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Schenectady, NY

Roblox Expands Age Restrictions Amid Sexual Content Concerns, Federal Lawsuit Roblox Expands Age Restrictions Amid Sexual Content Concerns, Federal Lawsuit
Roblox Expands Age Restrictions Amid Sexual Content Concerns, Federal Lawsuit Roblox announced sweeping age verification measures to better protect young users, just days after tightening its sexual content policies—and as the company faces a federal lawsuit over child exploitation. The gaming giant announced on Wednesday, Sept. 3, that it will expand age estimation technology to all users who access communication features by year’s end. Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said the system will combine facial age estimation, ID verification, and parental consent to limit communication between adults and minors unless they know each other offline. “These added layers of …
Roblox Let Sexual Predator Target 12-Year-Old NY Girl, Lawsuit Claims Roblox Let Sexual Predator Target 12-Year-Old NY Girl, Lawsuit Claims
Roblox Let Sexual Predator Target 12-Year-Old NY Girl, Lawsuit Claims Roblox is facing a federal lawsuit from the guardian of a 12-year-old New York girl who says the gaming giant put profits over safety, leaving children vulnerable to predators on its platform. The suit – filed on behalf of a Schenectady family in federal court in northern California on Tuesday, Aug. 26 – alleges that Roblox Corporation knowingly designed and marketed its app in a way that exposed children to sexual predators while misrepresenting it as safe for young users. It accuses Roblox of multiple counts, including fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, general negligen…
'Bungling Fool' Who Copped To Execution-Style Murder On NY Jail Call Convicted In Under Hour 'Bungling Fool' Who Copped To Execution-Style Murder On NY Jail Call Convicted In Under Hour
'Bungling Fool' Who Copped To Execution-Style Murder On NY Jail Call Convicted In Under Hour A Schenectady man has been convicted of murder and multiple weapons charges in the 2023 execution-style killing of a city resident. Jeffrey Bashaw, 56, was found guilty of second-degree murder and related charges by a Schenectady County jury on Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the death of Leroy Chisom. Bashaw and co-defendant Kevin Dingle lured the 41-year-old Chisom from his bedroom on State Street in Schenectady on Oct. 22, 2023, prosecutors said. The two men, wearing masks, gloves, and dark clothing, shot Chisom at least five times each before fleeing in under a minute. Dingle pleaded guilty las…
Hanukkah Shooting: Man Who Opened Fire Outside NY Synagogue Gets Years In Prison Hanukkah Shooting: Man Who Opened Fire Outside NY Synagogue Gets Years In Prison
Hanukkah Shooting: Man Who Opened Fire Outside NY Synagogue Gets Years In Prison A man who fired a shotgun outside an Albany synagogue on the first night of Hanukkah in 2023 has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty in February to a federal hate crime for the Dec. 7, 2023, incident at Temple Israel, as Daily Voice previously reported. Alkhader took an Uber to the synagogue, walked up the front steps, pulled a shotgun from a duffel bag, and fired two rounds into the air while shouting “Free Palestine.” Adults and children were inside at the time, but no one was injured. He had planned to shoot out the syna…
NY Dad, 3 Kids Died In Fire — A Decade Later, Man Accused Of Setting It Is Charged, DOJ Says NY Dad, 3 Kids Died In Fire — A Decade Later, Man Accused Of Setting It Is Charged, DOJ Says
NY Dad, 3 Kids Died In Fire — A Decade Later, Man Accused Of Setting It Is Charged, DOJ Says More than a decade after a house fire killed a father and three children, and seriously injured a fourth in upstate New York, a longtime suspect has been federally charged. Edward Leon, 53, of Fultonville, was indicted this week by a federal grand jury on a charge of malicious use of fire to destroy property resulting in death, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Albany. The fire broke out on May 2, 2013, at a Schenectady rental home on Hulett Street. It killed David Terry and three of his children: Michael Terry, Layah Terry, and Donovan Duell. A fourth child, Sa’fyre Terry, survived…
NY Mom Wrongly Convicted Of Shaking Infant, Causing Brain Injury, Dad Claims (EXCLUSIVE) NY Mom Wrongly Convicted Of Shaking Infant, Causing Brain Injury, Dad Claims (EXCLUSIVE)
NY Mom Wrongly Convicted Of Shaking Infant, Causing Brain Injury, Dad Claims (Exclusive) The fiancé of a New York mother convicted of assaulting their infant child claims the charges were based on false medical evidence and a coerced confession. Toretto Mosher disputed key claims made by the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office that landed his fiancé, 22-year-old Julia Servin, behind bars in a statement to Daily Voice Monday, Aug. 4. Servin, of Schenectady, was sentenced to six years in state prison in July after pleading guilty to reckless assault of a child, as Daily Voice reported. Prosecutors said she violently shook the couple’s 5-month-old child, causing serious …
