As of Oct. 1, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, will be offering a new version of the citizenship test. The aim of the redesigned naturalization test is to offer a more uniform, standarized experience nationwide and to allow applicants to demonstrate their knowledge of U.S. history and civics.

The  biggest change to the test is the [...]

For the past few days I’ve been covering the death of a Guatemalan man whose body was found early Tuesday morning in his backyard. Police confirmed the identification of Emilio DeJesus Ramirez-Buezo yesterday.

We already knew the name on Tuesday after I interviewed Buezo’s brother, Alvaro Buezo. Buezo was nervous about talking to me because he [...]

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez expelled the U.S. Ambassador yesterday, giving him 72 hours to leave the country. The move was made to support Bolivia’s President Evo Morales, who also kicked out their U.S. Ambassador this week after claiming he instigated protests there.

With that said, the shakeup in Venezuela comes when a local politically-involved figure is [...]

Neighbors Link of Mount Kisco is bringing back its “Latin Links Conversation Program.” The second annual event sponsored by the Friends of Neighbors Link will feature two conversations, including a viewing and panel discussion of “La Misma Luna” (Under the Same Moon) at 7:15 p.m., Sept. 17 at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville [...]

The sixth annual Ecuadorian Parade and Festival of Peekskill will kick off this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The parade will commence at Bank and Hudson streets, ending at Riverfront Green. Festival will follow at 1 p.m.

Below are some great photos shot by TJN photographer Ricky Flores of past Ecuadorian festivals in Peekskill.

For years, day laborers in Brewster have crowded Main Street waiting for contractors and homeowners to pick them up for a day of work. It has been an ongoing problem for residents and the like who fear for their safety and argue that their presence ruins the village’s appearance.

Suddenly, village officials have taken the initiative [...]

If you didn’t catch the New York Times Sunday article ” Immigrants facing deportation by U.S. hospitals,” it is definitely worth a read. The story talks about how some hospitals, faced with insurmountable bills, are sending ill immigrants back home.  In one particular case, a Guatemalan man who suffered a traumatic brain injury from a [...]

Bangkok, Thailand. That’s where I spent the better part of July with my 15-year-old niece immersing ourselves in a place that lives up to its name: “The Land of Smiles.”

We went there on a volunteer trip with the New Rochelle-based organization, Cross-Cultural Solutions. The mission far exceeded my expectations. We spent two weeks working at [...]

The Westchester Fair Campaign Practices Committee ruled today that state Assemblyman Greg Ball’s recent campaign literature where he attacks his opponent Republican John Degnan contained several unfair and misleading charges. The political ad focused largely on Degnan’s alleged stance on various illegal immigration issues.

Degnan had filed 12 complaints with the group over Ball’s recent mailer [...]

Brewster’s longtime Hispanic liaison, Victor Padilla resigned from his volunteer post this week because of what he considers to be an ineffective and inconsiderate village police department.

Padilla said the 17-member force justifies its existence by doing nothing but issue parking tickets. Last week, Padilla was hit with a $25 summons for not putting quarters in [...]