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Obituaries
Longtime Firefighter From Cold Spring Dies At 56: Remembered For Life Of Service Longtime Firefighter From Cold Spring Dies At 56: Remembered For Life Of Service
Longtime Firefighter From Cold Spring Dies At 56: Remembered For Life Of Service A Northern Westchester community is mourning the sudden loss of veteran firefighter and Hudson Valley resident Christopher Johanson, who dedicated his life to service and his family.  Johanson, a 24-year veteran firefighter with the Lake Mohegan Fire Department, passed away suddenly on Thursday, Dec. 26, at his home in Cold Spring at the age of 56, according to his obituary.  Johanson, badge number 61, joined the Lake Mohegan Fire Department in August 2000 and was most recently assigned to Station 2, the Jefferson Valley Firehouse.  In a memorial post on social media, t…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Good Samaritan Rescues Jet Skier On Frozen NY Canal (VIDEO) Good Samaritan Rescues Jet Skier On Frozen NY Canal (VIDEO)
Good Samaritan Rescues Jet Skier On Frozen NY Canal (Video) A New York woman is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a jet skier who became stranded on a frozen canal, sending him into frigid waters. The dramatic rescue unfolded on Thursday, Dec. 26, on Long Island's Poospatuck Creek in Mastic Beach, after a jet skier found himself stuck and sinking in the icy water. Kayla Masotto, a nearby resident, sprang into action after spotting the man struggling in the freezing canal. Video shared on Instagram shows Masotto walking out onto the thin ice with her paddleboard to reach the man, whose arms and legs had gone numb from the cold water. A second …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Hudson Valley Teens Killed In Christmas Crash Remembered For Kindness, Love Hudson Valley Teens Killed In Christmas Crash Remembered For Kindness, Love
Hudson Valley Teens Killed In Christmas Crash Remembered For Kindness, Love A devastating Christmas night car crash in the region claimed the lives of two teens from Orange and Sullivan counties, including one who was preparing to celebrate his 16th birthday. The crash, which happened in the Sullivan County village of Liberty on Wednesday, Dec. 25, claimed the lives of 17-year-old Orange County resident Hannah Reggio of Middletown and 15-year-old Sullivan County resident Joseph Young of Fallsburg, police said.  The crash occurred around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25, on Route 52 near Sullivan Avenue, when a 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck collided with a …

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Albany Area High Schooler's Sudden Death Sparks Outpouring Of Support Albany Area High Schooler's Sudden Death Sparks Outpouring Of Support
Albany Area High Schooler's Sudden Death Sparks Outpouring Of Support The unexpected passing of an Albany area high school student has left his family and community reeling. A GoFundMe launched following the death of Shaker High School sophomore Parikshith Woody had raised more than $45,100 as of Monday, Dec. 23. The campaign, launched by Narendar Rodda, remembers Parikshith as a happy and deeply respectful boy. “Parikshith was a bright and happy kid,” the fundraiser reads. “He was doing great in school and always had a cheerful smile. He was great with his friends and other kids and always respected elders. It was a pleasure to have him aroun…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Some Police Services To Be Cut By Village In Dutchess County Some Police Services To Be Cut By Village In Dutchess County
Some Police Services To Be Cut By Village In Dutchess County Residents of a village in the region were informed of a police service cut only two days before it took effect. The change is taking place in Dutchess County. As of Friday, Nov. 15, at 11:59 p.m., the Village of Wappingers Falls Police Department's operational hours will shift from 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.  Village officials said in a press release that this means the village police will no longer provide overnight coverage, but alternative support will be in place.  "This decision was made after exhaustive consideration, dialogue, and review of the options&nbs…

