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Obituaries
Aspiring Pharmacist Killed By Train In Region Remembered For 'Kindhearted, Gentle Spirit' Aspiring Pharmacist Killed By Train In Region Remembered For 'Kindhearted, Gentle Spirit'
Aspiring Pharmacist Killed By Train In Region Remembered For 'Kindhearted, Gentle Spirit' Tributes are pouring in for the family of a 22-year-old man who was struck and killed by a passenger train in the region. Rensselaer County resident Kevin Ackerman, age 22, of Castleton-on-Hudson, died Wednesday, March 6, after being hit by an Amtrak train in the town of Schodack. New York State Police said the incident happened at around 8:45 a.m. near the intersection of River Road and Hamilton Way, just yards from the Hudson River Foods warehouse. Earlier Report: 22-Year-Old Struck, Killed By Amtrak Train In Schodack Ackerman suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Jimmy Fallon Crashes NY College Party, Pokes Fun At Alma Mater's Impending Closure Jimmy Fallon Crashes NY College Party, Pokes Fun At Alma Mater's Impending Closure
Jimmy Fallon Crashes NY College Party, Pokes Fun At Alma Mater's Impending Closure Funnyman Jimmy Fallon ginned up plenty of online buzz after crashing a college party in upstate New York. The 49-year-old “Tonight Show” host and “Saturday Night Live” alum made a surprise appearance at what appears to be a frat party at a house near the UAlbany campus on Saturday, March 9. Video shared on TikTok shows dozens of students screaming with excitement while trying to snap selfies as Fallon is led through a crowd and into the residence. It was not immediately clear how long he stayed at the party. @victoriaspadaro Kegs & Eggs 🍀 #jimmyfallon #ualbany #upstateny #capital…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Dismembered Remains Case: ID Released For 1 Of 2 Westchester County Victims Dismembered Remains Case: ID Released For 1 Of 2 Westchester County Victims
Dismembered Remains Case: ID Released For 1 Of 2 Westchester County Victims For the first time, police have publicly identified one of two murder victims from Westchester County whose mutilated remains were found strewn across Long Island, reigniting the debate over bail reform laws. In an update to the case Monday, March 11, Suffolk County Police identified the female victim as 59-year-old Donna Conneely, whose last known address was in Yonkers. The identity of the male victim is still pending confirmation from the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s office. Earlier Report: Dismembering Dead Body Would Be Felony Under NY Bill Meant To Remedy 'Ill-Conceived D…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Honest Meth Dealer From Capital Region Corrects Federal Agents: ‘21.7 Grams To Be Exact’ Honest Meth Dealer From Capital Region Corrects Federal Agents: ‘21.7 Grams To Be Exact’
Honest Meth Dealer From Capital Region Corrects Federal Agents: ‘21.7 Grams To Be Exact’ You gotta admire his honesty. A Schenectady man is facing years in federal lockup after admitting to selling hard drugs – and correcting agents on the exact amount. Ocyris Morgan, age 36, pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in Albany federal court on Monday, March 4. Prosecutors said a search of Morgan’s Schenectady residence in June 2023 turned up more than 21 grams of methamphetamine, which he admitted he intended to sell. When he overheard federal agents saying they found between one-half and one ounce of the drug, Morgan corrected them, saying…

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by Michael Mashburn
Obituaries
Capital Region 7-Month-Old Who Died Of Rare Heart Defect Was 'So Amazing, Strong,' Mom Says Capital Region 7-Month-Old Who Died Of Rare Heart Defect Was 'So Amazing, Strong,' Mom Says
Capital Region 7-Month-Old Who Died Of Rare Heart Defect Was 'So Amazing, Strong,' Mom Says Nalon Billingsley touched a lot of lives during his short time on this earth. The baby boy from Albany died Friday, Feb. 23, following a seven-month battle with a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot, his mother Sha’Dasia Alston told Daily Voice. It actually consists of four different problems that affect the heart’s structure, disrupting blood flow to the rest of the body, according to Mayo Clinic. The condition is usually diagnosed during pregnancy or soon after birth. In Nalon’s case, he also suffered from pulmonary atresia, meaning the valve between his heart and lung…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
'Significant Progress': Murders, Shootings, Car Thefts Down In Capital Region, Hochul Says 'Significant Progress': Murders, Shootings, Car Thefts Down In Capital Region, Hochul Says
'Significant Progress': Murders, Shootings, Car Thefts Down In Capital Region, Hochul Says Gov. Kathy Hochul is crediting recent multimillion-dollar policing initiatives with bringing down overall crime in the region. Speaking at the New York State Police Troop G headquarters in Latham on Monday, March 4, Hochul said Capital Region cities participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative all saw the number of shootings with injuries drop in 2023 compared to the previous year. The initiative provides tens of millions of dollars in state funding to local police departments to pay for equipment, overtime, and training meant to reduce shootings and homi…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Man Wielding Knives Threatens Patrons At Capital Region Bar, Police Say Man Wielding Knives Threatens Patrons At Capital Region Bar, Police Say
Man Wielding Knives Threatens Patrons At Capital Region Bar, Police Say A 56-year-old man is accused of threatening patrons inside a bar in the region while brandishing multiple knives. The Albany County incident happened just before 2 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26 at Albany’s Oh Bar, a predominantly gay bar located on Lark Street. Albany Police said officers responded to the business after someone called 911 reporting a man with a weapon. An investigation found that Walter Mastan, of Albany, went behind the bar without permission and grabbed several knives. He then threatened multiple patrons, police said. No customers or employees were injured in the ordeal. Mastan…

