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Politics
Cuomo Unveils $178 Billion Spending Plan Filled With Liberal Policies Cuomo Unveils $178 Billion Spending Plan Filled With Liberal Policies
Cuomo Unveils $178 Billion Spending Plan Filled With Liberal Policies New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has unveiled his annual state budget proposal that includes an aggressive liberal agenda. At the annual traditional State of the State speech on Tuesday, Jan. 15, Cuomo released his $178 billion spending plan that includes progressive voter reform, legal marijuana and safety reform for limousines. He also proposed making the state’s 2 percent property-tax cap permanent. Cuomo has called the budget his “most aggressive” during his three terms in office, spanning eight years. He and the Democrat-controlled New York Legislature have vowed to get long-awaited legislat…

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by Zak Failla
News
Gone But Not Forgotten: Old TZB Demolished As Planned Gone But Not Forgotten: Old TZB Demolished As Planned
Gone But Not Forgotten: Old TZB Demolished As Planned Video: Down Goes The Old Tappan Zee Bridge  Now, there's only one Tappan Zee Bridge once again. The new bridge. The explosives went off around 10:52 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, bringing down the 64-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge in less than a minute. With thousands watching live and on TVs and phones, a large flash of smoke and a flash of fire brought down the east anchor span of the bridge, dropping it into the Hudson River where it was caught by chains that will help move it later. The old bridge, which has its own Twitter site @oldtzb, said it was feeling a bit lighter after th…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Date Set For When Explosives Will Be Used To Bring Down Old TZB Date Set For When Explosives Will Be Used To Bring Down Old TZB
Date Set For When Explosives Will Be Used To Bring Down Old TZB This story has been updated. Tappan Zee Constructors has announced that they have set a date for the use of demolitions to bring down the old Tappan Zee Bridge that has damaged sections. According to the company project engineers, the decision to use explosives was made after the September discovery that the bridge's east anchor span, which was already out of service, was damaged but stable with certain key components highly stressed. Since that time, the span has been closely monitored, and it has been determined that the original removal plan is no longer the safest method…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Going Out With A Bang: Explosives Will Take Down Old Tappan Zee Bridge Going Out With A Bang: Explosives Will Take Down Old Tappan Zee Bridge
Going Out With A Bang: Explosives Will Take Down Old Tappan Zee Bridge Parts of the old Tappan Zee Bridge will go out with a bang - literally - now that explosives have been approved to help bring down part of the structure. The Federal Highway Administration confirmed on Friday that after a reevaluation of the environmental impact statement related to the demolition of the east anchor span, the government has given the approval to use demolitions to sever steel elements in isolated locations during work in January, according to a spokesperson for the FHA. "This is in the interest of removing the bridge in the safest manner possible," the s…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
Will He Or Won't He? Cuomo Gives Latest Thoughts On Possible 2020 Run Will He Or Won't He? Cuomo Gives Latest Thoughts On Possible 2020 Run
Will He Or Won't He? Cuomo Gives Latest Thoughts On Possible 2020 Run Gov. Andrew Cuomo definitively shot down continued speculation that he'll run for president in 2020 in several interviews. “I am ruling it out,” Cuomo said during a radio appearance on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show" on Tuesday, Nov. 27. “I ran for governor. I have a full plate. I have many projects. I’m going to be here doing the job as governor," Cuomo said. "Nothing has changed in my calculus," the governor from New Castle also told State of Politics in this report: "I have my own expectation about what candidate the Democratic Party needs to win. I think you'll see a viable candida…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Stuck Breakneck Ridge Teen Hiker Issued A Ticket Following Rescue Stuck Breakneck Ridge Teen Hiker Issued A Ticket Following Rescue
Stuck Breakneck Ridge Teen Hiker Issued A Ticket Following Rescue A 19-year-old who had to be rescued after becoming struck high on a trail on Breakneck Ridge, a mountain along the Hudson River between Beacon and Cold Spring, was issued a ticket after he was back to safety. According to State Park Police, the department received word around 5:30 p.m. Thursday that the teen from Ozone Park, was hiking on the White Trail when he ventured off-trail in an attempt to get the Yellow Trail, said Randy Simons, spokesman for the New York State Park Police. While attempting to move to the Yellow Trail, the teen ended up stuck along a steep rock embankment…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Two Rescued After Kayak Overturns In Hudson River Two Rescued After Kayak Overturns In Hudson River
