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Lifestyle
Coastal Gem Named Best Small Town In US To Visit In New Rankings Coastal Gem Named Best Small Town In US To Visit In New Rankings
Coastal Gem Named Best Small Town In US To Visit In New Rankings A charming coastal location has been crowned the best small town to visit in the United States, earning the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s newly released rankings. The annual list highlights destinations that capture the essence of small-town America with their scenic beauty, cultural offerings, and laid-back atmosphere. T his year, Bar Harbor, Maine, claimed the No. 1 position, praised for its idyllic setting, stunning coastal views, and gateway to Acadia National Park. Nestled along Maine’s rugged coastline, Bar Harbor attracts visitors year-round with its fresh seafood, bout…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Winning Numbers For Tuesday, Dec. 17 'Mega Millions' Drawing With Estimated $760M Jackpot Winning Numbers For Tuesday, Dec. 17 'Mega Millions' Drawing With Estimated $760M Jackpot
Winning Numbers For Tuesday, Dec. 17 'Mega Millions' Drawing With Estimated $760M Jackpot The winning numbers have been announced for the Tuesday, Dec. 17 Mega Millions drawing. The estimated jackpot is $760 million with a $352.1 million cash option. The winning numbers for Tuesday's drawing are: 56-66-67-68-69 with a Mega Ball of 18 and a Megaplier of 4X If no winner wins the top prize, the jackpot will continue to roll until the next drawing at 10:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20.  MegaMillions Lottery players have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of winning a Mega Millions jackpot by matching all five balls plus the gold Mega Ball, according to…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips
Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips Thousands of local delivery drivers are in for a much-deserved payday. Drizly, a now-defunct alcohol delivery platform, reached a $4 million settlement with the State of New York on Tuesday, Dec. 17, for failing to ensure that delivery workers received their rightful tips. According to New York Attorney General Leitita James, Drizly encouraged customers to tip delivery workers but sent the funds to liquor store owners instead. Store owners were responsible for distributing the tips, but in many cases, workers did not receive the money they earned. The investigation also revealed that Driz…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
$145M Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Known As 'Magician' Admits To One Of Largest Ever Frauds $145M Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Known As 'Magician' Admits To One Of Largest Ever Frauds
$145M Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Known As 'Magician' Admits To One Of Largest Ever Frauds A Northern Westchester man who earned the nickname “The Magician” for his ability to slash tax bills has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a massive $145 million fraud scheme that spanned a decade, federal officials announced. Rafael Alvarez, age 61, of Cortlandt Manor, entered the plea in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Dec. 17, after being charged with conspiracy to defraud the US and aiding the preparation of false tax returns, according to Edward Y. Kim, Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  Alvarez, the CEO and owner of ATAX, a Bronx-based tax preparation bu…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Lives Stolen: These Are 7 Names Behind Gilgo Beach Murder Indictment Lives Stolen: These Are 7 Names Behind Gilgo Beach Murder Indictment
Lives Stolen: These Are 7 Names Behind Gilgo Beach Murder Indictment As accused serial killer Rex Heuermann faces his seventh murder charge, the stories of his alleged victims – young women whose lives were tragically and violently cut short – offer a haunting reminder of the human toll behind the Gilgo Beach case. Here’s a closer look at the seven victims named in the indictment: Melissa Barthelemy, 24 Melissa Barthelemy Suffolk County Police Described by family as a talented hair stylist from the Bronx, she dreamed of opening her own salon. She was last seen alive on July 10, 2009, in her basement apartment on Underhill Avenue.  Barthelemy’s…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
CEO Murder: Manhattan Grand Jury Indicts Luigi Mangione, Could Be Extradited To NY In Days CEO Murder: Manhattan Grand Jury Indicts Luigi Mangione, Could Be Extradited To NY In Days
CEO Murder: Manhattan Grand Jury Indicts Luigi Mangione, Could Be Extradited To NY In Days Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Mangione is charged with one count of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and two counts of second-degree murder. Mangione, a 26-year-old Maryland native, had fled New York City after the high-profile targeted assassination outside the New York Hilton in Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 4.  UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. UnitedHealthcare After a days-long manhunt, Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsy…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Update: Police ID Victim In 3-Vehicle Orange County Crash Update: Police ID Victim In 3-Vehicle Orange County Crash
Update: Police ID Victim In 3-Vehicle Orange County Crash Police have identified a 40-year-old Hudson Valley man who was killed in a three-vehicle crash. Alberto Mata, of Chester, was killed around 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, on Route 94 (Main St.), in front of the Chester Firehouse, said the Village of Chester Police. An exact cause for the crash that involved two SUVs and a pickup truck was not immediately apparent.  The crash remains under investigation. 

