News

Stay classy, Scarsdale: In the same week that the Mad Mom roadside abandonment story made headlines, another Scarsdale mom is in the news for stealing an estimated $12 million in gold from the Queens jewelry manufacturer where she worked as a vault manager. And according to her own confession, she did it one piece at a time over the course of six years! 50-year-old Teresa Tambunting's gold-hoarding hobby went unnoticed until January, when auditors at Jacmel Jewelry's Long Island City headquarters reported losses over the normal 3% rate. more ›

Damn, this thing's for real, huh? Turns out the swine flu may very well have infiltrated the White House bubble! The AP is reporting that an aide helping arrange President Obama's recent trip to Mexico was stricken with the flu during the visit. But don't worry—the unidentified security aide, who reports to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, swears he was never within six feet of POTUS, though he did attend a dinner with Obama during the visit. And White House press secretary David Gibbs stressed today that the individual certainly didn't travel home on Air Force One; he flew commercial on April 17th with a cabin full of unlucky strangers! Gibbs explained that they're waiting for test results to confirm whether his flu was of the trendy swine variety, and added that officials would "do everything in our power" to try to track down the other passengers on that flight. (And send them thoughtful "Get Well, Soon" cards.) Three members of the man's family also experienced "mild" flu symptoms after he came back from Mexico, and all have since recovered, but still... How long before Obama starts blowing his nose during press conferences? According to Politico, the White House has now issued a health advisory outlining "protective measures" for anyone who went on Obama’s badly-timed trip to Mexico. more ›

According to a spiked Times article obtained by New York Shitty, a quiet little Greenpoint waterfront park (okay, it faces Newtown Creek, so we're not sure how much of that front is technically facing "water") was "substantially completed" back in 2007, and yet it's still closed to the public. Before the city started renovating it as a sweetener to the 2005 "condos galore" rezoning plan, this spot at the northernmost tip of Manhattan Avenue was just a humble little dock where locals would go "to fish, to boat, to lunch," according to Christine Holowacz at the Greenpoint Waterfront Association for Parks & Planning. But nobody's been able to use it for years, even though to the untrained eye it looks pretty much complete, with new benches and a kayak launch. The problem is that a railing built to keep residents from falling into the creek and mutating into toxic avengers wasn't up to code, and, well, good parks take time! But now one city official tells the Brooklyn Paper that locals will at last get their park back during the spring: "We apologize. We understand the frustration. But it will just be a little longer." more ›

Mayor Michael Bloomberg got a chance to tout his subway riding credentials during a press conference this morning. He was asked about Vice President Joe Biden's initial suggestion that people avoid time in confined spaces, like planes or subways, given the swine flu. more ›

Betsy Perry is a marketing consultant, but her byline on the Huffington Post notes that she's a "New York Commissioner for Women's Issues, appointed by Mayor Bloomberg." Her post today, titled, "Montezuma's Revenge: Can The Best Thing About Mexico Really Be Beverly Hills Chihuahua?" opines, "Nowadays the best PR Mexico has is the movie 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua.' Between the guns, drugs, kidnappings and swine flu, this poor country can't catch a break and, maybe it shouldn't." Which was pretty poorly received by readers (one comment: "Wow. Really? Someone with such a lofty title actually wrote this?") and the mayor himself; City Room reports that Bloomberg said, "Inappropriate would be the word that came to mind... I don’t know what she was thinking about." Perry told CityRoom she was embarrassed, "That’s the way I write. I have a sense of humor that obviously wasn’t funny. I’m appalled at myself. I couldn’t possibly insult anybody... I’m sorry that in any way I reflected badly in this wonderful mayor. I hope that I am forgiven." Still, Perry couldn't quite explain why Beverly Hills Chihuahua was great for Mexico since the movie takes place in...California (where Beverly Hills is). more ›

Earlier this week a Bronx woman discovered a giant tortoise sauntering through her backyard. Turns out it wasn't a recent layoff from the Bronx Zoo or of the Teenage Mutant Ninja variety, nor was its real name Shelly, as the owner cleared up upon claiming his pet yesterday. "The Animal Care & Control Center says the 60-pound Sulcata tortoise named Tilka wandered from owner Sesser Archibold's home. Tilka is 10 years old and is a very healthy and very active desert species." Wonder how long it took it took the adventurous tortoise to get from point A to point B. Archibold reportedly has a variety of pets at his home, though there's no mention of what types (though maybe he's looking to adopt a porcupine?). more ›

Coney Island land baron and would-be developer Joe Sitt has been fighting, with the help of City Council ally Domenic Recchia Jr., to get the city to change its proposed rezoning plan and expand the potential retail space from 2,500 square feet to 10,000 square feet. Opponents have predicted a Coney Island clogged with generic chains if Sitt gets his way, and now Brownstoner has a scoop proving they were right to fear the worst: more ›

Over the last six months, we've learned that Alex Rodriguez has been given the nicknames A-Roid, A-Fraud and A-SWF. Now we're told of nickname for the slugger back in 2005..."Bitch Tits." According to the upcoming biography that first broke the news he had tested positive for steroids, A-Rod was called that by fellow Yankees who noticed some extra cuppage on the third baseman, a sign to some that he was using HGH. A-Rod has denied using steroids during his tenure with the Yankees, but the book talks to players and management who say that many in the organization suspected that he was and it quotes one major leaguer who accuses him of using HGH with former Yankee Kevin Brown in 2004. Other new revelations in the book include allegations that A-Rod used steroids as early as high school, tipped off pitches to friends on opposing teams and, most heinous of all, only tips 15% when he eats at Hooters. more ›

The trial of Brooke Astor's son Anthony Marshall is a glimpse into high society. Well, a glimpse of high society amid accusations of elder abuse, swindling money from a senile woman, and more. The Post reports that one of the the prosecution's exhibits is "a remarkably detailed scale model of Brooke Astor's 16th-floor apartment overlooking Park Avenue at 72nd Street." The model's rooms appear to emulate the actual decoration of Astor's co-op, which is on the market for $29 million, including parquet-type floors and wallpaper. The Post adds, "You can almost smell the dog urine on the infamous Blue Room couch." more ›

David Blaine has found a new project: Mia Farrow. The 64-year-old activist/actress has tapped into the magician's bag of tricks to get some tips on how to endure a hunger strike. She started the fast on Monday, in the name of Darfur, and has been blogging about it on her website, saying, "Before I began this fast David Blaine (magician and endurance artist) called me. So kind of him. He told me a little about how to prepare and what to expect. He said after 6 days I won't feel hunger. He told me to drink 4 liters of water." Farrow only weighs in at 110 pounds, and will be living on a water-only diet for three weeks. She maintains: "What I am going through now is nothing compared what the people of Darfur are facing. When I feel hunger pangs and my head aches, I think of them." [via the Daily News] more ›

Hi, is this Jimmy McIndigent? This is the NYU Admissions Office calling! Listen, we know you've worked so hard in high school all these years to get into the college of your dreams, but looking over your family's financial profile, it's gonna take a lot more than your summer job at Mi-T-Mart to make this nut. Now, we're not encouraging you to back out or anything—though if you did there's probably still time for us to find one more rich kid to take your place. It's just that not everyone is the right "financial fit" for NYU, which currently costs over $50,000 a year. Yeah, that's a lot, but have you seen that new Kimmel Center? We just had Ra Ra Riot play there; it was sick! Anyhoo, we've just been calling 1,800 of the 7,300 accepted students who qualified for financial aid with this little "heads up" to make sure they're seriously going through with "mortgaging their future" with all these loans! Just food for thought, k? TTYL! more ›

State Labor Department investigators who raided a clothing manufacturer in the garment district Tuesday night say sweatshop workers had been toiling to make dress uniforms for the NYPD. According to NY1, the department doesn't have a contract with the raided company, Forest Uniform Corp., but had been recommending officers privately buy their uniforms from them. Labor Department Commissioner Patricia Smith told reporters yesterday that the company has been cheating its 16 employees out of nearly $500,000 in overtime pay: "While the fake timecards show employees working 35 or 40 hours in a given workweek, the real ones told a much different story. Employees were found to be working 70 to 80 hours a week, sometimes without a day of rest." Investigators also accused a contractor that works with Forest Uniform of violating labor laws. In a statement released yesterday, a combative Smith said other sweatshop owners should take notice: "For too long, this employer and its contractor have flagrantly thumbed their noses at our investigators. Enough is enough. Our patience in this matter is over. Either pay your workers and get in compliance, or we’ll confiscate or tag every last shirt, jacket and sock you produce." more ›

Bunkless Bovian took the witness stand in Brooklyn Supreme Court yesterday to testify against deli clerk Salah Ahmed, who's on trial for hitting him on the head with a hammer during a brawl in his East New York store last April. Bovian (pictured), 16, told the jury he doesn't remember the details leading up to the incident, and only recalls "waking up in the hospital thinking I got stabbed... I still get bad headaches. Sometimes, I can't even lift my head off my pillow." But the attorney defending Ahmed pounced on the teen's testimony, asking, "You don't remember jumping on the counter and stomping on the clerk? Your memory seems to be a little selective. Do you remember anything bad you've done?" Bovian said he does recall being on friendly terms with Ahmed at one time, even helping him carry in sodas. But now the ninth grader thinks "he should go to jail. My dream was to go to the NBA... I used to get 30 points a game. Now, they hardly let me play." If convicted, Ahmed faces up to 25 years in prison. more ›

Our Amtrak-loving vice president was his usual chatty, off-the-cuff self when speaking on the Today Show. Politico reports, "Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that he would not recommend taking any commercial flight or riding in a subway car 'at this point' because swine flu virus can spread 'in confined places.' A little more than one hour later, Biden rushed out a statement backing off his stern warning a bit." more ›

Yesterday, FBI agents raided the Lexington Avenue office of William Parente. Parente killed himself after killing his wife and two daughters in a Maryland hotel room last week—the Long Island family had been visiting the eldest daughter at college. Based on some papers left in the room, it's believed Parente was in financial trouble. Newsday reports, "Investors have said Parente used the money to make high-interest commercial bridge loans" (with high returns) and that the FBI has spoken to many individuals who invested $20 million with Parente over the past two decades. Some investors had demanded their money back, but Parente stalled on giving them the money and when he did, the checks bounced. One person said, "No one questioned him, because everyone knew him. I don't understand where the money could have gone." The FBI left the office with dozens of file boxes and a hard drive. more ›

With news of another $621 million shortfall beyond an expected $1.2 billion deficit, the MTA is considering ways to deal with its troubled financial situation since the State Legislature (really, the State Senate) has been slow to agree on any sort of rescue plan. There may very well be another fare hike after the doomsday fare hike and service cuts that go into effect on May 31. It's so bad that MTA CEO and Executive Director Elliot Sander said he might even consider shutting down overnight subway service to save money: "I would not take anything off the table. [However] There have been reasons historically why that was not done and it may be that those reasons still exist." more ›

Megan McAllister, the NJ woman engaged to suspected Craigslist killer Philip Markoff, is moving on with her life. She was spotted visiting him at his jail yesterday—without her engagement ring—and her lawyer said the two had a "candid, frank" talk and that "it's time to move on with other things in her life." McAllister, who met Markoff while they were students at SUNY Albany, had previously made public statements standing by Markoff and continued to, sort of: Her lawyer said this morning, "I think she feels that she’s supportive of him. The man that she knew and loved for four years is not the man that’s being portrayed in the media." Like how her fiancee allegedly looked for gays and transgender people, too? more ›

After failing to make a deal with creditors, automaker Chrysler is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today in New York. The White House had been pushing for controlled bankruptcy if the automaker wasn't able to restructure in time; according to CNBC, "The talks for a restructuring of Chrysler had had the full support of the company's key stakeholders, including the UAW and the largest creditors, but the rest of creditors did not agree." Bloomberg News reports, "The president’s staff plans to use the filing to pave the way for Fiat Spa to take a 20 percent stake in the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker." President Obama said last night, "I am actually very hopeful, more hopeful than I was 30 days ago, that we can see a resolution that maintains a viable Chrysler automobile company out... It would be a very quick type of bankruptcy, and they could continue operating and emerge on the other side in a much stronger position." Obama will discuss Chrysler today at noon. more ›

Let's take the Air Force One flyover incident into yet another day! Fox News wanted to calculate the cost beyond the $328,835 it cost to fly the Boeing 747 and fighter jets on Monday, so it asked Mayor Bloomberg's office "how much the city had to spend to deal with the panic." Apparently NYC 911 got flyover-related 97 calls (about a 15% increase) in an hour while Jersey City said it received about 13 calls. more ›

The Real Deal reports that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office is looking into the "collapse of Rector Square, the Battery Park City condominium conversion." Developer Yair Levy defaulted on the 304-unit building's $165 million mortgage, sending the 304-unit building into foreclosure. Apparently the investigation is looking at "a possible diversion of funds during the conversion, which collapsed after Levy failed to pay millions of dollars in mortgage payments, construction costs, common charges and PILOT payments to the Battery Park City Authority." Levy has claimed he is broke, but the Real Deal points out he's been collecting $150,000/month from Rector Square's affordable housing tenants and parking garage tenant. In the meantime, Rector Square tenants, who are stuck in a limbo with questions about where their tax payments went and their renovations are incomplete, are also filing to be a part of the foreclosure action on Levy. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] Here's helicopter footage taken this morning following the collapse of a five-story building landmark building at 71 Reade Street between Church and Broadway. Channel 7 reports that first responders believe the mixed-use building to be vacant when it collapsed around 6:15 this morning, sending "debris and pieces of the building crashing onto parked cars and across Reade Street." more ›

Last week, State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith was all ready to head to Puerto Rico for a junket with other lawmakers—even though a reporter questioned his travels with critical issues still left unresolved. Smith replied, "What critical issues?" and the Daily News' Liz Benjamin said, "Well, the MTA, for example, mayoral control of schools, gay marriage is still hanging out there." But now Smith is all about staying home, and he's blaming the swine flu! Per PolitickerNY, Smith said, "I myself, unfortunately, have a daughter who was at [St. Francis Prep] who is under the weather. My wife is still under the weather, and I would tell you that my first responsibility is as a husband and a father. And I believe at this point it's probably better for me to stay closer to home than to be on a trip. I still think it's a good trip...but I think I should be closer to my daughter and my wife. God forbid if something were to happen to them and their condition gets worse while I'm away, I would never forgive myself." more ›

• Marlins 4, Mets 3: Things looked swell in this one until the eighth inning. Fernando Tatis had put the Mets on top with a solo homer in the sixth that just got out to left field. J.J. Putz and then Francisco Rodriguez would be needed to secure six outs in relief of Johan Santana. But Putz coughed up the lead in the eighth and the Mets dropped the rubber game. Santana has three wins this year in five starts but has a 1.10 ERA -- and that's up from the 0.70 mark it was at the beginning of the day. After an off-day Thursday, the Mets travel to Philadelphia for a critical series starting Friday.
• Yankees 8, Tigers 6: This one turned out much more interesting than the Yankees would have liked, but it still helped the Yankees end a road trip that started with a four-game losing streak on a positive note. Nick Swisher homered twice -- he has three homers in his last two games -- and Joba Chamberlain struck out six and walked three in seven innings of one-run ball. Hideki Matsui also had three RBIs. The Yankees face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Thursday.
• Red Bulls 2, Earthquakes 1: The Red Bulls finally won a match on the road. Unfortunately, it was only for a US Open play in game and doesn't count towards their regular season record.

Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short. more ›

The NYPD is combing through evidence from the apartment of one of their own in hopes of finding her killer. The body of NYPD investigator Michelle Lee, 24, was discovered by her roommate in the Sunnyside, Queens apartment. The Daily News reports that one hypothesis is that she "was knocked unconscious with the iron, bound to her bed with the cord of a cell phone charger and then stabbed in the throat with a kitchen knife." The Post adds, "Investigators found very little blood for someone who had been stabbed...[they think] the killer tied her up and burned her to make it look as if she had been tortured or was the victim of a sex crime," stabbing her as she was dying. The apartment had no signs of forced entry and police are going through her computer and cell phone records and examining her ex-boyfriends, "including one to whom she had been giving money but had recently cut off." Lee's co-workers at the crime lab are the ones who had to comb the apartment and run tests; NYPD spokesman Paul Browne told the Post that they feel it's "important that the killer be found." more ›

A dangerous mix of prescription drugs may have been behind Jayson Williams's violent, suicidal outburst earlier this week. The Daily News reports that the former Nets star had "bottles for Celexa, an anti-depressant, and lithium, used for manic-depression—along with the sleeping pill Ambien, human growth hormone and two other drugs." The Celexa combined with lithium could have caused serotonin syndrome, a toxic condition that could be fatal at its most severe. A police source told the paper, "When police arrived he couldn't even talk. He was crazy and out of it. Maybe the interaction of the drugs helps explain that...He was struggling—hell, who wouldn't with what is going on in his life," referring to his Williams's potential retrial for manslaughter and bitter public divorce. A lawyer for his ex-wife called the incident "exactly the type of behavior" which caused her to leave him. To which his lawyer responded, "Opportunistic comments in a time of crisis don't move me." more ›

Last night the famous technology pioneer, best-selling author, and controversial prophet Ray Kurzweil participated in a lively discussion with Robert Krulwich (cohost of WNYC's Radiolab) after a screening of the documentary Transcendent Man at the Tribeca Film Festival. The thought-provoking film is both a fascinating character study of Kurzweil, who is obviously a genius, and an entertaining look at the heated debate over where biotechnology and artificial intelligence is taking us. more ›

According to Forgotten NY, the most recognizable landmark of Sunnyside Queens is its arch at 46th Street and Queens Boulevard, "erected years ago by a now-defunct community group." Now the Daily News reports the arch, after years of disrepair, finally has a new paint job as well as nearby "benches, bike racks and trees." The entire project cost around $500,000, a number that has some skeptics—one business owner offers, "With this economy, the money could have been used somewhere else in the community. It does look better, but I don't think it's attractive," while Queens Crap says, "A half million dollars of our money went into this? Who's buddy got that contract?" But a member of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce explains, "The key to the arch is that it's a symbol of a special community. It's not so much just a piece of steel." more ›

A little heads up would have been nice. Newsday reports that back in 2002 Dr. Azad Anand and his two friends, Dr. Anoop Kapoor and Balram Verma were playing 9 holes at the Dix Hills Golf Course, when Kapoor "shanked a shot" and hit Anand square in the left eye. He lost vision in that eye, and filed suit, claiming Kapoor neglected to yell "'Fore!" prior to taking the shot. However, it's not always required by law to do so, a state appeals court has now ruled. The court ruled 3-1 in favor of Kapoor, saying Ananad is not entitled to damages and that being hit by an errant ball is an "inherent risk of the game of golf." So if you have any pals with bad aim (or trying out the Happy Gilmore tee shot), maybe invest in some golf goggles (which probably don't exist). more ›

It's been more than seven years since the attacks of September 11th inspired the MTA to beef up security in the transit system, but a massive effort to improve surveillance underground is still incomplete. Back in 2005, the authority sealed a $212 million deal with Lockheed Martin to install 1,000 video cameras and 3,000 motion sensors, as well as enable cellphone service in 277 underground stations. Today the Times reports that large parts of the project are not "scheduled" to be completed until September, and that estimate doesn't even include parts of the under-river tunnels used by the subway and the Long Island Rail Road. The project was supposed to be done last August. more ›

Senator Arlen Specter, reborn as a Democrat, appeared at the White House with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and said, "I think that I can be of assistance to you, Mr. President. ... There are a lot of big issues we're tackling now that I've been deeply involved in." Specter and Biden are good friends; the NY Times reports that Biden had been pressing Specter about switching parties lately: In the past 10 weeks, "Mr. Biden and Mr. Specter had spoken 14 times — six times in person and eight in telephone conversations. [Each time] Mr. Biden argued that the Republican Party had increasingly drifted away from Mr. Specter since the election and that ideologically, he was closer to the Democratic Party." Today, Obama said, "I don't expect Arlen to be a rubber stamp. In fact, I'd like to think that Arlen's decision reflects recognition that this administration is open to many different ideas and many different points of view... I'm eager to receive his counsel and his advice, especially when he disagrees." more ›

Ever wonder how the NYPD treats cyclists on Bizarro world? Instead of locking horns with Critical Mass, or writing ridiculous tickets, or ignoring drivers who turn bike lanes into double-parking lots, or parking in bike lanes themselves, perhaps they'd take a less adversarial approach to pedaling commuters who brave this car-clogged city. Well, as a contrast to last year's infamous cop vs. bike bodyslam video, here's a look at the kind of treatment cyclists get from the police in the Bizarro world that is Denmark: free helmets and hugs. Awww. more ›

As the Dock Street Development gets closer to City Council approval, opponents are raising their voices. Yesterday they met on the steps of City Hall to rally against the proposed structure that would ultimately block the historic view of the Brooklyn Bridge. As lines are drawn in the cobblestone, the Brooklyn Eagle brings us current, noting that so far "It has been approved by the City Planning Commission (which reduced the height from 184 to 170 feet), the Borough President’s Office (with other modifications) and CB 2." more ›

Oh Brett Favre, you just couldn't take seeing another quarterback celebrated on the back pages, could you? While the Mark Sanchez to the Jets honeymoon has barely gotten a chance to have its first pregnancy scare, the team announced last night that it's giving "retired" quarterback Brett Favre his full release upon his request. Of course we put retired in quotes because it was less than a year ago that Favre called off his first retirement and ended up coming to the Jets in a trade. The release gives him even more freedom than he had with the Packers a year ago when he had expressed interest in playing for the Vikings—a move Green Bay was not willing to accommodate. Could Favre unretire and head for the Land of 10,000 Lakes? In a statement, the quarterback said that "(GM Mike Tannenbaum and I) have been talking about this for a while. Nothing has changed. At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football." At this time. A source close to Favre told the News that he "wants to keep his options open." At least the release assures that he'll be somebody else's problem. more ›

Less than a week ago April's average temperature was running almost a degree below normal. That's not the case anymore! The last four days, with one record high and one tie, were 19.75 degrees above average, meaning April will wind up a couple of degrees warmer than normal. more ›

The NYPD made a major gang bust in the Bronx yesterday, rounding up twenty-one Bloods on a slew of charges in connection with a pattern of gang related violence in and around the Edenwald Houses—54 indictments in total for charges on everything from murder to selling drugs. The Daily News reports that "ten of the men were hauled into Bronx Supreme Court, handcuffed together by a long chain" as at least one onlooker silently hummed Sam Cooke in their head. Five of the gang members were charged with attempted murder, including one of the accused as young as fifteen and cops say members as young as thirteen have been employed to carry out shootings. The News says that four of the men arrested are believed to be part of the gang's leadership. The group from the Wakefield section of the Bronx goes by the name "Brother for Another" and includes members nicknamed "Fizzy Woo," "Weezy" and "Drip." more ›

This year's hot new look for Spring is undoubtedly the surgical mask, and we're probably just moments away from seeing ironic, sequined twists on the timeless medical classic. To test whether New Yorkers are ready to embrace the latest must-have accoutrement, the Daily News's Edgar Sandoval took to the streets yesterday with his mask on, being sure to cough a lot (which he blamed on allergies). Reactions ranged from fearful to supportive, and in Times Square, Brooklyn's Daniel Dickie sagely observed, "With the mask, you look like you were full of germs." And last night Gothamist's Billy Parker (pictured at right) put safety first during a Mets game, eliciting countless cries of "Swine Flu!" and even a couple old school cheers of, "SARS in the house!" more ›

Tender-hearted readers, be warned: You may cry (from happiness) over this. A 95-year-old man has been a "Big Brother" to a 37-year-old man for the past 30 years! In 1979, Chester Ross decided to participate in Big Brothers program in Westchester—skeptically since he was 65 with grandchildren— and met David Loughran, "a timid 7-year-old...being raised by his divorced mother." Though most Big Brother/Big Sister relationships last till the little sibling is 18, they've been friends for much longer: Ross put Loughran through college ("What else was I going to do? By then he was part of my family"), gave him career advice, and served as his best man five years ago. Ross recalled, "Be a best man when you're 90 years old? But I told him I would do it under one condition. I wanted nothing to do with the bachelor party." Loughran, who gave a son the middle name "Ross," said, "I was shy, and he helped me with my self-confidence. He encouraged me to read and get educated. He became a big part of my family, and he accepted me into his family." Awwww. Here's more information about Big Brothers/Big Sisters. more ›

Politicker NY reports that those in Governor Paterson's corner "are accusing Attorney General Andrew Cuomo of deliberately undermining the governor in the press." A Paterson 2010 campaign staffer said, "Every time there is good news for the governor, there comes along a less-positive story that seems to have some fingerprints back to Andrew Cuomo." One less-positive story is how watchdogs want an ethics investigation of how Paterson's staff leaked ultimately false information about why Caroline Kennedy dropped out of the Senate bid. Assemblyman Keith Wright pointed out that the head of one of the watchdog groups, Blair Horner of NYPIRG, "used to work for Andrew, and I'm not saying Andrew Cuomo is part and parcel to any sort of grand conspiracy theory, but you have to look at relationships. Some of our good-government groups may not be all that pure." On the other hand, it's widely believed Paterson's handling of the Senate bid was terrible. more ›

More revolting details emerged on the rape charges against two NYPD officers during their arraignment yesterday, and Commissioner Ray Kelly held a special press conference to publicly condemn the men. Officer Kenneth Moreno—a 17-year veteran on the force and 41-year-old married father of two—pleaded not guilty to allegations that he illegally entered an unidentified woman's East Village apartment and, according to Manhattan D.A. Robert Morgenthau, "had sexual intercourse with the physically helpless victim as she lay face down on her bed, having previously vomited multiple times." more ›

The NYC Housing Authority has prohibited pit bulls from all the housing projects it administers, and placed a new weight restriction on all pets, requiring them to weigh no more than 25 pounds. (Previously, and according to the NYCHA website, the limit was 40 pounds. Here's a pdf outlining the new rules.) 24 other breeds, including Rottweilers and Doberman pinschers are also banned, but residents who already own any of the proscribed pets can keep them as long as they register the animal before Friday. Queens Councilman Peter Vallone praised the ban, telling the Daily News, "Finally someone is realizing that these potentially dangerous animals have no place in a confined urban space." Of course not everyone is pleased; Anthony Nieves, who was walking his 1-year-old pit bull, Storm, near his home at the Wald Houses, says, "It all depends on how you teach a dog. My dog is like a puppy." And the ASPCA's advocacy rep explains that the group opposes both the breed-specific ban and the weight restriction because "so many breeds are over 25 pounds. You can get an overweight beagle that weighs more than 25 pounds." more ›

Maybe Senator Chuck Schumer has the right idea with being constantly ticked off by the Federal Aviation Administration—it turns out that the FAA was well aware that the Boeing 747 and military jets (also known as the "Presidential Airlift Group") would scare the bejesus out of people in lower Manhattan and New Jersey as they did on Monday. From WCBS 2:

In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration's James Johnston said the agency was aware of "the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes" in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor's office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out.

The NY Times reports that a developer claims it "would face hardship if it could not get special permission to build a bigger office tower on its site next to the High Line, the long-awaited elevated park that has helped drive up real estate values in the meatpacking district." The Romanoffs have been trying to maximize their space at 437 West 13th Street and say that the High Line's structure has either prohibited them from doing so or that it's making building much pricier. Their lawyer explained, "We’re not saying we wish the High Line wasn’t there. But it makes it more expensive to build." However, office real estate isn't on fire these days. Community Board 2 chairman Brad Hoylman summed up the skepticism a few months ago, "The fact that the applicant is claiming hardship because of the High Line rankled some folks in the community. For many people, it seems that the High Line is a windfall." more ›

The trial of famed philanthropist Brooke Astor's son has started with opening statements. Prosecutors say that Astor's only son Anthony Marshall, along with lawyers, conspired to swindle $60 million from an increasingly debilitated Astor through a codicil to her will while the defense claims Astor wanted to give her son the money all along. Defense attorney Frederick Hafetz even tried to deflate the perception of Astor's charitable largesse, saying she only donated in order to become powerful: "She used that money to position herself in the highest echelons of New York Society [and to become] one of the greatest benefactors... Make no mistake [she used the money] to position herself." more ›

The city's overall budget cuts are apparently hitting the NYPD right in the subway bag check area. MyFoxNY reports that with few police officers available, "Transportation Security Administration bag screeners from Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports will be replacing most NYPD cops in the subway that screen bags for explosives." The TSA wouldn't confirm the plan (but did say taking TSA screeners from airports and putting them underground wouldn't effect air safety) and the NYPD says these are just talks. However, sources tell MyFoxNY it's likely to happen—and it'll work this way: "About 30 TSA screeners a day will be pulled from the three area airports Monday through Friday to inspect bags at various subway locations throughout the city. At each location they'll be teamed up with one police officer instead of the two or three officers you currently see at inspection sites." Naturally, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association says this is a terrible idea and says budget crisis or no, the NYPD needs more cops. more ›

The Centers for Disease Control confirmed the first American death from the swine flu—a 23-month-old child from Texas died. The CDC also said the child had recently traveled to Mexico. Acting CDC chief Dr. Richard Besser told the Today Show, "Even though we've been expecting [that there would be some deaths], it is very, very sad. As a pediatrician and a parent, my heart goes out to the family." He added, "I don't think it (the reported death in Texas) indicates any change in the strain. We see with any flu virus a spectrum of disease symptoms... It's very important that people take their concern and channel it into action...it is crucial that people understand what they need to do if symptoms appear." Here's the CDC's Swine Flu & You website, which points out, "Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods." (Children are also very vulnerable to the seasonal flu.) more ›

In its advertising, Sears vows to match competitors' prices, but one Long Island lawyer has been walking a long road of disillusionment after the retailer refused to live up to its promises. Back in 2007, when Warren Dank showed employees at a Hicksville Sears ad clippings from competitors selling a 46-inch flat-screen for as low as $2,400—$1,200 less than what Sears was charging for the exact same product—a manager refused to budge on the price. And so Dank found his life's calling: He drove around to three different Sears outlets in the metropolitan area and was denied the promised discount every time. more ›

Finance Commissioner Martha Stark turned in her resignation yesterday; in a statement (described as "terse" by the NY Times) she said, "As I serve at the pleasure of the mayor, I hereby resign... It has been my great honor to serve." Stark had been scrutinized lately for serving on the board of a real estate company outside of NYC, keeping her deputy's husband on as a parking judge while he billed the office for time he wasn't working, for her relationship with an employee at the Finance Department, and apparent nepotism. A former Finance Department employee told the Post, "She should've resigned many years ago because there's been a lot of stuff that she was doing that nobody's caught. She got a lot of people that she knew into positions [even though] they didn't know anything about the jobs." The Post adds, "Her resignation puts Bloomberg... in the awkward spot of having only two African-American commissioners—Human Rights Commission head Patricia Gatling and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Roger Newman." more ›

Yesterday, Verizon announced that two companies that have annoyed Verizon Wireless customers with robo-calls about their expiring auto insurance are now barred "from telemarketing to Verizon Wireless customers using illegal methods." Gizmodo explains, "Auto Warranty Services and Explicit Media (Voice Solutions) had both used auto-dialers to call Verizon customers, as well as everyone else, to offer them auto warranty insurance. Verizon sued last year to stop the practice, and just received $50,000, which they will donate to charity." These calls were especially annoying to those...who While Verizon is pleased with the outcome, VP Steven Zipperstein said, "We know that unscrupulous companies and individuals continue to make these calls and offer these products," and the company will continue to pursue them. The money is being donated to the Joyful Heart Foundation, which helps survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse and was founded by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actress Mariska Hargitay. more ›

• Washington 2 Rangers 1: For the first time in their history, the Rangers have blown a 3-1 lead in a series. Unlike the previous two games, Henrik Lundqvist showed up and played a solid game, but the game-winning goal was one he should have stopped.But, it isn’t fair to lay the blame for this on Lundqvist. Start with Drury and Gomez, the high-paid centers who both had forgettable series. Nikolai Zherdev disappeared again and Wade Redden showed made Rangers’ fans further rue his contract. It will be an interesting offseason on Broadway as a lot of big decisions need to be made.
• Carolina 4 Devils 3: Only 101 seconds away from a Game 7 win, New Jersey allowed the tying goal and then the winning goal in less than a minute. Eric Staal scored with 32 seconds left to give the Hurricanes the series and send the Devils home to a very tough offseason.
• Yankees 11 Detroit 0: Phil Hughes gave the Yankees the big start they needed in his first appearance of the year and the Yankees put up 10 runs in the seventh for the win.

