Sunday 22 January 2012

Police search for 2 suspects in spa robberies

  Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- It was anything but a relaxing time at a couple of spas in Manhattan that were robbed.

Police say the men caught on surveillance go into spas, pretend they are police and then rob the clientele.

Two women were hurt during the robberies in December on the Lower East Side and in Washington Heights.

The suspects got away without any money after the workers refused to give it to them.

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Saturday 21 January 2012

Exclusive jailhouse interview with Ramrattan

NEW YORK (WABC) -- For the first time since he was sentenced to up to 32 years for raping and then framing his ex-girlfriend a Queens man is talking to Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter Sarah Wallace. And there's a dramatic twist, his longtime link to law enforcement as a confidential source, an informant.

It's impossible to know when Jerry Ramrattan is lying and when he's telling the truth, but if even a fraction of what he says is real about his role as a confidential source for law enforcement for years. Defense attorneys in those cases may be running back to court to try to get convictions overturned.

"You're called a schemer, a diabolical liar, a rapist," Wallace said.

"Not true," Ramrattan said.

In a jailhouse interview with Wallace on Rikers Island, Jerry Ramrattan vehemently denied concocting a brazen scheme to frame his ex-girlfriend, Seemona Sumasar, for armed robbery because she had accused him of rape.

"They portrayed me to be such an animal and none of this is true," Ramrattan said.

But a Queens jury believed that Ramrattan, bent on revenge, tried to set up Sumasar, and very nearly succeeded, she spent seven months in jail before Ramrattan's plan unraveled. Earlier this month, he was sentenced to up to 32 years in prison for convictions on Rape and perjury.

"If I'm a schemer and a liar, why did they allow me to do all those cases then," Ramrattan said.

He's talking about his longtime secret role as a confidential source for law enforcement. Eyewitness News has confirmed he indeed worked for various law enforcement agencies, sometimes paid, sometimes not.

"You've been paid by the NYPD, by the Brooklyn DA, by the Queens DA," Wallace said.

"Correct. They can't do no damage control for what they've done, because the minute they put it out there that I'm a liar, who is to say what I lied on, correct? Even if I told the truth, who is to believe me," Ramrattan said.

Eyewitness News obtained where the Brooklyn and Bronx District Attorney's offices noted that Ramrattan's testimony before grand juries helped win convictions.

"How many cases would you say you testified in before a grand jury?" Wallace asked.

"Hundreds," Ramrattan answered.

"You worked as a paid informant for how long?" Wallace asked.

"Paid source," Ramrattan clarified.

"Paid source, informant, whatever. How long?" Wallace asked.

"For years," Ramrattan answered.

He was continually evasive on specifics, but Eyewitness News obtained this document as part of an appeal in a Brooklyn 1997 rape case where Ramrattan testified. It indicates he received $4,000. In another Brooklyn case, that of the infamous Sweet Cherry Strip Club in 2005, a source confirms Ramrattan's claim that he worked as a paid undercover operative.

"I was able to go inside and infiltrate the group where they were was laundering money and promoting prostitution," Ramrattan said.

The Brooklyn DA refused comment about Ramrattan's work as a source saying only: "If these claims raise a legal issue, they will be looked into." Other DA offices declined to discuss Ramrattan publicly. But Attorney Ron Kuby, who's followed this case closely, thinks anyone who's used Ramrattan as a source.

"Given the sophistication of what he was doing and given the extensive nature involving other people of what he was doing, every case needs to be re-investigated. Doesn't mean that everybody he helped convict is an innocent person, but it's a huge warning sign, danger, danger, you have to go back to the very beginning," Kuby said.

A number of legal experts we spoke with believe the Attorney General should consider appointing a special prosecutor to coordinate any re-investigation by district attorneys.

---

If you have a tip about this or any other issue you'd like investigated, please give our tipline a call at 877-TIP-NEWS. You may also e-mail us at the.investigators@abc.com.

Follow Jim Hoffer on Twitter at twitter.com/nycinvestigates and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimhoffer.wabc

Follow Sarah Wallace on Twitter at twitter.com/swinvestigates and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sarahwallace.wabc

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Thursday 19 January 2012

Man exposes himself to girl near Harlem school

See it on TV? Check here. NEW YORK (WABC) -- Police are looking for a man who exposed himself to an 11-year-old girl in Harlem.

Authorities are hoping to catch the sexual predator before he can perform more lewd acts.

The incident happened at 7:30 a.m. on December 20, right across the street from an elementary school.

Surveillance video shows the suspect, who is bald, 5-foot-9 and weighs approximately 190 pounds. He was wearing a black trench coat when he approached the girl on West 120th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, across from PS 76.

Police say he walked up to the girl and exposed himself, but did not make any physical contact.

He is wanted for public lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

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Store owner shot and killed during robbery

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK, N.J. (WABC) -- The owner of a mini mart in Newark was shot and killed during a robbery Tuesday evening.

It happened around 6 p.m. at the JNC Mini Market located at 346 14th Avenue corner of South 18th.

When Newark Police arrived, they found 37-year-old Miguel Torres shot inside the store.

He was taken to University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Homicide investigation is being conducted by the Essex County Prosecutor's Homicide Task Force and the Newark Police Department.

The investigation is active and investigators are currently viewing surveillance footage from around the location and other leads at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Newark Police.

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Thursday 12 January 2012

Casey Anthony Reveals New Theory for Caylee's Death

In jailhouse interviews with two psychiatrists, Casey Anthony revealed yet a different theory for how her 2-year-old daughter Caylee may have died.

Anthony, 25, told two doctors in separate interviews that she suspects her father George Anthony took the little girl from the bed mother and daughter shared, had some sort of sexual episode with her, and then drowned her to cover it up.

"She said, 'I think he held her underwater, maybe he was doing something to her and he tried to cover it up,'" Dr. Jeffery Danziger recalled Anthony saying in his deposition that was released today.

Anthony told Danziger that she called her mother Cindy Anthony four times, but could not reach her. It was not until several hours later that her mother called back and, at that point, a shocked Anthony "froze."

"I hoped he'd step up to be my dad and take responsibility," she told Danziger.

Danziger said Anthony implied that her father's eventual suicide attempt was, "his way out of the grief or guilt and I'm left to take the wrap [sic]."

"This was said with a measure of anger," the doctor said, and said she added, "I'll be damned if I take responsibility for this."

George Anthony's attorney Mark Lippman issued a statement today saying that Anthony was "made aware of these statements in the deposition prior to the trial of his daughter in 2011 and no new information has been disclosed today."

"As he has repeatedly said prior to the trial, during the trial and after the trial he never molested any member of his family including Casey Anthony and he had nothing to do with the death of Caylee Marie Anthony including what happened to her remains after she allegedly drowned," Lippman wrote.

Casey Anthony's Other Theory for Daughter's Murder

Anthony conceded to the doctor that she eventually told her mother "everything but the truth," but couldn't explain why. She said that she really didn't know at the time what had ultimately happened to Caylee.

"I was hoping she [Caylee] was somewhere, that she was still okay," Danziger recalled her saying.

For months after Anthony was confronted with Caylee's disapearance, Casey Anthony insisted her daughter had been kidnapped by a fictitious babysitter. At the opening of her murder trial, her lawyer admitted the child hadn't been kidnapped, but had drowned in the family's pool.

Anthony was acquitted of killing Caylee during a sensational trial last summer.

In interviewing Anthony, Danziger was repeatedly struck by her upbeat mood. At one point he said during the deposition, "What puzzled me was why is she so blasted cheerful."

Both psychiatrists noted in their depositions noted Anthony's unusually calm demeanor as she spoke about her daughter's death and her accusation that she was molested by her father and brother.

Danziger recounted his "puzzlement" with Anthony's "nice, sweet and pleasant demeanor" as she sat behind bars as the prime suspect in the death of her daughter.

"Her demeanor, the best way to say it, is she was calm, cooperative and pleasant as if we were discussing someone who had a parking ticket," Danziger said in an April 7, 2011 deposition.

He notes that she was in a good mood, reading books, sleeping fine and had a good appetite.

"No feeling of guilt, not hopeless," he said.

"This is someone who is sitting in jail. Her child is missing, presumed dead," Danziger said. "While she had not yet been charged with murder, obviously, she's charged with crimes and is being accused by the whole world in the disappearance of the child. You would expect that that would provoke some measure of distress."

