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Mask Ban Arrest: 18-Year-Old First Person Charged Under Controversial NY County Law Mask Ban Arrest: 18-Year-Old First Person Charged Under Controversial NY County Law
Mask Ban Arrest: 18-Year-Old First Person Charged Under Controversial NY County Law An 18-year-old man appears to be the first person arrested under a New York county's controversial law banning face coverings in public. On Long Island, Nassau County Police were called about a suspicious person in Levittown who was walking along Spindle Road shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25. Officers arrived to find 18-year-old Wesslin Omar Ramirez-Castillo, of Hicksville, dressed in black and wearing a face mask, police said. Earlier Report: NY County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues The officer said the teen displayed “suspicious” behavior whi…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes In Westchester: Feds Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes In Westchester: Feds
Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes In Westchester: Feds A Westchester Sergeant faces federal charges after tasing a handcuffed victim seven times in the span of two minutes and violating their rights in the process, officials said.  Brooklyn resident Mario Stewart, age 44, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department, has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly using excessive force against a handcuffed individual in a March 2019 incident, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday, July 20.  According to federal officials, at the time of the incident, Stewart had been …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member In Westchester, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member In Westchester, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds
Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member In Westchester, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds As the result of a settled federal civil rights lawsuit, a town and fire department in Westchester have been ordered to pay a former female member one of the largest-ever payments by a municipality in an employment discrimination case brought on behalf of a single person, officials said.  The payment is a result of a settled federal civil rights lawsuit that alleged the town of Harrison and the Harrison Fire Department discriminated against a former female firefighter, Angela Bommarito, based on her sex and failed to take disciplinary action against a male firefighter who even…

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by Ben Crnic
News
NY Man's Stun Gun, Fire Death Prompts $20M Lawsuit Against Police: Report NY Man's Stun Gun, Fire Death Prompts $20M Lawsuit Against Police: Report
NY Man's Stun Gun, Fire Death Prompts $20M Lawsuit Against Police: Report A police department in New York is facing a federal lawsuit in connection with the death of a man who was hit with a TASER device and caught fire in the department’s lobby, WRGB reports. Greene County resident Jason Jones, of Catskill, voluntarily went to the Catskill Police Department on Oct. 30, 2021, and began arguing with officers, according to police. Surveillance footage later released by the New York Attorney General’s Office shows him removing his shirt and shoes before pouring hand sanitizer all over his body, including his hair and face. Moments later, an officer is seen deploy…

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
Migrants Flown To Martha's Vineyard Sue FL Gov. DeSantis For 'Cowardly Political Stunt' Migrants Flown To Martha's Vineyard Sue FL Gov. DeSantis For 'Cowardly Political Stunt'
Migrants Flown To Martha's Vineyard Sue FL Gov. DeSantis For 'Cowardly Political Stunt' The Venezuelan migrants flown to Martha's Vineyard at the order of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Republican leader for using them as "pawns in a political stunt." Lawyers for Civil Rights filed the federal civil rights lawsuit working with the migrants from Joint Base Cape Cod along with Alianza Americas. The groups said these men, women, and children fled their home country out of fear and violence and made a harrowing journey to America only to be caught in a political tug of war and left stranded with no options.   “No human being should be used…