NY Child Predator Used Parents' Friendship To Gain Trust Before Sexually Abusing Kids NY Child Predator Used Parents' Friendship To Gain Trust Before Sexually Abusing Kids
NY Child Predator Used Parents' Friendship To Gain Trust Before Sexually Abusing Kids An Albany man formally confessed to gaining his friends’ trust in order to sexually abuse their children for more than a year. Denzell Ritzie pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and related charges in Albany County Court on Friday, Aug. 1. Ritzie admitted to sexually abusing three children whose parents he had occasionally lived with for more than a year, from August 2022 to March 2024, according to the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. One of the victims was 9 years old at the time and two older victims were 13. Prosecutors painted a picture of a man who relied on his relations…
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…
Shaking Infant, Causing Brain Injury Lands NY Mom In Prison Shaking Infant, Causing Brain Injury Lands NY Mom In Prison
Shaking Infant, Causing Brain Injury Lands NY Mom In Prison A 21-year-old Schenectady mother was sentenced to prison for violently shaking an infant. Julia Servin was sentenced to six years behind bars in Schenectady County Court on Wednesday, July 16, after pleading guilty to felony reckless assault. A 16-year full order of protection was issued for the victim. Servin, then 21, violently shook her nearly 5-month-old baby, causing significant brain trauma and retinal hemorrhaging in June 2024, according to prosecutors. The child was initially brought to Ellis Hospital with suspicious injuries and symptoms. Hospital staff alerted the Schenectady P…
Hero Boyfriend Drowns Trying To Save GF At NY Lake On Fourth Of July Weekend: 'True Friend' Hero Boyfriend Drowns Trying To Save GF At NY Lake On Fourth Of July Weekend: 'True Friend'
Hero Boyfriend Drowns Trying To Save GF At NY Lake On Fourth Of July Weekend: 'True Friend' Tributes are pouring in for a young man who died while attempting to save his girlfriend on a New York lake over the Fourth of July weekend. Vickram “Kevin” Roopnarine, 24, of Schenectady, died Sunday evening, July 6, after rushing into the waters of the Great Sacandaga Reservoir to help rescue his girlfriend, whose inflatable tube had capsized more than 200 feet from shore near the former Broadalbin Beach. Roopnarine never made it back. Emergency crews—including the NYS DEC, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, NYS Rangers, and multiple fire departments—worked through the evening hours on …
4th Of July Tragedy: Ex-Basketball Player, 21, Drowns In NY Lake During Holiday Boating Trip 4th Of July Tragedy: Ex-Basketball Player, 21, Drowns In NY Lake During Holiday Boating Trip
4th Of July Tragedy: Ex-Basketball Player, 21, Drowns In NY Lake During Holiday Boating Trip A young woman who drowned in Lake George on the Fourth of July has been identified as a 21-year-old former high school basketball standout. Jaedyn Shomo, of Latham, was found in approximately 14 feet of water in Harris Bay shortly before 5:30 p.m. Friday, July 4, according to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. The tragedy happened when three women jumped from a drifting pontoon boat to swim. While two of them made it safely back, Shomo began struggling in the water and slipped beneath the surface. The boat, which was unanchored at the time, was owned by a relative of one of the passengers…
From No. 2 To Top Dog? Antonio Delgado Launches Primary Challenge Against Gov. Hochul From No. 2 To Top Dog? Antonio Delgado Launches Primary Challenge Against Gov. Hochul
From No. 2 To Top Dog? Antonio Delgado Launches Primary Challenge Against Gov. Hochul New York Lieutenant Gov. Antonio Delgado is making a bold move: running against his boss. Delgado, 48, announced Monday, June 2, that he will challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2026 Democratic primary, saying it’s time for “bold, decisive, transformational leadership” in Albany. “Let’s not drop the ball on figuring out what it is we’re fighting for,” Delgado said in his campaign launch video, posted on X. “The powerful and well-connected have their champions. I’m running for governor to be yours.” Though he didn’t mention Hochul by name in the video, Delgado later told The New York Times, …
BF Murdered NY Teen After Learning She Might Be Pregnant, Wanted To Keep Baby: DA BF Murdered NY Teen After Learning She Might Be Pregnant, Wanted To Keep Baby: DA
