newyorkpost--2020-02-06--NYC wants CDC to approve local coronavirus testing to speed results

City officials are pushing the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to allow the Big Apple lab to do its own coronavirus tests .
A New York City lab would be able to test patients for the deadly disease in just hours — instead of the days officials are currently waiting to get results back from the CDC , City Hall said .
“ We are frustrated that it ’ s taking so long to test samples of coronavirus in our own labs , ” City Hall spokeswoman Avery Cohen told The Post Thursday .
“ Right now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labs .
We have to send to the CDC to get the specimen testing , hence the time turnaround.
” Samples from five patients in the city have been sent to the CDC for testing so far .
Two came back negative this week , but the others are still pending , officials said .
The CDC is moving to approve public health laboratories , or PHLs , throughout the country to speed up coronavirus testing and ease the workload on the federal agency — but it has been a slow process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The CDC has given localities the tools , but we still need our labs to be granted authority , ” Hizzoner wrote on Twitter Wednesday .
“ We ’ re pushing to speed up this process.
” In a letter to the CDC Sunday , Raul Perea-Henze , deputy mayor for Health and Human Services , urged the agency that the process “ be accelerated as much as possible.
” “ When the test is available at the New York PHL , we will be able to have test results in hand within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a specimen can even be shipped to CDC for testing , ” Perea-Henze wrote to CDC Director Robert Redfield and the head of the agency ’ s Influenza Division , Daniel Jernigan .
“ As this public health emergency unfolds , it is critical that state and local PHLs have access to this test as soon as possible to enable rapid testing of patients under investigation , ” he said .
There are more than 28,000 confirmed cases of the virus in China , where the epidemic originated and where 563 were dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional 230 confirmed cases outside of China .
At least 12 cases have been confirmed in the US — but none of them in New York thus far .

City officials are pushing the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to allow the Big Apple lab to do its own coronavirus tests.
A New York City lab would be able to test patients for the deadly disease in just hours — instead of the days officials are currently waiting to get results back from the CDC, City Hall said.
“We are frustrated that it’s taking so long to test samples of coronavirus in our own labs,” City Hall spokeswoman Avery Cohen told The Post Thursday.
“Right now we can’t test in our own labs. We have to send to the CDC to get the specimen testing, hence the time turnaround.”
Samples from five patients in the city have been sent to the CDC for testing so far. Two came back negative this week, but the others are still pending, officials said.
The CDC is moving to approve public health laboratories, or PHLs, throughout the country to speed up coronavirus testing and ease the workload on the federal agency — but it has been a slow process, Mayor Bill de Blasio says.
“The CDC has given localities the tools, but we still need our labs to be granted authority,” Hizzoner wrote on Twitter Wednesday. “We’re pushing to speed up this process.”
In a letter to the CDC Sunday, Raul Perea-Henze, deputy mayor for Health and Human Services, urged the agency that the process “be accelerated as much as possible.”
“When the test is available at the New York PHL, we will be able to have test results in hand within hours of specimen collection, faster than a specimen can even be shipped to CDC for testing,” Perea-Henze wrote to CDC Director Robert Redfield and the head of the agency’s Influenza Division, Daniel Jernigan.
“As this public health emergency unfolds, it is critical that state and local PHLs have access to this test as soon as possible to enable rapid testing of patients under investigation,” he said.
There are more than 28,000 confirmed cases of the virus in China, where the epidemic originated and where 563 were dead as of Thursday. There are an additional 230 confirmed cases outside of China.
At least 12 cases have been confirmed in the US — but none of them in New York thus far.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Femme It Forward concert tickets released for Brandy’s headlining Love Language show

Some of music ’ s most beloved songstresses are coming together for an amazing night of music at the Femme It Forward concert on April 30 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles .
And you can finally snag your tickets for the Love Language show — which features an all-women lineup that includes artists like Amerie , Brooke Valentine , Teedra Moses , Sunshine Anderson , and headliners Brandy and Deborah Cox .
You can purchase pre-sale tickets for the event starting today with the code SOLO .
Tickets will then be open to the public on February 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 125 .
A total of 11 R & B artists will come together for the show , where they will perform some of their most beloved love songs .
The highly anticipated concert is part of the followup to the program ’ s successful 2019 concert series .
The show will be hosted by “ Basketball Wives ” star Tami Roman .
Femme It Forward first launched in 2017 and was founded by Heather Lowery , VP of Talent and Touring at Live Nation Urban .
The series includes concerts , panels and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlight and uplift women in the entertainment industry .
Along with the Love Languages show , upcoming events include concerts with Lucky Daye and Xscape .

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links.
Some of music’s most beloved songstresses are coming together for an amazing night of music at the Femme It Forward concert on April 30 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
And you can finally snag your tickets for the Love Language show — which features an all-women lineup that includes artists like Amerie, Brooke Valentine, Teedra Moses, Sunshine Anderson, and headliners Brandy and Deborah Cox.
You can purchase pre-sale tickets for the event starting today with the code SOLO.
Tickets will then be open to the public on February 10 and range from $39 to $125.
A total of 11 R&B artists will come together for the show, where they will perform some of their most beloved love songs.
The highly anticipated concert is part of the followup to the program’s successful 2019 concert series.
The show will be hosted by “Basketball Wives” star Tami Roman.
Femme It Forward first launched in 2017 and was founded by Heather Lowery, VP of Talent and Touring at Live Nation Urban.
The series includes concerts, panels and other events that aim to empower, highlight and uplift women in the entertainment industry.
Along with the Love Languages show, upcoming events include concerts with Lucky Daye and Xscape.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Queens man indicted in landlord’s fatal shove

A man who shoved a 71-year-old building landlord down a Queens building ’ s front stairs — a crime that was captured on a Ring doorbell camera — was indicted on charges of manslaughter and assault charges on Thursday , officials said .
Alex Garces , 22 , can be seen in the video pushing his landlord , Edgar Moncayo , down the stairs so hard that the older man ’ s head slammed into the concrete sidewalk on 102nd Street in Corona around 2:30 p.m. Jan. 12 , prosecutors said .
Garces and a friend then walk down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body on the sidewalk , the video shows .
“ This was a horrible incident captured on a Ring doorbell video , ” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said .
“ The victim was pushed with so much force it propelled the 71-year-old man over the stairs and onto the pavement , where he struck his head and later died.
” Moncayo ’ s grandson , Nicolas Jativa , 20 , previously told The Post that Moncayo was pronounced dead the day after he was pushed — while on life support with head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The tenant initially told cops the fall was an accident that happened as he tried to carry his mattress out of the building and hit the front door , police sources said .
Garces was brought into the courtroom for his arraignment cuffed and communicated through a Spanish interpreter .
He pleaded not guilty .
The judge pointed out that Garces has a sentence pending on drunk driving charges that he pleaded guilty to previously .
Justice Kenneth Holder set Garces ’ bail at $ 50,000 bond or $ 25,000 cash and ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 .
If convicted , he faces up to 25 years in prison , officials said .

A man who shoved a 71-year-old building landlord down a Queens building’s front stairs — a crime that was captured on a Ring doorbell camera — was indicted on charges of manslaughter and assault on Thursday, officials said.
Alex Garces, 22, can be seen in the video pushing his landlord, Edgar Moncayo, down the stairs so hard that the older man’s head slammed into the concrete sidewalk on 102nd Street in Corona around 2:30 p.m. Jan. 12, prosecutors said.
Garces and a friend then walk down the steps and pass Moncayo’s motionless body on the sidewalk, the video shows.
“This was a horrible incident captured on a Ring doorbell video,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “The victim was pushed with so much force it propelled the 71-year-old man over the stairs and onto the pavement, where he struck his head and later died.”
Moncayo’s grandson, Nicolas Jativa, 20, previously told The Post that Moncayo was pronounced dead the day after he was pushed — while on life support with head trauma at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst.
The tenant initially told cops the fall was an accident that happened as he tried to carry his mattress out of the building and hit the front door, police sources said.
Warning: Graphic content
Garces was brought into the courtroom for his arraignment cuffed and communicated through a Spanish interpreter. He pleaded not guilty.
The judge pointed out that Garces has a sentence pending on drunk driving charges that he pleaded guilty to previously.
Justice Kenneth Holder set Garces’ bail at $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash and ordered him to return to court on March 18. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison, officials said.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Boy’s version of ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ dance scene will have fans saying, ‘Gosh!’

Move over , Napoleon — this kid ’ s taking over .
Meet 9-year-old Jude Gagner , a superfan of @ @ @ @ @ Napoleon Dynamite , ” who surprised his classmates and parents with the routine of a @ @ @ @ @ , dressed up like the movie character , recreated the film ’ s famous dance @ @ @ @ @ .

Move over, Napoleon — this kid’s taking over. Meet 9-year-old Jude Gagner, a superfan of the quirky 2004 comedy “Napoleon Dynamite,” who surprised his classmates and parents with the routine of a lifetime. The hilarious kid, dressed up like the movie character, recreated the film’s famous dance sequence for his talent show.
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newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Knicks’ RJ Barrett effective in return from ankle injury

The Knicks lost their best player — and found balance ... .