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by Josh Lanier
News
US Sues Municipality In Westchester For Discrimination US Sues Municipality In Westchester For Discrimination
US Sues Municipality In Westchester For Discrimination The United States has filed a lawsuit against a Westchester County municipality and its fire department, alleging that they discriminated and retaliated against a female firefighter who reported that a male senior firefighter had harassed and stalked her.  The lawsuit was filed against the Town/Village of Harrison, Fire District Two of Harrison, and the Harrison Fire Department, according to an announcement on Wednesday, June 8, from Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Williams said the US is alleging that the town and fire department…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Feds Launch Investigation Into Westchester Police Department Feds Launch Investigation Into Westchester Police Department
Feds Launch Investigation Into Westchester Police Department Federal investigators have launched a probe into a Hudson Valley police department to determine whether or not officers engaged in a pattern of discriminatory policing. US Attorney Damian Williams announced that in Westchester, the Justice Department has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Mount Vernon Police Department. According to Williams, the investigation will assess the department’s use of force, strip and body cavity searches, and how it handles evidence. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of Mount Vernon Police Department’s systems of accountabil…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Former Officer Charged With Using Excessive Force At Correctional Facility In Hudson Valley Former Officer Charged With Using Excessive Force At Correctional Facility In Hudson Valley
Former Officer Charged With Using Excessive Force At Correctional Facility In Hudson Valley A former corrections officer at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in the Hudson Valley is facing time behind the other side of the bars after being charged with using excessive force against an inmate. In federal court, Dutchess County resident Aaron Finn, age 35, of Hyde Park was charged with using excessive force that amounted to “cruel and unusual punishment” against a restrained inmate in March last year. US Attorney Damian Williams said that Finn allegedly struck and thrashed the inmate, causing bodily injury to him in violation of his Constitutional rights. “Correction officer Aa…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Video: Police Release Bodycam Footage Of Viral Arrest Video In Hudson Valley Video: Police Release Bodycam Footage Of Viral Arrest Video In Hudson Valley
Video: Police Release Bodycam Footage Of Viral Arrest Video In Hudson Valley The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office has released bodycam footage of an altercation after a 26-year-old woman alleged that deputies used excessive force while arresting her outside a Buffalo Wild Wings last week. Saugerties resident Shana Shaw was picking up food at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28 on Ulster Avenue in Ulster when she was approached by members of the Sheriff’s Department, who sought to arrest her for driving with a suspended license after she allegedly cut him off without signaling. In a video taken at the scene that quickly went viral, Shaw was seen shrieking and s…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Video: Woman Alleges Excessive Force After Being Arrested In Hudson Valley Video: Woman Alleges Excessive Force After Being Arrested In Hudson Valley
Video: Woman Alleges Excessive Force After Being Arrested In Hudson Valley A 26-year-old woman is alleging that Ulster County Sheriff’s deputies used excessive force while arresting her outside a Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot earlier this week without cause. Saugerties resident Shana Shaw was picking up food at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28 on Ulster Avenue when she was approached by members of the Sheriff’s Department, who sought to arrest her for driving with a suspended license and marijuana possession. In video taken at the scene, Shaw can be heard shrieking and screaming as a deputy sought to remove her from her vehicle, alleging that her arm wa…

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by Zak Failla
News
Thousands Demand Justice 10 Years After College Athlete Shot, Killed By Cop In Westchester Thousands Demand Justice 10 Years After College Athlete Shot, Killed By Cop In Westchester
Thousands Demand Justice 10 Years After College Athlete Shot, Killed By Cop In Westchester The cacophony of thousands of voices demanding justice for Danroy “DJ” Henry has grown to include some celebrities 10 years after he was killed at the hands of police in Westchester. Nearly 80,000 people have signed a change.org petition urging prosecutors to re-open Henry’s case after he was shot and killed by former Pleasantville police officer Aaron Hess in October 2010. Henry, a football player and junior at Pace University's Pleasantville campus, was at a sports bar with teammates when a fight broke out after their homecoming game in Pleasantville. Hess remained at the scene, and w…

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by Zak Failla
News
Ban On Chokeholds, Other Police, Criminal Justice Reforms Become Law In New York Ban On Chokeholds, Other Police, Criminal Justice Reforms Become Law In New York
Ban On Chokeholds, Other Police, Criminal Justice Reforms Become Law In New York New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that will radically reform policing throughout the state. At the conclusion of his daily COVID-19 briefing on Friday, June 12 in Manhattan, Cuomo signed a police reform package that he dubbed the “Say Their Name Agenda.” Flanked by Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Rev. Al Sharpton, Cuomo signed the legislation into law that includes the ban of chokeholds by police. The package also calls for the repeal of Section 50a of the Civil Rights law, which will include more transparency of police disciplinar…

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by Zak Failla
News
NYC Will Have Curfew After Looting On Fourth Night Of Protests NYC Will Have Curfew After Looting On Fourth Night Of Protests
NYC Will Have Curfew After Looting On Fourth Night Of Protests New York City will be under a curfew effective immediately amid violent protests and looting that have broken out in the wake of George Floyd’s police-related death in Minnesota. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the curfew will be from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. effective Monday, June 1, while the state’s National Guard will be on standby following four days of protests. Additionally, the NYPD will be doubling its presence in the city to help prevent any potential violence or property damage.  The officers will be deployed to areas where violence and …

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Judith Johnson, Longtime Hudson Valley Educator, Dies Judith Johnson, Longtime Hudson Valley Educator, Dies
Judith Johnson, Longtime Hudson Valley Educator, Dies Former New York State Education Department Regent and prominent Hudson Valley educator Judith Johnson has died. During her career, Johnson, 80, spent time serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for Education under President Bill Clinton and spent decades educating students in the Hudson Valley. Johnson spent 10 years as the Schools Superintendent in Peekskill, becoming the first African American to hold that post. She also took over at the helm in Mount Vernon in an interim position in 2012 as the district underwent wholesale changes and sought a permanent …

