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Middle School Principal Resigns Amid Embezzlement Accusations In Saratoga County Middle School Principal Resigns Amid Embezzlement Accusations In Saratoga County
Middle School Principal Resigns Amid Embezzlement Accusations In Saratoga County The principal of a Saratoga County middle school resigned hours after being arrested for allegedly misusing union funds. Maple Avenue Middle School Principal Scott Singer stepped down from his position effective Thursday, Nov. 13. The Board of Education accepted his resignation during its meeting that same evening, Superintendent Michael Patton said in a message to families. Singer, 48, of Ballston Spa, was arrested Thursday following a two-month investigation into alleged misuse of funds tied to his role as an elected officer in the Saratoga Springs Administrators Association, a New York S…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Penn State ‘Explosion’: Person Trapped, Students Evacuated When Floor Drops In New Building Penn State ‘Explosion’: Person Trapped, Students Evacuated When Floor Drops In New Building
Penn State ‘Explosion’: Person Trapped, Students Evacuated When Floor Drops In New Building A loud noise inside Penn State’s new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building sparked an evacuation and emergency response after a floor suddenly shifted and trapped a person, university officials announced on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. The incident happened on Wednesday, Nov. 12, when the floor in the $128 million building dropped about 2 inches, fire officials told WTAJ at the time. The movement created a crack as wide as 1 1/2 inches stretching from the second floor to the roof, according to first responders. Fire crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports of what sounded like an ex…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Elementary School Student Dies After TikTok Challenge Accident, NY District Says Elementary School Student Dies After TikTok Challenge Accident, NY District Says
Elementary School Student Dies After TikTok Challenge Accident, NY District Says An Albany elementary school is mourning the death of a young student who died after an accident at home reportedly linked to a dangerous TikTok challenge. The incident occurred Saturday night, Nov. 8, and involved a student from Arbor Hill Elementary School, Principal Rosalind Gaines-Harrell said in a message to families. She called the loss “profoundly sad” and warned parents about the serious risks tied to viral online challenges, which are often promoted as harmless entertainment. District officials said the accident appeared to be connected to a TikTok trend, though no additional deta…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
WATCH ‘Bearista’ Starbucks Fight After Cup Sells Out In 1 Day – Here’s How To Get One WATCH ‘Bearista’ Starbucks Fight After Cup Sells Out In 1 Day – Here’s How To Get One
Watch ‘Bearista’ Starbucks Fight After Cup Sells Out In 1 Day – Here’s How To Get One Starbucks fans couldn’t bear the disappointment after the company’s surprise newest holiday item — the viral “Bearista Cold Cup” — sold out nationwide within hours of its release. The Seattle-based coffee chain issued a public apology after the launch turned chaotic, with viral videos showing customers fighting in stores and scrambling to grab the limited-edition item that sold out within hours on Wednesday, Nov. 6. “The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” Starbucks said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehous…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Hackers Send Vulgar Anti-DEI Email To Penn Students, Alumni: University Responds Hackers Send Vulgar Anti-DEI Email To Penn Students, Alumni: University Responds
Hackers Send Vulgar Anti-dei Email To Penn Students, Alumni: University Responds Students, alumni, and faculty at the University of Pennsylvania received a vulgar, inflammatory email from a hacker on Friday, Oct. 31, the university confirmed. The fraudulent message, which appeared to come from Penn’s Graduate School of Education, contained offensive language attacking the school’s diversity and admissions policies. Some recipients said they received the vulgar message multiple times. The full message was shared on reddit: The email allegedly sent by hackers from UPenn. Reddit/r/philadelphia @bpt1047 In a statement posted to its website, Penn said its Office of Info…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Top 10 Long Island Schools Revealed In New Ranking By U.S. News & World Report Top 10 Long Island Schools Revealed In New Ranking By U.S. News & World Report
Top 10 Long Island Schools Revealed In New Ranking By U.S. News & World Report Several Long Island schools earned top spots in New York State’s 2026 school rankings, according to a new report. U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools list this week, evaluating nearly 47,000 elementary schools and more than 23,000 middle schools nationwide. Rankings are based on state assessment performance in math and reading, while factoring in student background and core subject achievement. Student-teacher ratios are used to break ties. The report highlights the following 10 Long Island middle schools among the state’s top performers: Jer…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
