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Charity-Linked Community Figure Accused Of Strangling Victim In Front Of Baby In NY: DA Charity-Linked Community Figure Accused Of Strangling Victim In Front Of Baby In NY: DA
Charity-Linked Community Figure Accused Of Strangling Victim In Front Of Baby In NY: DA A well-known Dutchess County community figure and the brother of a local mayor has been indicted by a grand jury on a violent felony charge stemming from an alleged domestic assault that prosecutors say occurred in front of an infant.  Poughkeepsie resident Frank "Frankie" Flowers, 52, was arraigned in County Court after being indicted on second-degree strangulation, along with misdemeanor counts of criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, third-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, Jan.…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Cracker Barrel Responds To 'Woke' Rebrand Criticism: 'We Could've Done A Better Job' Cracker Barrel Responds To 'Woke' Rebrand Criticism: 'We Could've Done A Better Job'
Cracker Barrel Responds To 'Woke' Rebrand Criticism: 'We Could've Done A Better Job' Cracker Barrel is pushing back after a wave of rabid criticism from conservatives over its new logo and modernization plans. The Tennessee-based restaurant chain posted a message titled "Our Promise To You" on its website on Monday, Aug. 25. The note comes after prominent right-wing figures, including Donald Trump Jr. and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, blasted Cracker Barrel's new branding as "woke." Cracker Barrel thanked fans for their passion, pledging that the company's values haven't changed since its first store opened in 1969. "If the last few days have shown us anything, it's how deep…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Cracker Barrel Makeover Blasted As 'Woke' By Conservatives, Petitions Call For Boycott Cracker Barrel Makeover Blasted As 'Woke' By Conservatives, Petitions Call For Boycott
Cracker Barrel Makeover Blasted As 'Woke' By Conservatives, Petitions Call For Boycott Cracker Barrel's push to modernize has sparked fierce criticism, as the restaurant chain is the latest brand to be labeled "woke" by conservatives The Tennessee-based company, known for its rustic country stores and Southern meals, unveiled its first new logo in nearly 50 years on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The logo drops the familiar man-and-barrel image for a simpler design as part of a broader remodel and menu refresh. Right-wing figures like Donald Trump Jr. have criticized the changes. "WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!" the President's son tweeted on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Florida R…

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by Chris Spiker
News
TikTok Uproar, $20K Fundraiser Follow Felony Wiretap Conviction In Fort Gap Rape Case: DA TikTok Uproar, $20K Fundraiser Follow Felony Wiretap Conviction In Fort Gap Rape Case: DA
TikTok Uproar, $20K Fundraiser Follow Felony Wiretap Conviction In Fort Gap Rape Case: DA A Dauphin County woman at the center of a viral controversy has been sentenced to jail after being convicted of felony wiretap violations and lying to police about being raped, the Lebanon County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Veronika Rodriguez, 24, of Middletown, was convicted by a jury in May of two felony violations of Pennsylvania’s Wiretap Act and one count of false reports to law enforcement. On Wednesday, Judge Charles T. Jones Jr. sentenced her to 30 days to two years less one day in the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. The Allegation Rodrigu…

