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'Coordinated Scam': Police Intercept Monetary Exchange Targeting Long Island Woman 'Coordinated Scam': Police Intercept Monetary Exchange Targeting Long Island Woman
'Coordinated Scam': Police Intercept Monetary Exchange Targeting Long Island Woman A suspect has been nabbed in connection with a computer scam that defrauded a Long Island woman of thousands of dollars.  Detectives said they believe it's a coordinated scheme involving multiple people. According to Suffolk County Police, a 65-year-old North Amityville resident received an alert on her computer informing her to contact Apple Support.  The woman called the number and was informed that her bank accounts had been hacked, and she had been charged $12,000.  To halt the reported withdrawal and fix the purported hack, she agreed to meet a courier a…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
In Fursuit: Search For Cubs Underway After Mama Bear Killed On NY Parkway In Fursuit: Search For Cubs Underway After Mama Bear Killed On NY Parkway
In Fursuit: Search For Cubs Underway After Mama Bear Killed On NY Parkway Despite social media buzz and some help from a couple of drone operators, there’s still no sign of a family of black bear cubs days after their mama was struck and killed on a highway in the region. The Columbia County incident happened Friday evening, April 19, on the Taconic State Parkway near Exit 99 in the hamlet of Spencertown. Two or three 10-pound cubs that are still nursing were left orphaned when the adult bear was hit and killed, according to the wildlife nonprofit Lucky Rehabilitation Center. “We located the body of their mom and will be gathering hair samples this morning in th…

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by Michael Mashburn
Weather
Smoky Skies: Wildfires Burning In Canada Could Affect Air Quality In Northeast Again Smoky Skies: Wildfires Burning In Canada Could Affect Air Quality In Northeast Again
Smoky Skies: Wildfires Burning In Canada Could Affect Air Quality In Northeast Again Smoke from wildfires burning across Canada could once again significantly affect air quality in the Northeast this year, according to a brand-new report. AccuWeather long-range forecasters say the 2024 wildfire season is expected to start in June and peak in September. Wildfires in Canada broke records last year, with 45.7 million acres of land burned.  AccuWeather's lead long-range forecaster, Paul Pastelok, predicts a near-to-above-historical average number of fires in Canada this year, but he expects fewer fires to burn than last year. Smoke from Canadian wildfires last June cause…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
DWI Suspect Dies While In Custody At Long Island Police Precinct DWI Suspect Dies While In Custody At Long Island Police Precinct
DWI Suspect Dies While In Custody At Long Island Police Precinct A suspected impaired driver accused of crashing into another vehicle on Long Island died while in police custody. Suffolk County Police said Joseph Leonard, age 58, of West Islip, was found dead in his holding cell at the agency’s 3rd Precinct in Bay Shore at around 9 a.m. Friday, April 26. It came hours after he was arrested in Brentwood Thursday evening, April 25, following a suspected drunk driving crash on Pine Aire Drive near 5th Avenue. Police said Leonard was driving a Jeep Wrangler with a revoked license when he rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a light. When officers arrived, they f…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Newborn Suffers Brain Injury After Long Island Dad’s ‘Brutal’ Abuse Caught On Video: DA Newborn Suffers Brain Injury After Long Island Dad’s ‘Brutal’ Abuse Caught On Video: DA
Newborn Suffers Brain Injury After Long Island Dad’s ‘Brutal’ Abuse Caught On Video: DA A Long Island father repeatedly abused his newborn son, culminating in the child suffering a traumatic brain injury, prosecutors allege. Vincent DiStasi, age 31, of South Setauket, was formally charged with assault and related offenses in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, April 25, after prosecutors said he repeatedly abused his 5-week-old son to the point of needing emergency surgery. According to the indictment, Suffolk County Police were called to Stony Brook University Hospital on Sunday, Jan. 21 after the unresponsive infant was brought to the emergency department by ambulance.  …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Officials have launched a criminal investigation into a National Guard helicopter crash near the southern border that killed two members from New York and a third victim, ABC News reports. The incident – which saw a UH-72 Lakota helicopter go down near Rio Grande City, Texas, on Friday, March 8 – is now the focus of an investigation by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office into whether there was any criminal wrongdoing, officials told the outlet. That investigation is separate from a parallel probe being conducted by the Department of Defense. So far, authorities have not publicly said what cau…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Long Island Restaurant Issued Violations For Illegally Operating Nightclub, Police Say Long Island Restaurant Issued Violations For Illegally Operating Nightclub, Police Say
Long Island Restaurant Issued Violations For Illegally Operating Nightclub, Police Say The State Liquor Authority cited a Long Island restaurant manager for violations for allegedly illegally operating a nightclub after receiving several complaints from the community. SLA inspectors and the Suffolk County Police visited Bijou Modern American Asian Restaurant in Melville on Thursday, April 25. During the inspection, police issued several summonses for SLA violations to the restaurant manager, Michael DeFrancesco, age 32, of Lynbrook.  A bag of cocaine was found on the floor of the establishment, Suffolk County Police said.  The Town of Huntington Fire Marshall…

