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Schools
Best High Schools: Long Island Well-Represented In Brand-New U.S. News Rankings Best High Schools: Long Island Well-Represented In Brand-New U.S. News Rankings
Best High Schools: Long Island Well-Represented In Brand-New U.S. News Rankings New York is well-represented on U.S. News & World Report's latest rankings of the nation's best high schools. The brand-new rankings were released Tuesday morning, April 23, and determined by performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. The highest-ranked school outside New York City is on Long Island: Jericho, at No. 13 statewide and 104th nationally. The top-rated high school in Westchester County is Edgemont at No. 14 in the state and 128th in the nation, with Bronxville, at No. 16 in the state and 151st nationally. Another W…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
West Islip Man Who Embezzled $8.4M From Private School To Buy Cars, Beach Houses Gets Prison West Islip Man Who Embezzled $8.4M From Private School To Buy Cars, Beach Houses Gets Prison
David Ostrove Sentenced For $8.4M Schechter School Theft A former employee at a Long Island private school who lived the high life after embezzling millions of dollars will spend years in prison. David Ostrove, age 52, of West Islip, was sentenced to between 8 ⅓ and 25 years in prison in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, April 17, following his conviction for grand larceny and money laundering. Prosecutors said Ostrove transferred over $8.4 million from Williston Park’s Schechter School of Long Island into his own personal accounts between March 2014 and April 2022. Earlier Report: West Islip Man Embezzled $8.4M From Private School, Boug…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
East Moriches Among Dozens Of Suffolk County Schools Recognized At NAMM Foundation Awards East Moriches Among Dozens Of Suffolk County Schools Recognized At NAMM Foundation Awards
East Moriches Among Dozens Of Suffolk County Schools Recognized At Namm Foundation Awards Out of the 975 districts across the nation honored for having outstanding music education programs, approximately 60 Long Island were selected and bestowed with the award. Dozens of school districts on Long Island were awarded by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for having the Best Community For Music Education (BCME). Now in its 25th year, the foundation’s BCME award “celebrates outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education.” Nine hundred and seventy-five school…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
School Bus Driver Sexually Abused Bay Shore Girl For Over Year, Police Say School Bus Driver Sexually Abused Bay Shore Girl For Over Year, Police Say
School Bus Driver Sexually Abused Bay Shore Girl For Over Year, Police Say A Long Island school bus driver is accused of sexually abusing a young girl for more than a year. Miguel Enrique Diaz, age 47, of Bay Shore, was arrested Wednesday, March 13, on suspicion of course of sexual conduct against a child. Suffolk County Police said Diaz, a Suffolk Transportation bus driver for Bay Shore Middle School and Brook Elementary School, sexually abused the victim on multiple occasions between May 2022 and October 2023. When the alleged abuse began, the girl was 12 years old. A community therapist reported the abuse to police in early March. Diaz was taken into custody …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
'Hometown Hero' Staffer Saves Choking Second Grader At Commack School 'Hometown Hero' Staffer Saves Choking Second Grader At Commack School
'Hometown Hero' Staffer Saves Choking Second Grader At Commack School She was in the right place at the right time. An employee at a Long Island elementary school is being hailed a hero after saving a student from choking. The frightening incident happened Friday, March 8, in Commack, at Wood Park Primary School on New Highway. Commack School District officials said school monitor Francesca Augello was making her usual rounds in the cafeteria when she spotted a second-grade boy choking on a piece of pizza. Without missing a beat, Augello performed the Heimlich maneuver on the 8-year-old and was able to clear his airway. The six-year employee credited her …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Jimmy Fallon Crashes NY College Party, Pokes Fun At Alma Mater's Impending Closure Jimmy Fallon Crashes NY College Party, Pokes Fun At Alma Mater's Impending Closure
Jimmy Fallon Crashes NY College Party, Pokes Fun At Alma Mater's Impending Closure Funnyman Jimmy Fallon ginned up plenty of online buzz after crashing a college party in upstate New York. The 49-year-old “Tonight Show” host and “Saturday Night Live” alum made a surprise appearance at what appears to be a frat party at a house near the UAlbany campus on Saturday, March 9. Video shared on TikTok shows dozens of students screaming with excitement while trying to snap selfies as Fallon is led through a crowd and into the residence. It was not immediately clear how long he stayed at the party. @victoriaspadaro Kegs & Eggs 🍀 #jimmyfallon #ualbany #upstateny #capital…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Free Breakfast, Lunch Program Launches At School District In Islip Free Breakfast, Lunch Program Launches At School District In Islip