The second psychiatrist who interviewed Anthony, Dr. William Weitz, also noticed her lack of emotion over Caylee disappearance.

He noted Anthony's "complete separation of emotion and affect from the various questions that she's asked to respond to."

"She seems detached from a lot of her feeling and emotion, even in times that one might expect they'd be more reactive and intense," Weitz said.

Weitz said that her reactions could be construed as defense mechanisms, possibly related to her accusations of years of sexual abuse from her father George Anthony and her brother Lee Anthony.

In her interviews with the doctors she detailed accusations of sex abuse that were mentioned during her murder trial.

She said her father molested her from age 8 to 11 which Danziger recorded as "disgusting, demeaning, intercourse, oral, everything."

Although the father reportedly stopped when she was 11 or 12, she claimed her brother Lee molested her from age 12 to 15. "Sometimes wake up to him or wake up bra over my head or unclasped. Wake up once his hands on my chest," the doctor read from his notes from the interview with Anthony.

She claimed that her father assaulted her again when she was 18. "Tried to fight back when I was older. I'm not a big person," the doctor quoted her as saying.

Anthony described to Weitz the years of the alleged sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her father and brother. Anthony told the doctor she never told anyone about her father's abuse, but told her mother about the alleged abuse from her brother.


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Some of The Best Five Star Hotels in New York

Elderly people robbed by fake utility workers

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- There's another warning about robbers posing as utility workers and then ripping off elderly people.

It's happened again, this time in Brooklyn, and this time cops have surveillance video of the suspects.

The 89-year-old victim Eyewitness News spoke with was afraid to open her door and afraid to leave her house.

It's easy to understand why, after two heartless thieves stole her precious memories.

"The sorrow is killing me. They took everything, cleaned out two drawers," Ruth, the victim said.

After 72 peaceful years in her Brooklyn home, Ruth was robbed last Friday.

Police say two people, a man and a woman, posed as Con Edison workers in order to get inside her home in the Ocean Parkway section.

"I can't believe this is happening to me in my old age," Ruth said.

The thieves got away with almost all of the jewelry Ruth's late husband gave her and $1,000 in cash that she'd planned to use to pay her heating oil bill.

"My bedroom was a shambles my mattress was upside down, he even took a pillowcase and filled it up with my jewelry and everything," Ruth said.

Ruth says the woman had official-looking binders and insisted that Ruth, who is 89, blind in one eye, and uses a cane, walk her to the back of the house to the utility pole.

"She said, 'Well I can't go there unless you come with me,'" Ruth said.

As Ruth struggled to walk down the narrow path to the backyard, the man posing as the utility worker ransacked her bedroom.

Police say the shameful pair played the same dirty trick on a 90-year-old woman Tuesday, stealing jewelry that had been in the family since they emigrated from Italy in the early 1900s.

"My mother and father worked hard all their lives and these characters come in and try to take stuff that they worked hard for all their life, you can't do that, it's low class," said Joe Rushford, the victim's son.

Police want you to take a good look at these suspects, who were caught on surveillance cameras going into the second victim's house on 59th Street.

The male suspect, seen wearing an orange construction vest, is white, about 6 feet tall, has blue eyes and light brown hair.

The female suspect is white, 5'5", about 140 pounds with dark brown hair and chipped, brown teeth. Police say she is pigeon toed and walks with a distinctive limp.

Please warn your elderly friends and relatives about the scam, and don't open the door without seeing proper identification.

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new york city, robbery, brooklyn, new york news, jen maxfield

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Mayor considering alcohol crackdown in city

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Is it the city's newest groundbreaking health initiative, or is the mayor about to serve up an anti-drinking agenda that already has some critics wondering, when it comes to mayoral crackdowns don't our cups already "runneth over"?

"I really characterize it as the nanny mentality out of control," said Michael Long, NY Conservative Party.

The head of the state's conservative party is highly critical of the city's latest request for ideas from community groups.

They are ideas to improve public health which include reducing the sale of alcohol and the density of some bars and liquor stores in certain neighborhoods.

In Bay Ridge some wonder, didn't we get rid harsh policies about alcohol a long time ago?

"Meddlesome, he's too much with everything, trying to take over everybody's lives, it seems," said Tom Hickey, a Bay Ridge resident.

"I feel if people are going to buy alcohol, they're going to buy alcohol either in their neighborhood or they are going to go another 10 blocks away," said Kathy Mongello, a Mill Basin resident.

But some experts say the mayor has statistics on his side.

For example, between 2003 and 2009, alcohol-related emergency room visits doubled for underage New Yorkers and alcohol is associated with 46% of homicides in the city.

ABC's Dr. Richard Besser is the former head of the CDC.

"So as a community you can say, we want to limit the number of liquor stores. Many places around the country do that, and it's been shown to be effective," Dr. Besser said.

The mayor's office released a statement saying, "We have no intention of shutting down bars or liquor stores. The goal is to generate creative ideas to build on bold initiatives including smoking cessation, reducing excessive drinking, promoting healthy eating and increasing physical activity."

"We kind of look to New York as the cutting edge, of these changes," Dr. Besser said.

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new york city, michael bloomberg, alcohol, new york news, stacey sager

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Facelift like procedure done with ultrasound

See it on TV? Check here. Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- The same technology used during pregnancy is now being used to tighten faces.

"You're tricking the body to heal itself," said Dr. David Colbert, of New York Dermatology Group.

62-year-old Roni says she is ready for some rejuvenation.

Dr. Colbert says ultherapy is perfect for a person who tends to pull at their face.

The doctor uses a gel to slide over the face and target specific muscles.

The ultrasound treatment takes about an hour, lasts years, and costs a few thousand dollars.

On average, it runs at least 75% less than a conventional facelift which involves incisions.

What is happening here is strong sound waves are going deep into the skin and muscles.

But it is not painless, Roni is wincing and squeezing balls in her fists and her legs were jumping, and her doctors know because they've tried it.

They say that it is manageable pain.

60 minutes after the ultherapy started, Roni is happy: Where's the biggest difference?

She says she notices it the most in her jaw line and is very pleased.

Just minutes later, she's out the door.

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health news, michelle charlesworth
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Wednesday 11 January 2012

New York Attractions and Things to Do

Synagogue fire bombed; rabbi, family targeted

See it on TV? Check here. RUTHERFORD (WABC) -- A New Jersey synagogue was fire bombed early Wednesday, and investigators believe the rabbi and his family were the targets.

Wednesday night on Montrose Avenue in Rutherford, a police cruiser is parked outside Congregation Beth-El.

The scene of the latest attack on a Jewish institution has prompted New Jersey's branch of the Anti-Defamation League to issue this warning.

"Every synagogue must take extra steps to protect its constituents and building," a member of the league said.

It's the latest in a series of crimes targeting Jewish temples in Bergen County.

The attack happened just before 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Rabbi Nossan Schumani, his wife and five children were sleeping in the residence portion of Temple Beth El.

One of the firebombs was thrown clear through a bedroom window on the second floor and burst into flames.

"It was almost like dragon's breath," Rabbi Schuman said.

Rabbi Schumani and his wife were nearly killed, he said.

The rabbi burned his hands trying to smother the fire, while his wife woke up their five children and the rabbi's parents. All made it out safely and the fire did little damage.

Authorities are convinced that someone was trying to send them a message.

"This is certainly a hate crime. This is a bias crime. This is aggravated arson, but most importantly, we're now looking on this as an attempted homicide," Bergen County prosecutor John Molinelli said.

No one else was hurt, but the incident launched a major investigation. Detectives canvassed the area, walking on the roof of the building, looking for evidence. Several other explosive devices, including Molotov cocktails and aerosol cans, were discovered, but did not ignite.

"You can't just look at this as an arson," Molinelli said. "You look at this now as an attempted murder."

The attack in the normally quiet Rutherford neighborhood has rattled the nervous of neighbors.

"It's just outrageous that somebody would do something like this," neighbor Robert Genardi said. "Especially with kids asleep on the second floor."

There have been several bias incidents in Bergen County recently, including one in Paramus and one in Hackensack. At this point, police are not saying the fire bombing is related, but one man says this kind of irrational behavior is not surprising.

"It's not something really new, It's something that happens and you gotta go on."

The investigation is ongoing.

