March 30, 2010
Fantasy spring training: Braving the storm
The Atlanta Braves surprised many people last season by posting an 86-76 record and finishing six games back in the NL Wild Card race. The truth is that the Braves’...
Stolen car found five years later!
Car catch-upAfter five years, a stolen car was recovered from the streets of Flatbush on March 26 thanks to some good fortune and a lousy driver.Officials said that a 49-year-old...
Arrest made in Cropsey Ave. slashing
Stabbed on CropseyA 42-year-old had a knife raked across his face March 24 during a bloody brawl with a stranger on Cropsey Avenue.The victim told police that he was nearing...
Man plunges to his death from Empire State Building observation deck
A man jumped to his death from the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building tonight, police sources said. The jumper, who was in his 20s, landed on...
Report: Rutgers tackle Davis works out for Jets, Giants
Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis worked out for 11 NFL teams today, including the Jets and Giants, according to NJ.com.Davis, who did not participate in Rutgers' pro day earlier this...
Two-way pitcher makes Yankees debut
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Pat Venditte understands the curiosity he creates by throwing with both arms. However, he also knows that while his rare skill got him a look by Joe...
HBO, Showtime trade jabs over boxing schedules
Ken Hershman, the vice present for sports programming at Showtime, came out swinging Tuesday when asked about HBO staging its own boxing events on dates that coincide with bouts for...
Skyler at peace with decision to leave City Hall
There was a distinct sound of calm in Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler's voice as he spoke with reporters in the Blue Room about his upcoming private sector job with Citigroup,...
Tamarind Tribeca opening April 5th
Tamarind Tribeca, the much larger and more ambitious edition of Avtar Walia’s hugely popular Indian restaurant in Flatiron, will open on Monday, April 5th. The two-level, 175-seater at 99 Hudson...
John Boy Walton, a tribute
John Boy Walton, a Prospect Park swan with gray plumage and a relentless appetite for breadcrumbs, is dead. She was a cygnet.The cause of death is believed to be murder,...
Swan down! John Boy is dead, but was it poison or murder?
John Boy Walton, one of the celebrity swans of Prospect Park, has died — setting off a furious battle over whether it was murder … or something even worse!An animal...
Nets CEO has 'very nice' lunch with bag fan
The Nets’ brown bag summit is over. Chief executive Brett Yormark had a roughly 30-minute “brown bag” lunch on Tuesday with a fan that he confronted last week after the...
Nets Top Five
The talk of the Nets' catching Minnesota was received with incredulous stares by those who listened to players speak with sincerity. To pass the T-Wolves, the Nets would need to win...
Mets' Perez gives up 3 homers
PORT ST. LUCIE -- The St. Louis Cardinals ripped three home runs off Oliver Perez in Tuesday’s 9-4 win over the Mets, and the left-hander lasted 2 1/3 innings. Perez,...
Red Bulls sign assistant coach Williams to extension
The Red Bulls signed assistant coach Richie Williams to a contract extension.Williams has twice served as interim for the team - kind of like their Herb Williams, but was a...
Levy attacks Lazio on NAFTA vote
Steve Levy's weapon of choice today against Rick Lazio is the former Long Island Congressman's vote for the NAFTA trade agreement nearly twenty years ago - a position generally supported...
Manhattan coach Rohrssen won't join Lavin's staff
Well, at least there’s one area school that won’t be entering into the coaching carousel this month. Manhattan College coach Barry Rohrssen, mentioned prominently as a candidate to be Steve...
PROMOS: Bar-menclature
Naming bars ain't rocket science. Either anthropomorphize a pig (or something in the suid family: hogs and boars work fine) -- maybe have it whistle; could suffer from some tragedy like blindness...
Mayor Bloomberg slams White House on gun control: report
President Obama is under the gun when it comes to Mayor Bloomberg and his crusade against illegal weapons. Bloomberg, generally considered a White House ally, put Obama on notice after...
Judge rejects golf lawsuit filed by Giuliani’s son in Duke flap
DURHAM, N.C. — A federal judge is dismissing a lawsuit filed after the son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was dismissed from the Duke University golf team....
Philly charter school moonlights as a nightclub
PHILADELPHIA — Who knew a school cafeteria could be so much fun? A space where hundreds of Philadelphia charter school students have been eating their lunches during mundane weekdays has...
St. John's gives Lavin six-year deal
A search that had more twists and turns, ups and downs, than Coney Island's iconic Cyclone roller coaster came to an exhilarating finish this afternoon with St. John's nation ready...
Beltran won't be back with Mets before May 8
Carlos Beltran can not start running until April 10 at the earliest, and his return to the Mets lineup would be at least four weeks after that, GM Omar Minaya...
Gov. Paterson suspends work on all state construction projects
ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson is suspending hundreds of current and new construction projects because of the state’s budget woes, including a highway to Fort Drum and a major interchange...