Free Breakfast, Lunch Program Launches At School District In Islip A new program will provide students at every grade level free meals throughout the school day, a district on Long Island announced. Starting Friday, March 1, students in the Connetquot School District, located in Islip, will be able to get breakfast and lunch for free, the district announced. The measure includes all students at the following schools: Edward J. Bosti Elementary School; Cherokee Street Elementary School; Helen B. Duffield Elementary School; John Pearl Elementary School; Edith L. Slocum Elementary School; Sycamore Avenue Elementary School; Oakdale-Bohemia Elementar…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
School District In Fairfield County Causes Controversy By Removing 2 Scheduled Holidays School District In Fairfield County Causes Controversy By Removing 2 Scheduled Holidays
School District In Fairfield County Causes Controversy By Removing 2 Scheduled Holidays A Connecticut school board's decision to remove two holidays that have traditionally given students a day off has sparked debate amongst community members, according to a report by ABC 7 New York.  The controversy began in Fairfield County following the Stamford School Board's decision to remove Veterans Day and Columbus Day from their calendar, which means students will not have them off for the next two years, according to an ABC7 report from Friday, Jan. 26.  Board members, who passed the decision in a 5-3 motion, have defended the decision by saying students should remain in s…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
School District In Dix Hills Announces Partnership With Free Text Therapy Program School District In Dix Hills Announces Partnership With Free Text Therapy Program
School District In Dix Hills Announces Partnership With Free Text Therapy Program At a time when mental illness among adolescents is becoming concerningly common, one school district on Long Island is hoping to be able to make a difference with its students. Half Hollow Hills Central School District, located in Dix Hills, announced on Monday, Jan. 22 that it was partnering with the app Counslr to provide free therapy sessions to its high schoolers. A text-based, 24/7 counseling service, Counslr was founded in 2019 on Long Island with a mission to make mental healthcare more accessible to those who need it most, aiming to eliminate hurdles such as cost and stigma. Th…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
Long Island Teen Wins National Contest With News Segment Long Island Teen Wins National Contest With News Segment
Long Island Teen Wins National Contest With News Segment A Long Island high school senior was recognized for producing a stellar news segment in a national contest. Kyra Sansone, a senior at Oyster Bay High School, won second place in the high school division II news story category of the 2023 Student Television Network Fall Nationals contest, her school announced. Her news piece, titled “Senior Parking Problems,”  was made as part of her digital reporting class and highlighted a common issue among her fellow students – how the senior class’ designated parking lot often fills up with those who aren’t supposed to park there, or who have park…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
NY Easing Licensing Process For School Bus Drivers To Address 'Critical Shortage' NY Easing Licensing Process For School Bus Drivers To Address 'Critical Shortage'
NY Easing Licensing Process For School Bus Drivers To Address 'Critical Shortage' Leaders in New York are making it easier for people to become school bus drivers in an attempt to tackle a growing national shortage. The Department of Motor Vehicles has implemented a federal waiver allowing school bus driver applicants to skip the engine compartment component – known as the “under the hood” part – of the commercial driver license road test. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the move will make it easier to get a commercial license at a time when school bus drivers are “desperately needed.” “The job of transporting and caring for our children is so important, and the need for more dr…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Oh, Brother: Twins Earn Valedictorian, Salutatorian At Their Long Island High School Oh, Brother: Twins Earn Valedictorian, Salutatorian At Their Long Island High School
Oh, Brother: Twins Earn Valedictorian, Salutatorian At Their Long Island High School  A pair of twin brothers from Long Island have taken the top-of-the-class spots at their high school. Devon and Dylan Lee, fraternal twins from New Hyde Park, share not only their genes but a streak of academic success. The brothers, who are seniors at Herricks High School, were announced by their school as the top two students in their class – Devon as valedictorian and Dylan as salutatorian – in November 2023. According to a report by ABC 7 New York, the brothers’ GPAs were different by just six-thousandths of a point. The station also announced that the Lees have chosen what c…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
High School Marching Band From Long Island Wins National Contest High School Marching Band From Long Island Wins National Contest