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by Zak Failla
News
NY Attorney General Vows To Protect Undocumented Immigrants During Planned ICE Raids NY Attorney General Vows To Protect Undocumented Immigrants During Planned ICE Raids
NY Attorney General Vows To Protect Undocumented Immigrants During Planned ICE Raids New York is among as many as 10 cities nationwide that are going to be the target of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting illegal immigrants, which are expected to begin this weekend and the state's attorney general is vowing to protect those undocumented immigrants. The raids come weeks after President Donald Trump tweeted ICE’s plans to conduct them, forcing the commander-in-chief to postpone the operation due to the leaked information and public outcry. They have now been re-scheduled to begin on Sunday, July 14, though few details have been released. The raids, which w…

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by Zak Failla
News
State Supreme Court Judge Rules Against Rockland County Measles State Of Emergency State Supreme Court Judge Rules Against Rockland County Measles State Of Emergency
State Supreme Court Judge Rules Against Rockland County Measles State Of Emergency A State Supreme Court judge has ruled against Rockland County's state of emergency order banning people under the age of 18 who have not received a measles vaccine from public places. Rockland County Executive Ed Day instituted the ban last month after more than 160 measles cases were confirmed to be infected with the virus. Since the state of emergency, another six people have been confirmed to be carrying the disease for a total of 167 cases. The suit against the state of emergency was brought by civil rights lawyer Michael Sussman on behalf of parents of unvaccinated students at Gree…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Second Woodstock 50th Anniversary Celebration Scheduled, This One At Watkins Glen Second Woodstock 50th Anniversary Celebration Scheduled, This One At Watkins Glen
Second Woodstock 50th Anniversary Celebration Scheduled, This One At Watkins Glen Music lovers will have two ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary 3-day 1969 Woodstock festival on the same weekend. Bethel Woods announced last month that they will host a 50th-anniversary celebration at the original site of the renowned groove fest Aug. 16-18, 2019, at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a concert venue built on the original Woodstock site in the Hudson Valley's Sullivan County. The latest event to be announced is Woodstock 50 at Watkins Glen in Schuyler County, running from Friday, August 16 through Sunday, August 18, announced co-p…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
ICE 'Wrongfully Detains' Father In Northern Westchester, Assemblywoman Says ICE 'Wrongfully Detains' Father In Northern Westchester, Assemblywoman Says
ICE 'Wrongfully Detains' Father In Northern Westchester, Assemblywoman Says A father in Northern Westchester was wrongfully detained by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Wednesday, Aug. 15, State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef said. The Ossining man's wife said the agents arrested the wrong man, according to Galef. "I applaud those who are fighting for more transparency from ICE in this arrest, and encourage those who believe their rights have been violated by an ICE agent to fill out a civil rights complaint," Galef said, which can be accessed by clicking here:   "I believe that ICE procedures need to be overhauled," Galef…

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by Jon Craig
News
Cuomo Sends Cease, Desist Letter To ICE, Citing 'Reckless' Enforcement Cuomo Sends Cease, Desist Letter To ICE, Citing 'Reckless' Enforcement
Cuomo Sends Cease, Desist Letter To ICE, Citing 'Reckless' Enforcement New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is putting federal immigration officials on notice, threatening to sue U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in a cease and desist letter, claiming that ICE agents operating in the state have become “increasingly reckless and reflect a serious disregard for the rule of law." Cuomo sent a letter to ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan on Wednesday following hundreds of recent arrests of immigrants from dozens of countries, calling the agency and its agents’ actions unconstitutional, “irresponsible, and in many cases, illegal.” “As reflected in news reports and…

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by Zak Failla
News
NY AG Sues Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein Company Over Sexual Misconduct NY AG Sues Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein Company Over Sexual Misconduct
NY AG Sues Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein Company Over Sexual Misconduct Mega Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by numerous women dating back decades, has been hit with a civil rights lawsuit by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who announced the suit on Sunday. The suit, filed against Weinstein, the Manhattan-based Weinstein Company and Weinstein's brother, Robert, cites "egregious violations of New York’s civil rights, human rights, and business laws." The suit, filed in New York County Supreme Court, follows a four-month investigation and includes new and extensive allegations about…

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by Joe Lombardi