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Another Raise? NY Senator Pushes Pay Hike For Nation’s Highest-Paid Lawmakers Another Raise? NY Senator Pushes Pay Hike For Nation’s Highest-Paid Lawmakers
Another Raise? NY Senator Pushes Pay Hike For Nation’s Highest-Paid Lawmakers A New York state senator has introduced legislation that would raise the base salary for state lawmakers and tie future pay increases to inflation. State Sen. James Sanders Jr., a Democrat representing Queens, introduced a proposal that would increase compensation for members of the New York State Senate and Assembly by 27%, to $180,000 beginning Jan. 1, 2028. Under the proposal, lawmakers’ salaries would go up following the next election cycle after the bill becomes law. The legislation also calls for automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Co…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Step Inside $2.2M ‘Dream House’ Victorian Perched Above Kingston’s Rondout Waterfront Step Inside $2.2M ‘Dream House’ Victorian Perched Above Kingston’s Rondout Waterfront
Step Inside $2.2M ‘Dream House’ Victorian Perched Above Kingston’s Rondout Waterfront A towering Queen Anne Victorian overlooking Kingston’s Rondout waterfront — complete with stained glass, a turret library, and a sauna — has quietly hit the market for the first time in four decades. The historic Coykendall House at 77 West Chestnut Street was listed in early January for $2.25 million, offering a rare chance to own one of Kingston’s most striking late-19th century homes. Built in 1896, the 5,424-square-foot home sits on a half-acre lot above the Rondout district and features three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms spread across three levels. But square footage only tells part of …

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by Michael Mashburn
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'Remain In Your Castles': NY Police Dept's Game Of Thrones-Style Blizzard Posts Go Viral 'Remain In Your Castles': NY Police Dept's Game Of Thrones-Style Blizzard Posts Go Viral
'Remain In Your Castles': NY Police Dept's Game Of Thrones-Style Blizzard Posts Go Viral A police department in New York took to the Iron Throne to command its subjects (local residents) to stay safe while a blizzard slammed into the Northeast.  As the Nor'easter swept through Westchester on Monday, Feb. 23, the Ossining Police Department ditched standard storm warnings in favor of full-on "Game of Thrones" roleplay — and Facebook absolutely loved it.  In its most recent post just before 1:30 p.m. on Monday, the department went full medieval, admitting defeat as Winter had arrived and warning residents about Westchester County's extended road ban: "TRAVEL BAN EXTENDED…

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by Ben Crnic
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ICE Will Not Move Forward With Detention Facility In Orange County, Assemblyman Says ICE Will Not Move Forward With Detention Facility In Orange County, Assemblyman Says
ICE Will Not Move Forward With Detention Facility In Orange County, Assemblyman Says Plans to locate a federal immigration detention facility in Orange County have reportedly been halted, according to State Assemblymember Brian Maher’s office.  Maher, who represents New York's 101st Assembly District, which includes parts of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster counties, announced Friday, Feb. 20, that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told him they will not move forward with a Chester warehouse site following a review process. According to a press release from Maher’s chief of staff, Meghan Hurlburt, the assemblyman spoke virtually with a senior advisor to the …

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by Ben Crnic
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ICE Confirms Purchase Of Warehouse For Orange County Detention Center: Report ICE Confirms Purchase Of Warehouse For Orange County Detention Center: Report
ICE Confirms Purchase Of Warehouse For Orange County Detention Center: Report Federal immigration officials have confirmed they purchased a vacant warehouse in Orange County with plans to convert it into a large-scale detention center, according to reports.  US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed it bought the former Pep Boys distribution warehouse on Elizabeth Drive in Chester, NBC 4 New York reported.  The facility is expected to house up to 1,500 detainees.  The confirmation comes as opposition continues to grow across the Hudson Valley.  Chester Town Supervisor Brandon Holdridge told NBC 4 that local officials have no record of…

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by Ben Crnic
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'Prolific Serial Pedophile' Teacher Sexually Abused NY Children Decades Ago, Jury Finds 'Prolific Serial Pedophile' Teacher Sexually Abused NY Children Decades Ago, Jury Finds
'Prolific Serial Pedophile' Teacher Sexually Abused NY Children Decades Ago, Jury Finds A retired Long Island elementary school teacher was found guilty of sexually abusing children decades ago, marking the first time he has been held criminally accountable. Thomas Bernagozzi, 75, of Babylon, was convicted Friday, Feb. 13, in Suffolk County Court of course of sexual conduct against a child, criminal sex act against a child, and possessing a sexual performance by a child. Jurors acquitted him of two additional counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child. Bernagozzi was arrested in December 2023 following a Suffolk County Police investigation that determined he sexuall…

