Rain 73°
Schools
NY Ranked Top 10 Nationally For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why NY Ranked Top 10 Nationally For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why
NY Ranked Top 10 Nationally For School Quality, Safety In New Study: Here's Why Many public school systems in the Northeast are outperforming the rest of the country in quality and safety, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States with the Best & Worst School Systems on Monday, July 21. The study ranked every state's public schools based on academic performance, safety, funding, and teacher credentials. Massachusetts ranked No. 1 in the country, earning top scores in both fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading. The Bay State also had the highest share of students scoring a three or better on Advanced Placement (AP) exams and …

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
News
NY Residents' Electric Bill Is About To Spike Again NY Residents' Electric Bill Is About To Spike Again
NY Residents' Electric Bill Is About To Spike Again A record-high electricity auction held by PJM Interconnection is expected to drive up energy bills across much of the East Coast, even as many states have already been hit with rate hikes this summer. The results of PJM’s 2026/2027 Base Residual Auction, announced Tuesday, July 22, show the price of capacity cleared at the federal cap of $329.17 per megawatt-day, the highest in years.  That’s a 22% jump from last year’s price of $269.92. PJM, which manages the power grid for 13 states and Washington, D.C., secured over 134,000 megawatts of power to meet the projected electricity needs…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
Most Loved Ice Cream Flavors In NY Revealed In New Study Most Loved Ice Cream Flavors In NY Revealed In New Study
Most Loved Ice Cream Flavors In NY Revealed In New Study When it comes to ice cream, the Northeast isn't picking sides. A new report from Beach.com found that Neapolitan is among the most popular in many Northeastern states. The classic trio of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry was listed as a favorite in states like Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. The travel website used five years of Google search data to determine the top-searched ice cream flavor in each state. In total, Neapolitan ranked No. 1 in 19 states, making it the most popular flavor in the country. In the tri-state area, it's more than just a single scoop: C…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
News
Health Insurance Premiums Take Among Most In US From NY Paychecks, Study Says Health Insurance Premiums Take Among Most In US From NY Paychecks, Study Says
Health Insurance Premiums Take Among Most In US From NY Paychecks, Study Says Health insurance premiums are taking a big portion of many Northeast residents' paychecks, while some are losing much less of their incomes, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Health Insurance on Thursday, July 10. The study ranked all 50 states by how much residents spend on silver-tier health insurance plans as a share of median household income. Premiums rose 6% for individual plans and 7% for family plans in 2024, continuing a recent trend of dramatic increases. "Inflation has driven up health i…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
News
Poop Problem: Nearly 60% Of NY Beaches Tested Unsafe In 2024, New Study Says Poop Problem: Nearly 60% Of NY Beaches Tested Unsafe In 2024, New Study Says
Poop Problem: Nearly 60% Of NY Beaches Tested Unsafe In 2024, New Study Says More than half of all East Coast beaches had potentially unsafe levels of fecal contamination at least once in 2024, according to researchers. The advocacy group Environment America released its new study about the water quality at US beaches on Monday, July 7. The nonprofit compiled bacteria testing data from states bordering oceans and the Great Lakes, along with Puerto Rico. From 3,187 beaches nationwide, Environment America found that more than three out of five (61%) had at least one day of potentially unsafe levels of fecal contamination in 2024. On those days, that indicator exceeded…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Politics
Here's How Many NY Families May Lose SNAP Benefits Under Trump's 'Big Beautiful' Law: Study Here's How Many NY Families May Lose SNAP Benefits Under Trump's 'Big Beautiful' Law: Study
Here's How Many NY Families May Lose SNAP Benefits Under Trump's 'Big Beautiful' Law: Study Northeast families are expected to be among the hardest hit under sweeping federal cuts to food benefits in the Republican-backed law previously named the "One Big Beautiful Bill," according to a new study. President Donald Trump signed the spending bill into law on Friday, July 4, after the GOP narrowly passed it through both chambers of Congress. Among many massive changes, the bill is forecasted to cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding by $186 billion through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The 20% reduction is the largest cut in the history of SNAP be…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
News
Measles Cases In US Approaches 25-Year High As CDC Confirms 27 Outbreaks Measles Cases In US Approaches 25-Year High As CDC Confirms 27 Outbreaks
Measles Cases In US Approaches 25-Year High As CDC Confirms 27 Outbreaks America has reached another grim milestone as the number of confirmed cases of the measles hit a record high since the US declared the disease "under control" decades ago. A total of 1,267 confirmed measles cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 38 states and jurisdictions — more than triple the number reported in all of 2024, according to the agency's latest report. At least 27 outbreaks (defined as three or more connected cases) have been reported so far this year, with 88 percent of cases (1,115 of 1,267) linked to outbreaks, health officials …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Weather
Tropical Storm Chantal Makes Landfall, Now Tracking North With Strong Winds, Torrential Rain Tropical Storm Chantal Makes Landfall, Now Tracking North With Strong Winds, Torrential Rain
Tropical Storm Chantal Makes Landfall, Now Tracking North With Strong Winds, Torrential Rain Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall just before sunrise Sunday, July 6, near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, bringing strong winds, torrential rain, and storm surge to parts of the state’s coast. The National Hurricane Center said tropical storm conditions will persist in the warning area through Sunday morning, with heavy rainfall continuing across South Carolina through the day and into North Carolina by Monday, July 7.  Forecasters warned of flash flooding and localized rainfall totals of up to 10 inches near the storm’s center. While Chantal is expected to lose wind strength qu…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
$1.1M Medicaid Scam: Woman Used Overseas ‘Patients’ In Massive Kickback Scam $1.1M Medicaid Scam: Woman Used Overseas ‘Patients’ In Massive Kickback Scam
$1.1M Medicaid Scam: Woman Used Overseas ‘Patients’ In Massive Kickback Scam A Pennsylvania woman used patients who had moved overseas to help pull off a $1.1 million Medicaid scam involving fake home care services and kickbacks, federal prosecutors said in a sweeping national health care fraud takedown that uncovered more than $14.6 billion in schemes, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Saturday, July 5. Hemal Patel, 59, of Bensalem (Bucks County), forged doctors’ signatures, stole personal identities, and pocketed kickbacks from a home care agency that billed Medicaid for fake services, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District …

