Results tagged “statenisland”

The police have arrested one of the fiends involved in the dastardly thefts of computers, video game consoles, a sock monkey and a pet hamster named Star from a Staten Island school for autistic children has bee arrested. The Advance reports, "Emil Sorensen, 21, of Elm Park, is accused of being the lookout in the crime, which was carried out on a weekend... Police say he admitted his role and copped to selling some of the stolen goods — a Nintendo Wii, a laptop and jewelry." Unfortunately, "Star’s fate is unclear." more ›

Looks like all that bribery actually worked! Despite having a much lower participation average than the country, New York City's census response rate went up to 59%, two percentage points higher than in 2000. That's especially encouraging since the national average dropped a percentage point since 2000. Regional census director Lester Farthing said, “Imagine what would have happened if we did not do all this promotional and advertising stuff." more ›

Five employees of Staten Island's Gryphon Holdings Inc. were arrested yesterday on federal fraud charges for allegedly cheating investors out of $17.5 million. The firm apparently pressured their mainly elderly investors into buying investment packages, touting their credentials all the while. They bragged of $1.4 billion in holdings and that two of their "traders," Michael Warren and Kenneth Maseka, had graduated from the Wharton School of Business and had worked at places like Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs. In fact, Warren and Maseka didn't even exist. more ›

There was quite a bit of nastiness aboard a Delta flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia on Sunday night, according to an FBI complaint obtained by the Daily News. The cause of the disturbance was one Kimberly Goodwine, who was "heavily intoxicated" when she boarded the plane, says G-Man Michael Lewis. The aptly-named Goodwine, originally from Staten Island but now employed at an Atlanta hotel, passed out peacefully in an aisle seat. However, the seat she snoozed in belonged to a pregnant woman, and Goodwine was not happy about being woken up and asked to ride bitch in the middle seat. more ›

In an effort to make the campus a friendly place for transgender students and people with small children, the College of Staten Island is reconstructing one bathroom in each building to be gender neutral. "It's common sense, really," said Professor Dr. Syed Rizvi. "It provides people with a safe environment to perform basic human functions." The conversions don't seem too difficult either. Eight men's rooms were changed to unisex with the simple addition of a lock on the main door. more ›

25-year-old Christopher Reinhold asked Colette DiPierro to marry him back in May 2009, and she said yes, accepting his $17,500 diamond engagement ring. But in September she broke off the engagement... and kept the ring. Now Reinhold is suing her for the return of the ring or its monetary value, plus $5,000 for fees and legal expenses. (This case is not to be confused with a lawsuit filed earlier this year by a man who allegedly cheated on his fiancée, who broke off the engagement and kept the $19K ring.) more ›

The MTA says employee abuse of the Family and Medical Leave Act has gotten so egregious that brazen shenanigans like this happen: In February, 62-year-old Giovanni Bonanno, a bus dispatcher on Staten Island, allegedly booked airline tickets to Florida and went on a little *cough cough* vacation a month later. Every day during his trip, Bonanno called out sick before his shift was supposed to start, telling a supervisor he was taking "a Family and Medical Leave Act day." Now he's been forced into an early retirement, but his wife insists her husband is just a patsy. more ›

Four teenagers were all arrested and charged with hate crime after allegedly beating and robbing a Mexican immigrant in Staten Island on Monday. Victim Rodulfo Olmedo was reportedly heading home one night in Port Richmond, Staten Island when he was jumped by four men who beat him with a baseball bat, wooden planks and a metal chain, and yelled racial slurs at him. WABC reports that 17-year-olds Rolston Hopson, Tyrone Goodman, and William Marcano, and another 15-year-old suspect, were arrested on charges of assault as a hate crime, gang assault, robbery and a hate crime of aggravated harassment. more ›

Kidnapping isn't like 'Nam, there are rules. For instance, if you're demanding ransom, the hostage should not be someone you're acquainted with, because it's hard to get away with it if the person knows who you are. But it's just such a rookie mistake that may land a Staten Island couple behind bars for the rest of their lives. And all for a ransom demand of One Hundred Thirty Dollars (and zero cents). more ›

We object to the law prohibiting public drinking as much as the next guy, but one man on Staten Island just took his opposition to another level. On Tuesday night Angel Sostre was enjoying a 40 oz. malt beverage in Stapleton on Staten Island when a cop spotted him and began to issue a summons. Sostre dropped the bottle and explained that he didn’t have ID, at which point the officer announced his intention to arrest Sostre, according to court papers. But then Sostre remembered that he did in fact have identification, in the form of a little .45 caliber friend. "I got my ID right here," Sostre said, according to prosecutors. more ›

