New York, New Jersey, Connecticut News: May 2011

Tuesday 31 May 2011

Don't miss your chance to see 'Manhattanhenge'

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Monday evening was one of two nights of the year known as "Manhattanhenge."

That's when the sun lines up with Manhattan's street grid, spreading light across the north and south sides of every cross street.

Manhattanhenge happened at sunset at 8:19 p.m.

The best view was from the far east side of Manhattan, looking west across the avenues.

If you missed it on Monday, you'll have a second chance to see it on Tuesday evening.

new york city, manhattanhenge, new york news

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Young mother shot and killed in the Bronx

Web produced by Bob Monek, Eyewitness NewsTREMONT (WABC) -- Police in the Bronx are searching for the gunman who shot and killed a young mother with her child at her side.

"I don't know anybody in the world that would want to hurt this girl," her husband, Juba Lassiter, said.

Claudia Millan , 29, was walking with her 2-year-old son, Jamir, on Park Avenue Sunday night.

Around 9:30, she stopped to talk to her neighbor, Michael. A half-hour later, he heard a gunshot and ran outside to see what happened.

He said she was on the ground, shot in the face.

"After I heard the shot, I cam over here and I seen the little kid bleeding over his mother," Michael Escobar said. "He was down on his knees with her, trying to hold her."

The father of two of their young children said he is physically ill over what happened.

Lassiter said he and Claudia were married seven years. He was visiting Pennsylvania with his sister when the shooting happened.

"He loves his mom. They all love their mom. Before anything comes their mom. Now, what am I supposed to tell them?" he said.

"Jamir does reenact what happened. He does put something to his face exactly where his mother's wounds was, because I did go to the morgue to see her. He keeps asking for her. He is really devastated right now," Clarissa Lawson, the victim's sister-in-law, said.

Lighting candles and filled with grief, family members and friends are trying to comprehend that she is gone and that someone would do this.

"That's how they live life. By doing wrong and by hurting people and by taking people away from their family because they have nothing to live for," Lassiter said.

new york city, bronx, tremont, crime, murder, new york news, michelle charlesworth

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Beach season is officially under way after the holiday weekend, and to help you and your family keep the fun going all summer long, Banana Boat is hosting a 101 Days of Summer daily sweepstakes.

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Posted by WABC on May 31, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/27/2011 Free museum admission for military families

Thanks to the Blue Star Museums initiative, active-duty military personnel and their families can receive free admission to more than 1,300 museums across the United States throughout the summer.

Scores of museums in the Big Apple are participating, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. The program begins on Memorial Day Monday and runs through Labor Day.

The free admission is available to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve members, as well as five immediate family members. Spouses and children of deployed military members are still eligible, provided they have proper military identification.

For a list of participating museums, visit NEA.gov/National/BlueStarMuseums/

Posted by WABC on May 27, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/26/2011 Dave & Buster's National Play Day

In honor of the second annual National Play Day, Dave & Buster's is kicking off summer with a free $10 in game play.

To get your free $10, visit FreePlayDay.com and download the coupon, valid through May 31.

The free game play can be used at any Dave & Buster's location on hundreds of games. In addition to the free coupon, Dave & Buster's offers Eat & Play combos and half-priced games on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

Posted by WABC on May 26, 2011 in Giveaway | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/25/2011 8 weeks, 8 winners of OC beach vacations

Ocean City, New Jersey, is America's Greatest Family Resort, and it's less than a tank of gas away to the fun-filled beach destination. Now, you can spend a week there for free.

The Ocean City Chamber of Commerce is giving away a free seven-day family summer vacation each week from June 27 through August 15. Each prize includes accommodations for seven nights (Saturday to Saturday) at a beach house with a minimum of three bedrooms, two baths and a maximum occupancy of eight people. Winners will also get a welcome basket with free tickets, special offers and coupons valued at $500, as well as $500 in cash.

To enter, visit OceanCityVacation.com and fill out the entry form. You must be 25 years old to enter.

Posted by WABC on May 25, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/24/2011 Hotels.com Travel Trivia

Looking for a luxury getaway this summer, but don’t have the cash? Well how does "free" sound? Hotels.com is giving away $5,000 weekly as part of its Travel Trivia contest.

Each week during the entry period, one lucky player will receive a $5,000 MasterCard gift card that can be used towards a luxury weekend getaway. There will be 16 winners in total.

To enter, visit HotelsSummerGiftaway.com, select the trivia game and correctly answer the three featured questions. You have unlimited chances. You can also gain additional entries by sharing the contest on Facebook and Twitter, by referring friends and by following Hotels.com on Twitter.

The contest runs through September 4.

Additional Hotels.com deals include a free gas card for booking consecutive nights at a Price Match Guarantee hotel and a free Amazon Kindle for booking three or more consecutive nights.

Posted by WABC on May 24, 2011 in contest | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/23/2011 Win a Napoleon grill

Memorial Day weekend is coming up, which mean the summer season is about to get underway. And what better way to celebrate than with a brand new Napoleon Prestige I Series P450 gas grill?

Napoleon is giving one away for free as part of Napoleon Grill Giveaway Sweepstakes. The grand prize grill has 695 square inches of total cooking space and a 42,000 BTUs patented stainless steel cooking system. It has porcelain cast iron reversible cooking grids to keep food moist while it cooks, and it comes with a limited lifetime warranty. It has a retail value of $799.

To enter, visit Facebook.com/NapoleonGrilling and fill out the entry form.

The contest ends June 15.

Posted by WABC on May 23, 2011 in contest | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/20/2011 Win free tickets to see Rihanna in concert

In celebration of NIVEA's 100th anniversary, fans across the country can win the opportunity to see Rihanna in concert.

Rihanna is serving as the official voice of NIVEA's anniversary celebration campaign and will lend herself to a plethora of activities surrounding the year-long event.

NIVEA will be giving away tickets to 11 different Rihanna shows, including Uniondale on July 19 and East Rutherford on July 21. Other cities include Baltimore, Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Boston.

One grand prize winner will win a VIP trip to the New Jersey show. Winners get round trip airfare, show tickets, autographed Rihanna T-shirts and a backstage meet and greet.

To enter the Rihanna Live Sweepstakes, visit Facebook.com/NIVEAUSA, "like" the page and fill out the entry form.

The entry period runs through June 19.

Posted by WABC on May 20, 2011 in contest | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/19/2011 The Corona Beach Getaway

Corona recently launched the biggest retail promotion in its history, offering customers 21 and older the chance to win one of 100 trips to Mexico.

To enter, look for one of more than 12,000 unique bottles and cans inside specially marked packs of Corona Extra and Corona Light. Then, visit CoronaBeachGetaway.com and enter the 10-digit code found on the bottle or can for your chance to win.

One hundred grand prize winners will receive a five-day, four-night trip to a beach resort in Mexico in February 2012. The prize includes airfare, hotel accommodations and three meals per day at the resort.

Other prizes include 500 Corona patio umbrellas, rolling coolers and cabana tents.