FDR by the numbers
The state says the Franklin D. Roosevelt HS in Bensonhurst is one of the worst high schools in the city.But what determines the quality of a school.It depends on who...
FDR faces closure
For FDR high school, it’s the $500,000 question.With a graduation rate below 50 percent, the Department of Education cracking down, and the federal government holding up a half-a-million dollar carrot,...
Feds won't seek death penalty in Twisted Sister hit man case
Federal prosecutors won't seek the death penalty against a Long Island gym owner who hired a hit man to kill Twisted Sister rocker Dee Snider's brother-in-law. Christian Tarantino was busted...
British bookies taking a variety of Tiger bets
LONDON — Forget about simply betting on Tiger Woods to win the Masters, British bookmakers are taking wagers on whether the No. 1 player in the world will hit a...
Dolan on Knicks' trip but stays silent
PORTLAND -- Knicks owner James Dolan emerged from the visiting locker room at Utah's EnergySolutons Arena on Monday night looking cheery.The Knicks beat writers were warned multiple times by the...
Boston College lets go of Skinner
BOSTON -- Al Skinner, who led Boston College to seven NCAA tournament berths in nine years and more wins than anyone else in school history, is out as basketball coach...
Devils' Clarkson OK with two-game ban for Flyers' Carcillo
PHILADELPHIA -- Flyers forward Dan Carcillo has been suspended two games for a hit on the Devils' David Clarkson. The league suspended Carcillo on Tuesday, forcing him out of the...
Dyker Heights knifepoint robbery
Three on oneA 28-year-old was held up at knife-point and robbed of $300 during a late night jaunt through Dyker Heights March 25.The victim told police he was on 67th...
Serial killer Rodney Alcala sentenced to death in California
A 66-year-old former freelance photographer was sentenced to death Tuesday for killing a 12-year-old girl and four Los Angeles County women more than 30 years ago, local media reported. Rodney...
New 'Twilight' novella on tap for June before next movie hits screens
Cue the screaming girls—there’s a new “Twilight” book coming out this June, sorta. Series author Stephenie Meyer announced Tuesday she will release a 200-page novella titled “The Short Second Life...
Yankees' Teixeira 'sore' day after getting hit in elbow
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- When it comes to Mark Teixeira’s bruised right elbow, the Yankees can live with sore. Especially since it could have been a lot worse.“If it was the...
Teachers charged with 'misconduct' for lesbian romp
Two female high school teachers who were caught with their pants down — literally — in an empty classroom are being slapped with "misconduct" charges by school officials. James Madison...
Brooklyn Politics
Hut, hut … Hikind!Longtime Assemblymember Dov Hikind could be vulnerable in the upcoming September primary, particularly if he decides to take political pot shots at City Councilmember-elect David Greenfield.Hikind staked...
Sex assailant is arrested
94th PrecinctGreenpoint–WilliamsburgSexual assaultA jerk was arrested after he forced himself on a woman who was staying at his Engert Avenue home for the night on March 25.The 28-year-old woman told...
Transit worker found dead on sidewalk
An elderly transit worker was pronounced dead this morning after an off-duty cop saw his lifeless body on a Manhattan sidewalk. Sources said Patrick Renaghan 71, a station cleaner, was...
Six sense
84th PrecinctBrooklyn Heights–DUMBO–Boerum Hill–DowntownThree on threeA trio of brigands robbed another trio of average joes on March 28.The three victims told cops they had reached Joralemon and Clinton Streets at...
Gov to freeze $2.1B in payments to local school districts
ALBANY – The fiscal deep freeze continues. Gov. Paterson announced this afternoon plans to freeze another $2.1 billion in payments due to local school districts across the state to manage...
Eye on crime
78th PrecinctPark SlopeEye spyA thief with an eye for quality eyewear stole an assortment of sunglasses from the Park Slope Eye Optometrist on Union Street. An employee of the optometrist,...
Godzilla, the undying monster
The Godzilla franchise, which endured for 50 years, is returning from the dead. Warner Bros. and Franchise Pictures have signed a deal with Toho for a 2012 picture, Variety says. This would be the...
Rudy meets with GOP Senate hopeful
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani sat down for roughly an hour this morning with GOP Senate hopeful David Malpass, according to sources briefed on the meeting.Giuliani hasn't made up his mind...
Caddie: Augusta crowd will be respectful to Tiger
Steve Williams, Tiger Woods’ caddie, is confident that the world No 1 will receive a good reception from the crowd at Augusta when he returns to competitive golf at the...
Crook steals LI police official's GPS
NORTHPORT, N.Y. -- Authorities are looking for the person who stole a GPS from a Long Island police official's vehicle. A Suffolk County police spokesman says Commissioner Richard Dormer reported...
Yonkers man loses appeal in case of firebomb attack on Bx synagogue
A hate crime is still a hate crime, even if the "victim" is a building, the state's highest court held yesterday. The Court of Appeals marked the first day of...