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Weather
Tropical Storm Chantal Named Off Atlantic Coast: Here's New Projected Path Tropical Storm Chantal Named Off Atlantic Coast: Here's New Projected Path
Tropical Storm Chantal Named Off Atlantic Coast: Here's New Projected Path A system off the Atlantic Coast has just strengthened to become a tropical storm. Chantal formed off the southeast coast just after 8 a.m. Saturday, July 5, the National Hurricane Center said.  The storm, packed with 40 mph winds, is located about 150 miles off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. It is moving north-northwest at about 2 mph. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for portions of the Carolinas, and tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in that area later Saturday. It is expected to make landfall on Sunday afternoon, July 6, in South Carolina, and then …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Business
Stores In East Coast States, Including NY, Hit With Recall Of Wegmans Chocolate Favorite Stores In East Coast States, Including NY, Hit With Recall Of Wegmans Chocolate Favorite
Stores In East Coast States, Including NY, Hit With Recall Of Wegmans Chocolate Favorite A chocolate product sold at Wegmans stores has been recalled, federal officials say. The recall, due to the presence of an undeclared milk allergen, affects Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils, which were sold in 18.5-ounce plastic tubs with six affected lot codes.  The candies were distributed across stores in:  Delaware Maryland  Massachusetts,  North Carolina,  New Jersey,  New York,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Washington, DC. According to the FDA, the product’s label did not disclose the presence of milk, which can pose a serious o…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
$348 Million Mega Millions Jackpot Won: Here Are The Winning Numbers $348 Million Mega Millions Jackpot Won: Here Are The Winning Numbers
$348 Million Mega Millions Jackpot Won: Here Are The Winning Numbers Someone in Virginia just hit the biggest jackpot the state has ever seen. A single Mega Millions ticket purchased in Virginia matched all six numbers in the Friday, June 27 drawing — a win now worth an estimated $348 million, Lottery officials confirmed Saturday. The winning numbers were: 18-21-29-42-50, and the Mega Ball was 2. It’s the largest prize ever won in any Virginia Lottery game, and the 10th time a Mega Millions jackpot has been hit in the Commonwealth since the game began in 2002. As of Saturday morning, officials have not yet revealed where in Virginia the ticket was sold or …

SHARE

by Zak Failla