April 16, 2010
Ex-Rep Massa's top aide files sex-harass complaint
Former Democratic Rep. Eric Massa's chief of staff has filed a sexual harassment complaint against the 50-year-old New York lawmaker. Joe Racalto's attorney Camilla McKinney said Friday the complaint was...
Bobby V: Mets not part of my future
At least one person thinks Jerry Manuel can help turn the Mets around and believes talk of replacing the embattled manager is premature."The Mets are 3-6. It's nine games," former...
Prostitute finally gets justice in rape
When a Manhattan prostitute cried rape in 2006, cops at first did not believe her, leaving the rapist free to rape a second woman two years later. But today, a...
The latest on Lilith Fair
Teen pop star/actress Selena Gomez (above) and singer/songwriter Jenni Rivera were announced as the newest additions to the 2010 Lilith Tour line-up. They'll be taking the stage this summer alongside...
OTB calls special meeting to discuss possible shutdown
ALBANY -- The New York City Off-Track Betting Corp. board planned to meet in special session Saturday, a day before the agency is scheduled to end operations and lay off...
Toyota to recall 600,000 Sienna minivans
Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States, to address potential corrosion in the spare tire carrier cable. Toyota says the recall affects the 1998-2010...
Slash's solo disc takes a stab at everything
Earlier this month, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash released a solo album, "SLASH" (natch), featuring collaborations with musicians from pretty much every music genre out there. Except classical. (And wisely...
The weekly wrap-up, April 16
This week we learned that...... Surprise! Goldman Sachs' might have done some shady stuff with subprime mortgages. [BusinessWeek]... Trusting random members of the public with city planning might not work as well as...
Police officer in Roethlisberger case resigns
The police officer who took the initial report from the woman who accused NFL star Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault has resigned, law enforcement officials said Friday. Officer Jerry Blash,...
Dems blast GOP gov candidates on tax disclosure
State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs - on a new roll as the election season is ramping up - is hitting potential GOP gubernatorial contenders Rick Lazio and Steve Levy...
Report: Mets say 'no setback' for idle Beltran
The Mets revealed today that Carlos Beltran is still unable to run after offseason knee surgery despite thoughts he would be able to do so by now.According to NJ.com, Mets...
So you think you can write a song?
If you're the type of person who listens to the radio and thinks, "I could do better," the John Lennon Songwriting Contest is your chance to put your money where...
Yankees put Park on 15-day disabled list
Chan Ho Park has been put on the 15-day disabled list with a low-grade strain in his right hamstring.The Yankees reliever was injured warming up in the bullpen during last...
Leslie Koch slapped with $3,600 late fee
ALBANY – The state Public Integrity Commission has just slapped a $3,600 civil penalty on Leslie Koch, President of the state-run Governors Island Preservation & Education Corporation, for filing her...
Dems to Ed Cox: 'You Need a Drink!'
The newly-rebooted state Democratic Party is going after state GOP Chairman Ed Cox in a pretty clever release headlined "Ed Cox's Worst Week Ever" and chronicling the rocky path his...
Ga. officer who took Ben Roethlisberger report resigns
ATLANTA — A Georgia officer who took the first report from the woman who accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault has resigned. Milledgeville police Chief Woodrow Blue...
'Real Housewives' cookin' all over
Sonja Morgan made her debut on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York City” Thursday night, but the newest “housewife” already has something else cooking. Morgan, 46, tells The Post...
Fan charged with vomiting on 11-year-old girl at Phillies game
PHILADELPHIA -- A New Jersey man is facing charges after police say he intentionally vomited on an 11-year-old girl and her father in the stands during a Phillies game. Twenty-one-year-old...
Mourinho under the microscope as Inter continues to slip
His Inter Milan side having reached the last four of the Champions League and the Italian Cup final, Jose Mourinho's methods are still being questioned in Italy after surrendering the...
Cameron Douglas getting public sentencing
Cameron Douglas should start getting ready for his close-up. A judge today ordered a public sentencing for the drug-dealing Hollywood heir, whose lawyers sought to have his punishment imposed in...
Dem. Majority leader Sampson hits Bloomy back
Democratic Senate Majority leader John Sampson just hit back hard at Mayor Bloomberg's denouncement of the budget "craziness" he says the Democrats are engaged in - accusing him of taking...
Convicted killer says parole officer he shot 'deserved it'
A convicted killer arrested after shooting his parole officer said today that the target of his anger "deserved it." "I'm just sorry he's not dead," Robert Morales said as he...
FOX's Johnson says Jets are 'team to beat' in AFC East
FOX “NFL Sunday” pregame analyst Jimmy Johnson believes the Jets are the team to beat in the AFC East -- in no small part because of Rex Ryan. "I like...
Rangers bring big bats into Stadium; Cervelli will catch
After three straight series with teams that made the playoffs in the last two years, the Yankees open a three-game series with the Rangers tonight at Yankee Stadium. The Rangers...
'$hore' crew running out of cash
The cast of the “Jersey Shore” is learning mighty quickly that partying in South Beach comes with a price, and a pretty expensive one at that.Originally reported by RadarOonline.com, everyone’s...
