Finding out you're suspended from school isn't great news, but two students at a Staten Island high school apparently took it very badly: The Staten Island Advance reports that Curtis High School 16-year-old "pummeled a dean at the school after he told them they were being suspended, authorities allege." more ›

As we've frequently noted, teenagers, as a whole, comprise an unruly, dangerous mob that continues to threaten the every fabric of our society. We ban them from public spaces, we install sonic devices that drive them away with frequencies only their ears can hear, and we crack down on them for peddling candy on mass transit. But let's face it: teenagers are a symptom, not a cause. To nip this menace in the bud, schools have been suspending elementary students in record numbers, according to a new NYCLU analysis. more ›

It looks like Jets coach Sal Alosi was no lone gunman. Though Alosi denied it yesterday, Sal Alosi has now admitted that he instructed inactive players to form a "wall" on the sidelines and force the Miami "gunners" around them. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum announced the new findings and Alosi's new punishment, and says the team hasn't ruled out firing Alosi altogether. He said, "I'm very disappointed in what's happened. All options are on the table." more ›

Sal Alosi, the Jets conditioning coach who intentionally tripped Miami cornerback Nolan Carroll during Sunday's game, has now been fined $25,000 and suspended without pay for the rest of the season. He will be allowed to return the day after the season ends, but until then he is prohibited from job-related interaction with players and coaches. Alosi told reporters, "I accept responsibility for my actions and respect the team's decision." Unsurprisingly, the Jets might not want him back next season. more ›

Call it the Olbermann Effect: After revealing that Keith Olbermann had donated to political campaigns (against NBC News policy), leading to his brief suspension from MSNBC, Politico has once again found out about the undisclosed political donations of another MSNBC personality. This time, it's former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough. Politico reports, "MSNBC said Friday that it is suspending 'Morning Joe' co-host Joe Scarborough for two days after he acknowledged giving eight previously unknown $500 contributions to friends and family members running for state and local offices during his tenure at the network, a violation of parent NBC’s ban on political contributions by employees without specific permission from the network president." So, is the show going to be called "Morning Mika" for those two days? more ›

After being suspended without pay last week—for failing to inform management about his political donations—Keith Olbermann will be back hosting his MSNBC show on Tuesday night. MSNBC president Phil Griffin said, "After several days of deliberation and discussion, I have determined that suspending Keith through and including Monday night's program is an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy. We look forward to having him back on the air Tuesday night." more ›

A longtime Mets clubhouse manager has been suspended because of an investigation into his involvement with a mob-run sports gambling ring. Charlie Samuels, who started working for the Mets in 1976 and has been equipment manager since 1983, is accused of placing illicit wagers on various sporting events, including baseball. He is being investigated for providing inside information and tips for friends who also placed bets on games, and for using his Mets accounts to cover gambling debts. more ›

This morning, Politico revealed that MSNBC star Keith Olbermann made campaign contributions to three Democratic candidates...and now the cable network has suspended him without pay. (NBC has a strict policy about that.) Olbermann confirmed the donations, adding, “I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns, nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level." This comes on the heels of (Olbermann's criticism) of News Corp. donations to Republican causes, but as Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf told WNYC's Azi Paybarah, "Who did people think [Olbermann] was going to give money to....the tea party?" more ›

Though he was first reassigned to administrative duty for the duration of a hit-and-run probe, firefighter Pat Quagliariello has now been suspended without pay for 30 days. Early Sunday morning, Manuel Tzajguachiac was struck and killed by a BMW in Bensonhurst, and four hours later Quagliariello arrived at the 62nd precinct, saying it was his car involved in the accident. He would not say whether he was behind the wheel, and police are now conducting forensic tests to see if he was driving. more ›

Firefighter Pat Quagliariello, who owns the BMW SUV that may have been involved in Sunday morning's fatal hit-and-run, has been placed on administrative duty while investigators determine whether or not he was behind the wheel. Manuel Tzajguachiac, 25, was struck and killed early Sunday morning on the corner of 65th Street and 20th Avenue in Bensonhurst, and four hours later Quagliariello showed up at the 62nd Precinct. He admitted to owning the car but would not say whether he was driving, and reportedly asked for a lawyer (or said he was already represented). more ›

When police officers began looking for the cop responsible for refusing to perform CPR on Briana Ojeda, and keeping her mother from taking her to the hospital, at least three witnesses say the officer in question had a full head of hair. But when police tracked down Alfonso Mendez of the 84th precinct four days later, his head was shaved. Bonita Zelman, lawyer for the family of Briana Ojeda, told the Daily News, "We think there was an attempt to alter his appearance...Don't you think that's an admission of guilt?" more ›

Officers have suspended five-year NYPD veteran Alfonso Mendez after he failed to perform CPR on a dying girl while her mother attempted to bring her to the hospital. Briana Ojeda, 11, had suffered an asthma attack on Friday evening, and her mother crashed her car into a parked car on Henry Street as she attempted to rush Briana to the hospital. Mother Carmen Ojeda says officer Mendez kept her from getting to the hospital and rudely refused to perform CPR on Briana, claiming he didn't know how. more ›

We're having a tough time understanding the city's public school system right now. First they're all proud that graduation rates are up. Then it turns out that some of those graduating kids were actually delinquent, failing 21-year-olds. And now, according to the Daily News, school officials have issued 72,000 suspensions this past school year, up 40% since 2006. But then again, some of those suspensions could have been for things as dumb as bringing peppermint oil or LEGOs to school. What do you want us to feel, DOE?! more ›

Thanks to a bizarre union contract rule, Port Authority cops can actually collect overtime pay if they have been suspended for misconduct. According to the Post, the benefits apply to officers suspended for misconduct with pay, and later cleared. If no formal charges are filed within 120 days, the officer can claim overtime. And they wonder why income spending is up... more ›

