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National Guardsman From Rensselaer 'In Fight For His Life' After Surviving Deadly Chopper Crash National Guardsman From Rensselaer 'In Fight For His Life' After Surviving Deadly Chopper Crash
National Guardsman From Rensselaer 'In Fight For His Life' After Surviving Deadly Chopper Crash To say that Jacob Pratt has a long road to recovery is an understatement. The New York National Guard soldier, a Rensselaer County native from the city of Rensselaer, remains in intensive care after being the sole survivor of a helicopter crash on the US-Mexico border that killed three others. According to the Joint Task Force North, Pratt was aboard a UH-72 Lakota chopper when it went down while flying near Rio Grande City, Texas on Friday, March 8. Earlier Report: NY National Guard Members Killed In Triple-Fatal Crash Return Home; Funerals Set The crash killed New York National G…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
‘Means The World’: Community Rallies Around Colonie Restaurant Destroyed In Explosion ‘Means The World’: Community Rallies Around Colonie Restaurant Destroyed In Explosion
‘Means The World’: Community Rallies Around Colonie Restaurant Destroyed In Explosion The family behind a Thai restaurant in the region that was destroyed by an explosion and subsequent fire is feeling the love as community members rally around them. Firefighters from multiple agencies in Albany County responded at around 3:15 a.m. Thursday, April 4, for an explosion in Colonie at the Pad Thai Noodle restaurant on Everett Road. They arrived to find the single-story building, which also houses The Healing Meals, heavily damaged and on fire, Colonie Police Lt. Robert Donnelly said. Earlier Report: Explosion, Fire Destroys Pad Thai Noodle In Colonie The blaze was deeme…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
'New Era At Panera' Sees Dozens Of Items Chopped From Menu 'New Era At Panera' Sees Dozens Of Items Chopped From Menu
'New Era At Panera' Sees Dozens Of Items Chopped From Menu Did your favorite make the cut? Dozens of menu items have gotten the chop as Panera enters its “new era” complete with the largest menu overhaul in company history. The popular bakery-café chain officially launched its revamped menu at locations across the country on Thursday, April 4, with nine new offerings and 12 “enhanced” classics featuring more chicken and steak. Company officials said the move is aimed at “refocusing” on core Panera products that customers love the most: soups, salads, sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese. It will also streamline and simplify operations for employees…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Man Stabs Upstairs Neighbor To Death At Watervliet Apartment, Police Say Man Stabs Upstairs Neighbor To Death At Watervliet Apartment, Police Say
Man Stabs Upstairs Neighbor To Death At Watervliet Apartment, Police Say A dispute between neighbors ended with a man stabbed to death at a home in the region. The Albany County incident happened at around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, April 7, in Watervliet at an apartment near 6th Avenue and 6th Street. Watervliet Police said Martin Bassett and Darrell Willetts, both 24, got into a dispute that escalated with Bassett fatally stabbing Willetts. Nobody else was injured in the attack. Investigators did not speculate on what led up to the killing. They noted that Bassett resided on the first floor, while Willetts lived on the second floor. Bassett was arrested without inci…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Update: Missing Albany 10-Year-Old Located Update: Missing Albany 10-Year-Old Located
Update: Albany 10-Year-Old Jaiyden Abear Found Safe This story has been updated. A 10-year-old boy from the region who was reported missing has been located. Jaiyden Abear, of Albany, had last been seen at around 1 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the area of Academy Road and Helderberg Avenue, according to Albany Police. On Tuesday evening, April 9, police announced that Jaiyden was located and is safe. No other details were given.  Original story: Police are asking for help in locating a 10-year-old boy from the region who was reported missing. Jaiyden Abear, of Albany, was last seen at around 1 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the area of Acade…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Cop Injured With Chemical Agent As 100 People Block Roadway In Region Cop Injured With Chemical Agent As 100 People Block Roadway In Region
Cop Injured With Chemical Agent As 100 People Block Roadway In Region A police officer in the region was injured along with two others as police attempted to disperse a large crowd of more than 100 people who were blocking a roadway. The incident occurred in Dutchess County around 3:30 a.m., Sunday, April 7, on Church Street in the city of Poughkeepsie. Det. Lt. Terrence Beam of the Poughkeepsie Police said multiple agencies responded to help disperse the crowd near Cafe Maroon, which was blocking all three lanes of Church Street. Beam said two people were arrested, and two others, along with a police officer, were treated for exposure to a chemical agent. …

