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'Heinous, Dehumanizing:' Twin NYC Luxury Realtors Face Federal Sex Trafficking Charges 'Heinous, Dehumanizing:' Twin NYC Luxury Realtors Face Federal Sex Trafficking Charges
'Heinous, Dehumanizing:' Twin NYC Luxury Realtors Face Federal Sex Trafficking Charges Three luxury real estate agents and brothers known for operating in the New York City area are accused of drugging and raping numerous women dating back over a decade. Brothers Oren and Tal Alexander, founders of the real estate firm Official, and their brother Alon are charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking, according to a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, Dec. 11. “The charges outlined in this indictment reflect some of the most heinous and dehumanizing crimes of sexual exploitation that our NYPD detectives investigate," NYPD Commissioner Jessica …

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Shake Shack Offers Free Burgers With Purchase During Holiday Promotion Shake Shack Offers Free Burgers With Purchase During Holiday Promotion
Shake Shack Offers Free Burgers With Purchase During Holiday Promotion Shake Shack is launching a limited-time promotion offering free burgers with a qualifying purchase during the holiday season.  The “Holiday Burger Blitz” will run from Monday, Dec. 16, to Tuesday, Dec. 24, providing customers with a free burger each day when they spend a minimum of $10 and use the code BURGERBLITZ at checkout. The promotion features a different burger each day, including popular items like the ShackBurger, SmokeShack, and Avocado Bacon Burger. The schedule for the free offerings is as follows: Monday, Dec. 16: ShackBurger Tuesday, Dec. 17: SmokeShack Wednesday, Dec. …

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Cyberattack Hits Krispy Kreme As Hackers Find Hole In Online Ordering System Cyberattack Hits Krispy Kreme As Hackers Find Hole In Online Ordering System
Cyberattack Hits Krispy Kreme As Hackers Find Hole In Online Ordering System Hackers have found a hole in Krispy Kreme's online ordering system, leaving some customers temporarily unable to place digital orders for their favorite donuts.  The company has confirmed the incident and stated that its technical team is actively working to resolve the issue. Krispy Kreme reported that the breach influenced its web-based platforms but did not affect in-store operations or the safety of customers' personal data.  The attack was first discovered at the end of November, the company said in a filing with Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). Krispy Kreme said it "i…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
I-684 Reopens After Fatal Plane Crash In Westchester, Pilot Had Reported Engine Issues: FAA I-684 Reopens After Fatal Plane Crash In Westchester, Pilot Had Reported Engine Issues: FAA
I-684 Reopens After Fatal Plane Crash In Westchester, Pilot Had Reported Engine Issues: FAA One person was killed and another survived a small plane crash along I-684 in Westchester, NY, on Thursday night, Dec. 12, New York State Police confirmed. UPDATE: Cops ID NJ Pilot, NY Passenger Killed In I-684 Plane Crash The FAA said that the pilot of the single-engine Tecnam P-2008 had reported engine issues before crashing around 7:15 p.m. The crash occurred near Exit 2 in Harrison, according to a statement from NYSP. Flight data shows that the plane departed from Linden, NJ. Multiple Jewish news outlets including the Monsey Scoop identified the person killed as 32-…

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by Cecilia Levine & Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Husband Killed By Wife In Oceanfront High-Rise Murder-Suicide Was From Hudson Valley Husband Killed By Wife In Oceanfront High-Rise Murder-Suicide Was From Hudson Valley
Husband Killed By Wife In Oceanfront High-Rise Murder-Suicide Was From Hudson Valley A 34-year-old man shot dead by his wife in a murder-suicide at a high-rise luxury condo in Florida hailed from Westchester.  Yonkers resident Pajtim Krasniqi was fatally shot by 27-year-old Sabrina Krasniqi at the Beach Club II Hallandale at 1830 South Ocean Dr. on Wednesday, Nov. 27 around 12:30 a.m., according to a report by NBC6 South Florida.  Once officers arrived at the shooting scene, they also discovered that Sabrina Krasniqi had died as well. An investigation determined Sabrina had fatally shot Pajtim several times before turning the gun on h…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Victim Stabbed During Student-Involved Fight Outside Hudson Valley HS Victim Stabbed During Student-Involved Fight Outside Hudson Valley HS
Victim Stabbed During Student-Involved Fight Outside Hudson Valley HS At least one person was injured during a student-involved fight and stabbing mere steps from a Hudson Valley high school. The Sullivan County incident happened in the town of Liberty, just outside Liberty High School, at the end of the school day on Thursday, Dec. 12. A fight broke out between a group of Liberty students and others who are not students, and at some point one of the non-students was stabbed, the Liberty Central School District said in a letter to parents. The victim ran to the campus and sought medical attention, and a medevac helicopter landed on the school’s football fiel…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Woman, 26, Killed In Fiery I-87 Wreck Probed As Hit-Run Crash: NYSP Woman, 26, Killed In Fiery I-87 Wreck Probed As Hit-Run Crash: NYSP
Woman, 26, Killed In Fiery I-87 Wreck Probed As Hit-Run Crash: Nysp State Police believe a 26-year-old woman found dead on the side of I-87 after a fiery crash in the region is the victim of a hit-and-run. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, December 11, near Exit 21 in Catskill, Greene County. The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Subaru was traveling southbound when it left the roadway for unknown reasons and struck the median, Trooper Jennifer Alvarez said. The driver, Sara Llorens, age 26, of Burlington, VT, got out of the vehicle before it became engulfed in flames. Llorens was found dead on the northbound shoulder of I-87,…