For a free Entry Code, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Corona Beach Getaway Sweepstakes Requests, P.O. Box 5639, Blair, NE 68009-5639, to be received by September 12, 2011. All entries must be received by 4:59 pm (ET) on September 26, when sweepstakes ends. Specially marked packages will be generally available until July 31 or while supplies last. Remember, the contest is only open to people ages 21 and up.

Posted by WABC on May 19, 2011 in contest | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/18/2011 Ready, Set, Toss your way to free salad

May is National Salad Month, and to celebrate, Tossed is giving away free salad for a year!

All you have to do is visit Tossed.com and enter your salad design for a chance to win. Your salad must be an original, unpublished recipe using only the ingredients listed on the "design your own" menu selection.

Start with one or a combination of lettuces, and then add your choice of toss-ins and one dressing. Contestant's contact information and salad entry name are required to enter a design.

All entries must be submitted by midnight on May 31.

A panel of Tossed executives will evaluate each entry based on taste, creativity and visual appeal. The winner will be announced on June 15.

The grand prize winner will receive one free salad per week, starting July 1 and ending June 30, 2012. The national winning salad will be featured at participating Tossed locations as a limited time offer during the month of July 2011.

Since 1998, Tossed has grown from its original location at 295 Park Avenue South to include restaurants across the U.S.

Posted by WABC on May 18, 2011 in contest | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/17/2011 10 new cars from OnStar

Need some new wheels? You could win one of 10 free cars in the OnStar Push On sweepstakes.

Each winner will get their choice of any Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac vehicle worth a maximum of nearly $132,000 (The Chevy Volt is excluded).

If you are 18 years old and currently have OnStar in your car, entering couldn't be easier. Just push the blue OnStar button and tell the operator you'd like to enter. If you don't have OnStar, you can still enter by sending your name, address, city, state, zip code, email address, date of birth and phone number on a 3x5 piece of paper in a No. 10 business-size envelope to ONSTAR Push-On Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 1202, Franklin, Tennessee 37065. Entries must be postmarked by May 31.

There is a limit of three entries per person, regardless of entry method. Visit OnStar.com/web/portal/pushon for more information.

Posted by WABC on May 17, 2011 in contest | Permalink | Comments (0)

Categories App contest Deals Event Food and Drink for kids for parents Gadget Giveaway Travel website Recent Posts101 Daily Summer Fun Prizes from Banana BoatFree museum admission for military familiesDave & Buster's National Play Day8 weeks, 8 winners of OC beach vacationsHotels.com Travel TriviaWin a Napoleon grillWin free tickets to see Rihanna in concertThe Corona Beach GetawayReady, Set, Toss your way to free salad10 new cars from OnStarRecent Commentsrenew vows in las vegas on Win $25,000 towards a dream wedding Cape Town on Win a family vacation to Costa RicaDanny Maldonado on Passport to Paris Sweepstakeslas vegas spa deals on Win an NCAA Tournament trip to VegasRALPH BIANCO on Stay a night in Cinderella's CastleNNNMMM on Win the ultimate view of San FranciscoLindy Laroche on Excedrin's What's Your Headache SweepstakesAngela Carney on Win a trip for four to Sea World from Blue Bunnydavid gwinn on The Expedia FriendTrips GameRachel Hutton on Win a year's supply of Honey Nut CheeriosArchivesMay 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010May 2011SunMonTueWedThuFriSat12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://wabc.typepad.com/themorninglink/", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

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How To Find A Good New York Auto Accident Lawyer

New York is a very busy city and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) every 10 seconds someone in the USA is involved in an auto accident. The traffic and congestion causes so many accidents that the services of a New York Auto Accident Lawyer is required. In New York City accidents can happen for various reasons. If driver is not careful or under the influence alcohol or banned drugs, if the weather conditions are unclear or vehicle parts are faulty etc, are some of the common ones. Often it is not just the driver who is a victim in the accident but also those standing by. An auto accident lawyer looks after the claims and compensation for human life as well as destruction of property. Those auto accident lawyers who operate in this city and specialize with regards to the laws and regulations of this place are referred to as New York Auto Accident Lawyers.

In New York, the law stipulates that in case of accidents both the operator of the at-fault vehicle and the owner of that vehicle is responsible for compensation to the injured. Also all medical bills and compensation for lost wages are to be paid by the insurance company if your car is not at fault.

When does a New York Auto Accident Lawyer come into the picture? Usually in an accident, claims have to be filled in within 30 days from date of the accident in order to get full benefits. Many a time your insurance agency may not tell you about it. If there is personal injury you must also file a personal injury claim to recover your costs.

In event of the above, when you face a dead end or a very difficult time recovering what is rightly yours, you need to take on the services of a New York Auto Accident Lawyer. The New York Auto Accident Lawyer will file a lawsuit in your favor; he will also represent you in all matters relating to that auto accident. The New York Auto Accident Lawyer will advise you on your rights and procedures to settle your claims with maximum benefit to you.

As per the laws of the State of New York, the driver of the vehicle is responsible to drive carefully and not cause an accident. If the driver causes an accident due to his negligence he is liable to pay for the damage and injuries of all the victims. Here is where the New York Auto Accident Lawyer steps in. It is often difficult to claim compensation and it requires the intervention of the New York Auto Accident Lawyer to get the same.

On the other hand you can employ the expert services of a New York Auto Accident Lawyer if you have caused the accident but wish to contest the claims. An experienced New York Auto Accident Lawyer will look at finding out if it really was your fault that causes the accident. The lawyer will contact witnesses, search police reports and look at traffic laws to turn the tide in your favor. The New York Auto Accident Lawyer will also determine if the accident was caused by a defect in your vehicle. In such a case a product liability lawsuit can be filed against the automobile manufacturer or supplier for compensation.

In cases where the New York Auto Accident Lawyer gives evidence that accident is caused by improper repair, the mechanic will be held responsible.

If the New York Auto Accident Lawyer clearly proves that the accident was caused due to improper road lighting, malfunctioning traffic signals, poor construction and maintenance of roads, wrongly placed trees or poles etc and such civil issues, then the government entities responsible for the same can be brought to court. In such extreme situations your New York Auto Accident Lawyer has to be experienced enough to deal with the government machinery.

Whatever the case, it is always advisable to engage the services of a New York Auto Accident Lawyer who will preserve evidence, skillfully investigate the accident, have you checked by a medical expert for injuries and provide an assessment of the case. You can have your peace of mind while your case is handled by the expert New York Auto Accident Lawyer for you.

Scott is a consultant at New York Auto Accident Lawyer, a directory listing site with all your annuity and finance needs. If you have any other annuity questions please visit www.voracitybeat.com/go-new-york-auto-accident-lawyer.html.

Woman, 85, sexually assaulted on UES

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Police are hoping surveillance video will lead to an arrest after an elderly woman taking her morning walk was sexually assaulted on the Upper East Side.

Authorities were visible in the area, showing the image of the attacker.