Many months after the City Council voted to approve extending term limits, an appeals court has upheld a lower court's ruling that Mayor Bloomberg can run for a third term. CityRoom says, "To the term limits opponents who hoped the courts would overthrow a law allowing city elected officials to run for a third term this fall, the fight is essentially over." One lawyer for the plaintiffs, Norman Siegel, wasn't sure if there would be another appeal but did say it was "a dark day for democracy and for the voters of New York City." Last November, Mayor Bloomberg had signed the bill after hearing from angry as well as pleased New Yorkers. more ›

We guess the Madoff movie has some competition! Oliver Stone is set to direct the sequel to his 1987 film, )is writing the script, but Newsweek spoke to the original film's screenwriter Stanley Wieser, who gave his two cents about the sequel— "I know it's back with Gecko coming out of jail. But he wouldn't be allowed to trade and I know that he would basically have to work using others. It's in a shark's blood to keep moving"—and believes, "If Gecko was around right now, he would find a way to buy into these government-owned toxic assets. Then, he would just pay for them at six cents on the dollar." more ›

Move over Hipster Grifter, the Observer has their eye on Houseguest from Hell! At the center of the sad tale is New Yorker Matt Tratner, who visited London earlier this month and left his Fresh Meadows, Queens apartment (and his dog) in the care of a friend named John. A longtime pal of Tratner's, John's yoga wear line (sold at Barney's) recently went under and he was attempting to pick up the pieces of his life. Once alone, however, everything fell apart, he displayed odd behavior to those who encountered him, and soon enough the SWAT team was called into the building. They found him "standing in front of Matt’s kitchen window...butt naked and full of blood." Tratner promptly returned, to find his home in disarray—the living room sofa was in the bathtub, the apartment was flooded, everything shattered, and blood smeared just about everywhere. A hazmat team cleaned up most of the blood, but Tratner is left with upwards of $15,000 worth of damages. Yikes. With his friend now in a city-run psychiatric hospital, Tratner says he will not be pressing charges. more ›

Apparently tired of seeing their Legend Seats empty behind home plate and both teams' dugouts, the Yankees lowered the prices of premium tickets Tuesday and will offer refunds or credits to those that have already purchased seats at the original price. This won't affect most fans who want to go to Yankees games, but those who spent more than $325 on a ticket stand a chance to get some money back or get some bonus seats from the team. Good news for folks saving up for the $2,500 seats—those are now going for only $1,250. Tickets that cost $1,000 have gone down to $650 and so on. Some $2,500 seats have not been reduced, but the team will hand out freebies to those current ticketholders. The team only played six games at its new ballpark, but the sparse crowds in visible seating areas made this action a no-brainer. more ›

This afternoon, city officials announced that many more school children may have the swine flu, which has been confirmed in 45 NYC residents (stats from CDC) so far. Beyond St. Francis Prep in Queens where the first cases were reported, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said that "hundreds of students were ill with symptoms which most likely were swine flu." Children at P.S. 177, a school for autistic children, were being tested (and the school is closed) as were ones at a Catholic school Ascension. From CityRoom:

P.S. 177 is at 56-37 188th Street in Fresh Meadows, in eastern Queens; Ascension is at 220 West 108th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Several St. Francis students had siblings at P.S. 177, but it was not immediately clear how or whether the Manhattan school was linked to the St. Francis flu outbreak.

At the Empire State Pride Agenda's LGBT Equality & Justice Day event in Albany, PolitickerNY reports that Governor Paterson was greeted like a rock star: "An estimated 2,000...gave David Paterson a standing ovation, and chanted 'David, David.'" The Empire State Pride Agenda's executive director Alan Van Cappelle also referred to the ratings-challenged governor as "New York's governor, our governor, the next governor, David A. Paterson." Paterson, who announced same-sex marriage legislation but softened his urgency, told the crowd, "Sometimes it takes a disciplined effort and some losses to get to a victory." According to the Daily Politics, in a Q&A with reporters, "Paterson noted many of the same people now complaining they are being discriminated against for citing religious reasons for their opposition to same-sex marriage did not speak out against discrimination of gays and lesbians when he and others were pushing a hate crimes bill in the Senate." more ›

Horrible: A 24-year-old NYPD crime-lab worker was brutally murdered at some point over the weekend, her body found Monday morning tied to the bed in her Sunnyside apartment with a knife stuck in her neck. Last year Michelle Lee, originally of College Point, Queens, graduated with a forensic science degree from John Jay College, and began working for the police department. Her roommate, who also works in the crime lab, says she was out of town for the weekend, and when she returned on Sunday night, she assumed Lee was asleep in her bedroom. But investigators believe Lee may have been dead for days. more ›

Marc Dreier, the once high-flying lawyer whose firm had over 200 lawyers, will plead guilty a $700 million scam involving fake promissory notes. According to his lawyer, Dreier—who does not have a deal—will "enter a guilty plea to...conspiracy, securities fraud, money laundering and five counts of wire fraud," the Wall Street Journal reports. Dreier was arrested in December, after returning from Canada where he was arrested for impersonating another lawyer in an attempt to get business from a Canadian pension fund, and has been under house arrest. Dreier faces over seven counts, the New York Law Journal says, "Each count carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison except for the conspiracy count, which carries a five-year term." more ›

Washington is all astir today at the bombshell news that Republican Senator Arlen Specter will leave the GOP and join the Democratic Party, bringing Democrats within reach of a filibuster-proof majority—if and when Al Franken is seated as Minnesota's senator. A 29-year senate veteran and the fifth-oldest senator, Specter is switching his party affiliation now so he can run in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary. more ›

Chalk one up for Woody Allen, a judge ruled that he doesn't have to justify his opinion that American Apparel ads are "sleazy," the NY Post reports. The company had wanted the director to back up his accusations by identifying specific ads he found distasteful, and as much as we'd love to picture a scenario in which Woody Allen brings in stacks of past Micro-Mesh campaigns into a courtroom, that request was ridiculous. (American Apparel, need we remind you of the 40-foot beaver shot or the giant rape ad?) As such, Manhattan federal Judge Thomas Griesa ruled that Allen has clearly shown "he would not have voluntarily agreed to endorse" the company's products. The case goes to court on May 18th, and last week we received an internal memo from an employee at American Apparel that attempted to express the company's point of view on all this. more ›

For over a year, residents in a two-story apartment building on Staten Island have complained about a foul odor coming "up through the radiator, in the drains," and now they've finally learned the source: A mummified corpse was decomposing in the boarded-up basement! After receiving a tip about the mummy, last night police used a sledgehammer to break into the basement, then donned white protective body suits before venturing inside. The building's landlord believes someone must have illegally entered the apartment to place the body there after it was boarded up; his friend tells Staten Island Advance: "His fiancee was just down there with the plumber doing some work on pipes and they didn't notice a thing." (They must have been pretty busy "working on those pipes," eh?) Authorities confirmed that the corpse may have been there for over a year, but refused to speculate on the nature of the injuries or the cause of death. more ›

While there are terrible acts of cruelty against animals, there are moments when humans band together to help them out. Newsday has a nice story about how firefighters in rescued a pet cat after his owners' Centerport house was on fire on Sunday. Apparently some oily rags in the kitchen garbage "ignited by 'spontaneous combustion'" (a fire official explained "certain kinds of oil can generate their own heat and cause fires"). While firefighters were able to put out the fire, during the inspection, some discovered a pet cat—named Sam— hiding in the basement. Newsday reports, "Centerport and Halesite firefighters used a small mask to give the cat oxygen. The cat was taken to New York Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center in Farmingdale, where he was said to be doing fine on Monday night." Aw—get better, Sam! more ›

Yesterday, court papers revealed that medical student Philip Markoff is in $130,000 debt from student loans and therefore needs a court-appointed defense attorney. Markoff is suspected of killing NYC resident Julissa Brisman in a Boston hotel room; Brisman was meeting a massage client (via Craigslist). The Boston Globe observes that while Markoff was living off student loans, he was "living in a $1,400-a-month one-bedroom apartment in a luxury high-rise in Quincy." Markoff's fiancee Megan McAllister released a new statement, “In the past two short weeks, my life and what I hoped my life to be has dramatically changed. I also love my fiance and I will continue to support him throughout this legal process. My heart goes out to all of those afflicted by these events. It is my intent to fully cooperate with my fiance’s attorney as well as the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office ... I can only tell them what I know and what is the truth... What has been portrayed and leaked to the media is not the Philip Markoff that I know... My fiance’s fate should not rest in the court of public opinion, but rather in a court of law." more ›

East New York bodega clerk Salah Ahmed could face 25 years in prison for hitting Bunkless Bovian (who was 14 at the time) in the head with a hammer during a fight in his store last April. But Monday's testimony from Bovian's 16-year-old friend Joshua Bloomfield may bolster Ahmed's self-defense plea, because the teen admitted to helping spark the melee that left his friend in a coma. more ›

A few years ago, City Council member Larry Seabrook (D-Bronx) headed an effort to increase diversity in advertising agencies, resulting in 11 agencies agreeing to improve their minority hiring and promotion efforts (or else be subject to fine). One agency, Omnicom, also backed the creation of a diversity committee, committing millions. While it was widely praised, now the NY Times reports that Seabrook recommended his sister to head the committee, which City Council Speaker Christine Quinn didn't realize: "Ms. Quinn referred the matter this month to the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board and the Council’s Standards and Ethics Committee after learning of the relationship from a reporter." Omnicom tells the Times it realized Priscilla Jenkins, an Atlanta-based consultant, was Seabrook's sister on their own before they hired her and referred to her "extremely impressive résumé." Jenkins previously worked at Morris Brown College (where was praised) and has consulted for companies that receive money from Seabrook via the slush fund. The Times points out, "City regulations prohibit elected officials from using their positions to obtain financial gain or personal advantage for themselves or close family members." more ›

As the swine flu death toll in Mexico rose to 149 yesterday (with 2,000 hospitalized), for the first time ever the World Health Organization raised its global epidemic threat level to Phase IV. That's two phases below a full blown pandemic, and the alert means there is sustained human-to-human transmission, with containment is no longer possible. more ›

When we last checked in, Natavia Lowery suggested the killer of her boss, real estate mogul and one-time Ramones manager Linda Stein, was actually Stein's daughter Mandy. While Lowery has doled out a number of scenarios of how the allegedly abusive Stein was murdered, she also confessed to the crime herself—a confession that her lawyers say was taken illegally. The NY Post now reports that "a judge has ruled that confession is admissible, rejecting claims the statement was coerced... a coup for prosecutors, bolstering a circumstantial case strong on motive and opportunity, but lacking forensics." Meanwhile, this past weekend Mandy Stein screened her CBGB documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival. She told the Daily News, "It has been really tough. It's such a huge loss. My mom would be furious if I didn't complete this project. And now, I know, she would be proud." more ›

The verdict is out, and yesterday's lower Manhattan flyover by the "Boeing 747 sometimes known as Air Force One" and military jets was a bad idea. So bad that the White House Military Office's director Luis Caldera apologized for the mission. It was so bad that the city official who knew about the event but didn't tell the mayor was "reprimanded and a disciplinary letter has been placed in his file," according to Newsday. more ›

According to the Wall Street Journal, "Regulators have told Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. that the banks may need to raise more capital based on early results of the government's so-called stress tests of lenders, according to people familiar with the situation." The extra capital would be a "buffer" in case the banks' losses continue to grow. Apparently both banks are trying to develop arguments disputing the findings (for instance, BoA's shortfall is in the billions). The AP points out that, for the Treasury, "the easiest way to bolster bank balance sheets is to convert the government's existing stake from preferred shares — a form of debt — into common shares that carry voting rights." Last week, the federal government said capital needs weren't necessariy a measure of "current solvency or viability of the firm," but worries, coupled with swine flu concerns, have sent stock futures down. more ›

As rumored, the hit and run in Greenpoint yesterday afternoon didn't end well. The woman hit while crossing Manhattan Avenue and India Street was 38-year-old Violetta Krzyzak, who later died at Bellevue Hospital. The Daily News reports that she "landed yards away, near the corner of Huron Street, the same block where she lived with her husband and at least one daughter." One shop owner on the street commented on the impact, saying, "Her handbag was in front of my store and her body was at the end of the block." It was 28-year-old Jose Maldonado who ran a red light in an allegedly stolen minivan and hit Krzyzak. Witnesses say an unmarked police car was tailing the minivan, and while they stopped after the hit and run, Maldonado kept going only to crash into the parked cars. His record includes other arrests for stealing cars and he currently awaits charges while at Woodhull Hospital with a broken toe. more ›

Yesterday the MTA revealed that its finances are in even worse shape than originally believed, with declining property tax revenue resulting in an additional $621 million budget gap—even after planned fare and toll increases of up to 30% and service cuts go into effect. With those dreaded changes just weeks away, the authority is still hoping the state will pass some sort of bailout package to help avoid the worst of the cuts. Sadly, the MTA's hopes rest on the Albany legislature, where hopes go to die. more ›

Police arrested Saleh Al Muwallad after discovering a woman's dismembered body in his Coney Island apartment on Sunday night. According to the Daily News, livery cab driver Al Muwallad had called 911 and told police when they arrived, "I killed her. Go inside." The victim, Jessica Guidici, was a home health care worker who lived in the neighborhood and just turned 27; apparently she was a frequent customer of Al Muwallad's. Newsday says she was stabbed in the neck and then her body was cut up and placed into four garbage bags. The NYPD said, "He made statements implicating himself, including the fact he was angry at her for seeing another man," but her friends say she was dating the same man for 9 years and was never involved with Al Mawallad. Her mother told Newsday, "He was a cab driver we called and we knew happened to be obsessed with her," while a friend said, "He had a little crush on her. We thought it was a joke.... We couldn't understand what he was saying half of the time. We would brush him off. more ›

WCBS 2 reports that an employee at Ernst & Young's Times Square office has swine flu. However, Ernst & Young does not believe anyone in the office was exposed; here's the company's statement: "An employee in our offices at 5 Times Square was diagnosed on Sunday with swine flu, which she contracted from a family member. The individual had not been in offices since last Thursday. According to the Center for Disease Control, the disease has a 24-hour incubation period. Given the timeframe, we believe that it is unlikely that any other of our people have been infected." Still, the company says it has followed CDC procedures, "including closing the offices on the floor where she worked and retaining a skilled sanitation service to clean the area" and are allowing employees "to work from home if they would be more comfortable doing so." Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg said there were 28 confirmed cases of swine flu; there are also five probable cases of swine flu in NJ. Here's the CDC's website "Swine Flu And You" and NYC's Health Dept. also has a brochure (PDF). more ›

• Mets 7, Marlins 1: Should Brian Schneider, on the disabled list, be worried about his catching job? Omir Santos hit a grand slam as part of a six-run first as the Mets cruised in this opener of a three-game series. Seven of the game's eight runs came in the first frame, which also saw Hanley Ramirez leave the game after being a hit in the wrist by a John Maine pitch. Maine allowed only one hit -- the Mets as a team allowed only two -- in six innings of one-run ball. He walked three and struck out four in an outing that qualified as a quantum leap over his previous efforts. Livan Hernandez pitches Tuesday night.
• Tigers 4, Yankees 2: CC Sabathia wasn't good enough again, and the Yankees found themselves shut down by Justin Verlander. They couldn't scratch across a run until they got two in the ninth against Fernando Rodney. Verlander was masterful, striking out nine and walking none in seven-plus innings. Sabathia turned in his second-best start -- it is a complete game -- but a three-run sixth really haunted him. Phil Hughes returns to the big leagues on Tuesday to face Edwin Jackson.
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In case you can't get enough swine flu information, be sure to follow the Centers for Disease Control's Twitter accounts. CNET has the scoop: "@CDCemergency... is posting new recommendations, bulletins on confirmed cases, and information on antiviral drugs and other ways to deal with or prevent the disease" and "@CDC-eHealth, is updated less often but has some good advice including this link to a CDC site where you can send family and friends a 'handwashing eCard.'" And, naturally, outside of the CDC, there's the all-purpose #swineflu—example, "My grandpa says he did his part to combat #swineflu by having a pork sandwich today." more ›

Hundreds of protesters came out on the Upper East Side to voice their dissatisfaction with word that the developer Related Cos is planning to build a 40-story office tower on the spot that is now home to Ruppert Playground, the popular park on East 92nd between 2nd and 3rd. Geoffrey Croft, NYC Park Advocates President, said, "This is an incredible shame. The quality of life for these residents would sink to a new low." Could the quality of life on the UES any lower? Related Cos gained the ability to develop on the site last year after a 25-year deal with the city to maintain the playground expired. Croft told Crains, "This community ranks dead last in the amount of parks and open space in the entire city...The city sold the property to a developer and the city can negotiate a deal to get it back!” Google Maps clocks the walk to Central Park at approximately seven minutes. more ›

We apparently have one candidate officially in for next year's race for governor. Starting with a stop on NY1's The Call Friday evening, Governor Paterson made it abundantly clear this weekend that he has no plans to bow out due to pressure from Democrats who think he can't win and should step aside for Andrew Cuomo. Paterson told Dominic Carter, “The point is, the only way to stop me from winning the primary would be to create an atmosphere that would convince people, people who would like to support me, that I'm not running." more ›

Things aren't looking so good for thehappycorp, that ad agency that teamed up with PosterBoy for a takedown of their own client's ad campaign in the subway system. After the incident, and what was likely their biggest client, MoMA, severing ties with them, there was some tension between partners Doug Jaeger and Matt Spangler, Gawker reports. The latter left the company, and now according to reports from the inside, Jaeger has taken an ad agency job elsewhere and fired the remaining staff. Mediabistro reported that "Jaeger's hubris" has been responsible for the company's problems. Today on the happycorp site it was announced that Future Friends was launching, described as "a new shop some of our old friends are opening across the bridge in Williamsburg"—though as of now it doesn't seem to include Jaeger or Spangler. more ›

This morning's Boeing 747+fighter jet fly-over was, as we now know, nothing to worry about because it was a photo opportunity for Air Force One photographers or something. But it's not like hundreds, if not thousands of New Yorkers in lower Manhattan, weren't just a little startled by the low-flying aircraft, evacuating buildings and sending worried calls or texts to friends. [Update: The White House has apologized! More below.] more ›

A grand jury has indicted two NYPD officers in the alleged rape of an intoxicated woman they had escorted to her East Village apartment. Sources tell City Room that a grand jury voted last week to indict officers Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata, but the exact nature of the charges is still unclear. A lawyer for officer Moreno, a 17-year veteran on the force, says, "My client will appear in court tomorrow and enter a plea of not guilty. We look forward to a rigorous examination of the district attorney’s evidence." more ›

You know when you watch a buddy of yours get his life turned upside-down by a psycho girlfriend and then you hear everyone congratulate him on doing the right thing once he finally mans up and tells her to hit the road? But then one night a month later, you realize how lonely you are and can't stop thinking about how how great he'd always said the sex with her was. So you find yourself visiting this chick in rehab, telling her to give you a call if she ever needs a place to crash. No? Well that's what the Jets did a few days ago when GM Mike Tannenbaum placed a call to agent Drew Rosenhaus checking in on the status of Plaxico Burress. When ESPN first reported it, the Jets first gave no comment (caught) and then the GM said, "Consistent with our normal approach of performing our due diligence, we contacted (Rosenhaus) several days ago prior to the draft to inquire about Plaxico's pending legal situation." Welcome to New York, Mark Sanchez! more ›

An alert came over the newswire not long ago regarding an accident investigation at Manhattan Avenue and India Street in Greenpoint, where at least one victim has been transported to Bellevue Hospital. A reader has just sent in the above photo, and we're hearing rumors that "the driver of one of the vehicles struck a woman on Huron Street and was fleeing the scene, and caused this pile up. From what the police were saying, it appears that the woman in critical condition at this scene was an occupant of one of the cars on the bottom of the pile." more ›

Jayson Williams, the former Nets player who faces another possible manslaughter trial for the death of a limo driver or a plea with prosecutors, was found acting "suicidal" and "violent" at the Embassy Suites Hotel earlier this morning. The Post reports Williams was taken to St. Vincent's for a psychological evaluation; a police source tells the Daily News (which says empty pill bottles were found in his suite), "He was barricaded, drinking, taking pills. He was overwhelmed. It all came crashing down." Apparently cops, who responded to a female friend's call, had to Taser Williams and needed two sets of handcuffs to restrain him. Back in 2002, limo driver Costas "Gus" Christofi was killed in a bedroom in Williams' sprawling NJ mansion; the Star-Ledger reported, "[Christofi] was inside, touring the house with the others [during a party], when Williams took out a loaded shotgun and snapped it shut in Christofi's direction. The gun discharged and he died within a few minutes." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg announced this afternoon that the number of confirmed instances of swine flu in New York has jumped up to 28, with another 17 probable cases likely to follow. But he emphasized that all of these are still relegated to students from St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows and officials reported once again that none of the teenagers afflicted are gravely ill. Bloomberg said, "We have one reported cluster of swine flu at one school." more ›

There's just no justice for dudes in this world: Last week a judge threw out a lawsuit against Columbia University over the school's practice of offering women’s studies, but no corresponding courses for men who want to study themselves. Judge Lewis Kaplan followed the recommendation of a magistrate judge and dismissed Roy Den Hollander's lawsuit, rejecting his "central claim that feminism is a religion... Feminism is no more a religion than physics, and at least the core of the complaint therefore is frivolous." Of course, if you know your Den Hollander, you know he's not about to let some treacherous, man-hating judge get the last word. He tells City Room, "The only thing frivolous and absurd is men looking for justice in the courts of America. When it comes to men’s rights, judges act with an arrogance of power, ignorance of the law, and fear of the feminists." more ›

The MTA, which already has a $1.2 billion budget deficit (hence the doomsday fare hikes and service cuts), now says it's been hit with another $621 million shortfall. Why? Because of "the continuing decline in the real estate and dedicated taxes that support the MTA, all of which are economically sensitive." Oh, and also the "increasing unemployment and higher fares led the MTA to predict a 7.2% drop in usage of its facilities in 2009." All told, the re-forecast for 2008 says real estate taxes are down $336 million, fare/toll revenue is down $221 million and state dedicated taxes are down $113 million (there was a $49 million budget surplus). The MTA will have to find a way to make up this new shortfall as well, but MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger said, "This is terrible news for the MTA, our customers and the regional economy, and the MTA Board will do everything in our power to protect the transit network. Without assistance from Albany, however, it will be extremely painful for everyone who relies on MTA services." more ›

Late last week, the police department revealed that first quarter 2009 crime was the lowest in over 40 years. According to the AP, "Through the end of March, overall crime dropped 13.5 percent from a year ago, down in every major category including homicides where there were 89, according to daily crime statistics from police. Last year there were 116 during the same period." Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, "I know there's an anticipation ... that crime would go up as a result of the economic turndown. We just haven't experienced that." Of course, these stats don't include this past weekend's violence: 14 people were shot yesterday (one woman, in her Fort Greene apartment, was hit by stray gunfire) while there were 13 shootings over the weekend in the Bronx (including one fatality apparently from one friend showing another his gun). more ›

Day two of the 2009 NFL Draft continued much as day one did for the Jets and the Giants. The Jets continued their trading ways by getting the first pick of day two from the Lions and selecting running back Shonn Greene from Iowa. In return for moving up 11 picks, the Jets sent the Lions their original 3rd round pick (76th overall), as well as their 4th (115) and 7th round (228) pick. Greene is a between the tackles type back who, like Mark Sanchez (he made his own "trade" on Sunday for the #6 jersey), is leaving after finishing his junior year. Greene leaves Iowa after an first-team All-American season with school records of 1,850 yards and 20 TDs in a single season. With their 6th round pick (and final pick in 2009), the Jets selected Matthew Slauson, an offensive guard from Nebraska. more ›

In addition to sorting out the emerging swine flu crisis, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control are today warning the public not to eat raw alfalfa sprouts (and sprout blends containing alfalfa), after determining that 31 incidents of illness across six states were linked to sprouts contaminated with Salmonella Saintpaul. This is the same kind of salmonella related to some 1300 cases of fresh produce-related foodborne illness last year. So far New York is not among the mostly Midwestern states reporting salmonella infection; the FDA and CDC have issued a general advisory, however, “because suspect lots of seeds may be sold around the country and may account for a large proportion of the alfalfa seeds currently being used by sprout growers.” More information can be found in the FDA’s news release. In the meantime, cook your sprouts thoroughly. more ›

There's been chatter of a giant salt pile growing over at the Red Hook Marine Terminal, and word is there's an emergency meeting regarding the nuisance tonight. A reader residing on the Columbia Street waterfront in Brooklyn told us, "Salt is flying all over the neighborhood as trucks ride on top of it 24hrs a day. Everyone's cars, apartments (if your windows are open), bikes, and yards now have a salty film on them. Breathing in our neighborhood cannot be healthy, and many neighbors have developed a cough and talk about the constant salty taste in their mouths." Allegedly no one addressed the community about the pile, and now 311 has been bombarded with calls complaining about it, especially after the tarp was removed in recent months. more ›

Hoo-wee, yesterday's high of 92 in Central Park smashed the old record of 84 set in 1942. It won't be nearly as warm today as a weak cold front has moved south of the city. The air mass behind the front isn't cold but it is blowing over the chilly ocean waters. Today's high in the low 80s will only be twenty degrees above normal. more ›

After a Manhattan Supreme Court judge refused to block the installation of Riverside Church's new pastor, the Reverend Brad Braxton ascended to the pulpit Saturday to defend his $600,000 compensation package. In a sermon entitled "Fear Not," Braxton told the congregation that his critics were "mistaking molehills for mountains," and that his priority would be "the sacred business of moving mountains." Also, according to Braxton, the Almighty approves: "God told me all week, 'I got you.'" (Paid?) Earlier this month, dissident parishioners at the historically liberal church took the unusual step of suing to block his appointment after learning of his pay package, which they say wasn't fully disclosed before they voted him in. But 63-year-old Naomi Griffin, a 25-year member of the church, told the Daily News on Sunday that "these dissidents don't seem to want to do things right." Also in attendance was Governor Paterson, who was married at Riverside 17 years ago; he voiced his support for Braxton, noting his "rare combination of skills." more ›

The devastated parents of a Queens high school student who was killed by a drunk driver are suing the parents of his friend for serving booze at a party the night he died; they're also suing the motorist who left his Kia Spectra idling outside a convenience store, where an inebriated ex-con stole it. 16-year-old Robert Ogle (pictured) was walking home with his 20-year-old friend Alex Paul at 1:30 a.m. on February 1st when they were both struck and killed by Kenneth Guyear, who prosecutors say took off in the car after owner David Jaber left it unattended. The wrongful-death lawsuit contends that Sing-Chau Fung and Yuk Lai Fung are to blame for permitting underage drinking at their house that night during a birthday party for their son; Jaber and Guyear are also named in the suit. The teen's father, Brendan Ogle, tells the Daily News, "Each person in their own way contributed to this train wreck. If everyone had exercised better judgment, my son would be alive today." more ›

With the fatal gas leak which claimed a woman's life when her house exploded, City Council Eric Gioia called for Con Ed CEO Kevin Burke to step down, "Homes and streets should not be exploding - period. Across the five boroughs New Yorkers are left to wonder, 'Who's next?'... How many pepole have to lose their life before Con Edison changes their procedures?" more ›

Earlier this morning we got a concerned email about a commercial-size jet flying uncomfortably low over Lower Manhattan, where buildings were being evacuated. Another tipster at 2WFC said announcements in that building declared "there’s no emergency and that we all need to stay inside." Soon after word came out that it was just Air Force One, keeping New Yorkers on their toes! From the newswire: "AUTHORIZED FLY-OVER OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY BY AIR FORCE ONE FOR A PHOTO SHOOT. THE PRESIDENT WAS *NOT* ON BOARD." more ›

Police, responding to a 911 call from a suicidal man, arrived at a Coney Island apartment and found the man—who showed them a woman's dismembered body. According to the Post, "a deranged livery driver inexplicably attacked a Brooklyn health care worker." The victim, Jessica Guiducci, was killed in the Coney Island apartment she shared with her boyfriend. One friend said she had just turned 27, "We had a party all weekend for her... I can't believe this is happening." Giuducci's friends also recognized the 53-year-old man taken into custody as a livery driver from the neighborhood. The man is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation. more ›

Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg confirmed that swine flu has hit New York, and the federal government declared a national public health emergency. The current outbreak is believed to have originated in Mexico, where the virus is suspected to have caused 81 deaths and 374 hospitalizations as of yesterday. The eight confirmed cases in New York are all from St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows, where some students recently returned from spring break in Mexico. more ›

A Chase bank employee is being blamed for dropping the dime about a Long Island dentist's $800,000 individual account to her husband. The NY Post reports that while Nazita Aminpour and David Shamash "have a joint account at a Chase branch in Kew Gardens, Queens," Aminpour also had the secret account. Well, secret until a bank employee cold-called Shamash, "telling him he should take his small fortune out of the low-interest account and make other investments with Chase." Aminipour's suit says that once Shamash heard about the money, he "began harassing [Aminpour], asking for money from the funds that he can invest in the stock market and to cover a margin call he had on his stock account." The suit adds that Shamash "alienat[ed]" Aminipour until she gave him $155,000 "to save her marriage and restore order in the marital home." Aminipour says Chase violated non-disclosure laws and wants the bank to pay her the $155K plus legal fees. more ›

The Las Vegas hooker who was robbed by a client procured via Craiglist spoke to 48 Hours about her harrowing experience. It turns out Tricia Leffler was attacked in a Boston hotel days before Julissa Brisman was killed by her Craigslist massage client, apparently the same man. more ›

Christopher Owen, 13, remains in critical condition after being shot in the head at a barbecue in Harlem early Sunday morning. Over three hundred people had attended the event, where a gunman apparently just started firing in the crowd. The Daily News reports, "Hordes of revelers were drawn there by food and drinks offered outside the Paris Blues lounge. The crowd grew unruly soon after midnight, as several small fights broke out among the predominantly teenage partygoers." Apparently some teens were seen running from the party before the gunman fired at the crowd. Besides Christopher, a 17-year-old and 26-year-old were each shot in the leg. Christopher's mother said, "He's a wonderful kid. Help me catch who shot my son." more ›

After months of declining poll numbers and some speculation that he might give in to pressure to step aside in the race for governor next year, Governor Paterson now appears to be bearing down and beginning his push towards 2010. Paterson's even talking with a little swagger now, telling NY1's Dominic Carter, "The fact is, if I run for governor again, I will win the primary. Write that down." The Times reports that Paterson has been reaching out to Democratic leaders, union leaders and donors telling them how he plans to right his course past the tough times his administration has fallen on. The push might be just in time as the paper also says that friends of Paterson were already looking into securing him a position at Columbia. One said, “I don’t think anyone has broached that subject with him, but we are all talking about it with each other. At some point, someone is going to have to broach that with him.” Many political experts believe that Andrew Cuomo is in a precarious position to challenge Paterson in a primary and potentially upsetting black Democrats once again after irking some with his refusal to back down against H. Carl McCall in 2002. more ›

We have two new and amazing baseball stadiums here in New York. The comforts and amenities they provide are world class, but there is one thing they don’t have; the passion of their predecessors. With exorbitant ticket prices close to the field, Citi Field and the new Yankee Stadium have prevented the real fans from being near the action. The seats closest to the action seem empty on most nights, probably a reflection of the economic downturn, perhaps a function of the cold weather. It’s too late for the Mets and Yankees to do anything about it, the stadiums are built and they will have to live with the consequences, but hopefully Cablevision is paying attention. more ›