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new jersey, rutherford, fire, new jersey news, n.j. burkett
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Lenox Hill Beyoncé complaints deemed not credible

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Two complaints were filed accusing Lenox Hill Hospital of not treating other patients properly during Beyonce's stay to deliver her baby, but the Health Department says they were deemed "not credible".

A Health Department source says that two complaints were reviewed and both were deemed not credible. There are no open investigations at this time.

Less than 24 hours after Beyonce gave birth Saturday night, other new parents were speaking out, angry with Lenox Hill Hospital regarding their stay at the facility.

Spokesperson, Michael Moran, confirms they had received two complaints and that the hospital is fully cooperating.

One was made anonymously, and the other was from someone who had learned about the matter through the media, he said. Officials would be looking into whether any regulations were violated, he said.

Rozz and Neil Nash Caulon told Eyewitness News they were restricted from entering and exiting the neonatal intensive care unit, where their twin girls were and how relatives were not permitted to stay in the waiting room on the sixth floor, the same place where Beyonce gave birth to her little girl.

Lenox Hill has all along maintained they were, at all times, in control of the private security and never prevented or delayed other families from gaining access to the NICU.

The hospital admits cameras were covered, but only when only when a security guard was present on the floor.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

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new york city, hospital, beyonce, new york news, kemberly richardson

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Space heater blamed for North Bergen fire

NORTH BERGEN (WABC) -- A four-alarm fire burned through a three story building in North Bergen, New Jersey.

Heavy smoke and fire could be seen spewing from the building on Broadway in North Bergen.

Flames broke out shortly after 1:00 p.m. on the second floor and quickly spread through numerous stores on the first floor and into the apartments above.

The fire appears to have been caused by a space heater in a second floor apartment.

The residents of that apartment told police that the fire started in the space heater, and quickly spread through the apartment.

They evacuated as quickly as they could.

Fire marshals plan to investigate, but they haven't been able to get inside the building yet, and may not because it's in danger of collapsing.

Firefighters responded to reports of residents trapped on the upper floors.

Three firefighters and two civilians were injured.

None of the injuries are life threatening.

There were still hot spots being put out late Wednesday night. Nine families were left homeless by the blaze.

See images from the scene

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new jersey, north bergen, fire, new jersey news, jim dolan

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Exclusive: Boy left on van instead of daycare drop off

See it on TV? Check here. Web Produced By: Scott Curkin; Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- A frightening ordeal for a little boy from Brooklyn and today his mother is demanding answers.

She claims her son was left on a van that was supposed to take him to daycare for 8 hours yesterday by himself.

That 5-year-old, Enzo Rivera was lost from just after 7 in the morning until 3 p.m.

The boy was found wandering the streets of Borough Park instead of at the daycare where his mother believed he was.

The little boy fell asleep on his day care van and was left behind.

A layed off teacher's assistant found him outside a public school in Borough Park. He was supposed to be at the Happy Island Daycare in East Flatbush.

The assistant walked him into the school where the principal called police and helped reunite him with his mother Jesenia Caba.

"I was sleeping and then the driver he left me on the bus," said the little boy.

The daycare director tells Eyewitness News that the bus driver is still on the job.

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Halle Berry engaged to Olivier Martinez, reports say

Halle Berry is engaged to French actor Olivier Martinez, reports say.

The 45-year-old Oscar-winning actress and Martinez met on the set of the movie "Dark Tide" around the summer of 2010 and have been photographed together several times at celebrity events and in public since then. Berry has been married twice before and has a daughter from a previous relationship.

On Wednesday, January 11, People and Us Weekly magazines quoted a spokesperson for the jewelry designer Gurhan as saying that Martinez gave Berry a diamond-and-emerald engagement ring. Their representatives had no immediate comment about the report.

Earlier this month, Berry was photographed wearing a a gold ring with what appeared to be an emerald stone. The picture was posted on the website of Marie Claire magazine.

Berry and Martinez, who turns 45 on Thursday, have been linked romantically for more than a year. The two were photographed kissing in September 2010. Since then, they have been spotted together in places such as Paris and the Spanish island of Majorca and were spotted at a Cirque du Soleil show and restaurant in Los Angeles earlier this week.

Berry has been married twice before and has a 3-year-old daughter, Nahla, with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry. The actress and David Justice, a baseball player were married for more than four years in the 1990s. Berry then wed singer Eric Benet in 2001. They divorced almost four years later.

Berry has one child - a 2-year-old daughter named Nahla, whose father is the actress' ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, a model.

Martinez, known for his role in films such as "Unfaithful" and "Taking Lives," dated singer Kylie Minogue for four years before they broke up in 2007.

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Fighting against bank fees

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Thousands of people recently joined credit unions after the uproar Bank of America created with its new debit card fee. Public outcry prompted Bank of America to reverse its decision, but other bank fees are on the rise.

The majority of banks now charge a fee for non-interest checking accounts. Two years ago, most of those accounts were free. Overdraft charges and ATM fees are also at record highs.

And banks are adding other fees. For example, Bank of America now charges e-bank customers $8.95 a month to use a teller. PNC & US Bank charge $25 to close an account open less than six months.

Consumer Reports says that you can fight back. If you're hit with a fee, ask your bank to waive it. If that doesn't work, threaten to move your account.

If you decide to make a move, Consumer Reports says consider a big credit union.

Fees for basic checking at major credit unions are 42 percent lower on average than at big banks. They used to just serve small groups, but that's changed. Now it's pretty easy to find one you can join.

Before changing banks, check to see if your bank charges a closing fee. Make sure all outstanding checks are paid and switch over automatic deposits and bill payments.

Consumer Reports says you can also find lower fees at community banks and online banks. In order to get a handle on a bank's fees and rates, check out its website.

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consumer reports, consumer news, sade baderinwa

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Save Big When You Book a New York Hotel

NUMC wants to shut down detox unit

See it on TV? Check here. Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsEAST MEADOW, N.Y. (WABC) -- Eyewitness News has learned exclusively of a plan that would drastically cut treatment for drug addicts on Long Island.

It comes at a time when prescription drug addiction and violent crimes are skyrocketing.

"My life was saved here and that's not an exaggeration," said Tom Gallagher, recovering addict.

Tom Gallagher's long road to recovery from addiction began at Nassau University Medical Center, where he presented himself a year and a half ago, in full withdrawal.

"I had cold sweats, I was trembling, I was vomiting so violently that I really thought my eyes were going to explode," Gallagher said.

His drug of choice was alcohol.

After five days on lockdown in the hospital's detox unit, he graduated to rehab.

He's been clean ever since.

But now, with Long Island in the throes of a legendary epidemic of drugs, Eyewitness News has learned NUMC wants to shut its entire detox unit down.

According to three different sources, hospital administrators will ask for state authorization to eliminate all 20 of their inpatient detox beds and 10 of their 30 beds for inpatient rehab.

It's all to qualify for a state grant, awarded for making a hospital more efficient.

"In a time when we have people dying in pharmacies that's probably the stupidest decision they've made all year," said Jerry Larrichuita, union president.

The plan could mean some job cuts, but union president Jerry Larrichuita says he's more worried about collateral damage.

Like the federal agent killed New Year's Eve breaking up a drug store robbery in Seaford, or the four people executed on Father's Day at a store in Medford.

"If ever a time when we need to be able to deal with this opiate abuse that's going on, it's right now. And closing detox centers runs exactly against the entire mission," Larrichuita said.

In fact, in all of Long Island, there are just a few dozen detox beds available to those who can't afford to pay.

NUMC offers the most for now.

But multiple sources say the hospital would replace them all with outpatient care, which Tom Gallagher says never would have helped him.

"If you told me to come back tomorrow maybe I would have made it back tomorrow, but I guarantee I would have drank again that day. And that's not what I needed. I needed medical attention," Gallagher said.

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long island, drug addict, drug, nassau county, long island news, josh einiger
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Subway riders face 2nd night of 'fast track' repairs

See it on TV? Check here. NEW YORK (WABC) -- It is a subway maintenance blitz like we have not seen before. It goes far beyond cosmetic improvements.

Packing their tools and ready to work, 700 strong MTA workers began one of its most ambitious maintenance programs. Fast Track, they call it, focusing on 300 projects in a four night blitz -- 4-5 and 6 trains shut down for 7 hours.

