STATEWIDE

STATE APPEALS RULING ON DRIVER’S LICENSES FOR IMMIGRANTS

The state contested a judge’s order to halt the suspension of driver’s licenses of immigrants who do not have Social Security cards yesterday, saying a stay was placed on the ruling until further notice. Last Thursday, New York State Supreme Court Judge Karen Black of Manhattan issued a temporary restraining order, barring the state from using proof of immigration status to determine eligibility in the absence of a Social Security card. A spokesman for the Department of Motor Vehicles, Joseph Picchi, said in a statement that the state’s notice of appeal was served on Tuesday night. “Consequently, the license issuance procedures in place in DMV issuing offices are those that were in effect prior to the issuance of the TRO.”

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

MANHATTAN

FERRER DISMISSES MTA REQUEST FOR BIDS

Democratic mayoral hopeful Fernando Ferrer said yesterday that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new guidelines for bids to develop rail yards on the West Side do little to open up the process as Mayor Bloomberg had promised. “The problem with this whole procedure is that it’s been a sweetheart deal from start to finish,” Mr. Ferrer said yesterday. “And now, under the guise of opening it up, the deck’s being stacked again to favor the Jets. The MTA is basically saying, ‘others need not apply.’ “The MTA put out a public request for proposals this week. Other bidders have until March 21 to offer their proposals for the 13-acre site along the Hudson River.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

MEDICAL EXAMINER CONCLUDES ID PROCESS FOR 9/11 VICTIMS

The city medical examiner’s office says it has exhausted all efforts to identify the remains of those killed at the World Trade Center, confirming the heartbreaking truth for the many September 11 families who wanted something, anything, to bury. In the 3 1/2 years since the attack, forensic scientists have identified the remains of nearly 1,600. But the families are now being told that the limits of DNA technology have been reached, leaving more than 1,100 of the victims unidentified.

– Associated Press

THE BRONX

MO VAUGHN TO WORK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

New York Met Mo Vaughn will work with the city’s Housing Development Corp. to buy and renovate two apartment developments in the Bronx, the baseball player and Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday. The project is part of the mayor’s effort to preserve and build 65,00 units of affordable housing. Mr. Vaughn and his company, Omni New York, will use a $28.6 million loan from HDC and put up $5 million to install new kitchen cabinets, floors, tiles, boilers, and hot-water heaters for nearly 300 apartments in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

CITYWIDE

REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE CREATES BUDGET SURPLUS

The city is on track to end the 2005 fiscal year with a $1.8 billion surplus, half of which comes from an unexpected increase in tax revenue from real estate transactions, according to a report published yesterday by the state comptroller. Despite a rise in short-term interest rates, long-term rates have remained low, fueling higher real estate activity than anticipated in the mayor’s budget, the deputy state comptroller said.

– Special to the Sun

POLICE BLOTTER

POLICE SAY BODY PARTS MAY BE LINKED TO MURDER

When workers tore open a black plastic bag at a paper recycling plant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, yesterday morning, they were not sure what to make of its contents. Instead of shredded legal paper and cardboard boxes, the laborers found the severed lower half of a man’s torso, police said.

The remains were sent to the medical examiner’s office for identification, but police said the discovery may be linked to the murder of 19-year-old Rashawn Brazell. Early last week, two severed legs and an arm belonging to the young man were found in a Brooklyn subway tunnel.

– Special to the Sun

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