The most compelling reason to watch the Knicks the rest of the season is back on the court.
After missing nine games with a sprained right ankle, rookie RJ Barrett returned in Thursday’s 105-103 Garden win over the Magic, finishing with 12 points, three assists and three rebounds. In his first game since Jan. 16, Barrett was limited to 18 minutes off the bench.
“I was sore, but fighting through it,” Barrett said. “It was great to be back out there with my teammates. I just had a lot of fun out there.”
If Barrett was bothered by the ankle, it wasn’t obvious. The third-overall pick was aggressive in attacking the rim and finished a strong first half with 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting from the field.
Barrett, who has averaged over 31 minutes per game this season, played less than seven minutes in the second half and isn’t sure when he’ll resume regular action.
“I trust the staff. I trust the coaches,” Barrett said. “They told me they were going to limit me a little bit. They’ve been through this more than I have. I trust them.”
Barrett’s biggest gripe in his return was a familiar one. The 60 percent free-throw shooter hit just 5 of 9 attempts at the line.
“I’m very happy, except for my free throws,” Barrett said. “I’ve been working every day since I got hurt.”
Even with the trade of leading-scorer Marcus Morris, Kevin Knox couldn’t crack the starting lineup. The 2018 lottery pick responded by weakening his case.
Coming off a 12-point effort in Monday’s overtime win over the Cavaliers — breaking a stretch of nine straight games scoring in single-digits — Knox missed his five shots and finished scoreless. The 20-year-old, who averaged 12.8 points as a rookie, has now scored two points or fewer in four of his past six games, and has hit one field goal or fewer in seven of his past nine games.
Kenny Wooten shouldn’t expect a call-up anytime soon.
Even with the passing of the trade deadline, Wooten — the 21-year-old forward, signed to a two-way deal with the Knicks three weeks ago — likely will remain in the G-League for the foreseeable future.
“At this point, I think the most important thing for his development is playing those 30 minutes a game that he’s playing,” interim coach Mike Miller said. “We’ve seen the growth in him getting to play those minutes. The quality minutes are the most important thing for him. getting spot minutes isn’t going to push his development the way it would consistently every night.”
Allonzo Trier and Damyean Dotson both sat out with an illness.
For more on the Knicks, listen to the latest episode of the “Big Apple Buckets” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Yankees’ Aaron Boone won’t miss facing Mookie Betts

ORLANDO , Fla. — The bell tolls wicked hahd for the ...

TAMPA — Aaron Boone’s team hasn’t even reported for spring training, but the third-year manager already has seen the Yankees’ chances of winning the AL East set to improve dramatically.
With Mookie Betts and David Price on the verge of being traded to the Dodgers in a blockbuster move that figures to cement Los Angeles as the favorites in the National League and the Yankees as the clear front-runners in the AL, Boone said Thursday he won’t be sorry to see Betts go.
“Obviously, he’s about as good as it gets,’’ Boone said. “I won’t miss facing him 18 times a year, that’s for sure.’’
In what would amount to a salary dump for the Red Sox, they would ship perhaps the second-best player in the league — behind Anaheim’s Mike Trout — for prospects.
Boston is also awaiting a ruling from MLB regarding the ongoing investigation into sign-stealing that has already resulted in the firing of manager Alex Cora, who was also involved in the Astros’ scandal in 2017.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday he hoped to have a decision regarding punishment made by the time camps open next week.
No matter what Manfred comes up with, the Red Sox enter 2020 in disarray, without a manager and, once the trade with the Dodgers becomes official, they’ll be without their best player, as well as the lefty Price.
Despite the advantages Betts’ departure gives the Yankees, Boone insisted he wouldn’t take anything for granted when it comes to the division.
While the Yankees famously have tormented Price over the years, they have also handled Betts fairly well. Betts has faced the Yankees in 96 games and has an OPS of .825. It’s the lowest OPS Betts has against anyone in the AL East. Last year, Betts managed just a .700 OPS in 19 games versus the Yankees — his worst number against any team he played more than six times.
“I’m not entirely upset to see him in the other league,’’ Boone said with a grin. “But I’ve always said, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ Who knows? It’s such a long way away, such a long season.’’
He’s not ready to write off the Yankees’ archrivals just yet.
“They’re a smart [organization] with a lot of wherewithal,’’ Boone said at the Yankees’ minor league complex. “I’m sure they’re doing what they think is best to get them on solid footing.”
In the meantime, Boone’s focus remains on his own team.
“Our job is to get ready to go win a championship,’’ Boone said. “We don’t feel like anyone should be able to get in our way. But the guys [the Red Sox have] to step in are amazing players. … I never discount anyone heading into the year.’


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Baby-faced vandal wanted for damaging Upper West Side subway station

Police on Friday released a photo of a suspect wanted for vandalizing an Upper West Side subway station last Friday @ @ @ @ @ without a mask on .
The suspect , sporting an undercut hairstyle and green jacket @ @ @ @ @ three MetroCard readers and chained open an entrance gate at the 96th Street B/C station @ @ @ @ @ cops said .
He worked with an accomplice in the caper , which they pulled @ @ @ @ @ anti-cop demonstration in the city that targeted the subway system .
Other vandals scrawled anti-cop @ @ @ @ @ property in stations across the city before the morning commute last Friday .
The protest @ @ @ @ @ 5 p.m. at Grand Central Terminal , were organized by the group Decolonize This Place @ @ @ @ @ police-free transit system in New York City .
The protests formed as the MTA and @ @ @ @ @ on fare evasion , sex crimes and attacks on transit workers .

Police on Friday released a photo of a suspect wanted for vandalizing an Upper West Side subway station last Friday — showing the baby-faced vandal without a mask on.
The suspect, sporting an undercut hairstyle and green jacket, allegedly poured glue into three MetroCard readers and chained open an entrance gate at the 96th Street B/C station at about 4:25 a.m., cops said.
He worked with an accomplice in the caper, which they pulled off-hours ahead of a mass anti-cop demonstration in the city that targeted the subway system.
Other vandals scrawled anti-cop graffiti and damaged other MTA property in stations across the city before the morning commute last Friday.
The protest, which culminated at about 5 p.m. at Grand Central Terminal, were organized by the group Decolonize This Place, which calls for a police-free transit system in New York City.
The protests formed as the MTA and NYPD planned to crack down on fare evasion, sex crimes and attacks on transit workers.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Leon Rose not first sports agent to make switch to front office

When Steve Mills was hired in 2013 to be Knicks ...

Leon Rose, who the Knicks plan to make their next team president, won’t be the first sports agent to transition to the front office. Here are a few examples:
Brodie Van Wagenen: The former CAA baseball agent is hoping his second season with the Mets is better than his first.
Arn Tellem: The current Pistons executive VP counted Kobe Bryant and Reggie Miller among hoops clients, along with Mike Mussina, Hideki Matsui and Chase Utley in baseball.
Bob Myers: Since working with Tellem as an agent for 14 years, Myers has won three championships as general manager of the Warriors.
Rob Pelinka: An upperclassman on Michigan’s famed Fab Five squad, Pelinka was Bryant’s agent late in his career and also repped Kevin Durant before transitioning to the Lakers’ front office as GM.
Justin Zanik: He was an agent for nearly 15 years before becoming the Jazz’s assistant GM in 2013 and their GM in 2019.
Lon Babby: Former agent of Tim Duncan and Ray Allen was named the Suns’ president of basketball operations in 2010.
Brian Burke: The former hockey agent headed NHL front offices with Vancouver, Anaheim, Toronto and Calgary.
Mike Gillis: The rep for former Rangers Mike Richter and Pavel Bure served as Canucks GM from 2008-14.
Bruce Allen: The former NFL agent later became GM with Tampa Bay and Washington.
For more on the Knicks, listen to the latest episode of the “Big Apple Buckets” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Islanders keep proving they are never out of a game

The Islanders ’ newest face had Barclays Center chanting his name ... .

The Islanders have learned to never count themselves out of a game.
Their 5-3 win Thursday night over the Kings at Barclays Center was the third-straight game in which the Islanders had to claw out of a hole. The first, against the Canucks, resulted in an overtime loss, but the Islanders put on impressive displays of resiliency to pull out come-from-behind victories in their past two games.
“It’s easy to be a front-runner, it’s harder to come back in this league,” coach Barry Trotz said. “It happens to everybody, teams will come back on you. … It’s hard to sustain a lead and all that. But obviously when you score the first goal, the other team needs two. And when the other team scores two, you need three just to win.”
Trailing 3-1 in the second period, the Islanders stuck with it until rookie Kieffer Bellows made it a one-goal game at 10:22 with the first goal of his NHL career. Maybe it was because a 21-year-old, in his second career game, was putting up the strongest fight, but the Islanders rallied with goals from Matt Martin, Bellows again and Anders Lee (an empty-netter).
Martin struck just 23 seconds into the third to give the Isles ample time to secure the win.
“Certainly builds confidence,” Martin said. “Anytime you’re down in a game and things aren’t going well, it just feels like a real uphill climb. And when you string games together where you’re able to battle back, you never feel like you’re out of it and you feel like you can come back and win. We believe we can do that and it’s shown over the last three.
“Obviously, we like to play with leads, but our resiliency has been really strong. Just got to keep finding ways.”
Defenseman Devon Toews played in his 100th NHL game.
Toews, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2014, made his debut in December of last season and has appeared in every game since. He is the eighth defenseman from the 2014 draft class to reach the 100-game milestone and the second defenseman taken after the second round to do so.
“One hundred games is a lot of games,” Toews said. “But hopefully there’s a lot more in the future.”
Riding a three-game point streak, defenseman Ryan Pulock got his 100th career point with an assist on Martin’s game-tying goal.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Female bank robber, male accomplice barely make a getaway before being busted

A female bank robber and her male accomplice were busted shortly after they barged into a Midtown bank and threatened @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
“ Give me all your money .
I have a gun , ” @ @ @ @ @ morning to a teller at the Chase Bank at 42nd Street and 10th Avenue , @ @ @ @ @ was displayed in the 11 a.m. robbery , but the teller handed the lady bandit @ @ @ @ @ She and her partner in crime , William Sutlovich , 63 , then fled the @ @ @ @ @ broadcast to area police officers and they were apprehended at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue @ @ @ @ @ with robbery and criminal possession of a controlled substance , cops said .
Sutlovich was @ @ @ @ @ , a police spokesman said .
It was unclear why he was hit with the @ @ @

A female bank robber and her male accomplice were busted shortly after they barged into a Midtown bank and threatened a teller, police said Thursday.
“Give me all your money. I have a gun,” Chandini Hamilton allegedly said Wednesday morning to a teller at the Chase Bank at 42nd Street and 10th Avenue, police said.
No gun was displayed in the 11 a.m. robbery, but the teller handed the lady bandit $1,625 in cash.
She and her partner in crime, William Sutlovich, 63, then fled the bank. Their descriptions were broadcast to area police officers and they were apprehended at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue.
They were both charged with robbery and criminal possession of a controlled substance, cops said. Sutlovich was also charged with criminal trespass, a police spokesman said. It was unclear why he was hit with the additional charge.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Where Wilpons and Mets go from here is the big question

In the end , it all came down to Jeff .
Multiple ...

