June 30, 2026 NEW YORK – The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of Oscar Granados Colindres, who died on June 27, 2026 following an encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP), Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), and the Village of Wappingers Falls Police Department (VWFPD)...
August 3, 2026
Month: June 2026
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Public Outcry and Confusion Mark Village Board Hearing on Water Board Disbandment
Public Outcry and Confusion Mark Village Board Hearing on Water Board Disbandment On June 24, the Wappingers Falls Village Board held a public hearing regarding a proposed law that, if enacted, would dissolve the autonomous water board and transfer full control to the village board. However, the proceeding was marred by conflicting information and a...
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The Ultimate Cover-Up: Village Board Moves to Fire the Watchdogs Who Exposed Them
The Village Board is attempting a permanent power grab by dissolving our independent Water Board. Make no mistake: this has absolutely nothing to do with improving efficiency. This is a desperate, short-sighted money grab designed to plug massive holes in a general budget built on guesswork and fiscal incompetence. The Comptroller’s Warning: Severe Mismanagement Don’t...
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Stop the Village Board’s Utility Fund Raid and Water Board Takeover
Money in our village’s utility funds is meant for one thing: maintaining and operating our water and sewer systems. Keeping a healthy surplus in these funds is vital for emergency repairs and infrastructure stability. Yet, in October 2025, the Village Board quietly transferred over $500,000 from the water and sewer funds into the general fund....
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Scathing State Report Released, Then Financial Documents Disappear. Coincidence?
All past budgets, the response to the 2023 state audit, and the 2023 Corrective Action Plan have been removed from the village website. The timing couldn’t be more suspicious. Just two weeks ago (on June 5), the New York State Comptroller released a scathing follow-up report concluding that of 13 critical financial recommendations made back...
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Playing Jury in Their Own Trial — The Board’s Sham Audit Statement
The Village Board’s recent statement regarding the devastating New York State Comptroller’s audit is a textbook attempt to escape accountability. It uses smooth, carefully crafted language to project forward momentum, but beneath the surface, it is a masterclass in dodging responsibility. The most offensive line in their statement is this: “…we also know that pointing...
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Chaos by Design: Inside the Village Hall Shell Game
OP-ED: Is the Village Hall Financial Chaos by Design? When you connect the pieces of the New York State Comptroller’s June 2026 follow-up audit, a chilling picture emerges. This isn’t just a story of lazy bookkeeping or a difficult software transition. When a village board leaves a multi-million-dollar accounting system in total disarray for three...
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THE $350,000 DAM FUND RAID: How a Borrowed Infrastructure Fund Will Hit Taxpayer Pockets
When a village board borrows money, it isn’t a blank check to spend as they please.. In December 2019, the Village of Wappingers Falls took out a $350,000 loan ( a Bond Anticipation Note) that was legally restricted and explicitly earmarked for one single purpose: repairing the village dam. But the Village Board never even...
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The Missing Mayor and the Lost Signature Stamp
The level of fiscal mismanagement and disregard for your hard-earned tax dollars is truly appalling. The Mayor did not review debt payments, failed to maintain required transfer paperwork, and could not locate his physical signature stamp—which was being manually stamped onto massive transfers without his documented consent. When the state tried to call and email...