Latest Update: I-95 Closure Could Last Days After Fiery Crash Involving Petroleum Tanker Latest Update: I-95 Closure Could Last Days After Fiery Crash Involving Petroleum Tanker
Latest Update: I-95 Closure Could Last Days After Fiery Crash Involving Petroleum Tanker This story has been updated. A closure on I-95 in Connecticut caused by an early morning crash and fire involving a tanker with thousands of gallons of gas could last now for days, authorities are now saying. The incident happened at the outset of the morning commute on Thursday, May 2 in Norwalk near exits 14 and 15. "Extensive damage occurred to the Fairfield Avenue overpass bridge," according to the Norwalk Fire Department. The expected replacement of the bridge could last through the weekend. "Motorists are urged to avoid non-essential travel in the Norwalk area," Connecticut State P…
Summer Preview Will Be Followed By Swing In Temps: 5-Day Forecast Summer Preview Will Be Followed By Swing In Temps: 5-Day Forecast
Summer Preview Will Be Followed By Swing In Temps: 5-Day Forecast A summer preview will be followed by a swing in temperatures and then the return of precipitation for the second half of the weekend. According to the National Weather Service, Thursday, May 2, will have a mix of sun and clouds following dense morning fog reducing visibility. Temperatures will rise to around 80 degrees, which is about 15 degrees above the normal high for early May. It will be cooler on Friday, May 3, with high temperatures in the low to mid-60s and mostly sunny skies. Saturday, May 4 will be partly sunny with a high temperature in the low 60s. Unsettled weather will…
Weight Loss Drugs Illegally Purchased On Social Media Sickens Hudson Valley Woman, Feds Say Weight Loss Drugs Illegally Purchased On Social Media Sickens Hudson Valley Woman, Feds Say
Weight Loss Drugs Illegally Purchased On Social Media Sickens Hudson Valley Woman, Feds Say A wannabe social media influencer from New York hoping to cash in on the medication weight loss craze illegally sold Ozempic and other drugs on TikTok, sickening at least one victim, federal prosecutors allege. Long Island resident Isis Navarro Reyes, age 36, of Shirley, is named in a six-count indictment that was unsealed in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, May 1. Prosecutors allege that Reyes posted dozens of TikTok videos advertising and selling various misbranded and adulterated weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, Mesofrance, and Axcion, between November 2022 and January 2024. S…
Public Radio 'Legend' Karen DeWitt Signing Off After 34 Years: ‘It’s Time To Go’ Public Radio 'Legend' Karen DeWitt Signing Off After 34 Years: ‘It’s Time To Go’
Public Radio 'Legend' Karen DeWitt Signing Off After 34 Years: ‘It’s Time To Go’ After more than three decades of covering New York State government and politics, public radio journalist Karen DeWitt is signing off. The longtime Capitol Bureau chief for the New York Public News Network will file her last story on Friday, June 21, she announced on X Tuesday, April 30. “Finally, I get to use this phrase: ‘Some personal news,’” DeWitt said. “It’s been a fabulous ride, but it’s time to go.” Since 1990, DeWitt has informed listeners on Albany affairs via the network's dozen public radio stations across the state, including WAMC in Albany, WLIW on Long Island, and WNYC in N…
These Hudson Valley Hospitals Get 'A' Grade For Patient Safety: New Report These Hudson Valley Hospitals Get 'A' Grade For Patient Safety: New Report
These Hudson Valley Hospitals Get 'A' Grade For Patient Safety: New Report Two Westchester hospitals have received top marks for keeping patients safe, according to a new report.  Both White Plains Hospital and Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco were given an "A" grade for patient safety in a new Spring 2024 report by the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization that advocates for safety in hospitals.  The new report grades nearly 3,000 hospitals across the country based on how well they protect patients from preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, according to the group. The report is issued twic…
Mega Millions Player Wins $1 Million At Popular Hudson Valley Store Mega Millions Player Wins $1 Million At Popular Hudson Valley Store
Mega Millions Player Wins $1 Million At Popular Hudson Valley Store A Mega Millions player walked away with a cool $1 million cash after winning the second-place prize on a ticket purchased at a lucky Hudson Valley store. The winner picked all five numbers -- 10-18-27-37-61 and a Powerball of 5 -- but failed to pick the Powerball to win the large haul of cash for the Tuesday, April 30 game, said New York Lottery officials. The ticket was purchased in Orange County at the Smokes 4 Less store on Plank Road in Newburgh. No word yet on who the winner is. The winning numbers for the Mega Millions game are drawn from a field of one to 70, and the Mega Ball is d…
Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme: Goldens Bridge Man, Fellow Former Exec Sentenced Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme: Goldens Bridge Man, Fellow Former Exec Sentenced
Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme: Goldens Bridge Man, Fellow Former Exec Sentenced Two former high-ranking executives have been sentenced for stealing millions of dollars from their employer in Westchester County through a fraudulent scheme involving sham companies and fake invoices. The two worked at OrthoNet, a healthcare claims processing company based in White Plains. Shawn Rains, age 57, of Le Bouscat, France, who was previously convicted of mail fraud conspiracy, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy after a two-week trial, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Northern Westchester resident Joseph Maharaj, age 42, of Goldens Bridge, had pl…
'Every Parent's Worst Fear': Hit-Run Leaves UAlbany Freshman With Brain Swelling, Broken Bones 'Every Parent's Worst Fear': Hit-Run Leaves UAlbany Freshman With Brain Swelling, Broken Bones
'Every Parent's Worst Fear': Hit-Run Leaves UAlbany Freshman With Brain Swelling, Broken Bones A University at Albany student remains hospitalized with serious injuries after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver on a dirt bike. Long Island resident Alexa Kropf, age 18, of Floral Park, was hit at around midnight Saturday, April 27, while walking along Hudson Avenue, just blocks from the UAlbany campus. When officers arrived, they found the freshman lying in the roadway with a serious head injury and a broken leg, according to Albany Police. Witnesses told investigators that Kropf was struck by a man who was driving an illegal dirt bike at a high rate of speed while weaving and ou…
Brothers Found Guilty In Killing Of Man Found Dead In Hudson Valley Driveway Brothers Found Guilty In Killing Of Man Found Dead In Hudson Valley Driveway
Brothers Found Guilty In Killing Of Man Found Dead In Hudson Valley Driveway Two brothers have been found guilty of killing a man found lying dead in his driveway in the region. Orange County resident Junando Dawkins, age 30, of Newburgh, and his brother, Juwaugh Dawkins, age 34, of Jacksonville, Florida, were convicted on Monday, April 29, in Ulster County Court of murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. According to the Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji, in January 2023, a homicide investigation was conducted by the New York State Police into the death of Daniel Spotards, a 41-year-old father of two, whose body was found at t…
Hudson Valley Man Headed To Prison, Admits Rape Of Child, DA Says Hudson Valley Man Headed To Prison, Admits Rape Of Child, DA Says
Hudson Valley Man Headed To Prison, Admits Rape Of Child, DA Says A Hudson Valley man is headed for prison after pleading guilty to rape of a child under the age of 13. Orange County resident Liborio Nieto, age 28, of Middletown, was sentenced on Monday, April 29, to 10 years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision. He will also be registered as a sex offender. According to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, Nieto admitted to the rape of a child under the age of 13. Hoovler thanked the Orange County Child Abuse Investigation Unit for their investigation and the arrest of Nieto. “The sexual abuse of a child is always an intolerab…
Severed Remains: 2 Charged With Murdering Hudson Valley Couple As Gruesome Details Revealed Severed Remains: 2 Charged With Murdering Hudson Valley Couple As Gruesome Details Revealed
Severed Remains: 2 Charged With Murdering Hudson Valley Couple As Gruesome Details Revealed Months after the mutilated remains of a Hudson Valley couple were found strewn across Long Island, prosecutors have charged two suspects with their murders. Jeffrey Mackey, age 36, and Alexis Nieves, age 33, both of Amityville, were arraigned on additional charges of murder and related offenses in Suffolk County Court on Friday, April 26 in the killings of Malcolm Brown and Donna Conneely. Prosecutors said the couple was stabbed to death after entering Mackey and Nieves’ Amityville residence on Railroad Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Earlier Report: Dismembering Dead Body Would Be Fel…
Officials Speak Out Against Proposed Battery Storage Facility In Mahopac Officials Speak Out Against Proposed Battery Storage Facility In Mahopac
Officials Speak Out Against Proposed Battery Storage Facility In Mahopac County and town officials in Westchester are speaking out against a proposed battery storage facility in the Hudson Valley that may pose safety concerns and has already garnered an opposing petition from residents.  The lithium battery storage facility, proposed by East Point Energy, would be located in the Putnam County hamlet of Mahopac at 24 Miller Rd., in close proximity to the town of Somers in Northern Westchester, according to Somers Town Supervisor Robert Scorrano.  According to the proposed facility's developers, the site's batteries would use the area's electrical grid t…
