 12-year-old Boy Scout is on the mend after an encounter with a black bear left him with minor injuries, ABC7 reports. Henry Ayers told the outlet he was with his troop from Cooperstown camping at Harriman State Park, located in both Rockland and Orange counties, Sunday, May 1, when he awoke to a sharp pain in his leg. "I look up and it was a giant bear,” Ayers told ABC7. “I thought it was a nightmare. It was honestly crazy. I didn't think I was awake." The Scoutmaster, Diana Nicols, told the outlet the bear bit through the boy’s sleeping bag, leaving him with minor cuts and bruises. He…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Video: Transient Moose Relocated Out Of Capital District Video: Transient Moose Relocated Out Of Capital District
Video: Transient Moose Relocated Out Of Capital District A moose is on the loose no longer, at least not in the region. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said a young cow moose was successfully immobilized in the Capital District in downtown Schenectady over the weekend and released back into the wilds of the southern Adirondacks. View the video here. The transient moose had been spotted around town several times this month, including near Schenectady Community College on Friday, May 13, the DEC said. “Immobilizing a large animal (or any animal) is also a risky endeavor and is reserved for when it is truly a last resort and th…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Dog Attacked By Coyote In Westchester, Police Say Dog Attacked By Coyote In Westchester, Police Say
Dog Attacked By Coyote In Westchester, Police Say Residents in Westchester have been advised to be on alert after a coyote attacked a dog in the area. In Mount Vernon, the police department issued an advisory cautioning that a small dog was recently attacked near North Columbus Avenue and California Road by what was reported to be a coyote. It is the latest sighting in the area, and the first reported attack. Earlier story - Coyote Advisory Issued In Westchester After Multiple Sightings “Please remember that we share our environment with wild animals, so while it is rare that they appear in Mount Vernon, they do appear from time to time…

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by Zak Failla
News
State Forest In Region Doubles In Size After New Acquisition, Officials Announce State Forest In Region Doubles In Size After New Acquisition, Officials Announce
State Forest In Region Doubles In Size After New Acquisition, Officials Announce New York State officials announced the acquisition of 1,175 acres of land, more than doubling the size of a a state forest in the region. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement about the acquisition of the lands in Rensselaer County adjoining Pittstown State Forest on the Rensselaer Plateau in Grafton on Wednesday, April 20. "New York State is laser focused on preserving and enhancing open space, and the Rensselaer Plateau, just a short visit from the Capitol, provides a spectacular outdoor escape from Albany's bustling downtown," Hochul said. "Today's addition to the Pittstown State …

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by Nicole Valinote