New Yorkers will be able to avoid jail time for most nonviolent parole violations under a new law signed Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The “Less is More” law largely eliminates New York’s practice of incarcerating people for technical parole violations, including being late to an appointment with a parole officer, missing curfew, or failing to pay fees or to inform a parole officer of a change in employment. Starting in March, people on parole will land back behind bars only for drug or alcohol use if they were convicted of driving under the influence of those substances.

A New York City cop has been arrested on felony burglary charges after allegedly breaking into a Jewish camp on Sprout Lake Road on September 8, the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Sources have told Mid Hudson News that on September 8, a person now identified as 37-year-old Matthew McGrath, broke into Camp Young Judea, smashed several windows, destroyed many of the contents in the director’s residence, and did extensive damage to the property. The New York State Police were summoned to the camp when the damage was discovered. On September 15, 2021, the New York State Police, in conjunction with the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew McGrath, a Middletown resident, on multiple felony charges of burglary and Criminal Mischief.

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin revealed Saturday that he was diagnosed last November with early stage chronic myeloid leukemia but said he responded well to treatments and is now in remission. Zeldin, a Long Island Republican who’s running for New York governor, said the diagnosis had no impact on his work or Army Reserve duties. The Iraq War veteran said he suffered no side effects from treatment and that his health is now “phenomenal.” “Over the last nine months, I have achieved complete remission, am expected to live a normal life, and my doctor says I currently have no evidence of this disease in my system,” Zeldin said in a statement released through his Congressional office.

An inmate at New York City’s troubled Rikers Island jail complex hopped behind the wheel of a prison bus Thursday night and crashed it into a wall while guards weren’t looking, officials said. Two inmates were evaluated for minor injuries. One guard was suspended for 30 days without pay. Officials said further discipline could be warranted pending the outcome of an investigation. Jason Kersten, a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Correction, said the incident happened around 10 p.m. He said the agency is working with prosecutors to have the inmate re-arrested. The Daily News reported that the inmate got behind the wheel of the bus while guards in charge of watching him and other detainees left to get paperwork. “We take this incident very seriously,” Kersten said.

Agudath Israel of America commends Governor Phil Murphy and the State of New Jersey for taking swift and formal action against Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, in response to Ben & Jerry’s decision to stop all sales in Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem, in violation of New Jersey state law. In a letter to Unilever, Shoaib Khan, acting director and chief investment officer at New Jersey’s Division of Investment, wrote that New Jersey’s annuity and pension funds will longer invest in Unilever, and that New Jersey will take action to divest and withdraw any investment in the company, amounting to some $182 million. New Jersey is the second state to take formal action against Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s for Ben & Jerry’s boycott.

Republicans and Democrats on an independent commission tasked with drawing new political maps instead drew criticism Wednesday when they failed to agree on what they should look like and released competing versions. The state’s loss of a congressional seat based on the most recent census date — from 27 to 26 — means a district will disappear. Under both Republican and Democratic maps, the vanishing district comes at the expense of upstate, which currently has 12 seats but will now have 11 under redrawn maps, if adopted. The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on hearings in the coming months.

A Florida businessman who admitted that his fraud-busting business was a fraud is citing the coronavirus threat in prisons as he asks a judge to release him early from his one-year prison term. David Correia, 46, made the request in court papers filed publicly Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. The West Palm Beach resident was sentenced in February after pleading guilty to making false statements to the Federal Election Commission and conspiring to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors said Rudy Giuliani was hired as a consultant to the business, “Fraud Guarantee,” which purportedly protected investors from being fraud victims.

Flatbush Shomrim is alerting the community to be aware of those you are trusting with your children. There have recently been a number of troubling incidents with hired help involving the children they were watching. One shocking incident in the past 24 hours involved a woman allegedly hitting a 1-year-old child in a public park. Thankfully, the parents were able to take appropriate action thanks to the fast work of Flatbush Shomrim volunteers. Another incident in the past few days involved a cleaning lady stealing thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry. Flatbush Shomrim implores people to properly vet your help at home, and make sure you have working cameras both inside and outside your homes.

Sikh businessman Balbir Singh Sodhi was helping plant a flower bed at his Arizona gas station when he was shot dead by a man seeking to avenge 9/11. Mistaken for an Arab Muslim because of his turban and beard, Sodhi was the first person to die in a wave of bias crimes unleashed by the attacks. “Five shots rang out and Balbir uncle fell and died right there, he bled to death not knowing who shot him or why,” Sikh activist Valarie Kaur told scores of people gathered Wednesday night at the Chevron station for the 20th anniversary of Sodhi’s murder. “His killer, when arrested, said: ‘I am a patriot.’” 9/11 released a dangerous wave of white supremacy and Islamophobia that, two decades later, continues to manifest in attacks on members of a variety of belief traditions.

All workers at child-care centers in New York now must wear face coverings under a plan announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday. The Democratic governor said the requirement is effective “now” and applies to all staff and visitors at state-regulated child care centers. Hochul cited the rise in COVID-19 cases among children and the lack of a vaccine for children under 12 years old. New York already requires individuals to wear masks in schools, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, transportation hubs and certain healthcare settings like hospitals.