February 19, 2000

PENNY STOCK SCANDAL TRIPS UP MADDEN

Platform shoe king Steve Madden took a fall yesterday, after he was linked to a penny stock scandal and investors pounded his stock. Shares of Steve Madden Ltd. fell 18...

REPORT: HDP DROPS CALVIN KLEIN BID

HdP has dropped out of the bidding for Calvin Klein Inc., according to a published report. Under pressure from major shareholders, CEO Maurizio Romiti has backed down, said the Italian...

MERGER FALLOUT NO. 2 EXEC AT TIME WARNER DIGITAL MAY LEAVE

Time Warner's new media operations appear to be getting a shakeup in advance of the company's planned acquisition by America Online. Time Warner veteran Michael Pepe, currently chief operating officer...

PICKS AND PANS FOR KIDS

ABSTRACT: PICK OF THE WEEK Last week gave us two fine family movies - Disney's "The Tigger Movie" and , to a lesser extent, the PG-rated "Snow Day." Those were...

A WEEK'S WORTH OF FUN

The kids have the week off, thanks to midwinter break - and visions of cabin fever dance in your head. Not to worry. Even if you can't pack everyone off...

SCULLY & MULDER MEET 'COPS?' THAT'S...; X-TREMELY CONFUSING

"The X-Files: The X-Cops" Tomorrow at 9 p.m. on WNYW/Ch.5 FOR its 150th episode, "The X-Files" creative team decided to be, er, creative, and has Scully and Mulder investigating a...

A KICK IN THEIR ; 'ASHES' ; MCCOURTS FIRE BACK AT ACTOR HARRIS

"More than four decades of knowing [Richard Harris] -- it's a shock to find out he is suffering from Irish Alzheimer's disease, where you forget everything except your grudges." THEY...

GORE MAY GET A LIBERAL DOSE OF RUDY IN N.Y. RUN

VICE President Al Gore could find himself caught in a political squeeze later this year -- caused by the big chill that's set in between Mayor Giuliani and the Conservative...

FEDS NIX BID TO REMOVE ELIAN FROM HIS DWI UNCLE

Immigration officials yesterday rejected a request to remove Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez from the home of his great-uncle - who has come under fire for two drunk-driving convictions. Six-year-old Elian's...

B'KLYN TEEN GUILTY IN E-BLACKMAIL

An 18-year-old Brooklyn man pleaded guilty yesterday to sending Internet bomb threats to IBM offices last summer. Jahair Navarro, who lives with his mother, sent a message in August threatening...

ZOINK! VID-GAME DEVOTEES ZAP WEB SITE

Millions of video-game fans crashed the Web site of Sony's PlayStation early yesterday when they tried to place the first advance orders for the upgraded system. The 128-bit PlayStation 2...

MARILYN MANSON'S 'SICK' TRIBUTE

With a nod to his namesake, shock rocker Marilyn Manson paid homage to convicted killer Charles Manson by recording his song "Sick City," written in the late '60s when Charlie...

FBI PROBES COPY-HACK ATTACKS ON WEB SITES

The FBI has quietly quadrupled the number of investigations of computer hackers because of a slew of new attacks since the massive assaults on e-commerce sites earlier this month, federal...

REFORMERS LOOK SET FOR A BIG WIN IN IRAN ; MULLAHS' INFLUENCE IS SLIPPING

Iran's reformers, campaigning on promises of a more modern society and improved relations with the United States, appeared headed for a stunning victory in yesterday's parliamentary elections. Millions of young...

FAT'S REALLY ; SOMETHIN'! ; 'BOD POD' BARES THE SKINNY ON LARD YOU CARRY

It may look like a prop from Star Wars, but this is the latest weapon in the fight against fat. The Bod Pod, which is being unveiled at Manhattan's All...

TOP DEM: RUDY RAZED GARDEN FOR $UPPORTER

State Democratic chief Judith Hope yesterday accused Mayor Giuliani of demolishing a community garden as a "quid pro quo" to a developer who is one of his campaign contributors. "We...

