Governor Provides Update On Wildfires In Hudson Valley Governor Provides Update On Wildfires In Hudson Valley
Governor Provides Update On Wildfires In Hudson Valley As the wildfires continue to burn across the Hudson Valley, Gov. Kathy Hochul updated what's being done to mitigate and contain them. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Hochul said a multi-agency response had been deployed to fires in Orange and Ulster counties in close coordination with local fire departments and first responders.  According to Hochul, an aerial investigation shows the Orange County fire named the Jennings Creek/Sterling State Park wildfire in New York and New Jersey now encompasses 5,000 acres, half of which is in New York, and is 10 percent contained in both states. The fire in …
Risk Increases For Major Hurricane To Develop In Days: Here's Timing, Track Scenarios Risk Increases For Major Hurricane To Develop In Days: Here's Timing, Track Scenarios
Risk Increases For Major Hurricane To Develop In Days: Here's Timing, Track Scenarios Extremely warm water temperatures and low wind shear will increase the risk for the development of a major hurricane in the Gulf of America. The timing for tropical development in the western Caribbean is between Thursday, Nov. 14, and Monday, Nov. 18, according to AccuWeather. (See the image above.)   “We’ll likely be dealing with a hurricane as we head into this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "There is increasing confidence that a tropical storm will develop in the central to western Caribbean later this week.  “We could be dealing with a st…
Fireball Lights Up East Coast Sky, Captivating Hundreds Across NY Fireball Lights Up East Coast Sky, Captivating Hundreds Across NY
Fireball Lights Up East Coast Sky, Captivating Hundreds Across NY A bright fireball streaked across the East Coast on Monday, Nov. 11, catching the attention of hundreds of people from Connecticut to Virginia (did you see it? Send footage to clevine@dailyvoice.com). The American Meteor Society reported that 236 people witnessed the fireball around 7:48 p.m., with sightings spanning 13 states, the District of Columbia, and Ontario, Canada (click here for the sightings map). Witnesses described the fireball as a striking light blue or green that illuminated the sky for four to seven seconds, moving diagonally from the upper right to the lower left. The eve…
5, Including Ex-NYPD Cop, Nabbed For Illegal Online Sports Betting Operation: DA 5, Including Ex-NYPD Cop, Nabbed For Illegal Online Sports Betting Operation: DA
5, Including Ex-nypd Cop, Nabbed For Illegal Online Sports Betting Operation: DA Five individuals, including a former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, were indicted following an investigation into an alleged illegal online sports betting ring. Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced on Thursday, Nov. 7 that the news comes after a 14-month investigation involving wiretaps and surveillance.  The investigation, which began in July 2023, allegedly uncovered an illegal sportsbook operation running from September 2023 to April 2024. According to the indictment, Anthony Pellegrino, age 59, of Merrick, set up online accounts for his asso…
COVID-19: Health Department Urges NYers To Get Vaccine As Respiratory Illness Season Starts COVID-19: Health Department Urges NYers To Get Vaccine As Respiratory Illness Season Starts
Covid-19: Health Department Urges NYers To Get Vaccine As Respiratory Illness Season Starts With respiratory illness season underway, the New York State Department of Health is actively urging residents aged 6 months and older to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine.  This recommendation aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recent update, which emphasizes the importance of a second dose of the 2024-2025 vaccine for older adults and those at higher risk. The CDC now advises that adults aged 65 and older, along with individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, should receive a second dose six months after their initial vaccination. This u…
Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages
Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages A woman has pleaded guilty to sending racially motivated death threats to a man in  New York. Kristin Keeble, age 54, of Pageland, South Carolina, admitted to transmitting threats to injure another person across state lines, according to the US Attorney's Office of the Northern District of New York. Keeble sent four profanity-laced, racially derogatory audio messages through Facebook Messenger on Oct. 26, 2023  to a Greene County man who resides in the village of Catskill. In the messages, she threatened to kill the man, along with a woman he knew and the woman's children, claimi…
No, The FBI Says It Isn't Investigating 301 Election Bribery Claims Or Other Lies No, The FBI Says It Isn't Investigating 301 Election Bribery Claims Or Other Lies
No, The FBI Says It Isn't Investigating 301 Election Bribery Claims Or Other Lies The Federal Bureau of Investigations said it has seen a rise in fake stories using the agency's name and insignia being shared online in an attempt to undermine the recent presidential election.  The FBI cited four fake stories being shared on social media trading on the agency's reputation to give credence to lies.  Those included a video stating that “at least 301 electors reported attempted bribery and blackmail" from a political party, the agency said in a news release. Another claimed that agents had tried to cover up the bribery scheme by pressuring news media outl…
Unpermitted Renovations Under Investigation At Hudson Valley Building Site Unpermitted Renovations Under Investigation At Hudson Valley Building Site
