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April 5, 2008
Seattle's police department is capitalizing on the NYPD's current budget and recruiting woes by giving potential recruits less of a reason to sign up to join the force in New York. Seattle is paying for a huge billboard along the West Side Highway advertising for recruits. The billboard and bus stop ads link to a site that details much higher rookie pay and faster wage increases. Per the Daily News,Seattle pays its police recruits...
Continue Reading "Seattle PD Kicks NYPD While Its Recruiting is Down"
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Actor Leonardo DiCaprio recently purchased a unit at the David Rockwell-designed Riverhouse building in Battery Park City. The building is designed to be ecologically friendly while still luxurious. Details about the film star's specific residence weren't disclosed, but the Riverhouse has 264 units, including three bedroom duplexes that are still available. DiCaprio is well known for his eco-consciousness and speaks out on pro-environmental issues frequently. Riverhouse has its own water treatment and air filtration systems,...
Continue Reading "DiCaprio Buys Green "House" in Manhattan"
A 24-year-old Columbia University student studying late at the library Friday evening is in critical condition at St. Luke's Hospital in Manhattan after his bid to escape a pair of muggers ended in serious injury under the wheels of a Jeep. According to WABC News, the student had just left the library on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus and was waiting for a bus around 9 p.m., when he was approached by two young men. It's...
Continue Reading "Columbia Student Run Down, Killed While Fleeing Muggers"April 4, 2008
Former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton have released their tax returns for the years 2000 through 2007, showing they made $109 million during that period. Senator Clinton's campaign website details the money this way:Gross income: $109,175,175, which includes: * Senator Clinton's Senate Salary: $1,051,606 * President Clinton's Presidential Pension: $1,217,250 * Senator Clinton's Book Income: $10,457,083 * President Clinton's Book Income: $29,580,525 * President Clinton's Speech Income: $51,855,599 Charitable Contributions: $10,256,741 Taxes...
Continue Reading "Bill & Hillary Clinton Made $109 Million for 2000-2007"
Seems like 50 Cent doesn't want to put another dime into his ex-girlfriend and their son's living situation. Fitty (real name Curtis Jackson) allegedly bought the $1.5 million Long Island home (pictured) for Shaniqua Tompkins and their 10-year-old son, but now the rapper is sending them to the streets. Tompkins filed a lawsuit in Manhattan accusing her ex of evicting her from the home, claiming "breach of contract." When closing on the house last year,...
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April 4, 2008
Jessica Tush was last seen alive Wednesday at the Staten Island Mall where she works. New Jersey police officials are now confirming that the body of a young woman found in a shallow grave by hikers in the Garden State's Pine Barrens was that of the missing teenager. An initial medical examination indicates that Tush was likely strangled to death. It was originally suspected that Jessica was abducted by force from the mall, but sources...
Continue Reading "Missing Staten Island Teen Located in NJ, Dead"
When Pope Benedict XVI visits NYC this month, one of his stops will be to a synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side. It will be the first time a Catholic pope has visited a Jewish temple on U.S. soil, although it will be Benedict's second visit to a synagogue as pope after a 2005 trip to his native Germany. The visit continues a movement for ecumenicism and interfaith dialogue that was strongly supported by the...
Continue Reading "Pope Will Make Historic Visit to NYC Synagogue"
Rendering of proposed garage garden courtesy Joralemon Realty. After stalling their landlord’s attempt to build a parking garage in their courtyard next to the BQE two years ago, tenants and other community activists are still fighting the proposal. Built in 1890, the Riverside Apartments at Columbia Place and Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights were regarded as a great advancement in tenement living. Located near the Columbia Place docks, the nine buildings were unique for their...