Ford pushes TV appearance, book in campaign-style e-mail
Harold Ford Jr. is still sending out campaign-style e-mails -- only the latest one today this one brought word about his upcoming book, not a policy position. The e-mail reads,...
Nissan prices Leaf electric car at $32,780
Taking aim at the emerging electric car market, Nissan said Tuesday its new Leaf electric car will carry a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $32,780 in the U.S., before subtracting...
Canada tells Clinton troops are leaving Afghanistan in 2011
OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday that Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will end in 2011 despite U.S. hopes...
Study: Chocolate could reduce heart risk
LONDON -- The Easter Bunny might lower your chances of having a heart problem. According to a new study, small doses of chocolate every day could decrease your risk of...
Pension Attention Deficit Disorder
As The Post's lead editorial points out today, the biggest problem facing taxpayers is the ever-rising pension and health-care liabilities from public-sector employees. This is a problem everywhere -- across both state...
State gaming officials: AEG Aqueduct racino bid stunk
We told you so!State Lottery officials reviewing plans to run slots at Aqueduct race track gave bidder AEG such a poor ranking last year that it predicted a public and...
Obama signs law finalizing health care, student loan reforms
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has signed a law that finalizes his health care overhaul and makes the government the issuer of all federal college loans. The president completed the...
DVD Extra: Warner Archive anniversary sale
The Warner Archive Collection is celebrating its first anniversary with a big sale ending Wednesday night. Hundreds of single-disc titles that normally sell for $20 at the WBshop are now...
Mixed results for city's anti-poverty program that paid $14M to poor
An experimental anti-poverty program that pays poor New Yorkers for good behavior like getting health insurance and attending parent-teacher conferences has had mixed results. Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s pilot program began...
Cavs fan creates Web site to show LeBron how much he means to Cleveland
The ball is in your court Knicks fans. Brandon George, a diehard Cavaliers fan, has created a Web site (inlebronwetrust.com), which he hopes will help persuade LeBron James to stay...
Another round of rain and strong wind hits the New York region
Talk about heavy rain to dampen everyone's mood today. Rain falling throughout the day may push the city to a record for the wettest March ever -- although warmer weather...
Liberty acquire Pondexter in major WNBA deal
Cappie Pondexter was acquired by the Liberty as part of a major three-team trade with the Phoenix Mercury and the Chicago Sky on Tuesday. Pondexter averaged 19.1 points last season...
NASA called in to investigate Toyota acceleration
The U.S. government announced a series of investigations into "unintended acceleration" in Toyota and other brands of cars Tuesday, and said NASA engineers would be called in to help. In...
LI prosecutor: Driver took heroin before fatally hitting 11-year-old girl
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — A Long Island prosecutor says a driver took heroin before mowing down an 11-year-old girl last fall. Maureen Lambert pleaded not guilty on Monday to a new...
Bloomberg deputy to take job at Citigroup
One of Mayor Bloomberg's most powerful deputies -- and longest-serving and loyal advisers -- is leaving city government by the end of April for a job at Citigroup.The departure of...
LI couple accused of 11 armed robberies
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — A Long Island couple is accused of committing 11 armed robberies in about a month. Dalshawn Artis and his girlfriend, Sarah Zarba, pleaded not guilty at...
Bloomberg's deputy leaving for Citigroup
A close confidant of Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leaving City Hall to oversee communications and investor and government relations at Citigroup. Ed Skyler is the second deputy mayor to leave...
Two detained as baby bodies wash ashore in China river
BEIJING -- Two mortuary workers were detained and two senior hospital staff were fired in eastern China after the bodies of at least 21 infants and fetuses were found in...
Man fleeing Ohio police jumps fence -- into prison
CLEVELAND -- Police say a motorist fleeing officers in Cleveland abandoned his car and jumped a fence — landing in what turned out to be a prison yard. Garfield Heights...
Mets' Reyes runs hard in minor-league game
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Jose Reyes took a big step toward being ready for Opening Day this afternoon, playing in a minor-league game against the Cardinals, going 1 for 5.“I...
Rangers get help: Bruins, Thrashers both lose
The Rangers got some much-needed help in the Eastern Conference playoff race thanks to regulation losses by the Bruins and Thrashers last night. The 10th-place Rangers, who take on the...
RNC fires female staffer over $2G bondage club tab
WASHINGTON — The Republican National Committee (RNC) staffer who was dismissed Monday for her role in party money being used to reimburse a $2,000 tab at a California strip club,...
Hooters girls to host Masters bikini contest
As if Tiger Woods won't have enough on his mind when he returns to golf next month.Now the Hooters girls announce that they'll be holding a bikini contest just down...
Casting Call: 'Apprentice' auditions this week
THURSDAY “The Apprentice” Trump is back to hiring non-celebrities for season 10. The casting call claims it’s in response to the “current economic situation.” Is that in reference to the...