"Certainly, it's going to impact customers and we understand that. But in the long run, we think it is better for them and better us that we get this work done. And our employees can work in a very safe environment," NYC Transit President Thomas Prendergast said.

Of the jobs completed the first night on their punch list: 320 third rail defects were corrected; they cleaned and scraped 5,000 feet of track, 34 of 63 signals were inspected; four switches were serviced; 15 stations were cleaned. Some power washed.

Many were painted like the 23 Street Station, where they added light fixtures and re-lamped.

No major complaints from riders so far. Iris Gonzalez responded on the Eyewitness News Facebook page: "I'm so glad I'm retired!!!" Awilda Fonseca says she had to change her way home, "but I took the E and managed to get home about the same time."

By five o'clock in the morning Tuesday, the trains were back in service.

The next Fast Track affects the 7th Avenue 1-2-3 lines February 13 thru 17.

Work on the 6th Avenue B-D-F occurs February 27 thru March 2nd.

The 8th Avenue A-C-E lines will be shut down March 12 thru 16.

For more information please visit: http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/fastrack.htm

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Leopard kills man, scalps another in Indian city

AP  Eyewitness NewsGAUHATI, India -- A leopard that wandered into a city in eastern India went on a rampage, killing one man, swiping off part of another man's scalp and injuring three other people before authorities tranquilized it.

Neighbors in Gauhati say the leopard attacked a 50-year-old lawyer as he talked on his cellphone Saturday evening outside his house. He was rushed to a hospital where he died Sunday.

Four other people were injured, including a man who had part of his scalp torn off in a dramatic attack captured by a local newspaper photographer.

Gauhati wildlife official Utpal Bora says authorities plan to release the animal at a wildlife park 120 miles (200 kilometers) west of the city.

Conservationists say deforestation is increasingly pushing leopards into populated areas.

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Papa John's worker calls woman 'Lady Chinky Eyes'

ht twitpic racial slur receipt jt 120108 vblog Papa Johns Employee Calls Woman Lady Chinky Eyes on Receipt Twitter

Papa John’s has apologized after an employee typed a racial slur on a receipt to a customer Friday at one of its locations in New York City.

Minhee Cho posted an image of the receipt on Twitter, which called her “lady chinky eyes.”

“Hey @PapaJohns just FYI my name isn’t ‘lady chinky eyes,’” Cho tweeted.

The image went viral, and many tweeted complaints to Papa John’s, such as “Your employees are your brand.”

Papa John’s replied to many complaints via Twitter, noting that the employee was being fired.

“We are very upset by recent receipt issue in New York & sincerely apologize to our customer. Franchise employee involved is being terminated,” Papa John’s tweeted.

This isn’t the first time a restaurant has come under fire over employees using racial or ethnic slurs on receipts.

Last month, a cashier at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Irvine, Calif., was fired after allegedly mocking Asian-American customers, ABC News Los Angeles station KABC-TV reported.

The cashier reportedly used “Ching” and “Chong” in the customer identification line on the receipts.

Photos of those receipts have also gone viral online.

In a written statement, a representative for the fast-food chain told KABC that “the individual clearly violated our operating standards.”

“The matter was addressed and discussed immediately with the guests on the spot; and a confirmation was provided that the employee was immediately dismissed for the individual behavior,” the statement said.


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White House chief of staff resigning

AP  By BEN FELLERWASHINGTON -- In an abrupt jolt to the White House, President Barack Obama announced Monday that chief of staff William Daley was quitting and heading home to Chicago, capping a short and rocky tenure that had been expected to last until Election Day in November. Obama budget chief Jack Lew will take over the job.

Daley's run as Obama's chief manager and gatekeeper lasted for all of one consequential year - filled with notable moments like the killing of al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, but also internal grumbles that the top aide had not turned out to be the right fit to coordinate an intense operation of ideas, offices and egos.

Obama said he took the news reluctantly, initially refusing to accept Daley's resignation letter last week and ordering him to think it over. Daley stood by the decision, expressing a desire to be with his family and return to Chicago.

Yet he offered no explanation on Monday about what accelerated his decision; Daley had committed to Obama that he would stay on through the election. Obama senior adviser Pete Rouse had already taken on more of the day-to-day management of the White House, trimming Daley's portfolio amid West Wing struggles over coordination and communication.

"No one in my administration has had to make more important decisions more quickly than Bill, and that's why I think this decision is difficult for me," Obama said to a nearly empty State Dining Room, other than mainly the assembled media.

Lew and Daley stood by the president but did not speak. The White House said neither man was giving interviews.

Obama now plows ahead into an election year with his third chief of staff - one of the most influential and demanding jobs in government and politics.

Daley had come aboard last January to replace the colorful and involved-in-everything Rahm Emanuel, who left the job to run for Chicago mayor, a position he now holds.

The transition from Daley to Lew is expected to take place at the end of the month. Just ahead for Obama are two crucial, tone-setting events: his State of the Union speech on Jan. 24 and the release of his budget proposal in early February.

An Obama campaign official said Daley will serve as one of the co-chairs of Obama's Chicago-based re-election efforts. Other co-chairs will be announced in the coming weeks, said the official, who requested anonymity to speak ahead of the official announcement.

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Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Julie Pace contributed to this report.

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MTA plans overnight 'fasttrack' subway repairs

See it on TV? Check here. NEW YORK (WABC) -- The MTA is launching a bold subway repair plan. Instead of doing the work on the weekends, it is conducting repairs overnight. Major lines will be shut down, starting Monday night with the Lexington Avenue line.

The MTA is planning to knock out a lot of projects, from track maintenance to spot painting to power washing. They will also be repairing wall tiles, platforms and lighting. They are calling the series of repairs "Fasttrack," and they hope that straphangers will just grit their teeth and bear it.

Starting Monday, the 4, 5 and 6 lines will close from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., and will do that every night through Friday.

The MTA says this will allow crews to safely and quickly handle more than 300 repair jobs along 27 miles of track. But it will add at least 20 minutes to the average ride.

The closures will stretch from Grand Central Terminal to Atlantic Avenue. The 1, 2 and 3 lines from 34th Street to Atlantic Avenue will be next up, closing overnights from February 13 to February 17. The Sixth Avenue line, parts of the B, D, F and M from 59th Street to 4th Street, will be under repair in late February.

And the A, C and E lines will have overnight work in mid-March from 59th Street to Jay Street.

There will be conductors and traffic checkers at subway stations Monday to answer commuters' questions.

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New York on a Budget - 5 Tips

The New Hampshire Primary

ESPN PHOTO: Republican presidential hopefuls Ron Paul,(l), and Mitt Romney are shown.

I feel like I'm on an episode of Survivor. Just keep me on the island, we will be fine.

- Rick Santorum

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Hotels and Holidays to New York

FDA warns of over-the-counter pill mix-up with painkillers

AP  By MATTHEW PERRONEWASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration is warning patients about a potential mix-up between powerful prescription pain drugs and common over-the-counter medications like Excedrin and Gas-X made at a Novartis manufacturing plant.

The problem stems from major manufacturing problems at a Lincoln, Neb., facility which triggered a sweeping recall of the company's over-the-counter drugs on Sunday. The company has received complaints of broken and chipped pills and inconsistent bottle packaging that could cause pills to be mixed up. Consumers should not use the products and can contact the company for a refund.

FDA officials warned Monday that some of Novartis' over-the-counter pills may have accidentally been packaged with powerful prescription painkillers made at the same facility. The opioid drugs are sold by Endo Pharmaceuticals as Percocet, Endocet, Opana and Zydone.

Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., of Chadds Ford, Pa., said it is not aware of any confirmed product mix-ups that reached patients or caused any injuries.

FDA officials say they are not recalling the painkillers because they are essential medications for many patients and the risks of stray pills are low.

"The likelihood of finding a wrong tablet in an opiate pain medication dispensed to patients is low and patients should not be unduly alarmed," FDA's Dr. Edward Cox told reporters. Cox said FDA inspectors are currently inspecting the plant and uncovered a manufacturing problem that could allow pills to become stuck in the machinery and carry over to the packaging of other products. FDA officials said the investigation is ongoing and would not comment on potential penalties against Endo or Novartis.

Cox said regulators are also concerned about a shortage of Endo's painkillers in coming weeks due to the shutdown of the Nebraska facility. Novartis voluntarily halted production at the plant last month.