It appears that the accused Craigslist killer's "dream wedding on the Jersey Shore" may be off after initial hopes by Philip Markoff's fiancee Megan McCallister to forge ahead with plans for their August nuptials. Word of her change in plans was first broken by William Forte, founder and keyboardist for The B-Street band, the Bruce Springsteen cover band who had been hired to play at the wedding. People Online mentions that "McAllister's Facebook page says she is a fan of Springsteen." So that pretty much confirms that. McCallister told the Boston Herald that her fiancee is "a beautiful man inside and out," but has not yet visited Markoff fiancee since being arrested. He did get a second visit yesterday from his brother Jonathan, who he allegedly told the previous day "to forget about him" because "there is more coming out." But Markoff's lawyer told reporters, "Generally speaking, lawyers advise their clients not to talk about the case. What's discussed is typically benign." more ›

Is it a relief to know that Francisco Garabitos didn't have a bomb when his threats caused a Bronx middle school to be evacuated on Friday? The 55-year-old teacher, who was apparently upset about being disciplined for allegedly punching a student and throwing him against the wall, says he simply wanted the DOE to investigate the principal. Garabitos, a union chapter chairman, told the Post, "A teacher did not snap. A teacher did not threaten to blow up the school.... I just said I was going to shut down the school... It's a political movement by the union. The union wants a change of administration. We negotiate, but when they don't pay attention, we try to do something dramatic." Well, having the NYPD bomb squad arrive and over 1,000 students evacuate is definitely dramatic. Other teachers have been upset with the school's policies, but United Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten also said, "Nobody -- I don't care who it is -- should put kids in harm's way." Garabitos, who has a history of alleged misconduct, was released without bail yesterday. more ›

You can't just have a quaint little gun buyback event anymore. Someone has to ruin all the fun with a live hand grenade. The New Gospel Temple Church of God in Christ (all one name) in the Bronx was hosting the buyback yesterday where local residents were invited to turn in their firearms for $200 bank cards, no questions asked. But apparently around 1:30 p.m., there was a question that had to be asked to one —specifically, "is that a hand grenade?" That was then followed by "can someone call the Bomb Squad?" and then finally "would everyone please exit the building as quickly as possible?" After carting out the "improvised hand grenade," the NYPD held the man responsible, whom the Daily News calls "a dimwit," but it doesn't appear he'll be charged with anything. There was no indication as to whether he will receive payment for the explosive. Just Friday night, Bryant Park was closed for an hour when a man was attempting to sell another (?) grenade. more ›

Update, 1:20 p.m.: The Obama administration has declared a "public health emergency" with further cases of swine flu expected to emerge. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano called the declaration of a public health emergency "standard operating procedure." more ›

The Jets got their man by acting boldly, but they may have overpaid at the expense of other areas. New York got to pick Mark Sanchez by making a trade with Cleveland that gave them the #5 pick in the draft. In return, New York sent their first and second round picks and three players, including starter Kenyon Coleman to Cleveland. But, if the Jets are right and Sanchez is a true franchise QB, the trade is worth it. New York just better find someone for him to throw the ball to with their four picks today. more ›

Maybe financial executives on Wall Street can stop whining: Based on banks' recent profits, that many bankers will be seeing sweet paychecks this year. Sure, layoffs may have thinned the ranks a little, but the NY Times reports, "The average pay for those who remain — rank-and-file workers whose earnings are not affected by government-imposed limits — appears to be rebounding... In [JPMorgan Chase]’s trading and investment banking unit, if revenue stays at first-quarter levels, workers are on track to earn an average of $509,524 over the year. That figure was $345,147 in 2006." One recruiter said there haven't been "huge changes in the way people are talking about compensation. Wall Street is being realistic. You have to retain your human capital," while an analyst was more blunt, "Like everything on Wall Street, they’re starting to sin again. As you see a recovery, you’ll see everybody’s compensation beginning to rise." more ›

Yesterday afternoon, eight vehicles were involved in a fatal crash on the NJ Turnpike that "prompted police to shut down a 25-mile southbound stretch of the highway for hours," the Star-Ledger reports. Apparently a tractor-trailer hit a Buick, which had stopped in the right (southbound) lane: "The impact caused the 2004 Buick LeSabre to become fully engulfed in flames and shift to the center lane, where it triggered a chain reaction involving six other vehicles." The Buick's driver and passengers, five people in their 70s, were all killed. One of the other cars was a Jeep containing three men from NYC, all of whom were injured; charges against the tractor-trailer driver are pending. The highway's hours-long closure hit travelers heading to the Jersey shore and Six Flags Great Adventure. NJ Turnpike Authority spokesman Joe Orlando told the Star-Ledger, "I don't really remember one this bad...Now it's just a matter of trying to figure out what happened down there." more ›

While the Rangers have a chance to beat the Washington Capitals this afternoon and advance in the playoffs, they'll be doing it without coach John Tortorella. During the third period of the Blue Shirts' 4-0 loss to the Caps on Friday night, Tortorella got into an altercation with a fan right behind the bench that culminated in the coach squirting water on a fan and throwing a water bottle into the stands, which hit a bystander. Tortorella was suspended; Newsday reports, the NHL "probe found that Tortorella squirted a fan before he himself was doused with a beverage." The Post notes that Tortorella "was intercepted and eventually calmed down by assistant coach Jim Schoenfeld... the only other head coach in NHL history to have been suspended for a playoff game." (Schoenfeld, when coaching the Devils, was accused of pushing a referee after a 1988 Stanley Cup playoff game; Schoenfeld yelled—video— "Good, 'cause you fell, you fat pig! Have another doughnut! Have another doughnut!.") Tortorella told reporters that he was asked by his bosses not to comment about the matter. more ›

The family of the woman who was killed when their house in Floral Park Queens exploded, apparently from a gas leak, visited the site of their leveled house. Dindial Boodram, whose wife Ghanwatti died, told the Daily News, "I want answers, I need answers" about how Con Ed handled reports for a leak—utility workers had been on the scene for 90 minutes and never evacuated residents in spite of high gas levels from a street manhole. more ›

A Staten Island man was killed when an alleged drunk driver crashed into his car. The Staten Island Advance reports that Dion Price, 23, had been driving on Forest Avenue early yesterday morning when George Baldini's Chevy Tahoe, traveling on Manor Road, hit him. Price, who had just texted his fiancee that he was heading home, was pronounced dead at the scene while Baldini was charged with DWI. Also, the Advance notes that according to its archives, "A George Baldini Jr. of Port Richmond was arrested in October 2007 for allegedly being involved in an Internet child porn sting, and was accused of sending an undercover cop a dozen images displaying male genitalia, a naked 5-year-old girl, pre-pubescent girls performing sexual acts with juvenile boys. He believed the officer -- who used the nickname TINAGREENEYES -- was a 14-year-old-girl." more ›

• Red Sox 16, Yankees 11: Just a reminder that no lead is safe at Fenway Park. The Yankees led by 6-0 and 10-9 and still lost this one. A.J. Burnett could not hold the early cushion, allowing eight runs in five innings. Ex-Yankees farmhand Mike Lowell also had a big three-run homer. This game went back and forth long after Burnett left. Not even Robinson Cano's two homers were not enough. Boston won for the second straight night, and the Yankees try to avoid the sweep on Sunday night on ESPN. Andy Pettitte will be charged with that task. He'll face Justin Masterson.
• Mets 8, Nationals 2: This game was anticlimactic. A dropped fly ball in the first inning all but sealed Washington's fate. Mike Pelfrey got a solid start under his belt after skipping his turn due to forearm tendinitis, and Carlos Beltran, who went 3-for-5, continued his hot hitting and is now batting .415 on the season. Does beating the lowly 3-13 Nationals count? It certainly did for the Marlins, who lead the National League East with an 11-6 record and are 6-0 against Washington. Oliver Perez takes on top prospect Jordan Zimmerman in Sunday's series finale.

The Bronx teacher who barricaded himself inside his school and threatened to blow it up after a spat with the principal over an abuse charge had dealt with many discipline problems over the years. 55-year-old Francisco Garabitos has had 14 allegations of misconduct over his 28 year career, including two substantiated claims of corporal punishment. The Daily News reveals that he was also an author, including one book titled "The Virgin and the Beast" that they say "follows the exploits of a cloned woman 'reborn from the ashes of 9-11, 2001' who quickly evolves into a manipulative nymphomaniac." They mention that he also worked at a lingerie store for twenty years. Garabitos was charged with reckless endangerment, obstructing governmental administration and criminal trespassing. more ›

The Health Department is conducting tests to determine whether swine flu has found its way into our area after 75 students at a Queens high school turned up sick with potential symptoms for the virus. Students from St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows are being tested after dozens have reported nausea, fever, dizzyness, aches and pains. One student told NY1, "My chest is really tight, it feels like a 20-pound baby is sitting on my chest. I have shortness of breath, I can't even walk up the steps, and as you can hear I'm stuffy and my coughing is getting really bad." more ›

The Jets got their quarterback to replace Brett Favre. This afternoon, the Jets traded up in the NFL Draft to select Mark Sanchez, the quarterback out of USC. In addition to trading their first two picks (17 and 57 overall) in the 2009 Draft to the Cleveland Browns, the Jets sent the Browns QB Brett Ratliff, DE Kenyon Coleman and S Abram Elam. In the days before the draft, there was lots of buzz around Sanchez, despite starting for only one season at Southern Cal. Sanchez led the Trojans to a 12-1 season including a Rose Bowl win over Penn State where he scored five touchdowns (4 passing, 1 rushing) and threw for 3207 yards, 34 TDs and 10 INTs for the season. With Sanchez, the question for head coach Rex Ryan is, how soon will he give Sanchez the keys to the offense. Prior to the trade, Kellen Clemens was set to battle for the starting job with Brett Ratliff. When asked if he was ready for the New York media, Sanchez said that he would "be alright." more ›

Over 100,000 counterfeit items worth more than $20 million were seized from a stoarge facility in Red Hook yesterday. Among the 123 bins were impostor Coach handbags, Ralph Loren shirts and most notably 17 pairs of fake Nike sneakers with President Obama's image on them. The Obama Nikes had the words "Change" and "Yes We Can" written on them. Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes said, “It’s frankly just disrespectful to have the president of the United States depicted on these sneakers. Just absolutely disgraceful." Six people were charged with counterfeiting after the year-long sting, two on felony charges and two on misdemeanors. Among the other thousands of items picked up, the Times spotted foam baseball caps emblazoned with rhinestones and slogans like “eternal love.” more ›

Family members of suspected Craigslist killer Phillip Markoff visited him in jail yesterday and it doesn't sound like his outlook has brightened since his attempted suicide on Thursday. After being visited by his brother and sister-in-law (as well as his parents, pictured right), jail sources say that Markoff told family members to "forget about him," "move to California," and that "there is more coming out." Markoff did not receive a visit from fiancee Megan McCallister, who is standing by him and continuing plans for their August wedding. McCallister gave reporters the finger when she spotted them outside her parents' Little Silver, NJ home. Reporters did get a chance to talk to the mother of victim Julissa Brisman, who told them, "The feeling of losing my daughter in this way and the pain she must have felt will haunt me for the rest of my life." Meanwhile officials in Rhode Island said they are close to charging Markoff for a similar Craigslist holdup in a Holiday Inn room where his fingerprints were found on the wall. more ›

106 birth certificates have been stolen from the Office of Vital Records within the Department of Health leading to potential security concerns of identity fraud that could result from them. The Times says that officials were able to identify the serial numbers on the birth certificates and invalidate them so that they would not be accepted in applications. But the Post emphasizes that the the first case of stolen birth certificates in the city over the last ten years "may have fallen into the hands of terrorists." They speak to an investigator who tells them, "It's like hitting the Lotto for a terrorist... After you get that birth certificate, you can get any document you want. This is extremely serious. If they fell into the wrong hands, it could create a significant security threat." The theft appears to be an inside job and may be linked to a stolen credit card case in which a health department aide was arrested (along with two friends) for trying to charge $9,000 on credit cards obtained by people who had faxed the info into the department while paying for birth certificates. more ›

A flight that had taken off from JFK heading for Tel Aviv was quickly diverted after a passenger charged at the cockpit trying to get in. The plane and its 206 passengers landed safely at Logan International Airport in Boston. 22-year-old Israel citizen Itay Atmor was charged with interfering with a flight after the incident which an official emphasized was "not an act of terrorism." A Massachusetts Port Authority spokesman told reporters, "He was making some noise and banging on doors, possibly the cockpit. But he was subdued by some passengers who wrestled him to the ground." Delta Flight 86 had left JFK at 7:55 p.m. and touched down at Logan around 10. more ›

Here we go: Park Avenue lawyer Madlyn Primoff, who was arrested earlier this week after forcing her squabbling children out of the car and driving away, now has a lawyer telling the press, "She wasn't abandoning her children. She expected to find her children." See, Primhoff had dumped the kids in downtown White Plains and told them to walk the 3 miles home to Scarsdale—but apparently she didn't really mean it because she drove around the block and couldn't find them! Primhoff reportedly picked up her husband and then started looking again, finding only the 12-year-old. A good Samaritan picked up the remaining daughter, 10, and, after stopping at Carvel to cheer the girl up with some ice cream, took her to the White Plains police station. Meanwhile, Primoff called the Scarsdale police about her missing younger daughter; Scarsdale cops, who say that Primoff didn't explain how the child went missing, told Primoff the girl was with the White Plains police. Primoff, who spent the night in jail for the incident, is free on bail and heads back to court next month. more ›

Firefighters found a woman's body under the rubble of a Floral Park house on 260th Street that exploded yesterday afternoon. The Daily News reports the body was discovered four hours after the 4:50 p.m. explosion: "Her husband was at work and her three kids were in an after-school program." The woman's husband, Dindail Boobram, told the NY Times that his wife didn't show up to pick up the kids. more ›

While Elizabeth Brew managed to hold out until her husband parked outside of Mount Sinai Hospital on Fifth Avenue, the twin babies she was pregnant with couldn't any longer. So she went into labor in the SUV. Luckily nurse manager Lucille Nassery, inside the hospial, has good ears—"There's a certain kind of sound that comes from women who are about to deliver. It's not just a typical scream. It's a whole-body scream"—and brought a team of doctors and nurses outside. The AP reports that Brew's "legs extended toward busy Fifth Avenue and Central Park - the hospital staff brought equipment into the middle of the street. Nassery and other staffers used their bodies to block off two lanes of traffic." The Post has video showing the scene, too. Interested drivers and passengers from other cars inquired about the mother's health and cheered when a 4 pound, 13 ounce baby girl was born in the middle of Fifth. A few minutes later, her twin brother, 5 pounds, 5 ounces, arrived. The babies are healthy; but since they are preemies, they will stay in neonatal intensive care while their mother is recovering in a hospital room. Three cheers for the babies, the mom and the hospital team! more ›

A home on 260th Street in the Floral Park section of Queens exploded this afternoon. Currently, it is a third alarm situation with over 100 firefighters responding to the fire, which has spread to other homes. WCBS 2 reports, "Officials believe the explosion may have been caused by a gas leak. CBS 2 has learned that Con Edison officials had been called to the area earlier Friday after reports of gas fumes coming out of the sewers." So far, reports say two people were injured and that the house was destroyed. more ›

It's hard to believe, but the 2009 NFL Draft is tomorrow and the Jets and Giants both have very clear needs. For the Jets, a quarterback is clearly the first priority since Brett Favre's retirement, but picking 17th, they will probably miss the top three QBs in the draft unless they can swing a trade. That seems unlikely because they only have six picks this weekend and moving up in the first round would cost them the chance to add depth at other positions. There are several other needs for them after QB as well like adding a wide receiver. Expect the Jets to look for a receiver in the first round if they are unable to land a QB. more ›

While city and state battle it out over who gets to clean up the Gowanus Canal, one residential developer says they're "confident the city's work" will be good enough. The Toll Brothers plan to build 460 condos along the waterway, a plan that would go down the drain if it were granted Superfund status. The NY Times explains the stigma, saying "city officials and many residents fear the Superfund label, reserved for the worst contamination in the country and evoking health emergencies." In other words, it would be difficult to fund a project with this scarlet letter attached. However, the developer's consultants found levels of hydrogen sulfide in the water that they said would create a "significant odor impact," the Daily News reports. So chances those duped into signing leases would rather have the stigma than the overwhelming stench floating into their brand dream home and sinking in to their brand new IKEA furnishings. more ›

Well, of course, the state pension fund probe was bound to tangle more people in its web, but now a former U.S. Senator? Former senator Robert Torricelli of NJ was questioned by NY State authorities back in 2007 over his work at an investment firm Searle where Hank Morris—former aide to former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi and recently indicted for taking millions in fees to place investment firms with pension funds—also worked. A spokesperson for Torricelli, who is a licensed broker-dealer, said, "Senator Torricelli is a private businessman. The securities firm where he’s registered properly documents and discloses all information as required by law," and his lawyer pointed out that Torricelli left Searle after the questioning. Internationally speaking, the Post reports that Israeli company Giza Venture Capital paid fees to an LA-based placement firm for getting Giza to manage $20 million of state pension money—but investigators are wondering if the LA firm then paid Searle. more ›

Last summer the NYPL shut its five-story, 88,000-square-foot Donnell branch in Midtown Manhattan, which opened in 1955 and was known for its massive collection of movies, music, and children’s books, among other things. The plan was to sell the building for $59 million to Orient-Express Hotels Ltd., who would raze it and build an 11-story hotel, with a new library on the ground floor and in the basement. But then the economy went all oopsy, and Orient-Express backed out last month. more ›

A Long Island lawyer who killed his wife and two daughter before taking his own life will be cremated and not be a part of the family's funeral mass and viewings. Newsday reports there's a special service tomorrow for Betty Parente, 58, and daughter Catherine, 11, and Stephanie, 19; their wakes will be on Monday, followed by a funeral and burials on Tuesday. The funeral service for William Parente, 59, who bludgeoned then asphyxiated his family one by one at a Maryland hotel on Sunday and later cut himself so he bled to death, will be private. Parente apparently had a side business giving high-interest loans for real estate—but it's unclear what his financial dealings were, since checks to investors started to bounce this week. Stephanie Parente's suitemates at Loyola shared stories about their friend with Newsday, "Stephanie spoke to her mother every day. She adored Catherine, who visited on Loyola's sibling day... She took cell phone pictures of herself doing things like watching television and sent them to her." more ›

The city's Department of Environmental Protection dispatched a Hazmat unit to an elementary school in East New York after unidentified students sprinkled novelty itching powder on at least two teachers' chairs. Some students were also affected; everyone who reported itching had to take decontamination showers, and the two teachers were taken to the hospital as a precaution. One victim tells the Daily News, "When I sat down, I could feel it through my pants. It was very itchy. It got intense. When it became uncontrollable, I had to stop what I was doing... It stopped me in my tracks." Mission accomplished from the pranksters' point of view, but one teacher isn't savoring the gag: "Somebody could have killed me. I feel it personally, because I have so many allergies." And a fifth grader reports, "My friend Emiliano was itching a lot. He felt bad. He scratched and scratched. I was glad I did not get any on me." The powder, which looked like tiny, prickly hairs, was deemed nonhazardous by the DEP, but a potentially devastating Whoopee Cushion explosion is still under investigation. more ›

Yesterday, the bludgeoned bodies of a 70-year-old landlord Billy Romano and his 37-year-old girlfriend Elviza Aronova were found in the Romano's "ransacked apartment," according to the Daily News. Aronova's mother, worried she hadn't heard from her daughter, discovered the pair when she went to check on them. Residents of the Bensonhurst building on Bay Parkway told the NY Times the landlord had recently sold the building and "described him as a lively man...who was quick with a smile and greeting." However the News says Romano was had drug problems and was deep in debt while Aronova was a crack addict. Apparently police are now questioning someone who rented an apartment from Romano in connection with the possible murders: "Police found a .45-caliber handgun, with the barrel missing, along with a grenade and two shotguns in the tenant's apartment." more ›

With the opening of the first section of the High Line park oh so achingly close (June, the say!), there's been an increasing flurry of activity up on the section between Gansevoort Street and 20th Street. We last checked in on the progress in December, and today comes word that workers have been "cleaning" the High Line of graffiti, or "destroying" long-lived street art, depending on your point of view. more ›

The Boston Globe reports that preliminary tests link the gun found in Philip Markoff's apartment (inside a hollowed-out copy of Gray's Anatomy) with the murder of Julissa Brisman. "Officials also told the Globe that fingerprints found on the plastic restraints and duct tape left at a crime scene matched Markoff's fingerprints." Brisman, a NYC resident, was killed by her apparent massage client at a Boston hotel last week and police arrested Markoff, a 23-year-old medical student, on Monday. Markoff was reportedly placed on suicide watch yesterday after guards found shoelace marks on his neck. His lawyer didn't confirm or dany the alleged suicide attempt but did say, "It's difficult for anybody to go from a life of freedom to being detained, particularly in the first few days." more ›

The NY Times reports that three watchdog groups are urging the NY State ethics panel to investigate leaks that came as Caroline Kennedy's Senate bid unraveled. Per a letter, the groups say "the commission needs to determine whether the Paterson administration violated state laws by leaking confidential information about Ms. Kennedy as part of a political strategy aimed at deflecting blame for her withdrawal." After Kennedy decided not to seek Hillary Clinton's vacated Senate seat, sources from Governor Paterson's office offered a myriad of reasons why Paterson never going to choose her anyway; one told the Post that "the governor 'had no intention' of picking Caroline Kennedy for New York's vacant senate seat - because she was 'mired' in an issue over taxes, her nanny and possibly her marriage." Paterson even admitted the leaks were from his staff, but claimed not to know who made them. The watchdog groups think a probe would help "[clear] the executive chamber from a lingering ethical taint or [vindicate] the public’s interest by restoring integrity to the appointment process.” more ›

Earlier this morning, a teacher made a bomb threat at JHS 145 in the Bronx, prompting the school to be evacuated. The Post reports the threat was "called in to police by the teacher, who locked himself into a second floor computer room. Cops are communicating with the teacher, whose identity has not yet been released... The man told police he is protesting the mistreatment of teachers." more ›

A Staten Island man will spend nearly six years (69 months) in prison for selling a satellite TV package to New York customers that included the Hezbollah television channel Al Manar (pictured), which the feds call "a terrorist organization masquerading as a TV channel." In December, Javed Iqbal, who emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan as a teenager, agreed to a plea deal to settle the case, which could have landed him in prison for up to 15 years. At yesterday's sentencing, he said he was "deeply sorry" for what he calls a mistake, and his lawyer tells the Times the channel was just one "narrow aspect" of a TV package that was "180 degrees from Islamic fundamentalism." But federal prosecutor Eric Snyder called Iqbal "Hezbollah’s man in New York City. He did all this to bring the Hezbollah operations to our shores, to allow Hezbollah to have their operations here in New York City. That’s a very dangerous thing." The NYCLU had defended Iqbal on First Amdendment grounds, and the trial highlights the ongoing debate over how far the government can go in coping with terrorism: Is this censorship, or just keeping America safe? more ›

Cool, cloudy weather got you down this week? Fear not; what passes for an April heat wave will be here for the weekend. Why? The Bermuda High is making its first northward foray of the season, bringing July-like warmth to much of the East Coast. more ›

The NYPD and Department of Investigation raided the downtown offices of a developer who, the Daily News reports, "funneled thousands in campaign cash to local politicians, including White House aide Adolfo Carrión." A van full of boxes of files was taken from the Atlantic Development Group and the Post says "investigators were looking into such alleged bribery tactics as using expediters to pay off city officials to move projects along, or bribing construction companies to use nonunion, cheaper labor." ADG is behind the "ambitious" Boricua Village development in the Bronx; the project came under the spotlight when the Daily News drew attention to the fact that the project's architect did design work for former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion—but Carrion never paid him. more ›

First the disabled, now the elderly—Hizzoner's really on a roll this month. When Margaret Ionescu, an 82-year-old Romanian immigrant, returned to her Astoria apartment after a recent hospital stay, she was dismayed to find that the ceiling was water-damaged, a faulty front door wouldn't close properly, and the bathroom mirror was damaged. When her superintendent failed to make the repairs, she knew where to turn for help: The 311 non-emergency hotline created by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. more ›

The owner of a popular bar and restaurant near Yankee Stadium was charged with allegedly evading over $1 million in state and city taxes. Joe Bastone, who is also president of the Yankee Tavern on 161st Street in the Bronx, was being investigated by the Department of Finance for two years; the DOF looked at five years worth of business records, customer receipts and more. The NY Times notes, "Because of its proximity to Yankee Stadium, and its history as a haunt for New York Yankee legends past and present, including Babe Ruth, the tavern has long been a popular watering hole for the team’s fans." Bastone pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include grand larceny and false returns, but sources tell NY1 that his lawyers are looking to make a deal with prosecutors. more ›

Reverend Timothy Wright, pastor of Grace Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Brooklyn and Grammy-nominated gospel singer, passed away yesterday at age 61. Wright had been in the hospital since last July, when he was seriously injured in a car accident. more ›

There's nothing like a post-robbery attempt dip in the East River! The Post reports that a man suspected of trying to steal an ATM—by knocking it over with his van— on the Lower East Side early Tuesday morning had managed to put the ATM into his vehicle, but then the cops came. Valentin Garcia "ran out of room as he sprinted two blocks down Rutgers Street, running smack into the river... But that didn't stop him -- he jumped into the cold, dark waters and tried to swim for it." He was fished out and apparently told cops, "I was not in the van. I don't know anything about ATM machines." Garcia was also allegedly overheard using his alloted phone call to tell someone, "911! Get all of the cash out from my mattress!" Garcia is being held on $50,000 bail; he is suspected in a number of knocked-over ATM robberies. more ›

Today, the Federal Aviation administration will release data on bird strikes, reversing its earlier position that it would keep the information secret. The demand for the bird strike data grew after US Airways Flight 1549 splash-landed into the Hudson earlier this year—birds had hit the plane's engines. The FAA claimed that the data might give people negative perceptions about certain airports or airlines, but lawmakers and the National Transportation Safety Board criticized the attempt at secrecy, pointing out indepedent researchers could help examine the data and provide comparisons. At any rate, bird strikes do happen and they are hard to prevent, though there are programs to limit the populations of birds (specifically Canada geese) at airports. The FAA's new bird strike data website will be here. more ›

• Cardinals 12, Mets 8: Maybe the Mets should have just stayed in New York. Their three-game road trip to St. Louis turned out miserably, and it was capped by this disaster under the Gateway Arch. Livan Hernandez allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings, and the Mets' late rallies were a day late and a dollar short. Panic is beginning to set in, but everyone needs to calm down. A 6-9 record is not the end of the world. With Johan Santana set to face the Nationals, the Mets' four-game losing streak should be history Friday evening, too.
• Devils 1, Hurricanes 0: Martin Brodeur tied another record with his 23rd playoff shutout. This one is 100-percent legitimate -- unlike his wins record which includes shootout wins -- and it put the Devils on the doorstep of the second round. He made 44 saves in a thrilling duel with Carolina's Cam Ward. David Clarkson scored near the midway point of the second period. Carolina had a flurry of chances at the end -- remember the Hurricanes scored with 0.2 seconds remaining in Game 4. The Devils can advance Sunday if they win in Raleigh.
• Wizards 1, Red Bulls 0: Carlos Johnson got sent off in the second minute -- that's the fastest red card in league history -- and the Red Bulls couldn't double their win total.