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by Kathy Reakes
News
NJ Escort IDd As 7th Victim Of Giglio Beach Serial Killer, Police Say NJ Escort IDd As 7th Victim Of Giglio Beach Serial Killer, Police Say
NJ Escort IDd As 7th Victim Of Giglio Beach Serial Killer, Police Say Accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann was formally charged with murdering a seventh victim. Heuermann, 60, of Massapequa Park, was indicted for second-degree murder in the killing of Valerie Mack in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday morning, Dec. 17. Mack, a 24-year-old Wildwood, NJ woman was working as an escort when she disappeared in 2000. A group of hunters discovered her skeletal remains wrapped in a plastic bag in a wooded area of Manorville in November 2000. She had been decapitated, and both of her hands had been severed from her body, prosecutors said. Her right leg had a…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Update: Five Vehicle Crash On I-84 Injures 5 In Orange County Update: Five Vehicle Crash On I-84 Injures 5 In Orange County
Update: Five Vehicle Crash On I-84 Injures 5 In Orange County A five-car crash in Orange County on I-84 westbound has sent five people to the hospital with minor injuries.  According to the New York State Police, the crash occurred in Montgomery around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17. State police said an investigation determined that Judith Lorveus-Feqyuere, 46, of Monroe, was driving westbound when she stopped in the passing lane for no apparent reason. A second vehicle behind was able to stop but was rear-ended by a third vehicle, pushing it into Lorveus-Fequiere. Vehicle three was hit by vehicle four, followed by vehicle five, state police said…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CEO Murder: Stunning Poll Shows Shift In Views Among Young Americans CEO Murder: Stunning Poll Shows Shift In Views Among Young Americans
CEO Murder: Stunning Poll Shows Shift In Views Among Young Americans A new national poll from Emerson College reveals a startling trend among young American voters: More respondents aged 18 to 29 believe the targeted assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was acceptable than those who do not. The poll highlights a sharp generational divergence on the issue. A total of 41 percent of voters aged 18-29 find the killer’s actions acceptable, 24 percent somewhat acceptable and 17 percent completely acceptable), while 40 percent find them unacceptable. Noting that 68 percent of voters overall reject the killer’s action, Spencer Kimball, executiv…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Purple-Haired Woman Steals Car From Motel Parking Lot Then Crashes On PIP: Police Purple-Haired Woman Steals Car From Motel Parking Lot Then Crashes On PIP: Police
Purple-Haired Woman Steals Car From Motel Parking Lot Then Crashes On PIP: Police A 36-year-old woman with purple and blue hair was nabbed for allegedly stealing a car from a Hudson Valley motel parking lot. Kayla Jones, of the Bronx, was charged with grand larceny on Tuesday, Dec. 10, after security video showed a purple-haired woman wearing a black sweatshirt and grey pants, get into the car at the Stony Point Budget Inn and drive away on Route 9W, said Lt. Daniel J. Schoales of the Stony Point Police.   While investigating the incident, Schoales said it was determined that Jones was involved in a single-car accident on the Palisades Interstate Park…

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by Kathy Reakes
Weather
Nearly 4 Inches Of Snowfall In Orange County, Port Jervis Leads Totals Nearly 4 Inches Of Snowfall In Orange County, Port Jervis Leads Totals
Nearly 4 Inches Of Snowfall In Orange County, Port Jervis Leads Totals The National Weather Service has released snow totals from this week's winter storm. Snowfall accumulation impacted areas across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York, with Sussex County, NJ, and Putnam County, NY, seeing the highest totals from Sunday, Dec. 15 into Monday, Dec. 16. Below are detailed figures reported by state, county, and town, as per the National Weather Service: New Jersey Mercer County: Trenton Mercer Airport: Trace (11:59 PM, 12/15) Morris County: Butler (1 S): 3.0 inches (5:15 AM, 12/16) Sussex County: Wantage Twp: 4.1 inches (5:00 AM, 12/16) Wan…

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by Cecilia Levine