Security video shows the suspect dragging the 85-year-old woman by her neck at 5:40 a.m. on Memorial Day. The streets were nearly empty.

"It's unbelievably peaceful," neighborhood resident Matthew Perry said. "It's quiet. It feels great to be out in the morning at that time."

The woman was walking, her morning exercise, heading south on Madison Avenue. When she got to East 83rd Street, the man grabbed her. Police say he pulled her to the side of a building and down some stairs, where he sexually assaulted her.

For most of the day, a police van circled, blaring a description of the suspect over a loudspeaker. At the same time, officers fanned out across the neighborhood, description in hand.

Neighbors are troubled by the news.

"I just, why would anyone want to do that to an 85-year-old?" one neighbor said.

"It's disturbing," resident Alan Greenstein said. "It's very disturbing, in this day and age, that something like that can still happen."

"Eighty-five years old? I mean, seriously, that's beyond imagining," Perry said.

The woman is recovering in the hospital.

The suspect is described as a light-skinned Hispanic man, 25 to 30 years old, about 5-foot-10 with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a white tank top, and he has several tattoos.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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new york city, upper east side, crime, sexual assault, new york news, jamie roth

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New York Schools Announce 228 High Schools in Need of Improvement

Of the 946 high schools within the New York schools, 228 have been identified as needing improvement under federal and state rules, according to an announcement made in mid-September by the New York schools.

All schools within the New York schools are held accountable for the academic achievement of students by race and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and low-income students. They are graded at the end of each school year by the New York schools, according to their grading standards as well as federal rules.

Of the 228 high schools, 18 were newly identified this year. Twenty-nine high schools met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years in all areas previously identified as needing improvement and were removed from the list this year. Seventy-five made AYP last year and, if they make AYP this school year, they will be removed from the list next year. Though many of the New York schools on the list last year have raised their AYP scores, the number of high schools on the list only decreased statewide by eleven.

Title I funds are given to 107 of the identified 228 New York schools. They are considered Schools In Need of Improvement, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The other 121 New York schools identified are called Schools Requiring Academic Progress (SRAP) and do not receive Title I funding. The Title I schools are required to take a variety of actions, while the other New York schools identified must implement state accountability measures. All 228 New York schools will receive technical assistance to help improve student performance.

Of the 946 secondary New York schools, 653 have grades nine through twelve, with 293 also having grades seven and eight in-house. Here are the total New York schools' standings for its high schools:

o 718 high schools within the New York schools are in good standing,

o 27 New York schools are in their first year of needing improvement,

o 20 are in their second year,

o 21 need corrective action,

o 26 New York schools are in the planning stage of restructuring,

o 13 are in restructuring,

o 32 require academic progress (SRAP), first year,

o 28 are in year two of requiring academic progress, and

o 14 are in year four or more of requiring academic progress.

Three New York schools within their third year of restructuring and one in year seven of SRAP face possible closing or phasing out, if they do not improve during this school year.

The New York schools require different actions for schools identified at the different levels of needing improvement. The worse the school's AYP score and the longer it has been on the New York schools list, the more that is required to be implemented at the school in order to improve student academic achievement. Actions range from parental school choice, to strengthening core academic subjects, to providing high quality professional development for teachers, to teacher mentoring programs, to implementing new curriculum, and so on. The New York schools could even bring in outside experts to assist New York schools principals in raising their AYP scores or restructure the entire school's internal organization.

Patricia Hawke is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations and education for relocating families. For more information please New York Schools

Swastikas found painted on Rockland restaurant

Eyewitness NewsROCKLAND COUNTY (WABC) -- Police are investigating disturbing messages of hate found in Rockland County.

The owner of Cassie's Restaurant on Route 303 in Orangeburg says $1,000 was stolen by whoever left the swastikas.

There was also a message scrawled in German that translates as, "We want to kill Jews."

The restaurant owner is not Jewish.

Anyone with information is asked to call Orangeburg police.

rockland county, northern suburbs news

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Historic Limelight nightclub getting another makeover

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- The old Limelight nightclub is going through another extreme makeover.

The de-commissioned church in Chelsea had gone from nightclub to upscale boutique mall.

Now, its owner is doing away with the small merchant booths to create one large department store.

The Wall Street Journal reports the new store should open in September. (Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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new york city, new york news

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Toddler survives fall out window

BRONX (WABC) -- It's a miracle she survived after falling more than 50 feet from that window and that a paramedic just happened to be walking by moments later.

"Thirty-five years with EMS, this is actually the first time I came up by myself to see a baby on the ground. I never thought that I would see in this day and age a baby out a window," paramedic Willis Sands said.

Sands has saved countless lives over three decades, but seeing a 2-year-old baby girl on the pavement after a five-story fall brought the off duty EMT to tears.

"I thought it was a doll laying on the sidewalk. So I went over. Are you ok? I yelled for the mother. I saw there was blood," he said.

Sands screamed for someone - anyone to call 911 around 11:30 this morning because the baby wasn't breathing.

He used those crucial moments to turned the girl on her side and clear her airway.

As the infant started breathing and moaning, Sands and neighbor Marion Irizarry saw a man looking down from a Cruger Avenue apartment.

"Somebody on the fifth floor window. He said 'My daughter! My daughter!' And started yelling out, 'My daughter. Oh crap my daughter!' He was on a cell phone. That's all he kept saying," Irizarry said.

A neighbor, who didn't want to be identified, says the baby is a twin. She says she sometimes watches the children while their mother is working at a nearby nursing home.

Building superintendent Israel Caesano has only been on the job for three months. He doesn't know the family and couldn't explain why that window did not have a guard.

As he wiped away tears, he said this is a sad day.

It was not clear why the little girl fell from the window. The investigation was continuing.

The girl remained at Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition, being treated for head trauma.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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new york city, new york news, carolina leid

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Sean Kingston in stable condition following Miami crash

Recording artist Sean Kingston has been stabilized and moved to the intensive care unit at a Florida hospital, following his personal watercraft accident on Sunday.

The singer's publicist Joseph Carozza issued the following statement on Monday, "Sean Kingston is now stabilized and has moved from the trauma unit to ICU. Sean's family thanks everyone for their prayers and support during this time."

Kingston was rushed to a Miami hospital with serious injuries Sunday evening after crashing into a bridge while riding a personal watercraft.

According to ABC affiliate Local 10, the singer and a female passenger apparently lost control of the watercraft and crashed at the bridge connecting Palm Island to the MacArthur Causeway near Miami Beach. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but it is not believed that alcohol played a role in the accident.

Rescue crews responded to the scene about 6 p.m. and rushed the singer and his passenger to Jackson Memorial Hospital. The 21-year-old was in critical condition at the time. His passenger's condition is unknown. Kingston's family and friends arrived at the hospital after hearing the news.

Kingston's first single, "Beautiful Girls," topped the charts for three weeks in 2007. His self-titled debut album sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Kingston recently toured with pop star Justin Bieber. The two collaborated on Kingston's single "Eeenie Meenie" in 2010.

