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Long Island Fire Commissioner Lied About Sex Abuse Charge To File Million-Dollar Suits, DA Says Long Island Fire Commissioner Lied About Sex Abuse Charge To File Million-Dollar Suits, DA Says
Long Island Fire Commissioner Lied About Sex Abuse Charge To File Million-Dollar Suits, DA Says A former fire commissioner who knowingly used a falsified court transcript to file several lawsuits seeking tens of millions in compensation, and to regain full access to his synagogue following a misdemeanor sex abuse case, has received jail time. Judah Karkowsky, age 44, received a one-year sentence on Thursday, June 20, months after a jury found him guilty of criminal contempt and more, the Nassau County District Attorney (NCDA) announced. Karkowsky, who is a former Commissioner of the Woodmere Fire District and a volunteer EMT in the Woodmere Fire Department, was arrested in September…

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by Sophie Grieser
Police & Fire
NY County Training Armed Residents To Be 'Special Deputy Sheriffs': Here's Where, Why NY County Training Armed Residents To Be 'Special Deputy Sheriffs': Here's Where, Why
NY County Training Armed Residents To Be 'Special Deputy Sheriffs': Here's Where, Why A New York county is training armed residents who could be deputized during emergencies and natural disasters. With the state's second-largest police force of 2,600 sworn officers, Nassau County posted a notice in March in local newspapers and other news outlets for a team of provisional emergency special deputy sheriffs "for the protection of human life and property during an emergency," said County Executive Bruce Blakeman in coordination with Nassau County Sheriff Anthony LaRocco. In the advertisement, Blakeman said the "special deputies" will have no police powers unless …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
NY Man ID'd As Tourist Found Dead In Greece NY Man ID'd As Tourist Found Dead In Greece
NY Man ID'd As Tourist Found Dead In Greece An American tourist recently found dead in Greece has been identified as a Long Island horse trainer. Toby Sheets’ body was found on Sunday, June 16, on a rocky beach on the Greek island of Mathraki, according to CBS News New York. Sheets, 55, was a native of Arkansas and lived in the Nassau County village of Floral Park, where he worked as a horse trainer at Belmont Park. His cause of death is still being investigated.  He went missing after being seen at a cafe on Tuesday, June 11, and was dropped off at his rental home that night, The New York Times reported.  On Thu…

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by Sophie Grieser
News
Long Island Fugitive Dies By Suicide In NJ Gas Station Police Encounter, AG Says Long Island Fugitive Dies By Suicide In NJ Gas Station Police Encounter, AG Says
Long Island Fugitive Dies By Suicide In NJ Gas Station Police Encounter, AG Says State officials are investigating a death during a police encounter at a New Jersey gas station. Woodbridge police officers had stopped a vehicle at a gas station on Route 9 north around 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 14, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said. The male driver, the sole occupant, had an active National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant issued in New York for an active criminal investigation in Nassau County, AG Matthew J. Platkin said. When officers asked the man to exit the van, he refused and instead moved to the van’s rear compartment, behind a curta…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Vehicular Homicide: Driver In Double-Fatal Long Island Crash Sentenced Vehicular Homicide: Driver In Double-Fatal Long Island Crash Sentenced
Vehicular Homicide: Driver In Double-Fatal Long Island Crash Sentenced The man behind a high-speed drunk driving crash that killed a husband and wife has received his sentence, authorities announced. On Monday, June 17, 33-year-old Sotirios Spanos was sentenced to seven to 21 years behind bars for the wrong-way crash that killed Ismenia and Odalis Urena, the Nassau County District Attorney announced. The sentence comes nearly 10 months after the August 12, 2023 crash. Earlier Report: Syosset Man Pleads Guilty For 100 MPH Drunken, Wrong-Way Crash Killing Husband, Wife Spanos was driving drunk just after 12:30 a.m. that morning, speeding eastbound on…

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by Sophie Grieser
Police & Fire
Man Electrocuted, Another Injured At Long Island Ice Skating Rink Man Electrocuted, Another Injured At Long Island Ice Skating Rink
Man Electrocuted, Another Injured At Long Island Ice Skating Rink A man was electrocuted while working at an ice rink on Long Island in an incident that required him to be airlifted and left a second person injured. The Bellmore incident occurred on Friday, June 14, Nassau County Police said. At about 11:30 a.m., a 62-year-old man was working in the electrical service room of 2600 Newbridge Road, the site of the Newbridge Arena. While he was working, he got electrocuted, causing burns on his arms and stomach. A second man, age 39, attempted to help him, however, he suffered burns to his arm while doing so. The 62-year-old was airlifted to a nearb…