The Atlantic Yards rat problem appears to be getting worse according to neighbors with a block association having held a meeting on how to combat the pestering rodents just this week. One Prospect Heights resident who was there told the News, "It's worse now than it's ever been. Whenever the work happens, rats are everywhere, eight at a time." The News first reported a couple weeks back on the rats and the sorry state of the demolition site, including women being harassed near the Yards at night; today's headline is "Rat-infested Yard Site Stirs Cat Calls." A spokesman for Bruce Ratner's properties naturally blamed the rat infestation on the sorry state of the site before the developer came in and "corrected the problems." If the area around the stalled project follows the course laid out in Life After People, expect the rats to return to the wild in the next few months, only to be replaced by the arrival of wolves. more ›

It's been a little while since we checked in on the Dock Street development in DUMBO. To recap: Two Trees (David and Jed Walentas's) proposed an 18-story "green" residential building (featuring 65 below-market-rate rentals and a public middle school) near the Brooklyn Bridge that would block views of the historic span. Community board subcommittees were formed, debates were had, and now the City Planning Commission has voted in favor of the tower, though they plan to bring the 18-story plan down to 17, and the 10-story section down to 7 or 8, the Brooklyn Paper reports. Opponents of the project say that the modifications are "marginal" and criticize Planning Commission Chairwoman Amanda Burden for not trimming the building more. more ›

Since it's unclear whether the State Legislature will make a deal to help out the MTA (they claim to want to, but there's no agreement on a plan), the MTA has no choice but to tell commuters what to expect with their unlimited Metrocards as "doomsday," May 31—the day fares go up about 25%— approaches. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg was up in the Bronx today to celebrate the the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Home Depot in the soon-to-be-opening Gateway Mall. While he posed for pictures in the orange apron worn by employees, the mayor refused to put on safety goggles while a nearby manager cut a small piece of wood with an electric saw. When asked why he wouldn't, Bloomberg said, "The last guy to put on a pair was Dukakis." Of course, the mayor is referring to Dukakis's infamous tank picture, where he posed inside a tank (though not in goggles) during the '88 presidential race while trying to bolster his reputation on defense, only to have the shot be used mockingly by the Bush campaign. What exactly does the mayor fear Bill Thompson might do with such an image—attack his support of city pools? While at Home Depot, Bloomberg also boasted that he has built bookshelves by hand and painted his own apartment before, likely while working up a hearty appetite for a Shake 'n Bake feast. more ›

Philip Markoff, the Boston University medical student suspected of killing a NYC woman at a Boston hotel, has been put on suicide watch. ABC News reports that prison officials apparently found shoelace marks around the 23-year-old's neck, "Markoff was moved from the general population of Boston's Nashua Street jail to a segregated unit where officers can keep a constant eye on him." In the meantime, the father of Markoff's fiancee Megan McAllister told reporters, "She's still confident in Phil. Other than that we’re saying a lot of prayers." Also: A Facebook page has been created: "Phil Markoff is Innocent Until Proven Guilty." more ›

The Attorney General's office, already investigating the state pension fund, is now looking at the NYC pension fund. The NY Times reports, "Investigators have long been examining why a tiny firm operated by Daniel Hevesi, a former state senator and the son of a former state comptroller, Alan G. Hevesi, was paid more than $1 million in fees for his role as an intermediary in deals with pension funds in New York City and for deals in New Mexico." (Two of Hevesi's cronies have already been indicted in the state pension fund corruption probe.) NYC Comptroller William Thompson already announced his office was investigating the use of placement agents (aka the middlemen who collect fees to match funds with investment firms) but the AG's investigation would reportedly be broader. On the state side, the Daily News says that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver arranged meetings between investors—such as former Rangers goalie Mike Richter— and the state comptroller's office. While none of those investors were selected, watchdog group Common Cause says, "It's very inappropriate because it looks as if the speaker is using his office as the most powerful elected official in the Assembly to try and influence the controller." more ›

Newly-installed Archbishop Timothy Dolan is continuing to make his presence felt in the media, keeping open discussions about hot button issues such as gay marriage and the possibility of marriage within the priesthood. Dolan seems to be making a concentrated effort to put a positive spin on the church's stance on topics that he knows might not sit well in a town as socially liberal as New York. more ›

Yesterday, Observer editor Peter Kaplan announced he was leaving the weekly after 15 years at the helm. Kaplan told the NY Times, "I’m 55, interested in a third act, and I’ve had my turn here. I want to take what I have learned and see if there is a way I can help figure out what is next for our business," and apparently that act is going to be at Conde Nast Traveler. The Times' David Carr writes, "Kaplan's skepticism and manifest enthusiasm have left a footprint on the vocabulary of contemporary journalism. Long before there were tatty, snarky blogs, the voice of amazed, gimlet-eyed hilarity was baked into Mr. Kaplan’s version of the weekly." While Observer publisher Jared Kushner said it was sad to see Kaplan leave, Gawker questions how Kushner spun Kaplan's departure in the Post. At any rate, Kaplan told his own staff, "I had a little newspaper in New York City. That’s as good as it gets. It’s better to have a little newspaper in New York City than a big newspaper in New York City. Because then you only have to report and write for the people you care about. And nobody else." more ›

Police sources say that William Parente apparently was in financial trouble when he killed his wife and two daughters (before killing himself) in a Maryland hotel room. Papers found in the hotel room indicted that investors wanted their money back from the lawyer's investment scheme. A friend told Newsday that "he took calls from the worried investors, who had given Parente as much as $6 million and as little as $50,000" and the Post suggests Parente may have handled $20 million of investor money. more ›

Damn brah, the feds are hell bent on harshing the vibe this summer. On April 9th, three men were nailed on Staten Island for moving "large quantities" of marijuana from as far away as Mexico using a mobile-home. Now that's what we call a Wide Bong Load. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tailing the mobile home observed it pull over around 9:30 a.m. on a service road to the Goethals Bridge. They say suspects Joseph Pousa and Anthony Orfanos, both from Queens, then unloaded 13 parcels filled with marijuana from the mobile home to a rental van. Investigators then tailed the duo, who were still shamefully oblivious to the surveillance, to a warehouse where a third suspect, Joseph Wiseman, rolled up in a totally inconspicuous gold S.U.V. And after reading this account in the Staten Island Advance, we've gone from the usual surge of outrage over the government's draconian drug laws to thinking New Yorkers really deserve more circumspect drug smugglers than these alleged clowns. They were charged in Brooklyn federal court for their failed attempt to distribute marijuana. more ›

Len Berman didn't exactly use his farewell from the WNBC 4 sports desk as an opportunity to have his Howard Beale moment, but he did get in a couple of jabs at all of the cutbacks around the station that led them to let him go after almost twenty-five years covering local sports there. When presented with a cake, Berman quipped, "Is this in the budget?" Apparently personalizing it was not. more ›

Three years after the murder of Imette St.Guillen, jury selection was supposed to have started yesterday in the trial of suspect Darryl Littlejohn. Littlejohn, an ex-con, was a bouncer at the bar St. Guillen was last seen at. However, selection was delayed until next month because of issues with the DNA evidence prosecutors say links Littlejohn to the crime. Last week, the Daily News reported that Littlejohn's mother's hair was found on the blanket that the John Jay College grad student was wrapped in, but then the News reported yesterday that the DNA of Littlejohn's brother—who died in 1994—may have found on the blanket, which was not made until 1998. Littlejohn's defense lawyer suggests the evidence was tampered, "The evidence itself, the plastic ties, the quilt, the snow brush, were moved from lab to lab. They were transported by detectives involved in the case. At any point in time the evidence could have been tampered with," a claim the police deny. Additionally, the defense also says the police never took voice samples of bar owner Dan Dorrian "to compare it to that of an anonymous 911 call Feb. 25, 2006, directing police to the location of St. Guillen's body." more ›

In the wake of yesterday's news about dissident Riverside Church congregants seeking a court order to stop the installation of a new highly-paid pastor, some church leaders are out defending the $600,000 compensation package. Dr. Billy Jones, chairman of the church board, tells the Daily News that the new pastor, Rev. Dr. Brad Braxton (pictured), deserves to be well-compensated because of his huge responsibilities, which include "overseeing a staff of 150 people... overseeing a full-time day school of 128 students and running 80 church and community programs." And who knows what else! more ›

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says that the U.S. government pressured Bank of America to buy Merrill Lynch. Cuomo had questioned BoA CEO Ken Lewis over Merrill's $15 billion loss for the 4th quarter of 2008—namely whether the company hid that information from shareholders—and Lewis said that he was warned by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson (pictured) and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that failing to take over Merrill, as troubled as it was, would "impose a big risk to the financial system." Further, Paulson "may have threatened to remove the bank’s management and board if they didn’t comply," according to Cuomo's letter to Congress. Cuomo has been investigating BoA and Merrill after Merrill handed out extravagant bonuses to executives. more ›

• From the Gothamist Newsmap: An unusual rescue on Ferry St on Staten Island, a burn victim at 58th Ave & Lawrence St in Queens and an all hands fire at E 72nd St & Park Ave in Manhattan.
• Another day, another child left on a school bus. This time it was a 3-year-old—luckily a Good Samaritan call 911.
• If you're going to strip a stolen car, why not do it across the street from your house if you want to get busted by the police?
• The schools panels formed to replace the Board of Education was supposed to provide a "balance authority" with mayoral control of schools, but Mayor Bloomberg does control 8 of its 12 seats.
• The Working Families' Party has endorsed City Councilman John Liu for Comptroller; PolitckerNY notes, "Liu... donated $10,000 to the party, as did Bill de Blasio, who is running for Public Advocate and has also been endorsed by the WFP."
• A vitamin that is not allowed in the U.S. but is elsewhere is suspected of causing the deaths of 21 polo horses.
• Would Blanche Devereaux move from her Miami home with lanai to Harlem? Unclear, but Golden Girls star Rue McClanahan recently visited a new condo development in the neighborhood.
• The Brooklyn Brewery co-founder wants to open the first whiskey and gin distillery in Gowanus, which would be the city's first since Prohibition. He just needs $3 million and SLA approval.
• Gawker goes through Levi Johnston's bizarre moments on Larry King Live. For those who don't want to watch, you can read the transcript here.
• And Terrance Howard is mad that the producers of Iron Man 2 didn't keep him on (Don Cheadle is playing Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes in the sequel). He tells Parade, "They didn't keep their word. They didn't honor my contract. They produced a great bounty with the first one but they put it all in the storehouse and you were not allowed in." more ›

Yesterday, a wake was held in Washington Heights for Julissa Brisman, a young woman who was killed last week during an appointment with a massage client at a Boston hotel. The Daily News' Michael Daly reports that the aspiring actress's mother wailed in Spanish, "Why not me? Why her? She was only 25. She was just beginning to live her life." And Brisman's friend, Mark Pines, said she would screen clients who responded to her Craigslist listing for massage services but added, "We will use her memory to try to keep other girls from ending up in the same situation." more ›

The NY Post reports that former Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra's wife has filed for divorce—which means it's also an opportunity to feature that photograph of Dykstra chomping on Twizzlers from last fall! Dykstra had parlayed his baseball earnings into a variety of investments, including a line of car washes, but recently creditors went after his $18 million (!!) California estate and his Gulfstream III jet (!!). And it was only last fall when Dykstra referred to $140,000 as his "f---ing ashtray money." In the divorce papers, Terri Dykstra claims "irreconcilable differences" for ending their 23-year marriage and a former family employee told the Post, "Divorce? I'm not surprised. Finance was part of it. They've had a sham marriage for several years, and he told me that they hadn't slept in the same bed for three to four years." The couple has two children, 13 and 18. more ›

One week ago, Governor David Paterson announced that he was proposing forth gay marriage legislation, "For too long, LGBT New Yorkers have been told to wait for their civil rights and personal freedom. We will not wait any longer. Now is the time for action. Now is the time for leadership... We have to have a debate. We have to have a vote." Yet his remarks yesterday made it seem like the Governor is "backpedaling" or "softening" his effort to have the bill up for a vote. more ›

The Coalition for the Homeless says that Mayor Bloomberg's policies have led to a huge increase in families living in shelters. There are currently 9,400 families (about 28,000 people) in shelters and the group says more families entered shelters in last year than in any year since the 1980s. At fault, the group says, is the city's decision to stop giving homeless families priority for federal housing vouchers, which allows families to pay 30% of their rent while the government picks up the rest. The NY Times reports that the city did create its own program, where the value of the rent subsidies decreased after a year but "It was widely considered a failure," and the city created another program (which still doesn't satisfy critics). Coalition for the Homeless analyst Patrick Markee said, "We felt that it was a mistake in policy four years ago when they did it, and it’s even more mistaken now, given the recession and the rising numbers of homeless families." In turn, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeless Services tells the Times, "While the coalition sits on the sidelines screaming ‘Fire’ and proposing failed solutions, we are working aggressively with a wide range of homeless providers to place more and more families into homes of their own." more ›

Hi everybody, who wants to look younger? Yesterday a 42-year-old Staten Island man named Eduard Belfer turned himself over to police, who accuse him of posing as a doctor while working at the appropriately-named "Staten Island Pain Associates." Last month the state Education Department received a tip that Belfer was performing cosmetic treatments there without a medical license, so they set up a sting and busted him offering to inject an undercover investigator with Ristalin, which is similar to Botox. more ›

Moms as far afield as Australia are tut-tutting over the Park Avenue lawyer who left her 10-year-old daughter left behind on a White Plains sidewalk as punishment for misbehaving with her 12-year-old sister. Details are still scant on what exactly sent Madlyn Primoff into such a rage, but you can bet she had no idea she'd become, overnight, an instantly-recognizable symbol for bad parenting. The Post has been all over her—nicknaming her the "Mother Chucker" and photographing her outside her office—and warped right-wing columnist Andrea Peyser, mother of a ten-year-old girl herself, naturally admits "to harboring some secret admiration for Madlyn, The Mother Who Means It." Meanwhile, the beleaguered Times blames the usual suspects—the all-consuming Internet and Twitter—for blowing the story out of proportion; "Our Towns" columnist Peter Applebome sees the roots of Primoff's new-found notoriety in "the right combination of demography and the omnivorous, viral quality of the online news beast." Whether you're starting to feel sorry for Primoff or still think she's a self-centered, modern-day Medea, one thing's for sure; Scarsdale soccer practice is going to be just a little awkward for her this weekend. more ›

With Somali pirate Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse set to stand trial as an adult for the hijacking a U.S. container ship and holding its captain hostage for days, his mother is again begging for some sympathy for her son. Adar Abdirahman Hassan, who previously asked President Obama to pardon Muse—or at least that she be allowed to be with him during the trial—now says, "I plead with American judges not to commit an injustice against [Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse] and hand down an unfair verdict on my son." more ›

While the cause of death for Freddie Mac's acting CFO David Kellerman isn't official (it appears to be a suicide but the ME has to do an autopsy), numerous reports say the company's problems were weighing heavily on him. The NY Times reports, "Kellerman, 41, began working nonstop, sometimes returning home only to change clothes, colleagues say. He was losing weight and telling friends that it seemed impossible to appease everyone — regulators, lawmakers, investors and other executives — given their competing demands." Freddie Mac's new CEO after the government stepped in, David Moffett, tells the Washington Post he relied tremendously on Kellerman: "The CFO of any company in today's environment is a very stressful job... particularly when you're in a company that's undergoing a tremendous amount of change and uncertainty." Another thing that plagued Kellerman: revelations that the mortgage giant's executives were getting $210 million in bonuses, with $850,000 to him. With outrage from Congress and the public over executive pay, he hired a security detail for his family. Freddie Mac had also recently disclosed the feds were investigating its accounting, disclosure and corporate governance practices. more ›

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that there are about 70,000 hacking attempts to crack the NYPD's computer system every day. Luckily, the NYPD has a "robust protective system" that's prevented any of the attacks—mostly from China and the Netherlands—from being successful; the Daily News explains that according to sources, "It appears the hackers have devised a automated system in which computers around the world make up to 5,000 attempts a day at pinpointing unsecured portals into the NYPD's files." However, Kelly said in his speech to the Council on Foreign Relations that the foreign interest in NYPD data may be due to "the NYPD's reach into the international arena," adding, "As the memory of September 11th fades, we in the Police Department must never forget that New York remains the world's most enduring terrorist target." The Post offered some perspective: While 70K attacks/day is a lot, an agency like the Pentagon has about 10 times more attacks daily. more ›

The State Senate Democrats may have a new MTA bailout proposal that involves a payroll tax and a taxi dropoff surcharge, but it might not have the votes it need for passage! The NY Times' story is headlined Latest Plan for M.T.A. Is Foundering in Albany while the Daily News is, naturally, more blunt: Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith's MTA plan might be dead on arrival. more ›

The family of legendary newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin announced today that his daughter, 44-year-old Kelly Breslin, had passed away after collapsing suddenly in a restaurant days before. After sharing a meal for a friend's birthday at L'Express at around 2 a.m. Friday morning, Ms. Breslin put her hand on a friend's leg and collapsed to the floor, her head hitting the table. She was on life support at Bellevue Hospital until her death yesterday. Her stepmother, former City Councilwoman Ronnie Eldridge, told the Times, “They think it most likely was an arrhythmia episode. They do not believe she died from choking.” Ms. Breslin was not known to have any history of heart trouble; she had gone into cardiac arrest for too long to be revived by the time EMTs arrived. She is the second daughter lost by Jimmy Breslin, best known for his involvement in the Son of Sam story. His daughter Rosemary died at 47 from a blood disease. Eldridge said, “She was a healthy, chattering young woman. She had so many friends that the hospital did not know what to do with them. She reminded me of a fluttering bee that cross-pollinated all over the place. She loved life.” more ›

If there is any way to garner more sympathy and further prove yourself an unfair victim for the monstrous college athlete who put you into a coma after a bar fight eleven months ago, it's ending your first press conference by tossing up the Vulcan salute. Today was the first public appearance by Bryan Steinhauer, the 22-year-old Brooklyn native who was brutally beaten by his Binghamton classmate Miladin Kovacevic, the Serbian basketball player nearly twice his size. The Daily News describes his words as "emerging slowly and heavily slurred," as seen in the video below from MyFoxNY. more ›

A month after a federal judge ruled that the Food and Drug Administration must give access to morning-after pill Plan B to 17-year-olds without a prescription, the FDA has done just that and lowered the age for the contraceptive to 17. U.S. District Judge Edward Korman had pointed out, "The record shows that FDA officials and staff both agreed that 17-year-olds can use Plan B safely without a prescription," but said the agency restricted access during the Bush years for political reasons. Now women, 17 and over, can go to pharmacies, show proof of age, and ask for and receive Plan B. The NY Times reports that while advocates have hoped the pill would help slash the teen pregnancy rate and critics have said it would lead to more abortions and unprotected sex, there's no evidence that either has happened. Princeton's Office of Population Research director Dr. James Trussell tells the Times, "This is not going to be a cheap cure to the unintended pregnancy epidemic in this country. It’s very depressing." more ›

An update in the case of the 44-year-old PTA mom who was found with a 13-year-old boy in the backseat of an SUV—both were naked from the waist down, according to Nassau County police. More charges were added against Joan Tuckruskye because cops now say there were sexual relations. According to Newsday, "Police determined Tuckruskye had sex with the boy by analyzing DNA taken from saliva on the boy's clothes and body. Prosecutors have said in court documents that Tuckruskye admitted kissing the boy. The boy has denied having sex with her." She was already charged with endangering the welfare of a child for the December 2008 incident; now she faces second-degree sexual abuse and second-degree criminal sexual act charges. However, Tuckruskye's lawyer Brian Griffin says the DNA tests were inconclusive. more ›

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made her feelings about former vice president Dick Cheney's known at a hearing today. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-California) had asked her about Cheney suggestion that the CIA's torture-related memos be declassified (because some, Cheney claims, show harsh torture=success), to which Clinton said, "It won't surprise you that I don't consider him a particularly reliable source." Rohrbacher than demanded Clinton answer the question, suggesting she would want to preserve her credibility with them (the House Foreign Affairs Committee), and Clinton said she would support whatever decision the Obama administration makes, adding, "I am not going to share that with you because I do not know any facts that support what you're describing." You can watch the exchange here. more ›

To commemorate Earth Day and the 2nd anniversary of PlaNYC's launch, Mayor Bloomberg donned a green tie and went up to the gorgeous 620 Loft & Garden roof at Rockefeller Center, where he announced a package of legislation intended to improve New York’s energy efficiency. Joined by City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, union leaders, the Sierra Club's Carl Pope, and other officials, Bloomberg promised that the "far-reaching package of new local laws will... reduce energy costs by some three-quarters of a billion dollars a year." more ›

Madonna Constantine, a former professor at Columbia's Teachers College, is suing the university for $200 million. The lawsuit claims Columbia has defamed her by dismissing her after their plagiarism probe; the Columbia Spectator reports, "The introduction to the 92-page complaint is titled 'the academic lynching of Professor Madonna Constantine,' and states that these allegations were part of an 'invidious scheme to ruin the scholarly reputation of the Plaintiff through a conspiracy to drum up and eventually publish false claims against the Plaintiff.'" (It should be noted two of Constantine's accusers are minorities, one black, one Asian.) A Teachers College spokeperson said, "This case is totally without merit, and we intend to defend against it rigorously." Constantine's tenure at Teachers College included a 2007 incident where a noose was found hanging on her office door; no suspects were ever found. more ›

As the legend goes, the feral parrots often seen in Brooklyn and Queens came here from South America, breaking free into the boroughs from some crates at JFK airport some 20 years ago. While they may make for nice photos, the parrots are causing some chaos in Queens. Earlier this week more than 1,500 Con Ed customers in Beechhurst lost power because of the feathered friends nesting in electrical equipment, the NY Post reported. Their nests have reportedly damaged one piece of Con Ed equipment repeatedly, each time costing around $20K to fix. more ›

Despite grumbling over imperfect records and some early criticism of the new stadiums, there seems to be a general air of goodwill towards baseball right now as both local teams celebrate their inaugural seasons in their respective new ballparks. Good thing we have Debbie Downer Mayor Bloomberg to keep us in check. When asked about fans complaining about how high ticket prices are at the new stadiums, Bloomberg said, "Don't ever think sports is anything but a business." You hear that, Freddy? So stop crowing about not getting into the Stadium and feel lucky the Mayor doesn't call 311 on you for noise pollution. Bloomberg also called the parks "great additions to the skyline" and defended that the city "put next to nothing into (them)" financially. As for the expensive tickets going unsold, one marketing expert tells the Times, "It’s lost revenue they anticipated getting. This is the worst possible time to debut a stadium.” The paper also points out that Cleveland's Jacob's Field was able to fill itself to capacity for 455 straight games soon after opening in 1994. more ›

On Monday afternoon, the bodies of a Garden City lawyer, his wife, and their two daughters were found in a room at the Towson, MD Sheraton hotel. Police say that real estate attorney William Parente asphyxiated his family before killing himself and now Newsday reports that the FBI has "opened an investigation into [his] financial dealings." more ›

All "halal" broke loose in the Financial District around 6 p.m. Friday when, according to the Post, a street vendor rolled his food cart into a five-months-pregnant rival. The victim, Asmaa Abdelaal, says the incident was sparked by rumors that she'd been unfaithful to her husband; she tells the tabloid she was holding her 7-month-old daughter when the unnamed vendor "started saying terrible things about me, about how my daughter is not from my husband and how I sleep with all kinds of men. And then suddenly he pulled the wooden lever from under his cart and the cart rolled into the street, hitting us." After being knocked to the ground, the 24-year-old chicken-and-rice vendor was taken to New York Downtown Hospital and treated for back and side pain. But other vendors around Cedar Street say Abdelaal was the one at fault. One man, Eman Libelebide, tells the Post, "She wanted to get him in trouble. All the customers come to him. She gives me trouble, too." more ›

It's hardly a secret that organized religion can be a very lucrative business model, but the sky high compensation package offered to the new senior minister of Riverside Church—which has a long history of advocating social justice—has some congregants raising hell. The Daily News's Juan Gonzalez reports that a group of dissident church members filed suit in Manhattan Supreme Court last week to stop Saturday's installation of Rev. Brad Braxton, who's been hired with a $600,000 annual compensation package. more ›

Tonight will be the final broadcasts at WNBC 4 for longtime sportscaster Len Berman. Berman will be on the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts tonight and tells the Daily News, "I know they have a video and surprises planned at 6 p.m." Will one of those surprises be a goodbye kiss from Sue Simmons? His heart is likely racing to find out. As for what happens next, Berman tells the News, "I am happy to report there will be a next time." His signature segment of wacky highlights, "Spanning the World," will remain at its second home on . There hasn't been any word on further pink slips at WNBC, which has seen quite a few recently. As for his departure, Berman says he has "definitely mixed emotions." Here's to hoping that nobody got hurt. more ›

New Jersey gets all the fun. Spotters across northern New Jersey reported pea-to-marble-sized hail last night. Marble-sized hail is typically closer in diameter to mib, rather than shooter or Elgin marbles. While New York didn't see any solid precipitation, nearly two inches of the liquid stuff has fallen on Central Park since Monday. More rain is in store today. more ›

Yesterday, a Las Vegas-bound flight from Newark Airport was delayed after knives were found in the carry-on luggage of one passenger. According to the AP, the Transportation Security Administration explained that a "passenger looking through her overhead luggage had a small Swiss Army knife and another knife with a 2 1/2 inch blade." It's unclear who alerted the crew, but the Continental plane was returned to the gate and cleared of passengers for a check. Oh, and "The TSA is investigating how the knives made it through security." more ›

Yesterday, the man suspected of fatally shooting a NYC woman in a Boston hotel appeared in court pleaded not guilty to the murder as well as another robbery of a hooker at a different Boston hotel. Philip Markoff, a SUNY Albany graduated and Boston University med student, was held without bail while his lawyer John Salsberg told reporters that his client "is not guilty of the charges. I have not received any document or report or piece of evidence other than what everybody here heard in the courtroom. So all I have at the moment are words — no proof of anything.” more ›

The trouble is just starting for private equity firm Quadrangle. Last week, it was revealed the firm's founder—and current White House auto bailout chief—Steve Rattner allegedly paid $1 million to a middleman to be included in the state's pension fund. Now it appears the investigation is heating out up over his attempts to have Quadrangle included in other pension funds—like those of New Mexico, LA and NYC. Apparently Quadrangle paid middleman/placement agent fees to the firm of Hank Morris, already indicted in state pension fund scandal, to drum up business—the NY Times reports that after a meeting with the NYC Comptroller's office, "Mr. Rattner left the meeting irritated that his own considerable connections did not seem to be enough. He soon hired Mr. Morris." City Comptroller Thompson's office is now investigating over whether Quadrangle lied about not naming Morris as a placement agent. (Also, Morris was also former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi's political consultant/top fundraiser!) To that end, the State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has banned placement agents from the pension fund, but a NY Times editorial suggests that the Legislature needs to create an independent body that watches the investments the State Comptroller makes. more ›

Remember all those times your parents threatened to pull the car over and leave you by the side of the road if you didn't cut the crap? One Park Avenue lawyer actually made good on that threat Sunday night, and now she's in trouble with the law. Police say Madlyn Primoff, a partner at the white-shoe law firm Kaye Scholer in Manhattan, ejected her squabbling 10 and 12-year-old daughters from the family car Sunday, some three miles from her $2 million Scarsdale home. more ›

An elderly German architect; his 35-year-old Greek roommate; and a 6-foot-5-inch, 350-pound Dean & DeLuca security guard were indicted yesterday on charges of kidnapping and robbing the agent for a Manhattan property owner. Prosecutors say that some time last year the brawny Kakhaber Gogoladze, a Georgian national in the U.S. illegally, approached the unidentified property agent and told him to get in a car. He was driven to the apartment shared by 70-year-old Ekkehart Schwarz and Vasileios Giamagas, who were $267,000 behind on the rent for a lounge space at 68 West Third Street (pictured), where they'd failed to open a nightclub. more ›

The State Public Service Commission approved a one-year increase for Con Ed electricity rates that will translate to a $6/month increase for NYC customers and $8/month for Westchester customers—plus another surcharge for other assessments, which give Con Ed about $721 million. Half that amount is for higher property taxes. The NY Times reports that the commission asked the utility to take "cost-cutting measures" but Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) blasted the decision, "As long as the Public Service Commission aids and abets Con Edison's game of perpetual rate hikes, the people of New York will continue to suffer from sky-high rates and substandard service. " And Con Ed, which had asked for $819 million, wasn't happy either, “Since most of a customer’s bill is used to pay supply costs and government taxes, it is troubling that the only costs being slashed in today’s P.S.C. decision are the funds used to maintain the system and provide reliable service." Update: Per a commenter, the Post suggests electricity rates will be this summer. We'll investigate. more ›

Yesterday, Newsday reported that a 25-year-old woman was arrested for after crashing into a utility pole in Central Islip. Nicole Marty was allegedly high on drugs at the time—and had her 9-year-old daughter in the car, too! The daughter was treated for head trauma while Marty was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled substance, child endangerment, plus "harassment because she injured a police officer who was guarding her after she was taken to Southside for a medical evaluation after booking." Newsday adds, "In her booking photo, Marty can be seen making a lewd gesture with both middle fingers." Newsday censored the photo, but The Smoking Gun has Marty's mugshot in all of its glory (TSG also calls her a "Birdbrain"). more ›

The acting chief financial officer for Freddie Mac was found dead in his Vienna, VA home this morning. David Kellerman had been with the mortgage giant for 16 years and was made acting CFO last September, when the company, troubled by its subprime mortgages, was taken over by the U.S. Treasury. While Kellerman's wife reportedly called about an apparent suicide, authorities say they are still investigating the incident and that the final determination about whether this was a suicide will come from the medical examiner. WTOP Radio says that Freddie Mac has no comment at this time. more ›

Yesterday, a judge determined that the lone surviving Somali pirate could be charged as adult. Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, who, along with three other pirates, held a U.S. container ship captain hostage, was charged with piracy under the law of nations, conspiracy to seize a ship by force, conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and use of firearms in those acts, according to the NY Times. Prosecutors say that Muse, in spite of his small 5'2" frame, was the ringleader who "was the first to board the ship" plus "he fired a shot at the captain, he helped steal $30,000 in cash from a safe, and he bragged about hijacking ships in the past," the AP reports. more ›

As expected, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. (D-Bronx) won the special election for the Bronx Borough President seat vacated by Adolfo Carrion Jr. (Carrion is now at the White House.) Diaz Jr. won with 87% of the vote—over 28,000 votes— over Republican district leader Anthony Ribustello. Diaz told NY1 about his plans, "I want to meet the mayor of the City of New York. I want to meet with the speaker of the New York City Council. I want to revise the vacancies and appointments on the community boards. And all the different development projects that are on their way here to the borough of the Bronx. I want to go talk to the staff at the Borough President's Office. There's so much to do. I'm ready and I'm anxious and eager to go and work at Borough Hall." Diaz's term will be up December 31, which means he'll need to mount another campaign this fall. more ›

A reader sent us this glimpse of the scene by NYU's Gallatin school and writes, "There are like 10-15 cops just standing at the corner and across the street because Take Back NYU"—of the Kimmel Center takeover—"is protesting again...against tuition hikes." NYU Local has more details: "The Gallatin Open House was briefly interrupted tonight when a group of about 15 TBNYU! protesters started pounding on the newly renovated building’s windows. This prompted an NYU administrator, the same one who busted through the Kimmel barricade, to dash outside and squelch. He told them he would have the NYPD remove them if they continued. They stopped." Take Back NYU notes there's a roundtable discussion about having a socially responsible finance committee at the school tomorrow. more ›

Today, President Obama signed the Edward Kennedy Serve America Act, to urge Americans to get involved and volunteer in their communities, but yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg announced the city's own volunteering effort—NYC Service—and promised, "New York City will be the first city to strategically connect the power of its volunteers to solving its biggest problems." more ›

It may be 4/21, but two state lawmakers are introducing legislation to legalize medical marijuana. Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan) and State Senator Thomas Duane (D-Manhattan) were to introduce a bill today. Gottfried, who previously sponsored a similar bill that passed in the Assembly but was stalled (of course) in the Senate, said, "I think we've got by far the best chance we've ever had." The Daily News has some details: "Under the bill, people suffering from specific diseases such as cancer or HIV-related ills could obtain a certification from their doctor that would allow them to possess up to 2-1/2 ounces of marijuana and up to 12 plants." Governor Paterson's spokesman said, "if the bill successfully passes both houses and reaches the governor's desk, the administration will seek input from interested parties before the governor acts." Ganja Grannies and Gramps are crossing their fingers. more ›

Wherever Leona Helmsley is now, we imagine she's throwing a fit. Even though the late, famously mean hotelier's will had a two-page mission statement outlining that her $5-8 billion estate go to the care and welfare of dogs, a judge ruled in February that the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Trust could give the money to other non-canine charities. The first round of donations, totaling $136 million, was announced today: $115 million to medical research (including $40 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for a digestive diseases center, $25-million to Mount Sinai Medical Center a electrophysiology center, and $10-million to Mount Sinai School of Medicine an inflammatory bowel disease center) while "just" $1 million went to ten animal-related charities (the ASPCA got $100,000). The trust said, "Throughout their lives, the Helmsleys were committed to helping others, through the innovations of medical research, responding to those in need during critical times and in other areas. We now have the privilege of continuing their good works by providing support where it will make a difference." more ›

NY State Senate Democrats have finally offered their thoughts on how to help out the MTA—and mass transit commuters who otherwise will face significant service cuts and fare hikes. PolitickerNY sums up the plan's features: "A $1 surcharge on taxi rides in the 12 counties served by the M.T.A., raising $190 million; a sliding payroll tax on all businesses within that region, raising $1.49 billion; a $25 fee on motor vehicle registration, raising $130 million; a 25 percent increase on the fee to obtain a drivers license, raising $10.5 million; an eight percent increase on fares; and an increase in tax on rental cars, raising $35 million." (An 8% subway and bus fare increase would be preferable to a 25-30% fare hike.) more ›

Thanks a lot, New York Times. Barely six weeks after profiling a massive swingers' club and buffet (free valet parking!) in Sunset Park, the Man has gotten a preliminary injunction to shut it down. NY Law Journal reports that three undercover inspectors investigating Club Casbar observed more than "150 incidents of prohibited sexual activity." Nice work if you can get it! Prosecutors say the alleged acts violated Sanitary Code §24-2.2, which states, "No establishment shall make facilities available for the purpose of sexual activities in which... high risk sexual activity takes place." (The statute defines "high risk sexual activity" as fellatio and anal intercourse.) Down by the Hipster says the closure meant the social club Kinky Jews had to cancel their 4th annual sex-themed Passover seder! But judging by their website, it seems they found someplace else to whip each other with chocolate licorice wands and, according to The Forward, sing a sex-positive version of “Dayenu,” with lyrics like, “If she only dressed in leather/Bright and shiny patent leather/If she only dressed in leather/Dayenu.” Sure, that's probably TMI, but having read to the bottom of a sex club story, you have only yourself to blame. more ›

The Post offers some perspective, by way of the Siena College poll released yesterday, about how voters feel about Governor David Paterson: "New Yorkers would rather have disgraced ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer as the state's chief executive than Gov. Paterson. The Siena College survey, released yesterday, also showed that more New Yorkers would prefer former Govs. Mario Cuomo or George Pataki than either Spitzer or Paterson." When asked to pick their choice from recent governors, 39% opted for Cuomo, followed by Pataki, Spitzer and then Paterson. Well, we suppose absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or that Spitzer should be wary about his comeback. That same survey found Paterson has a dismal 18% approval rating. more ›

Yesterday more court papers were filed for the upcoming American Apparel/Woody Allen showdown, and the NY Post's Cindy Adams thinks it's going to get uglier than a Nylon Spandex Micro-Mesh Bodysuit. more ›

Yesterday the Brooklyn Museum sent out a press release regarding the new economic reality and how it will impact the establishment. The laundry list of cuts and changes included: a new budget, hiring freeze, the cancellation of a major exhibition (which would have included works from the likes of Roy Lichtenstein), reduced number of major exhibitions overall, a moratorium on staff travel, and offering buyouts to all of its 281 full-time employees. This certainly doesn't paint a very pretty picture. The Brooklyn Paper notes that "The art world hasn’t seen cuts like this since Vincent Van Gogh lopped off his ear" (har har), citing a $2.3 million loss in aid from city government over the past three years. Last month they suggested visitors donate $2 more (upping the fee from $8 to $10). more ›

The Yankees' new stadium is barely a week old and the observation/complaints keeping piling up. Here's the latest—but it may be too early to declare whether the Red Sox jersey should have been left under the new stadium. more ›

