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Real Estate
Historic, 290-Acre Hudson Valley Estate Hits Market For $25 Million Historic, 290-Acre Hudson Valley Estate Hits Market For $25 Million
Historic, 290-Acre Hudson Valley Estate Hits Market For $25 Million A historic mansion in the Hudson Valley that was once lauded by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for its “coziness” just hit the market for $25 million. Known as Steen Valetje, the Dutchess County estate, located in Red Hook, sits on 290 acres and offers “breathtaking views of the Hudson River and Catskills beyond,” according to the listing from Compass Real Estate. “A sanctuary of seclusion, and a retreat where friends and family can gather for life's most important celebrations,” the listing says. Built in 1851, the estate was a gift from William Backhouse Astor - once the richest man in Am…

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by Michael Mashburn
Obituaries
'Always Smiling': Hundreds Turn Out To Honor Teen Who Drowned In Hudson River 'Always Smiling': Hundreds Turn Out To Honor Teen Who Drowned In Hudson River
'Always Smiling': Hundreds Turn Out To Honor Teen Who Drowned In Hudson River Matthew Billetts died doing what he loved most: fishing. The Albany-area high school student died Monday, June 13, at the age of 16 after falling into the Hudson River at Hudson Shores Park, according to Watervliet Police. Billetts, a Watervliet High School junior who had a rare form of epilepsy called sunflower syndrome, suffered a seizure and lost consciousness before falling into the water and drowning, his family told the Albany Times Union. Earlier report: Watervliet HS Student Dies After Falling Into Hudson River A dive team located the boy a short time later and tried resuscitatin…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
HS Student Dies After Falling Into Hudson River HS Student Dies After Falling Into Hudson River
HS Student Dies After Falling Into Hudson River Classmates are mourning the death of a high school student who died after falling into the Hudson River. Albany County resident Matthew Billetts, age 16, died Monday afternoon, June 13, according to a statement from the Watervliet City School District. He had been fishing with a friend and apparently suffered an unknown medical episode when he fell off the dock at Hudson Shores Park, News 10 ABC in Albany reports. It took dive teams nearly an hour to recover the boy’s body, the outlet reports. Billetts was a junior at Watervliet Jr.-Sr. High School. His death came just 11 days before the …

