White Plains, NY
News
COVID-19: Westchester, Rockland County Execs Share Thoughts On Day 1 Of Reopening COVID-19: Westchester, Rockland County Execs Share Thoughts On Day 1 Of Reopening
Covid-19: Westchester, Rockland County Execs Share Thoughts On Day 1 Of Reopening The county executives from Westchester and Rockland convened to discuss Day 1 of Phase 1 of the reopening of the Hudson Valley region amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. The region - which includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties. - met the required metrics set forth by the state to begin reopening after nine weeks of shutting down due to the COVID-19 virus. On Tuesday, May 26, the day the region was given the green light to kickstart some non-essential businesses, Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Rockland County E…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
COVID-19: Here's What You Should Know About The Four Phases Of NY Reopenings COVID-19: Here's What You Should Know About The Four Phases Of NY Reopenings
Covid-19: Here's What You Should Know About The Four Phases Of NY Reopenings With Long Island and the Hudson Valley now set for Phase 1 reopenings, nine of New York State's 10 regions will be moving forward to reach the fourth and final phase. Re-opening refers to non-essential businesses and business activities.  After two weeks, state and regional officials will evaluate the outcomes of the reopening and then decide whether or not the region can move to the next phase. These are the four phases: Phase 1: Construction Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting Retail (Limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off) Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Phase 2: …

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by Joe Lombardi
Massapequa, NY
News
COVID-19: Fifth NY Region Reaches Benchmark To Reopen Economy; Check Status Of Others COVID-19: Fifth NY Region Reaches Benchmark To Reopen Economy; Check Status Of Others
Covid-19: Fifth NY Region Reaches Benchmark To Reopen Economy; Check Status Of Others Five down, five to go. When the clock strikes midnight, five regions in New York will have the green light to “unpause” selected non-essential businesses. Central New York has joined the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Southern Tier as regions that have met the seven metrics set forth by the state that will allow them to reopen. Related story - COVID-19: Here Are New Activities, Low-Risk Businesses Restarting This Week Downstate Of the five other regions, the Capital Region and mid-Hudson Valley have met five of seven metrics, while Long Island, New York City, and West…

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by Zak Failla
Kingston, NY
News
COVID-19: Fourth NY Region Reaches Benchmark To Reopen Economy; Check Status Of Six Others COVID-19: Fourth NY Region Reaches Benchmark To Reopen Economy; Check Status Of Six Others
Covid-19: Fourth NY Region Reaches Benchmark To Reopen Economy; Check Status Of Six Others A fourth region in New York has been given the green light to “unpause” some non-essential businesses when the state begins slowly reopening the economy on Friday, May 15. North Country has joined the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Mohawk Valley as regions that have met the seven metrics set forth by the state to begin reopening. You can check an online dashboard to track how close New York's six other regions are to reopening here. According to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, provided nothing changes, the four regions can begin opening businesses for phase one on Friday, May 15, which …

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by Zak Failla
Torrington, CT
News
Vicious Giant Hornets With Venomous Sting Spotted For First Time In US Vicious Giant Hornets With Venomous Sting Spotted For First Time In US
Vicious Giant Hornets With Venomous Sting Spotted For First Time In US As if a global pandemic and worldwide economic crisis aren't enough to occupy us, there's now news of the arrival of a vicious, freakish-looking hornet with a venomous sting in the United States for the first time. Asian giant hornets can use shark-fin shaped appendages to destroy a beehive, decapitating its victims in a matter of minutes. “It’s a shockingly large hornet,” said Todd Murray, Washington State University's Extension entomologist and invasive species specialist. “It’s a health hazard, and more importantly, a significant predator of honey bees.” That's especially concerning sin…

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by Joe Lombardi
DV Plus - Westchester, NY
Schools
Around Westchester Schools: Regeneron Scholar Idea To Help BP, Third-Grader Grows Giant Cabbage Around Westchester Schools: Regeneron Scholar Idea To Help BP, Third-Grader Grows Giant Cabbage
Around Westchester Schools: Regeneron Scholar Idea To Help BP, Third-Grader Grows Giant Cabbage A Westchester County third-grader won a contest for growing an eight-pound cabbage. Keric Roach of Springhurst Elementary School in Dobbs Ferry is the New York State winner in the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Third Grade Cabbage Program which calls upon student to grow a colossal cabbage. He will receive a $1,000 savings bond towards his education for growing the large cabbage. Keric's entry was selected randomly by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Each year Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in North America, with 70-plus greenhous…