High School Marching Band From Long Island Wins National Contest A marching band hailing from a Long Island high school beat out over 400 schools and won thousands of dollars in band equipment in a competition hosted by metal legends Metallica. “Pride of Malverne,” the marching band from Malverne High School, was one of six high school and college marching bands to be named the winners of Metallica’s “For Whom The Band Tolls” competition, the band announced on Monday, Jan. 8. “For Whom The Band Tolls” was launched by Metallica in April 2023, challenging college and high school bands across the country to share their best performances using the band’s ic…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
Custodian Solicits Sex, Exposes Himself At Dix Hills Elementary School, Police Say Custodian Solicits Sex, Exposes Himself At Dix Hills Elementary School, Police Say
Custodian Solicits Sex, Exposes Himself At Dix Hills Elementary School, Police Say A custodian at a Long Island elementary school is accused of exposing himself while on the job. Thomas Winberry, age 34, of West Islip was arrested Wednesday, Jan 10 on suspicion of public lewdness. Suffolk County Police said Winberry – an employee at Otsego Elementary School in Dix Hills – posted video on social media of himself soliciting sex and exposing himself. The alleged incident happened on school grounds at around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9.  No students were in the building at the time, a spokesperson for the Half Hollow Hills School District told Daily Voice. Winberry has …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Suffolk County Students Among 300 Semifinalists Nationwide In Prestigious Science Competition Suffolk County Students Among 300 Semifinalists Nationwide In Prestigious Science Competition
Suffolk County Students Among 300 Semifinalists Nationwide In Prestigious Science Competition Dozens of students from New York have been named semifinalists in the country’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. The Society for Science announced the top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search for 2024 on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Participants were whittled down from 2,162 applicants from 712 high schools across 46 states, Puerto Rico, and 10 other countries. Students were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, and community involvement, as well as a commitment to academics and creativity in asking scientific …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports
Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports Claudine Gay is set to resign as Harvard University president after facing plagiarism accusations over her academic work and heavy criticism during a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism. Gay is stepping down on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 2, after just six months and two days since being appointed president of the university, according to the Harvard Crimson. Her tenure is the shortest ever for a Harvard president, the newspaper reported.  Related: Harvard President Claudine Gay Gets Support From Faculty Her resignation comes after mounting allegations of plagiarism of her…

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by Khier Casino
Schools
New Update: Dozens Of Students Accuse 'Revered' Ex-Bay Shore Teacher Of Sexual Abuse, DA Says New Update: Dozens Of Students Accuse 'Revered' Ex-Bay Shore Teacher Of Sexual Abuse, DA Says
New Update: Dozens Of Students Accuse 'Revered' Ex-Bay Shore Teacher Of Sexual Abuse, DA Says This story has been updated. Dozens of former students have accused a retired elementary school teacher on Long Island of sexual abuse dating back decades. Thomas Bernagozzi, age 75, of Babylon, was arrested on sex crimes charges Thursday, Dec. 21, following an investigation by Suffolk County Police. Prosecutors said Bernagozzi, who taught in the Bay Shore School District, sexually abused two male students between the late 1980s and early 2000s. He was charged with one count of course of sexual conduct against a child and one count of sodomy, both violent felonies. At the time of the all…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports
Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports As the US House of Representatives is digging deeper into Harvard University President Claudine Gay’s academic work, the university said it had found more issues in connection to the matter. The Harvard Corporation, which oversees the university, said on Wednesday, Dec. 20 that Gay would request three corrections to her 1997 Ph.D. dissertation, the Harvard Crimson reported. The corrections follow an independent review by the corporation, which found that Gay had not properly attributed some of her sources but the incidents didn't rise to the level of serious wrongdoing, the Crimson reported…

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by Khier Casino
Schools
'Prepare For Bloodshed': 17-Year-Old Threatened Mass Shooting At School In Suffolk, DA Says 'Prepare For Bloodshed': 17-Year-Old Threatened Mass Shooting At School In Suffolk, DA Says
