Fair 76°
Politics
Too Traumatic? School Lockdown Drills Would Be Reduced Under NY Bill Too Traumatic? School Lockdown Drills Would Be Reduced Under NY Bill
Too Traumatic? School Lockdown Drills Would Be Reduced Under NY Bill Some New York state lawmakers want to reduce the number of school lockdown drills that are held each year over concerns they could be harmful to students’ mental health. A bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon would cut back the number of required lockdown drills from four per year to two. Schools would still have the option of conducting more drills if they chose to. The legislation would also mandate that school drills be conducted in a “trauma-informed, developmentally age-appropriate manner,” and would permit parents to opt their children ou…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
US Presidential Scholars: 6 NY High School Seniors Awarded Top Honor US Presidential Scholars: 6 NY High School Seniors Awarded Top Honor
US Presidential Scholars: 6 NY High School Seniors Awarded Top Honor These students have a date with the president. Six graduating seniors from New York were among just 161 high school students across the country to be selected as a US Presidential Scholar, one of the nation’s highest honors for students. Established in 1964, the award recognizes distinguished seniors who have shown exceptional accomplishments in areas like academics, leadership, and service to their school and communities. The program was later expanded to include students in the visual, creative, and performing arts, and in career and technical education fields. In the Empire State, the…

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
'Must Be Changed': Drugged Driving Loophole Target Of NY Bill Amid Rising Fatalities 'Must Be Changed': Drugged Driving Loophole Target Of NY Bill Amid Rising Fatalities
'Must Be Changed': Drugged Driving Loophole Target Of NY Bill Amid Rising Fatalities New York state lawmakers are considering legislation aimed at expanding the definition of drugged driving amid a rise in fatal crashes. A bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. John Mannion and co-sponsored by two Republicans would change the definition of “drug” in the vehicle and traffic law to include any substance or combination of substances that impairs one’s ability to drive. Under current state law, drivers who are obviously impaired by a drug can only be arrested and prosecuted if the substance they are on is listed in a specific section of the Public Health Law. The problem, proponent…

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by Michael Mashburn
Real Estate
Drew Barrymore Lists NY Converted Barn Estate With 7 Beds, 6 Baths For $8.4M Drew Barrymore Lists NY Converted Barn Estate With 7 Beds, 6 Baths For $8.4M
Drew Barrymore Lists NY Converted Barn Estate With 7 Beds, 6 Baths For $8.4M Drew Barrymore won’t be spending ever after at her sprawling New York estate. The “E.T.” and “Scream” star listed her Long Island abode in the village of Sagaponack, converted from a barn that was originally built in 1920, for just under $8.5 million. Situated on 1.7 acres less than a mile from the beach, the charming home boasts nearly 7,000 square feet of living space that includes seven bedrooms and six bathrooms. “This exceptional compound is in a premiere A+ location among the wide open scenic fields and beaches of iconic Sagaponack,” reads the listing from Sotheby’s International Rea…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
New York Among Top 25 Best States, Brand-New Ranking Says: Here's Why New York Among Top 25 Best States, Brand-New Ranking Says: Here's Why
New York Among Top 25 Best States, Brand-New Ranking Says: Here's Why New York continues to rank among the top 25 best states in the country. The Empire State came in at No. 23 – down slightly from No. 20 last year – on the 2024 Best States list by U.S. News & World Report, released Tuesday, May 7. Rankings were determined using 71 metrics across eight categories, including fiscal stability, infrastructure, education, health care, and the economy. Data was pulled from national surveys taken by nearly 70,000 people. New York made the top 10 for natural environment and health care, coming in at No. 5 and No. 8, respectively, while placing No. 12 in educat…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Weight Loss Drug Illegally Purchased On Social Media Sickens Westchester Woman, Feds Say Weight Loss Drug Illegally Purchased On Social Media Sickens Westchester Woman, Feds Say
Weight Loss Drug Illegally Purchased On Social Media Sickens Westchester Woman, Feds Say A wannabe social media influencer from New York hoping to cash in on the medication weight loss craze illegally sold Ozempic and other drugs on TikTok, sickening at least one victim, federal prosecutors allege. Long Island resident Isis Navarro Reyes, age 36, of Shirley, is named in a six-count indictment that was unsealed in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, May 1. Prosecutors allege that Reyes posted dozens of TikTok videos advertising and selling various misbranded and adulterated weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, Mesofrance, and Axcion, between November 2022 and January 2024. S…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Popular Frozen Meat Pizza Product Recalled Due To Misbranding, Undeclared Allergens Popular Frozen Meat Pizza Product Recalled Due To Misbranding, Undeclared Allergens
Popular Frozen Meat Pizza Product Recalled Due To Misbranding, Undeclared Allergens A popular frozen pizza product sold in the Northeast has been recalled due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. 802 VT Frozen, a Newport, Vermont, establishment, said the recall involves approximately 8,220 pounds of its frozen meat pizza. The product contains soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Friday, April 26. The produced was made from April 25, 2023, through April 25, 2024.  The following product is subject to recall: 17.8-oz. cardboard box containi…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
NYers' Views On Transgender Athletes, Other Hot Button Issues Revealed In Fresh Polling NYers' Views On Transgender Athletes, Other Hot Button Issues Revealed In Fresh Polling
NYers' Views On Transgender Athletes, Other Hot Button Issues Revealed In Fresh Polling In an age where Democrats and Republicans can't seem to agree on anything, fresh polling shows New Yorkers on both sides of the aisle still have some common ground on a few hot button issues. Strong bipartisan majorities support safeguarding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and enhancing protections for the LGBTQ community, a Siena College poll released Monday, April 22, showed. Specifically, 80 percent of Democrats, 70 percent of Republicans, and 72 percent of independents favored safeguarding access to IVF for all Americans, the poll found. Related Report: 'Blatantly Illegal…