After no small degree of dread was endured by those who rely on the G and F to get around Brooklyn, the big snow storm has come through with a reprieve this weekend. The MTA has announced that "due to inclement weather, all weekend subway work has been canceled. All lines will operate according to the usual weekend schedule." Shuttle buses were to have replaced the F train between Jay Street and Church Avenue, and the G line was to have been divided up into trains, single-track shuttle trains, and the F shuttle buses. But the best laid schemes of rats and MTA went askew, thanks to the snowacane. Even the 7 train's running between Manhattan and Long Island City! Oh MTA, you're going to spoil us! more ›

Did the NY Times's Governor Paterson "bombshell" finally explode? Last night the paper dropped a long article about how a Bronx woman accused her companion, Paterson's longtime aide David Johnson, of abuse—but then abandoned legal action after she was allegedly harassed by state troopers, and received a personal phone call from the Governor. The assault allegedly occurred in the unidentified woman's apartment, which she shared with her 13-year-old son, on Halloween night 2009. The Times had mentioned the attack in their first piece, but now we get the full, appalling reveal: more ›

The principal who punished and almost suspended a fourth-grader for playing with a LEGO-sized toy gun during lunch has apologized to the boy's family. "The principal called me and said, 'I'm sorry, I never meant for it to go this far,'" said the 9-year-old's mother, Laura Timoney, who has threatened to file suit over the incident. "She sounded upset ... I think she is sorry that this is happening. I wish she was sorry for Patrick." more ›

An unapologetic prankster heisted a cop car that was left running and unattended outside a greasy spoon in Morris Park early this morning. The officer didn’t even have time to order his breakfast before realizing the highway patrol vehicle was gone, and with it his loaded rifle. "All of a sudden I see a cop come out of the restaurant running. He was going crazy," said Sammy Obaid, an employee at a deli across the street from the Lydig Coffee House. "He was on the phone, making calls. He was freaked out." more ›

Yesterday's new statewide crackdown on cell phone use among taxi drivers had city cabs very very quiet. The expensive new penalty for use of a mobile phone (even with a hands-free attachment) or other personal electronic gadget including a gaming device and music player is $200. Most weren’t willing to risk it; by Friday afternoon traffic cops had dispensed just 13 summonses and passengers were pleased about the quiet new riding environment. But city cabbies were saying it was a bad call. more ›

Gee, this sucks: Starting, um, tomorrow, the G train will be suspended on four consecutive weekends, from 10:30 p.m. on Friday until 5 a.m. on Monday, during January 15-18, January 22-25, January 29-February 1 and February 5-8. But don't despair, there will be free shuttle buses! Weeee! And if you're stuck in Long Island City or Greenpoint (there are worse fates) you've also got the fancy new B62 bus at your service. But why mercilessly yank the G now, in the dead of winter, MTA? more ›

The police officer in charge when suspect Naquan Thompson slipped out of his handcuffs and briefly escaped from custody has been suspended from the force, according to NY1. Though cops arrested the escapee about 10 minutes after he broke free outside Staten Island 120th Precinct on Wednesday, a 17-year NYPD veteran — whose name has not been released — will be off the job for 30 days. The 22-year-old armed robbery suspect got away as he was being walked to a police van. He led officers on a chase to the St. George Ferry Terminal, where he was arrested after breaking his ankle in a jump from a station ramp to Staten Island Railway property. more ›

Administrators at a Long Island school suspended a 10-year-old girl for bringing peppermint oil to class. A teacher's assistant at John Mandracchia-Sawmill Intermediate School in Commack spotted fifth grader Sara Greiner offering friends a few drops of the cooking extract. "I told them it was just peppermint. You could put it in your water," she told ABC. "No one ever told me that peppermint oil was illegal." Greiner was sent to the principal's office and issued a one-day suspension. The school declined to explain why she was punished, but in a letter to Greinier's mother, Corrine Morton-Greiner, the principal wrote "[s]uch inappropriate and unacceptable behavior cannot and will not be tolerated." Greiner's mother is now fighting to remove the suspension from her daughter's permanent record. "If a child offers a quarter of their peanut and jelly sandwich to another student is that student going to be suspended? Where do we draw the line?" the mother asked. more ›

After the Giants dominated the Seattle Seahawks yesterday, wide receiver Plaxico Burress told reporters he wasn't bothered by his two-week (but really one-game suspension, since the Giants had a bye for one week). Newsday reports Burress, who was punished for missing team meetings, said, "I didn't lose any sleep over it. I got me some rest. I was able to get away for a little while, chill out and relax. Things like that happen." He also added that his absence from the meetings was due to issues around taking his son to school, "Maybe I would have put a phone call in, but as far as things like that, I'm always going to put [things like his son] first. That's one thing people have to understand. I don't have any regrets over it." more ›

The WNBC.com headline says it all: "Man Critical After Being Suspended From Ceiling At S&M Club." And before he was taken to St. Vincent's, he was found "bound and suspended from a ceiling while wearing women's high heels and a neck choker." The Post now says he may have suffered brain damage due to the lack of oxygen! more ›

New Yorkers still trying to swallow the fare hike that's been approved by the MTA board can at least take heart that entire swaths of services aren't being eliminated. New York Water Taxi commuters are facing the elimination of large parts of that company's East River service from the beginning of 2008 at least until May of next year.

New York Water Taxi regretfully announces the suspension of commuter service on the East River from 1/1/08 to 5/1/08. As you may know, NYWT took over the service in 2003, on short notice, when it was abandoned by another operator. We have added new stops and worked tirelessly to make the run economically viable.