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Bell-To-Bell Ban: NY Schools Have Days Left To Finalize Smartphone Restrictions Bell-To-Bell Ban: NY Schools Have Days Left To Finalize Smartphone Restrictions
Bell-To-Bell Ban: NY Schools Have Days Left To Finalize Smartphone Restrictions “More learning, less scrolling:” That’s the message behind New York’s new Distraction-Free Schools Law, which will restrict smartphone use from the first bell to the last across K-12 public schools starting this fall. Gov. Kathy Hochul hosted a roundtable on Monday, July 14, with Capital Region school leaders and the state teachers union to discuss how the statewide ban will be implemented when the 2025-2026 school year begins. The new law — signed earlier this year — requires all public school districts to publish their distraction-free device policies by Friday, August 1. Nearly 150 distr…

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by Michael Mashburn
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'Hate! Him!' Richard Gere Under Fire From Paul Simon's Daughter For Selling Her Former CT Home 'Hate! Him!' Richard Gere Under Fire From Paul Simon's Daughter For Selling Her Former CT Home
'Hate! Him!' Richard Gere Under Fire From Paul Simon's Daughter For Selling Her Former CT Home "Pretty Woman" star Richard Gere's decision to sell his Connecticut estate that once belonged to famed singer-songwriter Paul Simon has irked Simon's daughter enough to wish a curse upon him. Why such vitriol from the 30-year-old daughter of one half of the legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel? According to an Instagram story posted on Tuesday, July 8, by Lulu Simon, Gere promised to "take care of the land as condition of his purchase."  This was particularly important to Simon, who has followed her dad into the music business, as her childhood pets are buried on the 32-acre property, l…

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by Ben Crnic
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Hundreds Of Troy Families Get Renovated Homes After $136M Public Housing Overhaul Hundreds Of Troy Families Get Renovated Homes After $136M Public Housing Overhaul
Hundreds Of Troy Families Get Renovated Homes After $136M Public Housing Overhaul Nearly 400 Troy families are now living in safer, modernized homes after a $136 million makeover of the city’s largest public housing complex. Major renovations wrapped up at Griswold Heights in Troy’s Lansingburgh neighborhood, complete with energy-efficient features and new community amenities, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Thursday, July 10. The $136 million renovation was made possible through a mix of public and private funding. The project received $53.3 million in equity through the Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, along with $32.2 million from New York State’s P…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Semi-Pro Footballer Caught With Cocaine In NY High School, Police Say Semi-Pro Footballer Caught With Cocaine In NY High School, Police Say
Semi-Pro Footballer Caught With Cocaine In NY High School, Police Say A semi-professional football team ended its affiliation with a New York school district after a player trespassed on a high school campus with cocaine, police and team officials said. Jonathan Hammond, 32, was arrested at Glens Falls High School in Warren County following a brief pursuit on Saturday, June 28, according to Glens Falls Police. School district staff were alerted around 4:40 p.m. after a vape smoke detector was triggered in the boys’ bathroom. Although staff members were not on site, they contacted police about a possible trespass in progress. Responding officers arrived to fi…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Growing Pickleball Chain Opening First NY Club: Look Inside (PHOTOS) Growing Pickleball Chain Opening First NY Club: Look Inside (PHOTOS)
Growing Pickleball Chain Opening First NY Club: Look Inside (Photos) A pickleball company with major expansion goals will soon arrive in the Empire State. PickleRage has signed a lease for a 42,000-square-foot indoor pickleball club in downtown New Rochelle, the company announced on Tuesday, July 8. The club at 173 Huguenot Street will be PickleRage's first location in New York. The year-round facility is expected to open by late November. The club will feature up to 14 indoor courts and host leagues, clinics, tournaments, and community events. Co-owners Henry Sztul and Brian Snyder will operate the pickleball center. "New Rochelle has …

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by Chris Spiker
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Adult Websites Would Require Age Verification Under Proposed NY Law Adult Websites Would Require Age Verification Under Proposed NY Law
Adult Websites Would Require Age Verification Under Proposed NY Law New Yorkers trying to access adult websites may soon need to prove they’re 18 or older, under a proposed state law designed to shield minors from sexually explicit content. The bill, introduced by Republican State Sen. Jake Ashby, would require any pornographic website operating in New York to verify a user’s age before granting access. Verification would be done using tools like government-issued IDs, credit card payments, or other commercially accepted systems that confirm age through public records. The legislation targets “sexual material harmful to minors” and defines that broadly—ra…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Hochul Leads '26 Governor’s Race Against GOP Challengers, But Fails To Hit 50%, Poll Shows Hochul Leads '26 Governor’s Race Against GOP Challengers, But Fails To Hit 50%, Poll Shows
Hochul Leads '26 Governor’s Race Against GOP Challengers, But Fails To Hit 50%, Poll Shows Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a commanding early lead over three potential Republican challengers in the 2026 New York governor’s race, fresh polling shows. Hochul leads Rep. Elise Stefanik by 23 points, 47 to 24%, Rep. Mike Lawler by 20 points, 44 to 24%, and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman by 25 points, 44 to 19%, according to a Siena College poll released Tuesday, July 1. However, she’s still falling short of the 50% mark in every matchup, and more than a quarter of voters remain undecided, pollsters found. “While the early leads seem large, Hochul is not hitting the ‘magic’ 51% mark …

