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Autumn leaf-peeping along New York's Hudson River 'chained' to American independence

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Autumn leaf-peeping along New York's Hudson River 'chained' to American independence

Leisurely autumn leaf-peeping and the drama of American independence are linked together in a historical hunt along the Hudson River in New York.

The fall-tinted scenic drive could reveal remnants of an iron-clad testament to patriotism, American industrial spirit and the defiant derring-do of the upstart new nation.

Continental troops, under the orders of Gen. George Washington, linked an iron chain across the width of the Hudson River near West Point. It weighed 65 to 75 tons, according to multiple sources.

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The iron barrier was designed to keep the almighty British navy from controlling the critical waterway and severing rebellious New England from the rest of the American colonies. 

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“I would call the chain an engineering marvel for its time,” Dan Davis, senior education manager of the American Battlefield Trust in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital.

What has been preserved of the Great Chain is located at Trophy Point at West Point, N.Y. The display consists of 13 links of the chain (one for each original state), one swivel and one clevis. The signature “S curve” of the Hudson, which made West Point so defensible, is in the background. (Public domain)

“Not only was it an engineering marvel, it made West Point a nearly impenetrable position.”

Washington assigned Polish military engineer Col. Thaddeus Kosciusko to lead the chain gang and hang the iron links across the river.

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“The massive chain [was] made of 1,200 links of wrought iron, stretched 1,700 feet in length … and took forty men a total of four days to install,” according to the Albany Institute of History and Art.

Remnants of the chain and local iron foundries remain. They are hidden around the imposing cliffs and citadel towers of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and amid quaint riverside communities that glow in the natural wonder of the fire-hued Hudson River in autumn. 

People walk through a park next to the Hudson River under a tree whose leaves have turned color on Oct. 25, 2020, in Cold Spring, N.Y. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

The earthworks that housed the western end of the chain is found at the end of a trail at West Point known by cadets as “Flirtation Walk.”

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Thirteen links of the chain hanging in a ring and flanked by two Revolutionary War cannons, create a prominent West Point landmark at Trophy Point. The site offers dramatic views up the Hudson River portrayed throughout the centuries in American art.

George Washington’s men hung a 65-ton chain across the Hudson River to project West Point during the American Revolution. Remnants of the chain offer an excuse for an autumn drive along the Hudson River. (Stephanie Keith/Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

A similar ring of remnants of the chain forms a landmark in the west-bank community of Newburgh, New York.

Signs point out the east end of the chain on Constitution Island in Cold Springs, New York.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

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Remnants of a 65-ton iron chain that Gen. George Washington’s troops hung across the Hudson River during the American Revolution make for a colorful autumn leaf-peeping history hunt. (The New York Historical Society/Getty Images; Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital; Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

The charming colonial-era riverside village offers boutiques, bars, bakeries and bookshops and highlights the east-bank history of leaf peeping and history seeking.

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The town earned its name Cold Spring from Washington himself, according to a historical marker in the center of town.

“Just driving the area, you get a sense of the topography and geography of the terrain, the height of the mountains and hills and why West Point, and the chain protecting it, were so important,” said Davis.

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The topography and autumn color may be best viewed from the top of Bear Mountain State Park, a hub of outdoor activities and natural wonders just south of West Point on the west bank of the Hudson River.

The rural appearance, idyllic images and small-town charms belie the history surrounding the region.

People ride on a jeep during a military car parade in Cold Spring, N.Y. Signs in the area point out the east end of the chain on Constitution Island. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

“From the earliest moments of the War for Independence, each side knew that the key to victory was the Hudson River,” David Levine wrote of “The Great Chain” for Hudson Valley magazine in 2018.

 

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“The river separated the northeast from the rest of the country. If the British took control of the river, the head would be cut off from the body, and both sides knew what would follow,” Levine wrote.

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Boston, MA

Boston nightclub where woman suffered medical emergency and died has license reinstated

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Boston nightclub where woman suffered medical emergency and died has license reinstated


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After hearing testimony from club representatives and the loved ones of a woman who died there Dec. 21, regulators found no violations.

ICON, a nightclub in Boston’s Theater District, had its entertainment license reinstated at a hearing Thursday. Lane Turner/The Boston Globe

A Boston nightclub where a woman collapsed on the dance floor and died last month will have its entertainment license reinstated after the Boston Licensing Board found no violations Thursday.

Anastaiya Colon, 27, was at ICON, a nightclub in Boston’s Theater District, in the early hours of Dec. 21 when she suffered a fatal medical episode. Following the incident, her loved ones insisted that the club’s staff did not respond professionally and failed to control crowds.

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City regulators suspended ICON’s entertainment license pending an assessment of any potential violations. During a hearing Tuesday, they heard from attorneys representing the club and people who were with Colon the night she died.