Before being sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her estranged husband, Dr. Mazoltuv Borukhova (pictured, near right) told a judge, "I repeat myself again and again. I had nothing to do with this murder. I didn't kill anybody." Borukhova was found guilty of killing dentist Daniel Malakov (pictured, far right) last month. A jury believed she conspired to have her cousin by marriage kill Malakov so she could regain custody of their daughter. Malakov was gunned down in a playground as he was dropping their four-year-old daughter to Borkhova; a homemade silencer found at the scene had fingerprints matching those of Borukhova's cousin, who was also convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Their daughter Michelle has been living with her father's brother and his family; Gavriel Malakov told the Daily News, "Will Michelle ever stop having these nightmares that are full of the events that took place on that sunny, crisp morning when she personally witnessed her father being gunned down? Will she ever have those sweet dreams that typical 6-year-olds have?" more ›

Jeffrey Skiles, who was co-pilot to Captain Chesley Sullenberger on Flight 1549, flew his first plane yesterday since the January splash landing in the Hudson. A Daily News reporter was on the Charlotte, NC-to-Detroit flight; Skiles said, "It felt really good. It all came right back to me. I'm a pilot; this is what my whole life is about." He also revealed that he spent a few days in a simulator (to prepare) last week and added, "Actually, it was my wife who said to me, 'When are you going back to work?' She got tired of looking at me." The filght's captain said Skiles' return flight was "flawless" in spite of gusting 30-mph winds. In other Flight 1549 news, one of the flight's survivors testified at an FAA hearing that bird strike data should be made public, "The issue needs to be addressed openly, not swept under the rug." more ›

CBS 2 just conducted a scathing sting on State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., discovering that the powerful politician actually resides in tony Mamaroneck, outside his Bronx district. The exposé found that Espada's Westchester home is worth almost $700,000, and that while he claims his residence to be a co-op in the Bronx (at 325 East 201st Street), tenants there say he's never around. One resident tells the news channel, "I have never seen him in the building, not ever. I do my laundry in the building. I come and go with my 1-year-old. Unfortunately, I've never seen him here." Espada could be violating state election law by making Mamaroneck his home, and the revelation may further exacerbate New Yorkers' anger at the politician for his role in blocking any MTA bailout. A spokesman for the senator insisted that while he's owned the Mamaroneck house for 18 years, the Bronx co-op is his primary domicile. But when approached by a camera crew outside the Westchester home, Espada, ever the politician, tried to disguise his identity by holding a baby in front of his face. more ›

Graffiti haters rejoice: justice has been served. The Daily News reports that the tag happy globetrotter Danielle Bremner (aka Utah) will be doing some time behind bars for charges she faced in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. The damages in those boroughs caused by her tags is estimated to be around $35,000 (of a $100,000 bill of damages she's racked up worldwide), and she will be paying back just $10,000 of that as part of a plea deal. Her boyfriend and partner in crime, Jim Clay Harper, still has charges pending against him. And perhaps one day, upon their release, they'll have a nice, civilized chat in a book store with the vandal squad. more ›

Crusading men's rights lawyer Roy Den Hollander has vowed to fight on in his battle to force Columbia University to drop its women’s studies program, after a magistrate judge’s recent recommendation to dismiss his case. You may recall Hollander from such previous hit lawsuits as the fight against ladies' nights and his suit against the federal government's Violence Against Women Act. more ›

A group of tenants living in public housing is filing a federal class-action lawsuit against the city for its failure to maintain elevators. The NY Times reports that the lawsuit notes that the "widespread and systemic failure to maintain the elevators in its buildings in operable working condition" is a violation of disability and human rights laws. Scrutiny of the NYC Housing Authority's care of elevators came into greater focus after a child fatally fell from a malfunctioning elevator last year, but tenants have complained about malfunctioning elevators for years. The Times offers many harrowing anecdotes from tenants, including: "Phyllis Gonzalez, 61...refers to the times when both elevators go out in her building in the Chelsea Houses as 'double-headers.' Ms. Gonzalez, who lives in a 12th-floor apartment and uses a wheelchair because of arthritis and other health problems, recalled the day a few years ago when, during a double-header, she went down 12 flights of stairs, sitting on one step at a time." The tenants are not looking for monetary damages—just for the NYCHA to fix the elevators in a timely fashion and provide for help the disabled and wheelchair-bound tenants when the elevators are out. more ›

A SUNY Albany graduate and Boston University medical student was arrested for the murder of a NYC woman who advertised massage services on Craigslist. Boston police believe that Philip Markoff, 22, fatally shot Julissa Brisman at the Marriott Copley Place on April 14 and also charged him with the April 10 robbery and kidnapping of a prostitute, who had advertised on Craigslist, at the Westin Copley place. Apparently a search of Markoff's apartment "turned up guns and plastic ties" (Brisman's hand had a plastic handcuff) and police suspect Markoff may have been robbing—and resorting to violence—to pay off gambling debts. more ›

An attendant at a parking garage at University and 12th Street is lucky to be alive, but he'll be even luckier to get his job back after driving a 2009 Mercedes SUV out a 5th floor window yesterday. The owner of the garage thinks the attendant was confused by the vehicle's new-fangled steering wheel gear-change buttons and may have pressed "R" for reverse, instead of "D" for drive. The result was a two-story fall down onto the roof of an adjacent building, which the attendant survived with only minor injuries. The Mercedes, however, is totaled; a blogger for Style Rumor happened to be shopping nearby and has photos of the wreck. As of this morning, what's left of the car was still stuck behind the garage, and police sources told Fox 5 they may need a crane to hoist it out...which means this could get a lot worse before it gets better. more ›

More than 27% of New Yorkers are now spending 50% or more of their income on rent, according to a new report issued by Representative Anthony Weiner. That percentage is up 13% since 2002, with 82,159 more NYC residents throwing more than half their income into the ravenous rent hole, as compared to seven years ago. The report, compiled from census data, reveals that Bronx residents have struggled the most, with more than 33% of residents spending half their cash on rent. For residents of Brooklyn and Queens, the number is roughly 28%. more ›

The NY Times Company, which has been trying to slash costs and taking loans on its building and from a Mexican billionaire, announced a first-quarter loss of $74.5 million today. The Times reports this "compare[s] with a loss of $335,000 in the period a year ago, as it joined the roster of newspaper companies recording the steepest advertising declines in generations." Advertising revenue dropped 28% (including online advertising drop of 8%), but the "worst drop, 31.4%, hit the New England Media Group, which consists primarily of The Boston Globe and its site, Boston.com. The company has told unions at The Globe that the paper is on track to lose $85 million this year, and that unless deep cuts are made, the paper will be sold or closed." The fate of the Boston Globe has prompted Senate John Kerry (D-Mass) to hold Senate hearings about the newspaper industry next month. Update: Henry Blodget thinks the Times will run out of cash in 12 months. more ›

Abduhl Wal-i-Musi, the lone pirate who surrendered to the U.S. Navy after holding an American container ship captain hostage, arrived in New York last night. The Daily News reports that he "look[ed] young, gaunt and clueless about the federal charges he faces"—he will be arraigned this morning in federal court. Wal-i-Musi was one of four pirates who tried to hijack the Maersk Alabama in the Horn of Africa. The ship's crew members were able to take back the ship, but the pirates, armed with machine guns, took Captain Richard Phillips as a hostage. Shortly Wal-i-Musi agreed to be taken to a Naval destroyer monitoring the pirates' boat, Navy Seals killed the remaining pirates and rescued Phillips. more ›

With the release of CIA documents showing that terror suspects were waterboarded—FireDogLake found that 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in one month—President Obama visited the CIA yesterday to reassure the agency that his administration wouldn't prosecute officials "for following legal advice," the NY Times reports (though some lawyers could be prosecuted for crafting the advice). Obama also addressed criticism that he was naive for releasing the memos, "What makes the United States special and what makes you special is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and ideals even when it’s hard.” (The Daily Show took on the torture memos last night, saving Peggy Noonan's despair about the memos' release for last). The ACLU has called for the Department of Justice "to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate torture crimes under the Bush administration as well as a Select Committee in Congress to investigate torture and pass legislation to prevent a reoccurrence of past violations of the law." more ›

While there is a special election for the Bronx Borough President's seat today, since Adolfo Carrion Jr. headed to the White House in February, it's widely expected that Democrat Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. will win. The NY Times reports that Diaz has the wide support of Bronx Democrats and "His lone opponent is Anthony J. Ribustello, a Republican district leader who is best known, to the extent he is known at all, as the actor who played Tony Soprano’s beefy driver on 'The Sopranos.'" The Times adds a footnote about Diaz being son of State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., "a Pentecostal minister who is an outspoken opponent of gay marriage and abortion. The elder Mr. Díaz was one of the so-called Gang of Three conservative Democratic senators who flirted with Republicans last year and threatened to block the Democrats from assuming control of Senate leadership." Earlier this year, the Daily Politics reported that Diaz Sr. said "his son played a crucial role in convincing him to back Smith for majority leader." more ›

With a chance to bury the Capitals, the Rangers fell flat on home ice Monday. The two wins in Washington appeared a distant memory in a 4-0 loss. Alexander Ovechkin didn't score but assisted on the first two Washington goals, which effectively buried the Rangers. This game turned on a 14-second stretch in the first period. Alexander Semin got the Capitals on the board at the 6:57 mark. Ryan Callahan had a chance to tie it but missed the open net, and, 14 seconds later, Semin scored his second goal at the other end of the ice. Given the Rangers' trouble scoring goals, fans at the Garden knew it would be a long night. And it was. more ›

Four games into the Yankees' tenure at their new ballpark and already we're trying to crack the code of why there have been so many home runs. The 20 home runs in the Cleveland series this weekend were the highest number hit out of the first four games in any new ballpark. AccuWeather wonders if the different shape of the new stadium's shell could be generating a wind tunnel, specifically towards right field, where 14 of the 20 homers landed. While the dimensions of both parks are the same, the new stadium's tiers are less stacked, leading to the possibility of more circulation on a windy day. AccuWeather says, "This shape could enable winds to blow across the field with less restriction. In addition, the slope of the seating would also lead to a 'downslope' effect in the field which, depending on wind direction, would tend to cause air to lift up in the right field." Of course, before you run out and offer Grady Sizemore and Roy Holladay in a fantasy trade for Mark Teixeira, it could just be a fluke due to a limited sample size. But who would call into sports radio stations over that? more ›

U.S. stock markets fell over 3% today— Dow -3.56% (-289.60 points), Nasdaq -3.88%, S&P 500 -4.28%—over fears in the banking sectors. Though Bank of America announced a better-than-expected first quarter profit, CEO Ken Lewis said there are still many credit problems. The market had been gaining over the past six weeks but now an asset manager told Bloomberg News, "We’re going to get a lot of earnings releases this week and by and large they’re going to be disappointing. Besides, we’ve had a very sharp run-up in the market. So I see a period of consolidation now, maybe a week or two of declines." more ›

Maybe what upsets Governor Paterson most about the Saturday Night Live portrayals he says crossed the line and hurt him isn't so much their content, but his frustration in wishing that he was the one who was sitting at the Weekend Update desk. After seeing him send up the infamous health care union 1199 ads over the weekend, we think Paterson could put together a pretty solid audition tape. more ›

The 2009 Pulitzer Prizes were announced today, and the NY Times nabbed five, the second-most in its history, according to the Times. The paper of record won awards for breaking news reporting on Governor Eliot Spitzer’s hooker scandal, for investigative reporting into the Pentagon's use of retired generals to sell the Iraq invasion, for reporting on America's military and political challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan, for Holland Cotter's art criticism, and Damon Winter's photographs of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. more ›

The Mets don't want anyone scuffing up their precious new building, even if it's the former ace during the team's heyday trying to give the place a little character. The team says that it will buff the wall at the Ebbets Club inside Citi Field where Dwight Gooden signed in Sharpie on Opening Day "Doc Gooden 84 R.O.Y., 85 Cy Young, 86 W.S. Champs." But Mets VP Jay Horwitz, clearly a proponent of Broken Windows theory, says that the signature is not welcomed. He said, "It's a brand-new building. No one is supposed to write on the wall. It's going to be erased." It's a good thing the cocaine-fueled sex romps during Gooden's playing days didn't leave any marks on the old Shea clubhouse. Fans are already complaining that Citi Field doesn't do enough to celebrate the team's history. One fan told the Post, "To have a stadium sanitized to the point where they're going to erase Doc Gooden's signature is disgusting...That's insulting to the people who care about this team and care about its history." more ›

The State Legislature could save the MTA from having to enact severe fare hikes and service cuts if the Senate can agree on a bailout plan. (Riders would still face relatively moderate fare hikes and service cuts.) While the governor and Assembly support helping the MTA, the Senate has been split—though the Democrats have a majority, some Democratic Senators have been adamantly against ideas like tolling East River and Harlem River bridges. Which means the spotlight is on Republican Senators. more ›

The ongoing internet trail leading to Kari Ferrell photos and information has now led to a cached MySpace page, which she started under the name "Sylvester Stabone." As one might expect, it's jam packed with sexual innuendo, topless photos and other nonsense. But her past is coming back to haunt her in other ways as well—now firmly settled into Day Six of Griftergate, the fascination with Ferrell-penned notes has reached a new level: eBay! A matchbook from Greenpoint's Coco66 is being auctioned off, with a note reading: "The only meat in my mouth comes on a six foot stick," signed Ping Pong. With 5 days left, it's got 11 bids and is up to a recession-friendly $11.50. There's no way this is getting up to three-figures, but if it does, perhaps Ferrell can be pat on the back for bailing out one hipster at a time. more ›

Today's heavily armed officers in New York's Operation Atlas were hardly the first to tote hardcore firepower. As this photo reminds us, the city's police have been equipped with heavy weaponry to prevent terrorism in the past. Taken in 1918, the photo of a machine gun mounted "Indian" motorcycle probably depicts the city's World War I era counter terrorism effort. As the U.S. prepared to enter the war in 1917, additional police officers were enlisted to guard against a perceived threat from German sympathizers. more ›

Senators Schumer and Gillibrand were in town yesterday asking President Obama to eliminate the Tiahrt Amendment, which requires the FBI to destroy records of gun buyer's background checks within 24 hours. Gillibrand had co-sponsored the law while she was in Congress and said, "In my previous district, we didn't have gang violence, and we didn't have the gun violence that we have throughout New York." Schumer supported her change in stance because he said that by representing all of New York, "You meet more people, you grow." But potential primary opponent Carolyn McCarthy still sounds unconvinced, telling the News, "I thought it was strange that she signed on, given she was one of the people who wrote that law." One Democratic operative added, "She could hurt your neck, watching her move." more ›

Twenty years ago yesterday, a 28-year-old investment banker was jogging in Central Park when she was brutally beaten and raped. The Daily News recently wrote that the crime "crystallized the feeling that New York was out of control" and sparked racial tensions, as five black and Hispanic teens, accused of being a "wolf pack" of teens "wilding" in the park, were arrested, convicted and served time for the crime. And then, in 2002, a convicted killer admitted he was the real attacker; after his DNA matched DNA evidence from the crime, the Manhattan DA's moved to vacate the falsely imprisoned five's convictions. more ›

Bravo's alleged boyfriend-beating "housewife" is at it again. Page Six now reports that Kelly Bensimon allegedly stole an idea for a jewelry piece from a former Elle Accessories co-worker, Celeste Greenberg. The story goes like this: Greenberg procured a vintage owl pendant for then editor-in-chief Bensimon to wear for photo shoots, and together they promptly made a deal to manufacture a replica of the design. Trouble is, those verbal agreements are always so tricky. Greenberg is now filing a lawsuit that claims Bensimon "cut Greenberg out and went ahead and manufactured the pendant on her own," which she currently sells for $325 and has been happily hawking the piece during her Real Housewives screen time. more ›

It's 4/20, brah, that happy day when burnouts across America reinforce the cliched stereotype of pot smokers as badly dressed, self-righteous libertines. But it's also the day when the more politically active puffers out there try to rally support for legalization, and this year some of the movement's leaders are reporting unprecedented progress in the battle to end prohibition. Public support has been voiced by everyone from Representative Barney Frank to demagogue Glenn Beck; and Bruce Mirken at the Marijuana Policy Project tells the Times, "We’ve been on national cable news more in the first three months than we typically are in an entire year. And any time you’ve got Glenn Beck and Barney Frank agreeing on something, it’s either a sign that change is impending or that the end times are here." NORML says donations to the group have surged recently, and they're using the momentum to pressure President Obama with a new commercial. Locally, 4/20 will be observed tonight at Studio B, where High Times magazine throws its annual party that promises to "turn the Big Apple into the Baked Apple." more ›

Rudy Giuliani went on the offensive today against Governor Paterson's proposal to legalize gay marriage in one of the most blatant signals thus far that he is eying a run for governor next year. "This will create a grass-roots movement....This is something that will bring a lot of people to the Republican Party because it’s such a basic challenge to what people believe is the way society should be organized." Giuliani is in Albany to address a fund-raising gala tonight and said he will decide on whether he will run by year's end. Giuliani is in favor civil unions, a position he pointed out is shared by President Obama and Hillary Clinton (though he also mentioned today that Obama is "doing all the wrong things.") Rudy said he thinks Paterson's gay marriage push is just a way to solidify a Democratic base, but will alienate him from most New Yorkers. He said, "I think he's worried and, given his [low polling] numbers, it wouldn't be normal if he wasn't worried about a primary challenge from, I guess, Cuomo. But somebody else could also come out of anywhere with numbers like that." more ›

A 5'1" Long Island man is in the midst of a four month long medical procedure which, come May, will leave him four inches taller—and his insurance company is paying for it! 20-year-old cancer survivor Lenny Roth is getting the limb-lengthening procedure performed on his legs by orthopedist Dr. Robert Rozbruch, who made cuts midway in each of his thigh bones in February and anchored two rods to each leg. Every day Roth turns external nuts that make the rods lengthen 1 millimeter. (Then he takes lots of Percocet.) It's called the Ilizarov Method, and it was developed during WWII by a Siberian doctor who wanted to help injured veterans. According to Newsday, thousands of people get the procedure done every year; it normally costs up to $100,000, but Roth's insurance company is picking up the tab because it's also going to correct his bow legs. When he's finally done turning the nuts, the University of Connecticut accounting major expects to be 5'5", and no longer "the shortest person I know." more ›

Eliot Spitzer may not be calling his recent forays back into the public sphere part of his comeback campaign, but now he's on the cover of Newsweek (cover headline: "How Could I?"), so it's official: The Steamroller is back. more ›

Plans to build an 8,000 seat, $64 million outdoor amphitheater in Coney Island’s Asser Levy Park may be derailed because the venue would be too close to two synagogues. City law bans amplified sound within 500 feet of a place of worship during religious services, and that would seemingly prevent concerts from being scheduled on Friday nights or Saturdays. A growing number of community members are fighting the development—a pet project of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz—on the grounds that it would gobble up precious park land and give back nothing but cacophony. And now the leaders of the two nearby synagogues are joining the effort to stop construction, which is expected to begin in August and finish by summer of 2012. But Markowitz remains committed to what many are calling "The Chip" because of its potato chip-like shape. He tells the Daily News it's too early to talk about programming at the venue, which he hopes will become a stop on the summer concert tour cirquit to rival Jones Beach: "There's not a project anywhere in Brooklyn that doesn't meet with some folks in the community opposing it." more ›

The weather word for the next three days is rain. Can you say rain? Rain is special. Rain makes the flowers bloom and lets farmers grow fruits and vegetables; healthy foods that you can ignore in favor of donuts and bacon. Three straight days of rain will make adult New Yorkers mutter bad words under their breath. Bad, bad words. more ›

Two preliminary studies suggest that the Bloomberg administration's controversial report cards for schools may be useful in getting those struggling schools to succeed. The Post reports that students in previously failing schools are now doing better on their state tests (which is a big component of the school report cards). Columbia professor Jonah Rockoff, who worked on one study, explained, "One of the big benefits of this accountability system is that it lights a fire under the schools that are lagging behind." Another former Department of Education official credited mayoral control of the schools, "The old Board of Education was unwilling to hold schools accountable for performance. They were more interested in making excuses." However, there are still critics: NYU professor Diane Ravitch, who recently disputed Bloomberg's claims to school success in a Times Op-Ed, says city "look[s] at closing schools joyfully" so charter schools can be put in. Last fall, when school report cards were released, critics also pointed out how school grades focus too much on year-to-year improvements versus proficiency. more ›

It's not fair! For years and years the financial industry helped everybody live beyond their means, asking relatively little in return, and now that everything's gone sideways there's a big mob gathered with pitchforks and torches demanding taxes on the rich, and salary caps, and heads on sticks. Did you ever for one second think about how hard all this must be on the bankers? Well, this week NY Mag's Gabriel Sherman lends a sympathetic ear to some of Wall Street's fallen titans, many of whom were more than willing to (anonymously) take a ride on the whaaambulance. Here are some of the greatest hits:
• "I’m not giving to charity this year!" declares a hedge-fund analyst when asked about Obama’s planned tax increases. "When people ask me for money, I tell them, ‘If you want me to give you money, send a letter to my senator asking for my taxes to be lowered.’ I feel so much less generous right now. If I have to adopt twenty poor families, I want a thank-you note and an update on their lives. At least Sally Struthers gives you an update."
• In an e-mail, one "irate Citigroup executive" vents to a colleague: "No offense to Middle America, but if someone went to Columbia or Wharton, [even if] their company is a fumbling, mismanaged bank, why should they all of a sudden be paid the same as the guy down the block who delivers restaurant supplies for Sysco out of a huge, shiny truck?"
• A former Bear Stearns senior managing director whines, "We’re in a hypercapitalistic society. No one complains when Julia Roberts pulls down $25 million per movie or A-Rod has a $300 million guarantee. We have ex-presidents who cash in on their presidencies. Our whole moral compass has shifted about what’s acceptable or not acceptable. Honestly, you can pick on Wall Street all you want, I don’t think it’s fair."
• Nicholas Cacciola, a 44-year-old executive at a financial-services firm, whimpers, "If you really take a look at what Obama is promising, it’s frightening. He’s punishing you for doing better. He doesn’t want to have any wealth creation—it’s wealth distribution. Why are you being punished for making a lot of money? You can’t live in New York and have kids and send them to school on $75,000. And you have the Obama administration suggesting that. That was a very populist thing that Obama said. He’s being disingenuous. He knows that you can’t live in New York on $75,000."
• And one former JPMorgan VP complains that, "You wear a nice suit on the subway, and people look at you," while a mortgage-investment banker implores, "Suddenly, the simple fact I work on Wall Street means that I’m a bad person? You know, I lost my job. I’m more of a victim."

The latest Siena Research Institute poll shows that Governor Paterson's approval rating has one point from 19 points to 18 points. PolitickerNY notes, "The biggest reasons [for his poor approval ratings] were his handling of the state budget"—you know, in secret with Sheldon Silver and Malcolm Smith—"and approving pay raises for staffers. Two thirds of voters surveyed cited that Paterson 'has shown he's just not up to the job of being our governor' as contributing to the popularity decline." More dismal numbers: Paterson is viewed unfavorably by 63% of NY voters polled (favorably by 27%) and only 12% would want him in 2010 (vs. 71% who want someone else). On the upside, 53% of voters think gay marriage should pass (vs. 39% who don't)—gay marriage is Paterson's new pet issue. more ›

Researchers from Columbia University and Berkeley say they've proven that children attending schools near fast-food restaurants have higher-than-average obesity rates. Using data gathered from 1,047 California high schools over the course of eight years, the report [PDF] concludes that among 9th grade children, a fast food restaurant within a tenth of a mile of a school is associated with at least a 5.2 percent increase in obesity rates. more ›

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, newly installed as the head of the NY Archdiocese, gave his first mass yesterday at St. Patrick's Cathedral. While the NY Times found he offered "only indirect signs of the activist role he has hinted he will take as an advocate of the church’s agenda in the public sphere" (have faith and "trust in what cannot be seen," not just “on empirical, scientific evidence"), some parishioners are pleased with Dolan, with one telling the paper, "His focus is on the Catholic point of view and if he keeps doing that he’s going to bring a lot of enthusiasm to the church." Another told the Daily News, "I'm very much taken in by how warm he is - he has an energy about him." Dolan was also not above joking about the Yankees' 22-4 loss to the Indians on Saturday or thanking the crowd, "I'm still your baby archbishop and my heart is so very, very grateful." more ›

Police arrested a 27-year-old man suspected for a fatal-hit-and-run that killed a Chinese food deliveryman after following the trail of anti-freeze from the crash site to the driver's home. Gus Pappaeliou is also suspected of being drunk during the Saturday incident. more ›

Madonna was spotted back on her feet yesterday after tumbling from a horse on Saturday. While her publicist blamed paparazzi for startling the pop singer—who was "leaping over hurdles" at the time—a photographer who was there disagrees. The Daily News spoke with Thomas Hinton who said he was taking photographs of Madonna on her horse but left because he didn't have a good spot, but then he got a tip that she was injured, "I arrived more than 10 minutes after she fell, and I was shooting from the street. I don't know what [her publicist] is talking about." Maybe Madonna's publicist is covering up the Material Girl's riding skills? Hinton also told Newsday if a photographer had startled the horse, the police would be on the case, "As far as I'm concerned, the only photographer present when the accident happened was Steven Klein," the fashion photographer and friend of Madona whose horse farm is where the accident took place. Anyway, Madonna, who was suffered bruising from the fall, seems to be doing fine, asking the media who approached her, "Are you the guys that spooked my horse?" and saying she was feeling "better." more ›

Earlier this morning, police officers wounded a 21-year-old man inside a Bronx apartment. WABC 7 reports, "Police has responded to the apartment after reports that Jiminial was fighting his ex-girlfriend, who was armed with a knife" (the Willis Avenue apartment may have been the ex-girlfriend's). Jiminal was allegedly armed with a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson gun and pointed it at police. When Jiminal refused to drop the gun, police fired 12 times at him. While Jiminal's condition is unknown, it's believed his injuries are non-life-threatening; two police officers were taken to the hospital for treatment of trauma as well. more ›

An Upper East Side man's irksome pets have the neighbors above his backyard asking a question most people hoped to never cross their minds again: "Who let the dogs out?" Today's Post looks into a clash between irritated neighbors and the owner of four dogs (a Jack Russell and three Pomeranians) who claims to be the most penalized pet owner under the city's relatively new noise laws. Rob Ryder has been fined three times over the last thirteen months when nearby residents called 311 for the barking dogs they claim Ryder lets out at 7 a.m., if not earlier. A neighbor above his East 72nd Street brownstone says, "In the spring and the summer, there are people who stick their heads out the window screaming at them, 'Shut your dogs up!' You're never free of these yapping dogs." Since loud pets became a punishable violation in the summer of 2007, 13,557 dog-noise complaints have been lodged through 311. Ryder fired back at those aggravated, "Give me a break! Everybody in this city owns dogs. This is Manhattan. Move to Minnesota if you want quietness." more ›

With the NYPD's decision to close offices that daily newspapers and other media outlets have at police headquarters, the NY Times offers a mini-history of crime reporting: "Collegial, masculine in spirit, if not gender, and challenged in all matters of hygiene, the shack crew has for 146 years lived in the midst of the police, sometimes in the basement, sometimes across the street in a set of very grimy offices that inspired the name 'the shack.'" There are lots of anecdotes: When 1 Police Plaza opened in 1973, one reporter broke in the new offices "by using the drawers of his desk as an ashtray for his cigars"; rival reporters watched out for each other—"If a reporter’s telephone rang while he was at the bar, someone would invariably answer, 'Oh, he’s across the street.'" The Shack will be closed on July 31 while 1PP undergoes renovations; reporters can file stories from a conference room, but there won't be desks (or doors where amusing things are displayed). A former Shack reporter for the News, David J. Krajicek, told the Times, "If you’re there every day, you’re keeping an eye on the institution. Proximity does not necessarily translate to access, but it does translate to focus." more ›

With all of the hubbub surrounding the controversial naming of Obama Fried Chicken eateries as well as the Obama Chia, we wondered why no one had called Ray's Candy Store on Avenue A for one of its Obama-inspired offers. The East Village institution sells a number of "Obama" products, none more prominently displayed than their Obama Coffee (coffee with a dollop of ice cream). Will possible racial undertones of Obama Coffee be enough to draw the ire of City Councilman Charles Barron, who has led protests outside Obama Fried Chicken pressuring the eatery to change its name? more ›

A Long Island man made an unsuccessful attempt at taking the life of his landlord, whose house he was renting a room in, by setting the residence on fire Friday night. Not as fortunate as the landlord and his girlfriend who both escaped the blaze safely was the man's boa constrictor—its head was cut off and left in front of the landlord's door before the fire was set. 45-year-old Jose Rios was arrested early Saturday morning in Central Islip after showing up at his sister's home wielding a knife and telling everyone there, "I can't go home. I killed everyone in that house and you're next." The landlord, Larry Maxwell, and his girlfriend, Jorene Palms, were able to get out of the house because Rios tried to alert Palms of the fire he had ignited with gasoline and a lighter. Rios later told police that he "wanted (Maxwell) to die." Maxwell said that although Rios sometimes behaved erratically, he "could be the nicest guy you'd ever meet." Charges for Rios include arson and animal cruelty for killing his snake Max, which may or may not have been named after the landlord. more ›

Sailor William Rios has returned to his Harlem home after the confrontation with Somali pirates on the Maersk Alabama container ship. He told the Daily News that he wasn't afraid during the ordeal, "I'm from New York City - nothing's feared in New York City. I'm not from the country. I'm from New York. We don't fear nothing - you don't mess with New York City, especially a black Puerto Rican." Rios, who has been a merchant marine for 25 years, admitted that his crew "messed up" when they were unable to exchange the Somali pirate they took as a hostage for their captain, Richard Phillips but says he'll be back on the water, "That's my youth - I love the sea. We deal with pirates and terror. I'll be back there - it's just my job." Rios, who told his church about the experience this morning, has suggested more security and more patrols in the waters, as well as for crew members to be better armed. more ›

Over a week ago, a jewelry designer was injured when an outdoor staircase at the artists' warehouse 5 Pointz collapsed. As Nicole Gagne, who was trapped under concrete and metal debris, remains in serious condition, the prospect for the building, which houses at least two hundred artists, remain unclear. more ›

One of the Staten Island teenagers convicted on charges from a series of Election Night racially-motivated attacks hasn't been able to keep his nose clean while awaiting sentencing for the federal hate crime. Troubled teen Bryan Garaventa was arrested again yesterday after freaking out on an ex-girlfriend. Garaventa allegedly went into a jealous rage Tuesday night after seeing his ex with another male and took it out on her car, punching the windshield and kicking the door. The eighteen-year-old then left ten late night messages over the course of an hour, threatening to blow up her car and kick her front door in if she didn't pick up. He's now been charged with third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree menacing, third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle, fourth-degree stalking and two counts of second-degree aggravated harassment. A law enforcement official told the SI Advance, "If you wanted to find a way to piss off your sentencing judge, this guy's done it in spades. There's probably no better way." more ›

Chien-Ming Wang has set a dubious record; no other Yankees’ pitcher has ever allowed so many earned runs in his first three starts of the season. The numbers are hideous: three starts, six innings of pitching, 23 hits and 23 earned runs allowed. Best of all, Wang’s next start is scheduled for Friday at Fenway Park. more ›

Kristin Davis sure seems to be a sneeze away from the headlines these days. The high profile madam (and soon to be published author) most famous for her connection to Eliot Spitzer tells the Daily News that at one time she employed Julissa Brisman, the 26-year-old masseuse murdered in a Boston hotel room earlier this week by a client who found her on Craigslist. Davis says, "She was a good kid, but kind of a nightmare. She had a bad drinking problem." Davis says that Brisman, who friends say was a recovering alcoholic with aspirations to become an AA counselor, used the name "Stacey" and did not offer sex for money, only sensual body rubs. As for the investigation into Brisman's murder, police now say they see "a strong connection" between the incident, a similar holdup in Rhode Island and a third robbery last week in Boston, also by a Craigslist erotic massage patron. All three crimes used zip-tie plastic restraints, which cops are currently trying to link and track the origins of. more ›

The NY Post reports that the Federal Election Commission is fining the Reverend Al Sharpton and his advocacy group $285,000 for "violating a slew of federal election rules during his 2004 bid for president... In a decision to be made public next month, the Federal Election Commission found that Sharpton's Democratic primary campaign accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from private sources." more ›

Madonna's publicist is saying that the pop singer was tossed from a horse because paparazzi jumped out of the bushes and startled the 50-year-old Material Girl and her horse. The Post reports that she "was leaping over hurdles on a brown steed" at friend Steven Klein's Bridgehampton horse farm" (the Post also has photos). She suffered minor injuries and bruises but will need other tests and observation; according to the Daily News, she is "recovering at friend Gwyneth Paltrow's Amagansett estate." In 2005, Madonna broke her collarbone after falling from a horse on her British estate, an experience she called the "most painful" of her life (it may have also led to the demise of her marriage with Guy Ritchie). But in 2006, Madonna was featured in W magazine in a photo spread by Klein called "Madonna Rides Again." more ›

Don't fret if you see a large scene of police, fire department and EMTs between Chambers and Vesey Streets today. The city's Office of Emergency Management and Port Authority are practicing the city's response to a "simulated emergency." According to the alert, "People south of Chambers Street to Vesey Street may see first responders, but the effect on traffic should be minimal. World Trade Center PATH Station will remain open." more ›

A Brownsville woman was fatally stabbed yesterday when she tried to break up a fight between two brothers. 43-year-old Vickie Griffin was up "chatting and listening to music" in her home with friends into the early hours of Saturday morning until a spat between two of her guests turned violent. The under five feet Griffin ended up stabbed in the chest when she tried to step in between the fight that had spilled outside her Dumont Avenue home around 5:30 a.m. 30-year-old Abdul Mattocks had initially fled the scene, but later turned himself into police amidst heavy pressure from the community. He was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Griffin leaves behind a 28-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son, who were both sleeping inside. She also had three grandchildren. A friend of hers told the Post, "She'd always be taking people into her home. Kissing and hugging, that was her thing. She was so friendly." more ›

• Indians 22, Yankees 4: That's the most runs allowed by the Yankees at home. Cleveland's MLB 14-run second was the biggest inning against the Yankees in terms of runs and hits (13). Chien-Ming Wang is starting to be a point of concern. He has an ERA of 34.50 through three starts and has gotten a combined seven outs in his last two outings. Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer to give the Yankees an early lead, but things got ugly quickly. Carl Pavano faces his former team in Sunday's series finale.
• Mets 1, Brewers 0: The only runs Johan Santana has allowed in his last start resulted from an an error from Daniel Murphy. He is sporting a 0.46 ERA, or roughly 1/70 of Wang's. Jose Reyes' RBI on a fielder's choice in the 7th inning gave the Mets their only run.
• Rangers 1, Capitals 0: The Rangers won this game for one reason, and his name is Henrik Lunqvist. He made 35 saves to help make Ryan Callahan's goal stand up. The Rangers lead this series two games to none as they head back to New York. This is an upset brewing.
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Here's a touching story from the Staten Island Advance: "Two brown-coated boxer dogs, alone on an isolated stretch of Richmond Terrace in Mariners Harbor, likely strayed into traffic. One animal was struck and killed; the other, loyal to its companion, defied vehicles to protect the body." more ›

And now we've seen the hipster grifter naked. Today a blog posted a series of topless of photos of Kari Ferrell, saying that they were sent in by a friend because "evidently his friend got scammed by her, but he got these photos." We'll leave it up to you to decide if the pictures represent the next leap in what has been an ongoing walk of shame for Ferrell throughout the week or will get the desired reception that someone with such a clear interest in making people notice her upon arriving in New York would hope for. With all of the photographs of her that have surfaced over the past few days, it seems that the only pictures Ferrell wasn't actually having taken were x-rays for the cancer treatment she told friends that she was undergoing. Of course, there's always Day Five.