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by Kathy Reakes
Obituaries
Sudden Death Of Boy, 9, Spreads Sadness In Rockland County: 'Pure Loving Energy' Sudden Death Of Boy, 9, Spreads Sadness In Rockland County: 'Pure Loving Energy'
Sudden Death Of Boy, 9, Spreads Sadness In Rockland County: 'Pure Loving Energy' Shock and sadness spread through Rockland County following the death of a 9-year-old boy. Ocean Torres was a "pure loving energy" before he lost his life over Thanksgiving, according to his obituary on the George M. Holt Funeral Home website. He died Saturday, Nov. 30. News12 said Ocean died of a medical emergency and was a student at Farley Elementary School in Stony Point. "At just nine years old, he had this incredible way of making everyone around him feel special and loved," his obituary reads. "Every single night, Ocean would make sure his siblings - Castiel, Delinda, and his tw…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Police Ramp-Up Patrols After Series Of Car Break-Ins In Hudson Valley Police Ramp-Up Patrols After Series Of Car Break-Ins In Hudson Valley
Police Ramp-Up Patrols After Series Of Car Break-Ins In Hudson Valley Police have ramped up patrols after a series of car break-ins in the Hudson Valley over the weekend. The incidents occurred in the Airmont area during the early morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8, said Det. Sgt. Michael Higgins with the Ramapo Police. Higgins said there had been seven victims and several other attempted larcenies from locked vehicles. "The majority of the victims had left their vehicles unlocked," Higgins said. Police are reviewing security cameras in the area to identify the suspects involved. Residents are reminded to lock vehicles and remove all v…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Man On Tracks Injured After Jumping Out Of Way Of Oncoming Train Hudson Valley Man On Tracks Injured After Jumping Out Of Way Of Oncoming Train
Hudson Valley Man On Tracks Injured After Jumping Out Of Way Of Oncoming Train A man walking along the train tracks in Rockland County was struck on the shoulder by an NJ Transit passenger train as he jumped out of the way. Dave Steckel of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the incident occurred in Nanuet around 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, as the train on the Pascack Valley Line passed the unidentified man. The train had just department Spring Valley and was due to arrive in Hoboken, New Jersey, at 1:30 p.m., when it struck the man west of Clarkstown Road. "The extent of the injuries is unknown at this time," Steckel added. There were no reported i…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Man Admits To Sexual Abuse Of 2 Young Girls For Years In Hudson Valley Man Admits To Sexual Abuse Of 2 Young Girls For Years In Hudson Valley
Man Admits To Sexual Abuse Of 2 Young Girls For Years In Hudson Valley A Hudson Valley man pled guilty to the repeated sexual abuse of a child under the age of 13 just minutes before a pre-trial hearing was to begin. Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh II announced that Fresnel Paul, age 60, of Spring Valley, made the plea on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Beginning in 2018, Paul routinely sexually abused a girl in the Village of Spring Valley. The repeated sexual abuse consisted of sexual intercourse, Walsh said. In addition, Paul also sexually abused a girl under the age of 11, officials said.  “The actions of the defendant in this ca…

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by Kathy Reakes
Business
GM Axes Robotaxis, Refocuses On Personal Cars GM Axes Robotaxis, Refocuses On Personal Cars
GM Axes Robotaxis, Refocuses On Personal Cars General Motors (GM) has announced a major shift in its autonomous vehicle strategy, discontinuing the development of robotaxis through its subsidiary Cruise LLC.  The company will instead focus on integrating autonomous and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) into personal vehicles. The decision, announced this week, comes as GM evaluates the time, costs, and competitive challenges associated with scaling a robotaxi business.  “GM is committed to delivering the best driving experiences to our customers in a disciplined and capital-efficient manner,” said Mary Barra, GM Chai…

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by Joe Lombardi