Anastaiya Colon, 27, suffered a fatal medical episode Dec. 21 while at ICON.
Anastaiya Colon, 27, suffered a fatal medical episode Dec. 21 while at ICON. – GoFundMe

As EMTs attempted to respond, crowds inside the club failed to comply with demands to give them space, prompting police to shut down the club, according to a police report of the incident. However, the club and its representatives were adamant that staff handled their response and crowd control efforts properly.

Kevin Montgomery, the club’s head of security, testified that the crowd did not impede police or EMTs and that he waited to evacuate the club because doing so would have created a bottleneck at the entrance. Additionally, a bouncer and a bartender both testified that they interacted with Colon, who ordered one drink before collapsing, and did not see any signs of intoxication.

Angelica Morales, Colon’s sister, submitted a video taken on her phone to the board for them to review. Morales testified Tuesday that the video disproves some of the board’s claims and shows that ICON did not immediately respond to the emergency.

“I ran to the DJ booth, literally bombarded everybody that was in my way to get to the DJ booth, told them to cut the music off,” Morales said. “On my way back, the music was cut off for a minute or two, maybe less, and they cut the music back on.”

Shanice Monteiro, a friend who was with Colon and Morales, said she went outside to flag down police officers. She testified that their response, along with the crowd’s, was inadequate.

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“I struggled to get outside,” Monteiro said. “Once I got outside, everybody was still partying, there was no type of urgency. Nobody stopped.”

These factors, along with video evidence provided by ICON, did not substantiate any violations on the club’s part, prompting the licensing board to reinstate their entertainment license at a subsequent hearing Thursday.

“Based on the evidence presented at the hearing from the licensed premise and the spoken testimony and video evidence shared with us from Ms. Colon’s family, I’m not able to find a violation in this case,” Kathleen Joyce, the board’s chairwoman, said at the hearing.

However, Joyce further stated that she “was not able to resolve certain questions” about exactly when or why the club turned off the music or turned on the lights. As a result, the board will require ICON to submit an emergency management plan to prevent future incidents and put organized safety measures in place.

“This plan should outline detailed operational procedures in the event of a medical or any other emergency, including protocols for police and ambulance notification, crowd control and dispersal, and procedures regarding lighting and music during an emergency response,” Joyce said.

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Though the club will reopen without facing any violations, Joyce noted that there were “lessons left to be learned” from the incident.

“This tragedy has shaken the public confidence in nightlife in this area, and restoring that confidence is a shared obligation,” she said. “People should feel safe going out at night. They should feel safe going to a club in this area, and they should feel safe getting home.”

Keeana Saxon, one of three commissioners on the licensing board, further emphasized the distinction Joyce made between entertainment-related matters and those that pertained to licensing. Essentially, the deciding factor in the board’s decision was the separation of the club’s response from any accountability they may have had by serving Colon liquor.

“I hope that the family does understand that there are separate procedures for both the entertainment and the licensing, just to make sure that on the licensing side, that we understand that she was only served one drink and that it was absolutely unforeseeable for that one drink to then lead to some kind of emergency such as this one,” Saxon said.





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Pittsburg, PA

Jack McGregor, original founder of Pittsburgh Penguins, dies at 91

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Jack McGregor, original founder of Pittsburgh Penguins, dies at 91



Jack McGregor, a former state senator and the original founder of the Pittsburgh Penguins, died at the age of 91 on Tuesday. The organization announced the news in a post on social media on Thursday.

“The team extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time,” a post on X said. 

No other information was provided in the post, which was shared before the team’s game at PPG Paints Arena against the New Jersey Devils.  

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Pittsburgh Penguins original owner Jack McGregor drops a ceremonial puck between Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks at PPG Paints Arena on October 15, 2016 in Pittsburgh.

(Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)


According to his biography on the United States Senate Library, McGregor served in the state Senate from 1963-1970. He represented District 44 in Allegheny County and was a Republican. 

He was born in Kittanning, Armstrong County, and attended the University of Pittsburgh and Quinnipiac University before getting into politics, according to his biography. He also served in the United States Marine Corps.

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In 1966, the NHL granted a franchise to Pittsburgh after McGregor formed a group of investors that included H. J. Heinz II and Art Rooney. McGregor was named president and chief executive officer by the investors and represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors, according to his biography. 

The team played its first game in 1967 at the Civic Arena. McGregor owned the team for four years before selling it. 

There is also a scholarship in his name at Pitt. It aims to provide “financial assistance to a law student who excels academically and has committed to working in the public sector,” the university says. 



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Connecticut

State police investigating suspicious incident in Burlington

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State police investigating suspicious incident in Burlington


BURLINGTON, Conn. (WFSB) – Connecticut State Police are investigating a suspicious incident at a residence on Case Road in Burlington.

Multiple state troopers and police vehicles were seen at the home conducting an investigation. A viewer reported seeing nine police cars and numerous troopers at the scene.

State police said there is no threat to the public at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

No additional details about the nature of the suspicious incident have been released.

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