New salary-cap projections favor Knicks
The new NBA salary-cap projections from today's Board of Governor's meeting are out and it's good news for the Knicks.According to commissioner David Stern, the new projection for July 1...
'Closing Time Bandit' gets nearly 27 years
CAMDEN, N.J. — A Pennsylvania man who robbed 10 banks in Pennsylvania and New Jersey over several years has been sentenced to nearly 27 years in state prison. Joseph McAdams...
'One of the most irresponsible films ever'?
My colleague Reed Tucker recently noted that the conservative English paper The Daily Mail has blasted "Kick-Ass" (which I gave three and a half stars today) for being "one of...
Over 100 Queens gang members arrested in massive drug, gun bust: police
Dozens of Queens gang members were busted during a massive drug and guns sweep -- including one who had planned to kill police officers, authorities announced today. Police Commissioner Ray...
Young GOPers press Paterson on upstate special election (video)
The New York State Young Republicans are publicly calling out Gov. Paterson for dragging his heels in calling a special election in NY-29 to replace disgraced Democratic Rep. Eric Massa,...
Exclusive: Senate Dems trying to raise off spring 'issues' conference
On the heels of a pay-to-play scandal involving labor unions and access to legislators, the Senate Democrats are charging up to $5,000 to prospective attendees at its first annual "issues...
Wall Street suspects Goldman charges 'not coincidental' to financial reform effort
Wall Street is more than a little suspicious of today’s charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has accused Goldman Sachs of lying to investors about who was really...
Hixon signs Giants' tender; Raiders have Morrison on block
Wide receiver Domenik Hixon signed his free agent tender with the Giants, according to Sirius Radio.Hixon will get $1.7 million this season.*The Raiders are willing to take draft picks in...
Crash victim screams, 'Say you're sorry' at epileptic cabby
"Say you're sorry!" the young woman sobbed. "Just look at us and say you're sorry!" They came face to face after a Manhattan sentencing today, close enough to touch --...
Report: Dolphins called off meeting with Taylor
Jason Taylor was scheduled to sit down with Dolphins coach Tony Sparano this week but team called off the meeting, according to the Miami Herald.Jeff Darlington writes, "The team's decision...
All’s Wells that ends well
Could former All-Star outfielder Vernon Wells finally be making good on the seven-year $126 million contract the Blue Jays handed him after the end of the 2006 season? From the...
Authorities: Fatigues-clad vet kills self in Ohio
DAYTON, Ohio -- An Army veteran wearing military fatigues shot and killed himself Friday with an assault rifle on the steps of a Veterans Administration medical center in Ohio where...
Can we calm down about Chloe and her cursing?
Predictably, there's been a spate of handwringing about the underage swearing in "Kick-Ass" - not from Kyle, although he does suggest a "triple-R" rating- but honestly, I think the film's...
Long: Demos is 'desperate'
Mike Long didn't mince words about his "disappointment" with Suffolk County congressional candidate George Demos over a letter he sent to the state Conservative Party chairman and Suffolk Conservative chair...
Stranded Monty Python legend John Cleese lands $5,000 taxi fare
Monty Python actor John Cleese spent more than $5,000 on a taxi journey after his flight home from Norway was canceled because of the volcanic ash cloud, Sky News reported...
Ex-Soviet fighter pilot sentenced for NY heist
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- A former Soviet fighter pilot who defected to the U.S. in the late 1980s has been sentenced to 18 years to life for robbing an upstate New...
Guatemalan drug kingpin cries after getting 31 years in the slammer
A heavyweight Guatemalan drug kingpin who failed in a bid to turn rat cried in court this morning after getting slapped with a 31-year prison term for conspiring to send...
Sabathia leads Yankees past Rangers
CC Sabathia struck out nine in another dominant performance and the New York Yankees beat the sloppy Texas Rangers 5-1 on Friday night in a game that was called after...
Gametracker: Mets at Cardinals
Oliver Perez opposes Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter when the Mets open a three-game series in St. Louis.
Search continues on NY lake for 2 missing campers
MIDDLESEX, N.Y. — Police are searching one of the Finger Lakes for two young men reported missing after they failed to return from a camping trip. The Yates County Sheriff’s...
Report: Francoeur says Mets shouldn't bat Reyes third
Jeff Francoeur -- the Mets' hottest hitter to start the season -- says the team should leave Jose Reyes in the leadoff spot instead of moving him to third in...
Box Office: Will 'Kick-Ass' kick butt?
Tracking indicates Lionsgate's "Kick-Ass'' will bow at No. 1 with a number in the high 20 millions, though that may depend on how many under-17s (the apparent target audience) manage...
City seeks to curb art vendors in Union Square, Central Park
Manhattan’s most famous parks are lined with artists selling their sculptures, paintings and photographs — often of quintessential New York scenes — but city officials say the vendors have grown...
Malpass takes swipe at Gillibrand's 'silence' on key issues
Per The Post's Brendan Scott, newly minted GOP Senate David Malpass hopeful took square aim at rival Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, accusing her of staying silent on key issues, walking "lock...
