As expected, a judge today dropped charges against four Pace University football players arrested the night their fellow teammate Danroy (DJ) Henry was shot and killed by police.

The four, Joseph Romanick,Yves Delpeche,  Joseph Garcia and  Daniel Parker had been charged with disorderly conduct,obstruction and criminal mischief following the October 17, 2010 shooting of Henry. Romanick had also been charged with felony criminal mischief.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino announced today that thanks to the help of financial inducements from the County's Industrial Development Agency and the state, Pepsi Beverages Company (PBC), the bottling division of PepsiCo Inc., will remain at its headquarters in Somers.

Westchester/Putnam Assemblywoman Sandy Galef along with State Senator Martin Golden have introduced a bill in Albany that would require municipalities to allow public access to the proposed terms of school district  or municipal bargaining agreements.

"The reason for this legislation is to make sure the process is open so that the public can examine where their tax dollars are going. What this does is require that when a contract has been negotiated between unions and municipal governments or schools that it go up on the internet over several weeks so that the public will have a chance to review it and comment on it."

Galef says when a municipality or a school district "spends public dollars," it's important such information be disclosed before a vote takes place.

Her bill proposes collective bargaining agreements covering salaries and benefits of all school district peronnel and public employees be released prior to their implementation.
"School taxes represent 70-80% of a homeowner's property tax bill.  Homeowners deserve to understand where their money is going," said Galef.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Eliot Engel are calling on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to hold hearings on the licensing of what they are calling "High risk nuclear facilities" such as Indian Point, which are located in densely populated areas.  

Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee said, "It is time for the NRC to realize that natural disasters and terrorism are all too real. Because of its location it is too inviting a target." He also expressed deep concerns that the plants are built along the Ramapo fault. 

A dramatic rescue in Yonkers.

Yonkers Police say they saved the life of a Yonkers woman who had jumped into the Hudson River off the City Pier last evening. Shortly before 8 p.m. officials spotted a parked, unoccupied car that was still running at the pier and found the woman who had apparently just jumped into the water.

The woman, identified only as a 42 year old Yonkers resident was semi-conscious at the time and was slipping further into the Hudson. Officers at the scene deployed a rescue rope to the woman, getting it around her arms and securing it to her waist.

It may say spring on the calendar, but the weather's still stuck in winter mode in Westchester today. Snow has been falling since this morning with area roadways in Westchester County minimally affected. That's expected to change over the next 12 hours according to the National Weather Service.

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday. The forecast is calling for rain and snow before 9 p.m. tonight. Then rain, snow and sleet low 29. 2-4 inches of snow accumulation possible. Chance of rain, snow and sleet Thursday before noon, then a chance of rain hi 41. Many afterschool activities have been canceled by Westchester organizations and school districts due to the forecast.

In Peekskill, a Winter Parking Weather Alert will be in effect beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, until further notice. As a result, all overnight parking on non-Alternate side streets is prohibited. Motorists are cautioned to follow the posted signs.

Just hours after the funeral of his his estranged wife Tina Adovasio, the NYPD arrested former cop Eddy Coello at his home, his attorney confirmed.

Police have charged Coello with 2nd Degree Murder in the strangulation death of the 40 year old Adovasio.

Her body was discovered  by a teenager riding an ATV in a wooded area of Yorktown Heights near the Taconic State Parkway last week.  The Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death homicide by strangulation. 

Since then, Coello, her estranged husband, whom she was in the process of divorcing, has been holed up in an apartment in the Bronx.  He was arrested around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the home at 2079 Wallace Avenue.

Funeral services for Adovasio were held at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac. Adovasio, who worked as a maternity nurse at Sound Shore Medical Center in New Rochelle was laid to rest at Rose Hill Cemetery in Putnam Valley.