May 20, 2009
No decision on Wang; unlikely Friday
By GEORGE A. KING IIIIt sure doesn't sound like Joe Girardi is clearing immediate space in the rotation for Chien-Ming Wang.After watching Wang throw in the bullpen Tuesday, no decision...
5 ALA. OFFICERS FIRED FOR BEATING CAUGHT ON TAPE
Five Birmingham police officers were fired Wednesday for beating an unconscious suspect ejected from a car after a chase, an attack captured on a patrol car videotape that didn't surface...
JUDGE GIVES MCLAUGHLIN 10 YEARS IN PRISON
A Manhattan federal court judge sentence disgraced former Queens legislator Brian McLaughlin to 10 years in prison Wednesday, tossing aside a superseding plea agreement signed with the U.S. attorney's office...
RBNY's Jorge Rojas gets extra suspension
Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas got fined $750 and suspended an extra game by MLS for his red-card foul and failure to leave the field in a "timely and orderly...
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS' BRO CODE OF CONDUCT
Neil Patrick Harris may not be a comedian like Jimmy Kimmel, but the star of the hit sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" still managed to get all the laughs...
CITY WILL CLOSE 3 MORE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF FLU
Three more Queens schools will close their doors tomorrow after concern over a spike in students showing flu-like symptoms, Mayor Bloomberg and the city health commissioner announced today. That brings...
SWINE FLU UPDATE: QUEENS VICTIM MOURNED AT FRESH MEADOWS FUNERAL
Flushing resident Mitchell Wiener, the first person in the city to die after being diagnosed with swine flu, was remembered at his funeral Wednesday as a dedicated teacher and family...
CUOMO TARGETS OZONE PARK PROSTITUTION RING
Two Queens women were among seven charged Wednesday with enterprise corruption for their alleged involvement in an Ozone Parkâ'based prostitution ring that advertised on Craigslist, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo...
PRELIMINARY TESTS FIND CORONA BABY DID NOT DIE OF SWINE FLU
A 16−month−old Corona boy who died after exhibiting flu−like symptoms earlier this week was not infected with swine flu, based on preliminary tests, but 16 public schools in Queens remained...
VIRUS' REâ'EMERGENCE TAXES BORO HOSPITALS
The swine flu outbreak is intensifying pressure on Queens' beleaguered health care system, and while the borough's emergency rooms have been coping with huge patient increases following the closure of...
UEFA Cup: Shakhtar Wins It Over Werder
Jadson scored from about 10 yards out in the seventh minute of overtime to lift Shakhtar Donetsk of the Ukraine to a 2-1 win over Germany's Werder Bremen on Wednesday...
MURPHY GETTING CHANCE AT FIRST BASE
Daniel Murphy will start at first base for the Mets tonight against the Dodgers, and Jerry Manuel said the second-year player needs to produce there to stay in the lineup....
WOMAN STRUCK BY VAN ON UPPER EAST SIDE
An elderly woman was mowed down by a van on the Upper East Side this afternoon as she stepped into Lexington Avenue in the middle of the block, police and...
'Idol' Fix: Saying Goodbye
We are going strong on David Cook Tweet week with 180 cookie fans and 10 questions in the running to ask the former "Idol." Help us reach our goal of...
RBNY's Mbuta USL2 Player of the Week
Red Bull midfielder Matt Mbutas was named USL2 Player of the Week. Yes, I know it's weird. I don't make this stuff up.The native of Cameroon was on loan to...
BOY TRIES TO BREAK SNAILS-ON-FACE RECORD
SALT LAKE CITY -- Never mind the ick factor, a Utah boy is trying to get into the record books by covering his face with live snails. Eleven-year-old Fin Keheler,...
EPL: Round 37, The Drop et al
Oh, Newcastle, we hardly knew ye.It's pretty hard to summon even a semblance of objectivity when thinking that Howard Webb, a referee oft-admired for his no nonsense approach to officiating,...
JETER OPENS GYM FOR CHILDREN
While Derek Jeter and the Yankees have kept fans' heart rates up all season long -- particularly over the team's current six-game winning streak -- Jeter took some time yesterday...
EX-DURACELL CHAIRMAN TO HEAD NEW CHRYSLER
DETROIT -- Chrysler LLC says that former Borden Chemical and Duracell chairman C. Robert Kidder will become chairman of the new Chrysler once it acquires old Chrysler's assets and joins...
CONGRESS SENDS OBAMA MAJOR NEW CREDIT CARD RULES
Congress on Wednesday sent President Barack Obama a bill with sweeping new rules for the credit card industry that will affect just about every American. The House voted 361-64 for...
Bookies don't love Sanchez, Ryan
Now that the NFL Draft is over and minicamps have begun, sports books will start to put out over/under win totals for teams in the league.And the first batch doesn't...