Hepatitis A threat at Westchester Dunkin’ Donuts
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. — The Westchester Health Department says some patrons of a New York doughnut shop may have been exposed to hepatitis A by an infected employee. Hepatitis A, a...
Bloomberg blasts Senate Dems property tax 'craziness'
Mayor Bloomberg took aim today at the state Senate Democrats' plan for trying to include some form of property tax relief in their current budget proposals, suggesting it's a play...
What If Sports: Cavaliers will beat Blazers in NBA Finals
The Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James will win their first NBA title, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in the Finals, according to projections by Whatifsports.com. The Web site ran 2,001...
Kirk looks good for Os seat
Mark Kirk has outraised his Democratic opponent for Barack Obama's former seat by $1 million. For that and other reasons, Kirk looks like the frontrunner.
US destroyer chases pirates who fire RPGs at ship
NAIROBI, Kenya — A U.S. destroyer hunted down a group of pirates who attacked a vessel in the Gulf of Aden with rocket-propelled grenades early Friday and chased them with...
Norway's PM, stuck in NYC because of volcano ash, runs nation with iPad
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, stranded in New York City due to an erupting volcano, has been governing the country entirely from an iPad. Stoltenberg, who was in town for...
Maybe next year
Everyone agrees that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were an integral part of the housing crisis and therefore the financial crisis. Now we have the actual numbers on their contributions:...
Captain says Devils need this win
There was no soft-soap from Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner. Asked if Devils need to win tonight, he didn't hedge."We have to go in with that mentality," Langenbrunner said today. "We...
NJ school serves up cheese sandwich punishment
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Students at a New Jersey high school have learned not to mess with the lunch ladies. Cafeteria workers at Atlantic City High School served only cheese...
Obama launches 'Great Outdoors' initiative
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is launching a drive to protect more sections of the nation's landscape and to encourage more outdoors activities by Americans. The president said Friday the...
Goldman gets tagged by SEC fraud claim involving subprime bond deal
It turns out Goldman Sachs helped hedge fund bigwig John Paulson pocket billions on toxic mortgages without disclosing it to its clients, who were buying very the stuff Paulson was...
Syracuse running back Carter charged with assault
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse running back Delone Carter has been charged with misdemeanor assault involving a fight that injured a fellow student. Syracuse Deputy Police Chief Joe Cecile says the...
Tiger, Elin start to tangle over children
As divorce rumors swirl around Tiger and Elin, it's being reported that the two are alreadying argueing over who gets to spend more time with the children.Last week Elin took...
Mom: Missing teen being held against her will or dead (video)
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The mother of a New York teen who was last seen in South Carolina nearly a year ago says she's been told little about new information...
Goldman Sachs charged with subprime mortgage fraud
WASHINGTON — The government has accused Goldman Sachs & Co. of defrauding investors by failing to disclose conflicts of interest in mortgage investments it sold as the housing market was...
Coffey raises off his own investment
Sean Coffey, the former federal prosecutor who's positioning himself as the outsider in a crowded Democratic field for Attorney General, is pivoting fast off his $2 million loan to his...
'Avatar' producer talks Blu-ray, theatrical re-release, Oscar snub -- and 3-D 'Titanic'
Thursday's DVD and Blu-ray release of "Avatar'' -- only in 2-D -- won't cannibalize the audience for a planned 3-D theatrical reissue, producer Jon Landau predicted last night. "It's like going to a...
Bloomberg to Holder: Time to make a decision on 9/11 trials
Saying the decision isn't "going to get any easier for them," Mayor Bloomberg today urged U.S. Attorney general Eric Holder to announce once and for all where the Obama Administration...
Demos: Altschuler like Dede Scozzafava
George Demos, the former SEC attorney who's making a play for the GOP nomination in the fight for Rep. Tim Bishop's seat, is writing an open letter to Conseravative Party...
Chuck it and start again
“There is no reforming the current system, as it is permeated with corruption. But Congress is utterly unable to write a new tax code from scratch. If this country is...
Volcano ash causes chaos to erupt at airports across Europe
LONDON — Thick drifts of volcanic ash blanketed parts of rural Iceland on Friday as a vast, invisible plume of grit drifted over Europe, emptying the skies of planes and...
Tea Party manifesto
The Contract from America
Morning buzz
* Mayor Bloomberg hits John Gambling's radio show * Gov. Paterson is down today * Now-departed Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey was slated to speak at a breakfast at the New...
Drama Mama: Familiar faces in other people's shows
What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by sitting in your house and watching some quality TV? Given her knack for massacring plants, Mama considers it a form of environmental...
Christ going independent
Looks like Florida Gov. Charlie Christ may be leaving the GOP to run as an independent. His campaign chair Connie Mack has quit.
DNC to pour $50 million into fall races
WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee says it will spend more than $50 million in cash and other resources on the November elections, as the party struggles to limit expected...
3UP: Pelfrey, Cano and Granderson
1. Even at his best, Chien-Ming Wang engendered a lot of doubt about how long he could extend success. It was not about the injuries that ultimately derailed him. It...
