Torrington, CT
News
'Murder Hornet': Videos Show What It's Like To Be Stung By Dangerous Insect Now In US 'Murder Hornet': Videos Show What It's Like To Be Stung By Dangerous Insect Now In US
'Murder Hornet': Videos Show What It's Like To Be Stung By Dangerous Insect Now In US Videos of massive so-called “murder hornets” with venomous stingers that have migrated from Asia have been making the rounds on social media, showing the insect killing its often larger prey with impunity. New story: 'Murder Hornets': Westchester Town Begins Preparing Now For Possible Arrival The hornets have been shown killing mice, other rodents, coyotes, and large bugs. See video above - warning: graphic content.  It is unclear where the videos have been shot, though the invasive insect has reportedly made its way to the United States, in Washington State, as well as Canada. …

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by Zak Failla
Massapequa, NY
Police & Fire
Boat Sinks After It Bursts Into Flames At Yacht Club In Nassau County Boat Sinks After It Bursts Into Flames At Yacht Club In Nassau County
Boat Sinks After It Bursts Into Flames At Yacht Club In Nassau County A boat docked on Long Island sunk after it went up in flames at a yacht club, Nassau County police said. Nassau County Police officers responded to the Keystone Yacht Club in Woodmere at approximately 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, when there was a report of a boat on fire in the water. According to police, officers found the 39-foot boat docked in the water after it became fully engulfed in flames. Police said that the boat ultimately sank into the water at the dock due to the excessive damage. The United States Coast Guard and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation had…

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by Zak Failla
Massapequa, NY
Lifestyle
North Shore Residents Irked By Helicopter Noise With Billy Joel At Center Of Controversy North Shore Residents Irked By Helicopter Noise With Billy Joel At Center Of Controversy
North Shore Residents Irked By Helicopter Noise With Billy Joel At Center Of Controversy Residents don't like the noise helicopters make when they take off and land on Centre Island and are debating over whether or not to allow private helipads,  with Billy Joel at the center of the controversy, according to the Wall Street Journal. There are four private helipads mong 185 homes on the island, said the article. Flying there by helicopter from Manhattan takes just 15 minutes as opposed to driving to Centre Island which takes two hours, according to the Wall Street Journal. Billy Joel commutes to Madison Square Garden events by chopper from his waterfront estate. Helipad o…

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by Donna Christopher
Yorktown, NY
Business
NY Nears Statewide Ban On Plastic Bags NY Nears Statewide Ban On Plastic Bags
NY Nears Statewide Ban On Plastic Bags For those of you still holding hopes using plastic bags, the budget vote by state lawmakers may be the end of those pesky bags for good. Lawmakers have until Sunday to come together on a final budget for the new fiscal year which begins Monday, April 1 and a state-wide ban on the bags is pretty much a done deal. The legislation which bans use on all single-use plastic bags will most likely be married to a 5-cent fee on paper bags. While work is still being done on the proposed ban, some sticking points include exempting food stamp recipients and low-income residents from hav…

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by Kathy Reakes
Newburgh, NY
News
Campaign Launched To Add Third Lane To Route 17 Campaign Launched To Add Third Lane To Route 17
Campaign Launched To Add Third Lane To Route 17 A coalition of local business entities known as 17-Forward-86 has initiated a campaign in an ongoing effort to add a third lane to Route 17. Sharing the campaign’s mission on its website, 17forward86.org, the group represents diverse interests of various Sullivan County and Orange County stakeholders. “Expanding Route 17 is vital to quality of life and the economic well-being of the Hudson Valley and Sullivan Catskills,” the website states. The mission further states that the proposed expansion of Route 17 will boost the region’s economy through improved tourist access and increased c…

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by Valerie Musson
Hackensack, NJ
Lifestyle
VOTE: Rain Tax In New Jersey -- Are You For It? VOTE: Rain Tax In New Jersey -- Are You For It?
Vote: Rain Tax In New Jersey -- Are You For It? As if the rain and taxes weren't bad enough in New Jersey, they both could get worse. A new bill, now headed to Gov. Murphy's desk, would allow municipalities to create utilities to collect fees from business and homeowners with large paved surfaces.  Rainwater mixes with pollutants on those surfaces during storms before running into drainage areas during storms, and  funding could be used for upgrades to reduce environmental impact. “With all the salt that we’ve had on roads recently, that’s all running into the sewer systems, so you can’t ignore the problems because they d…

