July 5, 2008
Marlene Naanes reports
SoHo residents on alert after sex attack
SoHo residents feared for their safety yesterday after a man armed with a box cutter followed a woman into her apartment building and raped her, the second sex attack in the neighborhood since April.
Mosaics brighten Times Square subway passageway
Several dozen revelers have taken the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration underground, and for these festive folks, the party will never end.
New Yorkers applaud Guv's gay marriage stance
Daniel Whitman's trip to California next month became more meaningful overnight now that New York state is recognizing same-sex marriages.
Second person survives fall on subway tracks
For the second time in as many days a man was run over by a subway car yesterday and survived.
Second man run over by subway, survives
For the second time in as many days a man was run over by a subway car yesterday and survived.
NYers seek relief from loud houses of worship
Brett Groves and his girlfriend have endured unholy wakeup calls early Sunday mornings from the church behind his apartment.
Extreme Commuter: 4 hours to school - each way
Jay Mundy's recent 21st birthday didn't end until 2 a.m. the following day.
Pinch being felt in higher income bracket
Sam Saunders stopped buying organic food and started shopping around when his grocery bill jumped $25 almost overnight.
Big financial commitments waning in economic downturn
Stephanie Gueldner stopped padding her 4-month-old son's college fund a couple months ago when New Yorkers' desire for flowers wilted with the economy and hit her Chelsea floral design business hard.
Group fights to save LES streetscape
Cluttered with condos, hotels and boutiques, the Lower East Side's tenement streetscape has long been fading. But a national preservation group says there's still hope to save the neighborhood before it is totally unrecognizable.
Uncertainty casts shadow on city housing market
Elizabeth Rodriguez has entered the housing market with a healthy dose of trepidation.
Extreme Commuter: A treck down a goat path
The start of Lisa Ramaci's commute to work in New Jersey is unremarkable - a subway ride to a commuter train.
Extreme Commuter: Across two boroughs
Sei Yoshioka both lives and works in New York City, yet his work commute can add up to four hours a day round trip and stretch about 40 miles total.
Extreme Commuter: From Maybrook to Midtown
Jennifer Rodriguez often has to cut her nighttime activities short to catch the last bus to her upstate New York home, a two-hour ride that gets her in well after midnight.
Couples await glitzy new marriage bureau
Couples will have to wait until at least September to exchange vows in the city's revamped marriage bureau, but when doors open, shimmering brown marble tile, ornate columns and two classy chapels will be the backdrop for thousands of "I do's" each year.
Nabe groups battle to save affordable apartments
Decrepit apartments and cramping are a common trend among the city's immigrant families struggling to afford housing, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods.
Commuters' group report: '10 plagues of the subway'
A rat on the platform, a gag-inducing smell in the car, and watching your transfer train pull away just as your train gets to the station. On any given trip there's going to be something to startle, disgust, or annoy riders.
Kennedy workers get 'nice' training
With the summer travel season poised to be one of the worst ever, airline passengers will have even more reason to scream. But at Kennedy Airport's International Terminal, some well-trained employees will have fewer reasons to holler back.
Midtown buildings evacuated on fears of collapse
Several midtown residents were forced out of their homes Monday after inspectors found cracks on the exterior of a five-story apartment building that sits next to a construction site.
City judge, son targets of death threat
A Brooklyn judge and her lawyer son were the targets of a death threat just months after someone spray-painted racial slurs about the judge in a courthouse elevator, officials said Sunday.
Getting a piece of subway history
People all over the world have gotten their hands on a little piece of transit history through an obscure division of New York City Transit, a department that five years ago was better known for selling scrap metal and recycling motor oil.
MTA escalator outages system-wide
The most unreliable ride in the subway system is apparently on the escalators, according to straphangers and transit advocates who said that in some cases, outages can last months.
On Earth Day, NYC greener than ever
With hybrid buses and cabs, energy-saving light bulbs for municipal offices and a list of mayoral initiatives to reduce the city's impact on the environment, more than ever, New York is a greener apple.
Cheyenne Diner will live on in Red Hook
One of New York's last railcar-style diners will live on, but hash will now be slung on the Red Hook waterfront, miles from its 68-year midtown home.
