ALBANY

NEW LAW DESIGNED TO EASE PAIN IN ESTATE TRANSFERS OF STOCKS

The combination of death and taxes just got a little less certain in New York. An arcane and little-noticed new law, signed last week by Governor Pataki, will allow a stockholder who dies to pass on that stock without going through a lengthy probate action, which is subject to taxes and fees.

New York has been among three states – with North Carolina and Louisiana – that have required stocks upon the death of the owner to go through probate and be sold before the value can be distributed. The law will also allow New Yorkers to end the dicey but common practice of joint ownership of stock to avoid probate. The law is effective January 1. “It’s very important, but perhaps, like a lot of things, you only realize it’s important after someone passes away,” said Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, a Brooklyn Democrat. “So many people own stock I think most New Yorkers would be shocked to learn they couldn’t give their securities (to heirs) the same as giving jewelry or a house.” She sponsored the bill with Senator John DeFrancisco, a Republican of Syracuse.

– Associated Press

MANHATTAN

PLANNING DEPARTMENT REVIEWS HUDSON YARDS ZONING RULES

The New York City Department of City Planning began a public review yesterday of zoning rules that would shape the development of the Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s far West Side. The rules under public review would, among other things, increase the units of affordable housing, protect residents of Hell’s Kitchen from being displaced by commercial development, create incentives for developers who create art and theater spaces, and help streamline and simplify tower design controls for residential and commercial buildings along 34th Street, according to the Department of City Planning. These provisional rules were hammered out during negotiations between the mayor and the City Council in January, when Mayor Bloomberg was trying to rally support for the ultimately doomed plan to build a stadium for the Jets. Nonetheless, the transformation of the Farley Post Office into the Moynihan Train Station and the extension of the no. 7 subway line to 34th Street and Eleventh Avenue are intended to spur development of the 42-square-block area on the far West Side.

– Special to the Sun

POLICE: 13 MEMBERS OF 50 CENT’S ENTOURAGE ARRESTED

Thirteen men, who police say are part of rapper 50 Cent’s entourage, were arrested at 11:15 p.m. on Monday night at West 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue after leaving Madison Square Garden, where 50 Cent and rapper Eminem were performing as part of their 2005 Anger Management Tour. After pulling over a van carrying 12 black men ranging in age from 20 to 41 years old for running a red light, police say they found a .357 caliber handgun on the person of Stephen Roker, and a .40 caliber handgun underneath the front passenger seat of the van, and that both weapons were loaded. Although one of the men in the van, Paul McFarlane, “stated in substance” that the .40 caliber handgun was his, according to the district attorney’s office, all 12 men in the van were charged with criminal possession of a weapon. A 13th suspect, Darryl Lighty, who was not in the van, was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

– Special to the Sun

MAN CHARGED WITH URINATING ON STRAPHANGERS

Lawrence Jefferson, 44, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment after urinating on straphangers that were exiting a subway station, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office. On Sunday at about 9:20 a.m., two women – ages 26 and 31 – were leaving the subway station at 109th Street and Central Park West when they encountered Jefferson, law enforcement officials said. He was relieving himself at the egress and continued to do so on at least one of the women’s head and shoulders. Police apprehended Jefferson in the subway station. He was initially charged, by the district attorney’s office, with reckless endangerment, public lewdness, and urinating in public. When he pleaded guilty the same day of his arrest, he was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

TLC INSPECTORS ATTACKED BY DRIVER

Taxi and Limousine Commission inspectors were attacked by a man who was illegally operating as a cab driver, according to the deputy commissioner of public affairs for the Taxi and Limousine Commission, Allan Fromberg. The TLC inspectors caught the would-be cabby, Juilo Miranda, 50, picking up a fare, driving him to a location, and accepting payment, Mr. Fromberg said. The driver was guilty of several offenses: not holding a TLC license, not operating a livery-licensed vehicle, and illegally soliciting customers.

On Monday at 11:43 p.m., two inspectors, who are considered peace officers, stopped the driver on 90th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, law enforcement officials said. The city employees asked the driver for his driver’s license, but he refused to give it to them, saying they were “not cops,” the criminal complaint indicates. The inspectors asked Mr. Miranda to exit his vehicle, and again he refused to comply, the court document says. One of the inspectors pulled Mr. Miranda out of the vehicle and the suspect allegedly flailed his arms and kicked and punched one of the inspectors. Four other inspectors were needed for backup, TLC’s Mr. Fromberg said. The Manhattan district attorney’s office charged Mr. Miranda with two counts of assault, obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest, and attempted assault. His next court date is August 23.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

MAN ARRESTED FOR SPRAY PAINTING STORES

A man was arrested and convicted of defacing the gates that front two Manhattan commercial establishments, according to the office of the Manhattan district attorney, Robert Morgenthau. On Saturday at about 5:10 a.m., police said they caught Khalik Abdulkhabir, 35, spraying paint on the security gates to Chago Meats, at 661 Amsterdam Ave., and Little Grocery at 667 Amsterdam Ave. When police arrested Abdulkhabir, he had paint on his hands and two cans of spray paint in his backpack, police said. Abdulkhabir pleaded guilty on Sunday to creating graffiti and was sentenced to a conditional discharge and eight days of community service, the district attorney’s office said.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

POLICE ARREST MAN FOR STEALING BEER

A man was arrested for allegedly swiping two boxes of Heineken beer, valued at $76. On Monday at around 2:45 p.m., police said the man, Michael Norwood, 47, grabbed the beer from a display at Food City Market at 706 Columbus Ave. He allegedly attempted to conceal it and leave the store without paying. Police charged him with petty larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

POLICE SEARCHING FOR ARMED ROBBER TARGETING ASIANS

An armed robber has been targeting Asian people inside two Brooklyn subway stations, according to police. In April, May, June, and July, the suspect, who police identified as William Reyes, 39, robbed four men and one woman in separate incidents, police said.

The majority of the crimes occurred in the subway station on 59th Street and Fourth Avenue. The first crime occurred on April 8 at 11:30 p.m. The suspect allegedly grabbed a woman, 34, from behind, stabbed her one time in the left leg, and fled with her belongings. Nine days later at 5:30 p.m., the suspect allegedly robbed a 50-year-old man of his money and threatened him with a knife.

On May 12 at 10:15 a.m., the robber also brandished a knife, and fled with a 48-year-old man’s money, police said. A month later at 1:40 p.m., the suspect victimized a man, 42, by demanding money and then snatching items from the man’s pockets, law enforcement officials said. In the most recent case on July 9 at 11 p.m., the suspect allegedly flashed a gun at a man, 34, and grabbed the victim’s belongings from his pockets.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

ALLEGED MOB COPS PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO NEW CHARGES

Two retired police detectives accused of working for the Mafia pleaded not guilty yesterday in the 1986 slaying of a diamond dealer, Brooklyn federal prosecutors said.

A judge also moved the start of the trial of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, originally set for September 19, to December 27, a spokesman for the prosecutors, Robert Nardoza, said.

– Associated Press