$1.7M Fraud Scheme: Hudson Valley Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced $1.7M Fraud Scheme: Hudson Valley Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced
$1.7M Fraud Scheme: Hudson Valley Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced A mother-daughter duo has been sentenced to prison for defrauding the government of approximately $1.7 million.  Westchester County residents Alicia Ayers and her mother, Andrea Ayers, both of Mount Vernon, were found guilty of submitting more than 300 fraudulent applications for US Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans.  Andrea Ayers was a former Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Mount Vernon Police Department. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress expanded the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program to provide low-interest …
In Fursuit: Search For Cubs Underway After Mama Bear Killed On Taconic State Parkway In Fursuit: Search For Cubs Underway After Mama Bear Killed On Taconic State Parkway
In Fursuit: Search For Cubs Underway After Mama Bear Killed On Taconic State Parkway Despite social media buzz and some help from a couple of drone operators, there’s still no sign of a family of black bear cubs days after their mama was struck and killed on a highway in the region. The Columbia County incident happened Friday evening, April 19, on the Taconic State Parkway near Exit 99 in the hamlet of Spencertown. Two or three 10-pound cubs that are still nursing were left orphaned when the adult bear was hit and killed, according to the wildlife nonprofit Lucky Rehabilitation Center. “We located the body of their mom and will be gathering hair samples this morning in th…
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Officials have launched a criminal investigation into a National Guard helicopter crash near the southern border that killed two members from New York and a third victim, ABC News reports. The incident – which saw a UH-72 Lakota helicopter go down near Rio Grande City, Texas, on Friday, March 8 – is now the focus of an investigation by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office into whether there was any criminal wrongdoing, officials told the outlet. That investigation is separate from a parallel probe being conducted by the Department of Defense. So far, authorities have not publicly said what cau…
Ceiling Collapse Causes Major Damage At Boscobel In Garrison Ceiling Collapse Causes Major Damage At Boscobel In Garrison
Ceiling Collapse Causes Major Damage At Boscobel In Garrison A ceiling collapse caused significant damage at a historic mansion and museum in the Hudson Valley. The incident happened in Putnam County in the hamlet of Garrison at Boscobel House and Gardens, which overlooks the Hudson River. On Tuesday, April 16, the plaster ceiling in its historic library collapsed without warning, causing major damage to the room, its contents, and adjacent rooms, according to Boscobel.  No one was in the building when the incident happened. Boscobel said it is "working diligently alongside a team of engineers, art conservators, and local officials to ass…
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexually Abusing 2 Children, DA Says Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexually Abusing 2 Children, DA Says
Hudson Valley Man Admits Sexually Abusing 2 Children, DA Says A Hudson Valley man faces years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two children over two years. Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced Thursday, April 25, that Alejandro Perez, 34, of Haverstraw, pleaded guilty to course of sexual conduct against a child and sexual abuse. Starting in the summer of 2021 and throughout the next two years, Perez subjected two children to sexual abuse on multiple occasions, said Scott Waters of the Rockland County District Attorney's Office. Waters said the sexual abuse consisted of oral sexual conduct as…
Hudson Valley School Bus Driver Of Year Named Hudson Valley School Bus Driver Of Year Named
Hudson Valley School Bus Driver Of Year Named With a smile and a shiny plaque in her hands, a Hudson Valley school bus driver was named Driver of the Year. Dutchess County resident, Linda Lawlor of the Hyde Park Central School District, was recently named School Bus Driver of the Year by the Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board.  County representatives presented Lawlor with a plaque on Wednesday, April 24, in front of Haviland Middle School. Lawlor has nearly 20 years of experience driving buses, with 10 years at Hyde Park. While getting the recognition was initially overwhelming, Lawlor considers it a great honor. “I…
President Biden Commutes Hudson Valley Woman's Sentence For Selling Cocaine President Biden Commutes Hudson Valley Woman's Sentence For Selling Cocaine