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by Kathy Reakes
Sports
NY Student Who Survived Chimpanzee Attack Now Dominates At Wrestling Competition NY Student Who Survived Chimpanzee Attack Now Dominates At Wrestling Competition
NY Student Who Survived Chimpanzee Attack Now Dominates At Wrestling Competition A Long Island teen who, as a child, narrowly survived a chimpanzee attack in his native Central Africa is now showing his resilience by making a name for himself in high school wrestling. When Dunia Sibomana Rodriguez was only 6, his life was forever changed. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he traveled into Virunga National Park to play with his brother and cousin one day when the trio was attacked by a chimpanzee. Sibomana Rodriguez’s younger brother and cousin were killed in attack and the 6-year-old suffered severe injuries to his lips and face. In 2015, rangers from …

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by Sophie Grieser
Business
Burlington Opening New Store In Albany County Burlington Opening New Store In Albany County
Burlington Opening New Store In Albany County Attention shoppers: Burlington is expanding its footprint in New York. The discount retailer, formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, is set to open three new stores on Long Island and one in the Capital Region this spring, the company announced on its website. Below are the locations and expected opening dates for the new stores: Albany County – Colonie on Friday, May 3 Nassau County – Oceanside on Friday, July 12 Suffolk County – Selden on Friday, April 19 and Riverhead on Friday, July 26 Specific addresses for the new locations were not immediately available. Founded in 1972, Burli…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Over 40 Aftershocks Keep NY Rockin' Days After Rare 4.8 Quake Over 40 Aftershocks Keep NY Rockin' Days After Rare 4.8 Quake
Over 40 Aftershocks Keep NY Rockin' Days After Rare 4.8 Quake Call it jealousy over the total solar eclipse? As millions geared up to watch the sun and moon’s rare celestial spectacle, Mother Earth continued to put on a show of her own in the days after a rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook much of the Northeast on Friday, April 5. Since then, at least 44 aftershocks have been recorded in Hunterdon and Somerset counties in New Jersey, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Earlier Report: New York Feels 4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Aftershock The tremors, ranging in magnitude from 1.3 to 2.6, were felt across New Jersey, New York…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Launch Of 3 NASA Rockets Could Be Visible During Total Solar Eclipse Launch Of 3 NASA Rockets Could Be Visible During Total Solar Eclipse
Launch Of 3 NASA Rockets Could Be Visible During Total Solar Eclipse What a day for outer space. NASA will be launching three sounding rockets during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, to study how Earth’s upper atmosphere is affected when sunlight momentarily dims over a portion of the planet. And they are expected to be visible for between 10 and 40 seconds along the East Coast. The Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path (APEP) sounding rockets will launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to study the disturbances in the ionosphere created when the Moon eclipses the Sun.  The sounding rockets will launch at three differe…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Pediatrician Traveling To See Eclipse ID'd As Woman Killed In Freak Trailer Accident In NY Pediatrician Traveling To See Eclipse ID'd As Woman Killed In Freak Trailer Accident In NY
Pediatrician Traveling To See Eclipse ID'd As Woman Killed In Freak Trailer Accident In NY Colleagues and loved ones are mourning the loss of a beloved pediatrician and wife who was killed in a freak accident on a New York highway while they were traveling to view the total solar eclipse. Long Island resident Dr. Monika Woroniecki, age 58, of Stony Brook, died Saturday, April 6, after falling from a moving Airstream trailer on Route 12E in the Jefferson County town of Brownville, about 60 miles north of Syracuse, according to State Police. Investigators said Woroniecki and other family members had decided to spend the last 20 minutes of the trip riding in the trailer, which was b…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Total Eclipse 2024: NASA Wants To Know About Strange Behavior From Animals Total Eclipse 2024: NASA Wants To Know About Strange Behavior From Animals
Total Eclipse 2024: NASA Wants To Know About Strange Behavior From Animals When parts of the US are under total daytime darkness during a solar eclipse, scientists will be studying if animals act any differently — and they want your help. NASA has funded the "Eclipse Soundscapes Project" to collect the sights and sounds during the total solar eclipse in the afternoon on Monday, Apr. 8. Scientists are asking for the public's help recording how different ecosystems react to the sudden midday change. You can share your observations on social media using the hashtag #EclipseSoundscapes. Don't forget to tag the location where you experience the eclipse. Weird plant a…

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by Chris Spiker