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by Donna Christopher
Poughkeepsie, NY
Lifestyle
Hundreds Of Thousands Flock To Dutchess For NY's Second Largest County Fair Hundreds Of Thousands Flock To Dutchess For NY's Second Largest County Fair
Hundreds Of Thousands Flock To Dutchess For NY's Second Largest County Fair About half a million people are expected to visit the 174th Dutchess County Fair, which runs from Tuesday, Aug. 20 through Sunday, Aug. 25. The tradition of the Dutchess County Fair, the second largest county fair in New York State, dates back to the 1840s and celebrates the county’s agricultural heritage. The fair, which is set on more than 162 acres of meticulously manicured gardens and grass on Route 9 in Rhinebeck, is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. It will feature a wide range of agricultural and horticultural exhibits. For the fourth consecutive year, the fair will also offer…

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by Valerie Musson
Brentwood, NY
Lifestyle
Long Island's Last Remaining Duck Farm Still Flourishing After 111 Years Long Island's Last Remaining Duck Farm Still Flourishing After 111 Years
Long Island's Last Remaining Duck Farm Still Flourishing After 111 Years Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue grows genuine Long Island Duck and is the last duck farm on Long Island. Its president, Doug Corwin, is the fifth generation in his family to run the farm. The business began in 1908 on land purchased by a family ancestor, Matthias Corwin, in 1640. The farm breeds, hatchers and grows about one million ducks each year on 140 acres. The farm buys corn, soybean, and wheat and mills it into nutritional pellets to feed the ducks. "We have over 80 amazing people that work with me," Corwin said. "For the most part, my customers are large distributors/wholes…

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by Donna Christopher
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Business
'You Will Be Missed': Closing Of Boonton's Hamilton Farms Marks End Of An Era 'You Will Be Missed': Closing Of Boonton's Hamilton Farms Marks End Of An Era
'You Will Be Missed': Closing Of Boonton's Hamilton Farms Marks End Of An Era After more than 20 years in business, Hamilton Farms has been sold and will shut its doors. Three generations of the Deckenbach family worked as farmers on the five-acre farm, which became known for its romaine lettuce and its green houses -- which were installed by the second generation. Thousands of pumpkins and Christmas trees were sold each year. The farm closing marks the end of an era for the family and customers both. Community members lament the closing of Hamilton Farms.Facebook "I remember being a little girl and my Mom and I getting our vegetables from Grace sitting under a…

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by Cecilia Levine
Hackensack, NJ
Weather
Gov’t Report: Climate Change Will Cost U.S. Lives, Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars Gov’t Report: Climate Change Will Cost U.S. Lives, Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars
Gov’t Report: Climate Change Will Cost U.S. Lives, Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars Climate change isn’t just happening – it’s going to get much worse, warns a massive government report that proposes solutions that are severely at odds with President Trump’s policies. Extreme weather, changes in air quality and the spread of new diseases by insects will combine to cost the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars in health, agricultural and infrastructure damage by the end of the century, warns Volume II of the National Climate Assessment, which was released Friday. "Earth’s climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primar…

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by Jerry DeMarco
White Plains, NY
Lifestyle
NY Takes Action Against Invasive Insect NY Takes Action Against Invasive Insect
NY Takes Action Against Invasive Insect After the discovery of the spotted lanternfly was found in New York for the first time in September, the state is taking new steps to stop the spread of the invasive insect. In a news release, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets announced it has issued a quarantine that will restrict the movement of certain goods brought into the state from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.  The lanternfly is a pest from Asia that primarily feeds on a wide variety of plants such as grapevine, hops, maple, walnut, fruit trees and others. Left alone, the insect could impac…

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by Kathy Reakes
Hyde Park, NY
Police & Fire
Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Barn, 47 Cows At Hudson Valley Farm Family Owned Since 1770 Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Barn, 47 Cows At Hudson Valley Farm Family Owned Since 1770
Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Barn, 47 Cows At Hudson Valley Farm Family Owned Since 1770 A fast-moving fire destroyed a barn and 47 cows at a historic Hudson Valley farm that has been in the area since 1770. The fire started around 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Millerhurst Farm on Route 82 in Ancramdale in Columbia County, according to Bill Williams of 93.5 Oldies. When firefighters arrived, they found the 200-year-old farm in flames, according to a GoFundMe page that also said the family lost the majority of their milk cows as the fire burned down their barn and the cows were trapped inside. A host of families, fellows farmers, and businesses in the community offered their support on s…

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by Kathy Reakes