Steelers waiting to discipline Big Ben
PITTSBURGH — Steelers president Art Rooney II says the team is ready to discipline Ben Roethlisberger but the punishment will be coordinated with the NFL and won’t preempt any league...
O's low space expectations
Is this the way to inspire? President Obama goes to NASA to talk about the future of space exploration and his message is let’s try to be good, not great...
Back Page: NBA playoff predictions
Eastern Conference 1. Cavaliers vs. 8. Bulls Last year the Bulls pushed the Celtics to seven game in the opening round. There won’t be a repeat. Chicago did a good...
Police: Man intentionally vomited on family at Phillies game
PHILADELPHIA — The saying that baseball is a gentleman’s game has one more strike against it. A 21-year-old New Jersey man was being held on $36,000 bail Friday after police...
Grilling Goodwin
Goodwin Liu, President Obama’s nominee for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, begins his confirmation hearings today. News reports suggest that Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee are poised for...
Hot picks
KANE'S WORLD ALL hail “Citizen Kane”! Nearly 70 years after boy wonder Orson Welles directed, co-wrote and starred in the legendary film, it remains one of the big screen’s greatest...
Inside the Mets-Cardinals
METS: Perez, who is 2-5 with a 4.84 ERA against the Cardinals in 13 career starts, allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision in his only start...
Pelfrey’s gem just what Mets needed
DENVER — Mike Pelfrey took a tourniquet yesterday and displayed the proper technique in stabilizing a hemorrhaging wound. After four straight losses, the Mets desperately needed somebody to step up...
Mets' basepath gaffes can’t doom day
DENVER — The Mets won yesterday’s game against the Rockies despite a number of bad moves on the bases. The third inning alone was a clinic in how not to...
Red-hot Francoeur waiting for rest of Mets' lineup
DENVER — Jeff Francoeur credits six weeks of hard work in spring training for the manner in which he is scorching the baseball. The Mets’ hottest hitter had two more...
Getting used to new surroundings, Cedeno delivers for GW
Jariel Cedeno brought his swagger, “Jake the Snake” nickname and infectious smile with him from Norman Thomas to George Washington. Unfortunately, he left behind his pitching ability. He came to...
Softball roundup: Port Richmond stays undefeated in PSAL play
Caitlin Shields went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Jamie Forlenza was 1-for-3 with three RBIs to lead Port Richmond to a 10-4 win against Newtown in...
Thursday start should give extra buzz to NFL Draft
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is expected to be the opening act, but the Jets could steal the show as the NFL Draft hits primetime for the first time. The Rams...
'Beauty and the Briefcase' is latest 'Sex and the City'-inspired movie
Call it “Not Exactly Sex and the City.” I’m talking about Hilary Duff’s silly, cute, fantasy business-meets-love movie on ABC Family, “Beauty and the Briefcase,” about an aspiring journalist obsessed...
Uncharacteristic Terriers blanked by Molloy
Ann Marie Rich wasn’t speechless. She just ran out of things to say. The St. Francis Prep coach watched a very uncharacteristic and sloppy performance from her team in a...
Medgar Evers guard signs with St. Francis College
The phone calls from college coaches have come pouring in for Medgar Evers senior Jasmin Robinson. There was Hofstra, St. Peter’s and Rhode Island just this week. The lightning quick...
Starr report
Steve Schirripa's got a lot on his plate besides "Steve Schirripa's Hungry," which bows next month on city- owned NYC Life (Ch. 25). He recently wrapped a role in Clint...
Not much of a jones for this phoniness
Slick as a pig and reeking of phony sympathy for recession-wracked consumers, "The Joneses" is a black comedy about stealth marketing made by a filmmaker who's evidently much too close...
They're takin' it to the Bank-sy
These graffiti guerrillas sure are a strange species. They dash back and forth, spray can in hand, from the concrete overpasses of the night to the sparkly shine of Sotheby's...
'Death at a Funeral' is far from buried treasure
Possibly setting a speed record for a remake, "Death at a Funeral" takes a sporadically funny, little-seen (at least here) 2007 British slapstick comedy and faithfully restages it with a...
It'll catch your eye
'The Secret in Their Eyes," dark-horse winner of the 2009 foreign-language Oscar, is a nearly perfect love story/murder mystery that unfortunately falters at the end. The story is built around...
Naked truth about drug
It's one thing to get middle-aged men and women, with their sagging flesh, to pose nude for a photo shoot. But when those people have deformed bodies (short limbs, missing...
Genteel trip but few attractions
Reportedly James Ivory's final feature as a director, "The City of Your Final Destination" (shot in 2006, after the death of his longtime partner, Ismail Merchant) has an excellent cast,...
Rock & a hard place
'No One Knows About Persian Cats," by Kurdish-Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi, so angered the clerics who rule Tehran that Ghobadi and his co-writer-fiancée, Roxani Saberi, were briefly jailed, then ordered...
A tweaked 'Tosca' really sings
Oh, what a difference the details make -- and the right cast and conductor. This season's biggest bomb, Luc Bondy's production of "Tosca," has blossomed into one of the strongest...
