Daily News (New York, NY) articles from December 2002

Daily News (New York, NY) archives from December 2002

Hyatt Heir Socks Family in $6 Billion Suit.
December 1, 2002

Cuts in Wall Street Bonuses to Weigh on New York's Economy.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Daniel Dunaief Dec. 2--This year, Wall Street is hurting not only the bank accounts of its high-living execs by cutting bonuses, it's also dealing a financial body blow to the city. Wall Street firms based in New York,...

U.S. Visitors to Quebec Find Inexpensive Skiing, First-Class Food and Lodging.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Richard Weir Dec. 2--I'd skied Vermont for three decades and never considered crossing the border to see if the snow was any whiter in Quebec. I was content with the great peaks of Stowe and Killington, but winced each time I...

High-Tech Wreck Costs New York Big Bucks.
December 2, 2002... Byline: David Saltonstall Dec. 2--More than 1,400 phone lines assigned to nobody. School computer consultants charging taxpayers $1,500 per day. Agencies with not one but three payroll systems. The Bloomberg administration is...

Red Hook, N.Y., Welcomes Jobs but Fears Pollution from Proposed Ikea.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Melissa Grace Dec. 2--The proposal to build an Ikea mega-store in Red Hook is causing sharp divisions between community members -- those desperate for jobs and those who fear that the furniture retailer will bring choking...

Weapons of Mass Destruction Haven't Been Found in Iraq, Weapons Inspector Says.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Kenneth R. Bazinet Dec. 2--WASHINGTON--A top UN official said yesterday that experts have found no evidence that Saddam Hussein has stockpiled weapons of mass destruction -- yet. "We have not yet seen any indication of a...

Senate Urges White House to Help Protect U.S. Jets.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Greg Gittrich Dec. 2--Fearing the reach of terrorists armed with shoulder-fired missiles, Senate intelligence leaders urged the White House yesterday to act quickly to protect American passenger jets. Sens. Bob Graham (D-Fla.)...

Columbia University's 34-Member Journalism School Panel Reviews Curriculum.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Paul D. Colford Dec. 2--Emceeing a dinner for the Committee to Protect Journalists, Tom Brokaw drew laughs when he quipped that the task force reviewing the Columbia journalism school's curriculum had more people than were in the...

U.S. Officials Voice Concern about Jets' Vulnerability to Missile Threats.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Timothy J. Burger Dec. 2--Aviation security officials were warned by the federal government yesterday that shoulder-fired missiles could be used against jetliners near American airports. The alarming advisory from the...

Lawyers Criticize New York for Not Cutting Property-Tax Deal with Realty Firm.
December 2, 2002... Byline: William Sherman Dec. 2--Despite its growing fiscal crisis, the city is rejecting a $6 million windfall from its biggest property tax deadbeat, lawyers involved in a battle over the real estate charge. Hilly Realty owes nearly...

Daily News, New York, Peter Siris Column.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Peter Siris Dec. 2--In looking at stocks, don't get suckered into stories from companies or analysts that require years to reach fruition. There's too much uncertainty in the world. Take the case of Lending Tree, an Internet...

Stomach Bug Goes around Cruise Ships.
December 2, 2002

New Yorkers Should Take Extra Precautions against Identity Theft This Month.
December 2, 2002

Kissinger Won't Say If He'll Seek Testimony from President in Sept. 11 Probe.
December 2, 2002

Ted Turner Is Expected to be No-Show at Major AOL Time Warner Presentation.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Phyllis Furman Dec. 3--Ted Turner's expected to be AWOL on AOL Day -- today's much anticipated presentation of AOL Time Warner's strategy for fixing its troubled America Online division, sources said. Turner will be traveling,...

New York Mayor Warns of Further Tax Hikes Next Year.
December 3, 2002... Byline: David Saltonstall Dec. 3--Get ready for sticker shock, New York. Property tax bills reflecting a whopping 18.5 percent increase will be mailed Thursday, after Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Gifford Miller officially...

Thanksgiving-Day Weekend Is Good to Retailers.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Nancy Dillon Dec. 3--Shoppers opened their wallets with gusto over the three-day Thanksgiving Day weekend, sending retail sales up 12.4 percent over the same period last year. Retail consultant ShopperTrak said heavy promotions...