Actor Rip Torn pleads not guilty in drunken bank break-in
LITCHFIELD, Conn. -- Actor Rip Torn pleaded not guilty today to burglary and firearms charges in connection with his arrest in January for allegedly breaking into a bank because he...
Geneva atom smasher sets record with proton collision
GENEVA — The world's largest atom smasher set a record for high-energy collisions on Tuesday by crashing proton beams into each other at three times more force than ever before....
3UP: Jesus Montero's future and Yankees Motivation
1. In the Post, I wrote a column about Jesus Montero’s progress this spring. He showed up overweight, yet left having created a positive impression. He is arguably the most...
Morning buzz: March 30, 2010
Happy second night of Passover. * Mayor Bloomberg is set to reveal results of the city's cash-incentive program to lower-income families -- the first of its kind in the country.*...
Report: Sandra will dump cheating Jesse
The wait is finally over: Sandra Bullock will divorce her cheating gearhead husband Jesse James over the tawdry affairs that have rocked their marriage, RadarOnline reported on its Web site...
Reyes takes swing at making Mets opener
PORT ST. LUCIE — Jose Reyes, you’re on the clock. With the countdown to the Mets’ season opener now at T-minus six days, Reyes yesterday ratcheted up workouts, facing his...
Mets must let Reyes play on first day
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets are trying to find all kinds of reasons to keep Jose Reyes out of the Opening Day lineup, and that’s the wrong approach. They...
NYC softball rankings
This year can’t be anything like last, can it? The inclement weather was pervasive in 2009, so bad that the PSAL had to extend its season another few weeks just...
End of an era as Federation says goodbye to Glens Falls
Before I walked out of Glens Falls Civic Center one last time, I made sure to take a look around. I soaked in the empty seats and felt the ice-cold...
Ink big!
Stealing away Sandra Bullock’s man has suddenly made Michelle “Bombshell” McGee the poster child for inked-up vixens everywhere. But Jen, the co-owner of East Side Ink who goes only by...
The kitchen is my closet
After a hard night on her feet as the manager of a busy downtown restaurant, Bari Musacchio heads to her NoLIta studio apartment, hangs up her coat, takes off her...
Holy Cross relying on untested juniors
They’re gone, every single one of them. When the Holy Cross baseball season ended last year following an unceremonious 10-0 loss to Regis, all nine starters, and a few reserves,...
Crazy boozy blowout at Perks
76th PrecinctCarroll Gardens–Cobble Hill–Red HookPerks perilA crazy brawl at the rowdy Smith Street nightclub Perks resulted in two arrests and bite marks on cops on March 25.It all began when...
All fall down! Conselyea building partially collapses
A three-story building in Williamsburg, once the home of a neighborhood real estate broker, collapsed on Monday afternoon, injuring four people. The building on 34 Conselyea St., between Union and...
Senior-laden Collegiate plans to go out with a bang
Collegiate’s gymnasium is filled with banners. There are ones representing success for the basketball, soccer, cross-country and track & field teams. It’s a source of pride for the school’s athletic...
NYC boys basketball rankings
As the final buzzer of the season sounded, a shot traveled toward the rim and the state championship was on the line. What a way to finish this memorable year....
flatbush Gardens: Living a good life in East flatbush
All evidence points to the 2,496-unit, 59-building complex in East flatbush coming back in a big way since its name has changed from the notorious Vanderveer Houses three years ago.“Back...
SJU set to hire ex-UCLA coach Lavin
St. John’s athletic director Chris Monasch and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin left a dinner meeting at a downtown bistro last night with the understanding Lavin would become the Red...
Instant sermon (just add water)
Don't bring your water bottle to "A Cool Dip in the Barren Saharan Crick." This earnest, socially conscious and relentlessly talky new play includes lengthy debates over such issues as...
All aboard this 'Freight Train'
ALAN JACKSON "Freight Train" ***½ LIKE a straight shot of whiskey, pure, unhyphenated country isn't for everyone -- so be wary of Alan Jackson's latest. On "Freight Train," pulling into...
Martha wants a network
Martha Stewart may be getting her own cable channel -- just like Oprah. Stewart and Hallmark are in "the early stage" of talks about starting her own channel, according to...
Hot 'Lo$t' ads
And you thought the Super Bowl com manded huge ad rates. ABC is asking advertisers to cough up $900,000 for a 30-second spot on the May finale of "Lost" --...
Nets stink too much for TV
THE Nets have become so bad, no one will televise their games anymore. The YES Network will not be airing three Nets games next week because of conflicts with Yankees...
Sleepy Darryl
Darryl Strawberry was just too tired to go on. "Athletes and celebrities are used to getting up at noon," the former Mets and Yankees superstar said on this week's episode...
To know him... is to hate him
For a true crime buff (like the one whose little head appears at the top of this column), putting together the work of crime writer Aphrodite Jones with the case...