Mayor Bloomberg picked up a big endorsement from across the aisle yesterday from Democratic rising star, Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Booker said, "Mayor Bloomberg is simply the model in America...A lot of us younger, next-generation, thirty-something forty-something mayors have been relying on him for a long time as giving us examples and instruction in how to dramatic change in our cities.” Booker became more visible throughout the 2008 presidential campaign as a fervent supporter of President Obama. Bloomberg rival Bill Thompson tried to take the sting out of an endorsement from such a prominent black politician saying, "I respect Mayor Booker, but hard-working people who actually live in New York know that we need change." State Senator Bill Perkins went further, calling it, "Just racial...that (Bloomberg) would go outside of the city to get some support." Neither Bloomberg nor Mayor Booker mentioned any potential rift between the two due to the Garden State's role in the Maple Syrup Phenomenon. more ›

Eric Seemann of Levittown was surfing the internet when he learned that he might be able to save a Philadephia cop's life by providing him with a much-needed kidney. But he didn't across the news that 41-year-old Jeff Romanoff was suffering kidney failure on his only remaining kidney on a donor list website, but rather on the message board for Vader's Fist 501st Legion, a group of over 4,000 fans worldwide who dress up like various villains from the franchise. But the clone troopers were not lining up when things looked critical for Romanoff, who suffers from Von Hippel-Lindau disease. Seemann told the Post, "They weren't actually asking members of the group to get themselves tested [for compatibility]. But I thought about it. They hadn't asked for it, but I stepped up." After learning they were a match, the two underwent surgery on April 3rd and Romanoff was released from the hospital Saturday. The operating surgeon didn't miss a beat, saying, "I've never operated on a stormtrooper before. And I've never operated on Darth, either." more ›

With a May 1st deadline for Albany to get done in order to save commuters from the entire wrath of proposed MTA fare hikes and service cuts, Governor Paterson is continuing his aggressive push for legislators to take action. Yesterday he spoke in support of former MTA Commissioner Richard Ravitch and his rescue plan. Paterson said, “He brought back a plan that won the approval of every reasonable point of view from different sides. Except in Albany. It’s a different planet. As we like to point out, there is no gravity.” more ›

In yet another look at how the financial downturn is changing job prospects, the NY Times reports that suddenly MBA candidates are thinking outside of the Wall Street finance firm box when it comes to post-grad careers. One Wharton student was considering rabbinical school while an NYU Stern student started a show company, "For me, the Wall Street crisis was a blessing in disguise." Harvard Business school said its job postings were down 30%, with a 40% drop from financial firms, plus " 78% of Harvard’s second-year M.B.A. students had job offers, down from 90 percent at this time last year." Another Wharton student is now looking at a job at the State Department, "A lot of my peers, we’re exploring things that we used to not even think of as an option. A finance major who was minoring in music was suddenly looking into opening a jazz club. All of a sudden, I saw that a lot of Wharton people were interesting." more ›

The state once again announced that it is making a concerted effort in trying to lure in companies that will set up video slot machines (or VLTs) at the Aqueduct Racetracks, offering $250 million in tax-free bonds to help pay for the project. The application process was reopened after the company Delaware North had to default on the original $370 million it was granted. Governor Paterson said, "We remain absolutely committed to bringing a VLT facility to Aqueduct, which will provide much needed economic development to the race track, and critical funding for education in New York. It is extremely disappointing that the economic crisis has slowed this development, but we are confident that Aqueduct will be transformed into a destination spot for racing and gaming fans." The state sees millions of revenue each week from gaming taking place at Yonkers Raceway's Empire City. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg announced that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be setting up a seaside tent at Coney Island this summer: "For the first time in its 139-year history, The Greatest Show On Earth will make its way to one of the greatest neighborhoods in New York City - Coney Island." more ›

Former Congressman Vito Fossella checked into Virginia's Alexandria Detention Center to serve the first half of his four-day sentence for a May 2008 DUI. The Daily News has a photo of him being dropped off and opined that he "seemed dressed more appropriately for a weekend barbecue than a stay in the slammer," given his jeans and pink polo shirt. The Staten Island Advance reveals that he "likely will be kept alone in the small cell painted white with long slits for windows, a steel sink and toilet and a cement bunk for a bed," though "he may be given a roommate if the jail becomes crowded." Other former inmates who have been at the ADC: al Qaeda suspect Zacarias Moussaoui, "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh and spies Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen. Fossella will get out tomorrow at 6 p.m. and will need to spend another weekend there to complete the sentence. Some believe he may try to re-enter politics again, in spite of the DUI conviction and admission that he has a mistress and love child. more ›

The search continues for the young man who is a person of interest in the murder of Julissa Brisman, the New York City woman killed inside a Boston hotel room while meeting a man who had responded to her erotic massage ad on Criagslist. The FBI has been called in as authorities are investigating whether the murder is linked to a similar Craigslist-related attack in nearby Rhode Island. At a Holiday Inn outside Providence the previous Thursday, a woman was held up at gunpoint by a suspect with a similar description to Brisman's case. The woman in that case was meeting the suspect for "in-room dancing," also had her hands bound and was only saved when her husband broke into the room and chased the man away. more ›

According to court papers unsealed yesterday, hedge fund manager J. Ezra Merkin was apparently warned that Bernard Madoff's investments were shady back in the 1990s. Merkin, currently accused of funneling $2.4 billion into Madoff's fund, is being sued by NYU—which lost $24 million of its endowment through Merkin's fund. Fox Business, which filed a motion to have the documents unsealed, reports that Merkin employee Victor Teicher, a former financial analyst convicted for insider trading, told Merkin that Madoff's fund didn't "smell right" and "were inconsistent with what could possibly take place in reality." Teicher also said in his deposition that Merkin's accountant said Madoff's work "looked like a fraud." When news of Madoff's fraud this past December surfaced, Teicher sent Merkin an e-mail: "The Madoff news is hilarious; hope you negotiate out of this mess as well as possible; I'm yours to help in any way I can; unfortunately, you've paid a big price for a lesson on the cost of being greedy," and followed up with another, "I guess you did such a good job in fooling a lot of people that you ultimately fooled yourself." more ›

A grand jury has cleared an NYPD officer and three other men of assault charges in the case that saw the alleged black victim accusing the group of four Hispanics of being racially motivated in their attack. 52-year-old Darryl Jackson had said that the men called him the n-word and told him to "go back to Africa" in the Sunday morning altercation at a Roosevelt deli that he says involved them beating him with a bat. But a physician could not find evidence of a bat attack. The DA said, "Different people saw various portions of the incident and nearly all of them managed to see something completely different." Jackson told reporters, "What proof did they need? For me to be dead? I feel like I'm a victim twice." He plans to file federal charges claiming that his civil rights were violated. Officer Juan Nunez, who has has been on modified duty since being charged, will now return to the force full time. Fernando Mateo, president of Hispanics Across America, said of the decision, "We must stop invoking the word hate whenever a person of color is involved in an altercation." more ›

Yesterday, a judge gave permission to a grieving Bronx woman to have sperm extracted from her dead fiance. Johnny Quintana suddenly died on Thursday night, but days earlier, he told his family how he looked forward to having more children with his fiancee Gisela Marrero. more ›

During his rousing introduction of gay marriage legislation, Governor Paterson emphasized, "Our work to correct injustice cannot depend on factors like timing or guaranteed success." And that's a gamble he's taking—in an interview with the NY Times, Paterson admitted he's not sure if the bill will pass through the State Legislature, "I’m more optimistic that it gets done. I’m not necessarily sure that it can be done." He also thinks some Republican Senators (the Assembly already passed the bill in 2007) might end up supporting it. Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-LI) told the Times he would probably oppose the bill—"It’s a difficult decision because it has so many people locked in on both sides. It may not seem like that from the epicenter of the world called Manhattan. But out here in the suburbs, there are mixed emotions."—but also admitted his colleagues might be flexible, "This is a serious matter, and it deserves serious consideration." And on Thursday night, Paterson told CNN's Wolf Blitzer the gay marriage bill was not an attempt to help his horrible approval numbers: and besides, he's still running in 2010, "The real desire is to have me not run, because they know, if I do, I will probably win." more ›

After outcry from the Jets and their Jewish fans, the NFL agreed to move the time of their September 27 game from 4:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. This way, fans will be able to get home before sundown and the start of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. Some fans may be atoning for attending the September 20 afternoon game—which falls during Rosh Hashanah! The Giants are playing on the road during the two holidays, after the NFL agreed to Big Blue's request to avoid playing during Jewish holidays at home (the NY market has a lot of Jewish fans); the NFL, however, admitted it made a mistake scheduling the Jets to play at home even though the team requested otherwise. The 9/27 game time change means that the Jets' game against the Titans will be airing on TV against the Giants-Bucaneers game. more ›

Since February the DOT has been busy changing parking meters from 25 cents for 30 minutes to just 20 minutes for a quarter. It's the first such change on low-rate meters since 1995, and the Bloomberg administration expects it to yield an additional $16.8 million. All 17,842 meters in Queens have been changed, and the process is underway in The Bronx, to be followed by Brooklyn, Staten Island, and finally upper Manhattan in June. Of course, drivers and retailers are hopping mad about this, and the Post is savoring the populist fury. Queens florist Mathew Xenakis declares, "It's bad timing, it's a bad economy, and we're trying to survive." Brooklyn mechanic John Zarro opines, "Everybody is broke—the city should take away some meters to give people a break." And likely mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner sees a dark conspiracy at play, "In Queens, people woke up one morning and found that parking meters increased in the cover of night." But Ian Dutton of Manhattan's Community Board 2 posits that higher parking meter rates are good for business, because "the more cars we get to turn over, the more we get shoppers running quick errands into the stores." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg's peeved reaction to an errant tape recorder—which was playing while the mayor was about to make remarks about gay marriage legislation—and its owner, disabled reporter Michael Harris (who wasn't able to immediately reach the device because he's confined to a wheelchair) drew a bit of press. The NY Times called it "awkward" (adding that the mayor was "sighing and glowering" at Harris), the Daily News said the mayor "cranky" and the Post characterized Bloomberg's reaction as a "meltdown." more ›

General Growth Properties, the 2nd largest mall operator in the country, and city officials tell the NY Times that GGP's bankruptcy filing will not affect the South Street Seaport. However, GGP "is not rushing forward with its redevelopment plan for the South Street Seaport or with a planned $700 million project in East Harlem"; its CEO Adam Metz said, "We think South Street is terrific, but ultimately, it has to make good business sense.” Funny, industry watchers tell the Star-Ledger part of GGP's problem is that it never paid down the debt from borrowing $7 billion to buy the company operated the South Street Seaport and Boston's Faneuil Hall—and then the credit markets froze! At any rate, Metz said of the ambitious seaport plans, "It has the potential to be something fabulous. We’re trying to figure out what makes most sense and what’s the right timing.” more ›

Politico tackles former governor Eliot Spitzer's recent forays back in the public and declares, "If there’s a textbook for scandal-scarred politicians on the art of the recovery, Spitzer has surely read it; if there isn’t, he might consider penning one." A Democratic consultant, Celinda Lake, explains, "The American public really believes in second chances [as long as you] don’t argue with them about the fact that you are guilty — and you pay a price," while Republican strategist Mark McKinnon says, "The truth is, voters are actually pretty forgiving. As long as you fall on your sword, crawl over broken glass and wear black for a year." Eh, maybe, but Hookergate aside, there was still Troopergate. more ›

Boston police say the woman found shot to death in a hotel room was NYC resident Julissa Brisman. Brisman apparently advertised massage services in Craigslist's erotic services section and police suspect her killer was the man who answered her ad. more ›

Guardian Angel founder Curtis Sliwa has sparked outrage among some Bronx residents who think his new "Underbelly Tour" of their borough presents their home in a bad light. On the tour's website, Sliwa promises a safe glimpse of street corners where "Uzi-toting, dope-sucking, psychopathic killing machines" loiter, but Rafael Salaberrios of the Bronx Tourism Council says that's just an attempt to "capitalize on the worst stereotypes about the Bronx." And Roberto Garcia, chairman of Community Board 2, tells the Daily News, "What does 'underbelly' mean? We have three billion worth of capital projects. We have come a very long way, and what we should do is celebrate the achievements in a positive way." Garcia thinks the tour should instead feature visits with community groups, charter schools, and include educational programs about how to increase home ownership. Which sounds like a blast, but Sliwa insists he's offering more than just a ghetto safari: "We're visiting people in homes, stopping in restaurants, going to stores, visiting projects, which they would never visit on their own. They see it still has problems, but in many ways they see the rebirth, the rejuvenation." And they pay him about $5,000 every time. more ›

Where in the world is Kari Ferrell? All signs point to her still living in New York, being spotted in Greenpoint, DUMBO and even at Williamsburg's Barcade. And now her victims, and Kari herself, are speaking out... the latter with much more brevity. more ›

When you've got free Yankees tickets and you're handing them out in Times Square, it's only fair to expect a mess, right? The Daily News and Post report that Pepsi's giveaway of Yankees tickets was short-lived: The News lists mistakes like not having the "promised" opening day tickets (most were for June), not letting people meet Goose Gossage (he only waved) and changing locations, "forcing fans who had staked out spots to make a mad dash across Times Square." According to the Post, those gathered started yelling "Pepsi sucks! Pepsi sucks!" and "cracked open cans of the soft drink and poured it onto the pile of swag, sending cops racing to the scene." Pepsi said, "All we wanted to do was make fans part of the celebration, giving away free Yankee tickets and Pepsi-Cola products, but we blew it. The wrong information got out about the tickets being offered and we didn't have the right permits to distribute them. Although we eventually gave away more than 200 free tickets, some particularly passionate fans got angry with us, and we don't blame them. We're very sorry for upsetting or inconveniencing anyone." more ›

If your weekend plans include swinging by a "Pumping Party," the NYC Health Department thinks you really ought to reconsider. What's a Pumping Party, you ask? You know, that's when people get together for do-it-yourself silicone injections, taking turns shooting the stuff into each other's breasts, thighs, or buttocks. According to the Times, the injections are popular among Latina women and transgenders "who may be unable to afford conventional plastic surgery." Industrial-grade silicone is available at most hardware stores, but one E.R. doctor says substitutes like castor oil, mineral oil, petroleum jelly and even automobile transmission fluid have been used, if you're in a pinch. Last month a Bronx mom died after getting silicone injections from a non-licensed friend, and the city’s poison control center reports an increase in patients with silicone poisoning. The FDA is now considering launching criminal investigations, and in recent years there have been a number of prosecutions nationwide. Dr. Nick Gorton tells the Times, "It’s a big temptation, especially among young people who, when you’re 20, you’re not thinking about your own mortality...If you go to a pumping party, you can have it tonight. " more ›

The sign says it all. The weather doesn't get much better than a sunny and 70 degree April day. Or does it? The air is bone dry and the wind is going to pick up later, leading the weather service to issue a Red Flag Warning, which means "critical fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent". Look out for brush fires, Staten Island! more ›

Earlier this week, the NYPD told the established press who have desks and office space at Police Headquarters (1 Police Plaza) that they'd need to vacate by July 31, due to construction and renovations. A few hours after that notice, the NYPD then decided the press could still file stories from a little-used conference room but would no longer have the desks. When asked about the decision, Mayor Bloomberg said, "This is not a First Amendment issue; this is a construction issue. We just don't have enough room." Though the NYPD says it will try to find the press permanent desk space in two years, the NYCLU accuses the department of trying to control the media; NYCLU spokesman Christopher Dunn told Newsday, "There's no question that the press is much better able to report on the Police Department if they can actually have their offices inside of police headquarters." more ›

A nattily-attired thief stole $50,000 in jewelry from a University Place apartment on Monday afternoon. According to the NY Post, Linda Kaplan, 76, entered her apartment and found a "thief — decked out in a black suit and tie... She demanded to know what he was doing, and he responded, 'I'm with the Fire Department,' according to cops. When Kaplan demanded to see ID, the 6-foot-2 bandit threw her down." Kaplan had left her apartment unlocked when she was "check[ing] in on a 102-year-old neighbor" and apparently the thief seized the opportunity. She screamed for help and one of the people who ran to her apartment was a painter who also saw the thief in another apartment: "Minutes earlier, the thief had poked his head in that unit but fled when he saw the worker." Police told the Post that the thief was like an "office creeper," dressed to fit in with surroundings while stealing objects. more ›

Two New School students and one academically unaffiliated protester were arrested last night for blocking traffic on Fifth Avenue during a demonstration against police handling of last week's occupation of a university building. According to the New School Free Press, about 150 students, faculty, and supporters gathered outside the site of the occupation around 6 p.m. to condemn the NYPD and, once again, demand the resignation of president Bob Kerrey, who protesters blame for encouraging what they're calling a "brutal" and "violent" end to Friday's sit-in. more ›

A Queens community voted to name a block after the man who was killed there in a hail of police gunfire. NY1 reports that "Liverpool Street between 94th and 95th Avenue [will be] 'Sean Bell Way.'" Sean Bell had been celebrating the night before his wedding at a strip club-lounge when he and his friends were caught in a confusing confrontation with police—undercover cops thought Bell and his friends had a gun (they were unarmed) while Bell and his friends thought the cops were trying to carjack them—that left Bell dead and his friends injured. (The cops were later found not guilty.) Bell's family was happy with the decision; his mother told NY1, "It was one good stepping stone, because my son's name will be seen out there on the street," while his fiancee Nicole Paultre Bell said, "I just want people to realize the person who Sean was, and he was a great man. And this tonight proves that there are people who do understand. And do realize that he was a great man, a great role model." more ›

The state pension scandal, in which investment firms allegedly paid middlemen—state employees who were aides of former comptroller Alan Hevesi—to be included in the fund, has now apparently reached the Beltway. Sort of. Steve Rattner, who founded private equity firm The Quadrangle Group but is now heading up President Obama's auto industry task force, is apparently listed in the SEC's documents. The NY Times reports that while Rattner is not named, he is "described... as having arranged for his investment firm to pay more than $1 million to obtain New York State pension business." A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said Rattner let the Treasury know about the investigation before coming aboard. more ›

A former Miss Oklahoma is suing a Flatiron District strip club because owners have been using a photo of her in those advertising cards street hawkers shove at passers-by. Laci Kay Scott, 22, says she's never been a stripper or even posed nude—such activity would disqualify her from the pagaent circuit—and has had to repeatedly deny her presence on the pole to friends, family and colleagues. Most of her fashion modeling consists of posing in prom dress ads targeting teens, and the photo on the cards distributed by Ten's Gentlemen's Club depicts her in a backless, gold-trimmed gown. One designer predicts the false stripper connection "would reflect unfavorably" on future jobs, and Scott describes the impact as "personally distressing and embarrassing" in court papers. Of course, her lawyer sounds even more appalled, telling the Post, "It is absolutely offensive that Ten's would steal the image of a young woman and use it to attract men to the private rooms and what we can only imagine goes on back there." more ›

As Captain Richard Phillips makes his way back to Vermont, a week after he was held hostage by four Somali pirates, the AP reports that the lone, surviving pirate will be tried in New York. more ›

Residents and businesses near the 27 West 60th Street post office can put off having a cow for now: The post office will stay open for another year. According to the West Side Spirit, the USPS was considering closing the location (perhaps moving it) when the lease was up at the end of the month, because "the landlord was reportedly asking for more than twice the current rent of about $400,000 month." However, both sides came to an agreement for at least a one year reprieve (details are not disclosed as this point). Rep. Jerrold Nadler said, "This is great news for the West Side. I’m very pleased that the Columbus Circle Post Office was able to successfully renegotiate its lease. This means that neighborhood residents won’t have to travel far afield to do their basic postal errands.” Nadler is also working on trying to work with the USPS on the Prince Street post office, where the lease is up in July. more ›

Feel better, American taxpayers: Citigroup, which received $45 billion in bailout money, has reported a first quarter profit of $1.6 billion. However, Dealbook reports, "The earnings were helped by an accounting change that allowed the bank to post a one-time gain of $2.5 billion... Under the rule, companies are allowed to record any declines in the market value of their debt as an unrealized gain." ( You may remember that besides a $20 billion infusion from the government in November, it was only in February when the U.S. increased its stake in Citi to about 36%.) Some analysts are still worried about the financial firm's ability to retain top executives as well as their credit-default swaps. Citi's stock is up in pre-market trading. more ›

San Diego 6 Mets 5: They had Jake Peavy on the ropes, but they couldn’t deliver the knockout blow. Up 3-0 after one, the bats went silent and John Maine got in trouble. By the time the away half of the third was over, it was 5-3 and the Padres never looked back. New York rallied in the 8th, thanks to a Castro home run, but they couldn’t get a big hit in the ninth. more ›

With the fate of the MTA up in the air—sure, the agency did pass the "doomsday" fare hikes and service cuts, but the State Legislature still has the opportunity to provide a bailout—there's another try for a rescue plan that will appeal to enough State Senators to break the stalemate. According to the Post, "Gov. Paterson is again on board with a plan that would toll 13 now-free East and Harlem River bridges at the cost of a subway ride for all drivers -- but the latest twist would exempt those crossing the spans for business or medical purposes.... [There would also] be 5 to 10 percent tax increase on all non-city residents who use long-term garage parking spaces in Manhattan and a 50-cent "dropoff" surcharge on every taxi ride." Richard Ravitch, author of the first plan that included bridge tolls, supports this revision, telling the Daily News, "The modification is intended to deal with what many people thought were the most legitimate objections to tolls." However, Senators are kinda to outraged about the amended fees—Sen. Pedro Espada (D-Bronx) said, "It just fundamentally wrong. It is anti business. It is anti small business." So, do we get ready for fare hike number 2? more ›

If only the Williamsburg area had the occasional hipster grifter to worry about, and not the much uglier problem of machete attacks. For about a year now we've been reporting on the machete and alleged gang attacks in the South Williamsburg neighborhood, and now the Village Voice takes a closer look at the weapon of choice there. more ›

Maybe the local teams should have skipped breaking in their new ballparks with preseason exhibition games. After winning both of those unofficial affairs a couple weeks back, the Yankees today joined the Mets in earning a 0-1 home record in their opener. The Yankee bullpen burst apart at the seams today in a 10-2 loss to the Indians. more ›

A woman, whose leg was amputated after a city bus hit her in 2005, was given a $27.5 million award from a jury today. Gloria Aguilar was crossing West 50th Street at 10th Avenue on November 4, 2005 when a bus hit her. Per the AP, "Bellevue Hospital doctors amputated the leg above the knee, said her lawyer Ben Rubinowitz. Rubinowitz said transit lawyers argued that the janitorial worker was outside the crosswalk and had walked into the side of the bus." The lawyer added that the $27.5 million award "was the largest ever for a lost leg." The MTA plans to appeal the decision. more ›

After rumors, the NY Times has confirmed that it will be cutting a few sections as part of its cost-saving measures. According to the Observer, "The City section, the regionals and the Escapes section will be eliminated as stand-alone sections in The Times. Instead, they'll just use material that may have appeared in those sections in a Sunday metro report." Times executive editor Bill Keller told employees, "We will consolidate Sunday Metro area coverage in a new Sunday feature section, which will be a showcase for news and features from the city and beyond. (Metro area breaking news will be incorporated into the A-book.)" Also, the Sunday Times Magazine will no longer have fashion spreads—they'll be going into the T magazine. more ›

While Governor Paterson's press conference announcing the introduction of same-sex legislation was an monumental landmark event, there was a very awkward moment. Right before Mayor Bloomberg was to speak, some music started playing which made him freak out more than a little. more ›

Last night, the NY Republican State Committee's dinner featured keynote speaker Newt Gingrich. That's right, the former Speaker of the House wasn't just in town for tea bagging! PolitickerNY reports that Gingrich was hyping up a Republican dream team for 2010: "“I think if we had Mayor Giuliani for governor, and we had Governor Pataki as senator, we would be in a large step towards the tidal wave to make 2010 comparable to 1994. And I think that should be our goal." Gingrich also believes the state GOP will be facing Andrew Cuomo in 2010, "So, you got to design a campaign that beats Cuomo, because the fact is, Democrats aren’t insane. When a member of the Democratic Party becomes too weak to reelect, they tend to cannibalize them before we get to them." more ›

Governor Paterson held a press conference today introducing legislation to legalize gay marriage in New York. The governor was not the least bit tepid in his strong support of the issue, saying he has been on record as an advocate for same-sex marriage since 1994. The state's first black governor drew a strong connection between the fight for marital rights and the abolition movement, citing the names of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Frederick Douglass. Paterson said: more ›

Sorry, 24-hour party people in need of late-night/early-hour postal workers: The Daily News reports that the 24-hour retail window at the James A. Farley Post Office will close starting May 9. The new hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. The Farley post office's lobby will remain open 24 hours a day, so customers can access their P.O. boxes and use the automated machines. Regarding the possible closings of Manhattan branches, USPS spokesman George Flood said discussions were ongoing and other locations for the branches were also being considered. more ›

You didn't think they were just going to disappear into their dorms, did you? New School students, faculty, and supporters plan to hold a rally near Union Square tonight to protest last week's protest, particularly how cops "brutally beat" a student outside the school as the NYPD ended the short-lived occupation. The beating in question was caught on tape, and though it looks more like a smack in the face as payback for yelling "Shame!" at the cops, the New School in Exile group says the student "sustained a concussion and serious wounds to his head and face." They held a press conference yesterday to decry the university's "repression," demand that all suspended students be reinstated, and insist upon the immediate removal of President Bob Kerrey, VP John Murtha, and other officials. Here's video of the presser with more details on the demands that must be met before protesters will even think about hanging up their Keffiyah scarves. Details on tonight's rally are here. more ›

Jewish pigskin lovers in the area might undergo a conversion this season—from Gang Green to Big Blue. With Jewish high holy days falling on consecutive weekends this September, the NFL consented with the Giants' request that they play on the road while Rosh Hahanah and Yom Kippur were being observed. But somehow a similar request by the Jets got lost in the mail. A team VP said, "The Jets are hearing from their fans. There was miscommunication between the Jets and the NFL office, for which I take full responsibility. All we can continue to do is look and see if there is a solution to this." The 9/27 game during Yom Kippur could be atoned by simply switching its 4:15 start time with the Giants 1:00 game in Tampa Bay—the holiday begins that evening at sundown). But there may be no repentance for the previous week's 1 p.m. home opener against the Patriots—Rosh Hashanah concludes that Sunday at sundown, so only a switch to Sunday night could make amends. Neither team can play Monday or Thursday night games at home this season due to construction of their new stadium. more ›

Yesterday was tax day, and, as you no doubt know, "tea parties" were held across the nation to protest the current state of the union, which is going to hell because the Muslim terrorist president wasn't even born in America, as these insightful demonstrators know all too well. Last February, a modest group of New Yorkers held their first tea party at City Hall, but yesterday close to 2,000 tea-baggers (yes, ha) spilled out of the park and onto Broadway, eventually overwhelming the wide street on both sides. Tea bags were in short supply, but there were plenty of signs ("Washington: You have run out of our money!"), derision ("If it were a bunch of Democrats this would be unruly!"), and chanting (ranging from "USA!" to "Abolish the Fed!"), which at times drowned out the speakers . more ›

The remaining 71 cats were removed from a Chester, NJ home yesterday, where the NJSPCA originally found living in squalid conditions—rooms filled with garbage and feces. The Star-Ledger reports that Morris County Emergency Management Coordinator Rick Loock praised the homeowner, Wanda Oughton, for being helpful, "These are healthy cats, you could even say fat cats. They did not seem to be suffering from any abuse. The lady (Oughton) seemed to be feeding them well. And I want to emphasize that she was unbelievably cooperative today, helping us catch the cats and put them in travel carriers."The cats are being housed in a temporary shelter and will soon be examined; it's hoped they can be adopted out to new homes (the NJSPCA website will have photos of adoptable cats). Oughton faces 186 counts of animal cruelty in both criminal and civil summonses. more ›

With the opening day just moments away, it's time to look at the new Yankee Stadium's striking resemblance to another building. Yes, the new House That Jeter (And Lots of Money, Much In Tax-Free Bonds) Built looks a lot like the Federal Reserve's headquarters in D.C.—the Eccles building was designed in 1935, by Paul Philippe Cret (it was considered a "a daringly modernist interpretation of the Beaux-Arts style and has become a noted part of American architectural history," according to the Fed). more ›