Continue Reading "Landmarks Commission to Consider Parking Garage at Historic Riverside Tenement in Brooklyn Heights"
The middle-aged men who tried to steal the Yankees' opening day bunting from an upper deck agree their actions were "stupid" but hope the Yankees drop charges. Keith O'Rourke, 39, and John Bunjaporte, 41, were arrested on Tuesday night and the Yankees organization, seeking to make them an example of intolerable fan behavior, said they would revoke their season tickets. However, the pair bought the tickets from a scalper, so now the Yankees are still...
Continue Reading "Would-Be Yankees Bunting Thieves Admit Stupidity"
What was supposed to be a rainy day now seems more like a category 3 hurricane fund, as the story of the City Council's practice of distributing money to fake community groups unravels. It turns out that since 2001, $17.4 million has been allocated to the fake groups, with $4.7 million set aside in 2007 and 2008. At a press conference, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn explained she learned of the practice last spring and...
Continue Reading "City Council Budgeted $17.4 Million For Fake Groups"
While the city is between rainfalls this morning, Gothamist would like to issue several reminders:First, the sidewalks of New York are not the beach. Please do not use your six-foot wide beach umbrellas in the rain. Second, though it pains shy New Yorkers to make eye contact, please do watch where you are going while using your umbrella. Third, your outerwear and preciously coiffed head will survive thirty seconds of rainfall. Please do not stop...
Continue Reading "Umbrellas Needed Today and Tonight"
If you were planning on taking the F train anywhere this weekend, better put on your reading glasses -- Gowanus Lounge spotted commuters stalled in front of the following sign. The 9-year-old should attempt this for his next subway challenge: Transfers and shuttles and buses, oh my. Read the MTA advisory here, or just slide on those walking shoes and stay above ground....
Continue Reading "This Weekend's F Train Headache"As anticipated, last night's gala event at the Brooklyn Museum honoring real estate developer Bruce Ratner attracted protesters opposed to the $4 billion Atlantic Yards stadium and residential development proposed for a 22-acre site just a stone's throw from the museum. Atlantic Yards Report was at the scene and writes: "The protest organized by Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn last night outside the museum was notably angry, with some 80 people gathering at one point, many...
Continue Reading "Murakami Gala at Brooklyn Museum Eclipsed by Ratner Protest: Photo Gallery"
A month after a jury found Cesar Rodriguez guilty of manslaughter in the brutal death of his 7-year-old stepdaughter NIxzmary Brown, a judge sentenced him to the maximum allowed, 26 /12 years to 29 years in jail. He told the court, "I loved Nixzmary...I can honestly say that I’m being accused of something I did not do...but I will take responsibility." Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Hall had to scold courtroom spectators who cheered after...
Continue Reading "Nixzmary's Stepfather Sentenced, Still Claims Innocence"James Gonzalez, the suspected East Village stabber recently retrieved from Florida, doesn't really seem to be showing a huge amount of remorse. But maybe he's really sorry on the inside. [Via Bucky at Animal NYC, which has just returned from a long hiatus. Related: previous Key Food Killer coverage on Gothamist.]...
Continue Reading "Key Food Killer: Compared to Africa, This is No Big Deal"Advertisement: Gothamist Continues Below!
April 4, 2008
The police raided a Flushing warehouse and found $4.5 million worth of counterfeit goods. NY1 reported there were 50,000 pairs of sneakers, about 40,000 fake purses, and thousands of articles of clothing. The items' street value was $4.5 million, but if they were the authentic Nike sneakers or Chanel bags, the retail price would be closer to $16 million. The items, made in China, were apparently just about to head out to streets. It's believed...
Continue Reading "50,000 Pairs of Fake Sneakers in Queens"
A week after abandoning plans to build a new arena at the planned Moynihan Station, Madison Square Garden officials revealed $500 million plans to renovate the 40-year-old space. Cablevision--which owns MSG--vice chairman Hank Ratner told reporters that though the company supports Moynihan Station, "We are going to renovate the arena here, and we are not going to be moving...We can accomplish anything we want by renovating." Well, Cablevision probably does like those tax breaks. The...