BF Murdered NY Teen After Learning She Might Be Pregnant, Wanted To Keep Baby: DA More than two years after the body of a missing 14-year-old girl was pulled from a river in upstate New York, her boyfriend has been charged with murder.  A Schenectady County grand jury indicted a 17-year-old boy for second-degree murder in the death of Samantha Humphrey, District Attorney Robert Carney announced Wednesday, May 14.  The juvenile defendant, who was 14 years old at the time, strangled Humphrey after she revealed that she was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby, Carney said. Humphrey, a sophomore at Schenectady High School, was last seen alive the day after T…
Man Who Shot, Killed Armed Home Invader In NY Arrested, Police Say Man Who Shot, Killed Armed Home Invader In NY Arrested, Police Say
Man Who Shot, Killed Armed Home Invader In NY Arrested, Police Say A New York man was arrested after shooting and killing an armed home invader, police said. The shooting happened in Schenectady, at a residence on Hamburg Street north of Abbotsford Road, just before 1 p.m. Thursday, April 24, as Daily Voice reported. Schenectady Police responded to the three-story home for a report of a person with a weapon. Arriving officers found Yadram Singh, 28, of Schenectady, dead from at least one gunshot wound, police said in an update Tuesday, April 29. An investigation concluded that Singh was armed and breaking into the home when a resident, 25-year-old Marc Cu…
‘Lavender’ The Dog Reunites With Rescuers Weeks After 'Unimaginable Cruelty' In NY ‘Lavender’ The Dog Reunites With Rescuers Weeks After 'Unimaginable Cruelty' In NY
‘Lavender’ The Dog Reunites With Rescuers Weeks After 'Unimaginable Cruelty' In NY In a moment as tender as it was powerful, Lavender—an abused dog whose story has gripped upstate New York—was reunited this week with the very heroes who saved her life. The gentle pup, still recovering from unimaginable cruelty, greeted members of the Schenectady Police Department, Schenectady Animal Control, and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society’s (MHHS) Humane Law Enforcement team with tail wags and quiet trust. It was her way of saying thank you. “Lavender’s Heroes Reunited,” MHHS wrote in a heartfelt update Friday, April 18, on Facebook. “Lavender greeted them with tail wags and trust—a…
Cocaine Trafficker's Son Who Beat Teen For Mother's Trial Testimony Gets Federal Prison Time Cocaine Trafficker's Son Who Beat Teen For Mother's Trial Testimony Gets Federal Prison Time
Cocaine Trafficker's Son Who Beat Teen For Mother's Trial Testimony Gets Federal Prison Time A New York man will spend over a year behind bars for violently attacking a 15-year-old boy in retaliation for the boy’s mother testifying in a federal drug case. Patrick Civitello, 19, of Schenectady, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in Albany federal court on Tuesday, March 4, after admitting he punched and kicked the teen in a restaurant parking lot in Glenville in May 2024. The boy’s mother had testified against Civitello’s father, Jeffrey Civitello Sr., and brother, Jeffrey Civitello Jr., in a federal drug case. The father and son were convicted of drug trafficking charges in April…
Northeast Cities Among Most Diverse In US: Here's What A New Study Says Northeast Cities Among Most Diverse In US: Here's What A New Study Says
Northeast Cities Among Most Diverse In US: Here's What A New Study Says The US population is rapidly diversifying, with cities in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic at the forefront, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 ranking of the nation's Most Diverse Cities on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Three Maryland communities topped the list of 501 locations, which were evaluated based on socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, and religious diversity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10.2 percent of Americans identified as multiracial in 2020, a sharp increase from just 2.9 percent in 2010. "The most diverse cities demonstrate diversity in many …
Murder Of 14-Year-Old Who Snuck Out Of NY Home Remains Unsolved 2 Years Later Murder Of 14-Year-Old Who Snuck Out Of NY Home Remains Unsolved 2 Years Later
Murder Of 14-Year-Old Who Snuck Out Of NY Home Remains Unsolved 2 Years Later Two years after Samantha Humphrey’s body was pulled from a river in upstate New York, her killer remains at large. The 14-year-old Schenectady High School sophomore was last seen alive the day after Thanksgiving 2022, when she snuck out of her Schenectady home to meet her abusive ex-boyfriend near the city’s Mohawk River, relatives said. Investigators spent months fruitlessly searching the water and surrounding park with K9 units and dive teams before Humphrey’s body was finally recovered in February 2023, as Daily Voice reported. The medical examiner’s report stated that the girl’s cause…
