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Mask Ban Arrest: Hicksville 18-Year-Old First Defendant Charged Under Controversial Law Mask Ban Arrest: Hicksville 18-Year-Old First Defendant Charged Under Controversial Law
Mask Ban Arrest: Hicksville 18-Year-Old First Defendant Charged Under Controversial 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
Nassau County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues Nassau County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues
Nassau County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues A New York county’s controversial mask ban is already facing legal challenges. Click here for a new, updated story: Mask Ban Arrest: Hicksville 18-Year-Old First Person Charged Under Controversial Law In a class action lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York on Thursday, Aug. 22, Disability Rights of New York argued that Nassau County’s law barring face coverings in public violates federal law and discriminates against people with disabilities. The filing came a little more than a week after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, signed the “Mask Transparenc…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Here's How Much Shootings In NY Have Declined In Past Year, Report Says Here's How Much Shootings In NY Have Declined In Past Year, Report Says
Here's How Much Shootings In NY Have Declined In Past Year, Report Says State leaders are crediting major policing reforms for a marked decline in shootings across New York State. In 21 counties outside of New York City, the number of shootings with injuries dropped 29 percent through July compared to the first seven months of 2023, a Division of Criminal Justice Services report shows. The data came from police departments across the state participating in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative, which provides agencies with state funding for equipment, overtime, personnel, training, and technical assistance aimed at reducing shootings and firea…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Driver Behind DWI Crash Killing 15-Year-Old In Woodmere Found Guilty Of Vehicular Homicide Driver Behind DWI Crash Killing 15-Year-Old In Woodmere Found Guilty Of Vehicular Homicide
Driver Behind DWI Crash Killing 15-Year-Old In Woodmere Found Guilty Of Vehicular Homicide More than two years after a 15-year-old girl was killed in a drunk driving crash on Long Island, the man responsible has been convicted. Arlin Aguilera, age 37, of West Hempstead, was found guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges by a Nassau County jury on Wednesday, Aug. 21, in the death of Liel Namdar. Prosecutors said Aguilera was intoxicated and speeding in a pickup truck when he crashed into an Audi SUV in Woodmere, near the intersection of Peninsula Boulevard and Edward Avenue, shortly before 11 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2021. Earlier Report: Speeding, Intoxicated D…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Duo Sought After Smash-Grab Burglary At Nassau County Business Duo Sought After Smash-Grab Burglary At Nassau County Business
Duo Sought After Smash-Grab Burglary At Nassau County Business If you recognize these burglars, police want to hear from you. Nassau County Police are investigating after two men in Oceanside broke into the Star Bazzar Vape and Cigar, located on Long Beach Road, shortly after midnight Friday, Aug. 16. After smashing their way through the front glass door, the masked duo helped themselves to several vape products before taking off on foot.  They were last seen heading eastbound on Atlantic Avenue. Detectives described the first suspect as a white man, about 6-feet tall, wearing a gray t-shirt with a green logo, black pants, and black socks. The …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY County's Mask Ban Signed Into Law; Here's Possible Sentence For Violations NY County's Mask Ban Signed Into Law; Here's Possible Sentence For Violations
NY County's Mask Ban Signed Into Law; Here's Possible Sentence For Violations It’s now against the law to cover your face in public in this New York county. On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed the “Mask Transparency Act” into law during a ceremony held Wednesday morning, Aug. 14. It came a little more than a week after the Republican-controlled county legislature passed the act by a vote of 12-0 on Monday, Aug. 5. All seven Democrats abstained from voting. Earlier Report: Nassau County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Rise In Covid-19 Cases The bill makes it a misdemeanor for anyone 16 and older to wear a face mask in public spaces in…

