Cherished Winter Walk Will End After 26 Years In Capital Region Cherished Winter Walk Will End After 26 Years In Capital Region
Cherished Winter Walk Will End After 26 Years In Capital Region For nearly three decades, a beloved Capital Region winter event will end due to ballooning costs and a lack of donations. On Friday, Sept. 20, the city announced that the Winter Walk, which took place in Columbia County in Hudson Hall, will not occur in 2024. The event has taken place the first weekend in December since 1997 on a mile of the city's main thoroughfare. Performers entertain the crowds, shops stay open and serve hot chocolate and whimsical window displays are featured, all to honor a visit from Santa and the winter season. Hudson Hall However, costs have risen over the year…
NY Men Admit Poisoning Prominent Activist, 'Pose' Star Who Overdosed NY Men Admit Poisoning Prominent Activist, 'Pose' Star Who Overdosed
NY Men Admit Poisoning Prominent Activist, 'Pose' Star Who Overdosed Two New York men formally confessed to their roles in the death of a prominent transgender activist, performer, and author. Michael Kuilan, age 44, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing heroin and fentanyl in Brooklyn federal court Monday, Sept. 23, in the death of Cecilia Gentili. Earlier Report: NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds It came weeks after Long Island resident Antonio Venti, age 52, of West Babylon, pleaded guilty to the same drug offenses. According to prosecutors, Venti and Kuilan sold heroin laced with fe…
Free COVID-19 At-Home Tests Will Soon Become Available Online Free COVID-19 At-Home Tests Will Soon Become Available Online
Free Covid-19 At-Home Tests Will Soon Become Available Online The Department of Health and Human Services will soon restart its program of offering free rapid tests for the virus through the mail. Every American household may order four nasal swab tests starting by the end of September by visiting covid.gov/tests or covidtests.gov. Both standard and more accessible COVID-19 tests will be available, while supplies last. The department did not announce what specific day and date requests will start to be processed. New COVID booster vaccines that became available at the start of September have been updated with a formula to more closely target cu…
Resident In Region Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus; 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared Resident In Region Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus; 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared
Resident In Region 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…
CNN Anchor Announces Husband's Death In Heartbreaking Post CNN Anchor Announces Husband's Death In Heartbreaking Post
CNN Anchor Announces Husband's Death In Heartbreaking Post Alisyn Camerota, A CNN anchor from Fairfield County, CT and with New Jersey roots is mourning the loss of her husband, she announced in a heartbreaking post on social media. Camerota, who was born in Shrewsbury, NJ said on Friday, Sept. 20 on Instagram that her husband, Tim Lewis, died on July 27, 2024 — two years after being diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Lewis' obituary on the Harding Funeral Home website says that he and Camerota live in Westport, CT. "I cannot imagine any human being soldiering through a devastating diagnosis with more humor, humility and bravery than Tim," …
Capital Region Man Sentenced In Fiery Fatal Crash That Killed Mother Of 3 Capital Region Man Sentenced In Fiery Fatal Crash That Killed Mother Of 3
Capital Region Man Sentenced In Fiery Fatal Crash That Killed Mother Of 3 A 32-year-old man will spend years in prison after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in a fiery crash that killed a mother of three and grandmother of five. Related: Passenger Dies In Fiery Drunk-Driving Crash Near Capital Region College, Police Say Schenectady County resident Gregory Mitchell, of Scotia, was sentenced Thursday, Sept. 18, to six to 18 years in prison on the aggravated vehicular homicide charge and six years on an assault charge for the Saturday, Oct. 21 crash in Schenectady.  According to Schenectady District Attorney Robert Carney, following the …
Human Case Of Potentially Deadly Mosquito-Borne Virus Confirmed For First In NY Since 2015 Human Case Of Potentially Deadly Mosquito-Borne Virus Confirmed For First In NY Since 2015
Human Case Of Potentially Deadly Mosquito-Borne Virus Confirmed For First In NY Since 2015 For the first time in a decade, health officials in New York confirmed a human case of a rare but serious mosquito-borne disease. Click here for updated story: Ulster County Resident Dies From EEE Virus; State Declares 'Imminent Threat To Public' In Ulster County, the New York State Department of Health confirmed that a resident was hospitalized after testing positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE), the agency announced Friday, Sept. 20. It marks the first human case of EEE in New York State since 2015. The Ulster County Department of Health is investigating. Earlier …
