NY Teacher Who Admitted Raping Teen Student Ripped By Judge At Sentencing: ‘Twisted Fantasy’ NY Teacher Who Admitted Raping Teen Student Ripped By Judge At Sentencing: ‘Twisted Fantasy’
NY Teacher Who Admitted Raping Teen Student Ripped By Judge At Sentencing: ‘Twisted Fantasy’ A Capital Region high school teacher was living in a “twisted fantasy, false reality” when he started a sexual relationship with his 16-year-old student, a judge said at his sentencing hearing Friday, Aug. 21. Drake Galarneau, 36, of Cohoes, got four years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of third-degree rape, the Albany County District Attorney’s office said. “What sort of twisted fantasy, false reality were you living in, sir, to think this was appropriate or somehow right for you as a teacher to have a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student?” Judge Roger McDonough as…
More Stormy Weather On Way: Timing For New Rounds Of Weekend Rain, Showers More Stormy Weather On Way: Timing For New Rounds Of Weekend Rain, Showers
More Stormy Weather On Way: Timing For New Rounds Of Weekend Rain, Showers An unsettled stretch threatens to bring more rain in much of the Northeast. New rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23, with the potential for torrential downpours and localized flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service. The concern is heightened in areas that were drenched Thursday, Aug. 20, including parts of eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, and western Connecticut. AccuWeather says 1 to 3 inches of rain fell in those areas, with isolated totals reaching 4 inches. Some of the same areas could be hit again as distu…
Man Guilty Of Sexually Abusing Young Child Multiple Times In Hudson Valley: DA Man Guilty Of Sexually Abusing Young Child Multiple Times In Hudson Valley: DA
Man Guilty Of Sexually Abusing Young Child Multiple Times In Hudson Valley: DA An Orange County man has admitted to sexually abusing a child younger than 13 over a period of several months and is expected to spend nearly two decades in prison, prosecutors said.  New Windsor resident Howard Fitts, 37, pleaded guilty to first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child in Orange County Court on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced on Friday, Aug. 21.  During his plea, Fitts admitted that between December 2024 and May 2025, he engaged in two or more acts of sexual conduct with a child who was younger than 13, according t…
Thieves Steal Verizon Cable Along Road In Hudson Valley — Police Seek Help Thieves Steal Verizon Cable Along Road In Hudson Valley — Police Seek Help
Thieves Steal Verizon Cable Along Road In Hudson Valley — Police Seek Help Police in Sullivan County are asking for the public's help after thieves stole a large amount of Verizon network cable from utility poles along Route 42.  The theft happened in Woodbourne during the overnight hours of Thursday, Aug. 13, into Friday, Aug. 14, the Fallsburg Police Department announced on Friday, Aug. 21.  According to police, a large quantity of Verizon network cable connected to utility poles along Route 42 was stolen.  The theft occurred in the area of the prison fields between the Woodbourne Mobil gas station and the Town of Fallsburg Department of Public W…
Ex-Abercrombie CEO Competent For Sex Trafficking Trial, Called Possible Ruling ‘Disaster’: Docs Ex-Abercrombie CEO Competent For Sex Trafficking Trial, Called Possible Ruling ‘Disaster’: Docs
Ex-Abercrombie CEO Competent For Sex Trafficking Trial, Called Possible Ruling ‘Disaster’: Docs Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking charges, a judge ruled Thursday, Aug. 20. Jeffries, 82, was previously ruled incompetent to aid in his own defense, but following an extended controversy over his mental state, Judge Nusrat Choudhury compiled a 157-page decision that he would face the charges. “Jeffries clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings to adjudicate his criminal charges,” Choudhury wrote. “Jeffries has learned and retained adequate information about the interstate prostitution and sex t…
Urgent Warning Issued For Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Detectors That May Fail Urgent Warning Issued For Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Detectors That May Fail
Urgent Warning Issued For Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Detectors That May Fail Federal safety officials are warning people to stop using two types of carbon monoxide detectors that can fail to alert them to dangerous conditions. The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued separate alerts on Thursday, Aug. 20, for 4-in-1 Plug-in Natural Gas and Carbon Monoxide Detectors and TJTFJS 2-in-1 Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors. The warning for the 4-in-1 detectors covers 376,974 units with the model number KH158. The devices can fail to sound an alarm when hazardous carbon monoxide is present, according to the CPSC. The agency is aware of 91 reports of the detectors fai…
Man Caught With Child Sexual Abuse Images After Search Of Hudson Valley Home: DA Man Caught With Child Sexual Abuse Images After Search Of Hudson Valley Home: DA
