New York Desk
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

MANHATTAN
FIFTH AVENUE HAWK LOSES NEST
A red-tailed hawk lost his nest on Fifth Avenue yesterday while he was out hunting for mice, squirrel, pigeons, and other varmint in Central Park, authorities said. Bird-watchers mourned the loss of what they considered to be a potent symbol of splendor in the city. The bird of prey, affectionately known as Pale Male, has lived in the 843-acre park since at least 1994, when he was first spotted raising his fledgling from a nest perched on a window pediment on the top floor of a Fifth Avenue apartment building. The nest, at 927 Fifth Ave. between 73rd and 74th streets and made from a thicket of twigs, leaves, and city grime, disappeared yesterday and was noticed by one of Pale Male’s flock of admirers – human bird watchers who, like so many paparazzi, have helped make the hawk the most famous bird of its kind and the subject of books, documentary films, and news articles. It is unclear whether the nest was stolen or simply removed temporarily. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 makes it a federal crime to remove a migratory bird’s nest. Pale Male was last seen on Sunday bringing twigs to his nest.
– Special to the Sun
BLOOMBERG PRAISES DECISION ON WTC INSURANCE TERMS
Mayor Bloomberg lauded a federal jury’s decision that found that World Trade Center leaseholder Larry Silverstein was the victim of two terror attacks on September 11, 2001, and not just one. The ruling means an extra $1 billion for the Lower Manhattan building effort.
“It makes the building downtown in the World Trade Center site more feasible,” Mr. Bloomberg told reporters yesterday. “Larry is putting all the money into rebuilding downtown, so it is good for the city if he has more money, regardless of where it came from.”
The ruling on Monday means Mr. Silverstein can collect twice from the nine insurance companies involved in this phase of the trial. Altogether, Mr. Silverstein now stands to collect $4.6 billion in compensation for the terrorist attacks.
Another jury will have to decide exactly how much money Mr. Silverstein will collect from this phase of the trial. The insurers are expected to appeal Monday’s decision.
– Staff Reporter of the Sun
SEPTEMBER 11 CHARIT Y TO STOP FUND-RAISING
A September 11 charity backed by a big celebrity-fueled telethon will close its doors today, having raised more than $500 million, officials said. The Sept. 11 Fund collected $534 million, aided in large part by a telethon appeal from some of the biggest names in film, television, and music. The one-night fund-raiser 10 days after the 2001 attacks featured George Clooney, Tom Hanks, and Bruce Springsteen, and viewers responded by donating nearly $130 million.
– Associated Press
CITYWIDE
MAYOR OPPOSES MTA POLICY OF FREE METROCARDS FOR SPOUSES
Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday he opposes a policy allowing the spouses of Metropolitan Transportation Authority board members to have free lifetime subway rides, turning up the heat on the agency at a time when it is asking both the city and state for more funding to fill multibillion-dollar budget gaps.
“I think from a political point of view [board members] shouldn’t have free passes and certainly not their spouses,” Mr. Bloomberg said to reporters. “I would feel a lot better about it if all of them used their Metrocards so they really could see what kind of service we have. The worst thing is they have these cards, and they are not using them.”
– Staff Reporter of the Sun
COUNCIL MANDATES NURSES IN CERTAIN SCHOOLS
The city council overrode a mayoral veto yesterday to mandate nurses in all public and private schools with at least 200 students. It also passed another bill requiring the city to provide service on the Staten Island Ferry every half an hour during nighttime.
Unless the Bloomberg administration sues over the nurses bill, which it still may, that law will go into effect in 120 days to end a long standoff over the last two years. Council Speaker Gifford Miller said yesterday that the bills would cost the city an additional $6 million. The mayor’s office put that number at $12.4 million.
– Staff Reporter of the Sun
FIREFIGHTERS PASS VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON COMMISSIONER
Firefighters passed a vote of no confidence against Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta yesterday, the first time in their union’s history.
While the vote is symbolic, it highlights tensions between the Uniformed Firefighters Association, the union that represents 8,800 active firefighters, and city officials over recent cutbacks in firehouse staffing, implementation of random drug testing, and a protracted contract dispute.
Commissioner Scoppetta dismissed calls from the union to resign, saying the vote was nothing more than a political stunt by the UFA president, Steve Cassidy, who faces re-election next year but has not delivered a contract to his members since it expired in the summer of 2002. Yesterday’s wrangling focused, in large part, on last week’s decision by the Fire Department to reduce staffing at 49 engine companies across the city. The move left 11 of the 197 engine companies with four firefighters a shift.
– Special to the Sun
LOCAL SOLDIER KILLED AT BAGHDAD
A 45-year-old Army National Guardsman from Brooklyn died in a vehicle accident in Baghdad, the Department of Defense announced yesterday.
Corporal Joseph O. Behnke was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery Regiment of New York’s National Guard, which was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was killed on December 4.
Behnke’s death came one day after another New Yorker was killed in Iraq. Army Sergeant Henry Irizarry of the Bronx was killed on December 3 when a homemade explosive exploded near his humvee while his unit was on patrol.
– Special to the Sun
LONG ISLAND
PELOSI DENIES KILLING AMMON
A Long Island electrician, taking the witness stand yesterday in a dramatic last-minute decision, repeatedly denied any role in the brutal 2001 killing of a millionaire investment banker at his East Hampton mansion. Daniel Pelosi, in a blue suit and matching tie, answered a half-dozen questions from his attorney in asserting his innocence in the slaying of Theodore Ammon. The packed courtroom was silent as Mr. Pelosi spoke in a clear, loud voice.
“Did you murder Ted Ammon?” asked attorney Gerald Shargel.
“Absolutely not,” Mr. Pelosi replied. Mr. Pelosi was the last witness called by the defense, spending 90 seconds on the stand. A prosecutor will begin cross-examination Wednesday in what could become the key portion of the three-month trial, which may go to the jury this week.
– Associated Press
POLICE BLOTTER
BOY, 14, CHARGED WITH UES ROBBERIES, SEX ASSAULTS
A 14-year-old boy was jailed without bail yesterday after being arraigned on robbery and sex abuse charges related to three attacks Sunday on women on the Upper East Side.
Nathan Washington, a resident of a youth facility in Westchester County, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on seven counts that included aggravated sexual abuse, criminal sex act, robbery, and attempted robbery. The complaint alleges that Mr. Washington robbed and sexually abused the first woman inside a building on East 77th Street, tried to rob another inside a vestibule on East 74th Street, and robbed and assaulted another inside a building on East 73rd.
– Staff Reporter of the Sun