NJ paradox: Piles of cash, failing schools
For parents of kids in public schools, the heartbreaking documentary "The Cartel" is a revelation. Documentary filmmaker Bob Bowdon takes us through the inept, corrupt, embarrassing and spendthrift New Jersey...
Sailing to an ugly memory
An electrician carrying the burden of a crime he com mitted as a young sailor wanders through the past looking for truth and forgiveness in the sadly affecting drama "Handsome...
Small ball gets a win
A little movie with a lot of heart, William Dear's "The Perfect Game" tells the im probable but true story of how a ragtag team from Monterrey, Mexico, became the...
Paula back to 'Idol'?
Ratings erosion on "American Idol" has ignited speculation that Paula Abdul could return next season when Simon Cowell leaves the show. While "Idol" remains a ratings winner, its slip has...
Leno reclaims late-night throne
Jay Leno is back. Since returning as host of "The Tonight Show" March 1, Leno has reclaimed his familiar position as TV's top-rated late-night host -- with David Letterman's "Late...
'Kick-Ass' is a super power play
The most amazing superpower you’ll encounter in “Kick-Ass” isn’t that it enlivens one of the dullest movie genres, or that it scores laughs out of children plummeting to their deaths,...
Study: Tiger ad is icky
Tiger Woods' return to advertising didn't make the cut. The Nike ad, with the voice of the golfer's dead dad, freaked out a focus group that summed it up in...
Conan may stay put
How's this for full circle -- Conan may move back into the same LA studio he used for "The Tonight Show," according to reports. The hunt is on for new...
Refresh memory, Lane
You have to feel sorry for my good friend Nathan Lane. There he is, night after night, carrying on his back this season's dog, "The Addams Family." There he is,...
Dumb-cop rerun
The java-loving cop whose police car was stolen while he ducked into a Bronx diner in January now finds himself in water hotter than a cup of McDonald's coffee. Officer...
CEO in 'DWI slay'
The CEO of financially reeling furniture giant Jennifer Convertibles drunkenly mowed down a bus-depot security guard crossing a Queens highway on foot, authorities said yesterday. Harley Greenfield, 65, was driving...
Putin wins again
Jeez, this guy is good. A few years back, I wrote that Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was the most impressive major leader on today's world stage. Since then, he's...
Jobless $$ extended
WASHINGTON -- Congress yesterday passed an $18 billion bill to restore benefits for the long-term unemployed through June. The measure, which President Obama signed hours later, will provide up to...
Kyrgyz crackdown
Officials in Kyrgyzstan said an operation is underway to arrest the brothers of the country's deposed president. Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was driven from the capital, Bishkek, on April 7...
Cancer-Rx trials ailing
CHICAGO -- The system for conducting cancer clinical trials in the United States is "at a breaking point" and needs a major overhaul, a panel of experts said yesterday. Inefficient...
Toyota probing all SUVs
TOKYO -- Toyota is testing all its sport utility vehicles to reassure buyers of their safety after Consumer Reports warned that a large Lexus SUV is susceptible to rolling over....
Chocolate Rx for liver woes
Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate may be just what the doctor ordered for liver patients. A Spanish study found that chocolate lowers the blood pressure and reduces damage to blood vessels in...
Pope's 'repent' call over abuse
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI broke his recent silence on the clerical-abuse scandal yesterday, complaining that the church was under attack but conceding that "we Christians" must repent for...
Obama's nuke policy: no 'glowing' reviews
THE ISSUE: Pres. Obama's Nuclear Security Summit, which was attended by 47 nations. *** Our president has a penchant for feel-good moments and low-hanging fruit while looking past the vipers...
Wrist slap for Zazi's 'tip' imam
The Queens imam who lied to the FBI about tipping off subway suicide-bomb plotters was given a wrist slap yesterday by a Brooklyn federal judge who sentenced him to the...
Schumer stands up against the Wall
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Schumer yesterday put himself on the front line of Democrats' fight to pass Wall Street reforms, bucking criticism back home in New York that the new...
Closing belle at St. Vinny
It was bye-bye, babies yesterday at doomed St. Vincent's Hospital, where the final newborn was delivered just before dawn. Abigail Jancu arrived at 4:58 a.m. to beaming parents Anastasia and...
Saving Wall Street from itself
The Senate's financial-reform bill is a careful attempt to make sure we never again have to choose between bailing out large banks or watching the economy sink into the abyss....
Bill helps Madoff's victims
A group of legislators yesterday announced they've crafted a bill to outlaw current efforts to "claw back" money from victims of Ponzi King Bernie Madoff. Six members of Congress, including...
Embryos with three parents
Heather could have two mommies -- and a daddy. British researchers used DNA from a man and two women to create human embryos in a bid to eradicate certain genetic...
Business briefs
Self-budget Sen. Charles Schumer and SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro are pushing to win self-budgeting au thority for the SEC amid concern Congress may strip the measure from its regulatory overhaul.China...
Cuomo targets Rattner
The Quadrangle Group yesterday agreed to cough up $12 million and publicly denounce one of its founders, Bloomberg pal and former car czar Steven Rattner, ending two damaging probes into...