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by Jillian Pikora
Sports
‘He Died A Hero’: Former MLB Prospect Drowns Saving Strangers As Family Watches ‘He Died A Hero’: Former MLB Prospect Drowns Saving Strangers As Family Watches
‘He Died A Hero’: Former MLB Prospect Drowns Saving Strangers As Family Watches Chase Childers, a former Baltimore Orioles minor league prospect, died a hero in South Carolina after rushing into floodwaters to save a group of swimmers — sacrificing his life to protect theirs. According to Pawleys Island Police, officers received a 911 call at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, reporting “multiple swimmers in distress near Shell Road Ocean.”  One man — later identified as Childers — was missing, and a search was immediately launched by police, Midway Fire Rescue, and the US Coast Guard. At approximately 6:15 p.m., rescue teams recovered Childers' body fro…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Bagel Shop Manager’s ICE Detention Sparks Outcry, Fundraiser In NY Bagel Shop Manager’s ICE Detention Sparks Outcry, Fundraiser In NY
Bagel Shop Manager’s ICE Detention Sparks Outcry, Fundraiser In NY A Long Island community is rallying behind a beloved bagel shop manager who was detained by federal immigration agents outside his workplace. Fernando Mejia, the longtime manager of Schmear Bagel & Café in Port Washington, was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday, June 12, as he arrived to work, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched in his support. Mejia overstayed a visa 20 years ago, CBS News reports. Described as a “pillar” of the Port Washington community, Mejia is known for greeting customers with a smile, high-fiving local school kids…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Husband Claims 'Wrongful Incarceration,' NJ Mom Sentenced In Infant's Death Husband Claims 'Wrongful Incarceration,' NJ Mom Sentenced In Infant's Death
Husband Claims 'Wrongful Incarceration,' NJ Mom Sentenced In Infant's Death A Bergen County mother has been sentenced in the 2022 death of her infant son. Sun Min “Grace” Yoo Chan, an educational counselor from River Edge, was sentenced this week to five years in prison after pleading guilty to reckless manslaughter in the 2022 death of her 3-month-old son, NorthJersey.com reports. She must serve 85% of her sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Chan was initially arrested on May 3, 2022, and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and child endangerment, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella. Police responded to her home on March 29, 2022, aro…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NY Brothers, 19 & 20, Deported Without Warning Despite Pending Legal Status, Attorney Claims NY Brothers, 19 & 20, Deported Without Warning Despite Pending Legal Status, Attorney Claims
NY Brothers, 19 & 20, Deported Without Warning Despite Pending Legal Status, Attorney Claims Two Long Island brothers who spent nearly half their lives in the US were abruptly deported, despite having no criminal record and a pending path to legal residency, their attorney claims. Jose Trejo Lopez, 20, and Josue Trejo Lopez, 19, were deported to El Salvador on Wednesday, May 7, just weeks after a New York Family Court granted them legal guardianship—an important step in their effort to remain in the US legally, their attorney, East Islip immigration lawyer Ala Amoachi, said. The brothers, originally from El Salvador, came to the US in 2016 at ages 10 and 11 with their mother, fleei…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Outrage Over Squirrel Sensation's Euthanasia Prompts State Changes: 'We Can Do Better' Outrage Over Squirrel Sensation's Euthanasia Prompts State Changes: 'We Can Do Better'
Outrage Over Squirrel Sensation's Euthanasia Prompts State Changes: 'We Can Do Better' New York State environmental officials are revamping their wildlife enforcement procedures in the wake of public outcry over the state-ordered euthanasia of a popular social media squirrel. Following an internal investigation, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is implementing new protocols to avoid similar incidents in the future, the agency announced Friday, March 28. The changes follow national backlash surrounding “Peanut,” a Chemung County squirrel with nearly one million followers on Instagram who was seized and later euthanized by the agency last fall, as Daily Voice …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
School Board Member In Hudson Valley Under Fire For Comments On Israel-Hamas War School Board Member In Hudson Valley Under Fire For Comments On Israel-Hamas War
School Board Member In Hudson Valley Under Fire For Comments On Israel-Hamas War Elected officials and community members are calling for a Hudson Valley school board member to step down following alleged antisemitic remarks made at a board meeting.  The outrage was prompted following a school board meeting in Putnam County on Tuesday, July 9, when Carmel Central School District Trustee Jim Wise allegedly controversy within the town over a comment on the Israel-Hamas war. The statement in question, "From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free," was defended by Wise in a post on social media on Wednesday, Aug. 7.  "I also reject absolutely the idea that …

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Funeral Services Held For Boy, Mother Fatally Struck By Bus In Westchester Funeral Services Held For Boy, Mother Fatally Struck By Bus In Westchester
Funeral Services Held For Boy, Mother Fatally Struck By Bus In Westchester Community members came together to honor the memory of a 6-year-old boy and his mother who were killed while walking to a Westchester school.  A funeral Mass was held on Friday morning, June 28 at the St. Augustine Church in Larchmont for Mamaroneck residents Michael Donovan Volpe, age 6, and his mother, 43-year-old Molly Murphey Donovan, who were both killed on Thursday, June 20 after being struck by a school bus while walking to the Mamaroneck Avenue School.  Earlier Report - New Update: IDs Released Of Mother, Child Struck, Killed By School Bus In…

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by Ben Crnic