The NYPD's recruiting woes appear to be continuing through 2008, with a sharp drop-off in the number of candidates applying to sit for the Police Officer Exam, which is the first step to qualifying to enter the Police Academy. According to the New York Post, the number of test takers is down 20% from number of people who took the exam at the same time last year. "Slightly fewer than 20,000 have applied for the Feb. 23 test, down from the roughly 25,000 who filed last year. In October 2004, more than 35,000 registered for the test." more ›

On Sunday, the worldwide running community lost an institution: Vic Navarra, a FDNY lieutenant who organized the NYC Marathon's start for 26 years, died at his home in Staten Island. He was 55 and had been battling sinus cancer. more ›

The architect who was in the construction site trailer crushed by 14,000 pounds of steel that fell 25 stories from a crane may never walk again. Doctors believe Robert Woo was likely paralyzed; his mother said, "He might not walk again...I've been telling him he's lucky to be alive." It is amazing Woo is alive - seeing photographs of the site, it's incredible he survived - but given the amount of construction and development ongoing in the city, we're alarmed as well. more ›

Another reassuring tale of airport security. At JFK Airport yesterday, an airport security screener was able to board a plane - without a ticket. Apparently the man wanted to go the United Arab Emirates to see off his parents, so somehow he managed to board an Etihad Airways flights without a ticket or boarding pass. And, according to the AP, "when the plane's doors shut, [he] told a flight attendant what he had done." We... more ›

Famed New York realtor Barbara Corcoran chimed in on a matter of public aesthetics and the nature of our city by advising that homeowners would be best served by tearing up their lawns and gardens and paving them over as a suitable place to park their cars. We'll let her speak directly on the subject, as it seems too insane to try to rephrase ourselves. From Friday's Daily News:Q. My wife and I have... more ›

Yesterday we got a tip that Polytechnic University posted an emergency message on their site. Later it became clear in an update to the tipster that "NYU is taking over Polytechnic, which will become Polytechnic Institute of New York University." more ›

A Legal Aid Society lawyer was arrested yesterday for allegedly planting a clock with a hidden surveillance camera inside it in a female co-worker's office. WNBC reports that 32-year-old Peter Barta's distaff co-workers told police detectives that they regularly used their offices to change into work clothes (like a suit for court) or for after-work activities. Barta had videotape in his home of one of his workers with her breasts and buttocks bared. more ›

In October 1977, Howard Cosell leaned into his announcer's microphone and intoned to the worldwide audience watching the World Series, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning." He was reporting yet another burning building marring the NYC skyline from his vantage point at Yankee Stadium. His line would eventually become the partial title of a superb book written by Jonathan Mahler: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Politics, and the Battle for the Soul of a City. more ›

That's hard to dispute; it does sound crazy. The Culture of Contact festival includes movies at Two Boots, artwork at P.S. 63, and music at Lit Lounge all weekend long. Tickets are available at the event's linked-to site. more ›

After the tragic murder of Natasha Ramen last week, questions were raised about the conduct of the Brooklyn DA's office. Last Friday, Ramen's throat was slashed, allegedly by Hemant Megnath in an attempt to prevent her from testifying that he had raped her. Megnath had previously harassed and threatened Ramen and her family to the point that they told the police in Queens. more ›

There's Joey Ramone Place and Peter Jennings Way. But getting a street named after the city's arguably most famous TV detective who was also a Broadway legend is no easy task. The NY Times has the full story about the quest for Jerry Orbach's name to grace a street corner. Specifically the corner of West 53rd and 8th Avenue, where he and his wife Elaine Orbach lived. more ›

In October, Mayor Bloomberg announced legislation to penalize movie piracy. NYC, besides being a capitol of finance, media, and fashion, among other things, is also the capitol of movie piracy, with 43% of all pirated DVDs coming from the Big Apple. more ›

For the "Too Good to Be True, So It's Just Not True" file: The NY Times reports that 23 year old Daniel Markovitz "told people that he could get their parking fines reduced, saying that he knew someone in the Parking Violations Bureau or that he worked for a Web site that helped adjudicate tickets." Markovitz collected up to $780 from each person and did pay off fines for 53 parking tickets (which totaled $4,700). Except he used stolen credit cards to do so and making a profit of $2,000. more ›

Above is a clip of Kanye on the Good Morning America stage earlier this month. more ›

A couple of years from now, after the American real estate market has utterly collapsed, we may well look back at this day as a kind of high-water mark, the spot where the insanity peaked and then rolled back. Curbed broke the story yesterday-- a crackhouse in South Williamsburg that has been flipped twice in the last six months, and is now being sold for about a million dollars. First, read the description from the broker's site: more ›

Bicyclists and Critical Mass supporters rejoice! Judge Gerald Harris ruled that the city's claim Critical Mass bike rides require permits is "overly broad" and "unconstitutional on its face." Newsday reports that Harris was deciding over the January 2005 arrests of eight bicyclists that occured near Union Square. Ever since the August 2004 ride, right before the Republican National Convention, bicyclists and the NYPD have clashed, with many bikers being arrested. The NYPD claims the bike rides disturb traffic and the peace - and that the rides require permits (that the city would never grant) - while bikers say the rides are spontaneous (spontaneously occuring at the same time each month) and help encourage alternative means of transportation. Now, because this ruling was in criminal court, it does not bind the city to immediately stop its campaign against Critical Mass rides. And the eight bikers were still found guilty of disorderly conduct. more ›

the environments there must be an explanation. If these trails are created for our benefit then we should know. Are they Vitamins?, are they pesticides for the west nile virus? or is it something else? Why are you sitting idle. Report something! more ›

In October, the NYPD noted that subway assaults were up. New York magazine interviewed an MTA station agent last week; Jose Borerro had some interesting insights on what being stationed in the token booth is like ("we’re the ambassadors for the system") and confirmed what we know: "Senior citizens have a really hard time with the swipe." more ›

Todd Pruzan, Managing Editor of Print more ›