Man Caught With Child Sexual Abuse Images After Search Of Hudson Valley Home: DA A Rockland County man has been arrested after prosecutors said they found numerous images depicting the sexual exploitation of children on electronic devices seized from his home.   Garnerville resident Chrisner Joseph, age 34, was arraigned on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in West Haverstraw Justice Court on a felony complaint charging him with possessing a sexual performance by a child, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced on Friday, Aug. 21. The investigation began in April when the Rockland County District Attorney’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force re…
NY Man Strangled Girlfriend With Shirt Before She Pepper Sprayed Him To Escape: DA NY Man Strangled Girlfriend With Shirt Before She Pepper Sprayed Him To Escape: DA
NY Man Strangled Girlfriend With Shirt Before She Pepper Sprayed Him To Escape: DA A Westchester man has been indicted on a dozen charges after prosecutors said he strangled his girlfriend until she lost consciousness, attacked her with a knife, and later repeatedly violated an order of protection.  Yonkers resident Otoniel Morel Tejeda, 37, was arraigned on a 12-count indictment on Friday, Aug. 21, Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced.  The charges stem from an alleged attack inside the couple's Yonkers home at around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 21. According to prosecutors, Tejeda pushed his girlfriend into a wall and threatened to kill…
Ex-Fiancé Honors Hayden Panettiere With Emotional Birthday Tribute: 'You Are Missed' Ex-Fiancé Honors Hayden Panettiere With Emotional Birthday Tribute: 'You Are Missed'
Ex-Fiancé Honors Hayden Panettiere With Emotional Birthday Tribute: 'You Are Missed' Hayden Panettiere's ex-fiancé shared an emotional tribute on what would have been her 37th birthday as Neutrogena responded to backlash over its past treatment of her. Former world champion boxer Wladimir Klitschko shared the tribute in an Instagram post on Friday, Aug. 21. It came five days after the Rockland County, New York, native was found unresponsive at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina. Panettiere and Klitschko had an on-and-off relationship for about a decade. They were engaged in 2013 and welcomed their daughter, Kaya, in 2014. Klitschko gaine…
236 Tickets Issued In 2-Day Taconic Parkway Crackdown — Here's What For 236 Tickets Issued In 2-Day Taconic Parkway Crackdown — Here's What For
236 Tickets Issued In 2-Day Taconic Parkway Crackdown — Here's What For More than 200 tickets were handed out during a two-day crackdown targeting commercial and other restricted vehicles on the Taconic State Parkway across three Hudson Valley counties, police said.  New York State Police conducted the commercial vehicle enforcement detail on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and Thursday, Aug. 20, along the Taconic in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties, the agency announced on Friday, Aug, 21. Troopers issued 236 traffic tickets during the operation, including 133 for restricted vehicle types that are prohibited from traveling on the parkway.  Another 33 …
US Attorney, 48, Found Dead Inside Federal Office Building US Attorney, 48, Found Dead Inside Federal Office Building
US Attorney, 48, Found Dead Inside Federal Office Building A federal prosecutor with decades of public service was found dead inside a government building, prompting an investigation and expressions of grief from colleagues. Assistant US Attorney Andrew Haden, 48, was found Wednesday, Aug. 19, inside a vacant office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego. Haden had been reported missing late Wednesday before San Diego police located his body hours later, according to multiple reports.  The San Diego Police Department said investigators found no evidence of foul play, and the Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating…
Trump's Name Could Replace Pearl Harbor Hero On Aircraft Carrier: Report Trump's Name Could Replace Pearl Harbor Hero On Aircraft Carrier: Report
Trump's Name Could Replace Pearl Harbor Hero On Aircraft Carrier: Report Naval officials are reportedly considering naming an aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump instead of a heroic Black sailor amid Trump's efforts to attach his branding to federal institutions. The Navy is working to rename the USS Doris Miller, a Ford-class aircraft carrier still under construction, CNN reported on Thursday, Aug. 20. Two sources said officials have discussed naming the carrier after Trump, which would be unprecedented for a sitting president. The ship was named for Doris "Dorie" Miller during Trump's first term in January 2020. Miller helped injured crew m…
Child's Severed Ear Found In Home After Dogs' 2nd Attack; 3 Charged: Court Docs Child's Severed Ear Found In Home After Dogs' 2nd Attack; 3 Charged: Court Docs
