January 19, 1999

SMALL FUND PACKS A WALLOP: A 33% RETURN

JEFF Van Harte hates the investing principle that calls for shareholders to pull out of a fund when a popular portfolio manager decides to leave. It's not too surprising to...

EDGAR TUNES OUT MOVIES - UNIVERSAL PUTTING ITS FOCUS ON MUSIC

After spending billions and incurring massive criticism, Edgar Bronfman Jr. appears to be falling out of love with Hollywood. Burned by a string of high-profile movie flops, the Seagram boss...

WENNER WINS GOLD-COIN TOSS IN COURT

Who has the real $10 million in gold coins? That's what the former handyman for publisher Jann Wenner wants to know. Wenner won the first round in a lengthy legal...

NINE WEST TO SHUT 9 NYC STORES; EXCLUSIVE

Nine West Group is doing a little shopping of its own. The troubled women's shoe maker and retailer is hoping to close up to nine underperforming city stores, sources tell...

NICE OF THE NORTH - LIKE THE FRENCH CITY, GERMANY'S HISTORIC WIESBADEN OFFERS A MEDITERRANEAN CLIME & COSMOPOLITIAN CHIC

AS every ardent Elvis Presley fan knows, Wiesbaden is where the King courted Priscilla. (Priscilla's dad was stationed at the U.S. air force base there during Elvis' hitch in the...

TRAVELER'S UPDATE

Water way to go If you're considering a trip on a ship with the brood in tow, check out the Travel Company's new "Guide to Family Cruising." The 16-page booklet...

PASS THIS ONE UP ONDAR NO CIRCUMSTANCE

*BACK TUVA FUTURE Ondar Warner Bros. Records History of Tuva 101: Deep in the heart of Asia, at the headwaters of Siberia's Yenisei River, lies the lost land of Tannu...

A GREAT DANE REVIVAL

ASK any knowledgeable dance fan to name the names that make New York City Ballet dance the way New York City Ballet today dances, and those names will fall trippingly...

JETS LOSS IS CH.2'S GAIN

THE Jets might have fumbled the big game in Denver - but they scored huge ratings on their home turf in New York. The Jets' heartbreaking 23-10 loss to Denver...

CHARLIE, DIANE JOLT 'GMA'

"Good Morning America: The Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer Edition"Weekdays at 9 a.m. on WABC/Ch.7 WITH their debut as interim anchors yesterday, Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer did more than...

FOX SUPER JACKPOT - RECORD $142M FROM 10-HOUR PIGSKIN BLITZ

BETWEEN an unprecedented seven-hour pre-game show and Super Bowl XXXIII - where ads are priced at $1.6 million each - Fox is expected to rack in $142 million, the single...

ROMANIAN PREZ ROCKED BY SEX SCANDAL

The presidency is once again being torn by allegations of an affair between the leader and a woman less than half his age - but this scandal is the talk...

NANNY CHANGES PLEA TO GUILTY IN BABY'S DEATH

An Australian nanny interrupted her trial yesterday to admit she unintentionally killed a 6-month-old British baby who died of head injuries while in her care. Louise Sullivan, 27, made a...

HE'S IN HOG HEAVEN OVER BEATING HARLEY

Harley-Davidson can no longer be a pig with the word "hog." A Manhattan federal appeals-court judge has ruled that the owner of a 30-year-old West Seneca, N.Y., motorcycle-repair shop called...

ESSAY CONTEST WAS JUST THE TICKET FOR L.I. TEEN

A 14-year-old Long Island girl will be right there in the visitors' gallery in the House of Representatives tonight as President Clinton delivers his address to the nation. Stacy Braverman,...

RUDY REMODELING HOUSING AUTHORITY

Mayor Giuliani intends to shake up the Housing Authority by dispatching one of his oldest and most trusted pals - Peter Powers - to scrutinize the agency and recommend changes,...

'JR.' COULD FACE DOUBLE TROUBLE IN TWIN TRIALS

Prosecutors in the racketeering case against John A. "Junior" Gotti want him to face two separate trials, a plan the reputed mob scion will reject in court today, The Post...

MEMBERS GET RUNAROUND AT LUCILLE ROBERTS GYMS - CITY FINES CHAIN FOR BILLING WOES

TV ads for the Lucille Roberts gyms promote fun and fitness, but the Department of Consumer Affairs is slapping them with $150,000 in fines for holding members and their money...

NO-CONSENT TESTING SPURS PROBE; SILVER LAUNCHES INQUIRY INTO STATE POLICY

ALBANY - Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday began an investigation into the state Health Department's oversight of human experiments on the mentally ill and the disabled. Silver (D-Manhattan) announced a...

POL: PROBE GI SPOUSE ABUSE

Long Island Rep. Carolyn Maloney called yesterday for a congressional investigation into domestic abuse in the military, following a scathing "60 Minutes" report on the issue that was aired Sunday....

FLAKE: HARD WORK WILL SET US FREE

ALBANY - The Rev. Floyd Flake urged 1,000 people at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration yesterday to stop "acting like a victim" - and received thunderous applause in...