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by Sophie Grieser
Police & Fire
Woman Injures Long Island Officer After Refusing To Leave UBS Arena: Police Woman Injures Long Island Officer After Refusing To Leave UBS Arena: Police
Woman Injures Long Island Officer After Refusing To Leave UBS Arena: Police A Westchester County woman was arrested on Long Island after she refused to leave UBS Arena, injuring an officer in the process. The Nassau County incident took place in Elmont on Tuesday, June 11. At about 11:50 p.m., police arrived at UBS Arena, located at 2400 Hempstead Turnpike. Nancy Zhingri, a 31-year-old from Ossining, was reportedly refusing to leave the sports and concert venue, despite multiple lawful commands. As she was being placed under arrest, Zhingri allegedly injured an officer. Both the Zhingri and the officer were taken to local hospitals. She is charged with ass…

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by Sophie Grieser
News
Bill Banning Transgender Athletes Advanced By Long Island Lawmakers Bill Banning Transgender Athletes Advanced By Long Island Lawmakers
Bill Banning Transgender Athletes Advanced By Long Island Lawmakers A month after the Nassau County Executive’s executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports was struck down in court, a new proposed bill with the same goal has been advanced to the next step. After an at-times heated discussion between lawmakers and public commenters at a Nassau County legislative committee meeting on Monday, June 10, a bill aiming to bar transgender women from women’s sports passed an initial committee vote. Earlier Report: Nassau County Bans Transgender Athletes From Competing In Women's, Girls Sports The bill, which was introd…

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by Sophie Grieser
Business
NY Woman Sues Cold Stone Over Lack Of Pistachios In Ice Cream NY Woman Sues Cold Stone Over Lack Of Pistachios In Ice Cream
NY Woman Sues Cold Stone Over Lack Of Pistachios In Ice Cream A New York woman has filed a class action lawsuit against Cold Stone Creamery, claiming that the company falsely advertised a number of its flavors. The lawsuit, filed by Nassau County resident Jenna Marie Duncan, may soon move to court, according to documents. Duncan, who is from Farmingdale, claimed that in July 2022, she visited a Levittown Cold Stone for a frozen treat. She ordered the pistachio ice cream under the guise that it contained pistachios. However, Duncan later looked at ingredient lists on the Cold Stone website, which revealed that the pistachio ice cream did not list…

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by Sophie Grieser
News
Westchester Physician, NY Pharmacist Illegally Prescribed, Dispensed Opioids: Feds Westchester Physician, NY Pharmacist Illegally Prescribed, Dispensed Opioids: Feds
Westchester Physician, NY Pharmacist Illegally Prescribed, Dispensed Opioids: Feds A Westchester County physician and a pharmacy owner from Long Island both face federal charges in connection with their alleged illegal distribution of highly addictive opioids, officials announced.  Nassau County resident Feroze Nazirbage of Bellerose, age 50, and Larchmont resident Mordechai Bar, age 71, were both arrested on Wednesday, June 5 and charged with illegally diverting oxycodone and other controlled substances, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, Nazirbage, who is associated wit…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Ringleader Of Massive Narcotics Trafficking Operation On Long Island Faces Prison Sentence Ringleader Of Massive Narcotics Trafficking Operation On Long Island Faces Prison Sentence
Ringleader Of Massive Narcotics Trafficking Operation On Long Island Faces Prison Sentence A narcotics ringleader discovered to be in possession of nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl will spend a lengthy stay in prison, officials announced. Forty-seven-year-old Christopher Corley of Valley Stream received his sentence of 10 years behind bars on Monday, June 3, the Nassau County District Attorney announced. Corley was one of multiple people who were the subjects of an extensive nine-month investigation into an alleged narcotics trafficking operation started in October 2022. After months of surveillance, the DA’s Office was able to wiretap phone calls, revealing that Corley and …

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
Long Island Schools Received $600M From State Lottery Last Year Long Island Schools Received $600M From State Lottery Last Year
Long Island Schools Received $600M From State Lottery Last Year Lottery officials announced that Long Island schools received $600 million in the last fiscal year. A new report from the New York Lottery shows that of the $3.7 billion Lottery Aid to Education revenue raised yearly, Long Island schools received a pretty chunk of change. Between Nassau and Suffolk counties, the total amount of financial aid comes out to just under $600 million during the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Of that, Nassau County schools received approximately $239 million, while Suffolk County schools got $359 million. The New York Lottery has contributed to state education since …

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by Sophie Grieser