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by Kathy Reakes
Obituaries
18-Year-Old Killed In Wildfire At Hudson Valley State Park Remembered As HS Baseball Standout 18-Year-Old Killed In Wildfire At Hudson Valley State Park Remembered As HS Baseball Standout
18-Year-Old Killed In Wildfire At Hudson Valley State Park Remembered As HS Baseball Standout A teenage New York State Parks and Recreation worker who died battling one of the latest in a rash of wildfires in the region will be honored at a memorial service in his hometown. The blaze broke out in Orange County at Sterling Forest State Park in Tuxedo on Saturday, Nov. 9, and spread into parts of neighboring New Jersey. Rockland County resident Dariel Vasquez, age 18, suffered fatal injuries after a tree fell, according to the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Vasquez suffered fatal injuries after a tree fell, according to the New York Office of Par…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
NY Native Melissa Joan Hart Touts Relief Fund After ‘Devastating’ Fire At Hometown Businesses NY Native Melissa Joan Hart Touts Relief Fund After ‘Devastating’ Fire At Hometown Businesses
NY Native Melissa Joan Hart Touts Relief Fund After ‘Devastating’ Fire At Hometown Businesses Actress Melissa Joan Hart is showing some love for her hometown on Long Island following a fire that damaged several businesses. The “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” star, who grew up in Sayville, took to Instagram to share a relief fund created to help the half dozen businesses that were damaged in the blaze along the beloved Main Street on Friday, Oct. 25. “The town I grew up in, Sayville, New York, had a devastating fire yesterday and many small businesses suffered big losses,” the 48-year-old Hart wrote. “I'm donating to the chamber of commerce to help them get back on their feet hopefully i…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Hudson Valley Shooting Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Hudson Valley Shooting
Community Rallies To Support Family Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Hudson Valley Shooting Although the family rocked by a Northern Westchester shooting that left a 15-year-old boy dead faces a long, arduous road of healing and recovery, they will not go it alone thanks to the generosity of their community.  The shooting happened at around 11:35 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, when Fernando Jimenez, age 40, shot his girlfriend and her two children with an illegally possessed handgun in the Baldwin Place section of Somers during a domestic dispute, according to New York State Police. Earlier Report - Name Released Of 15-Year-Old Killed In Somers Shooting That Led To …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Barstool Sports Lending Support To Family Of Hudson Valley Teacher Killed In Murder-Suicide Barstool Sports Lending Support To Family Of Hudson Valley Teacher Killed In Murder-Suicide
Barstool Sports Lending Support To Family Of Hudson Valley Teacher Killed In Murder-Suicide Following a horrific murder-suicide that left a beloved Westchester teacher and mom dead, community members and media company Barstool Sports are coming to the aid of her three children.  The outpouring of support follows the death of Eastchester Union Free School District teacher Arlene O’Neill, age 47, who was killed in a shooting at her Yonkers home on Chittenden Avenue on Wednesday morning, Oct. 16.  According to police, O’Neill, a fifth-grade teacher at the Anne Hutchinson School, was fatally shot by her husband, retired New York City Police Department officer…

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Community Mourns 'Exceptional' Teacher, Mother After Murder-Suicide In Hudson Valley Community Mourns 'Exceptional' Teacher, Mother After Murder-Suicide In Hudson Valley
Community Mourns 'Exceptional' Teacher, Mother After Murder-Suicide In Hudson Valley A community in mourning following the tragic death of a beloved schoolteacher in an apparent murder-suicide at her Westchester home is finding the silver lining in remembering her massive impact on countless young students.  Eastchester Union Free School District teacher Arlene O’Neill, age 47, was killed in a shooting at her Yonkers home on Chittenden Avenue on Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, according to Yonkers Police. Earlier Report - Retired Nypd Officer, Teacher Found Dead After Murder-Suicide At Yonkers Home O’Neill, a fifth-grade teacher at the Anne Hutchinson School, was fatally shot …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Know Him? Man Wanted For Theft Of Tools From Hudson Valley Fire Department Know Him? Man Wanted For Theft Of Tools From Hudson Valley Fire Department
Know Him? Man Wanted For Theft Of Tools From Hudson Valley Fire Department Police in the Hudson Valley are working to identify a man wanted in connection with the alleged theft of tools from a fire department construction site. The incident occurred in Orange County at the Vails Gate Fire Department construction site late on Wednesday, Sept. 4. According to New Windsor Police Chief Daniel Valeri, officers are investigating the theft of Milwaukee power tools from the construction site.  "We encourage all residents to take a close look and report any information that could lead to the identification of this individual," Valeri said. "Community suppor…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
New Update: Support On Rise For Fatal House Fire Victim's Family In Hudson Valley New Update: Support On Rise For Fatal House Fire Victim's Family In Hudson Valley
New Update: Support On Rise For Fatal House Fire Victim's Family In Hudson Valley In the days after a tragic house fire that left a man dead in the Hudson Valley, a community is making sure his family gets what they need to start their rebuilding process.  The blaze, which happened in Putnam County on Sunday, Sept. 22, began at around 5:40 a.m. at a Lake Carmel residence at 16 Marion Way and ended up fully engulfing the home, according to the Kent Police Department. Earlier Report - 1 Killed After House Fire Breaks Out In Lake Carmel One of the home's occupants, Joseph Hunt, was killed in the blaze, while two other residents were hospitalized. A fami…

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by Ben Crnic