"FDA is working with Endo and Novartis to minimize the degree of impact. The degree of shortage will depend upon how quickly safeguards can be put in place to prevent this manufacturing issue from happening in the future," the FDA said in a statement on its website.

FDA inspectors cited Novartis' plant for a dozen quality control problems last summer, in a report posted to the agency's website. Company officials failed to properly investigate 166 consumer complaints of mixed-up pills in Novartis bottles since 2009, according to inspectors. The inspectors also concluded that none of the 223 complaints received by the plant last year were adequately reviewed, according to the report.

Novartis AG said in a statement said that it issued the recall "at the appropriate time ... as a precautionary measure in the best interest of consumers." The Basel, Switzerland-based company said it is working to upgrade and improve manufacturing and training at the Nebraska plant.

The company announced Sunday it would recall certain bottles of headache medicine Excedrin and caffeine caplets NoDoz with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014. The company is also recalling some packages of pain medicine Bufferin and stomach medicine Gas-X with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier.

Customers can also call the company at 1-888-477-2403 Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.

The FDA and Endo Pharmaceuticals recommend patients examine their prescriptions to make sure all the tablets are similar in shape, color, size and marking. If one or more of the tablets look different, patients should return the medicine to their pharmacist.

Patients can call Endo Pharmaceuticals' call center at 1-800-462-3636.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Recalls »


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Romney wins New Hampshire GOP primary

AP  By DAVID ESPO and STEVE PEOPLESCONCORD, N.H. -- Mitt Romney cruised to a solid victory in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, picking up steam from his first-place finish in the lead-off Iowa caucuses and firmly establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination.

"Tonight we made history," Romney told cheering supporters before pivoting to a stinging denunciation of President Barack Obama. "The middle class has been crushed ... our debt is too high and our opportunities too few," he declared - ignoring the rivals who had been assailing him for weeks and making clear he intends to be viewed as the party's nominee in waiting after only two contests.

His Republican rivals said otherwise, looking ahead to South Carolina on Jan. 21 as the place to stop the former Massachusetts governor. Already, several contenders and committees supporting them had put down heavy money to reserve time for television advertising there.

Even so, the order of finish - Ron Paul second, followed by Jon Huntsman, with Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum trailing - scrambled the field and prolonged the increasingly desperate competition to emerge as the true conservative rival to Romney.

With his victory, Romney became the first Republican to sweep the first two contests in competitive races since Iowa gained the lead-off spot in presidential campaigns in 1976. Based on partial returns, The Associated Press estimated that turnout would exceed the 2008 record by about 4 percent.

Romney fashioned his victory despite a sustained assault by rivals eager to undermine his claim as the contender best situated to beat Obama and help reduce the nation's painfully high unemployment. Gingrich led the way, suggesting at one point that Romney, a venture capitalist, was a corporate raider. The front-runner's defenders said the rhetoric was more suitable to a Democratic opponent than a conservative Republican.

Returns from 69 percent of New Hampshire precincts showed Romney with 38 percent of the vote, followed by Texas Rep Paul with 24 percent, former Utah Gov. Huntsman with 17 percent and former House Speaker Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Santorum with 10 percent each.

In interviews as they left their polling places, New Hampshire voters said the economy was the issue that mattered most to them, and a candidate's ability to defeat Obama outranked other qualities.

Romney had won in Iowa by a scant eight votes over Santorum, and gained barely a quarter of the vote there.

On Tuesday, he battled not only his rivals but also high expectations as the ballots were counted, particularly since his pursuers had virtually conceded New Hampshire, next-door to the state Romney governed for four years.

Seeking to undercut Romney's victory, Gingrich and others suggested in advance that anything below 40 percent or so would indicate weakness by the nomination front-runner.

They didn't mention that Sen. John McCain's winning percentage in the 2008 primary was 37 percent.

Romney's win was worth at least four delegates to the Republican National Convention next summer. Paul earned at least two delegates and Huntsman at least one. Another four remained to be awarded, based on final vote totals.

"Tonight we celebrate," Romney told his supporters. "Tomorrow we go back to work."

Unlike Iowa and New Hampshire, where unemployment is well below the national average, joblessness is far higher in South Carolina.

That creates a different political environment for the race.

The state also has a reputation for primaries turning nasty, and it appeared that all of Romney's pursuers read the new Hampshire returns as reason enough to remain in the race.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who skipped New Hampshire to get a head start in South Carolina, said Tuesday's results showed "the race for a conservative alternative to Mitt Romney remains wide open."

"We're nibbling at his heels," Paul said of Romney.

Huntsman had staked his candidacy on a strong showing in New Hampshire, and he announced after the polls closed that he had passed his own test. "Where we stand is a solid position and we go south from here," he said.

Despite struggling to gain 10 percent in New Hampshire, Gingrich and Santorum also said they were in.

About one-third of Republican voters interviewed as they left their polling places said the most important factor in choosing a candidate was finding someone who could defeat Obama in the fall.

Romney won their support overwhelmingly.

He ran about even with Huntsman among the one-quarter of the voters who cited experience as the most important factor in selecting a candidate to support.

Paul ran first among voters who cited moral character or true conservatism.

As was the case last week in Iowa, the economy was the issue that mattered most to voters, 61 percent of those surveyed. Another 24 percent cited record federal deficits.

Romney carried the first group and split the second with Paul.

The survey results came from interviews conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks with 2,670 voters across the state. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

New Hampshire has a rich history of humbling favorites, front-runners and even an occasional incumbent.

The state's Republican voters embarrassed President George H.W. Bush in 1992, when he won but was held to 53 percent of the vote against Pat Buchanan, running as an insurgent in difficult economic times. Buchanan, who never held public office, won the primary four years later over Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, who was the nominee in the fall.

In 2000, national front-runner George W. Bush rolled into the state after a convincing first-place finish in Iowa but wound up a distant second behind McCain. Bush later won the GOP nomination and then the presidency.

Twelve Republican National Convention delegates were at stake on Tuesday, out of 1,144 needed to win the nomination.

Obama was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

In his first presidential run in 2008, Romney finished second in the state to McCain. This time, he campaigned with the Arizona senator's endorsement, as well as backing from Sen. Kelly Ayotte and numerous other members of the state's Republican establishment.

Romney committed a pair of unforced errors in the campaign's final 48 hours, and the other contenders sought to capitalize.

On Sunday, after a pair of weekend debates only 12 hours apart, the millionaire former businessman said he understood the fear of being laid off. "There were a couple of times when I was worried I was going to get pink-slipped," he said, although neither he nor his aides offered specifics.

And on Monday, in an appearance before the Nashua Chamber of Commerce, Romney was discussing health insurance coverage when he said, "I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. If someone doesn't give me the good service I need, I'm going to go get somebody else to provide that service to me."

Huntsman, a former Utah governor, saw an opening. "Gov. Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs," he said.

And Gingrich said Bain Capital, the venture capital firm Romney once headed, "apparently looted the companies, left people totally unemployed and walked off with millions of dollars."

Romney has made his business experience a cornerstone of his presidential campaign, saying that Bain on balance created 100,000 jobs, and as a result, he understands how to help boost employment.

He sought to shrug off the attacks, saying he had expected them from Obama in the fall, but Gingrich and others had decided to go first. "Things can always be taken out of context," he said.

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Associated Press writers Philip Elliott, Shannon McCaffrey, Kasie Hunt, Beth Fouhy and Holly Ramer in New Hampshire, Brian Bakst in South Carolina and Connie Cass in Washington contributed to this report. Espo reported from Washington.

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Beyonce baby controversy over security, reported $1.3M floor rental addressed by hospital

The New York hospital where Beyonce recently welcomed baby daughter Blue Ivy denies reports that said her and rapper husband Jay-Z rented out an entire maternity floor for $1.3 million and had their own bodyguards take control of security in the area.

"Lenox Hill Hospital and its staff were delighted to welcome the Carter family for the birth of their firstborn on Saturday evening, but we are troubled by the misinformation being circulated in some news media reports," the medical center's executive director, Frank Danza said in a statement obtained by OnTheRedCarpet.com.

The New York Daily News quoted "staffers" from the hospital as saying that Beyonce and Jay-Z spent $1.3 million to "seal off and redecorate a wing at the upper East Side hospital, in a super-strict effort to protect their privacy."

