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MTA Seals $10 Deal For Ex-Superfund Site, Clearing Way For Potential LIRR Expansion MTA Seals $10 Deal For Ex-Superfund Site, Clearing Way For Potential LIRR Expansion MTA Seals $10 Deal For Ex-Superfund Site, Clearing Way For Potential LIRR Expansion
MTA Seals $10 Deal For Ex-Superfund Site, Clearing Way For Potential Lirr Expansion A key step toward potentially upgrading the Long Island Rail Road was reached Wednesday, Sept. 30, as the MTA finally agreed to buy 46 acres of an ex-Superfund site for $10. The MTA had been in talks to buy 46 acres of the former Lawrence Aviation site in Port Jefferson Station and closed the deal Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. In theory, the site could become a rail yard as part of a larger project to electrify and expand service on the busy, diesel-powered Port Jefferson Branch. The deal fell through in June, according to reports, but has since been revived. “We have a new oppor…

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LI Man Pulls $3M-Winning Lottery Ticket Against 1-In-5 Million Odds LI Man Pulls $3M-Winning Lottery Ticket Against 1-In-5 Million Odds LI Man Pulls $3M-Winning Lottery Ticket Against 1-In-5 Million Odds
LI Man Pulls $3M-Winning Lottery Ticket Against 1-In-5 Million Odds A Long Island man won a $3 million prize on a lottery scratch-off ticket, officials announced. Cesar Martinez Alas, of Huntington Station, claimed the top prize in the $3 Million Max Multiplier game on Wednesday, Sept. 23, the New York Lottery announced. Martinez Alas chose to receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,328,043, after required withholdings, lottery officials said. He bought his winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 247 Broadway Greenlawn in Huntington, according to the New York Lottery. Martinez Alas was the first to claim the top prize in the statewide scratch-off game, and tw…
LI Town Officials Admit Pocketing Fast-Track Bribes While Others Waited Months: Authorities LI Town Officials Admit Pocketing Fast-Track Bribes While Others Waited Months: Authorities LI Town Officials Admit Pocketing Fast-Track Bribes While Others Waited Months: Authorities
LI Town Officials Admit Pocketing Fast-Track Bribes While Others Waited Months: Authorities Two Long Island town officials pleaded guilty to bribery charges this week, authorities announced Thursday, Oct. 1. Evelyn Calderon, 47, of Mastic, and Ryan Benitez, 38, of East Hampton, admitted taking bribes to fast-track building permits through the Town of East Hampton, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office said. Building permits in East Hampton could take months for approval, and the office was understaffed and overworked, according to prosecutors and prior reporting from Newsday. But if you knew the right people — namely Calderon and Benitez — you could get permits in days fo…
14-Year-Old LI Girl Stopped, Offered $300 By Creep In SUV: Police 14-Year-Old LI Girl Stopped, Offered $300 By Creep In SUV: Police 14-Year-Old LI Girl Stopped, Offered $300 By Creep In SUV: Police
14-Year-Old LI Girl Stopped, Offered $300 By Creep In SUV: Police A 14-year-old Long Island high school student was accosted by a bald man in an SUV, and now police are searching for the man. The female student at Smithtown High School East was walking home Friday, Sept. 11 when she reached Lincoln Avenue and 6th Street in St. James, the Suffolk County Police Department said Thursday, Oct. 1. At the intersection, a bald man between 40 and 50 years old driving a black Audi SUV parked in front of her, made an "inappropriate comment,” and offered her $300, police said. Traffic cameras captured the man’s SUV on video, and he is wanted for child endangerment,…
Andrew Cuomo Drops Nearly $10 Million On Hamptons Estate — With Surprising Feature Andrew Cuomo Drops Nearly $10 Million On Hamptons Estate — With Surprising Feature Andrew Cuomo Drops Nearly $10 Million On Hamptons Estate — With Surprising Feature
Andrew Cuomo Drops Nearly $10 Million On Hamptons Estate — With Surprising Feature Former New York governor and NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo has purchased a $9.6 million property in the Hamptons, according to multiple reports. The property lies on the western edge of the Hamptons in Remsenburg, the New York Times reported Wednesday, Sept. 30. The transaction closed back on June 23, sources told the paper. Cuomo’s purchase includes four parcels of land, including two homes, according to the New York Post. He’s planning to use it as a summer home and investment property, the Post reported. The ex-governor still maintains an apartment in Manhattan; his living situatio…

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NY Retirement Costs Revealed In New Nationwide Ranking NY Retirement Costs Revealed In New Nationwide Ranking NY Retirement Costs Revealed In New Nationwide Ranking
NY Retirement Costs Revealed In New Nationwide Ranking Retirees in several Northeast states face some of the highest costs in the country, according to a new study. Retirement Living released its 2026 list of the most affordable states to retire, comparing all 50 states based on housing costs, everyday expenses, and tax-friendliness. The study looked at median rent for a one-bedroom home, median home sale prices, grocery spending, gas prices, and average Medicare Advantage premiums. Researchers also considered whether states tax Social Security benefits, along with income and property tax rates. "Affordability plays a major role in retire…

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Drunk LI Driver Who Killed Pedestrian After Stealing Car Cuts Plea Deal: Authorities Drunk LI Driver Who Killed Pedestrian After Stealing Car Cuts Plea Deal: Authorities Drunk LI Driver Who Killed Pedestrian After Stealing Car Cuts Plea Deal: Authorities
Drunk LI Driver Who Killed Pedestrian After Stealing Car Cuts Plea Deal: Authorities A young Long Island man who killed a pedestrian while driving drunk in a stolen car took a plea deal Wednesday, Sept. 30, authorities said. Alexander Cerda, 23, of Bay Shore, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and several more charges in the death of Eric Perez in March 2025, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office said. In exchange, Cerda is expected to get between six and 18 years in prison at his sentencing hearing on Jan. 8, 2027, according to the DA’s office. “Every decision this defendant made on March 8, 2025, was worse than the next,” District Attorney Ray Tierney s…

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Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination
Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination A pasta brand sold nationwide is being recalled over a contamination risk that can cause serious illness or death. Gias Foods, based in New York City, is recalling two lots of Bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine sold at Walmart, according to the company’s announcement on the FDA website. The frozen pasta may contain Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. The affected pasta comes in a yellow, 22-ounce plastic container. Shoppe…

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Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination
Pasta Recall Prompts Warning Over Potentially Deadly Contamination A pasta brand sold nationwide is being recalled over a contamination risk that can cause serious illness or death. Gias Foods, based in New York City, is recalling two lots of Bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine sold at Walmart, according to the company’s announcement on the FDA website. The frozen pasta may contain Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. The affected pasta comes in a yellow, 22-ounce plastic container. Shoppe…

National Interest

McDonald's Rolls Out Automated Employees: Meet Archy McDonald's Rolls Out Automated Employees: Meet Archy McDonald's Rolls Out Automated Employees: Meet Archy
McDonald's Rolls Out Automated Employees: Meet Archy McDonald’s is giving its drive-thru a new voice, and customers may notice a change before they reach the pickup window. The chain is testing Archy, an artificial intelligence ordering assistant, as part of a broader technology push, according to multiple reports. The system takes orders in English and Spanish and works with ArchIQ, McDonald’s AI-powered restaurant operating platform. McDonald’s told Moneywise, in a report published by Yahoo Finance, that Archy was getting orders right more than 90 percent of the time. The company said the goal is to give employees more time to help customer…