This week's calendar, May 21 to 27
Thursday, May 21 Panel: "Real Estate Financing in a Downward Market" African American Real Estate Professionals of New York hosts a panel discussion that is designed to help prepare buyers...
Hot hot Andrew Jackson
"I didn't realize Jonathan Groff was in that show," someone said to me yesterday after seeing a photo from "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson." Actually Groff, who until recently was in...
JUDGE TOSSES ANDREW GIULIANI'S GOLF LAWSUIT
It's in the rough. Former Mayor Giuliani's golfer son, Andrew, who filed a lawsuit against Duke University for being unceremoniously booted from the varsity team for bad behavior may be...
WTC DEVELOPER SPAT COULD DELAY GROUND ZERO AGAIN
NEW YORK -- The most serious impasse in years between the owner of ground zero and the developer building office towers on half of the site is headed for government...
TEMPERS FLARE DURING ASTOR'S GRANDSON'S CROSS-EXAMINATION
Star witness Philip Marshall -- turncoat son of Anthony Marshall -- angrily locked horns with a defense lawyer during a morning-long cross examination, one of the most dramatic exchanges yet...
JUDGE: CHRYSLER CAN USE $5B IN GOV'T LOANS
NEW YORK -- A bankruptcy judge ruled Wednesday that Chrysler can use $4.96 billion in government loans to keep operating and create a bridge to the sale of its most...
Game 40: Mets at Dodgers
(UPDATED) LOS ANGELES -- Losers of three in a row, the injury-ravaged Mets will try to close out the West Coast segment of this 10-game trip on a high note...
Coverage in The Post
LOS ANGELES -- Whatever momentum the Mets built up by taking the first three games in San Francisco on this road trip have evaporated, with the latest blow being Tuesday...
SPITZER HAD TEMPER WITH OFFICIALS DURING PROBE
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer showed his temper in interviews with state officials during an investigation related to the so-called "Troopergate" scandal, threatening to file disciplinary...
Report: Brady is a "full go"
For those Jets fans thinking (hoping) Tom Brady would not be a 100-percent for the start of the season, this Sporting News story will not be a welcome sight.TSN talked...
Brit fans wary of hooligans; what a switch
British fans afraid of hooligans? Say it ain't so. What's the world coming to?With 30,000 Manchester United fans expected in Italy for next Wednesday's Champions League final against Barcelona, Rome...
NY BROKERS ACCUSED OF $6.2M FRAUD
NEW YORK -- A Wall Street brokerage firm collected $6.2 million in illegal fees by duping hundreds of investors into buying stocks at inflated prices, a prosecutor said Wednesday. An...
NYC FASHION STORES STAY UP LATE
NEW YORK -- For one night only, dozens of stores throughout New York City will stay open late as a way to promote local retail and benefit the economy. Vogue...
Report: Indians accepting DeRosa offers
If the Mets are looking for immediate help to replace the hole left by the injured Carlos Delgado at first base then Cleveland's Mark DeRosa might be the way to...
OFFICIALS: BORDER ARRESTS DOWN 27 PERCENT
WASHINGTON -- The number of people arrested as they tried to cross U.S. borders illegally has gone down 27 percent, according to federal officials. At a Wednesday hearing on border...
ALCOHOL TAX MAY FINANCE HEALTH CARE PLAN
WASHINGTON -- Joe Six-Pack may have to hand over nearly $2 more for a case of beer to help provide health insurance for all. Details of the proposed beer tax...
CBS Picks Up 'Medium'
When networks cancel TV shows, it doesn't always mean that they're dead. Yesterday, NBC left Patricia Arquette's psychic-themed series, "Medium," off its 2009/2010 schedule, but CBS -- which produces the...
Kobe, LeBron: funnier as puppets
Saw this hilarious Nike commercial during last night's Lakers-Nuggets game. Love the part where Kobe is eating the cookies.
And the mock drafts say ...
Looked at six NBA Mock Drafts this morning and two names showed up for the Knicks: Stephen Curry (Davidson) and DeMar DeRozan (USC).The mock drafts predicted four different players going...
Kazmir the Worst NY Trade of the Last Five Years
With John Maine pitching last night (whom the Mets got in a trade), with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol playing last night (both of whom the Lakers got in trades)...
PATERSON: STATE BUDGET OUT OF BALANCE BY $3 BILLION
ALBANY - Gov. Paterson said today that the state's newly adopted record-high budget may be out of balance by as much as $3 billion and that next year's deficit could...
SENATE BLOCKS FUNDS FOR OBAMA TO CLOSE GITMO
The Senate voted on Wednesday to yank money for closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp from a war spending bill, delivering a setback to President Obama in his efforts to...