Bieber wrote on Twitter, "Got my friend @seankingston in my prayers tonight. A true friend and big bro. Please keep him in your prayers tonight as well."

Kingston described his music as a fusion of reggae, pop, rap and R&B and told the Associated Press in a 2007 interview that he refuses to use profanity in his music, saying "that's not the message I am trying to send out."

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Man fatally stabbed on Seaside Heights boardwalk

Eyewitness NewsSEASIDE HEIGHTS (WABC) -- A packed Jersey shore on Memorial Day led to a deadly stabbing, with police still searching for a killer.

A fight broke out on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights just after 8 p.m. Monday. During the fight, an unidentified man was stabbed.

He later died at the hospital.

new jersey, seaside heights, stabbing, new jersey news

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Another alleged sex assault on NYC hotel maid

Web produced by Bill King, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- For the second time this month, police are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a hotel maid in Manhattan.

Police say the victim was sexually assaulted by an international business man.

Mahmoud Abdel Salam Omar, 74, is the former chairman of an Egyptian bank. Now, he is under arrest, accused of attacking the woman after she was called to his room.

There was no immediate information on whether Omar has an attorney. He was being held Monday night at the 19th Precinct. Police said further details will be released at the suspect's arraignment.

Omar is accused of sexually abusing a housekeeper Sunday night at the Pierre Hotel on East 61st Street. The luxury hotel is right across from Central Park, at Fifth Avenue, on the Upper East Side.

Omar is the former chairman of the Bank of Alexandria, one of Egypt's biggest banks. He is currently chairman of a salt production company.

Police say the maid was called to Omar's room Sunday night to drop off a box of tissues. Once she was inside, police say Omar would not let her leave. The 44-year-old victim told police that Omar was dressed in pajamas and immediately locked the door and began groping her and trying to kiss her.

The maid says Omar finally let her go when she gave him her phone number, which wasn't her real number. The encounter was not reported to police until Monday morning, and that's when Omar was arrested at the hotel.

The maid apparently reported the incident immediately, but was told she need to report directly to her superior, who was not at the hotel until Monday.

All this comes just two weeks after an alleged attack on a maid at another hotel, this one by former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn, of France.

In a statement to reporters, the Pierre Hotel says it will fully comply with the investigation. A hotel spokesman says the Pierre's priority is the safety of its guests and staff.

new york city, manhattan, crime, sexual assault, new york news, anthony johnson

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I Can Do All Things Through Christ Psalm Cuff Bracelet

This psalm cuff bracelet is a beautiful, and meaningful addition to any jewelry collection! With the psalm "I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me" emblazoned on the outside, the original location, Philippians 4:13, is written on the inside. This beautiful stainless steel I can do all things through Christ psalm cuff bracelet is streamlined and modern, while maintaining its classic style appeal. At just over 7 inches long, this stainless steel cuff bracelet comfortably fits up to an 8 inch wrist. Wear this piece alone, or with another piece of inspirational jewelry for a look thats all your own!

Price:

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Sunday 29 May 2011

Eyewitness News First at 4:00 p.m. is here!

by Bob Monek, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Eyewitness News First at 4:00 p.m. is here on Channel 7 and 7online.com starting TODAY!

Join Liz Cho, David Novarro and Lee Goldberg for all the day's news, weather and much more.

Not only will you be able to watch on tv, but if you are away from home, you can watch on 7online.com.

We'll be streaming Eyewitness News First at 4:00 p.m. every day along with Eyewitness News at Noon, 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Click here)

You'll also be able to interact with Liz, David and Lee on our new Eyewitness News First at 4 website (7online.com/firstatfour) as well as on Facebook (facebook.com/firstatfour) and Twitter (twitter.com/firstatfour)

Please join Liz Cho, David Novarro and Lee Goldberg for Eyewitness News First at 4:00 p.m on Channel 7 and 7online.com beginning today!

tv listings

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Fleet Week tragedy: Marine killed crossing street

Web produced by Bill King, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Fleet Week took a tragic turn early Thursday, as a Marine was struck by a car and killed while trying to cross a street on the West Side.

The 22-year-old Marine had just come into town on one of the boats arriving for the festivities Wednesday.

He was crossing 12th Avenue at 49th Street around 1 a.m. when he was hit. He was one of several people who had just gotten out of a cab and were attempting to cross the Westside Highway from the center median. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are looking into whether the driver of the silver Acura that hit him fled the scene or was just turning around to come back, because the driver did return shortly after the incident. It is believed that driver is the one who called 911.

The driver is in custody, but at this point does not face any charges.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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new york city, soldier killed, new york news, jamie roth

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Man leads LI police on 7-mile chase before fiery crash

Eyewitness NewsRIVERHEAD (WABC) -- A man on Long Island is under arrest after police say he led them on a 7-mile chase before crashing his car.

Police say officers attempted to pull over Jason Martin around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday in Riverhead because they suspected he was driving while intoxicated.

But authorities say Martin tried to outrun the police before losing control and crashing in the woods.

The car exploded into flames.

Officers managed to pull Martin from the burning car.

He is expected to survive and is facing numerous charges, including DWI and evading police.

---
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(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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long island, police chase, riverhead, long island news

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Beaches full for unofficial kickoff to summer

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- It's the unofficial kickoff to summer, and what a weekend it will be.

After a long winter, we deserve it. Record snowfall, freezing temperatures and what seemed to be a winter that never ended.

Temperatures are on the way up and it's time to enjoy it.

So grab the sun block and towel and head for the beach. New York City opened its beaches on Saturday.

The city says 19 million people last year enjoyed its 14 miles of sand and water - three times more than the previous year. But it cautions everyone to observe beach rules and stay out of the water when lifeguards aren't on duty.

It's the first year beaches are smoke-free. The city issued the anti-smoking ban this week for all city parks, beaches, boardwalks and pedestrian plazas.

For a different waterfront experience, the city on Friday opened Governors Island for the season. Visitors can hop a ferry and enjoy biking, walking and various cultural events on the island.

It'll be open Friday to Sunday, and holiday Mondays, through Sept. 25.

Click here for a list of some the Memorial Day events happening this weekend in the New York area.

On Saturday there were record crowds at Orchard Beach in the Bronx as several thousand turned out for this "start" to summer.

The crowds were enjoying the multi-million dollar improvements to the jewel of the city's parks system.

"We're the Riviera of New York City, as it was termed in the '30's when it opened," said Pehlam Bay Park Administrator Marianne Anderson.

Anderson believes people are ready for a day at the beach.

"I think people were cooped up so much we may get a really big crowd this weekend and we're ready for it," Anderson said.

The Army Corp of Engineers moved in with large scale improvements.

They trucked in a total of 268,000 cubic yards of sand to make the little more than mile-long beach much larger than it used to be.

This Memorial Day weekend is all about having fun and a good time is expected if you head to Orchard Beach.

new york city, memorial day, atlantic city, jersey shore, new jersey, new york news

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2 NYC streets renamed for fallen soldier & NYPD officer

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- A soldier from the Bronx who was killed in Iraq was honored on Saturday with a street renaming.

