News Staff

Almost 2.7 million New Yorkers, or 13.9% of the state’s population, lived in poverty in 2021, compared to 12.8% of all Americans, according to the first in a series of reports released recently by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli examining “New Yorkers in Need.” While poverty rates in the state declined prior to the pandemic, they were higher in 2021 than in 2019.

A Coeymans man is under arrest after allegedly violating a restraining order. According to WNYT, 28 year old Thomas Baffuto entered a Ravena home and got into an argument with the mother of his two children. After the argument, Baffuto tried to strangle the mother, and then ran off with an eight-month-old child, say police. He was found with the child in Kingston, and now faces a slew of charges.

Two Ballston Spa residents are under arrest on animal abuse charges. WNYT reports 31 year old Rebecca Been and 28 year old Justin Condon were arrested after a yellow lab was turned into the Saratoga County Animal Shelter on Dec. 3rd. The animal was extremely malnourished and had other signs of neglect, say police. Both are charged with torturing or injuring animals and were released on appearance tickets.

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of an ongoing phone scam. The scam is primarily occurring at area restaurants. According to WTEN, an unknown male caller, who claims to be from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, has been contacting businesses and claiming he is investigating a counterfeit currency complaint. The caller reportedly has personal information of store employees, and at least in one case, one’s full name, date of birth, social security number, relatives, and financial institution.

The Albany man accused of driving a motorcycle while impaired by drugs and alcohol and killing two people in Lake George turned down a deal Thursday that could ultimately send him to prison for the rest of his life. WNYT reports Anthony Futia is accused of crashing a motorcycle into a group of people in Lake George and killing an 8-year-old boy and his stepfather.

State Police of Clifton Park arrested 43 year old John D. Stevens of Missouri, for Criminal Possession of a Weapon Troopers stopped a vehicle on I-87 in Clifton Park, NY, for a speeding violation. Stevens did not have a valid driver’s license, and the vehicle he was operating was not registered or insured. Stevens was taken into custody for an active warrant issued in Missouri, and an unregistered handgun was discovered in the vehicle.

State Police of Queensbury arrested 39 year old Jorge Estrada Perez and 33 year old Wilmay Carrasco Rodriguez, both of New Jersey Troopers received a complaint from the Fastrac Cafe in Queensbury, NY, reporting the use of fraudulent credit cards to make purchases at the location. The responsible individuals left the store in a vehicle before law enforcement arrived. They were located a short time later, traveling on I-87 in Malta, NY, where a traffic stop was conducted and they were taken into custody.

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation that will require residential health care facilities to swiftly update residents as well as their family members and guardians when an infection is detected within the facility. It also requires nursing homes to have a plan in place to accommodate exposed or infected residents to stop the spread of the infection.

Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said Tuesday she won’t not lift the gag order, in case of last month’s shootout in downtown Saratoga Springs. The request came from the Saratoga Springs City Council, but is open to modifying it. WNYT reports Heggen says is concerned about what she called speculative and inaccurate statements of both the mayor and public safety commissioner in the aftermath of the shooting in the early morning hours of November 20.

A motion proposed by Saratoga Springs City Council to make changes to Saratoga’s night life failed in a 3 to 2 vote. WNYT reports before the meeting several members of the business community rallied against an effort to close bars earlier. The city proposed shutting bars down in Saratoga Springs by 2 a.m. in the wake of a recent officer-involved shooting incident.