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by Michael Mashburn
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Expectant Dad ‘Fighting For His Life’ After Devastating Motorcycle Crash In Region Expectant Dad ‘Fighting For His Life’ After Devastating Motorcycle Crash In Region
Expectant Dad ‘Fighting For His Life’ After Devastating Motorcycle Crash In Region A Hudson Valley man is fighting for his life after a devastating motorcycle crash, just two months before he’s set to become a father. Michael Fisher remains in the ICU in critical but stable condition following a serious accident Sunday night, June 29, in Sullivan County, his sister Ashlee Kortright said on Facebook and a GoFundMe campaign. The timing couldn’t be more heartbreaking, Kortright said — Fisher's wife Marlena is seven months pregnant, and now facing the unimaginable: preparing to give birth while her husband lies in a hospital bed with severe injuries and an uncertain road ahea…

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by Michael Mashburn
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$1B State Push Brings New Affordable Housing To Albany, Hudson Valley $1B State Push Brings New Affordable Housing To Albany, Hudson Valley
$1B State Push Brings New Affordable Housing To Albany, Hudson Valley In a sweeping push to tackle New York’s housing crisis, the state is investing $1 billion to create or preserve nearly 3,000 affordable homes across 15 communities. Nearly 500 affordable apartments are set to be created or rehabilitated in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Thursday, June 26. The funding, allocated through New York State Homes and Community Renewal, will support construction or preservation efforts in Albany, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and Poughkeepsie, advancing Hochul’s five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to build or preserve 100,000 a…

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by Michael Mashburn
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WATCH: DJ Khaled Surprises High School Grads In NY, Says 'Make Your Dreams Live' WATCH: DJ Khaled Surprises High School Grads In NY, Says 'Make Your Dreams Live'
Watch: DJ Khaled Surprises High School Grads In NY, Says 'Make Your Dreams Live' Graduating seniors at a Westchester County high school got a major surprise this week during their commencement ceremony, when music mogul DJ Khaled made a special guest appearance.  The Grammy-winning producer delivered an impromptu speech at New Rochelle High School's ceremony on Wednesday, June 25, where he was celebrating his nephew, Cyrus, who was among the Class of 2025.  “I want to say congratulations to all of y’all,” DJ Khaled told the crowd, as captured in an Instagram reel shared on his official account, also adding to his nephew, “Cyrus has this god energy, you got tha…

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by Ben Crnic
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Bill Would Require Heart Tests For Student Athletes In Wake Of NY Hockey Player's Death Bill Would Require Heart Tests For Student Athletes In Wake Of NY Hockey Player's Death
Bill Would Require Heart Tests For Student Athletes In Wake Of NY Hockey Player's Death New York lawmakers are considering mandated heart screenings for student athletes following the sudden death of a Long Island hockey player. “Connor’s Law,” introduced by Republican Assemblyman Michael Durso, would require annual cardiac screenings for all public school athletes. The bill is inspired by the tragic death of 17-year-old Connor Kasin, a beloved Massapequa High School hockey player who collapsed during a game in 2024, as Daily Voice previously reported. It would mandate that interscholastic athletes undergo yearly cardiac fitness tests, including an electrocardiogram (EKG) or …

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by Michael Mashburn
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$1M Lottery Prize Claimed By Lucky NY Lady $1M Lottery Prize Claimed By Lucky NY Lady
$1M Lottery Prize Claimed By Lucky NY Lady A lucky Long Island lady is $1 million richer. Maria Messina, of Aquebogue, claimed the seven-figure prize after matching the first five numbers in the March 26 Powerball drawing, according to the New York Lottery. Messina’s golden ticket – no chocolate bar required – hit all the numbers except the red Powerball, which would’ve landed her the full jackpot. After required withholdings, she walked away with a lump sum of $651,000. The winning numbers that changed her life? 05, 20, 29, 39, 53, and Powerball 06. Messina purchased the lucky ticket at Kings Hampton Bays C-Store, located at 239…

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by Michael Mashburn