The corner of East 156th Street and Courtlandt Avenue in the Melrose section was renamed Sergeant Jose Velez Avenue.

Sgt. Velez was killed in 2006 while serving in Iraq.

The father of two died after his Humvee hit a road side bomb near Kirkuk.

Velez was killed just three days before his 36th birthday.

And in Harlem, there was another special street renaming.

East 123rd Street in front of the NYPD Housing Bureau's Service Area 5 Station House is now renamed Detective Omar J. Edwards Way.

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly joined family members of Detective Omar Edwards.

He was shot and killed two years ago in a friendly fire accident while chasing a man who had broken into his car.

new york city, bronx, harlem, new york news

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Group holds "smoke-in" at Brooklyn beach; breaking law

Eyewitness NewsBRIGHTON BEACH (WABC) -- They say New York City is trying to take away their rights to puff away outdoors, so they're blowing smoke right in the face of a tough new smoking ban.

A smokers' rights group held a "smoke-in" at Brighton Beach on Saturday.

They openly broke the new law that prohibits lighting up at beaches, parks and pedestrian plazas.

The founder of CLASH or "Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment" says it's about protecting civil liberties.

"This (holding up a cigarette) is a symbol of freedom. Soon you're going to be holding up your hot dogs, your McDonald's, your cotton candy and saying the same thing because they're going to ban that next and if we don't draw the line here, they'll come into our homes and they're coming for everything else," said CLASH founder Audrey Silk.

The Bloomberg Administration says the ban protects people from the ill effects of second-hand smoke.

But this group insists there's no proof that smoking outdoors harms others.

They're planning to hold more "smoke-ins" at city parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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new york city, brighton beach, brooklyn, smoking, michael bloomberg, new york news

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2011 now deadliest year for tornadoes since 1950

By NOMAAN MERCHANTJOPLIN, Mo. -- The numbers look increasingly bleak for families hoping for the best after a monster tornado that devastated the town of Joplin, as the city has raised the death toll to at least 139 and state officials say 100 people are still missing.

President Barack Obama will fly to tornado-ravaged Joplin, Mo., Sunday. His visit comes one week after the massive EF-5 twister raced through the city with 200 mph winds. Obama returned to Washington Saturday night after a six-day trip to Europe.

Thousands more people far beyond Joplin had been waiting for good news about a teen believed to have been ejected or sucked from his vehicle on the way home from graduation. Several social-networking efforts specifically focused on finding information about Will Norton. But his family says he, too, is among the dead - found in a pond near where his truck was located.

"At least we know that he wasn't out there suffering," his aunt Tracey Presslor said, holding a framed portrait of her 18-year-old nephew at a news conference. "Knowing that he was gone right away was really a blessing for us."

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr said Saturday during a news conference that the death toll rose by three to at least 142, but later revised that figure down to 139 without elaboration.

Mike O'Connell, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, told The Associated Press on Saturday that he could not confirm the city's updated death toll number. He said the state of Missouri currently places the death toll at 126, saying they have no reason to raise that number.

State officials say there are 142 sets of human remains at the morgue handling those killed by the storm and some could be from the same victim.

If the death toll does stand at 139, it would place this year's tornado death toll at 520 and make 2011 the deadliest year for tornadoes since 1950. Until now, the highest recorded death toll by the National Weather Service in a single year was 519 in 1953.

There were deadlier storms before 1950, but those counts were based on estimates and not on precise figures.

The tornado - an EF-5 packing 200 mph winds -also injured more than 900 people. Tallying and identifying the dead and the missing has proven a complex, delicate and sometimes confusing exercise for both authorities and loved ones.

Missouri officials said Saturday that the number of people unaccounted for stands at 100. The Missouri Department of Public Safety said that within that number, nine people have been reported dead by their families, but state officials are working to confirm those.

Newton County coroner Mark Bridges said most, if not all, of the people brought to the temporary morgue could be identified this weekend. He described officials there as "making real good progress."

After a mistake immediately after the storm - four people thought they had identified one person's body, only to be wrong - authorities are relying instead on dental records, photos and unique tattoos or piercings, Bridges said. They've also used DNA tests in a handful of cases, he said.

"We learned the hard way at the start," he said. "It's bad for the families."

Asked about calls to open the morgue to all families of the missing, Bridges said doing so would be impractical. He described the site as a number of dark, refrigerated trailers holding body bags.

"There's no place to let them into," he said.

There have been 1,333 preliminary tornado reports in the U.S.

through May 27, officials said, while the average number of confirmed tornadoes in a single year during the past decade has been 1,274.

Presslor said Saturday that the family received confirmation of his death late Friday night. She said her nephew's body was not found sooner because there was so much debris in the pond.

Family members had previously told The Associated Press that Norton and his father were still on the road when the storm hit.

Mark Norton urged his son to pull over, but the teen's Hummer H3 flipped several times, throwing the young man from the vehicle, likely through the sunroof.

Mark Norton remains in the hospital and is "having a really tough time" after being told his son's body was found, Presslor said.

About a dozen of Norton's classmates stood in the back of the room as she spoke. His funeral arrangements are pending.

Presslor thanked the thousands of people who posted good wishes for Norton on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, and thanked all those who helped look for him. She urged those volunteers to keep looking for other people still missing.

"Please don't give up," she said.

tornado, u.s. & world news

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Lindsay Lohan begins reduced jail sentence - under house arrest

Lindsay Lohan turned herself in early on Thursday, May 26, to begin a jail sentence for violating her probation and due to overcrowding, had her sentence reduced from 120 to 35 days, which she will serve under house arrest.

The 24-year-old actress surrendered to authorities at a Los Angeles jail around 5 a.m. local time and was soon sent back to her home in Venice, California, OnTheRedCarpet.com has learned. Her release date is set for June 29. No booking photo was taken.

"Ms. Lohan has chosen to serve her time in home detention with an electronic monitoring program offered through the Department's Community Based Alternatives to Custody program," Steve Whitmore, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Spokesperson, said in a statement to OnTheRedCarpet.co,.

Lohan's sentence was handed down weeks ago after a judge ruled that she had violated her probation stemming from a 2007 drunk driving and cocaine possession case by being charged with theft. It was speculated that she would be allowed to serve her time at home. The actress was ordered to report to a Los Angeles jail by June 17.

Lohan had pleaded no contest to misdemeanor theft in a missing $2,500 necklace case. She was given three more years of probation for the case with no additional jail time. The actress, who has served time behind bars before, has said she supports the judge's decision.

Lohan was also ordered to complete 480 community service hours at a women's shelter and in a morgue, undergo psychological counseling, attend a Shoplifters Alternative class and pay several fines.

She has already begun her community service duties but cannot continue her work or her classes while under house arrest. The actress was ordered to resume her duties after she is released.

Lohan had been pre-approved for house arrest after her theft charge was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. She is set to return to court for a progress report on July 21.