ORLANDO, Fla. — The silver lining for the Wilpons, on this dark day amid this dark week, came in the reality they weren’t even close to being Public Enemy No. 1 among their ownership fraternity as baseball’s lords of the manor convened to count their billions.
Take a bow, Houston Astros — and hire a bodyguard. It probably proved for the best that Astros owner Jim Crane skipped the first owners’ meetings since confirmation of his employees’ sign-stealing emerged.
The Wilpons’ plight, however, also generated plenty of chatter, highlighted by curiosity and concern. Curiosity over what sank the current Mets owners’ deal to sell their beloved club to hedge-fund magnate Steve Cohen. And concern about the next step for what should be a jewel franchise.
We can play the blame game all the way until Jarred Kelenic’s Hall of Fame induction. The key question remains, what now for the Mets and their beleaguered stewards?
Sterling Partners, the Wilpons’ firm, released a statement on Thursday night that read, “Sterling intends now to pursue a new transaction and has engaged Allen & Company to manage that process.” The Mets remain for sale, in other words, their succession dilemma not magically disappearing with the Cohen deal’s implosion. But can these Mets owners, who seem to struggle with so much small stuff, find a buyer as alluring as Cohen appeared to be just two months ago, at a price close to the $2.6 billion that Cohen originally conceded to pay?
Look, when a dumpster fire like this produces such wildly divergent accounts of what transpired, the truth typically lies somewhere in the middle. Yet the Wilpons get crushed thanks to their general history of ineptitude as well as their specific history of dancing this dance nearly nine years ago with hedge-fund magnate David Einhorn, only to have that agreement fall apart, too.
This one, however, stings the fan base especially hard because of Cohen’s reputation as a big swinging you-know-what who would’ve energetically pursued the likes of Mookie Betts and enjoyed sticking it to the Yankees. Who would’ve found his version of Brian Cashman, Theo Epstein or Andrew Friedman to run a baseball operations department that would’ve invested not only in MVP talent, but also in enough performance-science and analytics technology to make Citi Field look like NORAD headquarters in “WarGames.”
If someone else as prominent and as loaded as Cohen exists, that person flies successfully under the radar. Which is why you still can’t wholly rule out a reconciliation with Cohen, as much of a long shot as it currently appears — how about Cohen trolling the Wilpons with his “As an 8% holder I’m looking forward to a higher bid” jab? — right up to the point when someone else assumes the Mets’ reins.
Officials at these meetings emerged confused and disappointed, some with Cohen for what they perceived as late demands (including a lowering of that purchase price), others with the Wilpons for mucking up another deal. On one hand, sure, the National League teams in particular benefit from a Mets team that wobbles about, occasionally stumbling into success, but far more often shooting itself in the foot. In the bigger picture, though? A rising tide in Queens lifts all baseball boats. Imagine if the Mets operated as smoothly as the Dodgers, or the Yankees, and how much the entire sport would gain.
When the Einhorn talks fell apart, the Wilpons survived by selling small shares of the team to other parties, including Cohen, and they enjoyed a moment of vindication and prosperity when they qualified for the 2015 World Series, enthralling their emotionally battered fan base and giving the fantastic Citi Field a deserving platform. That didn’t last, though, the Mets landing back in the red more recently, and a similar strategy now wouldn’t solve the issue of team president Saul Katz (Fred Wilpon’s brother-in-law) wanting out.
No such internal bailout will occur this time, the Mets already have announced. For now, though, you get the status quo: A dark cloud hovering over a 2020 Mets season, despite a roster that might be competitive and entertaining. A possibly great franchise unable to fulfill its potential. And, a little different, all of us wiser than ever to not start counting the post-Wilpon Mets’ chickens unless they actually hatch.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Puppy in crime: Deputies take man, dog into custody in theft

BRANDON , Fla.— A Florida man and his furry “ accomplice ” were taken into custody by authorities who said @ @ @ @ @ store .
Hillsborough County Sheriff ’ s Office said Logan Wilson was arrested Wednesday and @ @ @ @ @ possession of meth , WTSP-TV reported .
Wilson admitted to stealing $ 259 worth of @ @ @ @ @ , deputies said .
He was arrested during a traffic stop after he was seen @ @ @ @ @ also took Wilson ’ s four-legged friend into custody .
A sheriff ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ holding a small puppy said deputy took care of the “ cutest accomplice ” before @ @ @ @ @ County Animal Services .
Animal services will care for the dog until his owner is @ @ @ @ @ Services has listed the puppy as “ pre-adopted.
” Deputies said that if the owner @ @ @ @ @ dog , it will go up for adoption It ’ s unclear whether Wilson has @ @ @ @ @ on his behalf .

BRANDON, Fla.— A Florida man and his furry “accomplice” were taken into custody by authorities who said the man shoplifted from a store.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said Logan Wilson was arrested Wednesday and charged with petit theft and possession of meth, WTSP-TV reported.
Wilson admitted to stealing $259 worth of items from Bass Pro Shops, deputies said. He was arrested during a traffic stop after he was seen leaving the store.
Deputies also took Wilson’s four-legged friend into custody. A sheriff’s office Facebook post showing an officer holding a small puppy said deputy took care of the “cutest accomplice” before handing him over to Hillsborough County Animal Services.
Animal services will care for the dog until his owner is released from jail. Animal Services has listed the puppy as “pre-adopted.” Deputies said that if the owner doesn’t claim the dog, it will go up for adoption
It’s unclear whether Wilson has an attorney who can comment on his behalf.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Russell Westbrook and Robert Covington too much for Lakers

The first big trade of the NBA trade deadline just ...

LOS ANGELES — Nobody taller than 6-foot-6 was in Houston’s starting lineup, and a heavily bearded guard lost the opening tip. Nobody bigger than 6-foot-7 Robert Covington played for the Rockets in a game between division leaders at Staples Center.
Because Russell Westbrook went wild and Covington came up big late in his debut, the Rockets’ first experiment in extremely small ball was a large success — and the hulking Los Angeles Lakers came up short.
Westbrook scored 41 points and Covington hit two clutch late 3-pointers while getting 14 points and eight rebounds, leading Houston to a 121-111 win over Los Angeles on Thursday night.
James Harden managed just 14 points, but Westbrook picked up the scoring slack before Covington had several big moments down the stretch. The final surge sent the Rockets to a major road win in their first attempt at playing without a center in coach Mike D’Antoni’s latest brainstorm.
“Every time you try something different, these guys have got to believe in it,” D’Antoni said. “And this helps a lot, because if you come in here and get spanked and they’re all little, it’s like, ‘Oh, maybe we can’t do this.’ So they’re fired up to keep trying. It’s just one game, but the confidence is good.”
Anthony Davis and the Lakers capitalized inside on the Rockets’ diminutive defenders, but Houston still rallied from a late four-point deficit and ended the game on a 19-5 surge highlighted by two of Covington’s four 3-pointers. The veteran was acquired from Minnesota on Wednesday in a four-team trade, and he tried to adjust quickly to being the tallest player on the floor for his new squad.
“Means a lot, just being able to come in and make a major impact,” Covington said. “It just shows that my coaches and my teammates believe in me.”
Davis had 32 points and 13 rebounds, and LeBron James had 18 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds in a meeting of first-place teams with sharply contrasting approaches. The Lakers didn’t blame the loss on the Rockets’ unusual lineup, but instead on their lack of execution in several key stretches.
“You’ve just got to communicate,” James said. “James is getting a lot of eyes on him, but Russ was doing what he is definitely capable of doing. He was wonderful tonight.”
Harden took just 10 shots in his follow-up to back-to-back 40-point games, but Westbrook returned from a one-game absence with a sprained thumb and had a huge performance in the Rockets’ fourth straight win.
Although Davis, Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee had a relatively easy time getting shots down low and grabbing rebounds in traffic, the Rockets’ small lineup created the offensive spacing and ball movement desired above all else by D’Antoni.
“They hit some tough shots down the stretch, and we made some costly turnovers at the end,” Davis said.
The Lakers got plenty of simple baskets down low, but the Rockets went 15 for 29 on 3-pointers in the first three quarters to keep it close.
Covington came up with a key block of Davis’ shot with about 3:30 to play after Houston reclaimed the lead, and he hit a clutch 3-pointer from the corner with 2:42 to play.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Texas executes man who killed 5, including wife, children