1 in 6 city teens: E-snooping? Hack, yeah!
Parents who think their kids are quietly doing their homework might find they are quietly hacking into their friends' e-mails or Facebook pages. A recent survey reveals that one in...
NYPD Daily Blotter
Manhattan A would-be thief was busted for assaulting two people in an Upper East Side building, cops said yesterday. Manuel Chuyn, 32, followed a 51-year-old man and family members into...
'Old master' of disguise
In Manhattan, even Michelangelo can remain incognito. A painting by the Renaissance master spent four decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art without being recognized, an art historian said this...
Cheats off the street
Tax day didn't bring happy returns for these millionaires. Seven wealthy filers -- including a disbarred at torney once known as "New York's Most Obnoxious Lawyer" -- were accused of...
Subpoena takes Meeks by storm
A federal grand jury has slapped Queens Rep. Gregory Meeks with a subpoena demanding records about his tax-exempt charities and what happened to their money -- including one that stiffed...
Bus driver's fiery rescue
Here's one pickup this heroic MTA bus driver didn't expect to make. Andrew Caputaro, who drives the S53, ditched his bus loaded with riders on Staten Island to pluck a...
Black may name new Redbook boss within week
HEARST President Cathie Black is close to naming a new editor-in-chief of Redbook, and sources say the two finalists are a top editor at Condé Nast's Glamour and Redbook's current...
Tributes to civil-rights hero Hooks, dead at 85
The Rev. Al Sharpton was once seen as a rabble rouser more interested in getting his name in the paper than in fighting for a cause. Benjamin Hooks, 85, the...
$paced out prez flees DC masses
Marie Antoinette famously dismissed her starving, seething masses, saying, "Let them eat cake." In a modern twist of French fancy and Habsburg haughtiness, President Obama yesterday skipped town on thousands...
Paul Robeson HS just keeps on rollin' toward shutdown
Whistleblower student Alisha Strawder is right -- her school, Paul Robeson High in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, is a wasteland: * In 2009, just 40 percent of seniors graduated. * Nearly...
'We brought some sanity to the system'
All parents want great teachers in their children's classrooms. The city's public schools and the teachers union are committed to making that happen. No child benefits from an ineffective educator....
$5M tome run for Bam on '09 income
WASHINGTON -- Thanks to revived book sales after he became president, Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, made $5.5 million last year. They paid about one-third of it in federal...
Greek tax ax cuts to bone
Now we know why they rioted in Greece. The nation's parliament -- under the gun to solve its red-ink crisis or else face default -- passed a draconian tax-reform package...
Shoeshine 'arsonist' brush-off
He's baaaaacccck! An elderly shoeshine man who admittedly torched two shoeshine stands at Bryant Park over a two-week period was released without having to post bail yesterday -- and promptly...
PE gets carried away
Private-equity barons like Henry Kravis are learning the hard way that having friends in the Senate may not be enough to keep them from paying significantly higher taxes on the...
Overtime hogs all in the family
This nepotism is shocking. The FDNY electrician who is the city's No. 2 overtime earner got all those lucrative extra hours approved by the No. 3 overtime king -- his...
Teacher #1 on rubber-room shut down: Staffer in limbo doesn't trust pact
They're not buying the Department of Education's deal at the Washington Heights rubber room, according to denizen Tom Forbes. "A lot of us don't trust the union and are waiting...
Ash KO'd engines in 1982 flight fright
When an invisible plume of volcanic ash knocked out all the power aboard a British Airways 747 over Indonesia in 1982, the captain made a terrifying announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen,...
Russia parent scrap
Dozens of American families -- just weeks from finalizing long-awaited Russian adoptions -- were blindsided yesterday when Moscow officials slapped an immediate ban on the process. "You've got to expect...
Teacher #2 on rubber-room shut down: Hoping for end to personal 'jail'
The rubber room has taken a toll on Max Chalawsky, 56, a teacher who had been working at CS 61 in The Bronx. "I feel depressed. It's a very hard...
Next time, read the bill
Some members of Congress are so mys tified by the ObamaCare bill they just passed that they had to ask their own research service whether the new law applies to...
Keep it coming, Andrew
State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has been casting a very wide net in his ongoing probe of the corruption-plagued state pension fund. Now he may be a whole lot closer...
Bouncing rubber rooms
Hallelujah! Maybe the most shameful feature of the New York City public school system -- its infamous network of "rubber rooms" -- will soon be history. The Department of Education...
State is set to refund $1.1 bil
ALBANY -- The state will shell out $1.1 billion in the next two weeks to pay tax refunds on returns received by yesterday's deadline, according to the Department of Taxation...
Spendthrift Google burns up $1.9B profits
Google loosened its belt in the first quarter and ramped up hiring again, raising concerns that the company is returning to its freewheeling ways. After clamping down on spending, Google...
9G watch stolen at JFK security
Right time, wrong place. A British tourist's $9,000 watch was stolen at a Kennedy Airport security checkpoint, officials said yesterday. William Rowland, 79, of Birmingham, England, took off the timepiece...