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by Michael Mashburn
Real Estate
'Unparalleled' 13-Bed Estate With English Garden Among Long Island's Priciest Listings At $40M 'Unparalleled' 13-Bed Estate With English Garden Among Long Island's Priciest Listings At $40M
'Unparalleled' 13-Bed Estate With English Garden Among Long Island's Priciest Listings At $40M This sprawling, magazine-worthy estate on Long Island’s North Shore could be yours if the price is right. Dubbed “Swan Landing,” 227 Dock Lane in Great Neck is currently the most expensive residential listing in Nassau County at $40 million. Built in 1995 by architecture firm Shope Reno Wharton Associates, this 13-bedroom and 14-bathroom residence boasts 23,000 square feet of living space on nearly 5 ½ acres of waterfront property. Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty The home has been featured in Architectural Digest and House & Garden. “This unparalleled estate embodie…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
These NY Counties Named Among Safest In America: U.S. News & World Report These NY Counties Named Among Safest In America: U.S. News & World Report
These NY Counties Named Among Safest In America: U.S. News & World Report If you're looking for a safe place to settle down and not worry about violence or how far you are from emergency care, plenty of counties in New York may fit the bill, including one now ranked as the safest in America.  A total of eight counties in New York appeared on the 2024 Safest Communities in America list by U.S. News & World Report, released on Tuesday, Aug. 6.  The New York counties to appear on the list include:  Nassau County, which ranked No. 1; Rockland County, which ranked No. 2; Westchester County, which ranked No. 6; Putnam County, which ranked…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Activist Accused Of Injuring Officer During Protests Over Long Island Mask Ban Activist Accused Of Injuring Officer During Protests Over Long Island Mask Ban
Activist Accused Of Injuring Officer During Protests Over Long Island Mask Ban Heated protests over Long Island’s controversial mask ban ended with one activist arrested, accused of assaulting a police officer. Tensions boiled over at the Nassau County Legislature’s meeting in Mineola on Monday evening, Aug. 5, moments before the Republican-led chamber passed the “Mask Transparency Act.” The bill – making it a misdemeanor for anyone 16 and older to wear a face mask in public spaces in the county – passed along party lines by a vote of 12-0. All seven Democrats abstained from voting. Earlier Report: Nassau County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Rise In Covid-19 …

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
NY County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Bump In COVID-19 Cases NY County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Bump In COVID-19 Cases
NY County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Bump In Covid-19 Cases Lawmakers in a New York county approved a controversial bill criminalizing mask wearing amid a summer bump in COVID-19 cases. On Long Island, the Republican-controlled Nassau County Legislature passed the “Mask Transparency Act” by a vote of 12-0 on Monday night, Aug. 5. All seven Democrats abstained from voting. The bill makes it a misdemeanor for anyone 16 and older to wear a face mask in public spaces in the county. It also gives private businesses the right to prohibit masks on their premises. It grants exceptions for health or religious reasons, though that distinction will be determ…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Shark Sighting Keeps Swimmers Out Of Water At Several Long Island Beaches Shark Sighting Keeps Swimmers Out Of Water At Several Long Island Beaches
Shark Sighting Keeps Swimmers Out Of Water At Several Long Island Beaches A shark sighting kept swimmers out of the water at three New York beaches. The sighting was reported on Long Island at Nickerson Beach in Nassau County.  As a precaution, the town of Hempstead also closed Lido Beach and Malibu Beach for swimmers for a brief period early Saturday afternoon, Aug. 3.  Officials said the shark was spotted about 75 feet from the shore. Swimming resumed at the three beaches a short time after the sighting. The Town of Hempstead issued a statement stating, "Our highly skilled lifeguards are on alert and will continue to monitor the waters c…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Twice Is Nice: $1M Lottery Prizes Claimed By Floral Park Man, Second Long Island Player Twice Is Nice: $1M Lottery Prizes Claimed By Floral Park Man, Second Long Island Player
Twice Is Nice: $1M Lottery Prizes Claimed By Floral Park Man, Second Long Island Player These Long Island men rolled the dice and hit it big. Residents from both Nassau and Suffolk counties claimed $1 million lottery prizes in recent days, New York Lottery announced. Nassau County resident Arturo Juarez, of Floral Park, claimed a $1,000 A Week For Life second prize for matching the first five CASH4LIFe numbers drawn on Wednesday, May 15. A second prize on the game guarantees a minimum payout of $1 million. Juarez opted to receive a single lump sum payment of $651,000 after paying Uncle Sam. According to lottery officials, he purchased the lucky ticket in Bethpage, at Jay’s…

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by Michael Mashburn