BOY, 8, WHO WROTE TO HYDE NOW SAYS: I'M REALLY PRO-PREZ; KID NOW SAYS: I'M PRO-PREZ

An 8-year-old Chicago boy whose letter about presidential lies was read by Rep. Henry Hyde to sum up the case for booting President Clinton said yesterday the president should remain...

YELTSIN TO BE IN HOSP FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS

Boris Yeltsin may not need surgery but will have to spend at least two weeks in the hospital to recover from a bleeding ulcer, his top doctor said yesterday. The...

LOWEY MAY BE FIRST TO TOSS HAT IN RING

"I'm seriously and actively looking at the Senate race and talking with political leaders and supporters about it." NITA LOWEY Rep. Nita Lowey is sounding out Democratic leaders and stepping...

BILL'S SECRET WEAPON: LADY LAWYER; HARVARD-EDUCATED ATT'Y TO DEFEND HIM

WASHINGTON - With the most important part of his Senate impeachment trial yet to come, President Clinton's legal team is expected to unleash a little-known lawyer on his behalf: Nicole...

TA SUSPENDS 11 IN GOLDBRICK PROBE - MANAGER SHAKEUP MAY BE EXPANDED; EXCLUSIVE

Heads are rolling at the Transit Authority after a probe found employees skipping out of work early, the Post has learned. The TA has suspended or removed 11 managers in...

DAY OF TRIBUTE FOR DR. KING - CITY AND NATION REMEMBER SLAIN CIVIL-RIGHTS HERO

City residents honored the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday with speeches, memorial services and tributes to the slain civil-rights leader, who would have been 70. At the city's...

RUDY: IGNORE GROUCHY GOV - VA. WANTS OUR GARBAGE

Virginia's governor may not want the city's garbage, but Mayor Giuliani said yesterday there are communities in the Southern state clamoring for our trash. "There are more places that want...

PREZ TO HAVE SLUGGER SOSA IN STANDS FOR HIS BIG PITCH

President Clinton is getting a little power boost at tonight's State of the Union speech - home-run hero Sammy Sosa will be his guest, the baseball great's agent confirmed yesterday....

GORE TO VISIT TWISTER-TATTERED TENNESSEE

Vice President Al Gore tomorrow will tour tornado-torn Tennessee, where twisters killed at least eight people, injured at least 100 and flattened homes, businesses and power lines. "My heart goes...

U.S. WARNS SERBS AS SHELLING FOLLOWS MASSACRE

The United States warned a defiant Yugoslavia yesterday that it was "playing with fire" as its Serbian army again bombarded the site of last week's massacre of civilians in Kosovo....

REV. AL OKS PEACE TALK IN B'HURST RACE-SLAY

The Rev. Al Sharpton said yesterday he'd advise Yusuf Hawkins' parents to meet with the contrite ringleader of the mob that killed their son in a Bensonhurst racial attack -...

CONCERT BENEFITS A COP-KILLING VERMIN

A WARRIOR in the front line of protecting our lives died so others could celebrate his death. While those words sound a little Shakespearian, I have to confess I stole...

MOM MAY FACE SLAY RAP IN BX. TOT'S FIRE DEATH

A baby girl yesterday died in a Bronx apartment fire that started while her mother was upstairs with a neighbor, witnesses and fire officials said. Rina Quintanilla, 18, may face...

TA SUSPENDS 11 MANAGERS IN PROBE OF GOLDBRICKING; EXCLUSIVE

Heads are rolling at the Transit Authority after a probe found employees skipping out of work early, the Post has learned. The TA has suspended or removed 11 managers in...

SOSA FUROR SPOILS DINNER

An annual dinner honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of peace turned into war last night - after baseball slugger Sammy Sosa pulled a no-show when organizers failed to give...

6-FOOT-10 SUSPECT IS SOUGHT IN RAPE

A hulking rapist and robber so tall he'd easily stand out in a crowd is being sought by police for two Upper West Side incidents, authorities said today. The suspect...

BILL'S SECRET WEAPON: LADY LAWYER - HARVARD-EDUCATED ATT'Y TO DEFEND HIM

ABSTRACT: WASHINGTON - With the most important part of his Senate impeachment trial yet to come, President Clinton's legal team is expected to unleash a little-known lawyer on his behalf:...

BIG A CANCELS AFTER ONE

It's getting to sound like a broken record. Because of the weather, Aqueduct cancelled yesterday for the fifth time in the last 12 scheduled racing days this year. By contrast,...

NETS FACE POINTED QUESTION

Training camps for the NBA have been pushed back one more day at least. And that means the Nets' backup point guard solution has been delayed by one more day...

RANGERS GOTTA BE KIDDING

BRIAN Burke's refusal to negotiate with the Rangers took Neil Smith off the hook. In the end, the GM never had to decide whether giving up, say, Dan Cloutier, Niklas...

BILLET KNOWS KNIGHTS RUNNIN' OUT OF TIME

After struggling through four losses in their last five games, Rutgers has seen its NCAA Tournament hopes dim considerably in the past month. Then, the Scarlet Knights were 9-2 and...