ELISABETH HASSELBECK
See who The Post's experts say will win "American Idol."Adam's Best song: "Mad World"Adam's Worst Song: "No Boundaries"Kris' Best Song: "Ain't No Sunshine"Kris' Worst Song: "No Boundaries"Best Judges Moment: Randy...
7 INDICTED IN CRAIGSLIST PROSTITUTION RING
A round-the-clock Queens prostitution ring that advertised exclusively on Craigslist has been taken down by state authorities, officials said today. A 47-count indictment said the seven-person outfit, dubbed Room Service...
St. Lucie just hoping to play
Talk about a washout!The High-A St. Lucie Mets have failed to play each of the last three days because of rain. Showers wiped out the team's entire series against the...
Cannes: The Trades Weigh In on 'Basterds'
"By turns surprising, nutty, windy, audacious and a bit caught up in its own cleverness, the picture is a completely distinctive piece of American pop art with a strong Euro...
Unconventional rally lifts Binghamton
It may not have been pretty, but the Binghamton Mets managed to put two runs across in the top of the ninth inning last night to beat the Connecticut Defenders,...
SIMON'S EX ATTACKED DURING 'IDOL'
Simon Cowell's ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour has reportedly been assaulted by a woman after the recording of last night's American Idol finale. It's been claimed that the 35-year-old was approached by...
Jimmy Kimmel to Advertisers at ABC Upfronts: 'You Need Therapy'
Too bad ABC can't censor its upfronts. Jimmy Kimmel, the host of ABC's late night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ranted and raved about his network to potential advertisers during...
F-Mart heating up
He may have had a rough start to the season, but Fernando Martinez has started to heat up for the Buffalo Bisons.Martinez slugged two homers in last night's 4-3 loss...
ANOTHER 'SLUMDOG' STAR'S HOME DEMOLISHED
MUMBAI, India -- The shanty home of another "Slumdog Millionaire" child star was torn down by Mumbai authorities Wednesday as they demolished part of a city slum where she lived....
BIG ACCIDENT AT TALLEST BUILDING
A construction worker fell several stories early Wednesday morning in Downtown Brooklyn, bringing work to a halt on what will become Brooklyn's tallest building. The unidentified man survived the fall...
DEALS: Delta Shuttle on sale
Trade triangles have come along way -- molasses and slavery is out, WiFi-enabled business travel is in. Delta Shuttle, serving the New England triad of NYC, DC and Boston, not...
WORLD'S RICHEST HOLD SECRET MEETING
A group of the world's richest people met earlier this month in New York City in secret, apparently to discuss their philanthropic efforts in the midst of the severe recession,...
2 ARRESTED IN GIRL'S DAY CARE CHOKING DEATH
MINEOLA, N.Y. -- The owner and assistant director of a Long Island day care center where a 2-year-old choked to death on a carrot stick were charged Wednesday with reckless...
COPS HUNT FOR MOTHER, CANCER-STRICKEN SON WHO REFUSE CHEMO
NEW ULM, Minn. -- Authorities nationwide are on the lookout Wednesday for a mother and her 13-year-old cancer-stricken son who fled after refusing the chemotherapy that doctors say could save...
IRAN TESTS MISSLE IT SAYS CAN REACH ISRAEL
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran test-fired a new missile Wednesday it claimed had a range capable of reaching Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East, sending a provocative message days...
MICHAEL VICK LEAVES PRISON FOR HOME CONFINEMENT
RICHMOND, Va. -- Suspended NFL star Michael Vick left a Kansas prison before dawn Wednesday to begin home confinement in Virginia, one of his attorneys said, the latest step on...
Is 'Ghostbusters 3' Finally a Go? Should It Be?
"Ghostbusters 3'' could start shooting later this fall, Dan Aykroydtells the L.A. Times. He says Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver and Ernie Hudson are all committed to reprise their...
3 UP: A-ROD AND HIS LEGACY
In today's Post I wrote a column about Alex Rodriguez's homer tear. In the piece I hope that A-Rod is compiling this power outburst clean because it would re-assert that...
Murphy deserves full shot
From JOEL SHERMANOmar Minaya said he has no plans to pursue a first baseman during what the club announced was an expected 10-week absence of Carlos Delgado, who had hip...
3 UP: MURPHY, MET ATTITUDE, A-ROD
1. Omar Minaya said he has no plans to pursue a first baseman during what the club announced was an expected 10-week absence of Carlos Delgado, who had hip surgery...
IN THE 39TH DISTRICT: HEYER HEYER PANTS ON FIRE
Four Democratic candidates for City Council rebuked their more conservative rival John Heyer for boycotting a debate in Park Slope on Tuesday night after he claimed it was “rigged” because...