Lohan has been to jail several times for stints that have lasted between 84 minutes and 14 days, a sentence reduced from 90 days mostly due to overcrowding. Last month, after her sentencing for her probation violation, Lohan spent several hours inside a Los Angeles jail before she was bailed out.

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Academic Intervention Services Available from New York Schools

As with all public schools across the nation, New York schools have standards in reading and mathematics that must be met by its students. Unfortunately, many students fall short of the standards and their families are not in a position financially to provide the extracurricular tutoring that is required to improve the skills of their children. The schools in New York do not want to see any child at any grade left behind and provides the solution.

The New York schools have student academic intervention programs that provide the needed tutoring, counseling and teaching of skill sets. The schools in New York services are a supplement to the general teaching curriculum.

New York schools students who are academically at risk and need assistance in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, social studies, and/or science are candidates for intervention. The schools in New York support may address the areas of guidance, counseling, attendance and study skills, all of which affect a student's ability to perform well academically.

The New York schools academic intervention may be offered during regular school hours or during an extended school day or year, depending upon the school. The New York educators determine the need for intervention. It is not something that may be requested or refused by parents, though their cooperation can make a difference between success and failure of the program.

If a child in the New York schools is determined to need such intervention, the parents are notified in writing, telling them of the commencement of the program for their child, what services will be provided, the reason intervention is required, and the consequences for the student of not achieving the expected performance levels. New York schools communication with the parents is ongoing and encourages their cooperation and participation in the program. There is at least one consultation a semester with the classroom teacher and other New York schools professional staff, who are assisting their child. Progress reports are given the parents at least on a quarterly basis. Additionally, information is provided to the parents on how to work with their child to improve academic achievement, how to monitor the child's progress, and how to work with New York schools educators to improve their child's achievement.

New York schools student academic intervention is determined as follows:

o Kindergarten through grade three --

1) Student lacks reading readiness, including knowledge of sounds and letters, and is based on appraisal by the New York schools; OR

2) Student is at risk of not meeting the schools' required performance level in English language arts and/or mathematics. This may include diagnostic screening or vision, hearing and physical disabilities; and limited English proficiency determination.

o Grades four through eight --

1) Student scores below the state required performance level on one or more elementary assessments in English language arts, mathematics, social studies or science; OR

2) Student is at risk of not achieving New York schools standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science. This may include diagnostic screening or vision, hearing and physical disabilities; OR

3) Student is limited English proficient and at risk of not achieving standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science by using English or their native language. This may include diagnostic screening or vision, hearing and physical disabilities.

o Grades nine through twelve --

1) Student scores below the required performance level on one or more state intermediate assessments in English language arts, mathematics, social studies or science; OR

2) Student scores below required performance level on any one of the state examinations that are required for graduation; OR

3) Student is at risk of not achieving New York schools standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science. This may include diagnostic screening or vision, hearing and physical disabilities; OR

4) Student is limited English proficient and at risk of not achieving schools standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science by using English or their native language. This may include diagnostic screening or vision, hearing and physical disabilities.

The New York student academic intervention is ended, when a student successfully meets the state's required performance level in the areas he or she was having difficulty. Though school standards are now the norm across the nation, theschools in New York are going one step beyond to ensure students meet those standards.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more on New York schools visit New York School Ratings and Private School Rankings

Spoken-word musician Gil Scott-Heron dies in NYC

The author of the song The Revolution Will Not Be Televised has died in New York City. Musician Gil Scott-Heron was 62. The author of the song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" has died in New York City. Musician Gil Scott-Heron was 62.

By CRISTIAN SALAZARNEW YORK -- Musician Gil Scott-Heron, who helped lay the groundwork for rap by fusing minimalistic percussion, political expression and spoken-word poetry on songs such as "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" but saw his brilliance undermined by a years-long drug addiction, has died at age 62.

A friend, Doris C. Nolan, who answered the telephone listed for his Manhattan recording company, said he died Friday afternoon at St. Luke's Hospital after becoming sick upon returning from a trip to Europe.

"We're all sort of shattered," she said.

Scott-Heron was known for work that reflected the fury of black America in the post-civil rights era and also spoke to the social and political disparities in the country. His songs often had incendiary titles - "Home is Where the Hatred Is" or "Whitey on the Moon" - and through spoken word and song he tapped the frustration of the masses.

Yet much of his life also was defined by his battle with crack cocaine, which led to time in jail. In a 2008 interview with New York magazine, he said he had been living with HIV for years, but he still continued to perform and put out music; his last album, which came out this year, was a collaboration with artist Jamie xx, "We're Still Here," a reworking of Scott-Heron's acclaimed "I'm New Here," which was released in 2010.

He also was still smoking crack, as detailed in a New Yorker article last year.

"Ten to fifteen minutes of this, I don't have pain," he said.

"I could have had an operation a few years ago, but there was an 8 percent chance of paralysis. I tried the painkillers, but after a couple of weeks I felt like a piece of furniture. It makes you feel like you don't want to do anything. This I can quit anytime I'm ready."

Scott-Heron's influence on rap was such that he sometimes was referred to as the Godfather of Rap, a title he rejected.

"If there was any individual initiative that I was responsible for it might have been that there was music in certain poems of mine, with complete progression and repeating `hooks,' which made them more like songs than just recitations with percussion," he wrote in the introduction to his 1990 collection of poems, "Now and Then."

He referred to his signature mix of percussion, politics and performed poetry as bluesology or Third World music. But then he said it was simply "black music or black American music."

"Because black Americans are now a tremendously diverse essence of all the places we've come from and the music and rhythms we brought with us," he wrote.

Nevertheless, his influence on generations of rappers has been demonstrated through sampling of his recordings by artists, including Kanye West, who closes out the last track of his latest album with a long excerpt of Scott-Heron's "Who Will Survive in America."

Politically outspoken rapper Michael Franti said in a statement Saturday that Scott-Heron's talent was his ability to "make us think about the world in a different way, laugh hysterically about the ironies of American culture, anger at the hypocrisy of our political system, all to a beat that kept us on the dance floor, with a voice and flow that kept you waiting with anticipation for the next phrase."

Scott-Heron recorded the song that would make him famous, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," which critiqued mass media, for the album "125th and Lenox" in Harlem in the 1970s. He followed up that recording with more than a dozen albums, initially collaborating with musician Brian Jackson.

Throughout his musical career, he took on political issues of his time, including apartheid in South Africa and nuclear arms. He had been shaped by the politics of the 1960s and black literature, especially the Harlem Renaissance.

Scott-Heron was born in Chicago on April 1, 1949. He was raised in Jackson, Tenn., and in New York before attending college at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Before turning to music, he was a novelist, at age 19, with the publication of "The Vulture," a murder mystery.

He also was the author of "The Nigger Factory," a social satire.