Child's Severed Ear Found In Home After Dogs' 2nd Attack; 3 Charged: Court Docs A portion of a 6-year-old girl's ear was found inside a Lebanon County home after two dogs mauled her — their second serious attack on a young child at the residence — according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Friday, Aug. 21. Rebecca Hresko, 31, and her parents, Andrew Hresko, 70, and Debra Hresko, 61, have been charged for their respective roles in the attacks involving the family's dogs, Chip and Zeus, at their South Lebanon Township home. Rebecca Hresko faces First-Degree Felony Aggravated Assault of a Child, Second-Degree Felony Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and Mis…
NY Animal Rescuer Charged After Pug Dies; 44 Cats, Dogs Found In U-Haul: Police NY Animal Rescuer Charged After Pug Dies; 44 Cats, Dogs Found In U-Haul: Police
NY Animal Rescuer Charged After Pug Dies; 44 Cats, Dogs Found In U-Haul: Police A New York woman transporting dozens of rescue animals to Oklahoma was arrested in Pennsylvania after police found 45 animals packed inside a U-Haul without water and a severely injured pug that had to be euthanized, authorities announced on Friday, Aug. 21. Selma T. Kizil, 57, told Derry Township police she runs an animal rescue on Long Island and was moving the animals to her new home in Oklahoma City when officers discovered them at the Hershey Animal Emergency Center around 9:09 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, according to the department. Officers found the animals throughout the front and bac…
Alex Jones’ $50M Sandy Hook Judgment Slashed To $1.5M In Texas Ruling: Report Alex Jones’ $50M Sandy Hook Judgment Slashed To $1.5M In Texas Ruling: Report
Alex Jones’ $50M Sandy Hook Judgment Slashed To $1.5M In Texas Ruling: Report A Texas appeals court handed Alex Jones a major legal victory by cutting a $50 million judgment against him to $1.5 million, according to Bloomberg Law.  However, the ruling does not affect the $1.4B judgment against him in Connecticut.  The unanimous ruling came Friday, Aug. 21, in the 2022 jury trial involving Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis,  was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.  The parents sued Jones and his media company, Free Speech Systems LLC. Jones had claimed publicly that the shooting never happ…
‘Demon’ Made BF Stab College Soccer Star Dead, Mom Helped Hide Body: Court Docs ‘Demon’ Made BF Stab College Soccer Star Dead, Mom Helped Hide Body: Court Docs
‘Demon’ Made BF Stab College Soccer Star Dead, Mom Helped Hide Body: Court Docs A soccer player days away from starting her freshman year was stabbed to death by her boyfriend after he claimed a “demon” took over and told him to stab her in a Jeep parked near her dorm — then his mother helped clean up and conceal her body, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Friday, Aug. 21. Royce Joel Moser, 18, of Canonsburg, is charged with criminal homicide in the death of 18-year-old Karoline Jordyn Heintz, along with abuse of a corpse, conspiracy, tampering with evidence, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, and obstructing the administration of law, court recor…
Pickup Truck Bursts Into Flames On Taconic Parkway In Yorktown — 2 Hospitalized Pickup Truck Bursts Into Flames On Taconic Parkway In Yorktown — 2 Hospitalized
Pickup Truck Bursts Into Flames On Taconic Parkway In Yorktown — 2 Hospitalized Two people were hospitalized after a pickup truck caught fire on the Taconic State Parkway in Northern Westchester.  The fire broke out on the northbound Taconic State Parkway near the Underhill Avenue exit in Yorktown shortly after midnight on Friday, Aug. 21, according to the Yorktown Heights Volunteer Fire Department.  Firefighters were dispatched to the blaze at around 12:08 a.m. and arrived to find a full-sized pickup truck up in flames just south of the exit ramp, the department said.  Crews were able to put out most of the fire before switching to foam when discoverin…
8 Dead, No Survivors After Plane Crashes At Remote US Military Site 8 Dead, No Survivors After Plane Crashes At Remote US Military Site
8 Dead, No Survivors After Plane Crashes At Remote US Military Site Eight people were killed in a charter plane crash at a remote US military radar site in Alaska, authorities said. The Cessna 441 Conquest II crashed at Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport at around 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, a National Transportation Safety Board official told NBC News. Two pilots and six passengers were on board when the twin-engine turboprop plane crashed. The flight had taken off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and was headed to Cape Newenham, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The military airstrip i…
Duo Who Shot Victim In Buttocks In Hudson Valley Tracked Down In NY, Virginia: Cops Duo Who Shot Victim In Buttocks In Hudson Valley Tracked Down In NY, Virginia: Cops
