Suffolk MA
Lifestyle
This Suffolk County City Among Best Places To Live In US: New Report This Suffolk County City Among Best Places To Live In US: New Report
This Suffolk County City Among Best Places To Live In US: New Report Three cities across Massachusetts have been ranked by a new report as some of the best places to live in the country. They’re the best of the best. The 2024 Best Places to Live in the US, released by U.S. News & World Report, named three Massachusetts cities — Boston, Worcester, and Springfield — among the top 150 municipalities across the country. Using an analysis of public data and user opinions, cities were given scores in the following categories, which were then averaged to find a ranking spot: Quality of life index, which includes crime rates, quality and availability of he…

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by Sophie Grieser
Southwest Dutchess
Lifestyle
Popular Poughkeepsie Bar Closing Permanently Popular Poughkeepsie Bar Closing Permanently
Popular Poughkeepsie Bar Closing Permanently A popular Hudson Valley bar known for some wild nights as it changed hands over the years but always stayed a "go-to spot" is closing permanently. Refinery 51 in Dutchess County on Market Street in the City of Poughkeepsie announced it would close for good with a farewell party on Saturday, June 1. "From Mad Hatter to Union Tavern and now Refinery 51, we Thank You for all your patronage, good times, and memories over the last quarter of a century," said the owners of Refinery 51. "It’s been an incredible run, so let’s toast to the memories and milestones together one last time!" The party …

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by Kathy Reakes
Prince George's
Lifestyle
Meticulous Upper Marlboro Woman Not Surprised By $50K Scratch-Off Lottery Win Meticulous Upper Marlboro Woman Not Surprised By $50K Scratch-Off Lottery Win
Meticulous Upper Marlboro Woman Not Surprised By $50K Scratch-Off Lottery Win A Maryland woman is basking in her own brilliance after doing her Lottery homework and winning a $50,000 prize on a scratch-off ticket she specifically picked out. Each week, the Prince George's County woman says she and her husband have a routine where they pick up a handful of specific Lottery tickets from area stores, but not until she has studied information online about which prizes are still available for each game. She said that she always expected to win big at some point, so the five-figure prize came as no shock to her after her plan paid off. According to the woman, she makes a …

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by Zak Failla
Cape May
Lifestyle
'Marty Party' In Ocean City: ESPN's Marty Smith Named Boat Parade's Grand Marshal 'Marty Party' In Ocean City: ESPN's Marty Smith Named Boat Parade's Grand Marshal
'Marty Party' In Ocean City: ESPN's Marty Smith Named Boat Parade's Grand Marshal The "Marty Party" is coming to a boat parade on the Jersey Shore this summer. ESPN reporter Marty Smith will be the grand marshal of Ocean City's 69th annual Night in Venice on Saturday, July 20, the city said. The theme will be "Summertime Vibes: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett." Smith's wife Lainie is a city native and graduated from Ocean City High School in 1995. "It’s great that the Smith family has such close ties with Ocean City, and I’m honored to have Marty as our grand marshal for this year’s Night in Venice," Mayor Jay Gillian said in a statement. "They’ll be right at home on the wat…

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by Chris Spiker
Worcester
Lifestyle
Life After Lottery: Winners Discuss How Life Changed After Hitting Jackpots; Keeping It Secret Life After Lottery: Winners Discuss How Life Changed After Hitting Jackpots; Keeping It Secret
Life After Lottery: Winners Discuss How Life Changed After Hitting Jackpots; Keeping It Secret The only thing better than winning the lottery is doing it anonymously. There are countless stories of lottery winners who've gone bankrupt in part from empty-handed "friends" or scammers looking for a rich target.  In Massachusetts, winners must divulge their names and pose with novelty checks boasting their jackpot amount unless they create a trust to collect their cash. Attorney David Spillane, a partner at the Quincy-based law firm SKB Attorneys, who's done nearly 100 of these trusts, connected us with some of those winners who chose to keep their paydays a secret to see what life …

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by Josh Lanier
Nassau
Lifestyle
Casting Call: Music Video For Major Country Star Needs To Fill Roles For Men, Women, Kids Casting Call: Music Video For Major Country Star Needs To Fill Roles For Men, Women, Kids
Casting Call: Music Video For Major Country Star Needs To Fill Roles For Men, Women, Kids A music video being produced in the region is seeking men, women, and kids to fill roles for extras. The video, about a major country star, will be filmed in New York City on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26. A group of friends returns home for a friend's funeral. After the funeral, they have a fun night together around town. Lead roles are needed for men aged 18 to 23 and women ages 40 to 50 to play the mother of boys. Supporting roles are being cast for women aged 18 to 23 and boys ages 10 to 12 (to play the child versions of the lead male roles in a flashback scene). All ethni…

