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Politics
New Cuomo Scandal: Gov Accused Of Giving Special Access To Family, Friends For COVID Testing New Cuomo Scandal: Gov Accused Of Giving Special Access To Family, Friends For COVID Testing
New Cuomo Scandal: Gov Accused Of Giving Special Access To Family, Friends For COVID Testing New calls for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation are ringing loudly following the latest report alleging that he prioritized friends, family, and VIPs in getting tested for COVID-19 at the outset of the outbreak last year. The newest controversy for Cuomo comes amid a new report that he used state resources to prioritize testing for certain parties, including his siblings, mother, and influential people with ties to the administration at a time when COVID-19 tests were scarce. Among the new allegations is that a New York State Police trooper was sent to Chris Cuomo’s South Hampton home more th…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
New Cuomo Controversy: Vaccine Czar Calls County Executives To Gauge Their Loyalty To Governor New Cuomo Controversy: Vaccine Czar Calls County Executives To Gauge Their Loyalty To Governor
New Cuomo Controversy: Vaccine Czar Calls County Executives To Gauge Their Loyalty To Governor Embattled New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration took another hit as reports have emerged that one of his longest-serving and most-trusted advisers who is now serving COVID-19 vaccine czar made calls to Democratic county executives to gauge support for the three-term governor before discussing the state's vaccine program and distribution. On Sunday, March 14, both The New York Times and Washington Post reported that Larry Schwartz, who is overseeing the state’s vaccination efforts, made calls to county officials to check on Cuomo’s support and discuss ongoing immunization efforts. The …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
COVID-19: Cuomo Got Seven-Figure Advance For His Controversial Book Now Pulled From Publication COVID-19: Cuomo Got Seven-Figure Advance For His Controversial Book Now Pulled From Publication
Covid-19: Cuomo Got Seven-Figure Advance For His Controversial Book Now Pulled From Publication New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly received a seven-figure advance for his much-maligned book about leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic that was written while the virus was still surging across the country. Cuomo, who has come under fire for underreporting COVID deaths in nursing homes and then attempting to have his administration cover it up, was paid handsomely for his controversial book touting the state’s response to the pandemic, according to a new Vanity Fair story. That report comes just as Crown Publishing announced it has stopped promoting and printing new copies of Cuomo'…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Cuomo Aides Doctored Documents To Hide Higher Number Of Nursing Home Deaths, New Report Says Cuomo Aides Doctored Documents To Hide Higher Number Of Nursing Home Deaths, New Report Says
Cuomo Aides Doctored Documents To Hide Higher Number Of Nursing Home Deaths, New Report Says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is again making headlines for the wrong reasons, this time because his aides reportedly doctored documents to conceal the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes at the height of the pandemic. It is alleged in a New York Times report that Cuomo’s aides rewrote a report from state health officials to conceal the true number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes while strengthening his reputation as a leader. According to the report, Cuomo’s aides rewrote the report before it went public to omit 9,250 deaths that were recorded by the state Health Department, prompt…

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by Zak Failla
Real Estate
Waterfront Long Island Home Where Noted Author Wrote Last Novel Lists At $18M, Report Says Waterfront Long Island Home Where Noted Author Wrote Last Novel Lists At $18M, Report Says
Waterfront Long Island Home Where Noted Author Wrote Last Novel Lists At $18M, Report Says Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck’s Long Island estate, where he notably penned his final novel, “The Winter of Discontent,” has hit the market for nearly $18 million. Steinbeck’s waterfront home in the Hamptons has been listed for $17.9 million, which would be the first time the property was put up for sale in more than six decades. The 1.8-acre property includes nearly 600 feet of private waterfront and a 60-foot pier with views of Morris Cove and Upper Sag Harbor Cove. It is being sold through a private trust that was established by Steinbeck’s late wife Elaine. “The year was 1…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Discovery Of New Variant In New York City Sparks Concern COVID-19: Discovery Of New Variant In New York City Sparks Concern
Covid-19: Discovery Of New Variant In New York City Sparks Concern A new COVID-19 variant discovered in New York City that may reduce the effectiveness of vaccines has some concerned there could be a new surge in cases. Researchers announced this week that a new variant has been discovered in New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast that has mutated and may be more resistant to vaccines. According to researchers, the variant, dubbed B.1.526, has appeared in diverse neighborhoods in New York City and “is scattered in the Northeast.” The new variant is reportedly similar to the strain first seen in South Africa, which appears to evade some of the body…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Millions Of Phony N95 Face Masks Distributed In US COVID-19: Millions Of Phony N95 Face Masks Distributed In US
Covid-19: Millions Of Phony N95 Face Masks Distributed In US Millions of fake N95 face masks were purchased - and in some cases used - by hospitals, medical facilities, and government agencies in five states, according to The New York Times and various media outlets. Many of the masks were stamped with the 3M logos and shipped in boxes that said “Made in the USA” even though neither claim is true, said the NYT citing federal investigators with Homeland Security.  News of the investigation first broke in the Associated Press. 3M is a major American manufacturer of professional-grade face masks. The company has produced billions of masks since the…