Long the most ignored borough, Staten Island is feeling particularly overlooked as their streets continue to be filled with potholes (much to the chagrin of Pothole Phil). Now, City Councilman James Oddo wants the Department of Transportation to explain their negligence. The Staten Island Advance reports that Mr. Oddo has invited the DOT to a "Road Conditions Summit," hoping they will discuss plans to fix up damaging and dangerous potholes in the city's most car-dependent borough. "We want to know what the next 100 streets are, what the plan is to get us to consistently driveable [sic] streets." more ›

After being promised last year that the Brookfield Landfill would be cleaned, it looks like Staten Islanders are getting what they want. Mayor Bloomberg and Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro broke ground yesterday on the project to remediate the Brookfield Avenue Landfill. Bloomberg announced at the site, "Today, we take a giant step forward in writing a new, greener chapter, by beginning the process of turning this site into a new park for the community to enjoy." more ›

At press time, we don't know all that much about Staten Island's Frank Thompson, except that he allegedly visited Richmond University Medical Center on Friday with a substantial amount of marijuana in his possession... so perhaps we also know that old Frank's not the sharpest knife in the drawer? Police sources tell the Staten Island Advance that he checked into the hospital with 49 bags of herb. "That's my weed," Thompson allegedly told police when they arrived at the hospital. "I was going to smoke some. I was going to sell some.... I needed some extra money." State Senators are going to vote on legalizing medical marijuana at some point, but whatever they decide, change won't come soon enough for our hero, who was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. more ›

A young woman got frightened and died yesterday after being trapped in an elevator for two hours during a blackout. Danielle Goldberg was traveling up to her sixth-floor apartment around 11:35 a.m. when all of a sudden the power was cut. "She was scared because the lights were out and couldn't get out of the elevator," explained her brother, Steven. The 26-year-old who suffered from congenital heart defect had a panic attack and used her cell phone to alert a relative. "She called my mom to calm down, but it didn't work," he said more ›

At a rally outside City Hall yesterday, where participants including union leaders and lawmakers praised the passage of health care reform, it was apparently also time to slam the lone NYC Congressional member who voted against it, Rep. Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island). Communications Workers of America Vice President Chris Shelton said, "We're here today to thank the 12 people in the congressional delegation in New York City who had the guts to stand up and do the right thing for the people, and the one from Staten Island - that Judas in Staten Island - who decided that the people didn't matter that he was going to do what he was going to do," adding, "We won’t forget." more ›

Now that the OTB has laid off 1,300 and threatened to close all 66 of its parlors, Staten Island's senior citizen gamblers are hoping Albany comes to the rescue. One OTB frequenter told the Staten Island Advance, "I think it's a blow to the industry and senior citizens. I think they're making a big mistake." Many flat out didn't believe the parlors could close, and one suggested that the OTB should get a bailout from President Obama. However, one gambler thinks closing may be a good idea, since "most people lost." That's including OTB, which has lost $45 million in the last five years. more ›

It's not just the Democrats who supported health care reform who are running into trouble. Democrats who opposed the bill infuriated party officials and union supporters—and now liberal groups are trying to push them out of office. That's the case in Staten Island, where Rep. Mike McMahon has drawn the ire of influential Democrats and labor unions for voting against health care reform, even though the vote might have pleased his constituents. more ›

Last August Frank Coppola of Staten Island beat his girlfriend's chihuahua to death. A necropsy performed on the three-year-old dog, named Bella, showed severe trauma to its chest, internal bleeding, several broken ribs, a ruptured jugular vein and bruised lungs. Coppola beat the animal while his girlfriend, Melissa DePietro, was out, then called her to say there was "a problem with the dog." DePietro rushed home and took Bella—who had hemorrhaging in her eyes and blood coming from her mouth—to an animal hospital, where she was declared dead. Today, Coppola got a slap on the wrist. more ›

Despite a "high-level arm-twisting campaign" by the Democratic party, Rep. Mike McMahon (D-Staten Island) voted against health care reform. And though the vote won him the respect of some Republicans, the White House wants to make him pay, according to the Daily News. more ›

Commuters on the Staten Island Ferry fear that without bathroom attendants the facilities will go from sparkling to unsightly, especially during weekend "drunk boat" hours. At a budget hearing yesterday the Department of Transportation announced it would eliminate the jobs of eight women's room matrons and a dozen deckhands that clean the men's rooms, reports the Advance. Though the attendants cost the city $1.4 million per year, ferry passengers were distressed by the decision. "There's going to be drunk people in here and a mess," said Jessica Sosa of Dongan Hills. more ›