---
AP Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody contributed to this report.

famous deaths, eyewitness news

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Kerrigan's brother gets 2.5 years for dad assault

WOBURN, Mass. -- A Massachusetts judge sentenced the brother of Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan to the maximum two and a half years in jail on Thursday after he was convicted of assault in the death of their 70-year-old father.

Six months of the sentence for Mark Kerrigan will be suspended, and he will be required to get anger management and alcohol treatment, and serve two years of probation.

Nancy Kerrigan broke down and cried earlier as she asked Judge S. Jane Haggerty to send Mark Kerrigan home instead of sending him to jail.

Mark Kerrigan was convicted of assault, but acquitted of manslaughter, Wednesday in his father's 2010 death.

Prosecutors alleged that Mark Kerrigan caused his father's death during a physical altercation at the family's home in Stoneham, just north of Boston. They said Mark Kerrigan put his hands around Daniel Kerrigan's neck with such force that he broke cartilage in his father's larynx and triggered his heart failure.

The defense argued that Daniel Kerrigan died because he had severely blocked coronary arteries and that Mark Kerrigan was not responsible.

Nancy Kerrigan told the judge that the large Kerrigan family supported her brother. She called his prosecution in the death of their father "a long and trying experience."

"Any sentence for Mark would only serve to extend an unnecessary situation that already seems as if it has been never-ending," she said.

"We ask that you please ... send him home with us today so that he can rejoin our family," she said, breaking down in tears.

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Keeley asked the judge to sentence Kerrigan to the maximum 2 ? years, citing his lengthy criminal record and alcohol problem.

Defense attorney Janice Bassil asked for a 6-month suspended sentence followed by a year of probation.

The judge called a recess before pronouncing the sentence, after listening to the emotional statements from Nancy Kerrigan and her aunt, Joanne Tarason, who spoke on behalf of Nancy and Mark's mother, Brenda Kerrigan.

Brenda Kerrigan's statement said, "Mark and I have suffered enough." She said Mark has helped her "in every way possible" since his father's death. Brenda Kerrigan is legally blind.

u.s. & world news

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Lady Gaga ready to rock GMA in sold-out show

Entertainment NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Lady Gaga is set to kick off the Good Morning America Summer Concert Series Friday morning with a sold out show at the Central Park SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield.

The pop sensation will perform several songs off of her highly-anticipated album, "Born This Way."

Attendees must show a printed Ticketmaster receipt to enter the venue. The tickets were free, but were limited because of intense demand. The concert is general admission and doors open to the public at 6 a.m. The concert will air on GMA live from 8 to 9 a.m.

SummerStage is located right off the 5th Avenue and 72nd Street entrance to Central Park. Enter at 72nd Street and 5th Avenue. (Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Entertainment »

entertainment

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New York Home Buying

Maybe you're buying your first home in New York, or perhaps you're relocating to New York from another state. Either way, it's important that you educate yourself on New York home loans before shopping for a home and mortgage. This article explains what you'll need to know before buying a home in New York:

The median price of a home in New York is $148,700. Recently, homes in New York have been appreciating at rates well above the national average. However, the rate of job growth in New York is below the national average. The slow rate of job growth does not seem to be affecting New York residents' incomes, as past-due loan rates are below the national average.

The price of homes in New York varies widely between zip codes. For example, in Long Island, New York, the median price of a home in the summer of 2005 was $567,000; however, in Buffalo, New York, the median price of a home was $230,000, and in Yorktown Heights, New York, it was $450,000. Average interest rates in New York are just .01 percent above the national average.

New York state law requires that private mortgage insurance must be cancelled when LTV reaches 75%. It also prohibits loans that are considered high-cost under New York law. Investors in New York will not accept appraisals that were performed before 11 September 2001 because of the change in value of many investment properties after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers.

Low-income families who own homes can apply for a $2000 state tax credit each year. The New York State Low Income Housing Tax Credit must be applied for, and applicants must meet certain set requirements.

Jessica Elliott recommends that you visit Mortgage Lenders Plus.com for more information about New York Mortgage Rates and Loans.

Study: NYC groceries cheaper than small cities

By Bill King, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- This may be tough to swallow, but a study by economists at Columbia University shows that groceries in New York City are actually cheaper than in other parts of the country.

The two economists compared identical products sold in cities big and small, both at high-end grocery stores and discount retailers.

In nearly every case, New York products were cheaper than in places such as Memphis, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.

But do New Yorkers agree?

"Hell no," 47-year-old mother of two Tina Smith told the Wall Street Journal. "There's inflation in New York."

One reason for the discrepancies, according to study authors Prof. David E. Weinstein and doctoral student Jessie Handbury, is that New York City offers a vast variety of choices, which they say throws off the average prices.

You can get bread in any grocery store, Weinstein told the newspaper, but "if you go into Fairway in New York, you can buy a Balthazar baguette" - and pay for it too.

Since cities like the Big Apple sell more varieties of products, the average price of those products appears higher. But using barcode data to compare the same products in smaller cities, the authors found metropolitan areas had cheaper prices. They say expensive foods in New York's high-end stores cost less than the same products in smaller cities, presumably because they are harder to find in those areas. Likewise, inexpensive foods at New York's low-end stores also cost less than their small-city equivalents.

business

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Not guilty verdicts in NYPD rape trial

Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- After seven days of deliberations, a jury has found two NYPD officers not guilty in the rape of a drunk woman in 2008.

Officer Kenneth Moreno was accused of raping the then 27-year-old victim in her East Village apartment, while his partner, Officer Franklin Mata, acted as a lookout.

Both were acquitted of all serious charges, including rape and burglary, but were found guilty on three counts each of official misconduct.

The officers faced 25 years in prison if they had been convicted. Now, they face possible sentences from no jail time to a year in jail on each count. Since only one year on each count can be consecutive, they face no more than two years behind bars when they are sentenced on June 28.

Their attorneys, however, say they plan to appeal the convictions. District Attorney Cy Vance says the verdict shows that the officers violated the law.

"They violated the victim's rights," he said. "And the public's trust."

Moreno and Mata were called to help the intoxicated woman get home after she passed out in a taxi. They returned to her apartment three more times within four hours. The woman has testified that she passed out and awoke to being raped in her bedroom. Moreno had claimed that the woman made sexual advances, and that they cuddled in her bed but did not have sex.

During the trial, prosecutors told a stunning story of police misconduct and a perverse abuse of power. The officers acknowledged a number of missteps - including Moreno making a bogus 911 call - but said they weren't crimes and the rape allegation was a product of the woman's muddled memory.

Mata, 29, and Moreno, 43, have been suspended until a police department review after their trial.

The woman, a fashion product developer who's now 29, had gotten very drunk while out with friends celebrating her impending promotion and move to California. A cab driver called police for help getting her out of his taxi around 1 a.m. on Dec. 7, 2008.

The officers didn't tell dispatchers where they were as they repeatedly returned to her apartment - to check on her at her request, they said. Indeed, Moreno, a police officer for 17 years, admitted he invented an excuse for one of the visits by calling 911 with a phony report of a homeless man sleeping in a nearby building's lobby.