Passion player
Yesterday was a gland-slam day for Usher -- the king of romantic hip-pop. First, his much anticipated sixth CD, "Raymond v Raymond" was released at midnight -- and then, to...
Clueless & unethical: NY's pay-to-pay pols
In light of numerous ethical violations by New York politicians, Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein has the nerve to leave a paper trail of pay-to-play politics ("For Sale -- and Stupid,"...
NYC crunch time
The inevitable is finally happening: New York's failure to fix spending is endangering decades of progress in public safety and infrastructure. Taxpayers won't stick around for shootings and derailments. It's...
Seasonal job growth stokes inflation, interest rates
Get ready for some job growth and the problems that come with it. Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve say they want interest rates to stay low. But borrowing costs...
Little Big Bang
GENEVA -- Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider will begin trying today to make particles collide at ultra-high power and close to the speed of light to create miniversions of...
It's curtains for 'Miracle'
A Broadway revival of "The Miracle Worker" featuring "Little Miss Sunshine" star Abigail Breslin as a young Helen Keller will be closing next Sunday after disappointing ticket sales, producers said...
Keeping the focus on crime
I want to thank Heather Mac Donald for providing the correct perspective regarding stop-and-frisk reports ("Saving Minority Lives," PostOpinion, March 25). New York City's proactive response to crime over the...
Mercury pretty in pink
WASHINGTON -- Mercury, the solar system's most elusive planet, will be easier to see for the next two weeks. Astronomers say that between now and April 10 it will appear...
Feds probing NY milk prices
BATAVIA, NY -- The nation's top antitrust investigator was upstate yesterday to hear farmer and consumer complaints about an alleged lack of competition in New York's dairy industry. Assistant Attorney...
If it's medical MJ, then why tax it?
Call it "the Gateway Bill" -- or "Cheech and Chong's Law." Albany is looking at legalizing "medical marijuana" -- and then making it unique among prescription drugs by taxing it....
No bail for mob scion
A Brooklyn federal judge denied bail yesterday to Colombo crime family scion Michael Persico. Persico, whose father, Carmine "The Snake" Persico, and brother Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico are both serving...
Opening door to Egypt's past
CAIRO, Egypt -- Archaeologists in Luxor have uncovered a 3,500-year- old false door belonging to the tomb of a pharaonic official, the Egyptian government said yesterday. The red granite door...
Pataki tops Gilly in poll
ALBANY -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is ripe for defeat, but only at the hands of former Gov. George Pataki, a poll released yesterday shows. Just 27 percent of voters told...
State budget's Passedover
ALBANY -- Lawmakers threw in the towel on an on-time budget and fled town yesterday to start an extended Passover-Easter break. The Senate convened only briefly to approve $4.6 billion...
'Widows' eyed in Moscow blasts
Moscow was on high alert for possible new terrorist attacks yesterday after two female suicide bombers struck subway stations, killing at least 38 people in an apparent revival of "black...
Free legal aid for homeowners
A team of 300 volunteer lawyers is being assembled to help city homeowners facing foreclosure. Mayor Bloomberg, who yesterday called for aid from the legal community, said he was determined...
Bullied to the breaking point
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Insults and threats followed 15-year-old Phoebe Prince almost from her first day at South Hadley HS, targeting the Irish immigrant in the halls, library and in vicious...
Race to the top: how to win round 2
Yesterday, New York state officially lost Round 1 of the federal $4 billion Race to the Top competition. To get it together to win the funds on offer in Round...
NYPD Daily Blotter
Manhattan A Brooklyn man was arrested for pummeling a woman in a Greenwich Village bar, police sources said yesterday. Dmitry Vlasov, 23, clashed for unknown reasons with the 22-year-old woman...
Bones may be Errol Flynn son
The decades-old mystery about the fate of war photographer Sean Flynn, son of the Hollywood star Errol Flynn, may be solved by DNA tests. Experts will analyze bones from a...
Health no! Poll raps reform plan
Nearly half of Americans want to repeal the health-care-reform law signed by President Obama last week, according to a poll released yesterday. The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey found that 47...
Google hang-ups in China
Google said yesterday that after shutting its Internet search engine in China last week, its mobile services in the country are being partially blocked. The Web-delivered features for wireless phones...
Judge boosts coke-buy 9/11 hero
A firefighter featured in a well-known film about the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks is about to lose his job after being arrested buying cocaine -- but a judge has...
Another $uper record
The record price for a comic book, already broken twice this year, has been shattered again. A copy of the 1938 edition of "Action Comics" No. 1 sold yesterday for...
Shut up, he argues
Henry Waxman is peeved. He expects corporate America to swallow health-care reform without a peep of protest -- and, apparently, without revealing new costs to shareholders or the Securities and...