Cannes: Instant Reviews Label Tarantino Epic A Disappointment
Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds'' is a "disappointment.'' says Kirk Honeycutt of the Hollywood Reporter in a brief video "first impression'' posted on the trade paper's website from Cannes. Worse, the...
CHECKING IN: Luxury in peril?
So, check our news yesterday regarding Four Seasons' Bahamas resort. As in, toast. This comes at a bad time for Four Seasons, currently in the heat of battle at its...
MARINES TREATED TO GOLF BY NEW JERSEY CLUB
The privilege of enjoying a country lifestyle can be traced to many things, including economics, social status, and the love of golf. Another element often overlooked is freedom, the kind...
FORDHAM'S HISTORIC SEASON RAM-PING UP
With the college baseball conference tournament season starting, this is the second in a series on local teams and their conferences. Today: Fordham and the Atlantic 10. Tomorrow: Manhattan and...
MORE BLUNDERS SEND METS TO 3RD STRAIGHT LOSS
LOS ANGELES -- It wasn't as ugly as Monday night, but the outcome was still the same for the suddenly stumbling Mets. One swing of the bat -- not five...
LET MY SURROGATE BE: SARAH
Sarah Jessica Parker says a media frenzy is jeopardizing the health and safety of a surrogate who's carrying twins for she and her husband Matthew Broderick. The "Sex and the...
CITY EYES ANDY PENSION IDEA
City Comptroller William Thompson said yesterday he will recommend that the city's pension funds adopt state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's anti-corruption principles. The code bans firms and their employees from...
O UNVEILS EMISSION STRATEGY
WASHINGTON -- President Obama outlined yesterday the nation's first comprehensive effort to curb vehicle emissions while cutting dependence on imported oil, calling the plan a historic turning point toward a...
'GHOSTBUSTERS' RISE AGAIN
They're answering the call. The original squad of "Ghostbusters" are reportedly on board for a third film. "We could be in production by winter," one of the original ectoplasmic specialists,...
EDDIE'S VICTIMS SEEK 'CRAZY' MONEY
"Crazy Eddie" Antar is insaaaaane if he thinks he's going to get any money from a movie being made about his life, a lawyer representing his swindled victims said yesterday....
$1M WINE AUCTION IS DE-VINE
Bidders were seeing red -- but everyone was in fine spirits -- at an auction last night of thousands of bottles of California and Bordeaux wine. The frenzy erupted at...
SWINE OF THE TIMES
Four more private schools closed yesterday, two public schools and a charter school will shut today, hundreds of inmates were quarantined, and hospital emergency rooms were flooded as near-panic over...
BETTY OR VERONICA? ASK ARCH
The world's oldest teen is becoming an honest man. After six decades of indecisiveness, Archie Andrews is going to settle down with his longtime love -- but will it be...
LAKERS STEAL WIN IN OPENER
LOS ANGELES -- Those wildly inconsistent Lakers showed up for their Western Conference finals opener against Denver and managed to defend their home court. Kobe Bryant scored 40 points, including...
THERE'S JUST NO AVOIDING KOBE-LEBRON
LET'S hope the ultimate battles for the Eastern Bloc and Spaghetti Western are competitive enough to keep Billy Packer from coming over and turning off my TV. What did we...
WHAT STAR POWER?
WHOEVER succeeds Frank Bruni as the New York Times' restaurant critic when he moves to the Times magazine this summer can count on two things: You'll have much less clout...
A GLASS MENAGERIE
THE Pony Bar's location just west of the Theater District couldn't be more fitting. With apologies to the current occupants of the Nederlander, it is the newest (established) permanent floating...
BLOODY GOOD SHOW
THOUGH it's billed as a "concert version," this show delivers several dance numbers, elaborate costumes, a rocking band, deaths by arrow -- and lasers. I'd love to see a full...
'L &O' LIVES AGAIN
AFTER weeks of making Dick Wolf wait for a decision, NBC has officially told him to go ahead with production on a 20th season of "Law & Order" (starring Sam...
STARR REPORT
Crystal talks 'Otalia' "Guiding Light" star Crys tal Chappell hopped on the phone yesterday to discuss "Otalia" -- the show's ongo ing love story between Olivia (Chappell) and Natalia (Jes...
HI, EXPECTATIONS
THERE is stardom -- and then there's "Idol" stardom. It is fast, it is disorienting and it starts tonight. "When you go through it with people who have never done...
DEADLY RANGOON SQUAD
IN September 2007, hun dreds of thousands of people -- many of them monks -- took to the streets of the Southeast Asian nation of Burma (a k a Myanmar)...