Borough Realtors Say 18.5 Percent Hike in New York Property Tax Is Too Much.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Luis Perez Dec. 3--Higher property taxes will lower home values and deaden sales, Realtors in Brooklyn and Staten Island warned. Realtors in the two boroughs said yesterday that the 18.5 percent increase signed into law...

Daily News, New York, Publishing Column.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Paul D. Colford Dec. 3--Despite years of losses at the New York Post, publisher Lachlan Murdoch lectured Australian media colleagues about the need to make a profit, because "good business supports great journalism." Though...

Port Authority's Pressure Speeds World Trade Center Rebuilding Plan.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Greg Gittrich Dec. 3--Hurry up! Slow down! Hurry up! The rebuilding schedule for Ground Zero was revised yet again yesterday as officials said a master plan for the site will be finalized in February -- at least a month sooner...

Assemblyman Wants New York Ban on Driving with a Cell Phone to Go Nationwide.
December 3, 2002

Insurance Firms Accuse J.P. Morgan of Fraud in Enron-Related Court Case.
December 3, 2002

Union Says Death of New York Subway-Track Workers Was 'Negligent Homicide'.
December 3, 2002

New York Utility Wants to Charge Customers for $90 Million Nuclear Tab.
December 3, 2002

Verizon Service May Be Heading Downhill.
December 3, 2002

Blue-Chip Stocks Have Bad Market Day.
December 4, 2002... Dec. 4--Blue-chips took a beating yesterday as AOL Time Warner dished out a murky outlook for the coming year and Merrill Lynch advised clients to reduce stock holdings. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler also spooked investors by reporting...

New York-Area Transport Workers Union's Renegades Seek Split.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Warren Woodberry Jr. Dec. 4--Displeased with the negotiations that helped end a summer bus strike in Queens, a group of breakaway leaders of a bus drivers' union will vote today to form their own faction. Numerous members of...

Low-Power Spanish-Language TV Station in New York Speaks to Latino Boom.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Richard Huff Dec. 4--The red-hot Spanish-language television market got even hotter yesterday when TV Azteca, a fledgling network, started on a low-power station in New York. TV Azteca now gives the estimated 3.7 million...

New York Shop Owners Say Mall Renovations Are Hurting Business.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Hays Dec. 4--As holiday shoppers flood Fulton St. in downtown Brooklyn, fed-up merchants in a mall just off the busy thoroughfare say a slow-moving renovation project is killing business. Temporary signs posted...

New York Times Kills Columns that Disagree with Stance on Tiger Woods, Masters.
December 4, 2002

Ground Breaks for First Target Store in New York's Bronx Borough.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Bill Egbert Dec. 4--The Bronx scored a bull's-eye yesterday as officials ceremonially broke ground for a new Target store -- the first in the borough. The discount retailer will anchor a massive 9.5-acre shopping complex at W....

New Rules Require Citigroup Lawyers to Monitor Banker, Analyst Contact.
December 4, 2002

Daily News, New York, Real Estate Column.
December 4, 2002

New York Mayor Touts Tax Deal for Poor.
December 4, 2002

New York Transit Authority Is Avoiding Contract Issues, Union Says.
December 4, 2002

Travelers Keep Trying to Carry Guns, Knives onto U.S. Airplanes.
December 4, 2002

New York-Area Broadcast Time for Martha's TV Show Remains Up in Air.
December 4, 2002

Wall Street Firms to Pay $1.65 Million Each for Failing to Keep E-Mails.
December 4, 2002

New York Legislators Consider Proposal to Allow Sunday Liquor Sale.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Joe Mahoney Dec. 5--ALBANY, N.Y.--Blue laws could be facing a farewell toast. Key legislators in the Assembly and Senate have proposed bills to throw out blue laws that block Sunday sales of liquor and ban supermarkets from...

Bronx, New York, Officials, Commuters, Race to Stop Bus Shutdown.
December 5, 2002... Dec. 5--Elected officials and thousands of Bronx commuters are gearing up to fight the impending loss of private express bus service come the new year. New York Bus Service has told the city it will end weekday rush hour service for 16,000...

CIGNA Drops Insurance Ax on New York Artists.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Jose Martinez Dec. 5--It's enough to make them sick with worry. Thousands of New York artists, musicians, filmmakers and writers face having their health insurance pulled out from under them at the end of next month. CIGNA...