Unpermitted Renovations Under Investigation At Hudson Valley Building Site A Hudson Valley property owner is under investigation for alleged building permit violations that render the building unsafe. The Rockland County Office of Buildings and Codes (OBC) is investigating multiple state building and fire violations at 101 Kennedy Drive in Spring Valley, a property owned by Country Village Towers Corp., said Ed Markunas, director of the Office of Building Codes. Markunas said the property owner is facing over $16,000 in violations resulting from extensive renovations to five floors that were done without the required permits. During a training drill, officia…
New Images Of Stranded New England Astronaut Spark Concerns New Images Of Stranded New England Astronaut Spark Concerns
New Images Of Stranded New England Astronaut Spark Concerns NASA is assuring the public that a Massachusetts astronaut is in good health after recent photos of the woman sparked concerns to the contrary. Pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, has been stuck aboard the International Space Station since early June after NASA discovered multiple problems with the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft. The 59-year-old retired Navy officer, along with her colleague Butch Wilmore, were originally scheduled to return home after eight days. They’ll now hitch a ride back to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025. Earlier …
Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says
Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says An Iranian operative and two associates living in America have been charged in a murder-for-hire plot targeting United States citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump. Federal authorities have charged Farhad Shakeri, an alleged operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with two New York City associates in a plot to assassinate a US citizen critical of the Iranian government.  The case highlights the continued threat posed by Iran’s attempts to silence dissidents and even target top US. officials. According to the Department of Justice criminal complai…
Students Targeted With Racial Texts At School District In Hudson Valley Students Targeted With Racial Texts At School District In Hudson Valley
Students Targeted With Racial Texts At School District In Hudson Valley Officials are investigating after several Hudson Valley students were the targets of explicitly racist text messages that were also sent to Black and Brown students in several states since Election Day. The incidents occurred in Rockland County on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Nyack's middle and high schools. "While there are slight variations in the wording, these texts are horrific and explicitly racist, specifically threatening “to make students slaves, take them to plantations to pick cotton or that they will be deported to Africa,” said Nyack School District Intermin Superintende…
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexual Assault Of Child A Hudson Valley man has admitted to sexually abusing a child repeatedly. Rockland County resident Luis Quinac-Morales, age 41, of Spring Valley, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh. Beginning in 2016, Quinac-Morales routinely sexually abused the 12-year-old girl in the Village of Spring Valley. The repeated sexual abuse consisted of sexual intercourse, Walsh said.  “The defendant in this case subjected a 12- year-old innocent child to horrific sexual abuse," Walsh said. "My Office works in collaboration with our partner…
Hudson Valley Sex Offender Admits To Failing To Register Email Address Hudson Valley Sex Offender Admits To Failing To Register Email Address
Hudson Valley Sex Offender Admits To Failing To Register Email Address A Hudson Valley sex offender pled guilty after admitting in court that he failed to register an email he was not supposed to have. Ulster County resident Joseph Nash, aka “Nash Von Wicked” and “Nash Bridges,” age 45, of Port Ewen, pled guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 5, to failing to update his registration as a sex offender to include an email address that he failed to disclose, said US Attorney for Northern District of New York Carla Freedman. Nash admitted that he became a Level II sex offender after he pled guilty in federal court in 2009 to distributing child pornography, Freedman said. Nash …
These Over-The-Counter Decongestants Don't Work, FDA Says These Over-The-Counter Decongestants Don't Work, FDA Says
These Over-The-Counter Decongestants Don't Work, FDA Says A common ingredient found in most oral over-the-counter cold medicines should be removed from the market because it doesn’t work, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. This follows an extensive review that found the drug ineffective for treating nasal congestion. Oral phenylephrine, widely marketed in cold and allergy medications, has been in use for decades as a go-to nasal decongestant.  However, an FDA review, backed by last year’s unanimous recommendation from the Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee, found that phenylephrine in oral form does not deliver effective conge…
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters A husband and wife will avoid jail after admitting fault in a fire at their New York vacation rental that killed two sisters. On Long Island, Peter Miller, age 56, and Pamela Miller, age 55, were each sentenced to community service in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the deaths of Lindsay and Jillian Wiener, CBS New York reports. The 19-year-old Lindsay and 21-year-old Jillian, both of Potomac, Maryland, were vacationing with their brother and parents at the Millers’ Noyac home when the blaze broke out on the morning of Aug. 3, 2022. Earlier Report: Sisters On Vacation K…
Hudson Valley Man Charged In Stabbing Death Of Another Man Using Kitchen Knives Hudson Valley Man Charged In Stabbing Death Of Another Man Using Kitchen Knives