'Prepare For Bloodshed': 17-Year-Old Threatened Mass Shooting At School In Suffolk, DA Says A 17-year-old is facing charges after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a Long Island high school. Suffolk County prosecutors said Sequoya High School in Holtsville was placed on lockdown on Wednesday, Dec. 13, after an anonymous email was sent to school administrators. The email threatened a shooting and warned them to “prepare for bloodshed.” Suffolk County Police detectives were able to trace the email to a home in Centereach, located roughly 15 minutes from the school. On Saturday, Dec. 16, police arrested the teen suspect after he admitted to sending the threat, a…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Hochul Vows 'Aggressive' Discipline For Colleges Letting 'Jewish Genocide' Calls Go Unchecked Hochul Vows 'Aggressive' Discipline For Colleges Letting 'Jewish Genocide' Calls Go Unchecked
Hochul Vows 'Aggressive' Discipline For Colleges Letting 'Jewish Genocide' Calls Go Unchecked New York colleges that fail to swiftly punish calls for Jewish genocide will face “aggressive” repercussions, including potentially losing their funding, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. In a letter to New York State college and university presidents on Saturday, Dec. 9, Hochul said she had reached out to SUNY Chancellor John King “to ensure that it is SUNY’s policy that calling for the genocide of any group of people” on campuses violated the university’s code of conduct and would lead to “swift disciplinary action.” “Chancellor King affirmed that was the case, and that SUNY will not tolerate …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation
Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation Harvard University president Claudine Gay faces new allegations while some are calling for her resignation after they took issue with recent comments she made to Congress about anti-Semitism.  A report claims that Gay had plagiarized portions of her doctoral thesis. However, the prestigious university said it had looked into the matter and determined that she had not violated any of the school's research standards. Officials said two of her articles will receive corrections for "inadequate citation." The Harvard Corporation, which supervises the university, announced in a statement on …

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by Khier Casino
Schools
Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony
Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony Harvard President Claudine Gay is facing calls to resign after her congressional hearing on antisemitism went viral last week, but hundreds of university faculty are rallying behind her in support. An open letter, addressed to the Harvard Corporation, has reached 686 signatures from faculty members, according to the Harvard Crimson. Related: Gay Denies Plagiarism Claims As University Lends Its Support Faculty members wrote: “We, the undersigned faculty, urge you in the strongest possible terms to defend the independence of the university and to resist political pressures that are at odds …

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by Khier Casino
Schools
UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony
UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony Moments after it was announced that University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill was resigning, Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok followed suit. Magill, whose testimony to Congress on antisemitism earlier this week sparked widespread outrage, resigned on Saturday, Dec. 9. Bok later announced his resignation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Magill remains a faculty member at Penn Carey Law and will stay on as president until an interim president is appointment, UPenn Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok said in announcing the news Saturday evening. And Liz Magill has resig…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
College Of Saint Rose Shutting Down After 103 Years College Of Saint Rose Shutting Down After 103 Years
College Of Saint Rose Shutting Down After 103 Years After more than a century in operations, Albany’s College of Saint Rose is permanently closing amid mounting financial struggles. The school’s board of trustees voted Thursday, Nov. 30, to shut down the college at the end of the Spring 2024 semester. “It is with a heavy heart that the Board decided to close the college at the end of this academic year,” Board Chair Jeffrey Stone said.  "The Board determined that the College does not have the financial resources to operate for the full 2024-2025 academic year and therefore cannot remain a standalone institution.” It comes after years …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Second Swastika Found At Riverhead Middle School: 'Please Speak With Your Children' Second Swastika Found At Riverhead Middle School: 'Please Speak With Your Children'
Second Swastika Found At Riverhead Middle School: 'Please Speak With Your Children' A Long Island school district is urging parents to partner alongside schools in teaching the gravity of bigotry after a second swastika symbol was found in the span of a week. On Monday, Nov. 27, the Riverhead Central School District (CSD) sent a letter out to the community regarding the discovery of a swastika written on a blackboard by a student at Riverhead Middle School. The release closely mirrors a similar letter written by interim Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich just days before, when a swastika was found drawn on a piece of art in the same school. Earlier Report: Swastika …