Ex Bugging You? Name A Cockroach After Them At NY Aquarium This Valentine's Day Ex Bugging You? Name A Cockroach After Them At NY Aquarium This Valentine's Day
Ex Bugging You? Name A Cockroach After Them At NY Aquarium This Valentine's Day If your ex is still crawling under your skin, this may be just the event to help squash the past. This Valentine’s Day, VIA Aquarium in Schenectady is offering a hilariously petty, yet oddly endearing way to mark the holiday: For just $1, you can sponsor a cockroach and have it named after that “special someone.” “Your sponsored roach will be fed out to one of our reptiles by our Senior Reptile Keeper, Randy,” reads the aquarium’s website. The best part? The whole thing will be recorded for your replaying pleasure: “You can watch your special roach over and over.” The deadline to par…
Hanukkah Shooting: Gunman Admits Opening Fire Outside NY Synagogue With Children Present Hanukkah Shooting: Gunman Admits Opening Fire Outside NY Synagogue With Children Present
Hanukkah Shooting: Gunman Admits Opening Fire Outside NY Synagogue With Children Present A New York man who fired a shotgun outside an Albany synagogue on the first night of Hanukkah pleaded guilty to federal civil rights and firearm charges. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty to obstructing religious freedom by threat of force, unlawfully acquiring a firearm, and brandishing it during the crime in Albany federal court on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The formal confession came more than a year after Alkhader took an Uber from Schenectady to Temple Israel in Albany, where he walked up the synagogue’s steps and pulled a shotgun from a duffel bag on Dec. 7, 2023. He the…
NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents, Police Say NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents, Police Say
NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents, Police Say Three New York State employees are accused of stealing money from developmentally disabled residents in the Capital Region. The women, all employees at the Capital District Developmental Disabilities Services Office (DDSO) in Clifton Park, were arrested on suspicion of fraud and larceny-related charges following an investigation by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, Jan. 26. Officials identified the defendants as: Lashea Pettway, 30, of Schenectady Jessie Gabriel, 34, of Schenectady Christin McGrath, 45, of Selkirk An investigation found that all three women stole debit card …
These Nassau County Bagel Shops Among Top 100 In NY, New Ranking Says These Nassau County Bagel Shops Among Top 100 In NY, New Ranking Says
These Nassau County Bagel Shops Among Top 100 In NY, New Ranking Says Whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, these bagels are the cream (cheese?) of the crop. Nearly three dozen businesses outside of New York City made the “Top 100 Bagel Shops in New York 2024” ranking by Yelp. To come up with its list, the restaurant review site identified businesses in the bagel category, then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews. Yelp’s ranking includes a mix of decades-old storefronts and newcomers making names for themselves post-COVID-19 pandemic.  Menus boast everything from the classics (plain, sesame…
Man Kills Parents Before Jumping To Death From Bridge In NY, Police Say Man Kills Parents Before Jumping To Death From Bridge In NY, Police Say
Man Kills Parents Before Jumping To Death From Bridge In NY, Police Say A man from the region murdered both of his parents before jumping to his death from a highway bridge in upstate New York, police said. Troopers in Albany were called about a man threatening to jump from the Patroon Island Bridge (I-90) at around 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15. Before they could get there, the man jumped and was found dead below the bridge. New York State Police identified the man as 35-year-old Jordan Miklowitz, of Schenectady. The incident shut down the northbound lanes of I-787 for nearly three-and-a-half hours. Southbound traffic was also briefly halted. An investigation fou…
2 Lives Ended In 32 Seconds: Man Gunned Down Mom, Stepdad At NY Home, Jury Finds 2 Lives Ended In 32 Seconds: Man Gunned Down Mom, Stepdad At NY Home, Jury Finds
2 Lives Ended In 32 Seconds: Man Gunned Down Mom, Stepdad At NY Home, Jury Finds A protection order was no match for a disgruntled 21-year-old armed with an AK-47 rifle and set on murdering his own mother and stepfather in upstate New York, a jury found. Schenectady County resident Nicholas Fiebka, of Schenectady, was convicted of two counts of murder and related charges on Friday, June 7, in the deaths of his mother Alesia Wadsworth and stepfather, William Horwedel. Prosecutors said Fiebka entered his mother’s Princetown home on Nov. 21, 2022, armed with an AK-47 rifle with an illegal drum magazine capable of holding 75 rounds of ammunition and firing two shots with ev…