New York's Sean 'Diddy' Combs On Suicide Watch Before Sex Trafficking Trial: Report New York's Sean 'Diddy' Combs On Suicide Watch Before Sex Trafficking Trial: Report
New York's Sean 'Diddy' Combs On Suicide Watch Before Sex Trafficking Trial: Report Days after being federally charged with sex trafficking and racketeering offenses, hip-hop producer and New York native Sean "Diddy" Combs is on suicide watch as he waits for his trial in prison, according to a report by People.  Following his arrest, the 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon was remanded to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday, Sept. 17, where he has been placed on suicide watch, according to People.  The outlet reported that it is not known if Combs is suicidal or how exactly how long he …
Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know
Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know Authorities are warning the public of a nationwide automated scam in which scammers use people’s email addresses to coerce payments by intimidating them with threats of embarrassment. Victims of the "sextortion" scheme, usually children and teens, are manipulated to photograph or video material for extortionists. "After receiving the sexually explicit content from the child, the offender threatens to release that compromising material unless the victim produces additional explicit material," said the FBI in issuing the warning to parents, educators, caregivers, and children. In a sepa…
Alleged $1.3M Scam: NY Man, Kubient CEO Accused Of Accounting Fraud, Misleading Investors Alleged $1.3M Scam: NY Man, Kubient CEO Accused Of Accounting Fraud, Misleading Investors
Alleged $1.3M Scam: NY Man, Kubient CEO Accused Of Accounting Fraud, Misleading Investors A New York resident who was the chief executive officer of digital advertising technology company Kubient fabricated documented and misled investors and auditors, according to federal authorities. The scheme by Long Island resident Paul Roberts, age 48, of Melville caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements at the time of the company's initial public offering, according the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams. Roberts was charged this with one count of securities fra…
Survivor Of Fatal Crash In Region Remains Critical Survivor Of Fatal Crash In Region Remains Critical
Survivor Of Fatal Crash In Region Remains Critical Sometimes, the victims of vehicle crashes are forgotten when there is a fatality involved. Related: 18-Year-Old Millbrook Man Killed In 2-Vehicle Head-On Crash That's the case with Ulster County resident Todd Abrams, age 60, of the hamlet of Highlands, who was severely injured in a head-on, two-truck crash in Dutchess County on Saturday, Aug. 31, that killed 18-year-old Blaine M. Hadden of Millbrook. Hadden's death received a lot of media coverage, and a GoFundMe for his family was shared widely. According to New York State Police, Hadden allegedly caused the crash by driving into …
Trump Rally: False Report Of Bomb Outside NY Arena Amid Heightened Security Concerns Trump Rally: False Report Of Bomb Outside NY Arena Amid Heightened Security Concerns
Trump Rally: False Report Of Bomb Outside NY Arena Amid Heightened Security Concerns Reports that explosives were found outside the New York arena where former President Donald Trump will hold a campaign rally were unfounded, police said. On Long Island, Nassau County Police responded to a report that a bomb was found inside a parked car outside the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on Wednesday morning, Sept. 18. A short time later, Commissioner Patrick Ryder put out a statement saying detectives were questioning a person who may have been training a bomb detection dog near the site. Earlier Report: Security Top Of Mind For Trump's Nassau Coliseum Rally, First Since Att…
Suspicious White Powder Sent To Election Offices Across Country — Including NY Suspicious White Powder Sent To Election Offices Across Country — Including NY
Suspicious White Powder Sent To Election Offices Across Country — Including NY A package with a suspicious white substance was intercepted at a United States Post Office in Connecticut earlier this week and could be part of a much larger scheme to disrupt or scare election workers ahead of election day, authorities said.  The package was found at a West Hartford post office on Monday, Sept. 16, the Connecticut Secretary of State said in a news release. No one was injured, but the contents were sent to a lab for testing.  Election offices in New York, Tennessee, Wyoming, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, …
New York's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Arrested, Charged With Sex Trafficking, Racketeering: Feds New York's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Arrested, Charged With Sex Trafficking, Racketeering: Feds