Hudson Valley Man Charged In Stabbing Death Of Another Man Using Kitchen Knives A Hudson Valley man has been charged with alleged murder for using several kitchen knives to stab a man to death who was lying on the street following a fight. Orange County resident Cameron Williams, age 25, of New Windsor, was charged on Wednesday, Nov. 6, for the Sunday, Oct. 13 incident in the city of Newburgh. According to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, he was remanded to jail in place of $1,000,000 cash bail, $3,000,000 fully secured bond, and $10,000,000 partially secured bond. As alleged in court documents, after an altercation, Williams retrieved sev…
Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting
Update: Trooper Under Criminal Investigation Amid Doubts Over NY Highway Shooting A New York State Police trooper who claimed someone shot him on a roadway in the region is now under criminal investigation amid growing doubts over his story. On Long Island, state police “have reason to believe that the incident did not occur the way it was reported” by trooper Thomas Mascia, an agency spokesperson told reporters Wednesday morning, Nov. 6. Police confirmed that the five-year department veteran is now the subject of both a criminal investigation and an internal probe being conducted by state police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Earlier Report: T…
Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting
Trooper Suspended, Stripped Of Gun After 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting A New York State Police trooper who claimed he was shot on a roadway in the region has been sidelined amid doubts about his story. On Long Island, trooper Thomas Mascia, age 27, was suspended without pay and stripped of his agency-issued service weapon, an NYSP spokesperson told Daily Voice. The agency is investigating whether Mascia, of West Hempstead, shot himself in the leg, NBC New York reports. It comes after state police confirmed it was conducting a joint investigation with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office into what DA Anne Donnelly described as “certain inconsisten…
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Cases of whooping cough are five times higher than at this time a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning. Officially known as pertussis, those infected have persistent, chronic fits of coughing followed by a “whoop” sound. "Reports of pertussis cases were lower than usual over the past few years, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.," the CDC said in a new advisory. "However, the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns where more than 10,000 cases are typically reported each year. It's likely mitigation measures used during the…
Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA
Trooper's 'Inconsistencies' In Account Of NY Shooting Under Investigation By State Police, DA A New York State Police trooper who suffered a gunshot wound on a roadway in the region may not have been entirely truthful about what happened. On Long Island, state police and the Nassau County District Attorney’s office are investigating “certain inconsistencies” in Trooper Thomas Mascia’s reporting of the alleged incident, a spokesperson for DA Anne Donnelly told Daily Voice. On Monday, Nov. 4, State Police executed a search warrant at Mascia’s home in West Hempstead. The agency also canceled the BOLO (be on the lookout) for the suspect vehicle. Earlier Report: Trooper Shot In W…
Hudson Valley Fire Company Financial Secretary Admits Stealing $17K, DA Says Hudson Valley Fire Company Financial Secretary Admits Stealing $17K, DA Says
Hudson Valley Fire Company Financial Secretary Admits Stealing $17K, DA Says A financial secretary for a fire company in the region has admitted to stealing more than $17,000 from the department.  Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced on Friday, Nov. 1, that Lynn T. Simpson, age 43, of Wallkill, pled guilty to grand larceny in the Third Degree in connection with the theft of $17,947 from the parade fund of the Washington Heights Fire Company in Middletown.  As part of the plea agreement, Simpson will repay all the stolen money, Hoovler said. The department was scheduled to host a parade in September 2023, which includ…
Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Hudson Valley Supermarket: Police Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Hudson Valley Supermarket: Police
Man Found Hiding Behind Rock Wall Steals From Hudson Valley Supermarket: Police A 34-year-old man was caught with items stolen from a supermarket in the region after officers found him hiding behind a rock wall, police said. In Northern Westchester County, Shrub Oak resident Jonathan Tozzo was arrested following an incident in Yorktown on Thursday, Oct. 24, Yorktown Police announced on Tuesday, Oct. 29.  According to the department, at around 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, a concerned citizen alerted a Yorktown officer about a man hiding behind a wall on East Main Street. When the officer approached the man, later identified as Tozzo, he quickly walked away and ignored co…
Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail In Hudson Valley Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail In Hudson Valley
Latest Update: 1 Killed After Car Crashes Into Guardrail In Hudson Valley One person was killed after a vehicle left the roadway in Northern Westchester County and crashed into a guardrail.  Brand-new update: ID Released For 29-Year-Old Killed In Northern Westchester Crash It happened around 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3 in Chappaqua on the southbound Saw Mill Parkway.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, Westchester County Police said. A passenger was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The southbound lanes of the parkway were closed in that area for several hours for an investigation by Westchester County PD patrol o…
NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls
NY Mom Jumps To Death With Her 2 Young Children At Niagara Falls A days-long search for a New York mother and her two children was unsuccessful after police say the woman jumped with them off Niagara Falls. State Police say that 33-year-old Chianti Means, Roman Rossman, age 9, and Mecca Means, 5 months old, crossed over the guardrail and went over the falls on Luna Island, which is attached to Goat Island, on Monday night, Oct. 28. "The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation," according to New York State Police. All three were residents of Niagara Falls. New York St…
Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation
Euthanasia Of NY's 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Outrage is swirling after New York wildlife officials seized and later euthanized beloved social media sensation “Peanut” the squirrel. Chemung County resident Mark Longo, of Elmira, took to Instagram Wednesday, Oct 30, telling his 581,000 followers that Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers had seized the animal, which he rescued in 2017 after its mother was struck by a car. “Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he wrote. “To the people who called (DEC), there’s a special place in hell for you.” In a…
Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY
Woman Killed, 1-Year-Old Hospitalized After Jeep Crashes Into Amish Buggy In NY A young woman was killed and an infant hospitalized after a vehicle crashed into an Amish carriage on a New York road. The incident happened around 4:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in Herkimer County in the village of Newport, located about 70 miles west of Sarasota Springs. New York State Police say a preliminary investigation revealed that a 2017 Jeep Renegade operated by a 36-year-old Newport man was traveling east on Butler Road when it struck the rear portion of the Amish Buggy traveling in the same direction. As a result of the collision, Rebecca Swartzentruber, age 31, from Newport, and 1…
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sex Abuse Of Child Under 11, Faces 18 Years In Prison, DA Says Hudson Valley Man Admits Sex Abuse Of Child Under 11, Faces 18 Years In Prison, DA Says
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sex Abuse Of Child Under 11, Faces 18 Years In Prison, DA Says A 73-year-old man has pleaded guilty to sex abuse of a child under the age of 11 for several years. Orange County resident Allan Bressler of Pine Bush made his plea in court on Thursday, Oct. 3, said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler. At the time of the plea, the District Attorney’s Office said it would recommend Bressler be sentenced to 18 years in state prison, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision.  At the time that he pleaded guilty, Bressler admitted that between March 2008 and February 2013, in the vicinity of his Pine Bush home, he engaged in two or…
Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows
Trooper Shot On NY Highway Released From Hospital As Reward For Suspect Info Grows A New York State Police trooper who was shot and injured while trying to help a highway motorist is back home with his family. Thomas Mascia, age 27, was released from Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow on Friday morning, Nov. 1. Law enforcement officers from across Nassau and Suffolk counties gathered outside the hospital for a “walk-out” ceremony honoring the injured trooper. Earlier Report: 'All-Out' Manhunt Underway After Trooper Shot In West Hempstead; Cash Reward Being Offered “I’m feeling good,” he told the crowd. “I’m going home.” The jubilant scene came two d…
Body Of Man From Neighboring Town Found Along Road In Putnam County Body Of Man From Neighboring Town Found Along Road In Putnam County
Body Of Man From Neighboring Town Found Along Road In Putnam County Authorities are investigating the death of a man whose body was found along a Hudson Valley road.  The body of  Northern Westchester County resident Charles Flowers, age 81, of Somers, was discovered on Stoneleigh Avenue in Putnam County on Wednesday, Oct. 30 around 1 p.m. in the town of Carmel, according to Trooper AJ Hicks of the New York State Police. Hicks said that Flowers had been a patient at Putnam Hospital in Carme but had been discharged before his death.  Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of Flowers's death along with the Putnam C…
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Hudson Valley Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Hudson Valley Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says
New Update: Accused Killer Of 15-Year-Old Hudson Valley Boy In US Illegally, ICE Says A 40-year-old man who allegedly shot his girlfriend and her two children in Northern Westchester and then led authorities on a 12-hour manhunt is in the United States illegally and has had past encounters with Border Patrol, officials said. Fernando Andres Jimenez Meza, who allegedly shot and killed 15-year-old Michael Raimondi and injured his mother and brother during an incident in the Baldwin Place section of Somers on Monday, Oct. 28, is an unlawfully present citizen of Chile, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said on Friday, Nov. 1. He entere…
Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning
Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning Cases of walking pneumonia have spiked significantly, especially among children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning in a brand-new advisory. The agency said increases in M. pneumoniae-associated pneumonia infections began late this past spring, peaked in August, and have remained high.  The CDC said it's using various surveillance tools "to better understand any differences in demographics, severity of illness, and outcomes as compared to M. pneumoniae infections prior to the COVID-19 pandemic." The agency said it's also contacting heal…