From the NY Post: "A man died after he was hit by a drunk driver in Harlem last night -- and his ambulance got into an accident while rushing him to a hospital, officials said. The 20-year-old victim was struck at West 120th Street and Seventh Avenue at around 10:30 p.m. His ambulance, en route to St. Luke's Hospital, collided with a car at Cathedral Parkway and Manhattan Avenue." He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Post adds that the driver in the initial crash was arrested for DWI. more ›

Patience is a necessary virtue when it comes to the World Trade Center site: According to the Daily News, a new study says "the World Trade Center won't be fully rebuilt and occupied until 2037 - a full 36 years after terrorists reduced it to rubble." The Port Authority commissioned the study from Cushman & Wakefield, which also predicts: 1) "Freedom Tower, won't be filled with tenants until 2019"; 2) it may take "12 years to fully lease [Larry] Silverstein's Tower 2" which might be "finished in 2014, but it won't be filled until 2026"; and 3) that Tower 3 construction won't start until 2026 with completion in 2030 and "full leasing in 2037." The Port Authority has control of Freedom Tower, while the three other towers at the site are being developed by Silverstein; Silverstein's company told the News, "The Port Authority's position seems to be based on a totally pessimistic attitude about New York's economic future. Our view is that New York will bounce back strongly over the next five years while we are building these buildings." Well, we can't wait until the Port Authority next timeline—see this one from last October for fun. more ›

The 40,000 livery cabs, black cars, and limos prowling NYC streets may soon get a bit less sketchy, as the TLC votes today on a new set of regulations to better identify drivers and their companies. The new rules [PDF] would require livery cars to display the name and phone number of the base company, as well as a city-approved window sticker, which limos and black cars would have to attach to their vehicles. And all drivers would be required to display their TLC-approved picture and license in the backseat, just like in taxis. more ›

Having failed to sell the nation's largest federally subsidized complex for big profits, Starrett City Associates have settled on a proposal to refinance the 140-acre Brooklyn complex for a profit of $200 million, far less than the $1.3 billion offered by one buyer in 2007. (That deal was shot down by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.) Under the new plan, the owners would refinance the complex for roughly $500 million, or 80% of its value. About half of that sum would be used to pay off the owners' interest-free mortgage and other fees, while some $40 million would go toward capital improvements. Senator Chuck Schumer called the proposal "a way out of the woods" for Starrett City's 14,000 tenants and promised it would keep the 5,881 apartments at affordable rates for at least the next 30 years. Ismene Speliotis at community group New York Acorn expressed "cautious optimism" about the plan, but told the Times yesterday, "I’m hopeful we’ll get there so that this can be a model for preserving affordability at Mitchell-Lama buildings throughout the state. But we’re not there yet." more ›

During the elaborate installation ceremonies yesterday, Archbishop Timothy Dolan said to the thousands gathered at St. Patrick's Cathedral, "This cathedral has been such a warm, embracing, spiritual hall for so many millions. Thank you. Thank you all for embracing me." Dolan, replacing retiring Edward Cardinal Egan, is now the leader of the New York Archdiocese, which has 2.5 million in the NY area. more ›

NJ Governor Jon Corzine signed a bill requiring teen drivers to have decals identifying themselves as probationary drivers starting next year. The decals will probably be attached to the front and rear license plates; the bill, the first of its kind in the country, also includes an earlier curfew, prohibiting the use of cell-phones (even hands-free ones) and passenger restrictions until they get full licenses. Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D) said, "This package will help reinforce the message to teens that driving is a privilege, not a right," but teens worry it'll be a field day for cops. One told the AP, "They see that sticker on the car, they're just going to be pulling us over for no reason. Are there drugs in the car? That's the first thing they're going to think, because we're teenagers." The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety offers these factoids: 61% of 2007 teenage passenger deaths "occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager" while 20% of "all passenger deaths occurred when a teenager was driving." more ›

Retailers at the city-owned East Broadway Mall in Chinatown say they've been forced to pay costly cash bribes or "key money" in order to move in or extend their leases with the building's management company. Local activist Steven Wong tells City Room the key money shakedown has been part of life in Chinatown for decades, and is also called "yum cha," or "dim sum money." The payoffs can range from a few months' rent to hundreds of thousands of dollars. more ›

Governor David Paterson is expected to introduce same-sex marriage legislation today. On Tuesday, when word leaked of his plans, he said, “The timing was always right. It’s just who is willing to take that step. And I am.” (Of course, the NY Times notes that the "move allows him to lead on an issue that could prove defining in his governorship, which has so far been marked by political missteps and the crumbling economy.") But don't expect Albany to do anything about the bill anytime soon—though the Assembly has previously passed same-sex marriage legislation, it will probably be stalled in the State Senate. State Senator Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) is convening a meeting to block the bill. Diaz also thinks it's "disrespectful" to introduce such legislation when Archbishop Dolan is being installed this week. more ›

Police say that a 9-year-old who fell 13 stories was wearing a "parachute" made of a plastic bag at the time of his fall. Domori Miles was found in a lot near his building in Brooklyn's Albany Houses. According to WCBS 2, "Police said while his mother was running an errand, Domori used a large plastic bag tied to his arms. He then went to the roof using a door that had no alarm. He got over the fence and plunged to his death. " more ›

General Growth Properties, the country's 2nd biggest mall operator, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a New York court today. Bloomberg News called the filing the "biggest real estate bankruptcy in U.S. history after amassing $27 billion in debt." Dealbook explains that GGP "has been severely wounded by the recession, which has wreaked havoc upon the retailers who inhabit its more than 200 malls in 44 states. Many stores have shuttered, depriving mall operators like General Growth of revenue." The company, which points out some subsidiaries aren't part of the bankruptcy filing, will spend the time to restructure its debt and points out on its website, "Our properties will continue to operate, our employees will continue to come to work and get paid, and shoppers will continue to shop." Last December, GGP considered selling the South Street Seaport, if there was interest. more ›

Last night, the police shot and wounded a man who apparently pointed his gun at them. The AP reports that plainclothes police officers heard or saw a shooting near DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood: "Police say the officers confronted the suspect, ordered him to drop his weapon and chased him as he ran off. They say the officers fired after he turned toward them with his gun in his hand." The suspect is in the hospital—and in police custody—while the victim of the earlier shooting is also in the hospital. more ›

• Rangers 4, Capitals 3: Brandon Dubinsky scored the go-ahead goal right after Markus Naslund got out of the penalty box as the Rangers drew first blood in this first-round playoff series. Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves, and Scott Gomez had two assists. After a scoreless first period, the Rangers saw Washington strike first in the second. Then they rattled off three straight in an 11-minute span. But they gave up a goal with 49 seconds to go in the period. Luckily, Dubinsky lit the lamp in the third. Game 2 is on Saturday.
• Devils 4, Hurricanes 1: This game was not as interesting. Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner each had a goal and an assist. The Devils had a 3-0 lead by the 11:33 mark to go in the second period. Chalk up another postseason win for Martin Brodeur.
• Yankees 4, Rays 3: All things considered, a 5-4 road trip is not that bad for this team, especially after an 0-2 start. Derek Jeter scored the tying run and knocked in the go-ahead run as the Yankees took two of three from the Rays. A return home to open the new Yankee Stadium comes Thursday.
• Mets 7, Padres 2: Good Oliver Perez showed up. The Padres' bullpen imploded in the seventh. The Mets picked up their first win at Citi Field and got back to .500. Gary Sheffield's first start included nothing more notable than his grounding into a run-scoring double play.
• Knicks 102, Nets 73: Is Lawrence Frank finished? No Vince Carter and no Devin Harris made for an easy Knicks victory.
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Yankees' starting right fielder Xavier Nady might be seeing his playing days as a Bomber come to a close before they've barely begun. The team is about to put Nady on the DL since an MRI today on his elbow was "not good" after injuring it in last night's game against Tampa Bay. Even worse, it appears that he'll be on the shelf for the season since it looks like he'll need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. He said, "I've been down this road before and I was hoping not to do it again. Surgery wasn't fun years ago. I would prefer not to go down that road again." Nady has only been a Yankee since being acquired just before last year's trade deadline and is up for free agency after this season. With him on the shelf, offseason acquisition (and star of the book ) Nick Swisher will step in as the everyday starter. more ›

City and State were at odds last night at a public forum held in Carroll Gardens regarding the cleanup of the Gowanus Canal. It's being reported that the Bloomberg Administration is "opposing a proposal by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to add Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal to the agency’s list of Superfund sites, arguing that the designation could jeopardize planned development for the area and the city’s own cleanup efforts." Daniel Walsh, director of the Mayor's Office of Environmental Remediation, noted that "Of the 1,500 federal Superfund sites to date, no river cleanup has been successfully completed." Because the Superfund solution would require finding responsible parties for past contamination, the city fears that the effort would take up to 20 years, "putting at risk more than $400 million of private investment already committed to the area for housing and other development," as well as the city's own cleanup efforts. The E.P.A. officials will make a final decision following a 60-day public comment scheduled to end June 6th. more ›

A group of residents, businesses, lawmakers and others rallied outside the Prince Street Post Office (located on Greene Street) in Soho. The U.S. Postal Service has been considering closing the branch when its lease expires in July, but the group points out, "The Worst Post Office is Better Than No Post Office!" As 66 Square Feet said, "It is not unusual to wait in line for forty minutes. The mutters of dissent in the queue regularly approach the level of mutiny, strangers bonding in intense frustration." more ›

DJ Honda is known for giving famous rappers a mean scratch, but apparently his pitbulls have a reputation of possessing a nasty bite. The Japanese turntablist and Lower East Side resident is accused of letting one of his unleashed pit bulls eat the face off of a fluffy Yorkshire terrier named Bebe—an injury that required $4,000 in surgery to repair. Bebe's owner, Christine Chin, a celebrity facialist whose clients include Kate Moss and Penelope Cruz, told the Post, "I feel so bullied and so helpless. I said to my husband, 'Should we get a gun now?'" Neighbors of Honda's say that this wasn't an isolated incident, one couple recounting one of the DJ's three pitbulls biting their dog on the neck as he trailed "in pajama trousers with no shirt on." Honda's dog walker denies that the pooches are violent and gives her own account of the Bebe skirmish claiming, "(Bebe's owner) said, 'Is it OK if Bebe says hello to the dogs?' One of my babies said hello and then Bebe snapped and started growling. Then my baby bit her. If Bebe didn't start growling, my dog wouldn't have bit her." more ›

We're getting word that, as of around 5:15 p.m., there was a whale spotted off the coast of Coney Island (near Nortons Point) headed westbound towards the Verrazano Bridge. Last week a humpback whale (perhaps the same whale?) took a similar journey before escaping New York unharmed. We'll update when we find out more about this latest sighting. more ›

Can the retooled Rangers take out the Washington Capitals? The Rangers lost three of the four games between the two teams, but that was before John Tortorella took over as coach. It was also before Nik Antropov, Derek Morris and Sean Avery joined the team. more ›

Starting today, extremely overweight passengers on United Airlines may be forced to buy an extra seat to accommodate their extra padding. A spokeswoman for the airline tells Bloomberg News the policy is being implemented in response to "hundreds" of complaints, and that until today more svelte customers had no choice but to "share their seat with the oversized guest." According to the new rules, an obese flier may be required to pay for an extra seat if he or she can't buckle the seatbelt (even using the seatbelt extender) or can't put the armrests down when seated. If the flight is not fully booked and two empty adjacent seats are available, flight attendants will relocate the passenger, free of charge. But if the flight is full, the passenger could be bumped to another flight or charged for an upgrade. Similar policies are already in effect at eight other domestic airlines, including Delta and Southwest. But up in ever-courteous Canada, the Supreme Court ruled that airlines must provide an extra seat for wide ends free of charge. more ›

Down on the boardwalk, they're getting ready for a fight. Yesterday down in a Toms River courthouse, a judge ruled that the divorce proceedings that outed Bruce Springsteen as an accused homewrecker will stay public. more ›

The way a list of potential witnesses for the Brooke Astor estate trial reads, it might just be the trial of the century. Names include—for both the prosecution and defense—Henry Kissinger, Barbara Walters, David Rockefeller, Annette de La Renta, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, New York Public Library president Paul LeClerc, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. One potential juror told the Daily News, "If you bring Henry Kissinger and Kofi Annan and Barbara Walters in here, the whole thing is surreal." Prosecutors say that Astor's son Anthony Marshall tried to steal his mother's estate by forcing his senile mother to change her will. And Carter told the NY Times he regularly had lunch with the late philanthropist, "I assume they’re going to want to ask my opinion about what I thought her mental state was in the last 10 years of her life," and said of being on the list of luminaries, "I feel very privileged. I think it’s just an accident." more ›

As expected, the NYCLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a man who says two NYPD officers forcibly ejected him from the old Yankee stadium last summer when he attempted to use the restroom during the seventh inning stretch, during a broadcast of insipid jingoistic jingle "God Bless America." You'll recall that during a game on August 26th an officer stopped Red Sox fan Brad Campeau-Laurion on his way to the bathroom, telling him that he must wait for the song to conclude. When Campeau-Laurion replied, "Look, I don't care about God Bless America," the cop allegedly grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind his back. more ›

Isiah Thomas isn't just leaving the Knicks to coach basketball at Florida International University—he's coaching at FIU for free. The AP reports, "Thomas said his salary the first year from the Golden Panthers will be donated back to the school's athletic department... FIU athletic director Pete Garcia said that when Thomas learned about layoffs and budget cuts, he told the university president that the school should keep his salary." Of course, the Knicks still owe him $12 million for the rest of his contract. Thomas told reporters, "I like rolling up my sleeves. I like taking some from the bottom and building it to the top. There's a lot of risk in that and there is also a lot of reward in that. But that's how I grew up." Remember when Isiah said he would bring a championship to the Knicks? Good luck, FIU. more ›

It would be impossible to sum up the Observer's story on 22-year-old grifter Kari Ferrell, who recently conned her way into many New Yorker's hearts, beds and wallets. She even landed a job at Vice magazine—who are currently looking for a new administrative assistant, by the way. The young Miss Ferrell somehow managed to convince everyone, at least for a short period of time, that (amongst other things) she had lung cancer, was pregnant, worked for Coachella promoters GoldenVoice, and that she would, like, totally pay them back. Eventually they were all smart enough to Google her (hey amateurs, rule #1 in grifting: always change your name). more ›

Governor Paterson has discovered the gift of charity in his first year as the state's head honcho. Yesterday Paterson's tax returns were made public, showing that he and his wife Michelle got a $4,300 refund for the over $61,000 in federal taxes they had paid and owed another $182 on top of the $27,000 plus in state and local taxes paid out. Some of that federal refund can be attributed to the $11,000 the Patersons donated this past year. Soon after taking over for Eliot Spitzer last year, it was revealed that the only donation that came out of the nearly $270,000 in income the couple earned in 2007 was a $150 worth of clothes they gave to The Salvation Army. This year The Sal made out like bandits with the Patersons donating over $1,400 in used clothing. Other beneficiaries of the couple's charity included the National Federation of the Blind; City Meals; 100 Black Men; Hadassah; the American Foundation of the Blind; League of the Hard of Hearing; Hispanic Federation; and WNYC Hear It Now. more ›

A minister at the Local Christian Assembly Church in Forest Hills and other "church leaders" are accused of fleecing elderly and disabled parishioners out of their life savings by convincing them to invest in a phony hedge fund. According to the S.E.C., ordained minister Isaac Ovid sheered more than 12 million off his flock in the Ponzi scheme between October 2004 and December 2005, blowing money on jewelry, fancy dinners, and the lease on a $200,000 Bentley, among other things. He was arrested last week in Florida as he returned from Trinidad, where he'd been residing, and will soon be extradited to New York to face charges of securities fraud. more ›

Changes intended to control motor vehicle traffic in Prospect Park have infuriated some members of Brooklyn's Community Board 7, which includes the neighborhood of Windsor Terrace, bordering the south end of the park. The DOT is planning to close the entrance and exit to the park at Third Street in Park Slope, and also eliminate the exit-only roadway at 16th Street. For years now, locals have been divided over the issue, with some pushing for a completely car-free park, and others predicting a traffic nightmare should vehicles be pushed out into the surrounding neighborhoods. CB7 District Manager Jeremy Laufer is particularly peeved because, he says, the board was not consulted in this recent decision to reduce motor vehicle access. Laufer tells the Brooklyn Paper, "No one was contacted on this before it was a done deal." A DOT spokesperson declined to address the planning process, but says, "The changes to Prospect Park will reduce conflict between motor vehicles and neighborhood residents crossing to and from the park." As it stands now, traffic is only permitted in Prospect Park on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. more ›

Woody Allen, Dov Charney and young women go together like legwarmers, metallic spandex tights and a deep v-neck tee, yet the battle between Woody Allen and American Apparel continues! After the company used the director's image (without permission) on one of their billboard campaigns, he filed a $10 million lawsuit saying it damaged his reputation. He called the company "sleazy" amongst other things, and the company retaliated noting that he already tarnished his image when he married his young stepdaughter, Soon-Yi Previn. WCBS now reports that "Lawyers for American Apparel have complained that Allen has refused to turn over much of the information they have demanded to prepare for trial. Among their demands were documents concerning any endorsement requests that were withdrawn after the sex scandal with Farrow and Previn became public." The request included nude photos Allen allegedly took of Soon-Yi Previn—but don't get your hopes up Charney, his lawyers say that request is not relevant to the case. more ›

If you don't like the cold and gloomy weather, don't despair; there's sunlight at the end of this cloudy tunnel. As mentioned on Monday a low pressure system is skirting south of the city. With the counter-clockwise circulation around that storm we've been subjected to cold easterly winds from over the Atlantic. All that will quickly change as the low gets replaced by a large high pressure system. more ›

WARNING: This is really, really gross and disturbing. From the Daily News: "A convicted child molester was found naked and bleeding behind a Brooklyn building - a victim of sexual self-mutilation, police sources said... Damiene Iriarte, 26, was found in Fort Greene with the tip of his penis bitten off... 'How he did it? Limber, I guess. Not the work of a sane mind,' a police source said." more ›

Military officials say that Somali pirates attacked a ship owned by a Long Island company yesterday. Newsday reports, "Somali pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at [the ship...which was]...carrying humanitarian aid." The Liberty Sun's crew, none of whom were injured, was escorted by the Navy through the Horn of Africa. more ›

Project Runway finalist Kenley Collins pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, avoiding jail time. Last month, Collins was arrested after allegedly attacking her now ex-fiance with a laptop, water, apples and their cat. She initially faced a felony assault charge, but the Brooklyn DA's office found that Collins' ex Zak Penley didn't need treatment and that the cat wasn't injured (Collins claimed she "gently tossed" the cat onto their bed). E!Online reports the fashion designer "was sentenced to a $120 fine and a two-year protection order barring her from having contact with Penley. The incident will remain sealed and not appear on her criminal record." Collins told the Post, "I went through hell and back over this." more ›

Archbishop Timothy Dolan marked his beginning as the new leader of the New York Archdiocese—and about 2.5 million Roman Catholics in the area—with the ritual of knocking on the doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Post described the scene, "Using a blue hammer, Dolan pounded on the bronze doors six times, asking to be accepted as New York's new archbishop. Then he paused and knocked another three times just to be sure he was heard. A roar of laughter erupted in the church. The doors swung open and the 59-year-old Dolan walked in to an explosion of applause." more ›

What's a rumor in Page Six without a Daily News source disputing it? Yesterday, the NY Post's gossip column suggested that disgraced former governor Eliot Spitzer was considering running for Attorney General (again) in 2010 since his AG reign was all about going after Wall Street fat cats and wasn't marred by a prostitution scandal. Now the Daily News reports that Spitzer's "comeback will not include a run for office in 2010, according to a source familiar with Spitzer's thinking. The source shot down a published report yesterday that Spitzer is planning to run for attorney general next year, saying there's no chance he'll seek that seat or any other next year." Stay tuned for the next volley from the Page Six! more ›

Yesterday, Bloomberg News reported that Lehman Brothers Holdings was "sitting on enough uranium cake to make a nuclear bomb as it waits for prices of the commodity to rebound, according to traders and nuclear experts," leading to jokes about "NUKE WA$TE" and "(Literally) Radioactive Assets." Apparently, just before the bank filed for bankruptcy, it started traded in uranium ore and has about 500,000 pounds of uranium-oxide concentrate, aka yellowcake. A source tells the Post, "[Lehman] can't get rid of the ore, because with the possible exception of North Korea, nobody is willing to cough up the price it wants -- because the uranium market has tanked." Another fun yellowcake fact: 500,000 pounds is about enough to make a bomb or to power a nuclear power plant for a year. more ›

Last night around 7:15 p.m., a boy died after falling from a housing development in Crown Heights. His body was found in a lot near the Albany Houses on Bergen Street. The boy was between the ages of 9 and 12, and neighbors were stunned; one told the Daily News, "I can't get over this. It is unbelievable." The police are investigating what happened: While there was an open window on the 5th floor, the NY Post reports, "It wasn't immediately known where he fell from, but cops believe it's more likely the roof of the 13-story building rather than one of the apartments." If he did fall from the roof, police will also try to determine if the boy jumped, fell or was pushed. Update: It appears the 9-year-old jumped from the roof using a "makeshift parachute" of a plastic bag and strings. more ›

News organizations that have desks at NYPD headquarters at 1 Police Plaza downtown were told they need to get out by July 31. Why? Because the NYPD wants to make room for a new Joint Command Center. [UPDATE: The NYPD has changed its mind! Update below.] more ›

Mayor Bloomberg's boosting of financial types does not go unnoticed by the NY Times. There's a big feature on how the billionaire businessman-turned-politician has supported 'financial titans' while most other politicians are taking the time to slam the sector: "Mr. Bloomberg has opposed capping executive pay, increasing the capital gains tax or raising income taxes on the wealthy. He has gushed about Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, saying he 'walks on water,' and praised Henry M. Paulson Jr.’s Goldman Sachs résumé." more ›

Newark Mayor Cory Booker is not happy with plans to improve the Izod Center at the Meadowlands. According to the Star-Ledger, Booker sent a letter to NJ Governor Jon Corzine, "Should the Nets not build their project in Brooklyn, the Nets' long-term home in New Jersey cannot be Izod. It must be Newark." The NJ Sports and Exposition Authority's CEO says that it has received plans for renovations and said he'd be happy if the Nets remained. However, Booker said in his letter, "This expenditure would clearly cause injury to Newark, further divide our state against itself and undermines current good faith efforts by Newark and the (authority's) leadeship to craft a larger vision for the Meadowlands/Newark region. I urge you to more actively join us in pursuit of such a win-win, NOT to add fuel and fire to the continued cannibalization of New Jersey venues to the detriment of two worthy communities." more ›

If you want to sigh just a little more about the development of the World Trade Center site, here you go: The Daily News reports, "The Port Authority is paying Larry Silverstein $21.5 million to develop the Freedom Tower - even though he has absolutely no role in building the 1,776-foot icon." Even though Silverstein handed over control of the building site to the Port Authority, the agency has been paying him $500,000/month in "development fees" and will keep receiving them until the middle of next year, which the News helpfully points out is the equivalent of "2.7 million George Washington Bridge tolls or 12.3 million PATH fares." The fees were written into the 2006 agreement, which also says the Port Authority can request Silverstein's company's help, but the News says the agency has never done so. The Port Authority says it's siply abiding by the contract, while Silverstein's spokesman told the paper, "We believe our expertise in office tower construction would be of tremendous value in getting the 1 World Trade Center project back on schedule, and our team remains at the Port's disposal." more ›

Around 6 p.m., if you see a man of the cloth (followed by the press) knocking on the doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral, don't be alarmed—it'll just be the new leader of the New York Archdiocese. Archbishop Timothy Dolan will be symbolically asking New York's Roman Catholic community to accept him. more ›

After saying he would renew the push for same sex marriage in the Legislature last week, sources tell CityRoom that Governor Paterson will introduce legislation on Thursday: It "reflects the governor’s desire to press the issue with lawmakers in Albany as other states move ahead with efforts to grant more civil rights to homosexuals... [However] The fact that Mr. Paterson is introducing a bill does not, however, mean that action in the Legislature is imminent. It could take months — even longer — before the bill makes its way through the appropriate committees and onto the floor of the Senate and the Assembly." The State Assembly has previously passed a gay marriage bill in 2007, but it stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. Though the Senate is now controlled by Democrats, the majority is fractured and Senate Majority leader Smith's spokesperson said last week, "Currently, there are not sufficient votes in the Senate to pass the marriage equality bill." more ›

The bad news from the MTA doesn't stop: This time, MTA officials say that lower tax revenues—an "alarming sharp decline" as the NY Times puts it—may mean the MTA has to consider cutting service and raising fares . more ›

The Mets home opener at Citi Field may have been a loss, but there's a new star: The orange (or tan) cat that ran out during the third inning. Here's film of the feline: more ›

Like other expensive American cities, New York seems to be home to a higher proportion of post-graduate adult roommates than suburban areas. In NYC, sharing a home with a stranger or friend is seen not so much as a sign of utter incompetence as it is a consequence of the obscene rental market, which has compelled people to share for far longer than they had ever anticipated. Who among us has not inserted earplugs to drown out the sounds of roommate fornication, while dreaming of liberation from cohabitation? However, judging by the increasing numbers of elderly people looking for roommates, that dream may be considerably deferred. According to City Room, a home sharing program run by the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens has been inundated with elderly applicants seeking apartment shares because of lost jobs or rent increases. Of course, the silver lining, should you find yourself trolling Craigslist for shares in your golden years, is that you'll probably be so hard of hearing you won't even notice your roommate's drum and bass marathons. more ›

A lawyer for Vito Fossella explained the former Congressman's decision to plead guilty to a May 2008 DUI, "He wanted to accept responsibility for what had occurred and he wanted to end this. He wants this behind him. He realizes it was wrong to be drinking and driving that night. He's going to get on with his life." more ›

Questions, comments, complaints? Just create a high-tech cyber worm! One 17-year-old Brooklynite has copped to creating two "worms" in order to draw attention to some holes over at Twitter. NBC reports that over the weekend Michael "Mikeyy" Mooney created the worms "because he was bored and wanted to draw attention to the Twitter flaw." The worms posted messages via different user accounts about a similar site, StalkDaily, as well as other unwanted messages like "Twitter please fix this, regards Mikeyy." He told CNET he would like to get a job as a security analyst at the site, but also added, "I'm done with Twitter. I've been getting too much attention lately." more ›

New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission is looking ahead to next year, when the three contracts for the current cab information screens expire, and has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gauge various enhancements to the relatively new taxi technology. The riding public, the taxicab industry and the technology community is being asked for input on how the computerized system can be improved for what the TLC is calling Taxi 2.0. more ›

The Isiah Thomas era at the Knicks is over: Florida International University confirmed that the player-turned-coach/management executive accepted a position coaching there. Thomas's reign at the Knicks has been disappointing and troubled, but last month he told reporters he was looking forward to helping Knicks president Donnie Walsh with the draft. Newsday reports, "From the day Thomas was stripped of his titles and responsibilities with the Knicks - who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday - Walsh gave him permission to seek other opportunities." Thomas issued a statement, "Coming back to the college game has always been a dream of mine, and I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to go somewhere where we can build a basketball legacy together." more ›

After the U.S. Navy killed three Somali pirates holding an American container ship captain hostage, pirates have seized four ships in 48 hours. BBC News reports the most recent was a Greek-managed ship with 22 Filipino crew members. NATO Lt. Commander Alexandre Fernandes told Reuters news agency, "There was only three minutes between the alarm and the hijack... They attacked at night, which was very unusual. They were using the moonlight as it's still quite bright." more ›

A type of Guyanese finch called Towa Towa is prized by New York’s Guyanese community for singing competitions; people place bets on two birds to see which can sing the longest and most beautifully. (Here’s YouTube video of a Towa Towa singing.) But the problem is getting the finches into New York; Guyana's Wild Bird Protection Act prohibits finch exports. Top birds can sell for more than $5,000, which might explain why 36-year-old Guyanese-born nursing home worker Terrence McLean was busted at JFK in 2006 with 13 Towa Towas hidden inside plastic hair curlers. Yesterday McLean admitted guilt in not declaring the birds to customs and faces a possible $25,000 fine. But he's due back in court today to fight a second charge of smuggling because, according to his lawyer, "He is absolutely innocent of the charge of knowingly violating of Guyanese law." McClean could be fined an additional $25,000 if a jury finds him guilty on that charge. more ›

After months and months of waiting, Citi Field finally opened to its first regular season baseball game yesterday evening. Since the Mets lost, the true star of the game was the new stadium. Fans were mostly excited by Citi Field — the only complaints were about the sight lines for some of the seats. Thousands of seats have views that are missing parts of the field, which caused some fans to wonder what the stadium designers were thinking. more ›

Last week, the state's largest union rejected Governor Paterson's offer, raising the possibility he might make good on his threat to cut almost 9,000 jobs if unions didn't make concessions in contract negotiations. Now the NY Times reports on how the union is pressing forward: "They produced television commercials and newspaper ads with photos of Mr. Paterson sticking his fingers in his ears above the words 'Why aren’t you listening?' The president of one of the unions variously accused the governor last week of union busting, putting people’s lives in danger, and drug use." The unions were looking to drive Paterson's numbers down, but Paterson's approval ratings are already pretty much rock bottom, and the Times points out, "the ferocity of the attacks has only stiffened Mr. Paterson’s resolve." As for one union's claim that reopening the contract would "set a precedent," a Paterson spokesperson scoffed, "What is the precedent exactly? That every 80 years, when there’s a historic economic and fiscal crisis, the state work force might only get half its planned raise?” more ›

This is horrible: MyFoxNY reports that firefighters, responding to a call in Mount Vernon, "found four kittens inside a burning desk drawer in an apartment building." more ›

If it's April 14, it means people are scrambling to get their taxes mailed in time for tomorrow's deadline. A tipster tells us he went to a post office (Ansonia Station, at Columbus and 68th in Manhattan) at 7:50 a.m., 10 minutes before opening: "The facility was open, but the postal worker windows weren't opened, so we could line up. I ended up being ninth in line (two postal workers were available). By the time I left, there were 50 people in line for three postal workers." Here's the USPS's branch locator—the Farley post office on 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets across from Penn Station, is open 24 hours. more ›

Yesterday morning around 7:30, Griselda Sosa was buying coffee at a bodega near the 225th Street No. 1 train station in Marble Hill, the northernmost neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, when her 5-year-old son Samuel slipped away. Far, far away. Sosa tells the Daily News she'd been arguing with her son before he disappeared: "He was mad [because] he wanted to take the bus. I said, 'No, we'll take the train.'" Samuel, it seems, decided to embrace his fate alone. more ›

Penis puns work overtime in the Post's leading Page Six item: "Behind Eliot Spitzer's flaccid attempt at re-erecting his public persona is a plan to run for state attorney general in 2010." Apparently the former governor, who writes for Slate and has been appearing on TV lately (even being lampooned for his comeback on SNL), think Andrew Cuomo will probably run for governor in 2010, prompting the supposed socks-on john to allegedly tell people, "My record as governor was disappointing, but the voters will remember my excellent two terms as attorney general," when he crusaded against Wall Street. But an observer points out the obvious to Page Six, "The whole idea of returning to Albany is preposterous. You can't go home again. He's a pariah. It wasn't just the prostitutes -- there was also Troopergate." In other Hookergate news, Emperors Club VIP manager Cecil Suwal is trying to interest publishers in a book where she'll reveal "the frequency with which [Spitzer] used the agency, the amounts of money he spent, and some of the details of the various encounters he had with the girls." more ›

A letter laced with rat poison was sent to a St. John's University law student yesterday. A St. John's spokesperson told the AP a "suspicious-looking" letter was received at the Queens campus on Monday: "The university was closed for Easter break, but some workers were there and accepted the envelope." Apparently NYPD "determined the substance was rat poison and didn't pose any direct danger to the workers." The investigation is ongoing. more ›