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by Kathy Reakes
Business
Nationwide Recall Issued For Prosciutto Made In Germany, Distributed In US Nationwide Recall Issued For Prosciutto Made In Germany, Distributed In US
Nationwide Recall Issued For Prosciutto Made In Germany, Distributed In US A recall has been issued for a brand of deli meat that authorities say was uninspected. The US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that ConSup North America Inc., based in Lincoln Park, New Park, is recalling approximately 85,984 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced prosciutto ham produced in Germany without the benefit of equivalent inspection. The RTE sliced prosciutto ham item was produced on various dates from Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, through Wednesday, March 6, 2024, and shipped to retail locations nationwide. FSIS said it is concerned th…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
38-Year-Old ID'd As Victim In Fatal Crash Near Southern State Parkway 38-Year-Old ID'd As Victim In Fatal Crash Near Southern State Parkway
38-Year-Old ID'd As Victim In Fatal Crash Near Southern State Parkway A Long Island resident was killed in an overnight crash just north of the Southern State Parkway. It happened around 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in East Farmingdale. Suffolk County Police said the man was operating a 2022 Harley-Davidson motorcycle southbound on New Highway when he lost control of the motorcycle and crashed. The victim, identified as James Pust, age 38, of East Northport, was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, where he was pronounced dead.

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Floral Park Trucker On Meth Sentenced For Killing Ecuadorian Sisters In Crash: DA Floral Park Trucker On Meth Sentenced For Killing Ecuadorian Sisters In Crash: DA
Floral Park Trucker On Meth Sentenced For Killing Ecuadorian Sisters In Crash: DA A Long Island man will be behind bars for the next seven to 20 years after pleading guilty to causing a double fatal crash while on methamphetamine and alcohol, Lancaster District Attorney Heather Adams announced on Thursday, April 26. On April 17, Jagminder Jit Singh, 43 of Floral Park, entered a negotiated guilty plea on two counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI, two counts of homicide by vehicle, five counts of DUI, one count of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, one count of aggravated assault by vehicle, four counts of recklessly endangering another person, and three summary off…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Man Chokes Long Island Woman While Holding Infant Son, Makes Over 1K Threatening Calls: DA Man Chokes Long Island Woman While Holding Infant Son, Makes Over 1K Threatening Calls: DA
Man Chokes Long Island Woman While Holding Infant Son, Makes Over 1K Threatening Calls: DA An accused rapist and animal abuser from upstate New York is now charged with choking the Long Island mother of his infant son while holding the child. Suffolk County prosecutors slapped Saratoga County resident Preston Wido, age 37, of Clifton Park, with multiple felony and misdemeanor domestic violence charges on Wednesday, April 24. According to investigators, Wido left the victim two voicemails threatening to kill her on Monday, March 11. Police arrested him a week later on aggravated harassment charges and a full stay away order was issued on behalf of the victim. Related Report:&nb…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
15-Year-Old Kidnapped, Stabbed: Reward Offered In Search For Long Island Assault Suspect 15-Year-Old Kidnapped, Stabbed: Reward Offered In Search For Long Island Assault Suspect
15-Year-Old Kidnapped, Stabbed: Reward Offered In Search For Long Island Assault Suspect Police are turning to the public in hopes of locating an alleged MS-13 gang member accused of taking part in the luring and stabbing of a teenager. In recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Suffolk County Police asked for tips in the search for Josue Zepeda Padilla, one of seven people indicted for the robbery, kidnapping and gang assault of a 15-year-old boy on Saturday, Jan. 6. According to police, the group lured the teen to the Huntington train station where they beat him and forced him into a car before driving him to Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in Brentwood. Once the…

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by Michael Mashburn