Continue Reading "Madison Square Garden's Half Billion Dollar Makeover"
Anne Hathaway's boyfriend surrendered to the police at the Midtown North station house to face check kiting charges. The Post reports that Raffaello Follieri's $215,000 company check bounced--and the account only had $39.98 in it. The Daily News reports the check, written out to John Morrongiello, did not clear a number of times, but finally did recently. Follieri's lawyers say since Morrongiello did not withdraw his complaint, the young Italian investor went willingly (but the...
Continue Reading "Check Fraud Charges for Anne Hathaway's Boyfriend"
Rangers 3, Islanders 0: They don't know where they'll be seeded, but the Rangers are going back to the playoffs. Jaromir Jagr scored the first two goals in the first period, and the team never looked back. Even though many fans saw this as a foregone conclusion for the last several weeks, the Rangers weren't taking any chances. “It’s never been like that before,” Jagr said. “You don’t realize when the coach is telling...
Continue Reading "Last Night's Action: Playoff bound"April 3, 2008
Image from WABC 7 A Westchester County home nearly finished with construction was destroyed by a gas explosion this afternoon. Construction workers had smelled gas--perhaps after dislodging or cutting a gas line--and called the fire department. According to WABC 7, the Scarsdale Fire Department had told the workers to leave, and the chief said, "As they were walking off the property and we were about to investigate, the house blew. We're very fortunate that...
Continue Reading "Gas Explosion Levels Scarsdale House"
One New York mother decided to let her 9-year-old son fend for himself in the city, and that mom would be NY Sun columnist Lenore Skenazy. In today's Sun, she gives the the play-by-play. Apparently the little guy had been craving some independence, so Seknazy left him at Bloomingdale's one afternoon with nothing but a map, a MetroCard and $20 -- including some quarters if he needed to call ("No, I did not give him...
Continue Reading "9-Year-Old Braves the Subway System Alone"
Photograph of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (left) testifying before the Senate Banking Committee by Susan Walsh/AP New York Federal Reserve Bank President Timothy Geither told lawmakers today, "What we were observing in U.S. and global financial markets was similar to the classic pattern in financial crises," as Federal Reserve officials defended why they helped JP Morgan rescue Bear Stearns from collapse. Fed chairman Ben Bernanke told the Senate Banking Committee, "Given the exceptional...
Continue Reading "Fed, JP Morgan, Bear Stearns Explain Deal"
The relentless eradication of everything that gives New York character got you down? The Tourism Board of Colorado is here to sweep you off your feet with a hard sell for the Rocky Mountain state at their “Lets Talk Colorado” gallery near Grand Central [317 Madison Ave]. As this photo suggests, here you can marvel at videos of men wandering through desolate landscapes without an abusive cabbie or $81 hamburger in sight. Open for the...
Continue Reading "Connect to Colorado by Grand Central Terminal"
Democratic lawmakers in Albany seem poised to block Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan, which attempts to reduce traffic by charging drivers $8 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours. Though the plan was approved by the City Council on Monday, a “lively, sometimes emotional” meeting between state lawmakers yesterday ran over three and a half hours, and approximately 30 of them expressed opposition to the plan, with only four or five in favor....
Continue Reading "Congestion Pricing Plan Bottled Up in Albany"
Yesterday, a doctor who treated police shooting victim Joseph Guzman was the prosecution's last witness, detailing how Guzman was riddled with bullets. Guzman's friend, Sean Bell, was killed in the gunfire, and two undercover detectives face manslaughter charges while another faces reckless endangerment charges for the shooting. Surgeon Dr. Albert Cooper testified that on November 25, 2006, Guzman was brought into the Mary Immaculate Hospital, "He was telling me in somewhat of a mumbling voice...
Continue Reading "Prosecution Rests, Defense Starts in Sean Bell Trial"Advertisement: Gothamist Continues Below!