HUNTSVILLE , Texas — A Dallas man was executed Thursday evening for a shooting in which he killed his wife , two children and two other relatives during a drug-fueled rage nearly 18 years ago .
Prosecutors say Abel Ochoa was high on crack cocaine and looking for money to buy more drugs when he started shooting inside his home in August 2002 .
Ochoa , 47 , was pronounced dead at 6:48 p.m. , 23 minutes after receiving a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the slayings of his wife , Cecilia , 32 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also killed his 9-month-old daughter , Anahi ; his father-in-law , 56-year-old Bartolo Alvizo ; and his sister-in-law , 20-year-old Jacqueline Saleh , and seriously injured his sister-in-law Alma Alvizo .
“ I want to apologize to my in-laws for causing all this emotional pain , ” Ochoa said , strapped to the death chamber gurney and looking at several of his victims ’ relatives who watched through a window a few feet from him .
“ I love y ’ all and consider y ’ all my sisters I never had .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ me.
” As the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital began , Ochoa closed his eyes and had no visible reaction .
Jonathan Duran , who watched Ochoa die , said he accepted Ochoa ’ s apology .
“ I accepted the fact as a child , at 12 years old , when I buried my mother , my sisters , my aunt and my grandfather , ” Duran said .
“ Nothing ’ s going to bring them back .
It ’ s up to us to keep their memory alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t ever replace my mother or my sisters .
“ After 17 years , me , my family , .. the whole tree .
We can finally say we got closure , we got justice .
” Ochoa was the second inmate put to death this year in Texas and the third in the U.S .
Seven other executions are scheduled in the next few months in Texas , the nation ’ s busiest capital punishment state .
The execution was carried out after the U.S. Supreme Court turned down a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halt it .
They wanted a review of whether his rights were violated because he initially wasn ’ t allowed to film a prison interview with his legal team for his state clemency petition .
A Texas appeals court this week turned down a different request for a stay on claims that there were problems with paperwork related to Ochoa ’ s death warrant .
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles also turned down a clemency petition .
Ochoa ’ s attorneys said in court documents that his death sentence should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ his deep and sincere remorse.
” Ochoa ’ s trial attorneys had described him as a hard-working , law-abiding citizen whose life unraveled amid a 2½-year addiction to crack .
Ochoa spent up to $ 300 a week on cocaine and took out loans to support his drug habit .
At one point , he underwent treatment at a drug rehabilitation center but then continued to use cocaine , according to court documents .
Ochoa had gone 10 days without using cocaine leading up to the shootings .
Desperate for the drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to buy crack .
After returning home , he smoked the drug in his backyard .
“ While I was lying on the bed my body started wanting more crack .
I knew if I asked my wife for more money to buy some more crack she wouldn ’ t let me have it , ” Ochoa said in his confession to police .
Ochoa told police he grabbed his 9mm handgun , walked into the living room and started shooting until he ran out of bullets .
He then went and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living room , where his 7-year-old daughter was still alive , he said .
“ Crystal saw me with the gun and she started running away .
I chased after her and I shot her , ” Ochoa said .
Police later arrested him at a shopping center after he tried to get money from an ATM .
At trial , Ochoa ’ s attorneys argued that he shot his family in a cocaine-induced delirium and had brain damage from drug abuse .
Ochoa testified that he didn ’ t remember shooting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Dallas County prosecutors who tried the case , said he argued that Ochoa killed his family in frustration and anger .
“ It ’ s just a horrendous set of circumstances for a parent just to murder , gun down their own children , ” said Blackmon , who is now a criminal defense lawyer in Dallas .
Alma Alvizo testified that Ochoa had become aggressive toward his wife after learning she had a son from a previous relationship .
Alvizo said her sister told her Ochoa had pointed a gun at @ @ @ @ @ @ @

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A Dallas man was executed Thursday evening for a shooting in which he killed his wife, two children and two other relatives during a drug-fueled rage nearly 18 years ago.
Prosecutors say Abel Ochoa was high on crack cocaine and looking for money to buy more drugs when he started shooting inside his home in August 2002.
Ochoa, 47, was pronounced dead at 6:48 p.m., 23 minutes after receiving a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the slayings of his wife, Cecilia, 32, and his 7-year-old daughter, Crystal. He also killed his 9-month-old daughter, Anahi; his father-in-law, 56-year-old Bartolo Alvizo; and his sister-in-law, 20-year-old Jacqueline Saleh, and seriously injured his sister-in-law Alma Alvizo.
“I want to apologize to my in-laws for causing all this emotional pain,” Ochoa said, strapped to the death chamber gurney and looking at several of his victims’ relatives who watched through a window a few feet from him. “I love y’all and consider y’all my sisters I never had. I want to thank you for forgiving me.”
As the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital began, Ochoa closed his eyes and had no visible reaction.
Jonathan Duran, who watched Ochoa die, said he accepted Ochoa’s apology.
“I accepted the fact as a child, at 12 years old, when I buried my mother, my sisters, my aunt and my grandfather,” Duran said. “Nothing’s going to bring them back. It’s up to us to keep their memory alive, rebuild what we lost. I can’t ever replace my mother or my sisters.
“After 17 years, me, my family, .. the whole tree. We can finally say we got closure, we got justice. ”
Ochoa was the second inmate put to death this year in Texas and the third in the U.S. Seven other executions are scheduled in the next few months in Texas, the nation’s busiest capital punishment state.
The execution was carried out after the U.S. Supreme Court turned down a request by Ochoa’s attorneys to halt it. They wanted a review of whether his rights were violated because he initially wasn’t allowed to film a prison interview with his legal team for his state clemency petition.
A Texas appeals court this week turned down a different request for a stay on claims that there were problems with paperwork related to Ochoa’s death warrant. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles also turned down a clemency petition.
Ochoa’s attorneys said in court documents that his death sentence should be commuted to a life sentence because of “his deep and sincere remorse.”
Ochoa’s trial attorneys had described him as a hard-working, law-abiding citizen whose life unraveled amid a 2½-year addiction to crack.
Ochoa spent up to $300 a week on cocaine and took out loans to support his drug habit. At one point, he underwent treatment at a drug rehabilitation center but then continued to use cocaine, according to court documents. Ochoa had gone 10 days without using cocaine leading up to the shootings. Desperate for the drug, he persuaded his wife to take him to buy crack. After returning home, he smoked the drug in his backyard.
“While I was lying on the bed my body started wanting more crack. I knew if I asked my wife for more money to buy some more crack she wouldn’t let me have it,” Ochoa said in his confession to police.
Ochoa told police he grabbed his 9mm handgun, walked into the living room and started shooting until he ran out of bullets.
He then went and got more ammunition and returned to the living room, where his 7-year-old daughter was still alive, he said.
“Crystal saw me with the gun and she started running away. I chased after her and I shot her,” Ochoa said.
Police later arrested him at a shopping center after he tried to get money from an ATM.
At trial, Ochoa’s attorneys argued that he shot his family in a cocaine-induced delirium and had brain damage from drug abuse. Ochoa testified that he didn’t remember shooting his family.
Howard Blackmon, one of the Dallas County prosecutors who tried the case, said he argued that Ochoa killed his family in frustration and anger.
“It’s just a horrendous set of circumstances for a parent just to murder, gun down their own children,” said Blackmon, who is now a criminal defense lawyer in Dallas.
Alma Alvizo testified that Ochoa had become aggressive toward his wife after learning she had a son from a previous relationship. Alvizo said her sister told her Ochoa had pointed a gun at her three weeks before the killings.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Queens man busted in Massachusetts with 360 pounds of weed inside minivan

A Queens man was caught speeding his minivan down a Massachusetts highway on Wednesday and cops found a load of @ @ @ @ @ a report said .
The driver , 40-year-old Alexander Kong , was arrested after Trooper @ @ @ @ @ 2017 Toyota Sienna and discovered more than 360 pounds of marijuana , according to the @ @ @ @ @ marijuana was stashed inside three cardboard boxes , seven duffel bags and seven trash bags @ @ @ @ @ goods were packaged in heat-sealed bags .
The suspect was taken into custody for trafficking @ @ @ @ @ speeding .

A Queens man was caught speeding his minivan down a Massachusetts highway on Wednesday and cops found a load of weed inside the van, a report said.
The driver, 40-year-old Alexander Kong, was arrested after Trooper Michael Barrera checked out his 2017 Toyota Sienna and discovered more than 360 pounds of marijuana, according to the Massachusetts State Police.
The marijuana was stashed inside three cardboard boxes, seven duffel bags and seven trash bags, cops said.
The goods were packaged in heat-sealed bags.
The suspect was taken into custody for trafficking marijuana and was cited for speeding.
Massachusetts State Police said Kong resides in Bayside, Queens.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Niecy Nash tearfully dishes on divorce at Hollywood power lunch

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Actress Niecy Nash tearfully dished up the truth about her divorce to an elite Hollywood crowd , urging women to put themselves first rather than stay in an unhappy marriage .
The Emmy-nominated “ Claws ” star recently revealed last month she and her second husband Jay Tucker were separating after eight years .
In an emotional speech at Essence ’ s Black Women in Hollywood event on Thursday , Nash said she walked away from the marriage even though her family was not comfortable seeing her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes , Nash , 49 , told the audience of her split , “ There was a huge myth that I inherited from the women in my family which is , ‘ You are nothing without a man .
Get one , keep one , no matter what — blind , cripple , crazy , married or lazy — get one , baby girl , because they will validate you !
’ ” But of her failed marriage to Tucker , she said , “ When I owned we were better friends than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say , ‘ But you all look so good together.
’ ” And , “ ‘ Well , if the man ain ’ t beating you , what you leaving for ?
’ ” “ The one that made me laugh the most was an ode to him being attractive .
[ They said , ] ‘ Well , you never had to put a sack on his head to sleep with him.
’ ” “ And I replied , ‘ What about my happiness ?
’ The untethering from my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s expectations and my marriage ending caused me so much pain.
” Nash continued , “ Pain is putting things in necessary order .
You ’ ve got to acknowledge how you feel .
Trust that it is so much easier to walk in your shoes than it is run towards a lie.
” She continued to the power crowd at the Beverly Wilshire luncheon , which included Ava DuVernay , Billy Porter , Issa Rae , Gabrielle Union , Janelle Monae , Lena Waithe and host Eve , “ This long line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never been taught what choosing themselves looks like.
” “ You ’ ve got to own the part you play .
I encourage you to walk in your truth , live your trauma and live your best damn life.
” Now as a proud single woman and mother of two girls , Nash added , “ I am the most grateful because I now know myself much better than before.
” “ I let my daughters watch me walk through the whole thing .
Because I want them to get up every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , holding back more tears .
“ I realize I did right when my daughter said to me , ‘ I am so proud of you , and I want to be just like you when I grow up.
’ [ My ] generational curse is broken !
” Nash was honored alongside Beyonce ’ s “ Lemonade ” and “ Queen & Slim ” director Melina Matsoukas , 007 star Lashana Lynch and the team behind “ Pose ” including Janet Mock , Mj Rodriguez , Angelica Ross and Hailie Sahar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late Hollywood icon Diahann Carroll .