New York's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Arrested, Charged With Sex Trafficking, Racketeering: Feds Following several lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and other abuses, successful hip-hop producer and New York native Sean "Diddy" Combs now faces federal sex trafficking charges, officials announced.  Combs, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon, was arrested on Tuesday morning, Sept. 17 on a three-count indictment, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.  According to federal officials, beginning as far back as 2008, Combs ran a criminal enterprise that involved sex trafficking, forced…
Man From Region Accused Of Smothering His 17-Year-Old Sister To Death Man From Region Accused Of Smothering His 17-Year-Old Sister To Death
Man From Region Accused Of Smothering His 17-Year-Old Sister To Death A 32-year-old Hudson Valley man has been charged with allegedly smothering his sister to death at their home.  The Dutchess County District Attorney's office said the incident occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2021, at 58 Harts Village Road in the village of Millbrook. Mark Dedaj, of the village of Millbrook, was charged on Tuesday, Sept. 17, with the murder of Maureen Nelson-Lanzi, said Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi.  Dedaj is charged with intentionally killing Nelson-Lanzo by smothering her to death in their residence, Parisi said. The New York State Police in…
Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim
Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim Investigators are hoping newly released images will lead to the identification of another victim in the Gilgo Beach serial murders. On Long Island, the Gilgo Beach Task Force distributed facial reconstructions of who they've long referred to as "Asian Doe" during a press conference in Brentwood on Monday morning, Sept. 16. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said the man’s skeletal remains were found along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach on April 4, 2011, though it’s believed he “suffered a violent death” sometime before 2006. Earlier Report: Heuermann Used 'Planning Doc' …
Woman From Region Admits Her Part In Death Of Boyfriend's 14-Year-Old Daughter Woman From Region Admits Her Part In Death Of Boyfriend's 14-Year-Old Daughter
Woman From Region Admits Her Part In Death Of Boyfriend's 14-Year-Old Daughter A woman  from the region has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection to the 2022 death of her partner's 14-year-old daughter. Ulster County resident Kristin Delsanto, age 29, of Lake Katrine, admitted to the crime on Wednesday, Sept. 11, in the death of Collin Schlegel’s biological daughter, said Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji. According to the DA's Office, on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, the Town of Ulster Police received a 911 call for an unresponsive 14-year-old girl.  Despite all attempted life-saving measures by responding officers, the child was pro…
Seen Her Or This Car? Missing Long Island Woman May Be In This Upstate NY Village Seen Her Or This Car? Missing Long Island Woman May Be In This Upstate NY Village
Seen Her Or This Car? Missing Long Island Woman May Be In This Upstate NY Village Have you seen her or her car on a New York roadway? A Long Island woman has gone missing and authorities are asking the public's help in locating her. Erin O'Brien, age 37, was last seen on Harrow Lane in Levittown at 6:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, authorities say. She is described as being 5-foot-7, 225 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Authorities describe her as being vulnerable and say she has autism. She was driving a 2018 green Honda HRV with New York registration KMK-2814. Information indicates that she may be in the upstate New York village of Speculator in Hamilton County, acco…
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Reveals Cancer Diagnosis: 'Keep An Eye On Your Body' NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Reveals Cancer Diagnosis: 'Keep An Eye On Your Body'
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Reveals Cancer Diagnosis: 'Keep An Eye On Your Body' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is recovering from cancer. The 66-year-old Democrat revealed that she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, in a post on X Friday morning, Sept. 13. Appearing alongside her doctor, Hochul said she would undergo an outpatient procedure to remove a spot of skin cancer on her nose. She discovered the abnormality during a routine check-up. Three hours later, she made another post on X saying the procedure had been successful. “Hi New York. Back on the job after having basal cell carcinoma removal from my nose right here,” she said. “…