April 3, 2008
According to the NY Post, the City Council Speaker's office has, since 1988, had the tradition of granting money to "phantom" (as in fake) groups. A source explained it gave the speaker "a stash of cash with which to thank or pay off politically important allies or cooperative council members." During 2007 and 2008, $4.7 million has been set aside for thirty different phantom groups. City Council Speaker Quinn told the Post while she knew...
Continue Reading "City Council Speaker's "Slush Fund" Investigated"
During a conference call with investors yesterday, Forest City Enterprises CEO Charles Ratner acknowledged that a window of opportunity had all but closed for the ambitious, 22-acre housing, retail and stadium project proposed for Brooklyn. But he also insisted that the delay – brought on by recession and dogged opposition from community groups – was just temporary: The economy sometimes alters the timeline, but we have demonstrated our ability to see these projects through to...
Continue Reading "Atlantic Yards Developer Rushes to Reassure Investors"
As The Big Apple adopts a new "green" logo, Apple (purveyor of iThings) is turning red. Wired reports that the emblem for New York City's GreeNYC campaign "shows a stylized apple with a stalk and a leaf. It bears a resemblance to Apple's famous logo -- a resemblance Apple says infringes on its trademark." While Mother Nature was unavailable for comment, rumor is the Partridge Family bird has been chirping about a trademark infringement case...
Continue Reading "NYC to Apple Computers: Go to Dell "
Columbia University’s 17-acre, $7 billion dollar expansion plan (which was approved late last year) has some up in arms, and standing firm. Anne Whitman, owner of a building in the midst of the expansion territory, wants the University to move her owner-occupied building instead of having to give it up altogether. The building, a 1903 dairy stable purchased by her father in 1972, currently houses her antique moving and storage company. Originally part of Sheffield...
Continue Reading "Historic Building Wants to Move out of Manhattanville"
In hopes of more leads, the NYPD has re-released the photograph of the bike they believe belongs to the person who bombed the Times Square army recruiting center on March 6. The police also revealed more details about the circa 1980s bike. From the Daily News:"Someone might have sold this recently at a garage sale in the fall, when they were cleaning up," NYPD Lt. Dennis Briordy said of the 10-speed Ross bike. "The...
Continue Reading "Police Hope Bike Will Lead to Times Square Bomber"
Smokers, you'll need to save up or shell out or simply quit, as state officials have agreed to increase the tax on cigarettes by $1.25, which would give NY State the highest per-pack tax of $2.75. And in NYC, there's that $1.50 tax, so Big Apple residents will have to pay $4.25 in cigarette taxes. The Center for a Tobacco Free New York believes the tax will encourage 6% of the state's smokers to quit...
Continue Reading "NY State to Raise Cigarette Tax by $1.25"
Comedian and car enthusiast Jerry Seinfeld managed to walk away "without a scratch" after his 1967 Fiat BTM flipped in East Hampton over the weekend. According to the Post’s account, Seinfeld was alone behind the wheel and was about to merge into highway traffic when the brakes gave out. He then tried the emergency brake, and that failed, too. Drenched in flop sweat, the Bee Movie star cut the wheel to the right and "the...
Continue Reading "Seinfeld Escapes Injury After Car Flip in Hamptons"
The man who was taken into custody Tuesday after attacking a man with a machete and then throwing Molotov cocktails at the authorities from a Queens rooftop told police he was "having a bad day." Detective Robert Zajac explained that in trying to coax Felipe Velasquez down, "We were trying to tell him today is a different day, and we'll work it out with you.'' Velasquez, outside the home he shares with his uncle, first...
Continue Reading "Machete-Molotov Cocktail Attacker Had a "Bad Day""
Mets 13 Marlins 0: The game is the good news as the Mets pounded out 17 hits against Florida in an easy win. Ryan Church got it started with a home run in the second and David Wright also added his first shot of the year. Oliver Perez looked very good, striking out eight over six innings. The bad news came from Pedro Martinez who is out 4-to-6 weeks with what is being described as...