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by Cecilia Levine
Hyde Park, NY
News
Nearly A Million Gallons Of Waste Dumped Into Hudson River During Storms Nearly A Million Gallons Of Waste Dumped Into Hudson River During Storms
Nearly A Million Gallons Of Waste Dumped Into Hudson River During Storms The storms that struck the Hudson Valley this week have led to nearly a million gallons of partially treated waste being discharged into the Hudson River in Dutchess County. Officials from the City of Poughkeepsie Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) announced the discharge on North Water Street shortly after 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, before the storm surged in the region. In total, an estimated 500 gallons of sewage was dumped into the river per minute until it could be controlled at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. It was not immediately clear if any public areas were pote…

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by Zak Failla
White Plains, NY
News
Westchester Adds 78 Diesel-Electric Buses Westchester Adds 78 Diesel-Electric Buses
Westchester Adds 78 Diesel-Electric Buses With clean air, safety and performance at the forefront – County Executive George Latimer announced on Tuesday, Sept. 25 that the County’s Bee-Line Bus fleet adding with 78 diesel-electric buses next year.  The 60-foot transit buses with multiple security cameras are provided by New Flyer of America, Inc., with a battery electric component supplied by BAE Systems’ Power & Propulsion Division.  Over time, the hybrid buses will save the County more than 850,000 gallons of fuel, while preventing 12,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from polluting the environment, officials said. And Wes…

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by Jon Craig
Fairfield, CT
Lifestyle
World War II Tanker Off LI Coast Sunk by U-Boat Could Be Leaking Oil World War II Tanker Off LI Coast Sunk by U-Boat Could Be Leaking Oil
World War II Tanker Off LI Coast Sunk by U-Boat Could Be Leaking Oil A British tanker torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Long Island during World War II may still be leaking oil. The Coast Guard said it has contracted Resolve Marine to conduct an underwater assessment of the tanker Coimbra, from June 19 to June 27. The Coimbra is located approximately 30 miles southeast of Shinnecock. The operation will assess the condition of the tanker and potential environmental impact. During the assessment, boaters are requested to keep a safe distance of 500 yards from the dive operation. “We have assembled a team including members of the Navy Sup…

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by Joe Lombardi
Harrison, NY
News
Latimer Unveils Westchester Airport Plan Latimer Unveils Westchester Airport Plan
Latimer Unveils Westchester Airport Plan Westchester County Executive George Latimer has laid out a four-pronged plan for the future of the Westchester County Airport. Latimer said that his administration “seeks to plan for its future intelligently, with the full input of all stakeholders, as the best way to reduce unnecessary controversy and to move forward effectively. To this end, we have created a framework that will be the basis for our activities over the next few years, which will be both practical and wise.” As part of the proposal, Latimer said that they plan to develop and adopt a master plan that will “serve as a roadma…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
News
Actor, Activists Rally Outside Trial Of Ex-Cuomo Aide From Westchester Actor, Activists Rally Outside Trial Of Ex-Cuomo Aide From Westchester
Actor, Activists Rally Outside Trial Of Ex-Cuomo Aide From Westchester A group of activists, including actor James Cromwell, rallied outside the courthouse where Westchester resident and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo top aide Joseph Percoco’s corruption trial continues. Last year, Percoco, a South Salem resident, was indicted on corruption charges that allege he accepted more than $300,000 in bribes to benefit Competitive Power Ventures, an energy company that sought to build the power plant in the Hudson Valley, and COR Development, a real estate developer that received several sizable state projects. Cromwell, a resident of Warwick in Orange County, as well as gu…

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by Zak Failla
White Plains, NY
News
Chain Pharmacies Now Must Take Unused Drugs, Says Westchester Bill Chain Pharmacies Now Must Take Unused Drugs, Says Westchester Bill
Chain Pharmacies Now Must Take Unused Drugs, Says Westchester Bill Chain drug stores in Westchester County may soon face heavy fines if they fail to allow customers to drop-off unused medication if a bill recently proposed by lawmakers passes. The bill would require pharmacies with more than three locations in the county to accept unused medication, including the installation of signage denoting the locations as drop-off points and creation of a hotline and website to list sites where medication can be left. The bill was introduced by Legislator MaryJane Shimsky last year. Companies that fail to comply with the proposed law would allow for fines up to $1,0…

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by Zak Failla