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINES
'TERMINATOR Salvation" could go in a lot of directions. It touches on philosophy (What makes us human?), technology (Does an automated system leave itself vulnerable to creativity?) and even politics....
TONYS AT A LOSS FOR WORDS
LET'S imagine, for the sake of argu ment, that "reasons to be pretty" wins the Tony this year for Best Play. By my count, at least 20 producers will storm...
'24' FINALE BUTTS OUT
JACK Bauer flatlined after all -- in the ratings, that is. Monday night's two-hour season finale of "24" was the least watched episode of the season -- only 9.4 million...
RACE RATES
SATURDAY'S battle of the sexes at the Preakness Stakes was a ratings winner. Nearly 11 million people watched the race, won by the super-filly Rachel Alexandra. It was the biggest...
A 'STAR' IS SHAWN
PIXIE gymnast Shawn Johnson vaulted to victory on last night's "Dancing with the Stars" finale. Johnson, an Olympic gold-medalist and fan favorite, squeaked by "Sex and the City" actor Gilles...
SPORTS SHORTS
BASEBALL: Sox win despite Ortiz David Ortiz went hitless in his return to the Boston lineup, but the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 2-1 last night behind Tim Wakefield...
BRUNEY BACK IN YANKEES BULLPEN
Brian Bruney hadn't pitched since April 21 and rust was expected, but manager Joe Girardi not only welcomed Bruney back to the bullpen last night, he immediately returned him to...
COMEDY OF ERRORS STAYS WITH METS
LOS ANGELES -- The Mets looked like a team in disarray Monday night, and the aftershocks from their five-error disaster were still being felt yesterday. A slew of injuries that...
STEPHENSON CASE HAS DELAY OF GAME
Lance Stephenson is finding out that in the legal system, there is no clock. The 6-foot-5 star and a former Lincoln teammate had the next court date in their sexual...
MERRY MAYWEATHER
Can it be that his brief retirement has produced a kinder, gentler Floyd Mayweather? That seemed to be the case at yesterday's press conference at the Empire State Building to...
GIANTS' DIEHL STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
Take my left guard . . . please. David Diehl said his upcoming challenge is not stand-up comedy but it will be "outside my comfort zone" when he makes his...
1ST BASEMAN TRADE IS NOT METS' TOP OPTION
LOS ANGELES -- Omar Minaya says the Mets plan to stay in-house with Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy when it comes to replacing Carlos Delgado at first base. Delgado is...
JOE NAMATH: MARK SANCHEZ LOOKS GOOD
Joe Namath stood before an endless line of breathless autograph seekers at last night's United Way Gridiron Gala at the Waldorf Astoria. He smiled, posed for pictures and conversed with...
NETS LOOK FOR ANOTHER STEAL WITH 11TH PICK
Nets team president Rod Thorn repeatedly has called the NBA draft process an "eye of the beholder" event. What looks bad to one, looks good to another. So armed with...
HONDO: AHOY, BUCS!
Hondo's Don't Ask Dontrelle Theory failed to pro duce any revenue last night because Willis did a complete snuff job on the lame Rangers, which low ered the profits to...
KNICKS WILL LOOK FOR A GUARD WITH 8TH PICK
The only thing cool to happen to the Knicks last night was Reggie Jackson showing up in Secaucus as their good-luck charm. But it is May, not October, so Reggie's...
JERRY MANUEL: NO RIFT WITH RYAN CHURCH
LOS ANGELES --Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, Jerry Manuel disputes the perception of a rift with right fielder Ryan Church. Speaking a day after he publicly lambasted Church...
LET'S HOPE A-ROD'S DOING IT CLEAN
THERE was a game yesterday, so Alex Rodriguez hit a homer. That seems to be all it takes right now. Game. Pitcher. Ball. Bat. Homer. TONIGHT'S PREVIEW: Orioles at YankeesHARDBALL...
WINGS CLIP HAWKS
DETROIT -- Mikael Samuelsson scored 5:14 into overtime, lifting the Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the Blackhawks last night and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals....
CC SABATHIA LEADS YANKEES TO 7TH STRAIGHT WIN
On those January days when the cold chilled the Yankees' marrow, they attempted to stay warm by fantasizing about last night. A pristine Stadium smothered in Yankees hats and jackets,...
WANG MAY RETURN TO YANKEES SOON
Mr. Wang could be ready to become Mr. Right. The next call belongs to the Yankees, who must decide between adding Chien-Ming Wang to their starting rotation or giving him...
COP-TRIAL 'SLAM DOWN' VID
Westchester jurors yesterday viewed a video that seems to show a policeman slamming a woman to the floor in what's likely to be the focus of the officer's federal civil-rights...