Continue Reading "Last Night's Action: An Easy Win"April 2, 2008
soho bike lane art, by martha burzynski at flickr Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a construction accident on East 40th St. in Manhattan, an armed robbery on East 224th St. in the Bronx, and a bank robbery on Fulton St. in Brooklyn. NBC News anchor Brian Williams went to Sesame Street before planning Martin Luther King Jr. assassination anniversary coverage. St. Saviour's Church in Queens finds a new home and avoids the wrecking ball....
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April 2, 2008
The Giants have selected a design for their Super Bowl XLII championship ring, and it's certainly noticeable. Designed by Tiffany & Co., the white gold ring features three Lombardi trophies and a lot of diamonds (Tiffany also makes the Lombardi trophy). Michael Strahan wanted a "10 table ring"-- as in people would be able to see it 10 tables away (not 10 tables heavy). Player Shaun O'Hara, who sat on the design team along...
Continue Reading ""10-Table" Super Bowl Ring for Giants"
RepresentativeDarrell Issa, a Republican from California, played the spoiler during the city's attempt to get federal money for sick first responders. Issa said the planes that flew into the World Trade Center weren't weapons like a dirty bomb, "It simply was an aircraft, residue of two aircraft, and residue from the materials used to build this building." To which NYC counsel Michael Cardozo said, "Congressman, this was I believe an attack on the United States...
Continue Reading "NYC Tells Capitol Hill 9/11 "Was an Attack on America""
Last night a gunman on the run in the Bronx got stuck in Yankees' post-game gridlock after stealing a Con Ed van. Then he took his own life before police could apprehend him. Yesterday's game went down to the wire, and it was 9:44 p.m. when Mariano Rivera threw the last pitch (the batter grounded into a game-ending throw to first base). As fans filtered out of Yankee Stadium to either hop on a train...
Continue Reading "Suicide in Stolen Con Ed Van Near Yankee Stadium"
Photograph from the a Close Your Damn Legs on the Subway So I Can Sit Down Already!!! Facebook Group; logo, below, by Catherine Weaver The NYC Transit's Rules of Subway/Bus Conduct note that it is a violation to:Place one's foot on the seat of a subway, bus, or platform bench; occupy more than one seat or place bags on an empty seat when doing so would interfere with transit operations or the comfort of...
Continue Reading "Subway Seat Hog Subset Man-sitters, Beware!"
Staring down the barrel of a $10 million lawsuit, American Apparel has spoken out about their billboard displaying Woody Allen's image (circa Annie Hall). Chances are the law will find them about as innocent as their barely-dressed teen models. The company says it “was meant strictly as a social parody," and even though those two billboards are normally used for commercial reasons, they're selling the idea that they "also use them as a vehicle for...
Continue Reading "American Apparel Claims "Social Parody""
Streetsblog has this terrific map (created by the Pratt Center for Community Development) illustrating the City Council's votes for and against congestion pricing, and laid NYC highways, subways, and commuter rail options over it. The surprising votes, according to Streetsblog, are Council members Mathieu Eugene's and Bill de Blasio's because few of their Brooklyn constituents (2.4-3.7%) drive to work, as well as Council members Diana Reyna (Williamsburg) and Peter Vallone (Astoria) since their districts...
Continue Reading "Map of the Day: Council's Congestion Pricing Votes"
Joseph Guzman dramatically described the night he was hit 16 times, with 19 wounds all over his body, and his friend Sean Bell was killed in a hail of police gunfire. In recalling the man holding a gun, who turned out to be an undercover detective, stood near Bell's car, "He shot me. I’m looking in his eyes, man. He shot me. Everything slowed down. But I’m looking at him shooting me. He’s continuing to...
Continue Reading "Sean Bell's Friend Testifies: "I Thought I Was Dead""
Last night's squall line dumped a quarter inch of rain in just a few minutes. More importantly, the passage of the cold front seems to signal a change in circulation patterns. The cool weather that has predominated the past couple of weeks is nowhere to be seen in the extended forecast. Today won't feel very warm because of the strong wind, but the high should reach a sunny 56. More sun is in store for...
