The bombshell news that WNBC 4 is not renewing beloved anchorwoman Sue Simmons' contract continues to shock tri-state residents who have grown up loving her warm, wacky rapport with everyone around her. But the NY Post suggests that her antics off-set, plus a $5 million salary, were impetus for the decision: A station source said, “It is a lot of money, and many people have been under the impression that Sue had been phoning it in for a while." Fine, WNBC wants to deny us the pleasure of her messing around with Brian Williams. more ›

Have you ever wanted to see Mayor Bloomberg call local folk hero Staten Island Chuck a "son of a bitch"? Here's your lucky day! CityRoom noticed that on the Daily News' YouTube video of the Staten Island Zoo Groundhog Day ceremony, Bloomberg is ecstatic about a new device that helps push Chuck out of his house for his prediction, with the mayor saying, "That was so much better than having to reach in and let the little son of a bitch bite you." The News followed up with its own story about its video, removed the YouTube version (presumably to screw over the NY Times), and offered up its own unembeddable version of the video on a Daily News player. more ›

Our city's most famous groundhog, Staten Island Chuck, may hog all the spotlight (after all, he's attacked the mayor!)... but let's focus our attention on Tyrone and Maggie of Fort Tryon Park. The names were given by the photographer of these photos, who says she chose "Maggie for Margaret Corbin, for whom the traffic circle at the front of the park is named." Check out some live action video of one of these Fort Tryon creatures, or their friend, below: more ›

Reader haj sent us this photograph of a groundhog greeting the gorgeous weather yesterday in Fort Tryon Park. Could this little fella be a relative of Staten Island Chuck? We don't really care—we'll just enjoy the sunshine while we can. more ›

This Tuesday Staten Island Chuck will perform his annual duty of predicting more winter or an early spring—no matter how much the PETA troupe lobbies for his robot replacement. The question is: who will be his next victim? Last year he took a bite out of Bloomie, and the Staten Island Advance has video footage of Chuck plotting his next move. Since the Mayor will face his fears and attend the event again, there could be a rematch. more ›

Once a year PETA really turns up the crazy to 11. Last January they wanted us to call fish sea kittens, and now they want us to replace Puxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck—and presumably the rest of the nation's groundhogs—with robots. One PETA activist would like for the animals to be brought to a sanctuary and replaced with electronic groundhogs, noting that the "large, screaming crowds, flashing lights of cameras, and human handling" are no way for an animal to live. Hmm... actually, maybe Chuck was trying to make this very point when he bit Bloomberg last year. more ›

Fine, maybe the Marist poll revealing that Mayor Bloomberg's approval rating fell seven points is not correlated with his promise to get back at Staten Island Chuck. But on John Gambling's radio show Mayor Bloomberg did (jokingly) discuss revenge and retribution with the creature who bit him on Groundhog Day—"I'm gonna get the little SOB next year. I'm gonna bite him in front of the cameras"—which totally sounds like a way to work his way into the hearts of voters who want to see some sort of smackdown between a billionaire and a little ol' groundhog who just sent the Mayor chocolates for his birthday/Valentine's Day as an apology. more ›

After spending an awkward Groundhog Day together, Staten Island Chuck wants Mayor Bloomberg to know that he's sorry. The Staten Island Advance reports that the Staten Island Zoo's resident groundhog "sent some Valentine's Day affection toward Mayor Michael Bloomberg to apologize for biting him during a Groundhog Day celebration... To mark the mayor's birthday, which coincides with V-Day, and to get back on good terms with the man who holds the purse strings for a portion of the Zoo budget, Chuck offered Bloomberg a heart-shaped box filled with chocolates as an olive branch." more ›

Two readers have e-mailed us with reports of strange, pretty lights over Brooklyn or Queens last night. Here's an account of one sighting:

I saw something weird in the sky last night, and a bunch of other people did, too. Disclaimer: I am NOT a U.F.O. person, nor do I think that's what I saw. I'm just very curious to figure out what exactly it was. I'm sure there's a scientific explanation of some kind. more ›

Charles G. Hogg, better known as Staten Island Chuck, the Staten Island Zoo's resident groundhog, is becoming a bit of a folk hero after his Groundhog Day encounter with Mayor Bloomberg. The rodent bit the Mayor, who was trying to coax him out for his annual prediction; the Daily News even put Chuck on the cover! more ›

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day, the day we rely on furry animals to predict whether we'll see another 6 weeks of winter or an early spring. Sure, Punxsatawney, PA-residing Phil has been celebrated in the 1993 classic, Groundhog Day, but New Yorkers have Staten Island Chuck, who spends half the week at the Staten Island Zoo and the other half at his keeper's house (he commutes by public transit!). more ›

Several hundred people, including Gothamist, gathered at the Staten Island Zoo early this morning to hear a well-fed rodent's forecast for the remainder of the winter. After the Tottenville High School chorus entertained the crowd local dignitaries and elected officials were introduced. Then, the moment everyone was waiting for. A Brownie troop member was enlisted to coax Staten Island Chuck out of his house with the aid of a few peanuts. more ›

Our snowless, warm January is being followed by a very wet start to February. Expect rain and sleet throughout the day today. It's the dreaded wintry mix! We may even have a bit of thunder this afternoon. Actually, the weather freezing rain north of the city is making conditions dangerous from Connecticut through the lower Hudson Valley into northern New Jersey. Further upstate there's an ice storm warning in effect through 5 p.m. Within the city the ground isn't frozen so freezing rain won't happen here. Showers should continue until midnight or so. more ›