TEEN DYLAN'S POEM FOR SALE
Christie's is offering a poem that Bob Dylan wrote for a summer-camp newspaper when he was just 15. Dylan was Bob Zimmerman when he wrote "Little Buddy" in the summer...
POLS: PROBE FAA ENFORCERS
WASHINGTON -- Four senators have asked a government watchdog to investigate safety enforcement at regional airlines. In a letter released yesterday, the senators told Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel...
NYPD DAILY BLOTTER
Staten Island After slamming into a metal sign pole, a motorist in Castleton Corners confessed early yesterday that he'd been smoking pot and ingesting medication, authorities said. Troy Schaffer, 37,...
ANEURYSM KILLED '70S PORN STAR
LOS ANGELES -- An autopsy has revealed that adult-film star Marilyn Chambers died of a cerebral hemorrhage and an aneurysm related to heart disease. The Los Angeles County coroner released...
STATE BUDGET IS ALREADY BU$TED
ALBANY -- State lawmakers still can't do their math. A frightening new report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli yesterday revealed that revenues for the $132 billion tax-and-spend budget approved in...
BIKER-DEATH COP SLAPPED
A city cop involved in the deadly chase of a motorcyclist has been allowed to keep his job, despite violating several NYPD guidelines -- including failing to call an ambulance...
SCHOOLS FACE 5% CUT
Principals were told yesterday to brace for budget cuts of nearly 5 percent, on average, that will likely knock out hundreds of Saturday, after-school and other vital educational programs in...
CHECK PLEASE, TAVERN
Tavern on the Green is being sued by a publisher left waiting for a check. The restaurant's boss, Jennifer LeRoy, and her mom, Kay, owe Workman Publishing $218,426.19 plus interest...
'CRIME SURGE' COMBAT
The NYPD is "aggressively investigating" the spike in street assaults downtown after The Post reported the increase, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said yesterday. Hate crimes and late-night gatherings outside clubs...
JURY LACES HSU FOR POL $CAM
Disgraced Democratic donor Norman Hsu was convicted yesterday of illegally funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to top-tier political candidates including then-Sen. Hillary Clinton and now-President Obama. A Manhattan federal...
MEET YOUR DEAR OLD AUNTIE 'IDA'
An international "dream team" of paleontologists yesterday unveiled a 47-million-year-old skeleton that could be the "great-great-great-aunt" of modern man. The scientists, who worked in secrecy for two years, revealed their...
'CAP'-GUN DENTURE ROB
Getting his money back was like pulling teeth -- so that's exactly what he did. A Staten Island man who bought his business partner dentures to make him more presentable...
GOP TAKES ON 'CELEB' PREZ
WASHINGTON -- Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele likened President Obama's popularity to that of a celebrity and said Republicans can't be afraid of criticizing him head-on if they want to...
AMAZING INSIGHTS INTO BEGINNING OF MAN
SIGNIFICANT new fossils don't turn up every day -- but when they do, tremendous insight into our evolutionary past can result. The newly discovered skeleton of Darwinius masillae, a 47-million-year-old...
BIBI GIVES O AN IRAN OPENING
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Obama that Israel won't attack Iran before the end of the year, according to Israeli media reports -- giving Obama a solid window...
GOP VOWS TO BOOST MAYORAL CONTROL
State Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos vowed yesterday that Republicans will deliver votes to help save Mayor Bloomberg's control of city schools as Democratic lawmakers bicker over the controversial issue....
CO-ED 'KILLER'S' ANTI-JEW BOOK
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- Police investigating the shooting death of a Wesleyan University student found a copy of an infamous anti-Semitic book, "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," in the hotel...
BROADWAY IS NO WAY
It's curtains for cars on Broadway. Starting Sunday, vehicles will be barred from the legendary roadway in Times Square and Herald Square as it is transformed into a pedestrian-only area...
'STOP!' THEY ALL SCREAM
It's a jingle out there. Williamsburg and Greenpoint residents say they're being driven mad by Mister Softee trucks that continuously circle McCarren Park blaring their annoying tune nonstop. Some are...
VINNY VOODOO
Jailed Mafia boss Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano says he was practicing voodoo when the feds found an alleged hit list in his cell -- but the mobster might need some...
IMETTE BLOOD 'PROOF'
The bouncer accused of killing grad student Imette St. Guillen left his blood spattered on ties he had used to bind his naked victim, a DNA expert told a Brooklyn...
APPLE'S VICIOUS CYCLES
Look both ways before crossing the bike lane. Cyclists in Midtown "routinely disobey" traffic laws, ignore red lights, bike against traffic, and use iPods or Bluetooth devices while weaving around...
WATER BOTTLERS BATTLE DEPOSIT BILL
The company that owns Poland Spring wants to drain the life out of New York's impending 5-cent deposit on bottled water. Legal papers filed by Nestlé Waters North America claim...