Residents: Pope's visit brings hassles, blessings to New York City
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is bound to bring blessings to the many New Yorkers in the next few days, but the pontiff is also guaranteed to bring lots of chaos in his seven security-laden visits in and around town.
Tips for skirting disruptions from Pope's visit
Residents around the United Nations are veterans at dealing with street closures and heavy security. Here are some of their tips for dealing with the weekend pope visit:
Immigrant experience reflected in Canadian painter's work
Portraits of a Canadian senator, a diplomat for Kazakhstan, and artists from around the world -- in all, a collection of 60 watercolor paintings -- is Katherine Dolgy Ludwig's testament to the immigrant experience.
Fast food chains start posting calorie counts
Big chain restaurants now have until Monday to begin posting calorie counts of their dishes on menu boards, a second postponement in implementing the new city regulation.
Preaching on the street
Derek Vance sometimes spends four days straight at his church's 42nd Street Soul Saving Station in the Times Square subway terminal, preaching and offering religious tracts to some of the city's most hurried masses.
Atheist in New York
WHY I BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE "All atheism is is a conclusion that there's no supernatural. That's all it is. Atheists do what is right because it's right to do it, not because of fear. Our prime goal is separation of church and state. We don't want special rights for certain groups." -- Ken Bronstein, president of New York City Atheists
Atheist in New York
WHY I BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE "All atheism is is a conclusion that there's no supernatural. That's all it is. Atheists do what is right because it's right to do it, not because of fear. Our prime goal is separation of church and state. We don't want special rights for certain groups." -- Ken Bronstein, president of New York City Atheists
Norman Mailer honored at Carnegie Hall
Nearly everyone who spoke at Norman Mailer's memorial Wednesday channeled the larger-than-life writer's thoughts and words in their tributes.
Want to buy the Cheyenne Diner?
Want a diner? The chrome-covered Cheyenne Diner is for sale for the not-so-steep price of $7,900.
CBGB trades punk for chic
Much of the grime has been vacuumed off the walls of the former CBGB, the notoriously scummy bathrooms are gone and the stage that once supported underground rock and punk legends like The Ramones and Blondie is also history.
Cheyenne Diner serves final meal
Loyal customers and diner enthusiasts flocked to get the last eggs over easy ever served at the iconic Cheyenne Diner Sunday as the chrome-covered eatery closed its doors forever.
Cheyenne Diner structure may go elsewhere
Even though the Cheyenne Diner will close its doors on Sunday to make way for a new nine-story development, the chrome covered structure may continue to live on elsewhere.
Safety study to target most dangerous intersections
The city will begin investigating the 20 most dangerous intersections in hopes of cutting down on car crashes, officials said Tuesday.
Suit may keep calorie counts off menus
Big chain restaurants in the city were supposed to begin listing the calorie counts of their dishes Monday, but a lawsuit in federal court may keep the numbers off menus until April 15.
Developer picked for Hudson Yards project
A developer with a $1 billion bid for a 99-year lease was selected Wednesday to transform the West Side Rail Yards into a glittering new highrise hub.
Survey: E, Q are dirtiest subways; L the cleanest
E and Q trains are the dirtiest in the subway system while the L line is the cleanest, transit advocates announced today.
MTA service improvements delayed
Riders got the hike, but they won't get the service improvements the MTA promised would go along with higher fares -- at least not right away.
Iraq war robs soldier of life's milestones
Mariel Sosa missed her sister's wedding, her 85-year-old grandmother's quadruple bypass surgery and her dog Cujo's death.
Expert: Silda Spitzer may return to law
Silda Wall Spitzer is an intelligent and successful woman who will have a slew of opportunities ahead of her, even with the cloud of her husband's indiscretions overhead, experts say.
Now what does Eliot Spitzer do?
The future career path of a politician disgraced can be forked and long, experts said Wednesday.
Expert: Spitzer must heal his family first
The future career path of a politician disgraced can be forked and long, experts said Wednesday.
Why did Silda Spitzer stand by her man?
She has become a familiar figure, the dutiful politician's wife who stands stoic - or perhaps shell-shocked - beside her husband as he confesses a sexual transgression to the American public.
Experts: Spitzer disgrace damages teen daughters
Gov. Eliot Spitzer did not just disgrace himself. Besides hurting his wife and angering his constituents, he also has risked the well-being of his three teenage daughters, experts said.