President Biden Commutes Hudson Valley Woman's Sentence For Selling Cocaine Two New York women convicted of non-violent federal drug offenses are among 16 people nationwide to receive clemency from President Joe Biden. Stacy Wilder, age 49, of Albany, served nearly six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine in the Northern District of New York in January 2003. She received a full pardon from the president. Had she been sentenced under current law and sentencing guidelines, Wilder would have received a significantly lower sentence, the White House said.  Since serving her time, Wilder has worked as a payro…
Drunk Driver Leaving Bar Admits Causing Deadly Hudson Valley Crash Drunk Driver Leaving Bar Admits Causing Deadly Hudson Valley Crash
Drunk Driver Leaving Bar Admits Causing Deadly Hudson Valley Crash An admitted drunk driver is facing years in prison for causing a fatal crash on a Hudson Valley highway that left another person injured. Nicholle Hoke, age 45, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide in Orange County Court on Wednesday, April 24. Orange County prosecutors said Hoke, of Shawnee, Oklahoma, was leaving an Ulster County bar in New Paltz on the night of June 24, 2023, when she crashed into another car on Route 9W in Newburgh at around 10 p.m. The impact killed one passenger in the other car and seriously injured another. An admitted drunk driver is facing years …
Peekskill Cab Driver Sexually Abuses Child For Year: Here's His Sentence Peekskill Cab Driver Sexually Abuses Child For Year: Here's His Sentence
Peekskill Cab Driver Sexually Abuses Child For Year: Here's His Sentence A 46-year-old cab driver from Northern Westchester will spend more than a decade in prison for grooming and sexually abusing a young girl for nearly a year, officials announced.  Peekskill resident Luis Urgiles was sentenced to 16 years in state prison for engaging in sexual conduct with a young girl, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday, April 23.  According to the DA's Office, Urgiles, a cab driver in Peekskill, met the victim's family when they were passengers in his cab. He then befriended them and began grooming the then-10-year-old…
Hudson Valley Powerball Player $50K Richer Off Third-Place Ticket Hudson Valley Powerball Player $50K Richer Off Third-Place Ticket
Hudson Valley Powerball Player $50K Richer Off Third-Place Ticket A lucky Hudson Valley Lotto player is $50,000 richer after winning a third-prize ticket for selecting four correct numbers and the Powerball. According to New York Lottery officials, the Powerball ticket for the Monday, April 22 game was sold in Rockland County at the M&M Super Shoppe at 104 Lafayette Ave., in Suffern. The winning numbers for the game were 12-16-33-39-52 and a Powerball of 1. No word yet on who the winner is. The game numbers are drawn from a field of one to 69. The red Power Ball is drawn from a separate field of one to 26.  The Powerball drawing is televised e…
New Update: President Biden's Westchester Visit To Cause 'Significant' Traffic Impacts New Update: President Biden's Westchester Visit To Cause 'Significant' Traffic Impacts
New Update: President Biden's Westchester Visit To Cause 'Significant' Traffic Impacts Before President Joe Biden's visit to Westchester, authorities are warning motorists of expected impacts to rush hour traffic. New, updated report - Biden Visit: These Westchester School Districts Announce Early Dismissals Biden will be in the county on Thursday, April 25, when he is scheduled to appear at a fundraising event in the village of Irvington-on-Hudson hosted by actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  Earlier Report - President Biden To Visit Irvington: Here's When According to an announcement from the Irvington Police Department on Tuesday, April …
Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Possession Of Gun, Drugs Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Possession Of Gun, Drugs
Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Possession Of Gun, Drugs A Hudson Valley man is headed to prison after pleading guilty to criminal possession of a weapon and possession of drugs. Orange County resident Steven Bostic, age 41, of Middletown, was sentenced Monday, April 22, to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, according to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler. As alleged in documents filed and statements made in court on the evening of April 30, 2023, City of Newburgh Police Officers responded to a domestic incident at a residence in the City. Upon arriving, officers heard yelling inside…
Beloved, Refurbished Local Landmark Returns In Somers Beloved, Refurbished Local Landmark Returns In Somers
Beloved, Refurbished Local Landmark Returns In Somers An iconic statue has returned in a more durable form in Northern Westchester. The statue in front of The Elephant Hotel in Somers known as Old Bet has returned to its post after being taken down in July 2023, Somers town officials announced on Monday, April 22.  The beloved landmark had been a fixture in Somers since 1827 when a gilt wood replica of an elephant was installed on iron scrollwork on top of a granite shaft in front of the hotel, which was built between 1820 and 1825 and is now used as Town Hall.  The old statue was taken down after cracks were discovered in it. …