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by Michael Mashburn
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NY ICE Facility Would Be Near Youth Sports Complex: Bipartisan Pushback Continues NY ICE Facility Would Be Near Youth Sports Complex: Bipartisan Pushback Continues
NY ICE Facility Would Be Near Youth Sports Complex: Bipartisan Pushback Continues A proposed federal immigration detention facility in Orange County is drawing continued, bipartisan opposition, with local leaders warning the site’s proximity to youth sports complexes could endanger public safety and strain local infrastructure. On Tuesday, Feb. 10, New York State Sen. James Skoufis announced he joined Town of Chester Supervisor Brandon Holdridge and a bipartisan coalition of Hudson Valley elected officials in sending a formal letter to the US Department of Homeland Security outlining concerns about the proposed ICE processing facility at 29 Elizabeth Dr. in Chester. The …

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by Ben Crnic
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Election '26: Why Antonio Delgado Suddenly Walked Away From NY Governor’s Race Election '26: Why Antonio Delgado Suddenly Walked Away From NY Governor’s Race
Election '26: Why Antonio Delgado Suddenly Walked Away From NY Governor’s Race New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado has suspended his campaign for governor, saying he no longer sees a viable path forward in the 2026 race. In a statement released Tuesday, Feb. 10, Delgado said the decision came after careful consideration, but emphasized that he plans to continue serving New Yorkers in his current role. “I’ve decided to end my campaign for governor of New York,” Delgado said. “After much consideration, I’ve concluded that there simply is no viable path forward,” he said. Delgado said that while his bid for governor has ended, his broader political work has not. He said h…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Election '26: Blakeman Reveals Running Mate For Governor's Race Election '26: Blakeman Reveals Running Mate For Governor's Race
Election '26: Blakeman Reveals Running Mate For Governor's Race Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman unveiled his choice for lieutenant governor, tapping a veteran law enforcement official to join his 2026 campaign. Blakeman has chosen Todd Hood, the longtime Madison County sheriff, as his running mate in the Republican race for New York governor, Blakeman announced Monday, Feb. 9. “My running mate, Sheriff Todd Hood, has spent his career protecting communities, managing complex public safety operations, and standing up for law-abiding New Yorkers,” Blakeman said in a statement. He added that both men believe current bail laws and policing policies ar…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Wrestling Coach Molested Child At NY Elementary School, Police Say Wrestling Coach Molested Child At NY Elementary School, Police Say
Wrestling Coach Molested Child At NY Elementary School, Police Say A man who worked as an assistant wrestling coach at a Long Island elementary school stands accused of molesting a student on campus, police said. The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2025, at Lido Elementary School in Lido Beach, according to Nassau County Police. Investigators determined that John Anfossi, 54, touched a juvenile female student in a “sexually inappropriate manner” during a wrestling practice session at the school, police said. Anfossi, of Long Beach, was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned at First District…

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by Michael Mashburn
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NY Coach Admits Blackmailing Minors Into Sending Sexually Explicit Images NY Coach Admits Blackmailing Minors Into Sending Sexually Explicit Images
NY Coach Admits Blackmailing Minors Into Sending Sexually Explicit Images A former Long Island high school assistant coach admitted in federal court that he sexually exploited dozens of minors online, using threats and blackmail to coerce children into sending explicit images. Joseph Garofalo, 21, of Valley Stream, pleaded guilty in Central Islip Thursday, Feb. 5, to sexual exploitation of a child, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. At the time of the crimes, Garofalo was employed as an assistant lacrosse coach at Valley Stream Central High School. Investigators determined he used social media to contact minors and engage …

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by Michael Mashburn
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ICE Arrests Prompt 25% Of Students To Stay Home From NY School, District Says ICE Arrests Prompt 25% Of Students To Stay Home From NY School, District Says
ICE Arrests Prompt 25% Of Students To Stay Home From NY School, District Says Reports of federal immigration enforcement activity rippled through a Long Island community, leaving one in four students absent from school and prompting district leaders to reassure families. Approximately 25 percent of students were absent from the Greenport Union Free School District on Wednesday, Feb. 4, following reports of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the village, the district confirmed. Superintendent Beth Doyle said the district shifted to a closed campus for lunch for grades 7 through 12 so students could remain on school grounds and feel safe and secur…

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by Michael Mashburn