YOUNG BUC'S NEW RAPS
The feds unveiled a raft of new charges yesterday against the alleged ringleader of the Somali pirate crew that hijacked an American freighter and took its captain hostage. Abduwali Abdukhadir...
CHARTER CRITICS FLIP-FLOP
State lawmakers are dropping their controversial bid to reduce the number of charter-school authorizers in New York to just one, The Post has learned. Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer (D- Westchester) plans...
COP & 'ROBBER'
A retired NYPD sergeant who was heavily in debt and having marital problems held up a Long Island bank yesterday, police said. Thomas Feeney, 46, who did security work at...
WASHINGTON SQUARE DANCE
The hideous construction fences came down yesterday, and Washington Square park sprung back to life. New Yorkers streamed back into the famed meeting places for street musicians, loiterers, and oddball...
IT'S UGLY TO WATCH BLUE BLOODBATH
GREAT tragic operas have nothing on this. The downtown courthouse turned into a war zone yesterday -- almost not big enough to hold the ocean of betrayal, bitterness and hatred...
STATE RIPS CITY'S EDUCATION DEALS
The city's Department of Education often failed to follow protocol in securing more than $340 million in no-bid contracts over three years, according to a new audit. State Comptroller Thomas...
WATCHDOG'S SCANDAL CURE
ALBANY -- The state's inspector general -- who brought a landmark case last week against the Public Integrity Commission -- says there's only one way to prevent more scandals: Give...
POOR TONY GETS NASTY SON BURN
He hunched forward at the defense table. He held his forehead in his trembling right hand. During a break, he sat on a wooden hallway bench, wiping his eyes with...
STATE SENATE APPROVES PERV E-LERT BILL
The state Senate passed legislation yesterday to authorize e-mail alerts to residents when a sex offender moves into their ZIP code. The bill passed, 60-0, with two senators not voting....
MET FAN A 'POTTY MOUTH'
A hapless Mets fan tried to make a diving catch when her gold tooth fell into a Citi Field toilet -- and got her arm stuck in the commode. The...
DRAMATIC RESCUE ON THE HUDSON
The crew of a ferry plucked four people from the Hudson last night after their boat overturned. The New York Waterway boat Admiral Richard Bennis was making a regular commuter...
ADAM, KRIS IN LAST DUEL FOR 'IDOL' CROWN
Dueling "American Idol" duo Adam Lambert and Kris Allen squared off last night in their final music showdown before a celeb-packed audience -- and the millions of fans set to...
SEX FIEND ON LOOSE IN BX.
Police say this man (right) raped one teen in The Bronx and attempted to sexually assault another. The attacks took place in the Kingsbridge Heights section, in the vicinity of...
WEIRD BUT TRUE
There goes the family fortune. Two feuding brothers have opened competing candy stores 100 feet apart in Granville, Ohio. The man who owns a printing shop sandwiched in between the...
HOW BUSH DOCTRINE BATTERS ISLAMISTS
FORMER President George W. Bush's policy of en couraging Middle East democratization has just produced spectacular results in the Kuwaiti general election. In a major victory for the secular reformists...
'LYING,' 'NINNY' PELOSI - IN LINE FOR PRESIDENT
THE ISSUE: House Speaker Pelosi's claim that the CIA lied in a 2002 briefing about waterboarding. *** Democrats ought to seriously consider the political liability that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi...
A BAM FLIP ON IRAN?
PRESIDENT Obama has flipped on a number of na tional-security issues, in cluding military tribunals for terrorist suspects, wiretapping and the release of Abu Ghraib photos. He may be about...
TIMES' ELECTION GIFT TO TEAM O
CONFLICT-of-interest stories make great front-page headlines -- except when the newspaper that revels in breaking them is itself in the middle of an ethical morass. Take The New York Times....
MAUREEN DOWD'S TIMES COLUMNS CAST INTO DOUBT
EVEN as you read this, you can be sure that dozens, if not hundreds, of bloggers are scouring through everything New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd has written to see...
SENATE PLAYS 'RIGHTS' CARD
A consumers' credit card "bill of rights" won a 90-5 vote in the Senate, setting the stage for a likely pre-Memorial Day signing by President Barack Obama. The House of...
SAKS REPORTS SMALLER LOSS
Saks swung to a smaller-than-expected loss as it slashed costs amid plunging demand for pricey clothing and handbags. The owner of Saks Fifth Avenue said it's cutting pay for many...
ADIOS, NEW YORK
I LOVE New York. But how much should it cost to call New York home? Decades of out-of-control budgets, spending hikes and relentless borrowing have made New York simply too...