Citigroup Tightens Rules on Interaction between Analysts, Investment Bankers.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Daniel Dunaief Dec. 5--Fighting to restore an image tarnished by conflict-of-interest allegations, Citigroup is preventing analysts and investment bankers from having even "ordinary-course discussions." In a memo obtained by...

UN Inspectors Find Shells Containing Deadly Fumes in Baghdad, Iraq-Area Plant.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Helen Kennedy Dec. 5--WASHINGTON--UN weapons inspectors checking an old chemical weapons plant outside Baghdad yesterday counted a dozen aging artillery shells packed with deadly mustard gas. The shells were found after...

Daily News, New York, Media Column.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Phyllis Furman Dec. 5--Some wary investors are dumping Disney stock, and plowing money into the more stable Viacom. A number of funds bailed out of the Magic Kingdom yesterday after Disney said it will slash its earnings to...

Shock, Concern Arises in Response to New York Times Killing Columns.
December 5, 2002

New York Prepares Emergency Plan in Case of Transit Strike.
December 5, 2002... Dec. 5--The city is quietly preparing an emergency plan to combat a feared transit strike that would leave millions stranded without buses and subways, the Daily News has learned. The comprehensive crisis plan is being forged by the city...

Terror Drill Shows Ports Leaking.
December 5, 2002

Saudis Speak with Forked Tongue, U.S. Senator from New York Says.
December 5, 2002

Technology Shares Lead Stock Prices Lower with Downgrades, Earnings Fears.
December 5, 2002

Federal Board Denies United Loan, Pushes Airline Closer to Bankruptcy.
December 5, 2002

Daily News, New York, Publishing Column.
December 6, 2002

Most Retailers See Poor Results in November.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Nancy Dillon Dec. 6--Despite a post-Thanksgiving pop, November was a turkey for most retailers. Comparable-store sales were down 0.1 percent from last year, marking the first industry-wide November decline since 1970, the...

Imprisoned Former Sotheby's Chief Could Lose His Real Estate Empire, Too.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Eric Herman Dec. 6--Alfred Taubman -- the disgraced, now imprisoned, former head of the Sotheby's auction house -- could lose his real estate empire to a higher bidder. Simon Property Group stepped up its campaign to take over...

New York Transit Officials Say They Won't Guarantee Workers' Raises.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Pete Donohue Dec. 6--Transit officials said yesterday they would not guarantee raises for bus and subway workers -- prompting the union boss to say that management appears "to be trying to provoke a strike." With the union...

Banks Queue Up to Fund United after Its Disappointment.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Daniel Dunaief Dec. 6--Banks lined up yesterday to fund United Airlines as the second-largest carrier -- facing possible bankruptcy -- saw its share plunge to $1 a share. Already down 77 percent this year, the stock shed...

Adult Businesses in New York Cry Foul over Some Broadway Shows.
December 6, 2002

New York Faces $2 Billion Budget Gap; Government to Shrink.
December 6, 2002

George W. Bush Doll Scores Big Holiday Mini-Hit.
December 6, 2002

Deutsche Bank Moves New York Headquarters Downtown.
December 6, 2002

FTC Sues Texas-Based Firm for Making False Claims about Weight Loss Formula.
December 6, 2002

World Trade Center Realty Leaders Get Wakeup Call.
December 6, 2002

Stocks Rally after News of Treasury Secretary, Economic Adviser Resignations.
December 7, 2002... Byline: Daniel Dunaief Dec. 7--Stocks tanked at the opening bell yesterday after 40,000 jobs were cut last month, but investors quickly applauded two key job losses -- Treasury Secretary and White House economic adviser. Stocks...

New York Mayor Says 'People Will Die' if Subway Workers Strike.
December 7, 2002... Dec. 7--A transit strike would do more than cripple the city -- it would be deadly, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday. Offering a doomsday scenario on his radio show, Bloomberg said the city would be snarled in gridlock, and police,...

New York Times Changes Decision on Columns, Leaves Some Employees Wondering.
December 7, 2002

New York City Council Is Likely to Back Mayor's Smoking Ban.
December 7, 2002

New York Times Prints Columns That Disagree with Editorial Stance.
December 8, 2002

New York City Subway, Bus Workers Approve Strike if Talks Fail.
December 8, 2002... Dec. 8--City subway and bus workers voted overwhelmingly last night to authorize a strike if they can't settle their contract dispute. "It is time for the MTA to stop bullying and start bargaining," said Transport Workers Union Local 100...