'BOILING' MAD CITY BIG GETS $ATISFACTION

Ben Affleck and Giovanni Ribisi play unscrupulous young brokers in "Boiler Room," hailed as the "Wall Street" of the nineties.New Line Cinema Worked under Marlin.A top city economist who was...

FED GETS 'DROP' ON DOW 295-POINT SELL-OFF AS RATE HIKES SOCK STOX

Investors headed into the Presidents Day weekend with fewer dead presidents in their pocket after the stock market nose-dived nearly 300 points yesterday. And there may be more to come....

ARIZONA, MICHIGAN COMING UP QUICK

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Republican upstart John McCain is running ahead in Michigan and Arizona -- the next two stops on the campaign trail -- but that could change after today's...

STATE PROBES TOP S.I. BRAIN SURGEON

Staten Island University Hospital's chief neurosurgeon was forced to step down yesterday while officials investigate the death of one of his patients. State Health Commissioner Antonia Novello said the hospital...

FBI STINGS CUBAN 'SPY' PASSING ON BOGUS INFO

A paunchy senior U.S. immigration official charged with spying for Cuba phoned his contact just 12 minutes after being fed bogus classified information in an FBI sting, investigators said yesterday....

SCHOOLS BOSS REACTS TO KID SUICIDE

Interim Schools Chancellor Harold Levy -- reacting to a 10-year-old Bronx student's suicide -- says school officials have to implement tough new graduation requirements carefully to avoid causing similar tragedies....

'PICKET' FENCE KEEPS AL AWAY ; FROM D.C. POWWOW

Veep Al Gore, torn between blacks and union workers, yesterday phoned in his speech to an Africa summit so he wouldn't have to cross a hotel-union picket line to get...

ELLSWORTH HAPPY IN CLEVELAND

Life around the front corner of the Giants locker room will not be the same now that the club has officially lost one of its most outgoing, personable players. Percy...

TOT OFFERED FOR SALE: WITNESS

Offered for $1 million?A young mom of three was busted yesterday for endangering her 2-month-old son after she allegedly tried to peddle the infant for $1 million in a snowy...

KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FAILS AND DASHES ; AILING DA'S HOPES

The inspirational story of a Staten Island prosecutor's gift of life -- a kidney -- to his district-attorney boss turned tragic yesterday when the transplant failed. Ailing Staten Island District...

COPS HUNT KILLER WHO FLED B'KLYN PSYCH WARD

A confessed murderer with a history of escapes brazenly fled from red-faced guards at a Brooklyn psychiatric ward and was on the lam last night, authorities and sources said. A...

TV GROOM'S EX: IT'S A $HAM

Hometown pals of Rick Rockwell say his role as the groom on Wednesday night's top-rated Fox TV special "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" raises two questions: Is he really...

S.C. RACE IS GOING ; DOWN TO THE WIRE ; BUSH LEADS IN POLLS, BUT ONLY BY A WHISKER

"If the voter turnout is big, we win. It's that simple."SEN. JOHN McCAINCHARLESTON, S.C. -- John McCain and George W. Bush did last-minute barnstorming through South Carolina yesterday as polls...

LIONS SHOW THE ROYALS THEY'RE ONES TO BEAT

Loughlin 52 - CTK 40 Bishop Loughlin head coach Bob Leckie said that this past week would show whether his team was "for real." He got his answer: It is....

NEW GARDEN ICE COULD BE SPEED BUMP FOR RANGERS

The Rangers wanted to get back to a skating game last night, wanted to get back to the speed and skill game they had used to advantage in manufacturing the...

NOW-OR-NEVER NETS MUST BATTLE THE BEST

The Nets like to point out that they have played some of their best basketball this season - honest, they did have some good games - against the better teams....

MESS THE ANSWER FOR DEVILS ; EX-RANGER IS FINAL PIECE TO PUZZLE

GET READY to redecorate those Devil horns as antlers. Moose antlers. Attracting the value shopper, Mark Messier seems the one way for Lou Lamoriello to get the most bang for...