Justin Timberlake Admits Driving While Impaired In NY Justin Timberlake Admits Driving While Impaired In NY
Justin Timberlake Admits Driving While Impaired In NY Justin Timberlake formally accepted a plea deal in his alleged drunk driving case in New York. The former NSYNC frontman, age 43, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired in Sag Harbor Village court on Friday, Sept. 13. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and complete 25 hours of community service within a year. He also agreed to make a public safety announcement about the dangers of drinking and driving. The judge said Timberlake's New York State driver's license will have a 90-day suspension. Earlier Report: NY Judge Suspends Justin Timberlake's Lic…
Gunman Admits To Broad Daylight Shooting Injuring 2 Outside NY Home Of Former Rep. Lee Zeldin Gunman Admits To Broad Daylight Shooting Injuring 2 Outside NY Home Of Former Rep. Lee Zeldin
Gunman Admits To Broad Daylight Shooting Injuring 2 Outside NY Home Of Former Rep. Lee Zeldin The gunman in a broad daylight shooting that injured two teenagers outside the New York home of former Rep. Lee Zeldin formally confessed. Long Island resident Noah Green, age 20, of Shirley, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Sept. 12. Prosecutors said Green was riding in a stolen SUV with another individual when they spotted three rival gang members walking along Saint George Drive West in Shirley at around 2:20 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2022. Earlier Report: Man Charged Amid Investigation Into Shooting That Injured 2 Near Lee Zeldin'…
Cop Impersonator Sexually Assaults Woman At Knifepoint At Albany Home Cop Impersonator Sexually Assaults Woman At Knifepoint At Albany Home
Cop Impersonator Sexually Assaults Woman At Knifepoint At Albany Home Police are on the hunt for a man who impersonated a police officer before sexually assaulting a woman at her home in the region. The incident happened in Albany, at a residence on Mercer Street near South Lake Avenue, shortly after 10 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9. Albany Police said a man knocked on the door of the victim’s apartment and announced that he was a member of the Albany Police Department. When the woman unlocked her door, the man forced his way inside and pulled a knife before sexually assaulting her, police said. He then fled the scene on foot. The victim suffered a cut to the right …
Person Struck, Killed By Train In Region Person Struck, Killed By Train In Region
Person Struck, Killed By Train In Region A person was killed after being struck by a Metro-North train in the region. The incident occurred in Dutchess County around 11:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 8, in New Hamburg, a hamlet of Poughkeepsie. According to Dave Steckel, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the person was struck by a Metro-North train on the tracks near the New Hamburg station. No passengers were injured on the train, which was delayed for about an hour. officials said.   The victim's name has not yet been released, and notification is pending. The Metro-North Police are inves…
COVID-19: Hochul Urges NYers To Receive New Vaccines Ahead Of Flu Season COVID-19: Hochul Urges NYers To Receive New Vaccines Ahead Of Flu Season
Covid-19: Hochul Urges NYers To Receive New Vaccines Ahead Of Flu Season Now that the new COVID-19 vaccine is available in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging residents to get their updated shots ahead of this year's respiratory virus illness season. Related story - COVID-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases In an announcement this week, Hochul encouraged eligible New Yorkers to get the new Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine for the 2024-2025 season, offered by Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax.  According to Hochul, receiving the new vaccine is more pressing as students return to school and …
COVID-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases COVID-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases
Covid-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases A newly discovered more contagious COVID-19 strain spreading rapidly through Europe is sparking concerns among health authorities around the globe as the United States is experiencing its largest wave of cases in over two years. XEC, which was first identified in Germany, may eventually overtake the current dominant subvariant, KP.3.1.1, which is currently most common in the United States, accounting for about 42 percent of cases nationally according to data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Saturday, Aug. 31. XEC make takes weeks or even months before it …
New Details: Ex-Husband Shot Way Into NY Home Before Killing Woman, Her BF, DA Says New Details: Ex-Husband Shot Way Into NY Home Before Killing Woman, Her BF, DA Says