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime
College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime A college community in Connecticut, alongside many nationwide, has been left reeling after a student of Palestinian descent was one of three shot in what appears to be a hate crime. Tahseen Ali Ahmad, age 20, who attends Trinity College in Hartford, was one of three men of the same age shot outside of a house in Burlington, Vermont on Sunday, Nov. 26, the school announced. Ali Ahmad and the two other men — Kinnan Abdalhamid and Hisham Awartani, also of Palestinian descent — were lifelong friends visiting a relative’s house near the University of Vermont's campus for the Thanksgiving holid…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
6 Long Island School Districts Among Top 13 In Nation, According To New Rankings 6 Long Island School Districts Among Top 13 In Nation, According To New Rankings
6 Long Island School Districts Among Top 13 In Nation, According To New Rankings Several school districts in the region rank among the best in the nation in brand-new rankings. TeachSimple analyzed reviews and ratings of each US school district and ranked them from highest to lowest, with 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.  The scores are based on reviews from parents and students, statistics from the US Department of Education, and user-submitted information from schools.  The two top-ranked districts in New York and Connecticut are both in Nassau County on Long Island: No. 3 Roslyn Union Free SD has a high proficiency in both reading and math. T…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Swastika Found At Riverhead Middle School, Officials Say Swastika Found At Riverhead Middle School, Officials Say
Swastika Found At Riverhead Middle School, Officials Say A swastika was found at a Long Island school, prompting an investigation into the incident, according to authorities. The hateful symbol, which was found on a piece of artwork, has sparked an investigation into the incident, according to the district. In a release to parents and students in the Riverhead School District, interim Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich announced on Friday, Nov. 17 that a swastika had been discovered at Riverhead Middle School. Found by a group of students and a teacher, the symbol had been drawn on a piece of artwork hung in the school. Pedisich claimed the distr…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
Brookhaven Class Chosen To Perform On 'Good Morning America' Brookhaven Class Chosen To Perform On 'Good Morning America'
Brookhaven Class Chosen To Perform On 'Good Morning America' One lucky Long Island musical theatre class was chosen to perform on the popular morning show to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the movie “Frozen.” Twenty-two Long Island high school students are headed to Broadway — or, pretty close nearby. The musical theatre class at Brookhaven’s William Floyd High School was selected to perform on ABC's Good Morning America on Monday, Nov, 27, the school announced. Led by teacher Berkeley Rousseau, the students will sing in an ensemble for a rendition of “Let It Go” as part of a performance with 2023 Jimmy Awards winner Lauren Marchand celebrat…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell 21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell
21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell A student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York has been accused of threatening to shoot, stab, and rape Jewish students at the Ivy League school. Patrick Dai, a 21-year-old junior originally from Pittsford, New York, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 31 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications, according to prosecutors in the Northern District of New York. Dai allegedly posted threatening messages to the Cornell section of an online discussion site, including posts calling for the deaths of Jewish peopl…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Life-Savers: 'Heroic' Islip Teacher Aides Honored For Helping Choking Students Life-Savers: 'Heroic' Islip Teacher Aides Honored For Helping Choking Students
Life-Savers: 'Heroic' Islip Teacher Aides Honored For Helping Choking Students A trio of teacher’s aides are getting the attention they deserve after together, they saved two children from choking just days apart from each other. During a Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 11, the Connetquot Central School District honored the three staff members – Lori Stellwagen, Amy Loretta, and Samantha Gallo — for saving the lives of two students who were choking. The first incident happened on Friday, Sept. 22 at Edward J. Bosti Elementary. During lunch time, a kindergarten student choked on a chicken nugget that he had brought from home. Luckily, his one-on-…

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by Sophie Grieser