Duo Who Shot Victim In Buttocks In Hudson Valley Tracked Down In NY, Virginia: Cops Two men have been charged in connection with a Dutchess County shooting that left a 22-year-old man wounded, including one young suspect who was tracked down hundreds of miles away in Virginia, police said.  Randall T. Lawrence, 18, and Keyben Lopez, 22, both of Poughkeepsie, were arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 19, in connection with the Saturday, Aug. 1 shooting near Montgomery and South Hamilton streets, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department announced on Thursday, Aug. 20.  As Daily Voice previously reported, the shooting happened just before 5 p.m., when police received multi…
VIDEO: Tornado Rips Through Long Island Beach Club, Damaging Cabanas, Buildings VIDEO: Tornado Rips Through Long Island Beach Club, Damaging Cabanas, Buildings
Video: Tornado Rips Through Long Island Beach Club, Damaging Cabanas, Buildings A tornado that began as a waterspout off Long Island tore through a private beach club, damaging dozens of cabanas and other structures and forcing two clubs to close indefinitely. The tornado touched down at the far west end of Atlantic Beach between 6:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, the National Weather Service confirmed. Radar, video of the waterspout coming ashore, and damage near the Sun and Surf Beach Club confirmed the touchdown, the agency said. Sun and Surf, located in the Village of Atlantic Beach, said the tornado caused "significant damage to numerous cabanas and buildings." V…
Mother Bear Attacks Man Outside Apartment Complex's Laundry Room Mother Bear Attacks Man Outside Apartment Complex's Laundry Room
Mother Bear Attacks Man Outside Apartment Complex's Laundry Room A man was injured after a black bear swiped at him at an apartment complex in Colorado, according to wildlife officials. The attack happened near Eagle-Vail late Monday afternoon, Aug. 17, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a news release. The man was leaving a building's laundry room when a female black bear scratched his arm. CPW said the man tripped and injured his foot while trying to escape. A family member took him to a local medical facility, where he was treated for injuries to his arm and foot and released. Wildlife officers remained in the area overnight to try to…
Payments Going Out In $5B State Farm Dividend: See If You're Eligible Payments Going Out In $5B State Farm Dividend: See If You're Eligible
Payments Going Out In $5B State Farm Dividend: See If You're Eligible Millions of State Farm auto customers are starting to receive money back through the largest dividend payment in the insurance company's history. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has begun issuing a one-time $5 billion cash-back dividend to qualifying auto customers. The nationwide distribution includes more than 49 million State Farm-covered vehicles, and many payments have already been sent to customers. Each customer's payment is based on a percentage of the premium paid for each qualifying policy in 2025. The percentage varies by state, ranging from 4% to 10%. C…
These Airlines, Airports Offer Best Deals For Travelers: New Rankings These Airlines, Airports Offer Best Deals For Travelers: New Rankings
These Airlines, Airports Offer Best Deals For Travelers: New Rankings With airfares climbing throughout 2026, a new ranking reveals which airports and airlines are offering travelers the best flight deals. Travel app Going released its 2026 list of Top Airports and Airlines for Flight Deals on Monday, Aug. 17. The company analyzed more than 45,000 routes and deals sent to members from July 2025 through June 2026. Going said its airport rankings were based on average price, deal savings, and how often deals appeared. "A single cheap fare doesn't tell the whole story," Going flight expert Willis Orlando said. "With most travel headlines featuring affordab…
Nationwide Fruit Bar Recall Issued Over Possible Glass Contamination Nationwide Fruit Bar Recall Issued Over Possible Glass Contamination
Nationwide Fruit Bar Recall Issued Over Possible Glass Contamination A freezer staple sold across the country is being pulled from shelves after an unwelcome discovery. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream announced on Tuesday, Aug. 18, that it is voluntarily recalling limited lots of Outshine Fruit Bars because they may contain glass. The affected products were distributed to retailers nationwide, according to the company announcement posted on the US Food and Drug Administration website. The recall covers 6-count packages of 2.5-ounce Outshine Strawberry, Watermelon, Grape, Tangerine, and Black Cherry Fruit Bars. It also includes a 24-count Outshine Variety Pack of 2…
Sailor Accused Of Murdering Colleague On USS John F. Kennedy Sailor Accused Of Murdering Colleague On USS John F. Kennedy
Sailor Accused Of Murdering Colleague On USS John F. Kennedy A sailor assigned to one of the Navy's newest aircraft carriers is facing a slate of serious charges tied to a colleague's death. Multiple reports say Aviation Boatswain's Mate Jayjrion L. Rodriguez is charged with murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Boatswain's Mate Seaman Jesse Braswell aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy.  Rodriguez is accused of pointing a loaded service pistol at Braswell's head and shooting him Saturday, June 6, while both men were serving with the ship's in-port security force, according to Military Times. Braswell, a Colorado native, died fro…