AMAZIN'S INK NOMO TO $2.9M CONTRACT

The Mets signed right-handed pitcher Hideo Nomo to a one-year contract worth $2.925 million yesterday, reducing their list of salary arbitration eligible players to five. The Amazins are banking on...

SAVE 'CUPID' - NOW!

THERE'S still time to convince us why we should invite you to our apartment Saturday for munchies and a mini-marathon with which we will kick off our desperate "Save 'Cupid'"...

SMITH WON'T RIP BURKE, BUT ...

SENATORS at RANGERS Tonight 7:30 - MSG WFAN (660 AM) When pressed on the Pavel Bure deal yesterday in Rye, Rangers GM Neil Smith chose his words like the rest...

BIG GAME IS FOR THE BIRDS

THEY won with no individual superstar effort. Running back Jamal Anderson, who had to gain about 140 yards for the Falcons to have a chance to beat Minnesota Sunday, was...

IT'S A BLUNDERFUL LIFE

JET REPORT CARD QUARTERBACK: B+ Vinny Testaverde (31-for-52, 356, 0 TDs, 2 INTs) played well enough to win. This was the biggest game of his football life and he played...

YANKING HIS CHAIN WILL JETER REPLACE BERNIE IN $$ WARS?

Is Derek Jeter about to replace Bernie Williams as the Yankees' No. 1 foe in the arbitration process? With Williams finally locked up via a monster seven-year deal worth $87.5...

GRANT MAY HAVE WRIST FRACTURE

Tyrone Grant had his severely sprained right wrist re-examined yesterday, and there are concerns the St. John's senior forward could be lost for a significant period of time. Grant underwent...

A SEASON STUFFED IN HEFTY BAGS; JETS LEARN WHAT IT TAKES

KEYSHAWN Johnson was cleaning out the locker at Weeb Ewbank Hall that has been his home-away-from home since July. He rummaged through several pairs of sneakers and cleats, throwing those...

EL OF A GRUDGE MATCH

THE get-well card apparently still in the mail, John Elway sends praise even more faint than the Falcons' pre-season Super Bowl hopes to the recuperating Dan Reeves. "He's got them...

ISLES PICK UP JANNEY

On the day he lost star defenseman Kenny Jonsson for a month, Islanders GM/coach Mike Milbury acquired veteran Tampa Bay center Craig Janney for a sixth-round pick to try to...

KNICKS DESPERATE TO ADD SPREE; KNICKS MUSN'T CHOKE IN BID FOR SPREWELL

It's believed the Knicks are offering some combination of Chris Childs, John Starks, Chris Mills and a draft pick for Sprewell. Desperate to make a change and afraid their archrivals...

PARCELLS' SUPER BOWL BLUEPRINT - TUNA PONDERS MOVES TO FINISH JOB WITH JETS

"I told the players I won't rest. My whole idea is to try to improve this team each year. [There are] seven or eight things that would be prominent that...

SKIDDING DEVILS ARE SHARK BAIT

SAN JOSE - The captain apologized, but the Sharks took full revenge anyway. Each time Scott Stevens touched the puck, the boos cascaded from the full house. The Sharks slammed...

KARL KING OF NBA INGRATES

CHECK IN with people who have a need to know and you hear that Karl Malone, Chris Webber and Glen Rice are thinking seriously of not reporting to their respective...

PEPPER LOOKS TO BE AMONG GREEN GONERS

JET NOTES Bill Parcells met with the Jets as a group yesterday and then had several private player meetings. Among those were talks with several veterans, including linebacker Pepper Johnson,...

JETS PLUCK MITCHELL OFF SCRAP HEAP

He's baaaack. In a bizarre turn of events, the Jets yesterday signed their former first-round-pick bust, tight end Johnny Mitchell, to a contract after Mitchell had called Bill Parcells asking...

HUNGRY KNIGHTS SQUEEZE ORANGE

PISCATAWAY - After losing four of their previous five games and seeing their NCAA hopes dwindle, team co-captain Geoff Billet had urged his Rutgers teammates to play last night's game...

SPREE WAS PART OF 4-TEAM TALKS; 4-TEAM SWAP COLLAPSES

BEFORE the Knicks and Latrell Sprewell bonded, there was an astonishing four-way deal under discussion that couldn't help but come unraveled. The Heat were to get Sprewell, Bimbo Coles and...

KNICKS GET DOWN TO BIZ WITH DUDLEY

Chris Dudley averaged only 1.3 points per game last season, but that is no way to recognize his true value to the team. The Knicks continue to negotiate with the...

MALONE, WEBBER, RICE IN UNHOLY UNION; SELFISH PLAYERS WON'T CHANGE WAYS

CHECK IN with people who have a need to know and you hear that Karl Malone, Chris Webber and Glen Rice are thinking seriously of not reporting to their respective...

NETS NAB MCILVAINE FOR SHOT-BLOCKING

The Nets need a shot-blocker. they're getting a shot-blocker. To beef up the front line with interior defense, bulk and size, the Nets will be adding 7-1 center Jim McIlvaine...