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by Michael Mashburn
Sports
Championship-Winning Cheerleading Team From Hudson Valley Celebrated By Lawmakers Championship-Winning Cheerleading Team From Hudson Valley Celebrated By Lawmakers
Championship-Winning Cheerleading Team From Hudson Valley Celebrated By Lawmakers A championship-winning cheerleading team from a Hudson Valley high school got the chance to celebrate their impressive accomplishment with local lawmakers at the New York State Capitol.  The Putnam County cheerleading team, the Putnam Valley Tigers, was invited to Albany by Assemblyman Matt Slater, Rep. Mike Lawler, and Sen. Rob Rolison on Tuesday, Feb. 27 to celebrate their first-ever state championship win.  The Tigers, who won the 2023 New York State Cheerleading Championship on Sunday, Nov. 5, received much praise from elected officials. "As a community, we are inspired by th…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Biker Gang Member Who Smashed Walmart Display Case, Stole Guns In Capital Region Gets Prison Biker Gang Member Who Smashed Walmart Display Case, Stole Guns In Capital Region Gets Prison
Biker Gang Member Who Smashed Walmart Display Case, Stole Guns In Capital Region Gets Prison A motorcycle gang member will spend years in federal prison for breaking into a local Walmart store and stealing a half dozen firearms. Rensselaer County resident Michael McDermott, age 30, of Troy, was sentenced to 2 ½ years behind bars in Albany federal court on Monday, Feb. 26. It came months after he formally confessed to forcing his way into the Glenmont Walmart store while it was closed overnight. Once inside, he smashed a glass display case and stole five shotguns and one rifle. McDermott also admitted that when employees chased him into the woods, he pointed a gun at them. No emplo…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY Personal Pilot To Billionaire Investor Admits Role In Insider Trading Scheme NY Personal Pilot To Billionaire Investor Admits Role In Insider Trading Scheme
NY Personal Pilot To Billionaire Investor Admits Role In Insider Trading Scheme A private pilot from New York has admitted to taking part in an insider trading scheme involving his billionaire boss. Albany County resident Patrick O’Connor, age 67, of Preston-Potter Hollow, pleaded guilty to securities fraud in Albany federal court on Monday, Feb. 26. O’Connor worked as a personal pilot to billionaire Joseph Lewis, a British businessman and investor who is the principal owner of the Tavistock Group, an international private investment organization. According to prosecutors, Lewis, age 87, was regularly given material, non-public information about various companies for …

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
30-Year-Old Man Killed In Fight With Friend At Capital Region Home, Police Say 30-Year-Old Man Killed In Fight With Friend At Capital Region Home, Police Say
30-Year-Old Man Killed In Fight With Friend At Capital Region Home, Police Say A homicide investigation is underway after a 30-year-old man suffered fatal injuries during a fight at a home in the region. Albany Police were called at around 10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, for an unconscious man inside a residence on Clinton Avenue near Henry Johnson Boulevard. The victim, identified as 30-year-old Jieshi Williams, was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital and later died from blunt force trauma injuries. According to investigators, Williams and his girlfriend were at a gathering with another couple when he got into a physical fight with the other man. Detectives did not…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Nearly Dozen ‘Ghost Cars’ With Phony, Switched Plates Removed From Capital Region Streets Nearly Dozen ‘Ghost Cars’ With Phony, Switched Plates Removed From Capital Region Streets
Nearly Dozen ‘Ghost Cars’ With Phony, Switched Plates Removed From Capital Region Streets With no way to track them, they’re the perfect mode of transportation for would-be criminals. Nearly a dozen so-called “ghost cars” – those with either phony or switched license plates – were removed from Albany city streets on Friday, Feb. 23, according to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. Working with investigators from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, deputies located at least 11 such vehicles. Photos provided by police show both regular and temporary plates were recovered, with some from Pennsylvania and Arkansas. Cars with fraudulent plates are often used in violent…

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by Michael Mashburn