Profiles of four women who stood by their men
Wendy Baldwin Vitter, wife of U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), told reporters at a July 2007 news conference that she was proud to be the socially conservative senator's wife. This, as Vitter offered an apology after he was publicly linked to a Washington D.C. escort service.
Expert: Sense of entitlement could explain Spitzer's behavior
A successful, high-profile career. A picture perfect family. So why would someone in Gov. Eliot Spitzer's shoes become involved with prostitution?
Pre-fare hike unlimited cards good until June
Straphangers who bought unlimited ride MetroCards before fares increased on March 2 have until June to begin using them.
Collapsed building owner cited
The city Department of Buildings Monday issued a violation to the owner of the East Harlem building that collapsed the day before, disrupting Metro-North Railroad service, city officials said.
Sister pleads for abandoned baby's dad to come clean
The sister of the 27-year-old man being sought for abandoning his baby girl in a livery cab pleaded Monday with her brother to turn himself in.
Riders bemoan fare hike
New Yorkers headed back to work Monday expressed frustration and even surprise over the MetroCard fare hikes.
Straphangers brace for fare hike
It¹s no secret that subway and bus fares are going up, but that the increases take effect starting Sunday seems to have eluded some New Yorkers.
Crumbling platforms have riders on edge
Broken, rickety or partially missing portions of wooden boards at the end of subway platforms exist throughout the city's underground system, posing potential safety hazards to riders.
MTA approves MetroCard fare, toll hikes
Fare and toll hikes were made official by the MTA board Wednesday, but not before two of the agency's board members made an unusual last-ditch effort to derail the increase.
Unsafe platforms widespread in NYC subway system
Potentially dangerous subway platforms lined with cracked and decaying wooden boards -- tripping hazards that straphangers say have been deteriorating for years -- are being found more widely throughout the system.
MTA nominee mixes different worlds
To his colleagues, he's not just another real-estate mogul about to lead one of the largest transportation authorities in the world.
Mass Puerto Rican Day parade arrests called racist
Activists and City Council members lashed out at the NYPD Sunday, calling the 208 arrests at last Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade racist and illegal.
Alleged rape sparks push for livery crackdown
A taxi group Monday called on the city and police to crack down on illegal livery cab drivers after police charged a fake cabbie with raping one woman and assaulting a second.
Riders struggle with impending fare hike
It's already a struggle for Mattie Dubose to scrape together $24 for a 7-day unlimited ride MetroCard, at times having to borrow money from friends for her fares.
LIRR inching toward Grand Central
A 200-ton steel inchworm deep below the Upper East Side is crunching 50 feet of granite a day, painstakingly clearing the way for LIRR trains that will eventually arrive at Grand Central Terminal.
7 line extension may get 41st Street stop
The city's offer Thursday to partially fund a sought-after 10th Avenue station on the No. 7 subway line fueled a political squabble of who should pay the rest of the bill.
MTA: Big delay for Second Avenue subway
The Second Avenue Subway will be delayed yet again, nearly a century after it was first proposed. Rising construction costs have pushed back the long-awaited companion to the overcrowded Lexington Avenue line until June 2015, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Wednesday.
L train technology headed for No. 7?
No. 7 line riders in the upcoming years may be able to tell when their trains are arriving under a proposal to be unveiled Wednesday to install electronic signs on platforms, according to transit officials familiar with the plan.
MetroCard machines ready for fare hike
Transit employees have been working to program MetroCard machines and turnstiles for the fare hike since the MTA board voted for increases in December, officials said.
Extreme Commuter: A bus, a boat and a train
Kasandra Gonzalez could simply take one long express bus trip to work. Instead, the Staten Island resident chooses an extreme commute involving a bus, train and ferry, which is about 10 minutes longer but much cheaper.
Teenager shot outside Queens school
A 16-year-old boy was shot in the neck after a fight and a shootout in front of a Queens school this morning, police said. The boy is in stable condition at Jamaica Hospital after the 10:40 a.m. shooting outside P.S. 752 in Jamaica. Police patrolling the neighborhood heard gunshots and found the bleeding teen nearby.
Manhattan rents dip, but still high
Average rents continue to fall in Manhattan, bucking the traditional January upswing that follows a weak December, according to a realty group's report.