Actress Niecy Nash tearfully dished up the truth about her divorce to an elite Hollywood crowd, urging women to put themselves first rather than stay in an unhappy marriage.
The Emmy-nominated “Claws” star recently revealed last month she and her second husband Jay Tucker were separating after eight years.
In an emotional speech at Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood event on Thursday, Nash said she walked away from the marriage even though her family was not comfortable seeing her as a single woman.
Dabbing her eyes, Nash, 49, told the audience of her split, “There was a huge myth that I inherited from the women in my family which is, ‘You are nothing without a man. Get one, keep one, no matter what — blind, cripple, crazy, married or lazy — get one, baby girl, because they will validate you!’”
But of her failed marriage to Tucker, she said, “When I owned we were better friends than life partners, my family was quick to say, ‘But you all look so good together.’” And, “‘Well, if the man ain’t beating you, what you leaving for?’”
“The one that made me laugh the most was an ode to him being attractive. [They said,] ‘Well, you never had to put a sack on his head to sleep with him.’”
“And I replied, ‘What about my happiness?’ The untethering from my family’s beliefs, the internet’s expectations and my marriage ending caused me so much pain.”
Nash continued, “Pain is putting things in necessary order. You’ve got to acknowledge how you feel. Trust that it is so much easier to walk in your shoes than it is run towards a lie.”
She continued to the power crowd at the Beverly Wilshire luncheon, which included Ava DuVernay, Billy Porter, Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union, Janelle Monae, Lena Waithe and host Eve, “This long line of women that I come from had never been taught what choosing themselves looks like.”
“You’ve got to own the part you play. I encourage you to walk in your truth, live your trauma and live your best damn life.”
Now as a proud single woman and mother of two girls, Nash added, “I am the most grateful because I now know myself much better than before.”
“I let my daughters watch me walk through the whole thing. Because I want them to get up every single day and choose themselves,” she said, holding back more tears.
“I realize I did right when my daughter said to me, ‘I am so proud of you, and I want to be just like you when I grow up.’ [My] generational curse is broken!”
Nash was honored alongside Beyonce’s “Lemonade” and “Queen & Slim” director Melina Matsoukas, 007 star Lashana Lynch and the team behind “Pose” including Janet Mock, Mj Rodriguez, Angelica Ross and Hailie Sahar. Kerry Washington also paid tribute to the late Hollywood icon Diahann Carroll.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Renowned Mali musician at odds with TSA over broken instrument

An internationally renowned musician claims TSA agents at JFK airport destroyed his custom-made instrument during a flight to Paris following a US tour .
Ballaké Sissoko , one of Mali ’ s famous kora players , checked his kora in a hard case with “ state-of-the-art amplifications ” on an overnight Air France flight and landed at home in Paris , only to find the instrument completely destroyed on February 4 .
There was a note from the TSA written in Spanish inside the case alongside the broken instrument .
The agents said they opened the case for inspection and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for prohibited items.
” Sissoko , 53 , shared photos of the kora — broken in pieces — and released a statement on his Facebook page .
“ The neck of the kora has been removed .
The strings , bridge and entire , delicate and complex sound system of amplification have been taken apart , ” Sissoko posted on Facebook .
“ The kora is in pieces… .
These kinds of custom-made koras are simply impossible to replace.
” The musician slammed the TSA for their “ ignorance ” and claimed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mali , the jihadists threaten to destroy musical instruments , cut the tongues out of singers , and to silence Mali ’ s great musical heritage , ” he said .
“ And yet , ironically , it is the USA Customs that have in their own way managed to do this .
Would they have dared do such a thing to a white musician playing a classical instrument ?
” Sissoko ’ s post made headlines , and he has received an outpouring of support from fans .
On Thursday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened the case at all , saying , “ It is most unfortunate that Mr. Sissoko ’ s instrument was damaged in transport , however , after a thorough review of the claim , it was determined that TSA did not open the instrument case because it did not trigger an alarm when it was screened for possible explosives .
”

An internationally renowned musician claims TSA agents at JFK airport destroyed his custom-made instrument during a flight to Paris following a US tour.
Ballaké Sissoko, one of Mali’s famous kora players, checked his kora in a hard case with “state-of-the-art amplifications” on an overnight Air France flight and landed at home in Paris, only to find the instrument completely destroyed on February 4.
There was a note from the TSA written in Spanish inside the case alongside the broken instrument. The agents said they opened the case for inspection and its contents “may have been searched for prohibited items.”
Sissoko, 53, shared photos of the kora — broken in pieces — and released a statement on his Facebook page.
“The neck of the kora has been removed. The strings, bridge and entire, delicate and complex sound system of amplification have been taken apart,” Sissoko posted on Facebook.
“The kora is in pieces…. These kinds of custom-made koras are simply impossible to replace.”
The musician slammed the TSA for their “ignorance” and claimed the incident could be racially-tinged.
“In Mali, the jihadists threaten to destroy musical instruments, cut the tongues out of singers, and to silence Mali’s great musical heritage,” he said.
“And yet, ironically, it is the USA Customs that have in their own way managed to do this. Would they have dared do such a thing to a white musician playing a classical instrument?”
Sissoko’s post made headlines, and he has received an outpouring of support from fans.
On Thursday afternoon, a TSA spokesperson denied that agents had opened the case at all, saying, “It is most unfortunate that Mr. Sissoko’s instrument was damaged in transport, however, after a thorough review of the claim, it was determined that TSA did not open the instrument case because it did not trigger an alarm when it was screened for possible explosives.”


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Chris Young replacing Joe Torre as MLB’s disciplinarian

ORLANDO , Fla. — Major League Baseball will have a new disciplinarian .
Hall of Famer Joe Torre , who has headed baseball operations at the commissioner ’ s office since 2011 , is shifting to a role as special assistant to the commissioner .
Former pitcher Chris Young , who spent two of his MLB seasons with the Mets , will replace Torre as the person who decides suspensions and fines for on-field matters , such as intentionally hitting batters , charging the mound and fights .
Torre , who turns 80 in July , is expected to travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All-Star from 1960-77 , Torre managed for 29 seasons through 2010 and won four World Series titles with the Yankees .
Torre was hired as MLB ’ s executive vice president for baseball operations in February 2011 and became chief baseball officer in December 2014 as Rob Manfred prepared to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner .
Young pitched in the majors for 13 years and retired after the 2017 season .
He joined MLB in May 2018 as vice president of on-field operations , initiatives and strategy , and he was promoted Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will oversee on-field operations and umpiring , and he will report to deputy commissioner Dan Halem .
Appeals of on-field discipline decisions will continue to be heard by John McHale Jr. , a special assistant to Manfred .
In another staff move , Morgan Sword was promoted to executive vice president of baseball economics and operations from senior vice president of league economics and strategy .
Former players Gregor Blanco and Nick Hundley were hired as senior directors of baseball operations .

ORLANDO, Fla. — Major League Baseball will have a new disciplinarian.
Hall of Famer Joe Torre, who has headed baseball operations at the commissioner’s office since 2011, is shifting to a role as special assistant to the commissioner.
Former pitcher Chris Young, who spent two of his MLB seasons with the Mets, will replace Torre as the person who decides suspensions and fines for on-field matters, such as intentionally hitting batters, charging the mound and fights.
Torre, who turns 80 in July, is expected to travel less during the season. A nine-time All-Star from 1960-77, Torre managed for 29 seasons through 2010 and won four World Series titles with the Yankees.
Torre was hired as MLB’s executive vice president for baseball operations in February 2011 and became chief baseball officer in December 2014 as Rob Manfred prepared to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner.
Young pitched in the majors for 13 years and retired after the 2017 season. He joined MLB in May 2018 as vice president of on-field operations, initiatives and strategy, and he was promoted Thursday to senior vice president. The 40-year-old will oversee on-field operations and umpiring, and he will report to deputy commissioner Dan Halem.
Appeals of on-field discipline decisions will continue to be heard by John McHale Jr., a special assistant to Manfred.
In another staff move, Morgan Sword was promoted to executive vice president of baseball economics and operations from senior vice president of league economics and strategy.
Former players Gregor Blanco and Nick Hundley were hired as senior directors of baseball operations.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Super Bowl streaker Kelly Kay says stadium security injured her

During a recent XFL scrimmage in Houston , two members of ...

The Instagram model who attempted to run onto the field during Super Bowl 2020 said Thursday that she was injured by the stadium security who foiled her stunt.
Model Kelly Kay told TMZ she is in pain from being manhandled at Hard Rock Stadium and has bruises covering both her arms.
The 27-year-old social media influencer appeared to be fine after the incident, sharing a collection of images from her eventful weekend on Instagram, including the moment security dragged her away and her mug shot.
But Kay now says she was so full of adrenaline that she didn’t notice how bad the take-down was.
After being tackled to the ground and prevented from stripping, Kelly was holed up in a cold cell under the stadium waiting to be processed for eight hours while wearing just a skimpy bathing suit, according to TMZ.
She even said she was interrogated by the FBI. The stunt woman faces up to a year in jail.
In October, MLB banned Julia Rose and Lauren Summer indefinitely after they flashed cameras behind home plate at the World Series in Washington.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Steve Levy on why XFL is spring football’s best ‘last shot’

ESPN ’ s coverage of the XFL will be led by big ...