• Padres 6, Mets 5: For a first game in Citi Field, this contest had a lot. A leadoff home run, a balk, a cat -- just like Shea! -- and a loss for the Mets. Jody Gerut became the first person in Major League history to homer in the first at-bat at a new stadium. The Mets rallied from a 5-1 deficit with a four-run fifth that was capped by a David Wright home run. That happened right before Pedro Feliciano balked in the winning run -- which got to third base after Ryan Church dropped a fly ball for a three-base error. Ex-Met Heath Bell -- traded for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson -- got the save for San Diego. Think the Mets could have used him in their bullpen the past two seasons?
• Rays 15, Yankees 5: Chien-Ming Wang -- one inning pitched. Nick Swisher -- one inning pitched. That is not good. Swisher even pitched better, striking out one and not allowing a run. Wang allowed eight runs without getting an out in the second. That makes two sloppy outings in a row for Wang. When is it time to worry about him? The Yankees are 3-4.
• Nets 91, Bobcats 87: Jarvis Hayes hit two late 3-pointers as the Nets rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter. But all this did was hurt their draft lottery position, so was it worth it?
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Standing on the steps in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral with a Bible in his hand, incoming Archbishop Timothy Dolan spoke to reporters for the first time since arriving into town. Dolan did not waste any time addressing hot button topics for the church, such as the possibility of New York legalizing gay marriage. He said, "If we let that definition of marriage go and begin to include other relationships, it will be to a detriment to the civilization." But Dolan tried to stay positive saying that "we support them...(and) will defend their rights." He also plans to fight the popular notion that the church is unenlightened saying, "I think we Catholics just need to stand up and say, 'we're above the times, we're timeless in our beliefs in our values and in our ethics and in our morality, and we don't take our cue from the winds and the trends of the day." Dolan will be installed as archbishop Wednesday afternoon at St. Patrick's. When asked about the responsibility of leading 2.5 million Catholics, he said, "I hope at my core, I hear Jesus say, 'Timothy be not afraid.'" more ›

Never one to shy away from an anti-gun message—especially in a state that once had a "Bloomberg Gun Giveaway"—Mayor Bloomberg was in Virginia to unveil a TV commercial aimed at closing a loophole in the state's gun law that allows gun sales without background at gun shows. And with him were relatives of Virginia Tech shooting victims as well as the mother of NYPD cop Russel Timoshenko, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop. Here's the ad from Americans United For Safe Streets, a political action committee almost entirely funded by Bloomberg, which features the brother of a victim: more ›

It's no longer necessary to travel abroad for a dose of slum tourism; now you can take a peek at how the less fortunate live right here in New York City, with a new guided tour of the South Bronx, conducted by the Guardian Angels. It's called "The Underbelly Tour," and Guardian Angel founder Curtis Sliwa, joined by members of his group—one Angel per two guests—will escort tourists to the Bronx on the No. 4 train, once known as the Mugger's Express. more ›

From making a round of appearances at black churches to taking calls from listeners of KISS-FM, Governor Paterson is doing everything he can to reclaim the support of African-American voters that he appears to be losing. A poll last week saw Paterson's support among blacks drop below 50 percent, a "desperation line" pollsters say. The Times says that the low numbers in minority communities may stem from his controversial proposed health care cuts. But some African-Americans believe that the perception of the governor is being distorted by overwhelmingly negative press and poll numbers. The president of New York's branch of the NAACP told the Times, “I think the polls are not reflecting David’s standing in the community." But City Councilman Charles Barron thinks that the abandoning of Paterson is legitimate. He said, “There is some letdown from people who were so proud of his ascension. People have to realize that when we invest our aspirations in you, we expect more. We expect better.” more ›

Two Fire Island police officers have been acquitted of most of the charges against them stemming from a 2005 incident that left a tourist with a burst bladder. While the jury remains deadlocked on a lesser charge of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of a year in jail, they have found Police Chief George Hesse and Officer Arnold Hardman not guilty of first-degree gang assault, as well as other charges. The two were accused of beating a drunken marketing exec named Sam Gilberd at the Ocean Beach police station after arresting him for littering. The beating allegedly occured after an irate Gilberd kicked the station door after he was initially released; he says the cops then pulled him back inside and beat him senseless. According to Newsday, the officers' lawyers may now try to get the other charge dismissed, but Gilberd's still proceeding with his civil lawsuit, seeking $22 million in damages. more ›

The NY Times article about Skadden Arps' program allowing associates to take a year off—no strings attached (just a suggestion to do good works, but no requirement) and their jobs in tact when they get back— is attracting envy from others (perhaps those who didn't put in the hours to become an associate, whose base pay is closer to $240,000, at the competitive law firm). Skadden's strategy is to save money in these tough times—here's the memo outlining the "Sidebar" program—and Above the Law gives an assessment: "In a normal economy, mid-level and senior associates who aren't likely to make partner would be leaving the firm for less intense pastures. But because of the market meltdown, those people have been desperately trying to hang onto their jobs... Instead of forced attrition, Skadden's program starts to look like a mercy killing. Skadden is giving people who want to get out an opportunity to leave in spite of the terrible economy." more ›

The locally-grown produce movement has apparently reared its head into the marijuana trade. The DEA has broken up five hydroponic set-ups around town in the last couple of months, an equal number to those recorded for the previous fiscal year in its entirety. The five raids in total have netted 830 pounds of pot, worth $4.15 million on the street. Four of the five setups were uncovered throughout The Bronx last week, but no arrests were made. The fifth raid was the Queens basement belonging to a city firefighter who was growing over 100 plants under high-intensity discharge lights. The Post says that "with the nation's fiscal health in the tank, homegrown marijuana operations have soared by 60 percent." The paper adds that growing pot hydroponically leads to such strong weed that its value ends up being anywhere from three to ten times the amount that Mexican imported grass goes for. more ›

Tonight begins a new era for the Mets with the christening of Citi Field at 7:10 and there's even a winning record on the line! The Amazins', who are 3-3 so far, open up their new ballpark tonight with the ceremonial first pitch thrown by Tom Seaver to Mike Piazza. The scheduling gods were kind enough to see to it that the Mets' first home series of the year comes against San Diego, ranked last of all thirty MLB teams in ESPN's preseason Power Rankings; they weren't gracious enough however to have the starting rotation slot land on ace Johan Santana. Instead Mike Pelfrey will take the mound. more ›

The MTA's $133 million project to (finally) connect the uptown 6 train at Bleecker Street with the B, D, F and V lines at Broadway-Lafayette is angering local business owners who say their customers are being driven away by all the construction. With the sidewalk gone on the east side of Lafayette between Houston and Bleecker, pedestrians must navigate a maze of fencing and heavy machinery if they wish, for instance, to patronize Mexican restaurant Pinche Taqueria, where manager Yasue Yang tells the Daily News, "It's killing us. We're losing one-quarter of our normal business." To help mitigate the damage, the MTA has at least put up signs listing the shops that are still open on the other side of the labyrinth, but Racked reports that some retailers are encouraging customers to access them through the rear doors on Mulberry Street. The work on Lafayette is expected to continue through at least the end of the year, but the director of the NOHO Business Improvement District says it will all be worth it for retailers once the extension is complete... and people no longer have to go above ground? more ›

Say "cheese," NYPD! The NY Post reports that the department is finally schooling officers on photography rights, releasing an order stating, in part, "Photography and the videotaping of public places, buildings and structures are common activities within New York City... and is rarely unlawful." It continues on to clarify that cops have no right to demand photos be destroyed or deleted, or request to view photos taken by an individual. Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne noted that they're attempting to balance their efforts to stop possible terrorist activity while keeping in mind the First Amendment—but will this reminder help people like Arun Wiita? His was just one of the many incidents where the long arm of the law attempted to stop an innocent photographer; most recently an MTA worker was given a summons for not having permits to photograph underground—something that you actually don't need a permit for! While it's a good sign the NYPD is getting a reminder, you still may want to carry around a copy of the photographer's bill of rights with you. more ›

The past couple months have seen no shortage of cocaine and food combos; there was the Bronx pizza parlor busted for offering blow on the menu, and at the beginning of March, Queens produce shoppers found bags of cocaine inside peppers purchased at an Ozone Park shop. Now it's come to light that at the same time that coke was found in the peppers, yet another Queens market was selling produce with white powder inside. An NYPD spokesman has not yet confirmed that it was cocaine, but on March 7th and 8th, police received several calls about little bags of powder found inside bitter melons purchased at a Richmond Hill grocery. Two dozen cops raided the produce store, Banana Country on Liberty Avenue, and cut open the melons, but nothing unusual was found inside. Owner Tae Hyun Kil assures the Times, "No problems with bitter melons since then." But when informed about the incident, one shopper seemed inspired: "Hey, that’s a good way to smuggle!" more ›

The Bernard Madoff scandal has so shaken up his niece, who worked as a compliance office for the "investing" firm, that she has—according to Post sources—"contacted a consultant who teaches white-collar criminals how to survive in federal prison and secure early release." Shana Madoff, 38, once featured in New York magazine as a clotheshorse, may be the female Madoff relative who is taking Larry Levine's "Fedtime 101 crash course." Levine, who served time for counterfeiting securities, tells the Post, "I give people a wakeup call," and his website says he offers tips on things like "Dealing With Gang Members," "Defusing A Confrontation," and "Prison Slang & Lingo." Meanwhile, wife-of-Bernie Ruth (pictured) was banned from the Pierre Michel hair salon because other customers are victims of the wide-reaching, multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme, so a rep explained, "Therefore Pierre Michel didn't feel comfortable having her in the salon." more ›

Bone dry air has moved into town following Saturday's half-inch of rain, no doubt aiding and abetting yesterday's Staten Island brush fires. As the winds died down the lack of humidity allowed the temperature to plummet overnight. This morning's lows bottomed out near the freezing mark across the city. The dry air mass will move eastward today, allowing the mercury to rebound to almost 60 this afternoon (BTW, could NY1's weather page be any worse?). It should be in the mid 50s when Mike Pelfrey throws the first pitch at Citi Field's regular season debut. more ›

With the Democrat-controlled State Senate holding up any hope of an MTA bailout, it may come down to the Republicans in the Senate to help out. Naturally, though, the NY Times reports that Republicans senators want highway and bridge projects financing. Sen. Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton) told the paper, "To just ignore the highway, road and bridge plan and go to trying to negotiate a schedule for a new M.T.A. capital plan was just not the right thing to do." While Republicans have been letting their Democratic counterparts fight out the bailout proposal, some would be affected if the MTA is stranded without some form of support—for instance, contracting jobs would be lost upstate. Still, they are happy to blame the dysfunction on the whole Paterson administration; Sen. Better Little (R-Queensbury) tells Newsday, "It's interesting that they're reaching out to us now, not when they were constructing a plan" (she also suggested the administration was "New York City-oriented"). more ›

In what's sure to be the classiest courtroom battle, a Juilliard-trained composer is suing the Brooklyn Philharmonic for butchering his piece back in 2004. The NY Post reports that Nathan Currier paid over $70,000 to have the troupe perform his two-hour-long magnum opus, only to have the musicians stop short and exit the stage. CEO Catherine Cahill had told him during an intermission that they were in danger of going over and incurring overtime fees due to union rules. After frantically editing down the piece so it wouldn't be a total disaster, the orchestra ended up ignoring the new version and simply stopped short when someone signaled the time limit. He told the paper, "It had a huge impact on me, both psychologically and in a very direct, nuts-and-bolts way. I moved out of New York to write this thing, and assumed it would change my life when it got put on. But it was like the kiss of death to my career." Indeed, the NY Times declared the piece to be nothing more than "dreadful music." Meanwhile, Currier says he would drop the suit if they would play it again. more ›

With the U.S. Navy's rescue of an American container ship captain—and the killings of three Somali pirates who were holding him hostage—other pirates are promising to retaliate. One told the AP, "From now on, if we capture foreign ships and their respective countries try to attack us, we will kill them [the hostages]. [U.S. forces have] become our No. 1 enemy." Another said, "Every country will be treated the way it treats us. In the future, America will be the one mourning and crying," while a third said, "Next time we get American citizens... they [should] expect no mercy from us." more ›

Yesterday morning, police killed a Bronx man who had been threatening to kill his family, allegedly saying, "I have to kill the children and my wife and send them to heaven. I don't care about killing myself and going to hell." Mauricio Jacques, 35, had been holding his wife with one hand while a 10-inch knife was in the other; their three children, ages 5 to 11, were also present. Cops had tried to negotiate with him for an hour; WCBS 2 reports that Jacques agreed to surrender but " then lunged with a 10-inch knife at officers, who tried to subdue Jacques with a stun gun and rubber pellets. Undeterred, he stabbed an officer in the abdomen of his protective vest and slashed another's vest near the neck." The cops used the Taser on him again, but that didn't stop him, so one cop grabbed his wife while two others fired six shots at Jacques. Last week, the police fatally shot a woman who slashed a police officer. more ›

Former Representative Vito Fossella has pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges. Fossella, who was arrested for the DUI in Alexandria, VA last year, was originally going to appeal his conviction, but instead will face the mandatory sentence of five days in jail. more ›

"The taxes are insane!" cried East Village resident Jessica Porter to the Post about her three-line "family plan" cell phone bill, which comes with a tax rate of over 30%. All those vague little taxes can currently add as much as 33%, with eleven federal, state and city levies combining to give New Yorkers the fourth-highest cellphone taxes of any state. And the wireless tax in the latest state budget will likely make us number one! Today the tabloid of record looks with signature disgust at the taxes, which include the state's $1.20 per-month 911 charge. After complaints that only a fraction of the tax went to 911 service, the State Legislature recently changed the name to a "public-service fee" instead. Much better! Bushwick's Danny Schluck tells the Post, "If there was a $5 monkey fee, even if they couldn't explain it, you would still have to pay." Economist Scott Mackey explains that politicians like taxing cell phones because most folks skip the fine print: "There's a tendency to feel no one is going to notice this little tax. They can do this without a lot of pushback from their constituents." more ›

Edward Cardinal Egan told worshippers at St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday, "We are here for a passing moment of eternity." The 77-year-old was discussing the world's problems during his final Easter Sunday mass as head of the New York Archdiocese, "Life can appear unfair and pointless, but Easter gives meaning to the reality of life." more ›

Little is publicly known about 34-year-old Ashish Shah of Jersey City at this time, but police say his life ended Sunday morning in the trash compactor of The Olivia, a luxury apartment building near Penn Station. A building employee tells the Post that for the second time in as many days, Shah had arrived outside The Olivia in a taxi and ran inside without paying. Police believe Shah had been "drinking for several hours" before his death, and It's unclear who, if anyone, Shah knew in the building. But just before 6 a.m. he was observed dashing past the doorman to the elevators. Cops say he took an elevator to the 36th-floor roof level, but after his attempt to get to the sun deck tripped an alarm, Shah took the stairs down to the 35th floor, where he somehow fell into a narrow garbage chute, plummeting to the garbage compactor 28 stories below. One resident tells the Daily News, "It's amazing that someone could fit in that hole." more ›

Yesterday afternoon, a brush fire swept across the Oakwood Beach section of Staten Island and became a 6-alarm blaze that spread to houses. The Staten Island Advance reports, "Giant billows of smoke...could be seen from as far away as Manhattan and New Jersey. About 250 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze." The fire lasted for four hours. more ›

Two female employees with the city's Department of Environmental Protection are suing the department on federal discrimination charges. The Daily News reports, "Lillian Padilla and Magda Rodriguez say they get the hardest and dirtiest jobs, are routinely threatened and insulted, and are denied showers or changing rooms after working in sewage." The pair say they've had pornography put in their trucks, been called "bitches" and "dykes" (they are lesbians) and been threatened when they've complained. They also claim that other female employees have left due to the atmosphere—out of the 426 DEP laborers, five are women—with Padilla adding, "I once had a supervisor telling me that he would never have a woman telling a man what to do." The DEP said it is investigating the complaint, which has been filed with the EEOC. Rodriguez said, "I just want the policies changed so that women have equal rights. I have no shower. She has no shower. We work in sewage. That's what we do all day." more ›

According to the NY Times, "The Treasury Department is directing General Motors to lay the groundwork for a bankruptcy filing by a June 1 deadline, despite G.M.’s public contention that it could still reorganize outside court." President Obama's auto task force, which is continuing talks with GM, wants to make sure a "bankruptcy filing is ready should the company" in case they cannot work out a deal with bondholders to "exchange roughly $28 billion in debt into equity in G.M. and with the United Automobile Workers union, which has balked at granting concessions without sacrifices from bondholders." The Times reports that one idea is to create a company that buys the "good assets" of a bankrupt GM, which lost nearly $31 billion last year (and received $13.4 billion in federal aid), while the "bad assets" are liquidated. This news is currently dragging Dow futures down. more ›

• Royals 6, Yankees 4: Four outs separated the Yankees from a sweep in Kansas City. But Jose Veras and Phil Coke couldn't get the first of those. Damaso Marte got the first two outs in the eighth inning, but Veras walked Billy Butler before being relieved by Coke, who gave up a double, single and double before getting out of the inning. The Yankees runs came on a wild pitch, a Xavier Nady double, a double play and an error.
• Marlins 2, Mets 1: Daniel Murphy's bat has been the darling of Mets, but his glove in left field has long been a question mark. He dropped a fly ball in the second, an error that led to both Florida runs. The Mets didn't have a base hit until the sixth inning, and they didn't score a run until the ninth. Florida won two out of three games against the Mets, who return to New York to open Citi Field on Monday.
• Rangers 4, Flyers 3: Beating the Flyers is always good, even if it has no practical effect on the Rangers' season. The Blueshirts, who will face Washington in the first round, did deny Philadelphia home-ice advantage in its series vs. Pittsburgh.
• Heat 122, Knicks 105: Dwyane Wade dropped 55 on the Knicks as the Heat wrapped up the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. He outscored his teammates through three quarters.
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Besides saying that she supports the Beatrice Inn (run by her brother Paul), actress Chloe Sevigny discussed the East Village with the Observer (while hosting a party for Kiehl's) last week. She summed up how the neighborhood has changed, "Oh, you know, it's bank, nail salon, bank, nail salon, bank, nail salon. The Subway across the street from Veselka, it's just an eyesore. The bigger chains coming in everywhere, it's depressing. You know what really bugs me about the neighborhood, actually? The students! The N.Y.U. kids and they've opened an SVA dorm near my house, so now it's even more." The wife says that if she did move from the EV, she'd go back to Gramercy Park. [Via EV Grieve] more ›

Just because the city has blacklisted construction and utility companies due to their alleged ties to organized crime hasn't kept the Mets and Yankees from using them in putting together their new ballparks. The Times reports on the use of companies Petrocelli Electric and Interstate Industrial, brought on to work on Yankee Stadium, and Breeze National, hired to do demolition for Citi Field. Executives of the companies have done time for bribery charges in the past, prompting the city to avoid doing business with them. An NYU law professor told the paper, “We’re talking about the nature of the whole construction industry, which affects public construction, private construction, not-for-profit construction and the whole economic viability of the city. So there ought to be a commitment to do what we can to purge corrupt influences out of that industry.” But a Mets marketing VP stood by the selection of the controversial company. He said, “The deconstruction was done on time, on budget and without incident or injury.” more ›

Update: Maersk Alabama container ship Captain Richard Phillips was rescued by Navy Seals. CNN reports, "The American cargo ship captain held hostage by pirates jumped overboard Sunday from the lifeboat where he was being held, and U.S. Navy SEALs shot and killed three of his four captors, according to a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the situation." Phillips was taken to the destroyer U.S.S. Bainbridge and "was then flown by helicopter to another Navy ship, and has contacted his family and received a routine medical examination," according to the NY Times. more ›

In an "exclusive," the NY Post looks at Finance Commissioner Martha Stark's relationships in her department—leading with how she "has been dating a former assistant commissioner in her department—which also hired her lover's ex-husband and three of Stark's family members." Dara Ottley-Brown was Stark's "assistant commissioner in the property division between 2004 and 2006. But Stark says the love affair started after Ottley-Brown transferred to another department." The Post also describes photographs of Stark and Ottley-Brown (found on Ottley-Brown's daughter's Facebook page) and lists other relations working there in this graphic. Stark told the Post, "I have never used my position to obtain any advantage for any relative or personal relation, and I have not had a personal relationship with any subordinate." Last month, Stark resigned from the board of a national real estate company (that does not do work in NYC) after the Post revealed the gig earned her an extra $90K in 2007. more ›

As many families celebrate religious holidays together today, The New York Post has a unique tale of family melodrama as one of their featured stories. Much to the Post commenters' sadistic delight, pets columnist Julia Szabo shares her story of continuing to live with her ex-husband in a 2BR railroad flat for years on account of their six dogs. The couple even continued sleeping in the same bed because as she puts it, "Our dogs are very good in bed, and there were so many of them curled up between us, around our heads and feet (and sometimes on top of one or both of us), that neither he nor I noticed the other's existence." Eventually the animosity between Szabo and her ex grew so great that the two do decide to part, but not before the columnist struggles over what will happen to the dogs. She then brings in an animal psychic to speak to the favorite of her dogs, Angus. Szabo writes, "Angus told me, wordlessly but loud and clear, that although he loves my ex and me equally, protecting John is his duty." more ›

You may have missed it, but the UConn women’s basketball team just completed what may be the greatest season ever. Not only did they go undefeated, but they destroyed their opponents winning every game by 10 points or more. It’s really nothing new for UConn. The 2009 championship is the sixth they have won in the last 15 seasons and it was their third perfect season. more ›

Yesterday's re-do of America's Next Top Model (under 5'7") auditions was apparently a resounding success—if success is a riot stem from rumors of an exploding car. It was less fierce and more friendly and follow-the-rules outside the Hotel Pennsylvania: NY1 reports, "Only 50 women entered the hotel at one time. They were searched and given wrist bands to indicate their scheduled audition time." Also, last time, police weren't informed of the auditions; this time, there were 40 cops stationed. The NY Times found a line of "Women of all shapes and sizes arrived from the five boroughs and beyond: supermarket cashiers, store clerks, Federal Express employees, students, dropouts, all eager, even desperate, to be plucked from their regular lives and transformed into fodder for the reality television mill." Though few were deemed ANTM-worthy (the Times: "More often than not, the young women emerged from the judging rooms with long faces and teary, red-rimmed eyes"), one woman put it into perspective for the Daily News, "I'm just taking a shot at a dream. I have nothing to lose, unless of course I get trampled." more ›

The jewelry designer who was injured when an external stairway collapsed at the artists' warehouse Five Pointz is in critical condition at Bellevue Hospital. According to the Daily News, Nicole Gagne, 37, is in the trauma unit at the hospital after falling three stories and being buried by concrete steps and metal debris. A friend said, "She's used those stairs for years. We didn't expect she was rolling the dice with her life." more ›

Guess what? With the government cracking down on the multi-million dollar bonuses given to employees of bailed out financial firms, some top executives are thinking maybe they don't want to work for the big firms. The NY Times reports on the exodus of "top talent...leaving Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and others in rising numbers to join banks that do not face tighter regulation, including foreign banks, or start-up companies eager to build themselves into tomorrow’s financial powerhouses." They're also heading to firms that didn't take bailout money, like Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank. One boutique firm's chief executive says, “We have the opportunity to step into the shoes of a Bear Stearns or a Lehman." Um, remember what happened to Bear and Lehman? Still, NYU Stern School of Business professor of finance Matthew Richardson says, "If the risk-taking spreads out to these smaller institutions, it is no longer a systemic threat. And innovation is spreading out too. This is a good thing.” more ›

More images have come in from the confrontation that took place at the tail end of Friday's student protest and occupation of a university tower at The New School. The debate continues over the NYPD's response caught on tape using tear gas and forcefully arresting protesters who attempted to escape. The 22 demonstrators arrested Friday were in court yesterday where they were released without bail. Court dates have been set for two weeks from now. more ›

A Queens man was fatally shot early Saturday morning while trying to break up a fight that broke out in Springfield Gardens. 45-year-old Anthony Potter was shot in the chest around 4:40 a.m. yesterday while intervening in an altercation taking place at the get-together he was at. His family told the Daily News that Potter "was attempting to turn his life around after a history of arrests for larceny, forgery and other crimes." His wife Lisa Boykin said, "He was trying to find his way." Potter worked as a cable installer and was said to be "the type of person who would give you his last few bucks." Boykin said, "He was a loving father. We have lots of wonderful memories of him." more ›

The White House will once again have a pet come this Tuesday, as the Obamas will welcome their new, long-awaited dog. With TMZ's report yesterday about a Portuguese water dog heading to the White House, the White House has now granted the Washington Post the exclusive: "The girls named it Bo -- and let it be noted that you learned that here first. Malia and Sasha chose the name, because their cousins have a cat named Bo and because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley, a source said. (Get it? Bo... Diddley?)" more ›

Edward Cardinal Egan, who vowed to celebrate his final Easter Week services at St. Patrick's Cathedral in spite of a recent hospitalization, did not deliver last night's mass. Last week, a stomach virus kept him in the hospital for a few days and doctors also recommended he receive a pacemaker, but Egan returned to deliver Holy Thursday and Good Friday services; on Friday, sitting at a table instead of standing, he told parishioners, "None of us in our lives expect to really escape suffering. I may tell you it's an experience that's more intensive as you grow older." The 77-year-old head of the NY Archdiocese, who is retiring this week (Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee will be installed as his successor on Sunday), is leading today's Easter mass at 10:15 a.m. After he steps down, he will lead, according to the Post, "a French-speaking flock at the new Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary mission on 33rd Street and First Avenue." more ›

• Yankees 6, Royals 1: This version of CC Sabathia looks a lot more like the one the Yankees paid $161 million for than the version that showed up on opening day. The hefty lefty threw 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball as the Yankees won their third straight game. Nick Swisher, who appears eager to maximize his playing time, and Jorge Posada each knocked in three runs apiece. The Yankees go for the sweep behind Joba Chamberlain on Sunday.
• Mets 8, Marlins 4: Livan Hernandez's first start with the Mets went well. He pitched into the seventh inning, giving up two runs and striking out four. Jose Reyes, who suffered an injury scare during a double play, had a two-run homer and an RBI double. Could the Marlins, with their pitching staff, be a challenge to the Mets in the National League East? The loss was Florida's first of the year. The Mets improved to 3-2 and snapped a two-game losing streak.
• Flyers 3, Islanders 2: Too bad there is a draft lottery for the NHL. Otherwise the Islanders would be in the ole catbird seat. They had already wrapped up the league's this record earlier this week, so this game didn't matter.
• Devils 3, Hurricanes 2: This could be a playoff preview. Dainius Zubrus scored late after David Clarkson and Zach Parise struck early. The Devils have won four of five entering the playoffs.
• Nets 103, Magic 93: New Jersey's youth movement continues. Vince Carter had 27, but Brook Lopez helped shut down Dwight Howard.
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Tomorrow many New Yorkers will be coming together to celebrate notions of rebirth and unity—not just in churches around town for Easter Sunday, but in Times Square as well for the lesser known and more violent "Gang Initiation Day." The Post says that the high holy day has become an annual ritual for local gangs—in 2006, they say that more than 200 gang members came through the area with three stabbings being reported. One cop told them, "It's the same nonsense every year. It's been going on a long time." The McDonald's in Times Square is one of many businesses that closed down in the wake of the '06 incidents and this year will have double its normal security on hand. a manager told the paper, "They come in, they throw chairs, they throw cups of ice at each other. It's a disaster." more ›

The seventeen-year-old who caught a Queens Center Mall jumper earlier in the week is all checked out after being readmitted to a hospital yesterday to have doctors look at his open head wounds and vomiting that was still occurring following Wednesday's incident. But his mother says that Derrick Osario may have some remaining effects spiritually after the accident. Rosarito Osario tells Newsday, "My son was reborn on April 8 again. With this situation, he was born again that day. That could have been him that died." She told the paper that her son has a long Y-shaped cut crossing his head following the collision. When asked about the woman who landed on her son while committing suicide, she said, "We are praying for [the woman], the decision she made to cut her own life, her family." The father of the boy did not speak publicly at the advice of a lawyer that the family has hired. more ›

A former NYPD police officer fatally shot himself after accusing his wife, also an NYPD cop, of having an affair with another cop. The NY Post reports that Cecil Ramsay, 51, confronted wife Dady Belfort, 47, and Edwin Chittick, 40, when the pair arrived at Belfort and Ramsay's home in North Babylon, Long Island. According to Suffolk County police, the pair denied an affair and Chittick said, "I'm not here to have an argument with you. I'm leaving." Belfort and Chittick fled in her car; from Newsday, "Ramsay fired at least three times at the moving vehicle. One of the bullets hit Chittick's hand. Neither Chittick nor Belfort returned fire." Ramsay then shot himself; Belfort reportedly didn't realize her husband turned the gun on himself and kept driving to take Chittck to the hospital. The altercation and shooting was apparently witnessed by a construction crew. more ›

Taking an earlier cue from the NY Post, now the Associated Press delves into the work habits of Nancy Shevell, transportation executive, MTA Board member and girlfriend of one Paul McCartney. more ›

Many model wanna-be's—those under 5'7" and between 18 and 27 years old—are lining up outside the Hotel Pennsylvania for America's Next Top Model's second attempt at NYC auditions (the first go-around resulted in a panicked riot). This time, organizers made an effort to work with the NYPD this time as well as more tightly manage the process: One hopeful told the Daily News, "This is amazing. We know where to stand... [Last time] I got shoved, trampled on, and left with my leg all black and blue, but I was most disappointed because I never had the opportunity to see the judges. I couldn't stop crying." But another wasn't happy about Mother Nature's rain showers, "Great, now I look like a freakin' crack addict." more ›

E-Z Pass is coming to the Brooklyn Bridge after all—just not as part of any East River crossing toll plan. City officials announced that E-Z Pass transponders will be installed on the bridge, as well as several other spots throughout the streets of lower Manhattan below Canal Street in order to monitor the flow of traffic and come up with potential ways to ease congestion in that part of town. The Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center will be in charge of the project, which they emphasize will not be able to detect either license plate numbers or the drivers inside the vehicles. An LMCCC spokeswoman says that the routes and travel times of lower Manhattan motorists they'll be collecting will simply allow the agency to know where to dispatch traffic agents to deal with problems. more ›

With music and movie downloads prompting its customers to use loads of bandwidth, Time Warner Cable is testing out a controversial tiered-pricing plan for bandwidth usage in Rochester, NY, plus North Carolina and Texas: According to eWeek, "In addition to 5, 10, 20 and 40GB caps, the company said this week that it would offer a 100GB tier for heavy users. Prices (so far) would range from $29.95 to $75.00 a month, and users would be charged an extra dollar for every additional gigabyte they download, up to a maximum of $75. An 'unlimited' bandwidth plan, therefore, tops out at $150." more ›

Earlier this week, the NY Times reported that budget cuts were forcing the Juilliard School to cut its Music Advancement Program, which has been offering mostly free musical training to African-American, Latino, and Native American students (grades 3 through 8). Luckily, the article also sparked concern: Today the NY Times reports there are "numerous offers of help, including a major pledge from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation of Los Angeles." more ›

With the state budget going through as dire times as it's seen over the last year, lawmakers can't expect to toss nearly $500,000 for renovations to their own restrooms and not have it raise a few eyebrows. Renovations of third-floor bathrooms in the Captiol building began last June in order to deal with asbestos removal and bring them up to the standards of the Americans With Disabliities Act. But it's reported that the $463,000 spent also included features such as marble stall partitions and arches in the ceiling. An Office of General Services spokesman said, "The ladies' room had two sets of stairs and the men's room was difficult to navigate in. The lighting was inefficient and plumbing wasted water.'' The AP says that the ADA accommodations left "men grumbling around the building after learning that the renovations reduced the number of stalls and urinals." more ›

After the dust cleared in yesterday's New School building occupation and police confrontation that resulted in 22 arrests, demonstrations continued into the night Friday with around 200 protesters marching south from Union Square towards President Bob Kerrey's house before being blocked off by police officers at 11th Street. more ›