"The suggestion that the couple paid $1.3 million to rent an entire maternity floor is simply not true," Danza said. "The family is housed in an executive suite at the hospital and is being billed the standard rate for those accommodations. Our executive suites are available for any patient, including the food service and amenities provided to the Carter family."

A Lenox Hill Hospital spokesperson had no immediate comment on Tuesday, January 10, as to what is the facility's standard rate for an executive suite.

A Brooklyn man named Neil Coulon told the New York Daily News that the couple's security guards repeatedly barred him and his relatives from entering a neonatal intensive care unit, where his wife had delivered two premature baby girls, "just because they wanted to use the hallway."

"The family does have its own security detail on site," Danza said in his statement. "However, the hospital has been and continues to be in control of managing all security at the facility."

"We have made every effort to ensure minimal disruption to other families experiencing the births of their own children over the past three days," he said. "No security plan that we or the Carters' security team put in place would have prevented or delayed families from gaining access to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and to date, no families have complained to the hospital about being denied access to the NICU.

The medical center's reps had also said no formal complaints were filed. Beyonce, 30, and Jay-Z, who is 42 and whose real name is Shawn Carter, have not commented about the reports. The couple left the hospital with their baby girl early on Tuesday, People magazine reported.

On Monday, Jay-Z recently released a new song, "Glory," which is about his newborn daughter. Blue Ivy is his first child with Beyonce, whom he married in 2008. The track, "Glory," makes reference to a miscarriage his wife had prior to the birth.

(Copyright ©2012 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.)

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Coming Up Roses: The Bachelor Blog

Here is the full transcript of the interview with Amber T. as promised!

Ambert

Question:            So let’s start from the beginning.  Why did you want to be on the show? 

Amber Tierney:                                Why did I want to be on the show?  Actually, I kind of did it on a whim.  I went with my friend, who’s this huge fan of the show, and she was going and she – we kind of talked and she was telling me, “You should go,” and I was like I kind of questioned it at first.  I didn’t know if I really wanted to, and she kind of talked me into it, and I was like, well, I really don’t have anything to lose.  So I decided to go, and then it was a good experience from there, so. 

Question:            And did you – had you seen The Bachelorette with Ben?  Did you know who he was, and were you happy he was the Bachelor? 

Amber Tierney:                                I actually did not.  I watched the first and the last episode of The Bachelorette, so I knew a little bit about him prior to going on, when I did find out he was the Bachelor.  I was happy to hear that he was, and I just learned more about him through ABC is where I found out more information about him. 

Question:            So, based on your interviews (inaudible) a shoo-in to get a rose, and I was really surprised that you didn’t get one.  Were you surprised? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I was a little surprised.  I was a little bit disappointed as well just because I did see that Jenna had got a rose, and it kind of made me question, I guess, Ben’s intentions at that point in time.  But then I realized that – I kind of reflected on it and realized that she was pretty fragile at that time and that he didn't really want to hurt her anymore, so.  I was a little surprised, though. 

Question:            It’s always interesting to see what everyone does on the first night to get his attention.  Was there anyone in particular who really shocked you? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I didn't see – I didn’t see a lot of what went on between Jenna and Monica.  I was – excuse me – I was pretty shocked with how upset that she did get, and she was just a little bit emotionally unstable.  But, then again, it's a really long night of shooting and everyone's tired, so emotions can definitely be a little bit more exaggerated in that situation. 

Question:            So from the start, you know, obviously people have, you know, girls in their mind that they think will win.  Who – which, you know, are a couple of girls that you thought stood out and that Ben really liked from the get go?  Was it Courtney or was it maybe Kacie? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I did see that he made a comment about Courtney being beautiful.  And so, you know, I could see possibly she's one of his favorites.  I'm wondering, once he gets to know her if – you know, her – she just seemed a little cold to me.  But one of my favorites was actually Nicki.  She's from – she’s from Texas, and I felt like they had a connection.  I also thought he kind of had a connection with Kacie. 

Question:            Yes.  Very cute.  And also what was the girls’ take on Jenna, the blogger?  I mean, we couldn’t – you know, watching at home, we couldn’t tell if she maybe had a couple too many glasses of wine or if she was just a little, you know, just too emotional.  What was your take on her? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I honestly did not see everything that happened in the – in the situation when I was there.  You know, personally, I kind of thought that she was a little bit of a hot mess, you know?    She got a little emotional.  But, like I said, it – everyone – you know, it was a long night and everyone's tired and, you know, emotions are high.  And, you know, drinking is involved.  So she could have had, you know, a couple, you know, too many drinks as well. 

Question:            So we saw kind of a lot more gimmicks than normal.  I mean, the horse, the grandma, you know, poems, raps.  Do you feel like, A) you wish that – you know, you regret not having sort of more of a gimmick?  I mean, maybe a plate of beef nuts or, you know, bringing your grandma for him? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I guess I probably could have brought some.  But, yes, you know, there was a lot of stuff going on and a lot of people were kind of trying to show their personalities and try to find a connection with him. 

But, you know, I'm more – I’m just more lighthearted.  I liked to joke around, and so I thought kind of with talking and saying something that I thought might surprise him at the beginning would be more my personality.  Though I thought, you know, I was thinking probably the beef nuts probably would have – might have scared him away, but. 

Question:            It might have.  It might have backfired anyway. 

Amber Tierney:                                Yes.  Yes. 

Question:            So, I just want to know, like, do you have any insight as to why you might have been eliminated?  Like did you think you were forming a connection with Ben or no?  And basically what reasoning do you think went into his decision to let you go so early on? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I still really don't know.  I think that he has a little bit of time to talk – to try and get to know, or form some sort of connection with, 25 girls.  I didn't have any one-on-one time with him and, as you saw with the first episode, the one-on-one time that I did get, he was blindfolded. 

So, you know, we didn't really get a chance to form a connection or have chemistry.  The only meeting we had was that initial meeting.  So, you know, I think that if we – if we would have got some time together, my personality would have definitely shined through and I might not have been eliminated, so. 

Question:            So when Ben greeted you outside the limo, he seemed to find your double entrance in which you told him you were giving him a second chance at finding love at first sight pretty endearing and cute.  Plus, it became known that Ben appreciates a little corniness anyway. 

So it seemed like you guys hit it off at first, but, you know, since you are a game hunter and Ben might have possibly found that a little intimidating or maybe out of his comfort zone or something, you know, how much of a role do you think your hobby played in his decision to eliminate you?

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I'm not sure.  I can see that it could possibly be intimidating, just because it's something that generally is more masculine, maybe.  But, the thing is, is that with hunting and doing that sort of – it's a hobby, so it can definitely be intimidating to some guys.  Not where I'm from.  Guys love that kind of stuff, but I could see where that would be intimidating to him. 

Question:            So, in your final words, you said you were upset because your parents felt you had wasted time on something, and this would have been your moment to do something for yourself.  It was something along those lines. 

Could you talk a little bit about what you meant by that?  Like, what exactly were they referring to, and is it considered kind of unusual to yourself to kind of put yourself first in a given situation, or what was behind that? 

Amber Tierney:                                I think that I was really excited about the experience and I was hoping to learn more about Ben, and I think that my whole family and my friends, they were really excited about the experience and I kind of felt like I sold myself short a little bit.  And I think that, you know, if given another chance, I probably would have been a little bit more assertive in the situation. 

But it was more about the experience.  I really wanted to – I thought it was a great opportunity, a great experience, and I didn't really get to have – I wasn't there very long, obviously. 

Jennifer Matarese:         Hey, so I know you said you didn’t get like a one-on-one time with Ben, but did you get any chance to talk to him at all?  And what did you get to say to him? 

Amber Tierney:                                Actually, I didn't get a chance to talk to him at all.  It was really that initial meeting and then sitting in on – sitting in on him blindfolded, so… 

Jennifer Matarese:         You didn’t – I thought you could like strike up a conversation while he was sitting there? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, the thing is that there is – there’s 25 girls, and they are – you know, they are fighting for him and they – you know, everyone's aggressive and everybody, you know, he tries to find time to spend with everybody. 

And with kind of the drama going on with Jenna and Monica and that, that kind of took time away from the other girls getting to know him, because he tried to be a mediator in that situation, and so, that's why I think that some of the girls didn't get any time at all. 