During a recent XFL scrimmage in Houston, two members of the D.C. Defenders were ejected for fighting. Moments after they were kicked out of the game, they were getting interviewed by ESPN’s announce team.
“The guy had just thrown a punch and, quite frankly, he wasn’t that remorseful. It was like, ‘Wow, this could be really cool TV,’ ” ESPN lead play-by-play man Steve Levy said, with the second iteration of Vince McMahon’s football brainchild set to kick off this weekend.
More access to players is only part of the viewer experience the XFL is selling as it tries to sustain success as the country’s other professional football league. There will also be audio available of coaches calling in plays to the quarterback and a greater emphasis on gambling — including the spread and over/under being a part of the score bug that will be constantly on the screen.
“That has been my stock answer, ‘This is the last shot at this,’ you know what I mean?” Levy said. “If this one does not work, it’s just not going to work.”
The 2001 XFL lasted one season, and in its absence the NFL, thanks in part to the growth of fantasy football and gambling, steadily rose in popularity. The AAF tried to fill that gap as the spring answer to the NFL a year ago. The opening night of the AAF, airing on CBS, brought in an impressive 2.9 million viewers. There was buzz, excitement, and eight weeks later the league was in financial ruin and ceased operations.
Levy said he believes the XFL will stay more relevant by keeping the games on the more-watched networks — almost all of the games will be on ABC, ESPN, Fox or FS1.
“I would be surprised is there aren’t at least two seasons of this XFL,” said Levy, who will call games alongside Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill and Dianna Russini.
“Vince has deeper pockets than what the AAF had, television partners that were different than the AAF’s. They were pushed to other CBS cable channels. … Every one of my games are going to be on [at] 2 p.m. ABC every Saturday. That’s a real commitment. Internally, we are being given big-time resources— maybe not ‘Monday Night Football’ resources, but pretty close. We are treating this like a first-class operation. I’ve got my regular college football producer on this. We’ve got the real-deal personnel on this in front of and behind the scenes.”
Along with those factors, Levy cites the two years of planning that have gone into this season and that the XFL teams, made up of former NFL players and ones who could not quite make it to the top level, have been together for several months.
The XFL also has the weight of ESPN and Fox behind it.
“That can only help and we’ve seen that over the years,” Levy said. “When ESPN has the rights to whatever it is, it tends to play a little heavier, a little higher on ‘SportsCenter.’ It’s good business, it’s good promotion.”
The new league also gives different opportunities for favored personalities at ESPN, like Levy, and at Fox, who has NFL studio host Curt Menefee as its lead play-by-play guy.
“It’s cool to be on the ground floor of something,” Levy said. “My crew will get the championship game. I’ve been at ESPN 27 years and the only championship I ever called was a Frozen Four many, many years ago. I’ve always been the second guy or the third guy.”


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Inside look at all facets of Knicks-Leon Rose marriage

When Steve Mills was hired in 2013 to be Knicks president and replace Glen Grunwald coming off a 54-win campaign , one of the Garden ’ s reasonings was Mills ’ solid relationship with the powerful Creative Artists Agency .
That ’ s how much Knicks owner James Dolan cared about CAA .
In an ironic twist , Mills ultimately was fired and will be replaced by one of their agent juggernauts , Leon Rose — who repped Carmelo Anthony , among others .
“ MSG and CAA have been in bed for years , ’ ’ one NBA executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be surprising.
’ ’ Rose , the former agent for LeBron James , was granted special privileges during the Melo/J.R .
Smith era .
The Cherry Hill , N.J. , native was the lone agent allowed in the locker room after games , seen waiting on his guys .
Rose has connections that can help the Knicks — the obvious one being his role as the agent for Karl-Anthony Towns , whom the club has eyed as a potential trade candidate down the road if he becomes even more disgruntled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reps Suns star Devin Booker .
As for coaching candidates , Rose has worked before with John Calipari , whom is heavily linked to adviser/mover-and-shaker William Wesley , also expected to join the Knicks ’ staff .
Rose has also had professional dealings with former Bulls and Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau , a former Knicks assistant .
Rose reportedly is on good terms with Jeff Van Gundy , and that could open the door for the former Knicks coach who never even got an interview in 2018 , when the club hired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be done and it definitely has some sex appeal , ’ ’ said one rival agent .
“ And I do wonder if this means Calipari comes with him.
’ ’ Rose doesn ’ t represent any of the current Knicks , but he is the former agent of Frank Ntilikina .
The 2017 lottery pick fired CAA last year to go with French rep Bouna Ndiaye .
“ He ’ s a good guy , he helped me with a lot through the draft process , ’ ’ Ntilikina said of Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he ’ s doing.
’ ’ “ No , not at all , ’ ’ Ntilikina said .
“ It ’ s part of the business .
We still have a good relationship.
’ ’ It ’ s an unorthodox move , but one that is trending .
Former agents Bob Myers ( Warriors ) and Rob Pelinka ( Lakers ) have made the transition well .
Rose has come a long way since the 2000-01 season , when his only client was Knicks 12th man Rick Brunson .
Rose has always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now joins an organization that has been criticized for being less than transparent .
Mills and acting president Scott Perry haven ’ t talked to the media since Nov. 10 , when they hijacked Fizdale ’ s postgame press conference to put the coach on alert .
One NBA source said one of Mills ’ failures was his lack of leadership qualities .
Rose oversaw the CAA basketball department , so he was in a leadership role in that sense .
In a statement , Dolan said the search was ongoing as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right leader for the Knicks.
’ ’ Dolan thinks that guy is Rose .
If there were hard feelings over the Anthony trade negotiations with Houston and Oklahoma City in 2017 , there aren ’ t any longer .
For more on the Knicks , listen to the latest episode of the “ Big Apple Buckets ” podcast :

When Steve Mills was hired in 2013 to be Knicks president and replace Glen Grunwald coming off a 54-win campaign, one of the Garden’s reasonings was Mills’ solid relationship with the powerful Creative Artists Agency.
That’s how much Knicks owner James Dolan cared about CAA. In an ironic twist, Mills ultimately was fired and will be replaced by one of their agent juggernauts, Leon Rose — who repped Carmelo Anthony, among others.
“MSG and CAA have been in bed for years,’’ one NBA executive told The Post. “This shouldn’t be surprising.’’
Rose, the former agent for LeBron James, was granted special privileges during the Melo/J.R. Smith era. The Cherry Hill, N.J., native was the lone agent allowed in the locker room after games, seen waiting on his guys.
Rose has connections that can help the Knicks — the obvious one being his role as the agent for Karl-Anthony Towns, whom the club has eyed as a potential trade candidate down the road if he becomes even more disgruntled with the Timberwolves’ losing. Rose also reps Suns star Devin Booker.
As for coaching candidates, Rose has worked before with John Calipari, who is heavily linked to adviser/mover-and-shaker William Wesley, also expected to join the Knicks’ staff.
Rose has also had professional dealings with former Bulls and Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau, a former Knicks assistant. Rose reportedly is on good terms with Jeff Van Gundy, and that could open the door for the former Knicks coach who never even got an interview in 2018, when the club hired David Fizdale.
“Something had to be done, and it definitely has some sex appeal,’’ said one rival agent. “And I do wonder if this means Calipari comes with him.’’
Rose doesn’t represent any of the current Knicks, but he is the former agent of Frank Ntilikina. The 2017 lottery pick fired CAA last year to go with French rep Bouna Ndiaye.
“He’s a good guy, he helped me with a lot through the draft process,’’ Ntilikina said of Rose. “He knows basketball and knows what he’s doing.’’
Hard feelings?
“No, not at all,’’ Ntilikina said. “It’s part of the business. We still have a good relationship.’’
It’s an unorthodox move, but one that is trending. Former agents Bob Myers (Warriors) and Rob Pelinka (Lakers) have made the transition well.
Rose has come a long way since the 2000-01 season, when his only client was Knicks 12th man Rick Brunson.
Rose has always been known for being very media-friendly and now joins an organization that has been criticized for being less than transparent.
Mills and acting president Scott Perry haven’t talked to the media since Nov. 10, when they hijacked Fizdale’s postgame press conference to put the coach on alert.
One NBA source said one of Mills’ failures was his lack of leadership qualities. Rose oversaw the CAA basketball department, so he was in a leadership role in that sense.
In a statement, Dolan said the search was ongoing as he’s “determined to find the right leader for the Knicks.’’
Dolan thinks that guy is Rose. If there were hard feelings over the Anthony trade negotiations with Houston and Oklahoma City in 2017, there aren’t any longer.
For more on the Knicks, listen to the latest episode of the “Big Apple Buckets” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--LaPhonso Ellis talks Duke-North Carolina clash, Seton Hall’s title hopes

North Carolina is in danger of missing the postseason .
Kentucky ...

ESPN college hoops analyst LaPhonso Ellis talks with The Post’s Justin Terranova about his new role and the North Carolina-Duke showdown he will cover Saturday.
Q: What has the Gameday experience been like?
A: It’s been just incredible. The energy — I was a really passionate player and I fed off the energy of the boos on the road and cheers at home — so to walk back into that atmosphere gets my adrenaline and goose bumps going. I feel literally ready to play. The students have been very welcoming, making us feel comfortable.
Q: The Tar Heels lost Cole Anthony for a long stretch, but why else has North Carolina been so down this year?
A: It started before Anthony got hurt, really. They have good players, but they are role players. They don’t have the alpha dogs on the offensive end to carry them. For example, Brandon Robinson shot 40 percent from 3 last year, he’s a perfect guy to have around two people who can create their offense off of the dribble or out of the post. But they haven’t had that one guy who can get offense for himself and draw the defender and get it to the open guy.
Q: Where does Duke rank among the elite teams in the country?
A: They are right there. They have one of the most efficient defenses in the nation. Offensively they are efficient, they know their identity on the offensive end, which is get the ball inside to Vernon Carey as much and as often as possible. They are really good getting into you on the defensive end and forcing turnovers leading into transition baskets. They’ve shot it better than I thought. One issue is they don’t have a guy who can … break you down time after time to create offense for himself and teammates. Tre Jones tries to be that guy, but after 40 minutes — for as hard as he guards — he wears down a little bit.
Q: Is Seton Hall a legitimate national title contender?
A: Seton Hall has been my dark horse since the very beginning. Veteran team, solid point guard play with Quincy McKnight, who I think while Myles Powell was out showed he can be a scorer as well as a facilitator. Everyone has stepped up when they needed to and that brings a certain level of confidence. An elite scorer in Powell, terrific rim protectors and they are just getting their second-leading scorer back in Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Q: How is San Diego State undefeated?
A: They are one of the most efficient defensive teams in the country. Everyone talks defense, but when you watch it takes strategy, communication and everybody locked in and anticipating what the next one will be. They got a lot of deflections, the defense is in the right place all the time. They’ve got a transfer from Washington State, Malachi Flynn, who is one of the top-10 point guards in the nation.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Man who allegedly beat girlfriend to death ordered her an Uber to the hospital