Continue Reading "Cold Weather Gone for Good?"
After eight days of negotiations, the Knicks and former Pacers president Donnie Walsh agreed to a deal that will make Walsh the team's president of basketball operations. That means the much-loathed Isiah Thomas, currently the Knicks' president and coach, will have a smaller role -- if any role -- with the organization, but the exact details of his situation remain to be seen. Knicks fans who have had enough of Thomas -- all of...
Continue Reading "Walsh Will Run Knicks, But What About Thomas?"
Yesterday morning a painted swastika was found at 800 Bedford Avenue (between Park and Flushing) in Williamsburg, it was one of five that were discovered on that block, and one of many discovered in recent weeks. The Yeshiva World notes that the last known incident involving swastikas in Williamsburg occurred just this past week, an hour prior to a similar incident in Crown Heights. Independent of that, we received notice of two other swastikas found...
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April 2, 2008
NJ Governor Jon Corzine spoke out against NYC's congestion pricing plan, citing the Port Authority's proposed $1 billion worth of involvement to sweeten the deal. The City Council approved the plan on Monday night, and now the State Legislature will decide. If passed without the Port Authority's involvement (and $1 billion), NJ drivers would face an additional $3-4 toll when crossing over into Manhattan below 60th Street. Corzine issued a statement: "I am dismayed at...
Continue Reading "Corzine: Congestion Pricing is "Outrageous" "
A tragic scene unfolded in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn yesterday morning. A man fatally stabbed his wife and then a friend in their apartment. The Daily News points out these are the 9th and 10th murders "in southern Brooklyn since March 20." It's unclear what provoked Angel Valentin to attack. The News suggests he and friend Wilfredo Suarez had been fighting, and wife Iris Cuadrado had been breaking up the fight. The Post reports Cuadrado had...
Continue Reading "Man Stabs Wife, Friend to Death"
The fans weren't the only ones waiting for the Yankees' first game of the season-last game in the old stadium: The NY Post's front and back covers open up for a panorama of Yankee Stadium. Or was it classy because of a slow news day?...
Continue Reading "Surprisingly Classy NY Post Cover"
The Manhattan real estate market was more expensive than ever during the first quarter according to reports from real estate brokerages. There were "record" highs for Manhattan, in sharp contrast to what the rest of the nation's housing market is going through. However, there are some mitigating factors: Though the median prices of apartments has risen to $917,000 from $840,000, that's because three times as many apartments over $10 million sold during this first quarter,...
Continue Reading "Manhattan Apartments Remain Pricey, Slowdown Ahead"
Duke Castiglione became sports anchor for Fox 5 in June 2007. In addition to his sports anchor duties at 10 p.m. from Sunday-Thursday, Duke hosts “Sports Extra” on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. He sat down with Gothamist recently to share his thoughts on baseball and more. Your father does play-by-play for the Red Sox, but professes to have been a Yankees fan growing up, which baseball team did you root for growing up? Yes, my...
Continue Reading "Duke Castiglione, Sports Anchor, FOX 5"
Yesterday afternoon, a fire broke out at the Gristedes at Henry and Clark Streets in Brooklyn Heights. All shoppers and employees were evacuated and there were no reported injuries. According to Brooklyn Heights Blog, there was an electrical malfunction in the deli section. McBrooklyn found out from a police officer, "what the fire didn't get, the water from the Fire Department did" (the basement is flooded). There's also a large apartment building attached to the...
Continue Reading "Brooklyn Heights Gristedes Ravaged by Fire"
Images from WNBC A man who slashed a person with a machete and then retreated to a Queens rooftop to throw firebombs at police is, thankfully, now in custody. The NYPD and FDNY had surrounded the Richmond Hill house on Hillside Avenue between 125th and 126th Streets; one of the police cars caught fire, but no one was injured. The man reportedly attacked an Orthodox Jew who was leaving the 121st Street J subway...