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by Joe Lombardi
Suffolk NY
Lifestyle
Hero: Commack 11-Year-Old Back On Dance Floor Thanks To Kidney Donation From Doctor Brother Hero: Commack 11-Year-Old Back On Dance Floor Thanks To Kidney Donation From Doctor Brother
Hero: Commack 11-Year-Old Back On Dance Floor Thanks To Kidney Donation From Doctor Brother Not everyone gets to meet their hero; For Emily Alanko, her hero happens to be her big brother. The Long Island 11-year-old from Commack, who loves dancing and all things Barbie, was born with a rare genetic disorder known as Branchio-OtoRenal (BOR) Syndrome, which causes malformations of the ears and kidneys. In Emily’s case, she was born with just one kidney, meaning a pair of doctors at Cohen Children’s Medical Center has had to monitor her condition since birth. Alarm bells began to ring earlier this year when her longtime care team, Cohen doctors Christine Sethna and Pamela Singer, we…

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by Michael Mashburn
Chappaqua
Lifestyle
Mutant Sleepover: Request Stay At All-New X-Mansion Airbnb In Northern Westchester Mutant Sleepover: Request Stay At All-New X-Mansion Airbnb In Northern Westchester
Mutant Sleepover: Request Stay At All-New X-Mansion Airbnb In Northern Westchester Any mutants out there may be interested in requesting a stay at an all-new Airbnb in Northern Westchester inspired by an animated X-Men television series.  The 4-bed, 5-bath mansion, located in New Castle, is part of Airbnb's "icons" series, which consists of locales inspired by music, films, television shows, art, sports, and more, according to the company.  The company's X-Mansion is inspired by the animated Disney+ show "X-Men '97" and features show-inspired interior design and activities.  Those who book a stay can sleep in one of the mansion's many X-Men-inspired dorms …

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by Ben Crnic
Norwalk
Lifestyle
'Our Dream Restaurant': Family Members Open Eatery With Vibrant Dishes In Norwalk 'Our Dream Restaurant': Family Members Open Eatery With Vibrant Dishes In Norwalk
'Our Dream Restaurant': Family Members Open Eatery With Vibrant Dishes In Norwalk Together with a pair of Puerto Rican chefs, two family members have launched the fusion restaurant and bar of their dreams in a bustling Connecticut city. Costa Vino, located at 36 Westport Ave. in Norwalk, opened at the tail end of 2023. A collaboration between owners (and family members) Andres Diaz and Sandro Toro and Chefs Vladimir Tolentino Collado and Miguel Castillo, the restaurant and bar brings together Mediterranean and Caribbean flavors. “We are thrilled to open our dream restaurant in the city of Norwalk,” Diaz said. Diaz and Toro spent time at nearby eateries such as Tabl…

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by Sophie Grieser
Middlesex MA
Lifestyle
Extras Needed For Film On College Admissions Being Produced In Winchester Extras Needed For Film On College Admissions Being Produced In Winchester
Extras Needed For Film On College Admissions Being Produced In Winchester A short film on the college admissions process being produced in New England is seeking extras. "Admissions," is described by its creators as "a darkly humorous fly-on-the-wall mockumentary that peels back the layers of university admissions in post-affirmative action America." The scenes will be filmed in Winchester, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26. Extras should be between the ages of 18 and 35. "The project will blend scripted and unscripted moments, requiring a cast adept at acting and improvisation, with a keen sense of humor and the abilit…

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by Joe Lombardi
New Rochelle
Lifestyle
Scenes For Apple TV Series Filmed At Gym In New Rochelle Scenes For Apple TV Series Filmed At Gym In New Rochelle
Scenes For Apple TV Series Filmed At Gym In New Rochelle A busy gym in Westchester served as the site of a film shoot for an upcoming television series with a star-studded cast.  Scenes for the Apple+ series "Swipe" were filmed at AltaFit in New Rochelle at 5 Plain Ave. on Monday, May 13, according to the gym's owners. These scenes won't be the only ones filmed at the gym, as the crew is set to return in June. "We are thrilled to welcome the cast and crew of this highly anticipated TV show to New Rochelle," said one of the gym's staff members, who added, "The decision to film in our city highlights the diverse and vibrant landscape that Wes…

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by Ben Crnic
Montgomery MD
Lifestyle
Beginner's Luck Lands Silver Spring Man $50K Lottery Jackpot Beginner's Luck Lands Silver Spring Man $50K Lottery Jackpot
Beginner's Luck Lands Silver Spring Man $50K Lottery Jackpot A Maryland man with a fitting nickname is crediting beginner's luck after winning a $50,000 jackpot on a $20 Maryland Lottery scratcher.  "Mr. Money Bags," a nickname given to the Silver Spring man by his family because of his curiously good luck is celebrating with his fiancée after winning big on a $50,000 Cash scratch-of game, despite only beginning to play Lottery games earlier this year. According to the big winner, he felt the itch to play last weekend and stopped at the 7-Eleven location on Frederick Road in Germantown, where he purchased the golden ticket. He said that th…

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by Zak Failla