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Minnesota K-9 team wins first place at national competition

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

Canine Corrections Officer Cha Vang and his K-9 partner, Sammi, won first place in the recent United States Police Canine Association narcotics detection competition.Vang, who has been a corrections officer at facilities in Lino Lakes and St. Cloud since 2006, first started working with Sammi in 2019, according to a Department of Corrections news release. The department trains dogs to break up assaults and conduct a variety of searches, but Sammi is their first canine trained exclusively for narcotics detection.Vang and Sammi conducted nearly 200 narcotics searches from January to March 2023, according to the release. Their searches took place in cells, living units, visiting rooms and mailrooms.Vang and Sammi traveled to Evansville, Indiana, last month to compete against 64 K-9 teams from across the U.S. The team participated in narcotics-discovery simulations. Canines were assessed on responsiveness, alertness and ability to locate hidden narcotics. Handlers were assessed on their...

Coverage For All & Sammy's Law could be off session agenda

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Wednesday is the second and final scheduled session day for the Assembly at the State Capitol. On Tuesday, lawmakers took up environmental bills, criminal justice reform and more. One controversial bill known as Coverage For All - which would expand health insurance to include undocumented immigrants is still up in the air. New York will offer free abortion pills at city-run health clinics  The federal government has given New York State permission to use surplus money set aside from the Essential Plan to offer coverage to undocumented people. Sponsor of the bill, Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas said this could help around 240,000 people and would cost over a billion dollars. This would be at the discretion of the Health Commissioner. "And again the max would be 250% of the federal poverty level, but again the Commissioner has flexibility to roll it out in a way to ensure that we’re not exceeding in costs, and that we’re making sure that we’re prioriti...

Chris Mathiesen talks campaign with News10

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -  Primary elections for many municipal offices are happening on June 27. One of the races is for Saratoga Springs mayor. Democrat Chris Mathiesen is challenging the incumbent mayor Ron Kim in the Democratic primary.Mathiesen is no stranger to Saratoga Springs City Hall. He served as the public safety commissioner for three terms, (2012-2017). But he recently retired from his dental practice and decided to run for office again. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The democrat says he has always been a supporter of Ron Kim but now questions some decisions he has made while the mayor and his leadership. Mathiesen points to disruptions during city council meetings."Things have gotten out of control," said Mathiesen. He adds, "Mayor Kim has allowed things to get so out of control that people feel unsafe at a city council meeting." Mathiesen sat down with News10 to discuss the issues facing the city a...

Ron Kim talks campaign with News10

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Primary elections for many municipal offices are happening on June 27. One of the races is for Saratoga Springs mayor. Current mayor Ron Kim is facing a challenger from fellow Democrat Chris Mathiesen. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Kim is trying for a second term as mayor. The city elects a new mayor every two years. His accomplishments include opening a 24/7 homeless shelter and creating a civilian review board.Kim sat down with News10 to discuss the issues facing the city ahead of the Tuesday, June 27 primary.

Assembly session continues into second day

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--- Assemblymembers spent their last day in Albany debating issues such as making organized competitions to hunt wildlife unlawful."It’s really the organizing, the promoting, the registration fee, the prize at the end that is what is prohibited," explained Assemblymember, Deborah Glick. Assemblymember Marjorie Barnes is against the legislation, saying the state raises pheasants every year."To feel like we are all offended, because wildlife gets killed in the state when the state actually raises them for that expressed purpose, in order to encourage hunting activities, I think it’s in itself an auspicious argument and an auspicious purpose for the bill," said Barnes.While the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation raises pheasants for hunting purposes, it does not host competitions. This bill passed. If signed by the governor, it will take effect in November.On Tuesday, the Assembly passed legislation that would protect New York doctors using tel...

Suspicious Overnight Fires in Troy

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Over the past month crews were hard at work building a stage behind in Troy’s Powers Park. They were surprised to find their forklift burnt out when they came to work this morning. NEWS10 spoke to neighbors across the street, who wished to remain anonymous, that called police after seeing the vehicle on fire and someone fleeing the scene. MORE NEWS from NEWS10That wasn’t the only fire Troy first responders had to deal with. According to the city’s police department, there were four separate vehicle fires in the Lansingburgh neighborhood. All of the blazes occurred between 11:30 pm and Midnight Tuesday night. Their investigation is ongoing. There is no suspect in custody. Police are still trying to determine if the fires are connected. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The department says Detectives have collected multiple videos from surveillance cameras in the areas of the incidents. As for the for...

New trail, preserve open for hiking in Queensbury

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Luzerne Road stretches out from the west end of Glens Falls and crosses through a part of Queensbury populated by neighborhoods, trees, and West Mountain. The town's fourth ward also contains 13 acres of land acquired recently by an organization dedicated to maintaining wilderness around Queensbury. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! This week, the Queensbury Land Conservancy announced the acquisition of the Nicholson Preserve, a new donation of property owned by the Nicholson family on Luzerne Road. The property came to the conservancy as a typical Queensbury landscape of pine trees and sandy soil. Now, it sports a mile-long trail."We had help from some National Grid employees to add the trail," said Board President Sandra Allen. "It's relatively flat, easier for smaller kids and folks who aren't big climbers."With the trail set and a parking lot carved out, all that's left now at the property - lo...

City of Troy uses ARPA funds to improve local parks

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Troy residents will see upgrades and improvements to local parks around the city. Funding for the work comes from the American Rescue Plan Act. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Kinloch Park in Troy's Eastside neighborhood will be temporarily closed on June 26. Work will be done to improve the sidewalks, drainage, and parking. Other parks undergoing improvements include Canal Park, Beman Park, and 112th Street Park.

Psychologist, native activist weigh-in on mascot change process

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- School districts across New York State continue the process of changing their mascot and team names to align with the Board of Education's mandate to stop using Native American names and logos. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Tuesday night, the Niskayuna Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution to start the team name change process. While the district doesn’t currently use indigenous imagery, they will change their monikers from the current "Silver Warriors" and "Mohawks.""When you use mascot names that group people together, even if people don't mean to be discriminatory, it fosters that," said Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Rudy Nydegger.The American Psychological Association has taken the stance that using Native American symbols and nicknames is not only offensive to the groups they are stereotyping, but also undermines the educational experiences of communities who have little to ...

Tate appears in Romanian court to face rape and human trafficking charges

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:11:21 GMT

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Andrew Tate, a social media personality known for expressing misogynistic views online, appeared Wednesday in a court in Romania. Prosecutors have charged him with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to exploit women. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The former professional kickboxer and his brother, Tristan, who also was charged, arrived at the court in Bucharest, Romania's capital, flanked by six bodyguards. Tate, 36, has denied wrongdoing and said in a brief statement that he was being “unfairly attacked.”Reporters outside asked him, “How much money have you made from trafficking women?”Tate, whose social media posts included photos of luxury cars and displays of wealth, snapped: “Zero.” The successful social media personality acquired over six million Twitter followers, many of them young men and teenage boys. Rape, trafficking charges filed against Andrew Tate Tate previously...