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by Kristin Palpini
Politics
COVID-19: Cuomo's Criticism, Dismissiveness Prompt Exodus In NY Health Department, Report Says COVID-19: Cuomo's Criticism, Dismissiveness Prompt Exodus In NY Health Department, Report Says
Covid-19: Cuomo's Criticism, Dismissiveness Prompt Exodus In NY Health Department, Report Says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo earned an Emmy for his daily COVID-19 briefings during the height of the pandemic, though the handling of his staff during that time reportedly led to some top aides leaving the administration. In a new New York Times report, it was revealed that Cuomo’s criticism and dismissiveness of some health officials led to nearly a dozen of the governor’s aides to head for greener pastures. The governor's strict approach to the distribution of the vaccine also reportedly played a role in the "bottleneck" the state found itself in during the slow rollout of the vaccination …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Johnson & Johnson Releases Trial Results For One-Dose Vaccine COVID-19: Johnson & Johnson Releases Trial Results For One-Dose Vaccine
Covid-19: Johnson & Johnson Releases Trial Results For One-Dose Vaccine Some relief may be on the way for the millions of people awaiting their turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Johnson & Johnson has been developing a single-dose vaccine for COVID-19, which has an efficacy rate of approximately 72 percent, potentially bringing another provider into the mix as vaccines for the virus have become a valuable and scarce commodity. If it is ultimately approved by federal health officials, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would join Pfizer and Moderna on the market, both of which require two doses administered approximately three weeks apart. However, the ef…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Fairfield County Native Harry Brant, Model Who Became Known As Teen, Dies Suddenly At 24 Fairfield County Native Harry Brant, Model Who Became Known As Teen, Dies Suddenly At 24
Fairfield County Native Harry Brant, Model Who Became Known As Teen, Dies Suddenly At 24 Fairfield County native Harry Brant, a nationally known model and the son of 90s supermodel Stephanie Seymour and publisher Peter M. Brant, has died suddenly. He was 24. Brant died Sunday, Jan. 17, of an accidental overdose, his family said in a statement to The New York Times. Brant had appeared in Italian Vogue and released a makeup line for MAC cosmetics with his brother Peter Brant Jr.  “We will forever be saddened that his life was cut short by this devastating disease,” his family said in a statement to the Times. “He achieved a lot in his 24 years, but we will never get the cha…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Capitol Hill Chaos: Lockdown Halts Electoral College Confirmation As Protesters Storm Building Capitol Hill Chaos: Lockdown Halts Electoral College Confirmation As Protesters Storm Building
Capitol Hill Chaos: Lockdown Halts Electoral College Confirmation As Protesters Storm Building The United States Capitol is in lockdown after pro-Trump protesters swarmed into the building just after the Electoral College confirmation process got underway on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 6, Protesters waving Confederate and American flags as well as pro-Trump merchandise, moved past police and into the Capitol Building to disrupt the Senate’s confirmation of votes Joe Biden’s election to the presidency, according to the New York Times and multiple media reports. A clash between police and protesters broke out around noon on Wednesday.  The chaos disrupted the proceedings and force…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: New Study Reveals Danger To Younger Americans, Who Are Dying At Historic Rate COVID-19: New Study Reveals Danger To Younger Americans, Who Are Dying At Historic Rate
Covid-19: New Study Reveals Danger To Younger Americans, Who Are Dying At Historic Rate Contrary to popular belief, COVID-19 is taking its toll on younger Americans, who are dying at a historic rate, according to a new study. Research published this week in the Journal of American Medical Association found that Americans between the ages of 25 and 44 have died at a rate that has never been seen in history. During the study, a total of 76,088 deaths were reported in adults between those ages, which was 11,899 more than the expected 64,189 fatalities during that stretch. Of those deaths, 38 percent were contributed to COVID-19. “Although the remaining excess deaths are unexpla…

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by Zak Failla