Feds Detail NY Woman's Alleged Plan To Bomb State Capitol, Kill Senators For ISIS Feds Detail NY Woman's Alleged Plan To Bomb State Capitol, Kill Senators For ISIS
Feds Detail NY Woman's Alleged Plan To Bomb State Capitol, Kill Senators For ISIS Federal officials are detailing a New York woman's alleged plan to bomb the State Capitol, kill senators, and flee to ISIS-controlled territory in Syria. Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, made her initial appearance in federal court on a charge of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, the US Department of Justice said (see criminal complaint attached at the bottom of this news story). Bowie was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 19, as she took possession of what she believed was an explosive device intended for an attack on the New York State Capitol and state senators, authorities said. …
Trans Athlete Piece Spiked By News Outlet — So Veteran Reporter Quits Trans Athlete Piece Spiked By News Outlet — So Veteran Reporter Quits
Trans Athlete Piece Spiked By News Outlet — So Veteran Reporter Quits A Seattle Times sports columnist resigned after 11 years, saying the newspaper's decision not to publish his column on transgender athletes was the final straw. Matt Calkins announced his resignation Thursday, Aug. 20, on X. "After 11 years as a sports columnist at the Seattle Times, I have decided to resign," he wrote. "It was entirely my choice, and it was not an easy one." Calkins said the column followed a rally supporting WNBA player Sophie Cunningham, who had spoken out against transgender girls and women competing in female sports. He also interviewed two student-athletes who descri…
NY Couple ‘Headed For Divorce’ Prior To Murder-Suicide, Officials Say NY Couple ‘Headed For Divorce’ Prior To Murder-Suicide, Officials Say
NY Couple ‘Headed For Divorce’ Prior To Murder-Suicide, Officials Say A New York man fatally shot his wife, then turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide at their apartment outside Albany, police said. Jadet Forman, 37, killed 30-year-old Gabrielle Forman with one shot from a “ghost gun” that he’d privately manufactured, Cohoes Police Chief Todd Waldin said Wednesday, Aug. 19. Gabrielle Forman’s brother had traveled to the couple’s apartment at Harmony Mills Lofts in Cohoes to check on her and called out Jadet Forman’s name right before hearing gunshots, according to Waldin. Cops responded to the scene around 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18 following multiple …
NY Man Admits Murdering Girlfriend, Triggering Adirondack Manhunt: Authorities NY Man Admits Murdering Girlfriend, Triggering Adirondack Manhunt: Authorities
NY Man Admits Murdering Girlfriend, Triggering Adirondack Manhunt: Authorities A New York man admitted to stabbing his girlfriend to death then fleeing last year, leading to a multicounty manhunt across the Adirondack Mountains, authorities said. Anthony Bechand, 54, of Cohoes, copped to second-degree murder in the killing of 41-year-old Amanda Rodriguez on Sept. 13, 2025, the Albany County District Attorney’s office said. Bechand faces 20 years to life behind bars as part of his plea deal, prosecutors said. His sentencing hearing was set for Oct. 30. Rodriguez’s body was found Sept. 14, 2025, after a family friend walked into her home, investigators said. Cohoes Pol…
Trio Busted With Loaded Gun, Jailed In Peekskill: State Police Trio Busted With Loaded Gun, Jailed In Peekskill: State Police
Trio Busted With Loaded Gun, Jailed In Peekskill: State Police Three men were arrested and jailed after police said they found a loaded handgun inside a vehicle during a traffic stop in Westchester County.  The arrests followed a stop on Main Street in Peekskill at around 1:31 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, New York State Police announced on Thursday, Aug. 20.  According to police, troopers stopped the vehicle for alleged violations of state vehicle and traffic laws.  The driver was identified as Antonio Stewart, 40, of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, while the passengers were identified as Khwan Wooden, 41, and Brant Schepper, 36, both of Pe…
16 Charged In Sweeping Child Exploitation, Sex Offender Compliance Operations In Hudson Valley 16 Charged In Sweeping Child Exploitation, Sex Offender Compliance Operations In Hudson Valley
16 Charged In Sweeping Child Exploitation, Sex Offender Compliance Operations In Hudson Valley Sixteen people have been arrested in two separate investigations targeting alleged online child exploitation and sex offenders accused of failing to comply with registration requirements in a Sullivan County village, police announced.  The arrests were detailed by Village of Liberty Police Chief Steven D’Agata during a press conference on Thursday, Aug. 20, following investigations dubbed “Operation Dangerous DMs” and “Operation Registry Repo.”  Although the investigations were separate, D’Agata said they shared the same objective: “protecting children, protecting this community, …