Ronkonkoma, NY
Breaking News
From Planes To Trains: MacArthur Airport Will Link To LIRR Ahead Of Proposed Amtrak Expansion From Planes To Trains: MacArthur Airport Will Link To LIRR Ahead Of Proposed Amtrak Expansion From Planes To Trains: MacArthur Airport Will Link To LIRR Ahead Of Proposed Amtrak Expansion
From Planes To Trains: MacArthur Airport Will Link To Lirr Ahead Of Proposed Amtrak Expansion Long Island is on the brink of a transportation revolution. State transportation officials are investing $150 million for a pedestrian walkway connecting the proposed North Terminal at MacArthur Airport to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station in Ronkonkoma, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. The ambitious project, announced Wednesday, Feb. 12, will also include redesigned road networks and infrastructure upgrades aimed at enhancing accessibility and fueling economic growth, Hochul’s office said. “Long Islanders deserve modern, efficient transit systems that make their daily lives easier and fuel …

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
Your Community
Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You' Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You' Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You'
Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You' The US Justice Department is suing New York State officials–including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James–over alleged failures to enforce federal immigration law. A sweeping lawsuit accuses the Empire State of adhering to policies that protect undocumented immigrants at the expense of public safety, new US Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “This is a new DOJ, and we are taking steps to protect Americans,” Bondi said Wednesday, Feb. 12, standing alongside law enforcement officials and Tammy Nobles, an “angel mom" whose daughter was killed by an MS-13 gang member from El Salv…

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by Michael Mashburn
New Paltz-Gardiner, NY
Your Community
Hochul Won't Extradite New Paltz Doctor Charged With Prescribing Abortion Pill Hochul Won't Extradite New Paltz Doctor Charged With Prescribing Abortion Pill Hochul Won't Extradite New Paltz Doctor Charged With Prescribing Abortion Pill
Hochul Won't Extradite New Paltz Doctor Charged With Prescribing Abortion Pill New York will not extradite a Hudson Valley doctor who was criminally charged with violating Louisiana’s abortion laws, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. It comes after a jury indicted Ulster County-based Dr. Margaret Carpenter, of New Paltz, along with her company, Nightingale Medical, and the mother of a minor girl on Friday, Jan. 31, alleging that Carpenter shipped the girl an abortion pill. The pill, Mifeprestone, caused the girl to have a medical emergency which terminated the pregnancy, Baton Rouge CBS affiliate WAFB reports. All three were charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-in…

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
Your Community
NY Unveils Media Literacy Toolkit For Schools To Combat 'Scourge' Of Misinformation NY Unveils Media Literacy Toolkit For Schools To Combat 'Scourge' Of Misinformation NY Unveils Media Literacy Toolkit For Schools To Combat 'Scourge' Of Misinformation
NY Unveils Media Literacy Toolkit For Schools To Combat 'Scourge' Of Misinformation New York is joining the fight against fake news. Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled the state’s first “Media Literacy” toolkit to help educators teach students how to critically analyze and assess information, particularly online. The initiative, announced Thursday, Jan. 23, follows growing concerns about misinformation, social media influence, and the role of online radicalization in recent violent incidents, including the Buffalo mass shooting, Hochul’s office said. “Whether it’s cell phones and social media or the scourge of misinformation teens encounter each day, I’m taking action to protect …

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
Your Community
Dialing It Back: NY Students Would Be Barred From Using Phones During School Day Under Proposal Dialing It Back: NY Students Would Be Barred From Using Phones During School Day Under Proposal Dialing It Back: NY Students Would Be Barred From Using Phones During School Day Under Proposal
Dialing It Back: NY Students Would Be Barred From Using Phones During School Day Under Proposal Students could soon go from scrolling to schooling. A bold initiative unveiled by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday, Jan. 22, would restrict smartphone use in all K-12 schools during the entire school day, including lunch time. The proposal, introduced as part of the governor’s 2026 Executive Budget, aims to prioritize student learning and mental health, Hochul’s office said. “From parents and teachers, to social justice and law enforcement leaders, New Yorkers agree that our young people succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling,” Hochul said. Under the…

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
Your Community
Cancelling That Gym Membership Is About To Get Much Easier Under NY Law Cancelling That Gym Membership Is About To Get Much Easier Under NY Law Cancelling That Gym Membership Is About To Get Much Easier Under NY Law
Cancelling That Gym Membership Is About To Get Much Easier Under NY Law Ready to ditch that New Year’s fitness resolution already? New York is making it easier. A new state law set to take effect on Saturday, Feb. 1 requires gyms and health clubs to process and issue refunds within 10 business days of receiving a membership cancellation request. Gymgoers also cannot be penalized if the request is made within the first three days of signing a gym contract. The new law comes as welcome news for gym-goers who have long faced challenges when trying to cancel memberships. Democratic State Sen. Roxanne Persaud, who sponsored the bill, said it will empower New Yorke…