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
'Goodbye For Now': George Santos Ends NY Congressional Bid 'Goodbye For Now': George Santos Ends NY Congressional Bid
'Goodbye For Now': George Santos Ends NY Congressional Bid Just a month after launching his independent congressional bid, disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is withdrawing from the race. The ex-Republican lawmaker from Long Island announced that he was ending his campaign for the state’s 1st District, representing eastern Suffolk County, in a post on X Tuesday, April 23. “I have decided to withdraw from my independent run for #NY1,” Santos said. “I don’t want my run to be portrayed as reprisal against [Republican] Nick Lalota… Although Nick and I don’t have the same voting record and I remain critical of his abysmal record, I don’t want …

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
Trump Trial: New Poll Reveals How NYers Feel About Hush Money Case Trump Trial: New Poll Reveals How NYers Feel About Hush Money Case
Trump Trial: New Poll Reveals How NYers Feel About Hush Money Case As the first day of testimony wrapped up in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial, new polling showed that a majority of New Yorkers consider the prosecution warranted. A Siena College Research Institute poll released Monday, April 22, showed that 54 percent of respondents said the trial is “legitimate,” while 30 percent saw the prosecution as a meritless “witch hunt.” Broken down by party, 77 percent of Democrats and 44 percent of independents called the proceedings a “legitimate trial to determine whether Trump is or is not guilty of criminal behavior.” Meanwhile, 66 percent of …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Best High Schools: Westchester Well-Represented In Brand-New Rankings Best High Schools: Westchester Well-Represented In Brand-New Rankings
Best High Schools: Westchester Well-Represented In Brand-New Rankings New York is well-represented on U.S. News & World Report's latest rankings of the nation's best high schools. The brand-new rankings were released Tuesday morning, April 23, and determined by performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. The highest-ranked school outside New York City is on Long Island: Jericho, at No. 13 statewide and 104th nationally. The top-rated high school in Westchester County is Edgemont at No. 14 in the state and 128th in the nation, with Bronxville, at No. 16 in the state and 151st nationally. Another W…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Transcripts Of Trump Trial To Be Posted Online Daily Transcripts Of Trump Trial To Be Posted Online Daily
Transcripts Of Trump Trial To Be Posted Online Daily Those interested in the details of the "Hush Money" criminal trial against former President Donald J. Trump may read every word of what happened at Manhattan Criminal Court when the New York Court system publishes the transcripts online daily. Beginning Monday, April 22, the full transcript will be available here on the court system's website. The New York Unified Court System said it is doing so because the trial is not being televised and to push the courts to ensure broad and continuous public access to the high-profile case.  A certified transcript of each day’s trial pr…

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by Kathy Reakes