Two Rescued After Kayak Overturns In Hudson River The Westchester County Police Marine Unit rescued two people in the Hudson River after their kayak overturned off Irvington. A husband and wife, in their 50s, from Irvington, were clinging to the kayak when the Westchester County Police Marine Unit patrol boat arrived on scene about 3:35 p.m.Wednesday, said Kieran O'Leary, spokesman for the department. Detective C.J. Westbrook and Police Officer Isai Moreira threw a life ring to the couple and were able to bring them aboard the police boat, he said. The pair, who was suffering from mild hypothermia, were given blankets and transported to s…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Community Rallies To Support Children After Murder-Suicide Involving Parents Community Rallies To Support Children After Murder-Suicide Involving Parents
Community Rallies To Support Children After Murder-Suicide Involving Parents Two gunshots changed the lives of three children forever, leaving them without parents and questioning what will happen to them now. The life-changing event took place on Friday, Oct . 26 at approximately 8:40 a.m. to a home on Knox Road, located east of Route 9W near the Hudson River in Highland Falls.  When police arrived on the scene, they found two people dead inside the home. An investigation into the shooting found that 41-year-old Mario Vanzetta, killed his wife, 41-year-old Stephanie Vanzetta, before taking his own life. The couple had a teenage daughter and two younger sons. Now …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Body Of Bridge Jumper Recovered In Hudson River Body Of Bridge Jumper Recovered In Hudson River
Body Of Bridge Jumper Recovered In Hudson River The body of a man who jumped to his death has been recovered by marine patrol deputies in the Hudson River. News of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge jumper was first called into the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday through a 911 call reporting a suspicious vehicle on the bridge span, said Dutchess County Sheriff's Office said Lt. Shawn Castano. Responding deputies located the vehicle unattended. Evidence indicated that the operator of the vehicle, a 76-year-old male from Rhinebeck, jumped off the bridge into the Hudson River, Castano said. The Dutchess County Sheriff…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Two Women Found Bound Together In Hudson River ID'd As Missing Sisters Two Women Found Bound Together In Hudson River ID'd As Missing Sisters
Two Women Found Bound Together In Hudson River ID'd As Missing Sisters Update: Two women found bound together whose bodies washed up on the shore off Manhattan's Upper West Side have been identified. The bodies discovered along the Hudson River were Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister, Tala Farea, 16, both of Fairfax, Virginia, the NYPD said Saturday. There were no obvious signs of trauma, The two went missing in late August. The cause of death has not been determined. Original report: Police are asking the public for help identifying two women reportedly found bound together floating on the rocks of the Hudson River. The two women were found around 2:39 p.m…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Apparent Murder-Suicide Involving Husband, Wife Stuns Hudson Valley Community Apparent Murder-Suicide Involving Husband, Wife Stuns Hudson Valley Community
Apparent Murder-Suicide Involving Husband, Wife Stuns Hudson Valley Community A Hudson Valley community is searching for answers after an apparent murder-suicide. Troopers were called to a home on Knox Road, located east of Route 9W near the Hudson River in Highland Falls on Friday, Oct . 26 at approximately 8:40 a.m.  When the troopers arrived on scene, they located two people deceased at the home, state police said. A preliminary investigation indicates 41-year-old Mario Vanzetta, killed his wife, 41-year-old Stephanie Vanzetta, before taking his own life. They are survived by three children -- two sons and a daughter. Autopsies will be completed to determine th…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
100+ Boy Scouts Witness Air, Water Search For Female GWB Jumper 100+ Boy Scouts Witness Air, Water Search For Female GWB Jumper
100+ Boy Scouts Witness Air, Water Search For Female GWB Jumper As more than 100 Boy Scouts looked on, authorities searched the Hudson River Saturday night for a woman who jumped from the George Washington Bridge. Air and water craft began searching the river after her car was found abandoned in the middle of the bridge's lower level.  A short time later, a recovery effort was launched. The upper level has a suicide-prevention fence. The lower level doesn't. The youngsters were at an annual retreat sponsored by the Newark Catholic Committee on Scouting at Ross Dock picnic area along the river in the Fort Lee section of Palisades Interstate Park. The …

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by Jerry DeMarco