Her blood-alcohol level was three or more times the legal limit for driving, and she acknowledged during days of testimony that her memory of the night was spotty. But she said she acutely remembered the rape, and other vivid snippets - police radio chatter, flashlights, the same man's voice urging her to drink water in her bathroom and later asking her if she wanted him to stay in her bedroom - made her certain that her attacker was an officer.

"I couldn't believe that two officers who had been called to help me had, instead, raped me," said the woman, who has sued the city seeking $57 million over the incident.

After consulting prosecutors, she secretly recorded a conversation with Moreno a few days later. He alternately denied they had sex and seemed to admit it, particularly by saying twice that he'd used a condom when she asked him.

Moreno told jurors he was just "telling her what she wanted to hear" because she had suggested she'd go into the stationhouse where he worked and make a scene.

No DNA evidence was collected in the case, and experts debated whether an internal mark found during an examination of the woman could be interpreted as a sign of rape.

Moreno said he was only trying to console and counsel the woman about drinking during his series of visits, as he shared his own struggle with alcoholism some years before, killed a cockroach in her bathroom, made plans to have breakfast with her and sang to her a verse of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer."

On the last visit, Moreno said, he suddenly found himself fending off drunken advances from the woman.

"I told her, 'There's another time for this. Not tonight.' I kind of had her by the shoulders, and I said, 'We're not doing this,"' he told jurors.

But, he said, he wound up in her bed after she fell and got stuck between her bed and a wall and needed to be freed. He said he stayed there with his arms around her for a time, out of sympathy, but kept his uniform on and didn't have sex with her.

Mata, a police officer for about five years, acknowledged during his testimony that he couldn't be sure what had happened between the two while he was snoozing on the woman's sofa. But he said he didn't believe Moreno had raped the woman because "Ken wouldn't do something like that."

He was charged with rape under state legal principles that hold an alleged accessory as responsible for a crime as the main defendant.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

new york city, nypd, rape, new york news

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Jersey City carjacking suspect turns self in

Eyewitness NewsJERSEY CITY -- A Jersey City man charged in the shooting death of a U.S. Marine during a carjacking this week has turned himself in to authorities.

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio tells the Jersey Journal that 20-year-old Earl Austin surrendered Saturday afternoon.

Austin is charged with shooting 23-year-old Anthony Adams, a Marine, during an attempted robbery and carjacking early Thursday morning.

Adams was sitting in his 2002 Ford Explorer when he was shot in the chest. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

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Troubled Delta landing in Atlanta; 4 hurt

ATLANTA -- The landing gear of a Delta Air Lines jet apparently caught fire during a rough landing Saturday afternoon at Atlanta's main airport, but the flight's approximately 50 passengers and crew were evacuated safely, authorities said.

Four people suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization, Atlanta city fire officials said. Passengers were evacuated through the rear stairs. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire with foam spray.

There were conflicting accounts as to what caused the trouble for Delta flight 2284 from Pittsburgh, which landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at around 4:18 p.m.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Kathleen Bergen said the MD-88 jet suffered either a blown tire, a locked-up brake or perhaps both, which caused a fire.

Fire officials initially said the fire was in the plane's right engine, then said it was actually in landing gear toward the back of the plane. Crews had the blaze extinguished less than a minute after they arrived, Atlanta Fire Department Capt. Jolyon Bundrige said.

Delta spokeswoman Leslie Parker said late Saturday afternoon that she did not know if there was a fire on the plane and attributed the problem to an overheated brake. She was unaware of any injuries. The passengers on the plane were transported by bus to the airport terminal.

"There was obviously smoke," Parker said. "The plane will be taken out of service and evaluated by maintenance and they'll be able to determine exactly what happened."

The damaged plane was taken off the runway and did not cause flight delays, airport spokesman John Kennedy said.

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Mets agree to minority stake sale for $200 million

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets have agreed to sell less than 49 percent of the club for approximately $200 million to David Einhorn, president of Greenlight Capital Inc., sources close to the deal tell ESPN's Karl Ravech.

The sale will not include a stake in SNY, the television network owned by the Mets, the sources said.

Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon, who became ensnared in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, is facing a multimillion dollar lawsuit filed by a court trustee seeking to recover money for Madoff's other victims.

The Mets received a loan from Major League Baseball in November to help cover expenses.

Wilpon has said the team is "bleeding cash" and could lose $70 million this season. He told Sports Illustrated for its May 30 issue that he fears he could lose the Mets if the trustee for victims of Madoff's Ponzi scheme wins the lawsuit against the team and Wilpon's other interests.

Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo has been mediating talks between Wilpon and the trustee, Irving Picard.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Casey Anthony's mother, ex-boyfriend testify

Casey Anthony sits in court with defense team members Dorothy Clay Sims, right, on the first day of her murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo / Red Huber, Pool)

By KYLE HIGHTOWERORLANDO -- The mother of a Florida woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter gave a tour of the family home, including a playhouse built for the toddler and the above-ground pool the defense team claims the girl drowned in.

Cindy Anthony testified Saturday at her daughter's murder trial that she and Caylee went swimming on June 15, 2008 - the last day she saw her granddaughter. She said she removed a ladder used to help Caylee get into the pool - something she did every time the pool wasn't being used.

Casey Anthony, who is charged with first-degree murder in the toddler's summer 2008 death, wiped away tears with a tissue during her mother's testimony. Prosecutors contend Casey Anthony suffocated the girl with duct tape. If convicted, she could be sentenced to death.

Cindy Anthony was not asked directly Saturday whether she thought the young girl drowned. The trial will resume Tuesday in Orlando.

Through most of her testimony, a photo of young Caylee remained on display on television monitors along the courtroom, where evidence is displayed for the jury, media and spectators. Anthony eventually interrupted her questioning, asking prosecutors to remove the photo.

"I can't look at my granddaughter without getting upset," she said.

Casey Anthony's former boyfriend, Anthony Lazzaro, also testified Saturday about the hours after the Anthonys reported Caylee's disappearance to authorities. He described a text message exchange in which he was trying to get Casey Anthony to reveal where the toddler was.

"If they don't find her guess who gets blamed and spends eternity in jail?" the text message read.

Prosecutors presented their strongest witness Friday after a judge rebuffed their attempts to allow instant messages to be introduced as evidence that they say go toward Anthony's motive.

The manager of a towing yard where the defendant's car was kept for more than two weeks during that summer testified that he smelled an odor coming from her car consistent with decomposing bodies he'd smelled in the past. The defense argued in its opening statement that the smell was actually from a bag of trash Anthony left in her car.

Casey's father, George Anthony, testified for the third time in four days Friday and said his mind was racing when he arrived to pick up the car and observed the smell.

"That particular smell, whenever you smell it, is something you'll never forget," he said. "... I don't know if I said it out loud or whispered, but I said `Please God, don't let this be Casey or Caylee."' The defense has argued that George Anthony found Caylee drowned in the family pool and helped dispose of the body.

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