YANKS UNPREPARED FOR POSADA ADVENTURE

TAMPA -- There is no lifeline. No 50-50 to share the job. No call a friend because the friend is gone. No polling the audience because the fans will not...

GARTH'S GUARANTEED TO BE BIG HIT

PORT ST. LUCIE -- The Mets welcome into camp today an outfield prospect who has had more big hits than any rookie in recent history. Already, he makes more money...

LAPOINTE TALKS ARE GOING NOWHERE

Haggling with the Islanders over money is like trying to negotiate a fare with United Airlines. Don't expect any friendly skies. Such is the case with center Claude Lapointe, who...

BOMBERS BACK TO BUSINESS WORLD CHAMPS' PITCHERS & CATCHERS GET BUSY

TAMPA -- A blue sky and a comfortable sun provided the perfect backdrop to the Yankees' first official workout of spring training. Yet, before the two-time World Champions moved from...

BENITEZ TRULY IN FAT CITY

PORT ST. LUCIE -- The $22 million reliever really is Armandough Benitez -- with an emphasis on the dough. "His weight is up," Bobby Valentine said yesterday. "It was what...

APOLLO CAT EYES DEARLY PRECIOUS

It's a yearly phenomenon in New York. Like migrating birds returning north, horses who spent the winter racing in Florida come to Aqueduct and make mincemeat of the local competition....

PAYTON'S PLACE IS IN DOGHOUSE

PORT ST. LUCIE -- In his last chance with the Mets, Jay Payton reported yesterday after making what one Met source described as a "stupid" decision in the offseason. More...

PRIDE ON THE LINE AT CUNY TOURNEY

St. John's may be New York City's resident college basketball power and both Iona and Fordham might be on the upswing, but the only league comprised entirely of city teams...

DERBY HOPEFULS DESCEND ON GULFSTREAM

When Charismatic won the Kentucky Derby last year to give trainer D. Wayne Lukas his third blanket of roses in five years and fourth overall, Lukas moved within two Derby...

DOC'S FEELING GOODEN READY

KISSIMMEE -- Dwight Gooden walked into the Astros clubhouse yesterday. Alongside him was a tall, handsome young man, Dwight Jr., 13, who is in the eighth grade and was born...

TOPS IN EAST STILL POSSIBLE, BUT ...

Earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference is a lofty goal Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy isn't sure the Knicks can reach, especially because of injury problems. But they...

HAMILTON, GIANTS AGREE OBEN IMPRESSED BY BUCS

Best line of the month: "Talking with the Giants is like talking with someone who's married. You can't do anything." So says a prominent agent who has already placed several...

STORM KOS RACING CARDS

Racing at Aqueduct was canceled early yesterday in anticipation of the major storm that hit the area through the late morning and afternoon. It was the fourth time this year...

THE OL' TALL GAME WITH KNICKS HURTING, VG RETURNS TO BIG BACKCOURT

With starting point guard Charlie Ward down, Knick coach Jeff Van Gundy is thinking big again, as in "Big Backcourt." For the first time since Christmas Night against these same...

ST. JOHN'S PREPARES AS NCAA DIGS DEEPER

On the eve of one of the biggest conference games of the season, St. John's coach Mike Jarvis assembled his team for a circle-the-wagons meeting. It would take the closest...

GILL'S STEAL RESOLVE CHILLS HEAT CHANCES

Nets91 Heat84 If the Heat are indeed interested in the Nets' Kendall Gill as another defensive stopper for the playoffs, the price went up last night. "I've always said Kendall...

FLEURY'S OBSCENE GESTURE ADDS TO RANGER FANS' WOES

Avalanche4 Rangers2 Theo Fleury said he used his "hockey sense" on a late first-period breakaway move that was foiled by Patrick Roy. That may be, but the winger used no...

MARIANO MUST WAIT FOR MILLIONS

TAMPA -- Thanks to two of three arbitrators being involved with hearings yesterday for Lee Stevens and Charles Johnson, Mariano Rivera had to wait another day to learn whether he...