Port Authority's Tax Payments on WTC Site Are Whittled Down.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Maggie Haberman Dec. 8--The Port Authority's tax payments to the city on the World Trade Center site have been whittled down to a paltry $1.7 million because of the twin towers' collapse -- compared with $28 million pre-9/11. ...

Boston-Area Software Firm Cleared for Now of Saudi-Al Qaeda Ties.
December 9, 2002... Byline: Owen Moritz Dec. 9--Federal agents raided a Massachusetts software firm -- whose clients include the FBI, the IRS and the Air Force -- looking for ties to a Saudi financier suspected of being in cahoots with the Al Qaeda terror...

New York Mayor's Bridge-Toll Plan Meets Borough Opposition.
December 9, 2002... Byline: Luis Perez Dec. 9--The city's consideration of a plan to slap tolls on East River bridges has caused bumper-to-bumper opposition in Brooklyn and Queens, from fears of choking traffic to cries of economic doom. Mayor Bloomberg...

A Powerful Few Rule the Music Industry.
December 9, 2002... Byline: Phyllis Furman Dec. 9--With music sales down 13 percent this year and turmoil rocking the big media empires, record industry honchos don't have much to sing about these days. But as the year draws to a close, some familiar...

Companies Take Aggressive Steps to Unload Manhattan Office Space.
December 9, 2002... Byline: Eric Herman Dec. 9--Saddled with millions of square feet of excess Manhattan office space they no longer need, companies are taking aggressive steps to unload it -- taking losses of $200 million or more in the process. Many are...

Daily News, New York, Peter Siris Column.
December 9, 2002... Byline: Peter Siris Dec. 9--On Friday morning, the economic news was sour. Unemployment was up, and the stock market futures were getting trashed. Then salvation came from an unexpected source. Since taking office, Treasury Secretary...

New York Mayor Warns Union That Transit Strike Would Draw Wrath.
December 9, 2002... Dec. 9--Mayor Bloomberg warned yesterday that "hotheads" who walk off their transit jobs will be severely punished, as the city prepared today to unveil a subway and bus strike contingency plan. If "hotheads go out and strike, there's...

Dave Matthews Seeks Record Deal Worth Tens of Millions.
December 9, 2002

Video Games Are Not Kid Stuff, New York City Officials Tell Parents.
December 9, 2002

Lawmakers, Racetrack Owners Gallop toward Deal on Video Slots in New York.
December 9, 2002

New York Firms Obey Federal Rules, Plan Mass Jobs Exodus.
December 9, 2002

World Trade Center Rebuilders Limit Public Role in Final Plans.
December 9, 2002

Towering Hotel to Replace Sears Store in Flushing, N.Y., in 2005.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Robin Haas Dec. 10--An 18-story hotel and condominium is planned to replace the Sears store on Northern Blvd. in Flushing, when the store's lease expires in 2005. The proposed 18-floor tower -- which would break ground in early...

Daily News, New York, Media Column.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Paul D. Colford Dec. 10--Just before Roone Arledge died of complications from cancer last week at 71, the ABC news and sports pioneer had completed a memoir long in the making. Though Amazon.com and BN.com list different dates,...

Several Plans Would Erect World's Tallest Building at Ground Zero.
December 10, 2002... Dec. 10--Several new plans for Ground Zero call for erecting what would be the tallest building in the world on the disaster site -- giving terror-battered lower Manhattan a new, distinctive skyline, sources said yesterday. The new...

Nasdaq Sees Largest Drop since Mid-October.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Judith Schoolman Dec. 10--Visions of a tepid economy, compounded by United Airlines' bankruptcy and disappointing retail sales, kept a lid on investor enthusiasm yesterday and left the Nasdaq with its biggest drop in nearly two...

New York Mayor Fights Possible Transit Strike in Court.
December 10, 2002... Byline: David Saltonstall Dec. 10--As the city braces for a possible transit strike, City Hall also is plotting an aggressive legal strategy that, as it has before, may well stop any strike from happening. "Make no mistake about it,"...