The two men who rescued the seal off Staten Island yesterday, detectives Frank Pellegrino and Matthew Sherman of the harbor unit and scuba team, are talking about their 5 minute encounter with the struggling pup. more ›

Just after 4 p.m. today we got word that marine specialists were working to rescue a seal that had became entangled in a floating piece of debris, and was spotted bobbing around trying to free itself. SILive reports that it had been stuck since yesterday evening, according to locals. Now WCBS reports that the seal, who hit this aquatic obstacle off Staten Island in Raritan Bay, has been reunited with his freedom! His heroes allegedly enjoyed a high-five after their rescue efforts proved successful. But where were they when this other Staten Island seal was traumatized by a barking dog? more ›

Rep. Mike McMahon has been scorned by his Democratic peers for opposing the health care reform bill, but his Staten Island constituents are celebrating his decision. "I agree with him to vote 'no' on health care because every time they [the government] gets into something, the prices go up on everything," 83-year-old Olympia Skunakis told the Daily News. more ›

Two politicians got together and wrote a letter to Con Edison, demanding that Staten Island be compensated for its loss of electricity during this weekend's Nor'Easter. More than 48 hours after the lights went out, some borough residents are still without power, reports the Advance. With city temperatures rising, Councilmen James Oddo and Vincent Ignizio say current obstacles include browning meat and quickly wilting lettuce. "The fact is that without proper refrigeration food spoils rather quickly and we are concerned that many of our constituents have powerless refrigerators and freezers filled with rotten and useless food. This leads to considerable financial losses," they wrote. Con Ed hasn't gotten back to them but it's currently handing out dry ice at the Staten Island Mall. more ›

The alleged thief who impersonated another man at his arraignment, then walked out of the courtroom a free man, was found last night in midtown Manhattan. What’s more, officials say 35-year-old Freddie Thomson—who should have faced charges for armed robbery, but instead pleaded guilty to marijuana possession—was not solely at fault. According to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly an officer failed to "adequately check the identification of the prisoner." He added that "There was a mistake made here. There's no question about it." more ›

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the NYPD is at fault for letting a man accused of multiple robberies escape from a Staten Island courthouse on Wednesday. Suspect Freddie Thompson, 35, assumed the identity of a detainee facing lesser charges for marijuana possession and was released from Richmond County Criminal Court after being sentenced to time served. "It appears the police officer didn't adequately check the identification of the prisoner," said Kelly, according to the Daily News. "There was a mistake here—no question about it." The officer who was responsible has been "placed on modified duty." Thompson is described as 6'3'', 200 lbs, with a tattoo of an executioner on his arm. more ›

Students at a Staten Island school for autistic children are still upset about a weekend burglary that left them missing computers, video game consoles, a sock monkey, and a beloved pet hamster. The perp took the classroom pet—named Star—and the stuffed animal—named Skippy—as well as about $5,000 of electronics. Someone has already donated a new hamster to the Eden II School for Children with Autism, and police are investigating the break-in. Executive director Joanne Gerenser told the Daily News the perp is "really pathetic," noting: "When you're stealing games and toys, you're stealing from the kids." One of the students at the school reportedly told Gerenser: "I miss the sock puppet." more ›

A Staten Island robbery suspect walked out of a courtroom a free man after he impersonated a detainee facing lesser charges. Freddie Thompson—who was supposed to be arraigned for five robberies—pretended to be a suspect held on marijuana possession charges and was sentenced to time served. Authorities apparently didn't realize the gaffe until 90 minutes later, when the other prisoner asked officials why his name hadn't been called. more ›

It's he said/he said in the case of the Staten Island school psychologist accused of sexually abusing a local teen in his home office. The unidentified boy, now 19, says his sexual relationship with the therapist, Boris Mirochnik, 56, started in 2006 and lasted for two years. He told police they "engaged in oral and anal sex... on several occasions," the Advance reports. But Mirochnik insists that's a gross exaggeration; he claims they only "displayed their genitalia to each other," and that's as far as it went. And Mirochnik claims he only showed his after the teen exposed himself and coaxed the alleged analrapist to reciprocate. An airtight defense! more ›

A thief ransacked a school for autistic children in Staten Island and stole laptops, video games, electronics—as well as a pet hamster, a sock monkey, and a set of rubber ducks. Students at the Eden II School for Children with Autism are shaken, according to executive director Joanne Gerenser, who said kids had made missing posters for the sock monkey and the ducks. "It just felt personal," she said. "That hamster was of no monetary value to anybody but the kids ... I felt that it was really malicious." more ›