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Connecticut Man Boating With Family Dies After Possible Drowning In Hudson River, Police Say Connecticut Man Boating With Family Dies After Possible Drowning In Hudson River, Police Say
Connecticut Man Boating With Family Dies After Possible Drowning In Hudson River, Police Say New York State Police are investigating a possible drowning in the Hudson River involving a Connecticut man. Troopers in southern Warren County responded to the area of Davern Drive, in the town of Lake Luzerne, at around 4 p.m. Saturday, June 11. A preliminary investigation determined that Wilfredo Arizmendi, age 48, of Hartford, was boating with family members when he entered the water to swim, according to New York State Police.  Arizmendi began to exhibit distress shortly after, said police.  He was thrown a floatation device but continued to struggle to stay above wate…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Body Of 19-Year-Old Swimmer Pulled From Hudson River Body Of 19-Year-Old Swimmer Pulled From Hudson River
Body Of 19-Year-Old Swimmer Pulled From Hudson River The body of a missing teenage swimmer has been located in the Hudson River, state police announced late Monday afternoon, June 6. At approximately 6 a.m. Monday, troopers were notified about the missing 19-year-old near Haverstraw Beach State Park in Rockland County.  New York State Police Underwater Recovery Team along with local fire departments searched the water. A Rockland County Sheriff’s Office bloodhound, along with New York Park Police, state troopers and members if the Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted with the ground search. The body of Kevin Pinto of Spring Valley…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Police ID Man Killed After Vehicle Crashes, Plummeting Hundreds Of Feet In Hudson Valley Police ID Man Killed After Vehicle Crashes, Plummeting Hundreds Of Feet In Hudson Valley
Police ID Man Killed After Vehicle Crashes, Plummeting Hundreds Of Feet In Hudson Valley Police in the region have identified the 23-year-old motorcyclist who fell to his death after crashing in Orange County. According to the Cornwall Police Department, Bronx resident Imanol Jimenez crashed on Route 218 in Cornwall north of the Highpoint lookout on Wednesday, June 1. Jimenez had turned 23 on the day he plummeted hundreds of feet to his death in Orange County, Cornwall Police Chief Todd Hazard said. Original story - 23-Year-Old Killed After Vehicle Crashes Over Guide Rail In Cornwall The department received a 911 call shortly before 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, June 1 after Jime…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Missing Hudson Valley 20-Year-Old Found Dead Missing Hudson Valley 20-Year-Old Found Dead
Missing Hudson Valley 20-Year-Old Found Dead A missing man's body has been recovered from the Hudson River by police. The body of Jordan Jones, age 20, of the city of Poughkeepsie, was found on Friday, May 13 in the Hudson River. Using dental records, the Dutchess County Medical Examiner's Office positively identified the body as being Jones, who was last seen on Saturday, April 30, said Det. Lt. Matt Clark of the city of Poughkeepsie Police. "There is no evidence of foul play, the exact cause of death is pending toxicology results," Clark said. See Earlier Story: Alert Issued For Missing Poughkeepsie 20-Year-Old Jones, who ha…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Two Rescued From Partially Sunken Jet Skis In Region Two Rescued From Partially Sunken Jet Skis In Region
Two Rescued From Partially Sunken Jet Skis In Region Other than some likely bruised egos, two jet skiers are safe after being rescued from the Hudson River. Emergency crews were called around 9 p.m. Friday, May 13, with reports of two personal watercraft (PWC) operators in distress near the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill, according to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office. Several agencies, including the US Coast Guard, responded and found one man stranded on a partially sunken jet ski, police said. A team from the Glasco Fire Department was able to locate the second man on a disabled watercraft nearby. Crews secured the partially sunken je…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Handyman Claims He Threw NY Mom's Laptop With Sex Videos Into Hudson After Killing Her Handyman Claims He Threw NY Mom's Laptop With Sex Videos Into Hudson After Killing Her
Handyman Claims He Threw NY Mom's Laptop With Sex Videos Into Hudson After Killing Her A handyman who allegedly killed New York mom of two Orsolya Gaal said he did so because she gave him HIV during their two-year affair, the New York Post reported. David Bonola killed Gaal, age 51, of Forest Hills, Queens sometime after midnight on Saturday, April 16 in her Tudor-style home over the end of their sexual relationship that was on and off again for some two years, NYPD officials said. During his arraignment on Tuesday, May 10, the one-time family handyman also said he threw her laptop into the Hudson River because it had sex videos of the two of them on it, the Post reported. A…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Tolls To Rise In Just Days On These Bridges In Hudson Valley Tolls To Rise In Just Days On These Bridges In Hudson Valley
Tolls To Rise In Just Days On These Bridges In Hudson Valley Higher toll rates are heading to several New York bridges in the region. According to the New York State Bridge Authority, as part of a four-year plan that began in 2020, the third of four rate hikes is set to take effect as of Sunday, May 1 in the Hudson Valley. The new toll rates will apply to all five spans operated by the New York State Bridge Authority: The Bear Mountain Bridge in Orange and Rockland counties; Newburgh-Beacon Bridge over the Hudson River; Mid-Hudson Bridge between Dutchess and Ulster counties; Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge north of Kingston and Rhinecliff; Rip Van Winkl…

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by Zak Failla
News
Cancer-Causing Product Found In Hudson River, With Cleanup Cost At $11 Billion, New Report Says Cancer-Causing Product Found In Hudson River, With Cleanup Cost At $11 Billion, New Report Says
Cancer-Causing Product Found In Hudson River, With Cleanup Cost At $11 Billion, New Report Says A new report by Scenic Hudson has found that General Electric's contamination of the Hudson River with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) will cost more than $11 billion to clean up. The commissioned study, released on Tuesday, April 12, estimates that GE owes $11.4 billion to complete the restoration of the river’s natural resources. The dumping occurred between 1947 and 1977, contaminating a 200-mile stretch of the Hudson from upriver factories to New York Harbor, the report said. PCBs are persistent in the environment and are considered highly toxic to humans and wildlife. The 200-mile st…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Investigation Underway After Laser Pointed At Aircraft In Hudson Valley Investigation Underway After Laser Pointed At Aircraft In Hudson Valley
Investigation Underway After Laser Pointed At Aircraft In Hudson Valley An investigation is underway after a pilot reported that a laser was pointed at a commercial aircraft that was traveling over the Hudson Valley. Authorities received a report on Monday, April 4, from a supervisor at Boston Control Tower in New Hampshire about a laser being pointed at an aircraft near Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, according to New York State Police. The supervisor reported that a commercial passenger flight was traveling north over the airport when the pilot reported that a laser was shined at the aircraft. The laser was reportedly located in an un…

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by Nicole Valinote