Continue Reading "First, Machete Attack; Second, Throw Molotov Cocktails"
Marlins 5 Mets 4 (10 innings): Forget the final score, the biggest news was Pedro Martinez grabbing his left leg after a pitch in the fourth. Pedro later told reporters he felt a “pop” and will head for a MRI shortly. Needless to say, “pop” is not a good thing for a pitcher to feel and it seems very likely that Martinez will be heading to the DL. For how long remains to be seen,...
Continue Reading "Last Night's Action: Pop Goes The Mets?"April 1, 2008
Photo of Yankee Stadium during the Canadian national anthem by AP/Kathy Willens It may have come a day later than many people wanted, but the Yankees opened the final season of the Stadium on a high note, winning a close and well-pitched game 3-2. Chien-Ming Wang went seven innings allowing only two runs and Joba and Mo closed the game out with a scoreless inning each. Melky Cabrera was the offensive and defensive hero with...
Continue Reading "Yankees Win Last Opener In The Stadium"
A study conducted by the non-profit group America's Promise Alliance has found that New York City has one of the nation's worst high school graduation rates, ranking 43rd among 50 other major U.S. cities and their surrounding areas. Only 45% of high school students in New York City graduate in four years, while in the surrounding suburbs, the four year graduation rate is 83% But the study was conducted using data from 2004, and the...
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April 1, 2008
The New York Aquarium is mourning the loss of Bertha (pictured), their 43-year-old sand tiger shark who has resided in its waters since 1965. While their average life spans aren't known, Bertha was believed to have been the longest living sand tiger shark in any aquarium. Though just announced today, Bertha actually died on Saturday when she was euthanized. Marine biologist at the Coney Island aquarium, Hans Walters, said “It was a rough decision to...
Continue Reading "Coney Island Loses Long-Time Resident Shark"
The family of a possibly insane killer who butchered a doctor now wants him to be reexamined. Last week, a lawyer for David Tarloff, who killed a psychiatrist in her Upper East Side office and attacked her colleague with a variety of knives in February, mentioned his client's problems and now a motion reveals their extent. Tarloff's family believes he has stopped taking medication that stabilized him enough to be fit for trial when he...
Continue Reading "Unmedicated Cleaver Killer: "I'm the Messiah""
Photo of Yankee Stadium announcement by peterkreder on flickr Opening day for the Yankees on Monday became opening night on Tuesday after bad weather and -- it seems, more importantly -- the forecast of bad weather persuaded the Yankees to postpone a game that was set for 1:05 p.m. to 7:05 p.m. the next day. That has many of the people with tickets to yesterday's game unhappy. The Sun tells of a couple who...
Continue Reading "Fans Not Thrilled With Yanks' Postponement"Today the Landmarks Preservation Commission is holding a public hearing to consider the largest proposal in its 43-year history: An application by the St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center to demolish eight structures in Greenwich Village on West 11th and 12th Streets, near Seventh Avenue, and construct an $800 million, 21-story, 329-foot-tall hospital and condominium tower. Falling to the wrecking ball would be the 1963 O’Toole Building which houses the hospital. The plans are strongly opposed...
Continue Reading "St. Vincent's Plans for New Greenwich Village Hospital"
The daughter of Alistair Cooke testified against a man accused of taking the late broadcaster's body to be harvested for organs and bones. The Rev. Susan Cooke Kittredge said her father "would have been against" donating his body to others, "He didn't like the idea of being cut up." The other thing is that Cooke died of lung cancer which had spread to his bones, and the FDA prohibits the use of cancerous bones and...
Continue Reading "Body Snatching Trial's Alistair Cooke Moment"
Many have characterized New York City's real estate boom as insane, and this latest chapter adheres to that theme. The imposing and occasionally frightening-looking Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital on Manhattan's 1st Ave. may be transformed into a luxury hotel. According to the NYC Economic Development Corporation and Health and Hospitals Corporation, the current building would make an excellent location for a hotel and conference center to serve the medical and life sciences industry that has clustered...
