The Department of Education's Special Commissioner of Investigation found that Queens fifth-grade teacher Melissa Dean "used the students in her class to send handmade holiday greeting cards to her friend, John Coccarelli, who is a convicted felon serving time in the Groveland Correctional Facility in upstate New York." Coccarelli is serving time for a weapons charge and for violating an order of protection... and was once charged—though not convicted—with child pornography possession. Which leads to this finding from the Special Commisisoner: "Dean suggested that the students write personal information on the cards, including their names and addresses, and she printed the name of the student on the back of his or her card."
5th Grade Teacher Had Students Make Cards For Prison Inmate
Kids To Winnie The Pooh On His 90th Birthday: You Are Old, Alone
It's Winnie the Pooh's 90th birthday, and last month the New York Public Library invited kids to send the bear a card. But kids, what with their cyberbullying ways these days, have taken the opportunity to remind the bear he's old and alone. Click through for a sampling of the "well wishes" these little terrors have put in Winnie's mailbox. As one kid reminds us, Winnie is trapped in a prison of glass at the library... but should we put him on suicide watch anyway?
Former NYPD Detective Wins $1 Million On Poker Game Show
A retired cop who started playing online poker to kill time and distract himself from injuries he suffered on 9/11 just won $1 million when he defeated a professional card-player on a poker game show. After retiring from the NYPD in 2004 with back and leg ailments he incurred during the terrorist attacks, former detective Mike Kosowski, 53, began playing the card game so he wouldn’t be "lethargic."
Map: Find a Valentine in Williamsburg
You've only got one more day to find a valentine, and Steph Goralnick just made it much easier! She says she designed a set of valentine cards to sell "but then decided that since the economy is in a state of such deep suckage I would spread a little sweetness and give them all away for free." Originally 22 packets were scattered about Williamsburg, but they're quickly being picked up. Here's a heart-shaped map to help you find what's left:
Mailman as Anti-Santa, Stealing Greetings
Brooklyn postal worker Michael Olivio was arrested by feds last week for stealing mail he was supposed to deliver when he suspected that cards contained cash or checks. After residents on his postal route began to complain that they were not receiving certain expected pieces of mail, postal inspectors began an elaborate investigation. First they mailed decoy greeting cards to establish that mail was indeed disappearing along Olivio's route. They followed that up by mailing...
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