Surfer With Parachute Washes Up On Liberty Island
There were some initial reports of a parachuter who was at the Liberty State Park at Liberty Island, which piqued our curiosity. The U.S. Parks Police tells us that it wasn't a parachuter but a surfer with a parachute (kite-surfing!), trying to take advantage of today's blustery winds. Apparently the wind died down, so he lost control of the surfboard and ended up at the rocks near where the flags are at the park. The surfer is apparently doing fine and the Liberty State Park Police took over.
CUNY Report: City H.S. Grads Lack Basic Math Skills
The Daily News reports on a disturbing CUNY report: "During their first math class at one of CUNY's four-year colleges, 90% of 200 students tested couldn't solve a simple algebra problem...Only a third could convert a fraction into a decimal. The lack of math skills means the CUNY students - nearly 70% of which come from city schools - could struggle to keep up with peers, fail classes or even drop out, the professors charged." City College Professor Stanley Ocken said, "These results are shocking. They show that a disturbing proportion of New York City high school graduates lack basic skills."
NJ Transit Train Delayed By... Slim Fast
Another powder freakout, though this one is very tame: According to 1010WINS, a NJ Transit train that left NYC at 7:01 a.m. for Long Branch was stopped when a suspicious powder was found on the floor around 7:41 a.m. "Police say a suspicious substance found on an NJ Transit train was Ultra Slim-Fast. Spokesman Dan Stessel says the diet supplement was found on the floor of the sixth car of Train 3221... Stessel says about 200 passengers were transferred to the next train. The spokesman says no one complained of any health problems." It was taken seriously by authorities—check out the hazmat suit!
8th Anniversary Of Flight 587 Crash
Today is the 8th anniversary of Flight 587, the American Airlines flight that crashed into Belle Harbor, Queens in 2001. The flight had taken off from JFK Airport, on its way to the Dominican Republic; turbulent air led the co-pilot to use the rudder to keep the plane up, but the rudder broke off. All 260 people on board—251 passengers and 9 crew members—were killed, as were five people on the ground. There is a memorial service, with Mayor Bloomberg speaking, this morning.