ID Released For Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Pawling ID Released For Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Pawling
ID Released For Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Pawling The identity has been released of a man who was killed after being struck by a Metro-North train in the Hudson Valley.  The incident happened on the railroad's Harlem Line in Dutchess County at around 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Appalachian Trail station in Pawling, according to the MTA. On Sunday morning, April 21, MTA Deputy Communications Director Aaron Donovan identified the man who was struck as being from Connecticut: Fairfield County resident James Hare, age 62, of Newtown. Original report - Person Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Hudson Valle…
Person Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Pawling Person Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Pawling
Person Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Pawling A person was killed after being struck by a Metro-North train overnight in the region. Click here for a new, updated story: ID Released For Man Struck, Killed By Train In Hudson Valley The incident happened on the railroad's Harlem Line in Dutchess County at around 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Appalachian Trail station in Pawling, according to the MTA. The identity of the person has not yet been released. Service was suspended between Wassaic and Southeast from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
Cable Company Employee Electrocuted While Working In Capital Region Cable Company Employee Electrocuted While Working In Capital Region
Cable Company Employee Electrocuted While Working In Capital Region A cable company employee was electrocuted while working on a utility pole in the region. The Albany County incident happened at around 2 a.m. Friday, April 19, in the town of Berne on Long Road. The Spectrum Cable employee was in a bucket truck performing routine equipment maintenance on a utility pole when he came into contact with an electrical line, a spokesperson for Spectrum’s parent company Charter Communications told Daily Voice. Emergency crews arrived to find the truck on fire. Medics with the East Berne Fire Department pronounced the employee dead at the scene. His identity had…
Guardian Dogs Escape Hudson Valley Farm, Kill Poodle, Attack Owner: Report Guardian Dogs Escape Hudson Valley Farm, Kill Poodle, Attack Owner: Report
Guardian Dogs Escape Hudson Valley Farm, Kill Poodle, Attack Owner: Report Two guardian dogs from a nonprofit farm in Westchester may be euthanized after escaping the property and attacking a woman and her leashed poodle on a trail, according to a New York Times report.  The attack happened on Tuesday, February 6, when two guardian dogs escaped the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Tarrytown at 630 Bedford Rd. and ran into a woman and her 10-pound miniature poodle on a public trail. They then attacked the woman and killed the poodle, according to a new report by The New York Times. The two dogs, a Great Pyrenees named Luna and an Akbash na…
New Update: ID Released For Man Who Set Self On Fire Outside Trump Trial In NY Court New Update: ID Released For Man Who Set Self On Fire Outside Trump Trial In NY Court
New Update: ID Released For Man Who Set Self On Fire Outside Trump Trial In NY Court This story has been updated. A man survived after lighting himself on fire just steps away from the Manhattan courthouse where former President Trump’s alleged hush money trial was underway. The incident, which was broadcast live to a national audience on CNN, happened at around 1:40 p.m. Friday, April 19, right outside the New York Supreme Court near Foley Square. NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said the man walked into the park before reaching into a backpack and throwing several pamphlets onto the ground. He then doused himself with an accelerant and lit himself on fire. Flames could be s…
Man Captures Images Of Young Girls With Hidden Cameras At Hudson Valley Park: Feds Man Captures Images Of Young Girls With Hidden Cameras At Hudson Valley Park: Feds
Man Captures Images Of Young Girls With Hidden Cameras At Hudson Valley Park: Feds A 54-year-old man faces child pornography possession charges after placing hidden cameras in the bathroom of a public park in the Hudson Valley to capture images of young girls, officials announced. Putnam County resident John Towers of Mahopac was arrested on Thursday, April 18 on child pornography charges, the US Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, from July 24, 2018, to December 9, 2019, Towers put hidden cameras in the bathroom of a privately owned public park in Putnam County to secretly record sexually explicit images…