New Details: Ex-Husband Shot Way Into NY Home Before Killing Woman, Her BF, DA Says Authorities have released new details in the case of a New York couple who were shot to death inside their home. Long Island resident Daniel Coppola, age 50, of St. James, was arraigned on four counts of first-degree murder in Suffolk County Court on Friday, Sept. 6, in the deaths of his ex-wife Kelly Coppola and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman. Suffolk County Police found Mrs. Coppola, age 50, and Pohlman, age 52, dead from gunshot wounds inside their St. James residence on Brasswood Road shortly before midnight on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Earlier Report: Accused Murderer Ranted About Pr…
American Airlines Mechanic Who Smuggled $250K Worth Of Cocaine On Flight Sentenced American Airlines Mechanic Who Smuggled $250K Worth Of Cocaine On Flight Sentenced
American Airlines Mechanic Who Smuggled $250K Worth Of Cocaine On Flight Sentenced An airplane mechanic from New York will spend nearly a decade behind bars for smuggling over 25 pounds of cocaine on an American Airlines plane. Long Island resident Paul Belloisi, age 56, of Smithtown, was sentenced to nine years in prison in Brooklyn federal court on Friday, Sept. 6, for possessing and importing cocaine. Belloisi, a former mechanic for American Airlines, was arrested in February 2020 after US Customs and Border Protection discovered 10 bricks of cocaine in an electronics compartment beneath a plane arriving from Jamaica at Kennedy International Airport in Queens . The c…
Assisted Suicide Case In Region: Arizona Resident Convicted Of Manslaughter Assisted Suicide Case In Region: Arizona Resident Convicted Of Manslaughter
Assisted Suicide Case In Region: Arizona Resident Convicted Of Manslaughter An out-of-state man has been convicted of manslaughter in connection with the assisted suicide death of a woman in a Hudson Valley hotel room. Stephen Miller, age 85, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to five years of probation on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Ulster County Court in Kingston.  The conviction is in connection with the Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, death of a woman found unresponsive by the cleaning staff at the Super 8 Motel in Kingston, said Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji. According to Nneji, the Kingston Police Department, Fire Department, and other emergency person…
Mom’s Meth-Fueled, Wrong-Way Crash Killing 9-Year-Old Son On NY Highway Was Murder, DA Says Mom’s Meth-Fueled, Wrong-Way Crash Killing 9-Year-Old Son On NY Highway Was Murder, DA Says
Mom’s Meth-Fueled, Wrong-Way Crash Killing 9-Year-Old Son On NY Highway Was Murder, DA Says A New York mother accused of causing a drug-fueled, wrong-way highway crash that killed her son has been charged with murder. On Long Island, a Suffolk County grand jury charged 32-year-old Kerri Bedrick, of Centerport, with second-degree murder and related charges on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Prosecutors said Bedrick was high on methamphetamine when a Suffolk County Sheriff’s deputy spotted her SUV speeding westbound in the eastbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway at around 2:15 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22. Earlier Report: NY Mom Accused In Wrong-Way Crash Killing Son Had License Suspend…
Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home
Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home New details are offering insight into the mind of an accused murderer just hours before he allegedly gunned down his ex-wife and her boyfriend inside their New York home. The Long Island killings happened in St. James, at a residence on Brasswood Road, at around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28. Suffolk County Police said Daniel Coppola, age 50, put his 15-year-old daughter into his car before going inside and shooting his ex-wife, 50-year-old Kelly Coppola, and her boyfriend, 53-year-old Kenneth Pohlman. Earlier Report: Man Kills Ex-Wife, Her BF At St. James Home, Police Say Both vic…
Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Raked In Millions Acting As Undisclosed Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Raked In Millions Acting As Undisclosed Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds
Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Raked In Millions Acting As Undisclosed Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds This story has been updated. A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is accused of acting as an agent for the Chinese government. Long Island residents Linda Sun, age 41, and her husband Chris Hu, age 40, were arrested at their Manhasset home on Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, and related charges. According to federal prosecutors, Sun – who served as Hochul’s deputy chief of staff before being fired in 2023 – engaged in numerous political activities at the behest of Chinese government …