One Dead, Six Injured In Homecoming Shooting At One Of America’s Oldest HBCUs: DA One Dead, Six Injured In Homecoming Shooting At One Of America’s Oldest HBCUs: DA
One Dead, Six Injured In Homecoming Shooting At One Of America’s Oldest HBCUs: DA A shooting left one person dead and six others injured on the campus of Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania — one of America’s oldest historically Black colleges and universities — during homecoming weekend, authorities announced on Sunday, Oct. 26. Officers responded to the 1500 block of Baltimore Pike around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, for reports of gunfire, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. During a press conference early Sunday morning, Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe confirmed the fatality and said one person …

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Teen Accused Of Kicking School Worker To Death Charged With Assault: Report Teen Accused Of Kicking School Worker To Death Charged With Assault: Report
Teen Accused Of Kicking School Worker To Death Charged With Assault: Report A staff member at a Massachusetts therapeutic school was killed after she was kicked in the chest by a 14-year-old student. Now, a news report says authorities have charged the teenager with the death.  Amy Morrell, 53, of Riverside, Rhode Island, worked at Meadowridge Academy in Swansea. The school serves students with emotional and developmental challenges. Authorities said Morrell and other staff were trying to stop a student from leaving her dorm without permission on Oct. 15 when the teen kicked Morrell in the chest. “Shortly after being struck, the victim collapsed,” said Bristo…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
School Bus Company Used Forged Insurance To Operate In Nassau County, DA Says School Bus Company Used Forged Insurance To Operate In Nassau County, DA Says
School Bus Company Used Forged Insurance To Operate In Nassau County, DA Says A school bus company and its owners are accused of filing forged insurance paperwork to operate on Long Island. Cheese Bus, Inc., along with co-owners Malik Turnage Sr., 52, and Malik Turnage Jr., 27, were arraigned in Nassau County Court Tuesday, Oct. 21, on felony charges of offering a false instrument and misdemeanor insurance fraud. The company is accused of submitting forged liability insurance certificates to the Valley Stream Central High School District between 2019 and 2024, according to prosecutors. The district requested updated insurance certificates in October 2023. Turnage Jr…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Cannabis Gummies Sicken Middle Schoolers On Long Island: Police Cannabis Gummies Sicken Middle Schoolers On Long Island: Police
Cannabis Gummies Sicken Middle Schoolers On Long Island: Police A man was arrested after cannabis gummies sickened multiple William Paca Middle School students in Mastic Beach, Monday, Oct. 20, at about 8 p.m., Suffolk County Police announced. Jahsheem Jones, 18, of Mastic Beach, was arrested at his home on Robinwood Drive for selling the gummies to a student who then shared them with three others, police said. Several students reported feeling ill at school in May and were taken to a local hospital after ingesting the gummies on campus. Jones was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was issued a Desk Appearance Ticket and is scheduled t…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
LI Teacher Caught On Livestream Sexting Purported 13-Year-Old Girl: Police LI Teacher Caught On Livestream Sexting Purported 13-Year-Old Girl: Police
LI Teacher Caught On Livestream Sexting Purported 13-Year-Old Girl: Police A Long Island elementary school teacher is accused of requesting sexually explicit photos from who he thought was a 13-year-old girl. Wading River Elementary School teacher Mark Verity, 37, was arrested by Suffolk County Police Friday, Oct. 17, hours after he was allegedly caught on a livestream admitting to engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a purported minor, as Daily Voice reported.  On Thursday, Oct. 16, the vigilante group Predator Poachers Long Island posted a video claiming it had confronted the teacher during a sting operation. In the clip, Verity allege…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
LI Teacher Discussed 'Sex, Kissing' With Purported 13-Year-Old Girl In Undercover Sting LI Teacher Discussed 'Sex, Kissing' With Purported 13-Year-Old Girl In Undercover Sting
LI Teacher Discussed 'Sex, Kissing' With Purported 13-Year-Old Girl In Undercover Sting A Long Island elementary school teacher has been suspended and banned from campus after allegedly having sexually explicit conversations with a purported underage girl. The Wading River Elementary School teacher was “caught on a livestreamed platform sharing disturbing remarks,” Shoreham-Wading River Central School District Superintendent Gerard Poole said in a letter to parents Wednesday, Oct. 15. It came hours after the vigilante group Predator Poachers Long Island posted a video claiming it had confronted the teacher during a sting operation. In the clip, the man admits to engaging in a …

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by Michael Mashburn