MGM MIRAGE MAY PULL CASINO SALE
Casino mogul Kirk Kerkorian's troubled efforts to sell three casinos in his MGM Mirage empire to raise much-needed cash appears to be off the table now that the company has...
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Home slump The Commerce De partment said construc tion of homes and apartments fell 12.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted an nual rate of 458,000 units -- the...
UNION SQ. GETS MEX EATERY
UNION Square is getting a Chipotle Mexican Grill in the Zeckendorf Towers, on the northwest corner of Irving Place and 14th Street. The 2,000 square foot space was previously occupied...
RISKMETRICS SUPPORTS ACKMAN'S TARGET PICKS
Hedge-fund agitator Bill Ackman got a nod in his effort to shake up Target's board, as two of his five nominees won the backing of an influential proxy advisor. RiskMetrics,...
CUOMO CRACKS DOWN ON CREDIT-SETTLERS
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is leapfrogging over Washington in the race to lead public outrage against credit-card abuses. Cuomo yesterday scored his gains with a crackdown on two...
NFL NETWORK COMPLETES PASS WITH COMCAST DEAL
Comcast and the NFL Network put aside their lengthy legal wrangling yesterday and reached a deal that allows both sides to claim victory. From the Comcast perspective, the company will...
TRUMP'S MAGAZINE CLOSED
DONALD Trump is not hav ing the best of weeks -- and it's only Wednesday. After being reminded earlier this week that there are some who question his multibillion net...
CUOMO CLIPS 3 MERKIN HEDGE FUNDS
In the latest blow to his riddled reputation, New York money manager and philanthropist J. Ezra Merkin agreed to cede control of three hedge funds that have been tainted by...
GOV'T LOOKS TO BUY GM PARTS
Call it Government Motors. The White House intends to go directly into the auto business by setting up its own company to take over profitable parts of General Motors in...
THE FDNY & THE NEXT 9/11
The FDNY lost 343 men on 9/11. Memo ries of that day may fade for many, but The Bravest will never forget. And remembering means working hard to remain prepared...
. . . AND SUZI'S SWITCH
Meanwhile, New York's thriving char ter schools seem to have dodged an other political hit. Powerful lawmakers in Albany were set to radically slow the growth of charters statewide by...
MALCOLM'S MOVE . . .
A rousing round of applause for Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, who is showing early signs of leader ship in the mayoral-control fight. Smith has always said he supports renewing...
Teen Dylan's poem for sale
Christie's is offering a poem that Bob Dylan wrote for a summer-camp newspaper when he was just 15. Dylan was Bob Zimmerman when he wrote "Little Buddy" in the summer...
PLASTIC PUNKS BEWARE
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is leapfrogging over Washington in the race to lead public outrage against credit-card abuses. Cuomo yesterday scored his gains with a crackdown on two...
Khano Smith & the Red Bulls' wings
Juan Carlos Osorio's knows his constant rotation of lineups may be great for his players' legs but it's tough on their psyches. That's why he praised Dane Richards' attitude after...
UEFA Cup Final Preview
Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf said he is still assessing the walking wounded in his injury-plagued squad ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Cup final against underdog Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk."I do...
Dodgers change finale starter
LOS ANGELES -- Right-hander Jeff Weaver will start for the Dodgers in place of Eric Stults in Wednesday night's series finale against the Mets. Stults was a late scratch by...
NYC: TESTS DON'T SHOW TODDLER HAD SWINE FLU
New York City health officials say tests conducted on the toddler who died of respiratory symptoms indicate that he was not infected with swine flu. A Health Department statement released...
RODRIGUEZ HOMERS AGAIN, YANKEES WIN 7TH STRAIGHT
Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira launched more long home runs, CC Sabathia dominated into the late innings and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-1 Tuesday night for...
At least Reggie showed
By MARC BERMANThe Knicks are still big enough for Reggie Jackson to make an impromptu appearance at the lottery to lend Allan Houston a hand.But no home run from Mr....
NETS KEEP 11TH PICK
The Nets went into the NBA Draft lottery figuring they would stick at No. 11. It's a good thing they viewed that as a good thing. The Nets remained in...
KNICKS STAY AT NO. 8 AFTER LOTTERY
Not even Mr. October could help the Knicks. With Reggie Jackson on hand to provide good luck to Allan Houston, the Knicks remained in the No. 8 draft position after...
Manuel: No rift with Church
LOS ANGELES -- It sure seems otherwise, both to me and just about anybody else who follows the the Mets, but Jerry Manuel today tried to dispute the perception that...
'American Idol's' Final Showdown: Judges in Adam Lambert Corner
Cowell called Rounds 2 and 3 for Lambert, and the rest of the panel loaded on the Lambert praise for his next two performances of "A Change is Gonna Come,"...