Mike pot shot: Don't legalize it
Just because he played a hippie in the Inner Circle political spoof over the weekend doesn't mean Mayor Bloomberg's gone to pot. The mayor, who's admitted trying and liking marijuana...
Gay OK for a president
Half of Americans say they are fine with an openly gay president -- and they're even hotter on a lesbian Miss America or homosexual Super Bowl quarterback, according to a...
LI 'slayer' 'fessed: pal
The Long Island teen on trial for the slaying of an Ecuadorian immigrant in 2008 copped to the crime in a panic immediately after the killing, his friend testified yesterday....
Business briefs
Jail time Stern Hu, the lead ne gotiator for mining giant Rio Tinto, was sentenced to 10 years in prison yes terday by a Shanghai court on charges of brib...
Espresso love for 'Kozy
Carla Bruni isn't the only thing Nicolas Sarkozy likes hot and Italian -- the French president demanded a special espresso machine when he visited Columbia University yesterday. Organizers of his...
Drag-on earnings
Enter the dragon, exit the investors. Shares of DreamWorks Animation SKG plunged more than 8 percent yesterday after the studio's animated feature, "How to Train Your Dragon," fell short of...
Ex-IBM exec Moffat: I was just helping pal
He was simply helping out a friend. That was the excuse that former highflying IBM exec Bob Moffat served up yesterday as he explained his role in passing confidential information...
Deadbeat dad gets a Bali high 5
A Manhattan judge has given a thumbs-up to an Internet-gambling big who withheld two months' worth of child support after his ex-wife illegally took off for Bali with their 6-year-old...
WTC has a 6-year glitch
Despite a tentative deal between Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority providing public financing help for Silverstein's 3 World Trade Center, the 2.5 million square-foot Ground Zero office tower might...
Bill's saxy gift for sale
A saxophone signed by former President Bill Clinton is slated to go under the hammer to help satisfy a $20 million judgment against disgraced Democratic donor Norman Hsu. The instrument...
Apple planning Verizon version of iPhone
Take heart, Verizon customers, your iPhone awaits. Maybe. Apple this year may unveil a version of the smartphone that would work on Verizon Wireless' network, ending AT&T's three-year lock on...
People tops 'Lukewarm List'
Let's call it The Lukewarm List. Adweek/Mediaweek's closely watched Hot List of magazines appears to be anything but, as glitzy publisher Condé Nast was shut out and ad-declining titles made...
Kin rip cops in death
Cops tried to cover up for a drunken fellow officer after he mowed down and killed a pedestrian with his car -- delaying drawing his blood for more than seven...
Mike: Stop these runaway pensions
The retirement of a top Fire Department official with an eye-popping $242,000-a-year pension prompted Mayor Bloomberg yesterday to demand that state lawmakers reform a pension system that the cash-strapped city...
LI 'Ponzi' suicide shocker
A Long Island lawyer who jumped to his death from the roof of his office building last week may have been running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme, authorities said yesterday. Nassau...
Tweet book idea
Move over, Oprah -- Twitter is starting its own book club. An effort is under way to get the millions who use the social-networking site to all read the same...
Rail cops go great guns
Stand clear of the submachine guns. In an unusual move, a heavily armed NYPD security battalion with enough firepower to wipe out Downtown Brooklyn descended onto the city's subway trains...
Bobbing for apple
The Big Apple may splish-splash into history with its wettest March ever. The latest round of heavy rains to hit this month boosted the total in Central Park to 8...
Gene patents KO'd
A Manhattan federal judge yesterday struck down a company's patents on two genes that can show an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer, in a ruling with possibly far-reaching...
US plan to sell hits Citi
A cash-strapped Uncle Sam could end 2010 with an additional $8 billion in its pocket after the Treasury completes the sale of its 27 percent stake in Citigroup. The government...
Glass raises bid on Benihana to $8 mark
New York investment manager Russell Glass is so eager for a taste of Japanese steakhouse Benihana that he's turning up the heat on his unsolicited bid for the struggling restaurant...
Exclusive: Ungaro boss offers ex-Valentino chief 75 percent stake in fashion house
The owner of Emanuel Ungaro was recently in talks to sell the flailing fashion label to Italian luxury tycoon Matteo Marzotto, The Post has learned. Asim Abdullah -- a San...
Greece-d with bond billions
Greece raised $6.74 billion yesterday with a seven-year bond issue, in a crucial first borrowing test after the eurozone unveiled a rescue last week to help Athens cope with its...
Unions won -- New York loses
Meanwhile, anyone wondering about the effect of the public-employee-union stranglehold on Albany need look no further than the US Department of Education's decision yesterday awarding the first round of its...
Albany's 'borrow it!' cabal
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless lieutenant governor -- or, at least, one who's conspiring with a political archenemy to undermine administration policy. According...
Why we're broke
Mayor Bloomberg showed a firm grasp of the obvious yesterday, responding to a Post exclusive detailing the $242,000-a-year pension just awarded to a retiring FDNY deputy commissioner. "The issue that...