Continue Reading "Bellevue Plans to Go From Psychiatric to Luxe"
2007 Columbia Class Day Speaker Matthew Fox at left, 2008 Class Day Speaker Joel Klein at right In 2006, the graduating class of Columbia's undergraduate college had Senator John McCain as a Class Day speaker. Last year, it was actor Matthew Fox. And this year's speaker will be...Schools Chancellor Joel Klein! To which seniors said, "I don't know anything about him" and "I have no idea who he is." The Columbia Spectator had an...
Continue Reading "Columbia Kids Unhappy with Class Day Speakers"
Mayor Bloomberg was beaming when he, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and other City Council members gathered for a press conference to hail the Council's approval of congestion pricing last night, 30 votes in favor to 20 against. Bloomberg, who introduced the idea of charging drivers entering Manhattan (at 60th street or below) a fee, said, "The sun is shining on New York City's future today." He also lavished praise on Quinn, noting her "principled...
Continue Reading "Bloomberg Thrilled With Council's Congestion Pricing Approval"
Woody Allen on Allen Street via Susan NYC's Flickr. Last year Woody Allen kicked off the scantily clad teen models usually draped over American Apparel billboards, and seemingly made himself the new face of Dov Charney's clothing empire. In both LA and NYC, his image (taken from Annie Hall) hung above city streets along with Yiddish writing paired up with their logo. Now it's being reported that Allen (despite his fondness of young ladies)...
Continue Reading "Woody Allen Sues American Apparel"
One of two friends in Sean Bell's car on November 25, 2006 testified in a Queens court room yesterday about the night where undercover police fatally shot Bell. Trent Benefield, who had been celebrating Bell's bachelor party at a Queens strip club, said he wounded, laying on the sidewalk, when he begged a man standing over him, "Please don’t shoot me. I don’t got nothing to do with nothing.’" The man turned out to be...
Continue Reading "Sean Bell's Friend Told Cops: "Please Don't Shoot Me""Advertisement: Gothamist Continues Below!
April 1, 2008
A Queens resident was arrested after driving his car into a car wash controller repeatedly at the Mr. Hand Car wash in Elmont, Long Island. Assi Touti had driven his Chevrolet Silverado through the car wash once, but complained it wasn't clean enough, so workers offered him another wash for free. But, according to the police report, "Touti reportedly became agitated at having to wait in line longer and for a second time, and intentionally...
Continue Reading "Queens Man's Car Wash Rage"
Over the weekend, the Boston Globe published an opinion piece by former governor Mario Cuomo. He said to avoid "a Democratic disaster in November," Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should put aside their bitter rivalry and form a ticket together, so their supporters will be relatively happier (and less divisive). Otherwise, "the 2008 primary may be the story of a painfully botched grand opportunity to return our nation to the upward path, and leave us...
Continue Reading "Clinton, Obama Don't Like Mario Cuomo's Idea"
A tip to America's Most Wanted led authorities to James Gonzalez, who police believe fatally stabbed his girlfriend and injured another woman at the East Village Key Food on February 29. Gonzalez was found in a Miami homeless shelter, and NYPD detectives are headed to Florida to bring him back to face charges. Last Friday, police had released surveillance footage in hopes someone would have information about Gonzalez's whereabouts. The NYPD also filmed a...
Continue Reading "Key Food Killing Suspect in Custody"
Rangers 2, Penguins 1 (OT): Barring a Mets-like collapse, the Rangers will make the playoffs. Monday's victory probably boosted their spirits, too. Chris Drury scored in overtime after assisting on Jaromir Jagr's goal in regulation. At 93 points with three games remaining, the Rangers are one point away from clinching and tied with the Devils for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. But catching the Devils and the home ice in the first round...
Continue Reading "Last Night's Action: A Win When It's Needed"