NY1 gal: Every station interlude was lewd
A former NY1 reporter claims the atmosphere at the cable channel was so sexually charged that even the most innocent situations were laden with innuendo. In the fourth day of...
Chameleon on plaid
Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's junior senator, doesn't just flip-flop on is sues as convenient -- she also revises her past. Voters, beware: Gillibrand is a chameleon on plaid, a woman...
Rubber rooms to get bounced
It's a rubber-room rubout. The city's bizarre system that pays bad teachers to sit on their butts in holding pens for ridiculous amounts of time has finally been expelled. After...
Investigators are closing in on DiNapoli
ALBANY -- The probe into pension-fund abuse touched Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli for the first time yesterday after a Democratic consulting firm revealed that a powwow with the official helped seal...
H-P probe
The Securities and Exchange Commission is examining whether Hewlett-Packard employees made improper payments to foreign officials to win business, widening probes underway in Europe. The SEC probe comes after H-P's...
NY is Tea Party country
A diverse crowd of thousands of New Yorkers with little in common other than disgust for big government marked Tax Day yesterday at jampacked Tea Party protests against sky-high spending...
Dog has his day in court
Manhattan prosecutors managed to keep a straight face yesterday as they offered a 60-day jail deal to a Morningside Heights woman allegedly caught on video giving her Pomeranian, Sparky, a...
Leaping to defense
Mayor Bloomberg thinks critics of the "Event Horizon" art project can take a flying leap. The mayor passionately defended the controversial outdoor statue exhibition yesterday, and downplayed the rash of...
Jay-Z clubs Papi with suit
Jay-Z says Big Papi is a big crook. The hip-hop mogul and sports fan slapped Red Sox star David Ortiz with a $5 million-plus suit yesterday, claiming the Boston slugger...
Gov's wife got 40% pay raise
ALBANY -- Gov. Paterson's wife, Michelle, got a 40 percent raise last year in her job at a health-insurance company in New York City, according to tax returns made public...
Goldman director feels heat
The Goldman Sachs director under investigation by the feds for giving insider trading information to Galleon hedge-fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, decided to give up his seat on Goldman's board after...
Grope dopes inside MoMA
Hands off the artwork! Visitors to the Museum of Modern Art's eyebrow-raising new exhibit have been getting a little too grabby with the show's naked performers -- earning some the...
Convicted murderer shoots parole officer
A convicted killer -- quietly waiting to see his parole officer in Brooklyn last night -- whipped out a gun when his name was called and fired twice before his...
Iceland volcano blast could ground planes for weeks
This blows! A massive plume of ash from a remote Icelandic volcano yesterday caused the biggest aviation disruption since 9/11, grounding thousands of flights around the world and leaving hordes...
Fliers' plume & gloom
Even a team of beautiful Swedish figure skaters couldn't cheer up this crowd. Thousands of frustrated travelers -- including the 16 champions of the Swedish synchronized-skating team -- were left...
Yankees' Park hurts hamstring
The first injury of the Yankees season popped up last night when reliever Chan Ho Park came up lame while warming up in the bullpen. Park felt a pain in...
Yankees' Jeter solves Kazmir
Derek Jeter said he didn't change his approach at all against Scott Kazmir. He didn't do anything differently -- except hit the ball harder than ever against the Angels left-hander....
Hughes pitches in for Yankees' Robinson Day win
The weather at Yankee Stadium felt like October last night, and the Yankees already look ready for the fall. Phil Hughes was strong in his season debut, Robinson Cano cracked...
Cano second to none on Yankees
The Yankees were not afraid to let Hideki Matsui get away because they had faith Robinson Cano would rise to the task of being their fifth hitter. Matsui was the...
Jets' Washington ready to bounce back in '10
Leon Washington was looking for something to feel good about, so he rejoined the Jets yesterday and basked in the love he had been missing from his teammates. Washington, who...
Taylor not close to making decision about Jets
Don't expect Jason Taylor to decide whether to sign with the Jets until sometime next week. Taylor left yesterday for a previously planned getaway to Costa Rica and isn't due...
Tiger signs up for encore in two weeks
After staying away from the game for almost five months, Tiger Woods seems to be returning to his regular playing schedule. Four days after finishing fourth at the Masters, Woods...
Cofield's options restricted to Giants
Yesterday was the deadline for teams to sign restricted free agents from other clubs to an offer sheet, and it came and went without Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield getting...
Local season opener shows its true stripers
THE striper season opened yesterday with better than expected success followed on the heals of a decent opener to the winter flounder season. For the boys from Brooklyn and Queens,...
Aqueduct Analysis
Today's analysis.1. 6 ½ fur; $18,000; clm($20,000); 3up(f)PEA STONE comes in with a bullet work and goes turf to dirt while dropping in class for seasonal debut. REAL MOON chased the...
5 Questions for ... Charles Barkley
TNT analyst Charles Barkley talked with The Post's Justin Terranova about the NBA playoffs and why it's LeBron James or bust for the Knicks this offseason. Q: Who is the...
The Post line
NBA Favorite Line Underdog Tomorrow CAVALIERS 11 Bulls HAWKS 8 Bucks CELTICS 4½ Heat NUGGETS 5½ Jazz Sunday Favorite Line Underdog LAKERS 8 Thunder MAGIC 9½ Bobcats MAVERICKS 4 Spurs...