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by Michael Mashburn
Riverhead, NY
Your Community
From Transgender Athletes To Mask Ban: These Political Stories Had Long Island Talking In 2024 From Transgender Athletes To Mask Ban: These Political Stories Had Long Island Talking In 2024 From Transgender Athletes To Mask Ban: These Political Stories Had Long Island Talking In 2024
From Transgender Athletes To Mask Ban: These Political Stories Had Long Island Talking In 2024 From a historic presidential conviction to heated debates over mask bans and transgender athletes, 2024 was a political whirlwind that kept Long Islanders talking, tweeting, and taking sides. Here are some of the most-read Daily Voice politics stories from across Nassau and Suffolk counties this year. The US House voted to expel New York Rep. George Santos from office Friday, Dec. 1.  US House/Martin Falbisoner George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races' Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos mounted – and quickly rescinded – a comeback…

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
On Your Side
Minimum Wage To Increase In NY: Here's When, How Much Minimum Wage To Increase In NY: Here's When, How Much Minimum Wage To Increase In NY: Here's When, How Much
Minimum Wage To Increase In NY: Here's When, How Much New Yorkers earning minimum wage will see an increase in their paychecks.  This change, which takes effective on Wednesday, Jan. 1, is part of a broader state initiative aimed at easing the financial burden of rising living costs. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the plan as part of a multi-year agreement with the state legislature.  In New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, the hourly pay will increase from $16 to $16.50.  Meanwhile, the rest of the state will see a jump from $15 to $15.50.  Further annual adjustments linked to inflation will begin in 2027. …

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by Joe Lombardi
Bay Shore, NY
Your Community
Oppenheimer Ave? Proposal To Rename Bay Shore Street After 'Father Of A-Bomb' Raises Eyebrows Oppenheimer Ave? Proposal To Rename Bay Shore Street After 'Father Of A-Bomb' Raises Eyebrows Oppenheimer Ave? Proposal To Rename Bay Shore Street After 'Father Of A-Bomb' Raises Eyebrows
Oppenheimer Ave? Proposal To Rename Bay Shore Street After 'Father Of A-Bomb' Raises Eyebrows A proposal to rename a New York street after the so-called father of the atomic bomb is raising eyebrows. Long Island’s Frank Flynn took to Facebook on Christmas Eve to announce he was starting a petition to rename Bay Shore’s South Saxon Avenue to Oppenheimer Avenue – after theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. “Why? I’m glad you asked,” the Bay Shore native wrote on the “Original Islip This & That” Facebook group Tuesday, Dec. 24. “Well it turns out that world-renowned scientist and father of the A-bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, lived in a vacation house on Saxon Avenue! So why not…

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
Your Community
Polluters Pay Up: NY Law Forces Fossil Fuel Companies To Fund Climate Protections Polluters Pay Up: NY Law Forces Fossil Fuel Companies To Fund Climate Protections Polluters Pay Up: NY Law Forces Fossil Fuel Companies To Fund Climate Protections
Polluters Pay Up: NY Law Forces Fossil Fuel Companies To Fund Climate Protections New York is making polluters pay up. A landmark law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday, Dec. 26, created a “Climate Superfund” requiring large fossil fuel companies to pay for critical projects aimed at protecting residents from severe weather impacts like flooding and extreme heat. The move is meant to shift the cost of climate resilience projects from New Yorkers to those most responsible for the pollution, Hochul’s office said. “With nearly every record rainfall, heatwave, and coastal storm, New Yorkers are increasingly burdened with billions of dollars in health, safety, and envir…

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by Michael Mashburn
Albany, NY
Breaking News
Restaurant Reservation ‘Black Market’ Target Of NY Law Signed By Gov. Hochul Restaurant Reservation ‘Black Market’ Target Of NY Law Signed By Gov. Hochul Restaurant Reservation ‘Black Market’ Target Of NY Law Signed By Gov. Hochul
Restaurant Reservation ‘Black Market’ Target Of NY Law Signed By Gov. Hochul New Yorkers can now enjoy fairer access to coveted restaurant reservations. A new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday, Dec. 19, prohibits third-party reservation platforms from arranging reservations without a restaurant's consent. The platforms often charge consumers additional fees, creating a costly “black market” for popular dining spots and making it harder for diners to secure tables without paying a premium. “We’re putting an end to the predatory black market for restaurant reservations — protecting consumers and businesses, and giving everyone a chance to get a seat at the …

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by Michael Mashburn
Mineola, NY
Breaking News
Grounded: FAA Temporarily Bans Drones Over Parts Of Long Island Amid Mystery Sightings Grounded: FAA Temporarily Bans Drones Over Parts Of Long Island Amid Mystery Sightings Grounded: FAA Temporarily Bans Drones Over Parts Of Long Island Amid Mystery Sightings
Grounded: FAA Temporarily Bans Drones Over Parts Of Long Island Amid Mystery Sightings Think twice about launching that drone. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued temporary flight restrictions over parts of Long Island on Friday, Dec. 20, amid mysterious drone sightings in the region. Restrictions are in effect until Sunday, Jan. 19, over locations determined by the FAA to be critical infrastructure sites, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office. Among the Long Island locales on the list are Oceanside, Roslyn Heights, Levittown, Melville, and Commack. "Since mid-November, New York has been carefully monitoring reports of drone activity and we have been communic…

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by Michael Mashburn