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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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Legendary Hall Of Fame Track Coach At School In Westchester Retires After Over 50 Years Legendary Hall Of Fame Track Coach At School In Westchester Retires After Over 50 Years
Legendary Hall Of Fame Track Coach At School In Westchester Retires After Over 50 Years After more than half a century on the track and in the classroom, a Hall of Fame coach at a Westchester County school is calling it a career.  Jan Mitchell, who spent 51 years building the track and cross-country programs at New Rochelle's Iona Preparatory School into statewide powerhouses, announced his retirement this week. Over five decades, he helped turn the school into one of the most successful programs in New York State history. The numbers alone tell the story. Under Mitchell’s leadership, Iona Prep athletes earned more than 800 All-County honors, won over 100 sectional…

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by Ben Crnic
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Westchester Casting Call: Locals With Cars Wanted For Upcoming TV Show Westchester Casting Call: Locals With Cars Wanted For Upcoming TV Show
Westchester Casting Call: Locals With Cars Wanted For Upcoming TV Show Do you have dreams of being on television and also own a car? Then here's your chance.  Grant Wilfley Casting is looking for local residents with cars to appear in an upcoming series titled "Minivan," according to a casting notice released Thursday, Feb. 26.   The company is specifically seeking Westchester County locals who own vehicles and are available to work on Thursday, March 5. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.  Casting directors are asking those interested to submit basic information, including their name, phone number, union status (SAG-AFTRA or non-uni…

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by Ben Crnic
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Cross County Center Getting 60K-Square-Foot Retail Expansion, 4-Acre Park Cross County Center Getting 60K-Square-Foot Retail Expansion, 4-Acre Park
Cross County Center Getting 60K-Square-Foot Retail Expansion, 4-Acre Park Cross County Center in Westchester County is getting a major upgrade. Construction has begun on a two-building, 60,000-square-foot retail expansion at the longtime open-air shopping center in Yonkers, along with plans for a new four-acre park designed to serve as the property’s “front door," according to Marx Realty CEO Craig Deitelzweig.  The expansion, announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25, will rise on the center’s north lot and includes a 14,000-square-foot single-story building and a 44,000-square-foot, two-story building. Plans call for the larger space to house a national ap…

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by Ben Crnic
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'Remain In Your Castles': Ossining PD's Game Of Thrones-Style Blizzard Posts Go Viral 'Remain In Your Castles': Ossining PD's Game Of Thrones-Style Blizzard Posts Go Viral
'Remain In Your Castles': Ossining PD'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 NY Detention Facility, Assemblyman Says (UPDATE) ICE Will Not Move Forward With NY Detention Facility, Assemblyman Says (UPDATE)
ICE Will Not Move Forward With NY Detention Facility, Assemblyman Says (Update) 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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School Closed By Burst Pipes Announces Reopening Date In Westchester County School Closed By Burst Pipes Announces Reopening Date In Westchester County
School Closed By Burst Pipes Announces Reopening Date In Westchester County A Northern Westchester middle school will reopen for in-person learning after frozen and burst pipes forced the building to close earlier this month, district officials announced.  In a message to the school community, Lakeland Central School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Gagliardi said Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School, located in Yorktown Heights, would reopen on Monday, Feb. 23.  The damage originally occurred on Feb. 9, when frozen pipes burst and affected multiple rooms throughout the building.  Since then, district staff and contractors have been workin…

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by Ben Crnic
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ICE Confirms Purchase Of NY Warehouse For Detention Center: Report ICE Confirms Purchase Of NY Warehouse For Detention Center: Report
ICE Confirms Purchase Of NY Warehouse For 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