Jennifer Matarese:         And, looking back, do you wish that maybe, you know, you would have gone up to him while he was talking to somebody else and just like said, you know, some of the girls would say, “oh, can I steal you away for a few minutes” or something like that.  Do you wish you would have done that or do you think it just wasn't meant to be?  Like, if the circumstances would have been right, it would have worked out? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, I think initially there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry, but I think that if we would have had time to sit down and talk to each other, I think that that could have been different.  I do wish that I would have been a little bit more assertive and I would have approached him and tried to have a conversation with him. 

But it was – it was a pretty crazy night, and it isn't like me to really go and I guess interrupt and try to, I guess, do something that I wouldn't normally do, because that's not me.  I guess I would normally just – like I'm just not the type of person that would go in there and do something to kind of make myself stand out, whether it’s negative – in a negative way, I guess, so. 

Question:            I was just wondering, in observing Ben, what was it that sort of gave you the impression that he was actually looking for a wife? 

Amber Tierney:                                In observing him, honestly I guess I didn't get a whole lot of time to really get to know him.  My initial impression was that he was a little bit maybe more into himself or into the drama than he was into getting to know all of the girls really well. 

And, like I said, I wasn't there for a whole lot of time.  I wasn't with him, you know, throughout the whole episode or throughout the whole filming, excuse me, so I'm not – I can't – that's kind of an assumption.  You know, that was my observation. 

Question:            And do you – from what seen in the girls that he picked, do you think he’s giving the right girls a chance? 

Amber Tierney:                                He can only go off of the conversations that he had that night.  You know, the thing with me is – like I said, initially I kind of questioned his intentions and his character for picking Jenna because that seemed to me, if you're looking for a wife, that's not somebody you would choose, somebody that's not very stable and started causing drama already.  But, then again, like I said, I kind of reflected on that, and she was fragile and I'm sure he didn't want to hurt her.  But in looking for a wife, at that point in time, that’s not something that should really matter.  As to, you know, you shouldn't necessarily feel bad about that and you should pick people that you truly could see yourself with.  And so, I don't – I don’t think all of his choices are that – you know, I don't think that – I guess actually what I should say is that in the time he had, he made the best choice that he could.  That's what I should say. 

Question:            Hi.  So you did touch on the kind of gimmicks people used earlier in the call.  I was wondering in particular what did you make of Lindzi arriving on her horse and then Brittney arriving with her grandmother?  Were you thinking that was going to give them such an extra edge, or were you just kind of laughing along with it, thinking it was funny?

Amber Tierney:                                You know, with Lindzi riding in on her horse, I thought that was pretty clever.  She definitely deserved that first impression rose.  That was really neat. 

You know, they did things that made them really stand out, so they're definitely going to have that extra edge for sure. 

Question:            And was there anything that you saw in any of the girls that we maybe didn't see during the show that would make you think they're going to kind of be the ones to watch this season?  Maybe they’re going to be causing a lot of drama or that they’re going to be interesting for us to watch? 

Amber Tierney:                                Well, with the – let's see here – you know, I think that I'm a really big fan of Nicki.  I actually – I had a couple of conversations with her, and she was just a genuinely sweet girl.  Though, at the same time, (inaudible) and I think that she'll voice her opinion and what she thinks. 

So, if anybody gets in the way of what she wants, I think she'll let it be known how she feels and what she thinks.  At the same time, she seemed like a really, really sweet girl. 

With drama, I think you could kind of tell from the first episode, you know, Jenna might be a little bit emotional.  I think Monica will definitely, you know, maybe be the puppet in the situation and she'll be able to play a lot of people for sure. 

Question:            OK.  I was wondering, assuming that you are still single currently, is there a previous Bachelor or one of the suitors from The Bachelorette that you would be interested in going out on a date with and getting to know better on a personal level? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, prior to J.P. being picked, and, you know, obviously now getting married, that was somebody that I was a really big fan of. 

The other one, and I don't even remember his name.  I think he went on a date with Ashley to – they went to Las Vegas, and I can't remember his name.  But…

Question:            The one (inaudible) got married?  (Inaudible). 

Amber Tierney:                                Yes.  Yes.  That date, and it was kind of a joke.  Yes, that – oh, that was William?  Yes, definitely.  He seems like a really nice, down to earth guy, and that's kind of somebody that I'm looking for. 

Question:            OK.  And did you witness that whole scene between Monica and Blakely cuddling?  I know you had brought up Monica and Jenna, but you didn’t bring up the Blakely situation. 

Amber Tierney:                                Yes.  I did not see that.  I mean, I did watch the episode and I saw it there, but I wasn't there.  When I was there, I did not see them together, so. 

Question:            So my first question you’re a successful young woman.  What was – what went behind your decision to participate in The Bachelor? 

Amber Tierney:                                You know, there were a couple of different things.  One was that I actually moved to Kansas City and it's really, really hard to date here, and I thought, you know, why not?  Why not try it?  Who knows, I mean, maybe something really good could come out of this. 

And the other thing was is the experience, just going in and having fun, having a good time.  I have worked hard my whole life and, you know, I just needed to do something for myself, and I thought the experience would be something that I would truly enjoy. 

Question:            And was there ever a point – do you think that other contestants, including yourself, ever get concerned about being – participating in The Bachelor, how it would affect their careers and their future lives afterwards?  Did that ever cross your mind or do you think that crosses people’s minds in general? 

Amber Tierney:                                I hope that it wouldn’t cross people’s minds, but, you know, I don't know if it does because it’s like whatever you say, whatever you do can – people can take that how they want to or can (inaudible) or you portrayed or edited in a way that maybe you did not necessarily mean it. 

And, the thing is, when you go on something like that, that’s something that you need to realize can happen, and maybe some people don’t, but I would think that everybody would take that into consideration prior to signing up for something like that. 

Question:            Hey, Amber.  So a quick question, did you bring – how many dresses did you bring with you for this show?  And did you – you know, how did you pick out your dress for the first night? 

Amber Tierney:                                Oh, wow.  I brought a lot of dresses.  It was probably – including like cocktail, it could have been 15 or so. 

And then how I picked out my dress, I actually got together with my family.  It was a couple of nights before I left, and we all got together and I tried on a couple of them.  And they really were – they loved the yellow one, and so that's what we had really decided on, was that one.  We just all got together and that was the – that was the crowd favorite, so. 

Question:            Very good.  And so – and were the girls at the (inaudible) ceremony, do you guys like critique each other out – you know, (every other) girl’s gowns or how does that work? 

Amber Tierney:                                Excuse me.  You know, I’m sure everybody’s kind of like sizing the other person up, looking and saying, “OK, well, you know, what is this girl wearing?  Who is this girl?”  That sort of thing.  So I’m sure that’s what happens.  It’s not something, though, that they’d talk about.  I’m sure it’s something they think. 

Question:            We loved seeing you on the show, and now that you have an insight about the process, what do you think about Jenna’s behavior? 

Amber Tierney:                                I think that Jenna could have handled the situation a little bit differently.  Like I had mentioned, you know, when I saw her, I was thinking, "Oh, my gosh.  This girl is a hot mess.”  This is ridiculous to get this upset over something.  

But, when I look back, I just, you know, also need to take into consideration that it was a long night.  There was some alcohol involved and emotions were high, and she was already upset.  So – but, then again, you know, her coming in mid-Rose Ceremony and getting a rose was definitely disappointing for sure. 

Question:            Right.  And since you were there the night of the Rose Ceremony, how do you think Ben felt about her behavior that night? 

Amber Tierney:                                Well, the thing is, is that I think that he didn’t probably want to hurt her more.  He already saw that she was upset and maybe didn't want to hurt her anymore.  But I would think that that would be kind of a red flag for him –

Question:            So when Anna stepped out of the limo, she chose to blow right past Ben without saying anything.  What did you think of that entrance, because in Chris Harrison’s blog, he said her move really upset Ben, actually, and that after that she had no chance with him at all.  Do you agree and feel that's what happened?  And would you say you'd feel the same way as Ben if you had been in his shoes? 

Amber Tierney:                                No.  You know, I guess I would have kind of looked at it as – you know, the thing is it's kind of a pretentious move, and it’s not something, you know – I guess if he kind of felt that – maybe offended by it, I guess, I could see maybe how he wouldn't want to get to know her better. 

But I – you know, I think the thing is, is that everybody kind of makes their entrance.  I don't think that she meant anything by it.  I think it was just something that she did to catch his attention.  But obviously it was what – she wasn’t – obviously she probably shouldn't have done that. 

