Newburgh, NY
Schools
State Assembly Grants Four Hudson Valley School Districts Waivers On Millions In Fines State Assembly Grants Four Hudson Valley School Districts Waivers On Millions In Fines
State Assembly Grants Four Hudson Valley School Districts Waivers On Millions In Fines Four Hudson Valley school districts may be spared from paying about $19 million in fines due to late paperwork on construction projects. The state Assembly gave its approval on Tuesday, June 4 to legislation freeing the Orange County school districts of Newburgh and Chester, as well as the Sullivan County school district in Monticello. They allegedly neglected to file final reports on building projects years ago. The state Senate previously approved the bills last month — and a separate bill to grant Roscoe School District the same penalty waiver in Sullivan County. The legislation now goe…

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by Jon Craig
Somers, NY
News
Westchester County, Red Cross 'Sound Alarm' On Home Fires Westchester County, Red Cross 'Sound Alarm' On Home Fires
Westchester County, Red Cross 'Sound Alarm' On Home Fires Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced the county’s partnership with the American Red Cross for a new initiative intended to improve household fire safety and preparedness. The “Sound the Alarm, Save a Life” campaign stresses the importance of smoke alarms and general fire safety. On Saturday, May 11, members of the American Red Cross Greater New York Region will distribute and install free smoke alarms in the Yonkers area. “Keeping Westchester County homeowners safe is my top priority, and having a working smoke alarm is critical for the early detection of a home fire,” sai…

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by Valerie Musson
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Smoking Age Will Increase In New York Smoking Age Will Increase In New York
Smoking Age Will Increase In New York The legal smoking age in New York is about to be raised. The New York State Senate is expected to pass a bill on Monday that would legally raise the age to legally purchase cigarettes and e-cigarette products to 21. The approval comes following the Assembly passing the measure last month. Once approved by the Senate, the bill will be passed to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to be signed into law. Once signed, the law will take effect in 120 days. The bill states that “the key to reducing the number of smokers in New York is to stop them before they start. Raising the smoking age to 21 rem…

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by Zak Failla
White Plains, NY
Business
Ocasio-Cortez Bears Most Blame For Loss Of Amazon HQ2, New Yorkers Say In New Poll Ocasio-Cortez Bears Most Blame For Loss Of Amazon HQ2, New Yorkers Say In New Poll
Ocasio-Cortez Bears Most Blame For Loss Of Amazon HQ2, New Yorkers Say In New Poll The majority of New Yorkers believe that losing the planned Amazon HQ2 headquarters in Queens is bad for the state and say Westchester high school graduate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is most to blame, according to a brand new Siena College poll. Last year, Amazon announced that it was planning to build two new Amazon HQ2 headquarters, one in Long Island City, and a second in northern Virginia, bringing more than 25,000 jobs to the region. Last month, the retail giant backed out of the deal, despite billions of dollars in state and local incentives. The newly released Siena Poll found that 67 …

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by Zak Failla
White Plains, NY
Politics
Video: Joined By Hillary Clinton, Cuomo Calls for Bolstering NY Abortion-, Birth-Control Rights Video: Joined By Hillary Clinton, Cuomo Calls for Bolstering NY Abortion-, Birth-Control Rights
Video: Joined By Hillary Clinton, Cuomo Calls for Bolstering NY Abortion-, Birth-Control Rights Flanked by former presidential nominee and fellow Town of New Castle resident Hillary Clinton, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed that the Reproductive Health Act will be passed within the first 30 days of the legislative session, bolstering abortion- and birth-control rights statewide. "A woman's right to make her own decisions regarding her personal health is a fundamental right, yet Washington, with its extreme conservative agenda, continues to threaten the freedoms for which women have fought for decades to attain," Cuomo said during a speech at Barnard College in Manhattan on Monday,…

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by Zak Failla
White Plains, NY
Politics
Stewart-Cousins' Elevation As NY's First Female Majority Leader Lauded By Cuomo, Pace President Stewart-Cousins' Elevation As NY's First Female Majority Leader Lauded By Cuomo, Pace President
Stewart-Cousins' Elevation As NY's First Female Majority Leader Lauded By Cuomo, Pace President There no longer will be "three men in a room" negotiating key state legislation, with the first woman in the state's history being tapped as a leader in the New York General Assembly. "Congratulations to Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on her much-deserved election to be leader of the Senate majority and the first African-American woman to lead a majority conference in the Legislature," Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a fellow Westchester Democrat, said in a statement on Monday, Nov. 26. Stewart-Cousins of Yonkers also drew praise from Pace University's president, where she received her …