FiOS TV is unplugged
Verizon will no longer seek new cities to roll out its FiOS TV service as the company nears the end of its $23 billion network upgrade project. The New York...
City crime hits a new soar point
Serious crime went up again last week, and the NYPD is developing emergency strategies to tackle the sharp rise in murders and shootings this year. Overall crime rose 3.5 percent...
Cab-slay rage
When off-his-meds, epileptic cabby Hassan Afzal had a seizure behind the wheel in lower Manhattan four years ago, he killed a beautiful young college sophomore, and badly injured her three...
$1M/month pitch from Dodger wife
Los Angeles Dodger owner Frank McCourt's estranged wife made a pitch in court yesterday to force her husband to cough up $1 million a month to help her maintain her...
Magnate made me escort
Robert Brot is no Richard Gere, according to his "Pretty Woman." The Manhattan real-estate developer who says he rescued a woman from a life of prostitution, as Gere's character did...
Kink stink over GOP's pricey 'bonding' session
WASHINGTON -- The Republican National Committee blew nearly $2,000 at a bondage-themed nightclub while running up thousands more on fancy hotels, private jets and limos, officials disclosed yesterday. During a...
Medi-con man bares bad docs' operation
A Harlem street hustler yesterday brazenly offered bribes to Medicaid cardholders to herd them into yet another dental clinic -- and revealed details of the "multimillion-dollar" scam he said was...
NY blows 'Top': Loses bid for fed school-cash
New York lost its long-shot bid for as much as $700 million in federal education-reform aid -- coming in 15th out of 16 finalists in the first-ever competition among states,...
I was 'framed'
Talk about painting yourself into a corner. A Chelsea art gallery was slapped with an $8 million lawsuit yesterday by a collector who claims its owners blabbed to a painter...
April 1: Refund day
ALBANY -- The refund check is almost in the mail. Gov. Paterson on Thursday -- yes, April Fool's Day -- will release some $500 million in state income-tax refunds withheld...
Militia 'plot'
DETROIT -- Nine alleged members of a Christian militia group that was girding for battle with the Antichrist were charged yesterday with plotting to kill a police officer and slaughter...
Building collapse injures hardhat
A Brooklyn building collapsed onto three construction workers yesterday, leaving one hardhat up to his neck in bricks and fighting for his life. The three-story residential building at 34 Conselyea...
Ricky: I'm Living La Vida gay
Heartthrob pop star Ricky Martin is no longer denying the rumors: He's gay. In a statement posted via Twitter in both Spanish and English, and later confirmed with his representative,...
The Post Line
NBA Favorite Line Underdog PACERS 6 Kings Thunder 5 SIXERS BUCKS 9½ Clippers Suns 3 BULLS ROCKETS 10 Wizards NHL Favorite Line Underdog ISLANDERS $100-120 Rangers DEVILS $150-170 Bruins BL....
Philadelphia Park Analysis
Today's analysis.1. 1 1/16m; $20,000; mdn cl($12,500); 3YOHOW BOUT JERRY drops in class for local return after finishing second at Laurel. FIERCELY LOYAL adds blinkers and drops in class for route...
Hamlin continues Martinsville reign
MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Denny Hamlin surged to the front after a blunder and won the rain-delayed NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway in a wild finish. The victory was Hamlin's second...
Els 'blazes' to victory at Bay Hill
ORLANDO -- Ernie Els made two clutch par putts, escaped trouble from a buried lie in the bunker and wound up wearing a blue blazer yesterday for winning the rain-delayed...
Kovalchuk gives Devils 'Big Shot' at title
There's a new buzz around the Devils, and they're selling tickets, too, for the big show in Newark, starring the "Big Shot." The Devils still have significant kinks to work...
'Rachel' hits track
Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 at Fair Grounds yesterday morning, her final work before departing for Churchill Downs where she will train towards her...
Tortorella: Locke could be key for Rangers
After yesterday's practice, Rangers coach John Tortorella repeatedly said that winger P.A. Parenteau -- the same player who was recalled from the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack before Saturday's 3-2 overtime...
Islanders want revenge vs. Rangers
The Islanders don't have much to play for when it comes to the standings, but they have played well after one of their ugliest losses of the season, a 5-0...
One more shot at Arenas
April Fool's Day is upon us this week. Or, as Gilbert Arenas refers to it, "Thursday." Oh, yes, another Arenas semi-column is on tap! I apologize in advance. However, while...
Sports shorts
WNBA: Libs land Pondexter WNBA star Cappie Pondexter is headed to the Liberty as part of a major three-team trade. The 27-year-old All-Star guard averaged 19.1 points last season in...
Nets CEO, fan baggin' lunch
You weren't expecting a box lunch, were you? Nets CEO Brett Yormark will sit down today for a brown bag lunch with Chris Lisi, the 20-year-old Middletown, N.J., man whom...