Question:            And besides you and Anna, Dianna, Lyndsie, Holly, Amber B. and Shira all got eliminated as well.  How well did you get to know any of those girls and what were your impressions of them while you were on the show?  And do you have any idea why Ben might have eliminated any of them? 

Amber Tierney:                                Let's see here.  The girl that walked by him – what’s her name again? 

Question:            Anna. 

Amber Tierney:                                OK, Anna.  You know, she did seem slightly pretentious to me, so that could be a reason.  Dianna was kind of meek and she just – she wasn't very outgoing, which could have – could have been a reason why.  She just seemed kind of quiet.  The other one – let’s see here.  I think she was from Kentucky, I believe.

Question:            Holly? 

Amber Tierney:                                Holly, yes.  I didn't really get to know the other girls.  I didn't really meet the other girls.  The only two that I had met was Dianna, and that was really when I was sitting there and she had blindfolded him, and then Anna. 

Beth Kwiatkowski:           OK. 

Amber Tierney:                                Let’s see here.  The one from England… 

Question:            Lyndsie?  

Amber Tierney:                                Lyndsie.  She – was she eliminated the first night? 

Question:            Yes. 

Amber Tierney:                                Yes.  No, she seemed like a sweetheart, so I have no idea.  Maybe she didn't get the one-on-one time.  I mentioned earlier that, you know, with all the drama going on, he didn't – there were a handful of girls that he didn't get any one-on-one time with, and that could be a reason, that he didn't get to talk to her, so he had no idea who she was or what she was about, and that's what he had to go off of. 

Question:            Sure.  And any thoughts on the other – Amber or Shira?  Amber…

Amber Tierney:                                I don’t think I talked to them at all that night. 

Question:            OK.  Sure.  And my last question is I know you might have touched on this a little bit, but just to clarify, you know, how did you end up on The Bachelor?  Did you apply or did someone nominate you?  And also, was it your first time applying for the show? 

Amber Tierney:                                Oh, yes.  Yes.  It was my first time doing anything like this.  So, it was not something that I would normally do.  It was actually a friend.  A friend was going.  She was a huge fan and she said, you know, you should go, and I just thought to myself, what do I have to lose?  And I did it, and it was positive from there on out.  

Hugs, Kisses & Roses,

Jennifer Matarese


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Looks Like a Strawberry, Tastes Like a Pineapple

Lauren Torrisi

By Lauren Torrisi

ht pineberry thg 120110 wblog Looks Like a Strawberry, Tastes Like a Pineapple Pineberries, also known as white strawberries, are shown here. Wikipedia

Forget the hassle and mess of cutting open a pineapple.  Pineberries, a white strawberry with red seeds that tastes like a pineapple, are predicted to be the new “it” fruit of the summer. 

Compared to the large strawberries Americans are accustomed to, the pineberry is very small.  They are in season for about five weeks, starting in the beginning of April.  They have limited availability in the United States, but their popularity could dictate otherwise.

The pineberry originated in South America and was then later brought over to France. Recently, the fruit was found and then revived and grown on a commercial basis.

Have you tried this new fruit?  Are you going to look for it at your local market this April?  Let us know.


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Beyonce and Jay-Z welcome baby girl, say reports

Beyonce and Jay-Z welcomed a daughter, baby-bumping the music power duo to a trio Saturday night.

According to a report by E! News, sources confirmed the singer gave birth via scheduled C-section at Lenox Hill hospital in New York.

The baby's name was originally reported by E! as Ivy Blue. The New York Daily News says the girl's name is Blue Ivy.

Update: 9:00 a.m. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow confirmed the baby's name as Blue Ivy when asked by a follower on Twitter.

"RT @Sparrow_Teague @GwynethPaltrow is it ivy blue, or blue ivy? so confused..It's Blue Ivy Carter," Paltrow wrote.

The actress previously sent out a Tweet welcoming the baby saying, "Welcome to the world Blue! We love you already."

Spokespeople for both Beyonce and Jay-Z have not commented on the birth or the name of the child.

Beyonce's sister Solange Knowles shared her first thoughts of the new baby early Sunday morning tweeting, "The most beautiful girl in the world."

The couple's close friend and music mogul Russell Simmons celebrated the new arrival by tweeting, "congrats to my good friends Beyonce and Jay-Z."

Rihanna also gave a shout on Twitter, "Welcome to the world princess Carter! Love Aunty Rih."

The 30-year-old singer announced her pregnancy during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards in August. During her 2011 MTV VMA performance she told the audience, "I want you to feel the love that's growing inside me." At the end she opened her sequined tuxedo jacket and rubbed her stomach, to the delight of the crowd.

It is the first child for the singer, who is married to 41-year-old rapper Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. The couple got married on April 4, 2008. The nuptials were so secret that no photos or video from the event were released. The couple got married with a close circle of 40 friends and family members after dating for six years.

Rumors that the pop star had given birth in December sparked a Twitter frenzy , but the craze was never backed up by any evidence.

(Copyright ©2012 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.)

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Barricades removed from around Zuccotti Park

AP  By CRISTIAN SALAZARNEW YORK -- Barricades surrounding a park that served as a camp for Occupy Wall Street protesters were removed Tuesday, allowing protesters to stream back in.

The atmosphere was celebratory but calm on Tuesday evening as about 300 protesters began filling New York City's Zuccotti Park a couple of hours after the barricades were taken down and a day after a complaint about the barricades was filed with the city.

Protesters milled around, eating lasagna on paper plates and playing chess.

Security guards who were previously guarding the barricades stood off to the side, along with a handful of police officers. It was a minor victory for the protesters, who have complained about financial inequality in demonstrations that gained traction across the globe.

"Word spread pretty quickly, and we ran down here," demonstrator Lauren DiGioia said. "It's hard to remember what it was like before the barricades were put up."

Police spokesman Paul Browne said the NYPD and Brookfield Office Properties, the park's owner, had been talking about removing the barriers last week. The decision was made to remove them Tuesday because officials felt they were no longer necessary, Browne said.

Brookfield spokeswoman Melissa Coley confirmed in an email that the barricades were taken down but declined to comment further. A Brookfield employee who refused to give his name told an Associated Press reporter: "The barriers are down, but the other rules are the same."

Some Occupy protesters planned to stay overnight, DiGioia said, but it was unclear whether they planned to use tents or sleeping bags, which have been banned from the lower Manhattan park since an early morning police raid evicted protesters Nov. 15.

One security guard told a group of protesters: "No sleeping bags allowed, either, OK, folks?"

Zuccotti Park regulations, stipulated by Brookfield, ban everything from erecting tents or tarps to lying down on benches.

Those rules were not enforced until the police raid, and were only made public after protesters began occupying the park on Sept. 17.

Until then, the only visible rules posted in the park forbade skateboarding, rollerblading and bicycling.

Protester Jeff Brewer said he tried to erect a tent but it was quickly taken down by security guards.

"I was still putting in the poles when they showed up," Brewer said. "Our food is in, our library is up. I think it's going to be a big celebration for us in the park right now."

On Monday, civil rights groups filed a complaint with the city's buildings department saying the barricades were a violation of city zoning law because they restricted public access to the space. The New York Civil Liberties Union commended the removal of the barricades in a statement late Tuesday.

"We're pleased the city is finally giving the park back to the people," said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. "We hope Zuccotti Park can now resume its rightful place as a center for meeting and protest in New York City."

Since the eviction, members of the public had only been able to enter the public through two checkpoints at the park that were guarded by police officers or security personnel.

The granite plaza near the New York Stock Exchange is one of more than 500 "bonus plazas" in the city: privately owned public parks borne of a little-known compromise struck in 1961 between the city and developers. According to the compromise, in exchange for building a towering skyscraper, developers had to also construct a plaza that would provide "light and air" for passers-by. The bigger the plaza, the taller the building could be.

Virtually all bonus plazas are required to be open 24 hours a day, barring a safety issue. They are governed by specific regulations in the zoning law. For example, the law states that the layout of such plazas must promote public use and easy pedestrian circulation throughout the space.

The complaint accused the city of failing to enforce the law by allowing the barricades to exist. Buildings department spokesman Tony Sclafani said Monday that inspectors had found no problems at the park.

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Associated Press writers Meghan Barr and Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.

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new york city, wall street protest, new york news

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