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by Jon Craig
Yonkers, NY
Politics
Stewart-Cousins Poised To Make History As Democrats Take Over State Senate Stewart-Cousins Poised To Make History As Democrats Take Over State Senate
Stewart-Cousins Poised To Make History As Democrats Take Over State Senate Do you know much about Andrew Stewart-Cousins? Her leadership style is so low-key and selfless that few constituents know much about her life. Yet, the Tuesday, Nov. 6 election has catapulted her to a position of huge political power in Albany. Democrats retained control of a majority of seats in the state Senate. Related story: Democrats Take Control of State Senate Come January, Stewart-Cousins is expected to become the first woman in state history to lead majority control of a legislative chamber in the New York General Assembly.  The 68-year-old Yonkers resident also is one o…

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by Jon Craig
White Plains, NY
Politics
Control Of State Senate Could Hinge On Hudson Valley Control Of State Senate Could Hinge On Hudson Valley
Control Of State Senate Could Hinge On Hudson Valley Democrats managed to pull six key Sept. 13 primary upsets in the state Senate, as reported here by Daily Voice, but have they raised enough money and voter support to take back the Republican-controlled chamber in Albany on Nov. 6? The Hudson Valley and Catskills are expected to play a pivotal role because the retirements of Republican Sens. John Bonacic and Bill Larkin created two open seats in the GOP-led Senate. Hudson Valley labor unions have added at least three local Senate races to their "get out the vote" phone bank call lists in the final days of the campaign. Meanwhile,…

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by Jon Craig
Pleasantville, NY
Politics
Politics Expert From Pace Previews Mid-Term Elections Politics Expert From Pace Previews Mid-Term Elections
Politics Expert From Pace Previews Mid-Term Elections Mimi Rocah, a former federal prosecutor, TV commentator and Distinguished Fellow in Criminal Justice at Pace Law School will be a featured speaker on Wednesday, Oct. 31 when Pace University hosts The Business Council of Westchester’s Political Leadership Series: "Red Wave, Blue Wave: The 2018 Mid-Term Elections." Frequently featured on MSNBC and NBC as a legal analyst, Rocah has appeared on All in With Chris Hayes, The Rachel Maddow Show, The 11th Hour, Hardball, The Last Word and other television news shows to discuss a range of topics including President Trump’s immigrant ban, th…

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by Jon Craig
White Plains, NY
Politics
Former State Senate Leader, Son Sentenced To Prison For Corruption Convictions Former State Senate Leader, Son Sentenced To Prison For Corruption Convictions
Former State Senate Leader, Son Sentenced To Prison For Corruption Convictions Former New York State Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam Skelos, have been sentenced for corruption charges. In Manhattan federal court, Dean Skelos was sentenced to 51 months in prison, while the younger Skelos got four years behind bars after being convicted twice of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, three counts of extortion under color of official right, and three counts of soliciting and receiving bribes.   In addition to the prison time, Dean Skelos was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine and sentenced …

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by Zak Failla
White Plains, NY
Politics
State AG Candidates Vow To Take On Corruption In Albany At Forum In Westchester State AG Candidates Vow To Take On Corruption In Albany At Forum In Westchester
State AG Candidates Vow To Take On Corruption In Albany At Forum In Westchester Candidates for Attorney General and state Senate visited the Mediterranean Political Action Committee in Yonkers on Thursday to discuss statewide issues. The election is Nov. 6. Democrat Letitia "Tish" James and Green Party Candidate Michael Sussman spoke at the forum, discussing the criminalizaing of mental illness, criminal justice reform, corruption in Albany, gender and race.Republican Keith Wofford did not attend.  "Mental illness should not be a crime, and poverty should not be a crime," James said.  Sussman pointed out that 40 elected officials have been prosecu…

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by Daily Voice
Armonk, NY
Politics
Westchester Lawmaker Wants Civil, Criminal Statutes Increased For Sex Abuse Victims Westchester Lawmaker Wants Civil, Criminal Statutes Increased For Sex Abuse Victims
Westchester Lawmaker Wants Civil, Criminal Statutes Increased For Sex Abuse Victims A state lawmaker from Westchester has proposed legislation to extend the time victims can file charges against sexual predators. Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, a Democrat from Ossining, said once new details about alleged sex criminals emerge, victims up to the age of 50 should be allowed to file civil charges that include monetary damage awards. Current state law sets a five-year statute of limitations for criminal charges starting at the age of 18. The proposed bill would increase the statute of limitations for victims up to age 23. Galef said, "The revelation of the long enduring, syst…

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by Jon Craig