Heavyweight bat boosts Yankees prospect Montero
TAMPA -- Joe Girardi sent out a search party. It was March 21. A game against Detroit had been rained out. That was the date the Yankees had determined they...
Yankees' Teixeira leaves game with bruised elbow
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Watching Mark Teixeira use a fork to spear the Yankees' postgame spread last night would have given the most positive fan indigestion. Told to keep his tightly-wrapped,...
Nets earn 10th win; avoid history
Watch your back, Minnesota. The Nets are gunning for you. "The way we're playing, I think there's a chance we can catch Minnesota," Nets center Brook Lopez said with an...
Yankees prospect may show off two-armed pitching
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Joe Girardi wanted a look at switch-pitcher Pat Venditte at some point this spring. Today against the Braves may be the day. "I wanted to see it...
Feliciano may be in Mets' setup role
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Pedro Feliciano is the latest entry into the Mets' eighth-inning derby. The lefty reliever -- the team's most trusted bullpen option not named Francisco Rodriguez --...
Boozer intrigued by possibility of joining Knicks
SALT LAKE CITY -- Free-agent-to-be Carlos Boozer sounded intrigued about joining Mike D'Antoni's Knicks, but believes if he comes to New York, it won't be in a star tandem with...
Thorn cautious about Nets' change in owners
Nets president Rod Thorn always has been a Yogi Berra proponent. "It ain't over till it's over." No trade is a done deal until it's a done deal. And team...
Weird but true
Never get between a lovebird and his love. A goose that fell for a statue held an Illinois woman hostage in her home for hours. When Joanne Martin tried to...
Hiring Lavin would make St. John's relevant again
As much as anything, the people who care about St. John's basketball --and as the past few weeks have shown, their legion is still substantial and passionate -- want to...
Decision on bigger NCAA tournament field in 120 days
Greg Shaheen, senior vice president of the NCAA, told The Post yesterday that a decision on expanding the Tournament field will be made within 120 days -- and that if...
Michigan State looking for Lucious to lead
Korie Lucious missed a free throw. Not just any free throw, perhaps the free throw that would force Michigan State to put the balls away for good. Lucious is a...
Seton Hall's Pope to enter NBA Draft
Seton Hall sophomore forward Herb Pope announced yesterday he will enter the NBA Draft. Pope's announcement came one day after Kevin Willard was named the Pirates' head basketball coach. Willard's...
Fraschilla itchin' to coach again
The same day Kevin Willard officially left Iona for Seton Hall, New York coaching veteran Fran Fraschilla subtly dropped hints that he's itching to return to the bench if the...
Gillen: It'll be Butler vs. Duke and the champ will be ...
Each Tuesday during the NCAA tournament, former Xavier and Virginia coach Pete Gillen, a New York native and CBS College Sports Network analyst, will share his March Madness thoughts with...
Welsh joins Hofstra's search list
Tim Welsh, the former coach at Providence and Iona who has made three NCAA tournament appearances, has been in preliminary contact with Hofstra officials, a source said, regarding the Hempstead...
Lavin, St. John's on verge of deal
St. John's athletic director Chris Monasch and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin left a dinner meeting at a Tribeca restaurant last night with the understanding that Lavin would become the...
Is Kevin Parker walking a mile in Monserrate's shoes?
It looks like state Sen. Kevin Parker will put his dukes up once again — but this time, it’ll be in court.Felony assault charges from last year’s attack on a...
Revival tent! Ringling Brothers circus to return to Coney this summer
Maybe Coney Island really will be the “greatest show on earth” this summer.On the heels of the city’s announcement that a major new amusement park would operate from Memorial Day...
Unkindest cuts! Boro subways and buses are slashed by the MTA
In total, the agency said that the cuts will save $93 million. MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said the agency determines net savings by tallying costs associated with operating a particular...
PSAL Championship division boys lacrosse preview: Pirates in hunt for title
Demetrios Haronitis believes there isn't a dominant team in the PSAL Championship division. He also doesn’t see why his defensive-minded Tottenville squad can’t challenge for a city title. The Pirates,...
Boxing club hopes to KO crime
A new boxing club in the heart of a once-notorious housing complex could change the lives of neighborhood kids — for the better.Built by a legendary fight trainer — and...
Nets get 10th win, avoid share of NBA's worst mark
The New Jersey Nets notched their 10th victory Monday night, avoiding any chance of tying for the worst record in NBA history by beating the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 90-84....
Astroland lives on Cyclone
Astroland Amusement Park is gone, but the storied name will still be one of the last things riders on the Cyclone roller-coaster see before plummeting 85-feet to the street this...
Norwegian Day parade organizers blast cut in route
Organizers of Bay Ridge’s Norwegian Day Parade are madder than a pickled herring over the city’s plan to slash their parade route a whopping 25 percent — after letting all...