Nets starting star search
Help. In one word, that's what the Nets need. Lots and lots of help. There's not just one quick-fix for them after the worst record, 12-70, in their often-tortured history....
Nothin' ever changes for CBS, Tiger
If He Hollers, Let Him Go: In 2005 Tiger Woods & Co. tried to diminish the livelihood of CBS golf commentator Peter Kostis as payback for some perceived on-air knock...
Kovalchuk vows to get payback for Devils
The Big Shot promised to pay back, and pay off. The one-loss grace period is over. The Devils can't wait any longer to start scoring or this could be their...
Cavaliers have advantage in playoffs
Today's tome is dedicated to, in no particular order . . . * Eddie Jordan, run out of Philly so fast, Allen Iverson didn't even have a chance to get...
Rebuilding Knicks should help attract big free agents
Mike D'Antoni knows it won't be easy recruiting superstars such as LeBron James after a 29-53 season. But at least he hasn't lost his sense of humor. When asked yesterday...
Hondo digs those Cats
It turns out Hondo may be Latos intolerant after all. Suddenly slumping Mr. Aitch tried to milk the Padre hurler for a victory yesterday but instead was spilled for a...
Scully recalls pioneer Robinson
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- On Jackie Robinson Day, longtime Dodgers announcer Vin Scully yesterday said he felt privileged to watch No. 42 in person. "I remember in spring training of...
Sports shorts
GOLF: Choi leads at Hilton HeadK.J. Choi, paired with Tiger Woods in all four rounds in the Masters last week, shot a 7-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead at...
Canadiens shock Capitals in overtime
On a night in which the NHL's two-time reigning MVP didn't take a shot on goal, the Canadiens took advantage by upsetting the league's top-seeded team in overtime. Tomas Plekanec...
Cowboys owner Jones: I 'love' Parcells
Jerry Jones now says the Big Tuna isn't such a bad guy after all. Making his first comments since a surreptitiously shot video of him spread across the Internet, the...
Marlins' Cantu stays red hot
With a double to right-center in the third inning, Jorge Cantu extended his major league season-opening record to 10 games with a hit and an RBI as the Marlins salvaged...
Knicks' Lee sees future as 3-point shot
Free agent David Lee, the Knicks' first 20-and-10 player since Patrick Ewing, already is marketing himself for the summer. Lee believes the next dimension to his game is adding a...
Eiland's wrench may fix Yankees' Vazquez
The problem with Javier Vazquez is obvious to Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland: mechanics. Vazquez's performance so far this season has been disastrous. He is 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA...
Big night for Yankees' Granderson
When Curtis Granderson turned on a 3-2 fastball from Brian Stokes in the fifth inning last night at Yankee Stadium, the ball rose high to right-center -- just as expectations...
Weird but true
There's probably a lot of apartments around New York where this weird museum could be located. A Texas man who loves bugs has opened up the "Cockroach Hall of Fame...
Lamb snubs Red Storm
Doron Lamb has made his decision, but St. John's isn't a part of it. Despite new St. John's basketball coach Steve Lavin's best efforts, the Queens native will not be...
St. John's coach Lavin may land California star
St. John's basketball coach Steve Lavin likes to say his first recruit was assistant coach Tony Chiles. Chiles, the former All Hallows and Columbia star, is one of Lavin's recruiting...
NCAA will ban taunting in 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- Eye black with messages and wedge blocks will be banned from college football this fall -- and taunting in the field of play will start costing teams points...
PSAL/Private baseball roundup: Mora leads Bergtraum to first win
Aljeny Mora pounded out four hits and drove in three runs as Murry Bergtraum held off Environmental Studies, 8-6, in Manhattan A West baseball, the Blazers’ first win of the...
CHSAA baseball roundup: DelGiacco's 'D' gets Regis 'W'
Jerry DelGiacco was a one-man wrecking crew, going 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBIs, while recording seven putouts in centerfield to lead Regis to a 7-4 win against St....
Ace's health issues have Cardozo concerned
Cardozo fell to Susan Wagner in a wild, 27-10 PSAL Class A crossover game Thursday afternoon in Bayside. But when it was all over, the Judges had other things on...
Former Boys & Girls star commits to Robert Morris
Most of America was pulling for Robert Morris in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament when the 15th-seeded Colonials nearly knocked off No. 2 Villanova. When Robert Morris’ upset...
Bizarre, high-scoring affair ends with Wagner on top
It was a score that has to be seen to be believed. It was a game that seemed like it wouldn’t end. And, aside from the top of the sixth...
Palmeri's gem, 14 Ks sends Molloy past St. Francis Prep
The difference was noticeable right away for Maria Palmeri. The Archbishop Molloy windmiller has been prone to slow starts in the early season, but against rival St. Francis Prep the...
Concordia bound: Spellman standout Ziegler finds a home
Michael Ziegler was looking for a chance to play college soccer, to do it close to home and be able to alleviate some of the financial strain on his parents....