A Pennsylvania man ordered an Uber to take his dying girlfriend to the hospital after he allegedly filmed himself beating her , according to a report .
Nicholas Forman , 23 , can allegedly be seen on cell phone video , obtained by police through a warrant , beating his motionless girlfriend on a lawn in Montgomery County , The Philadelphia Inquirer reported .
“ This is what cheating liars get , ” the man believed to be Forman is heard saying in the recording .
The battery of Sabrina Harooni , 22 , started in a different Uber from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching the Super Bowl on Sunday night , according to charging documents obtained by WCAU-TV and the Inquirer .
That Uber driver told cops Forman berated Harooni in the car after she joked about getting texts from an ex , demanding to see the messages , the documents show .
But Forman ’ s anger intensified , prompting Harooni to respond , “ You ’ re scaring me , ” the Uber driver relayed .
The driver stuck around to watch the couple continue to argue , rolling the window down to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let her inside his Perkiomen Township home until she gave him “ the f—king phone.
” The Uber driver eventually drove away when he could no longer hear them arguing , according to the documents .
Forman then allegedly ordered a second Uber car on Monday to take the battered Harooni to Pottstown Hospital , where she later died , the outlets reported .
He was arrested at his home and has been charged with one count of murder in the first degree and one count of murder in the third degree , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Forman has a long history of arrests — pleading guilty to charges of disorderly conduct , criminal trespass , and harassment stemming back to 2014 .
He was listed as awaiting his arraignment on Thursday .

A Pennsylvania man ordered an Uber to take his dying girlfriend to the hospital after he allegedly filmed himself beating her, according to a report.
Nicholas Forman, 23, can allegedly be seen on cellphone video, obtained by police through a warrant, beating his motionless girlfriend on a lawn in Montgomery County, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
“This is what cheating liars get,” the man believed to be Forman is heard saying in the recording.
The battery of Sabrina Harooni, 22, started in a different Uber from a restaurant where the couple had been watching the Super Bowl on Sunday night, according to charging documents obtained by WCAU-TV and the Inquirer.
That Uber driver told cops Forman berated Harooni in the car after she joked about getting texts from an ex, demanding to see the messages, the documents show.
But Forman’s anger intensified, prompting Harooni to respond, “You’re scaring me,” the Uber driver relayed.
The driver stuck around to watch the couple continue to argue, rolling the window down to hear Forman tell Harooni he wouldn’t let her inside his Perkiomen Township home until she gave him “the f—king phone.”
The Uber driver eventually drove away when he could no longer hear them arguing, according to the documents.
Forman then allegedly ordered a second Uber on Monday to take the battered Harooni to Pottstown Hospital, where she later died, the outlets reported.
He was arrested at his home and has been charged with one count of murder in the first degree and one count of murder in the third degree, court records obtained by The Post show.
Forman has a long history of arrests — pleading guilty to charges of disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and harassment stemming from 2014.
He was listed as awaiting his arraignment Thursday.
Records show that bail was denied.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Trump ousts Gordon Sondland hours after firing Alexander Vindman

The Trump administration fired Gordon Sondland — who testified against the president in the House impeachment hearing — from his post as the ambassador to the European Union on Friday , hours after axing Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman , another witness against him .
Sondland confirmed his firing in a statement to the New York Times Friday evening .
“ I was advised today that the president intends to recall me effective immediately as United States Ambassador to the European Union , ” Sondland told the newspaper .
The ambassador was a key witness in the House Democrat ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president , paving the way for his trial in the Senate .
In his testimony , Sondland acknowledged there was a “ quid pro quo ” between Trump and the Ukrainian president in regard to releasing military aid in exchange for an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden .
“ I know that members of this Committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question : Was there a quid pro quo ?
” Sondland said in a House impeachment hearing .
“ As I testified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House call and White House meeting , the answer is yes , ” he added .
His firing came hours after Trump fired both Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and his twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny S. Vindman .
Vindman , who also testified in the impeachment hearings , said in a statement through his lawyer that he was “ asked to leave for telling the truth .
”

The Trump administration fired Gordon Sondland — who testified against the president in the House impeachment hearing — from his post as the ambassador to the European Union on Friday, hours after axing Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, another witness against him.
Sondland confirmed his firing in a statement to the New York Times Friday evening.
“I was advised today that the president intends to recall me effective immediately as United States Ambassador to the European Union,” Sondland told the newspaper.
The ambassador was a key witness in the House Democrat’s efforts to pass articles of impeachment against the president, paving the way for his trial in the Senate.
In his testimony, Sondland acknowledged there was a “quid pro quo” between Trump and the Ukrainian president in regard to releasing military aid in exchange for an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden.
“I know that members of this Committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: Was there a quid pro quo?” Sondland said in a House impeachment hearing.
“As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes,” he added.
His firing came hours after Trump fired both Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and his twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny S. Vindman.
Vindman, who also testified in the impeachment hearings, said in a statement through his lawyer that he was “asked to leave for telling the truth.”


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--The Iowa Democratic Party had one job — here’s why it failed to do it

The Iowa Democratic Party has brushed off calls for a ...

One of my favorite running jokes on the internet is, “You had one job.” It’s a staple of Twitter and YouTube, with images of signs reading, “Turn Left” with an arrow pointing right, or supermarket shelves demarcating where you can buy “Poop Tarts.” Well, the Iowa Democratic Party rolled out a new line of Poop Tarts this week.
The Iowa Democratic Party may have other responsibilities in non-presidential election years, but its only important function every four years is to run the Iowa caucuses.
It’s the only time the eyes of the nation are on it, and the eyes of the nation this week saw a screwup of biblical proportions.
There’s no point in dwelling on the full scope of the failure — they used a faulty app to count votes that they were told in advance was faulty — and then had to manually recheck the votes.
And rather than just wait until they had a final tally, they released the tabulations piecemeal, making it possible for different candidates to claim victory based on partial results. Worse, they even got the recheck numbers wrong at one point and had to issue corrections.
Why did it happen? One answer is that the Iowa Democratic Party forgot it had one job — to run the caucus in a straightforward, transparent and professional manner.
But there’s a larger context. One of the reasons our politics have become so dysfunctional is that the political parties have, over the last 40 years, systematically dismantled themselves, or to be more fair, cooperated with the politicians, activists and journalists who sought to dismantle them.
Subscribing to a misplaced fetishization of democracy in all things, they completely outsourced the responsibility of choosing their candidates to the parties’ most passionate voters — something virtually no other advanced democracy has done. All in the name of reform, they acquiesced to rules and laws that took power away from the parties and put it in the hands of outside groups, donors, the media and, again, primary voters.
They embraced the cultural mantra “Who are we to judge?” and turned the parties into a “vehicle that anyone can drive” in the words of Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report.
The new rules that Iowa enacted for 2020 were forced upon it by Sen. Bernie Sanders, a man who proudly insists he’s not a Democrat, save for purposes of running for president.
Those rules were so arcane and ridiculous that a state party infrastructure that only knew how to do one thing couldn’t cope with the demand to do something else.
The ongoing transformation of the GOP into a proudly nationalist and protectionist party in the image of Donald Trump is merely another facet of the same problem. Parties always cared about winning the next election; that’s one reason they exist. But it’s not the only reason they exist. They are also institutions that stand for certain ideas and interests that are more enduring than just the next election. Or at least they used to be.
That meant they understood the need to police their own, to enforce compliance with certain policies and certain norms that contributed to the long-term health of the institution. Now, partisanship has been outsourced to the angriest voices and the media outlets who make money from them, leaving the parties as brands that can’t tell their customers anything they don’t want to hear.
When Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace, it wasn’t because he wanted to, but because the Republican Party essentially told him he had to go.
Today’s GOP would never tell Trump he’s got to go, but not just because they don’t think he should or because they know Trump wouldn’t leave. They wouldn’t because the GOP has become a vehicle that anyone can drive, and the president is in the driver’s seat.
Should Sanders succeed in his hostile takeover of the Democratic Party, you can be sure that the Democratic Party will become as much of a Sanders party as today’s GOP is a Trump party.
Because they only have one job now, to stand for whatever the person in the driver’s seat tells them to stand for.
JonahsColumn@aol.com


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Strong winds take down trees in Brooklyn

It was a good hour into his State of the ...

Fierce wind gusts of up to 60 mph took down trees across the city Friday, including in Brooklyn, where large branches and even some trunks fell on cars and caused a road closure, according to officials and an Accuweather meteorologist.
The FDNY said it responded to a home on Dorchester Road near Argyle Avenue in Ditmas Park around 2 p.m. — at the height of the strong winds — and closed off the road after several trees cracked and crashed down on the street and at least one parked car.
The agency closed off the street and alerted the Parks Department, which handles fallen trees and debris.
Dave Dombek, a senior meteorologist at Accuweather, said the windy conditions acted almost as a “natural pruning” for dead and flimsy trees.
“There’s a lot of dead branches, so it’s a natural pruning where you have some dead branches and weak branches, and the wind will certainly blow those out of the trees, small branches for sure, sometimes larger branches or limbs,” Dombek explained.
He said the highest gusts elsewhere in the region Friday were in Westhampton, LI, where winds peaked at 61 mph, and at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, where gusts climbed as high as 59 mph.
Dombek said the winds are now subsiding but would continue in the 40 mph to 45 mph range until late Friday or early Saturday morning.
Despite the strong winds, temperatures peaked at a balmy 56 degrees Friday and are now plummeting to around 38 degrees, with a windchill of 28 degrees.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Harvey Weinstein’s lead lawyer caught in lie about controversial interview

“ I have not because I would never put myself in ...

