Earlier this morning, firefighters retrieved a man who fell down a building shaft at 141 S 5th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The FDNY tells us they got the call at 2:43 a.m. and when they arrived, a man (age unknown, possibly in 30s or 40s), fell 60 feet down a 3' x 3' shaft from the roof. Rescue 2, Battalion 34 and Ladder 104 responded and conducted a high angle rescue. The man was taken in "serious condition" to Bellevue Hospital. more ›

The legendary singer, musician and arranger Isaac Hayes died today in Memphis, TN. The sheriff's department said relatives found Hayes unconscious near a treadmill in his home. The AP notes his work for Stax Records, as a songwriter and arranger and his solo success with Hot-Buttered Soul. But it was in 1971 when his theme song and movie score for Shaft that brought him huge acclaim--including an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Hayes said of "The Theme from Shaft," "That was like the shot heard around the world." more ›