WTC memorial opening delayed
Some relatives of 9/11 victims are wondering whether they'll live to see the World Trade Center memorial after learning Tuesday that the tribute won't open until a decade after the attack.
7 train will see dramatic disruptions
Commuters on the No. 7 line will have to budget for extra travel time and patience over the next seven weeks as major signal and track work will suspend all express trains and cut weekend service from Flushing to Jackson Heights.
MTA has record ridership in 2007
Rides on subways and buses last year hit 2.3 billion, a 38-year high, MTA officials said Wednesday.
Teen hurt in brawl at Penn Station
A brawl broke out among a group of teenagers on the 2/3 platform at Penn Station, police said Wednesday. One teen was punched in the face, resulting in an injury to his forehead, police said.
V train finds its identity after six years
Six years after the V train went into service, many straphangers remain unimpressed, roasting its much-maligned local service.
Q and A with Mansoor Ijaz, a Pakistani-American businessman
Mansoor Ijaz, a Pakistani-American businessman and media contributor, discussed Benazir Bhutto's assassination with amNewYork::
City removes, set to scrap giant LES bench
A bench fit for a giant that piqued the curiosity of Lower East Side residents is no longer perched on the median where it mysteriously appeared earlier this week.
City removes, set to destroy giant LES bench
A bench fit for a giant that piqued the curiosity of Lower East Side residents is no longer perched on the median where it mysteriously appeared earlier this week.
MTA announces transit upgrades
Transit officials Monday unveiled plans for new bus routes and increased train service on some of the subway's most congested lines.
Poll: Board supports fare hike
If you hope the MTA board will reverse the fare hike during its final vote Wednesday, quit expecting a Christmas miracle.
Pols blast proposed East River tolls
Almost a century after the last toll was collected on an East River bridge, the idea has been resurrected yet again, but now as an alternative to the mayor's congestion pricing plan.
Bus GPS technology spotty at best
GPS-fed electronic signs being tested at some bus stops often clock inaccurate commuter wait times, amNewYork has found.
City in for a slippery Monday morning
Straphangers will face a dry yet slippery and blustery walk to the subway this morning, as meteorologists predict below-freezing temperatures for the commute.
Another round of snow possible on Sunday
Any army of snowplows, salt trucks and snow blowers are ready to rev up their engines if an expected mix of snow, rain and ice packs a wallop over the weekend.
Don't lose your valuables on the subway
Misplacing valuables like a diamond earring or wallet stuffed with money in the city transit system may mean losing them forever, according to MTA Inspector General reports released Thursday, which found that less than one in five commuters are reunited with their lost item.
Commission wants all cabs hybrid by 2012
The Taxi and Limousine Commission Tuesday set new environmentally friendly gas mileage requirements for cabs in a push to make the entire fleet hybrid by 2012.
Report: Queens drivers will be hardest hit
Nearly one out of every five drivers impacted by the mayor's congestion pricing plan would be from Queens, according to an Independent Budget Office report released Tuesday.
Fare hike likely done deal
The proposed transit fare hike unveiled Monday, is likely all but a done deal with elected officials responsible for the appointment of the majority of voting MTA board members coming out in favor of the plan for the first time.
Unlimited card still best buy
Unless you're using your MetroCard strictly to get to and from work, the best bargain under the proposed fare hike announced Monday is still the 30-day unlimited card.
MTA holds (glitchy) on-line fare hike forum
Well, at least the MTA tried to listen to New Yorkers.
Officials still fighting fare hike
The MTA is expected to announce details on the transit fare hike Monday, but officials and groups against the increase are still pushing to stop it.
Riders: R, V lines not up to par
The R and V subway lines received mediocre grades in the latest rider report card results released by New York City Transit.
Czars of L, No. 7 trains named
Riders on the L and 7 trains now have a name and face for the person who will be fielding their complaints.
YouTube video shows A train beating
A video showing a man being attacked by a group of teenage girls on the A train that was first posted on You Tube spread through the Web Wednesday, but the identity of the attackers and victim is still anyone's guess.
MTA blasted for emergency workers cut
Transit advocates and an elected official Wednesday blasted the MTA's plan to remove about 100 emergency personnel from subway stations.