Harvey Weinstein’s lead lawyer claimed in court Friday that a controversial interview she gave to the New York Times was “taped a long time ago” — but it was actually recorded last week.
The New York Times podcast “The Daily” aired the piece about attorney Donna Rotunno Friday morning, and drew criticism because she claimed she had never been sexually assaulted because “I would never put myself in that position.”
The lawyer also discussed Weinstein’s criminal case and his accusers — but stopped short of using their names.
After Weinstein’s rape trial broke for the day, Assistant DA Joan Illuzzi-Orbon told Justice James Burke that Rotunno is “calling our witnesses liars and celebrity victim-hood status, and it is completely in contradiction to your order.”
Rotunno insisted that the interview was taped a long time ago. “[I] have not spoken to anyone since we started this case,” she said. She added that she didn’t even know the piece was airing Friday. “I had no idea,” she said.
The judge did not address the prosecutor’s concerns on the record. Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha appeared to contradict Rotunno’s account. “The interview was taped January 28 and aired on Feb. 7. Donna Rotunno was made aware of the air date,” Ha wrote in an email.
When reached for comment, Rotunno said, “The days are bleeding together. There was absolutely no intention to make any misrepresentation whatsoever.”
The day before the trial started Jan. 7, the judge ordered Rotunno not to discuss the victims in the case in any way after a complaint from the prosecution. “Leave the witnesses alone,” Burke said. “Don’t talk about them in any capacity. Just excise the witnesses from your communications going forward.”
In “The Daily” podcast, Rotunno spoke directly about complainants in Weinstein’s case. “These are consensual encounters,” she told Times reporter Megan Twohey. “I believe the actions of the women after the fact prove that they were consensual encounters.”
In a clear reference to accuser Jessica Mann, Rotunno said she had given Weinstein her new phone number after she alleged he raped her.
Twohey asked Rotunno what reason these women would have to lie. “We have created a society of celebrity victim-hood status,” the attorney responded. “We have created a society where women don’t have to take responsibility for their actions.”
The Times reporter — along with her colleague Jodi Kantor — exposed the allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein in a bombshell 2017 story that helped lead to the criminal charges against him.
Weinstein’s rape trial resumes Monday.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--How NYC’s homeless ‘charities’ cash in — ruthlessly

Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s State of the City Address on ...

It was a good hour into his State of the City speech Thursday before Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed homelessness — though he didn’t say much about it. “It’s what we have to do,” he averred. “We have to end homelessness as we know it.”
You’d think this was de Blasio’s inaugural statement on the topic, as though he hasn’t been mayor for six years, presiding over record numbers of homeless people living in shelters, on the streets and in the subways. But de Blasio does in fact have a clear track record on homelessness; it’s just so dismal — so tainted by waste and scandal — that it’s no surprise he doesn’t want to dwell on it.
Spending has skyrocketed across the board since de Blasio took over City Hall, but no government expenditures have soared as fast as homeless services, which more than doubled since 2014, from $1 billion to $2.1 billion.
This growth far exceeds the administration’s optimistic predictions of restraint and indicates the extent to which de Blasio throws money at problems, perhaps hoping if they don’t go away, then at least he will have bought off folks in a position to criticize him.
Turns out that an increasing amount of the city’s homeless budget goes to service providers — the groups that run shelters and intake centers, conduct outreach and offer specialized treatment to people on the street. Yet given the enormous demand for shelter, numerous regulations on services and difficulties dealing with the city, it’s hard to find top-quality, scrupulously ethical providers.
At the same time, with more than a billion dollars a year flowing to this sector, the city can’t seem to ensure that standards are met, while well-positioned insiders — call them nonprofiteers — soak up public money.
Indeed, the system has been working great, if you are on the receiving end of the money stream. If you are a homeless or needy person, not so much.
Take Childrens Community Services, for instance. It’s a Queens-based homeless-services provider now under federal criminal investigation for possibly bilking the city of millions of dollars in fake claims and self-dealing. Board members of the organization appear to own its primary vendors, an illegal practice that lets insiders make money coming and going. CCS has received hundreds of millions of dollars in city funding since 2014, shortly after it was founded.
Stealing money would be one thing if CCS were at least doing what it’s paid to do, providing adequate shelter for down-at-the-heel New Yorkers. But the organization’s competence has been in question from the start.
In 2017, CCS lost a major contract to provide services to homeless families at Manhattan hotels, and a recent review found that the group was sheltering children in substandard accommodations, receiving its third “poor” inspection rating.
Nevertheless, the de Blasio administration continued to shovel millions into CCS’s coffers, even as it provided babies with broken cribs and unsafe places to play.
CCS isn’t the only bad actor in the city’s social-service industrial complex. Bronx-based powerhouse Acacia Networks — which has taken in close to a billion dollars in city funding since 2010 — garnered attention after a grisly murder in one of its Upper West Side shelters.
This came on the heels of a revelation that Acacia executives had unreported ties to the security firm it hired to monitor its facilities and ensure the safety of the residents; insiders may also have proprietary ties to other vendors, too. Acacia “cluster sites,” which also house homeless families, have hundreds of outstanding violations.
Yet the organization is politically connected — former Bronx Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo left her elected post for a cool quarter-million salary as an Acacia VP, though that’s peanuts compared to the $800,000 stipend pulled down by CEO Raul Russi.
After decades of lax management and poor oversight, in 2017 the city brought homeless services back under the purview of its massive Human Resources Administration, helmed by former Legal Aid honcho and de Blasio ally Steven Banks. The move was supposed to streamline operations. Ha!
Fact is, the city’s major homeless-service providers have been cashing in. And it isn’t at all clear that Team de Blasio has done anything to improve life for homeless New Yorkers — or properly oversee the people getting rich by sheltering them.
Seth Barron is associate editor of City Journal. Twitter: @SethBarronNYC


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--Laid-off employees vent about Subway in blunt Facebook posts

Restaurant chain Subway is firing about 300 people at its ...

Subway laid off nearly a quarter of the workers at its Connecticut headquarters this week — and casualties are venting on Facebook about the bloodbath.
“Well, like over 300 others today I received the call this afternoon that my position was eliminated,” wrote Michael Weber, who had been profits and internal control manager at the fast-food giant. “Quite a shock and it will take a while to sink in.”
Heidi Goodhue, who had been a disclosure coordinator at Subway, was likewise stunned.
“Well I started my ‘retirement’ today,” Goodhue wrote. “They brought us in groups to tell us we were terminated but we were allowed to go to our desks and pack and wander around saying good-bye. It was so emotional. Did get a nice severance and we can collect after that.”
The layoffs come after Subway in November hired John Chidsey, a former chief executive at Burger King, as its first CEO outside the family of co-founder Fred DeLuca, who opened the first Subway in 1965 and ran it until his death in 2015.
“All I can say is Fred must be turning in his grave,” wrote Christine Stewart, who worked at Subway for 15 years. “Thoughts and prayers to all of you who lost your job.”
Dr. Peter Buck, who lent his late pal DeLuca $1,000 to start the chain and who retains a 50-percent equity stake, declined comment on the firings when reached by phone this week.
In 2017, Buck had told The Post that then-CEO Suzanne Greco, DeLuca’s half-sister, was spending money too freely.
“I think it’s good to be thrifty,” Buck told The Post.
Buck also said he was not interested in reducing the 8 percent royalty fee Subway was charging the owners of its restaurants, even though many of the franchisees who owned its US restaurants were starting to lose money.
Eleven and a half percent of Subway’s then 26,772 US restaurants have closed since the beginning of 2017, according to public filings and Technomic data.
Between six years at headquarters and 25 more as a franchise owner … I’ve dedicated my heart and soul to this company,” Subway Profits and Internal Control Manager Michael Weber wrote on Facebook.
“It’s quite a kick in the gut and never thought I’d be looking for work again until I retired.”
A Subway spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-02-07--De Blasio admits NYC crime jump is linked to bail reform

Jordan Randolph , 40 , who did walk free the next day , ...

Guess he couldn’t find anything else to pin it on.
Mayor Bill de Blasio linked a recent crime surge in the Big Apple to the state’s controversial overhaul of bail laws Friday, after spending a week dancing around the matter.
“We had, for six years, steady decreases in crime across the board. There’s not a whole lot of other environmental things that have changed recently,” Hizzoner told WNYC’s Brian Lehrer on new CompStat data that shows crime has soared since the new laws took effect at the start of 2020. “It sort of stands out like a sore thumb that this is the single biggest new thing in the equation and we saw an extraordinary jump.”
“Of course there’s always a possibility this is plain statistical variation, that happens sometimes,” he added. “But I think it’s pretty clear that there’s only one new major piece in the equation.”
The controversial law bars judges from setting bail to hold criminal defendants for most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies cases. It’s come under intense criticism from law enforcement officials and prosecutors.
De Blasio again reiterated his support for giving the judges the power to lock up defendants they believe are a danger to the public while awaiting trial — a position that’s left him at odds with the bail overhaul’s top backer, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-The Bronx).
“I think judicial discretion should be clarified so that there are very clear checks and balances, so that we avoid any inkling of bias entering into the process, but I think a system predicated only on the question of flight risk misses the fact that there are some individuals who are just consistently, by their own actions, and by the proof of due process, consistently creat[ing] a threat to their neighbors,” de Blasio said on the show.
It’s a change in tune for City Hall from just Tuesday when de Blasio repeatedly dodged questions about the link between bail laws and a surge in crime stats that show auto thefts, robberies, burglaries, grand larcenies and felony assaults have all shot up since the start of 2020.
“We saw things emanating from this law starting [to] take effect months ago and obviously now it’s in full effect. But the bottom line is, one, we’ve been 100 percent clear and we are unified on what we feel. Two, we want to act on this productively,” de Blasio circularly answered. “We’re in dialogue with leaders in Albany about those concerns, and we want to move forward. In the meantime, this police force can handle anything thrown at them.”
Shea also dodged questions Tuesday but pointed to “on the record” remarks he made two weeks prior where he conclusively pointed at bail reform as the culprit behind the crime uptick.
“Either we forgot how to police New York City, or there’s a correlation,” with the new laws, he said Jan. 24.