ALBANY

PATAKI PAC’S FUND RAISING FALLS OFF

Fund raising by the Virginia-based political action committee used by Governor Pataki to help boost his national profile has fallen off substantially since the New York Republican announced July 27 he would not seek a fourth four-year term. Mr. Pataki is considering a possible run for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. Political strategists had said giving up the New York governorship could significantly reduce Mr. Pataki’s fund-raising potential. Records filed in Virginia by Mr. Pataki’s 21st Century Freedom State PAC show that in the three-month period that ended September 30, it took in $277,250. In the first quarter of the year, the PAC took in $630,475, while the second-quarter haul was $444,075. Just $56,000 of Mr. Pataki’s third-quarter take came in after his July 27 announcement that he would not run for re-election.

– Associated Press

CITYWIDE

MEDICAL EXAMINER: BODY OF MISSING WOMAN FOUND IN LANDFILL

The city medical examiner’s office determined yesterday that the body found in a landfill in Pennsylvania was that of Monica Lozada-Rivadineira, the 26-year-old woman who went missing in late September. The case made national headlines after her 4-year-old daughter, Valery Belen Saavedra Lozada, was found roaming the streets in Queens. Ms. Lozada’s boyfriend, Cesar Ascarrunz, 32, has been charged with her murder.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

SECURITY CLEARANCES PULLED AMID PROBE INTO TERROR THREAT LEAK

Security clearances were taken away from two federal anti-terrorism employees as investigators look into allegations that they warned family and friends about the threat against the New York City subway system three days ahead of the official announcement. The workers were identified after government security officials began looking into the source for e-mails alluding to the threat that began circulating before Mayor Bloomberg went public October 6. Security in the transit network was ramped up based on an overseas informant’s claim that there was a plot to bomb the system.

– Associated Press

STATEWIDE

EMERGENCY SIRENS FAIL IN ORANGE COUNTY

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – A majority of the Orange County sirens meant to warn of an emergency at the Indian Point nuclear power plants failed a test yesterday, infuriating the county executive. Entergy Nuclear Northeast, owner of the two plants in Westchester County, said that 10 of the 16 sirens in Orange County a failed to sound during a morning test. They all worked later in the day during a different type of test, but that did not assuage County Executive Edward Diana. “This is totally unacceptable, and Orange County will just not stand for it any longer,” Mr. Diana said. “We have to have a redundant system that works 100% of the time.”

– Associated Press

POLICE BLOTTER

POLICE ARREST GROUP FOR FILING FALSE CLAIMS

Detectives from the Police Department’s Fraudulent Accident Investigation Squad arrested a group of more than 10 people involved in bilking the state of thousands of dollars by filing no-fault medical claims, police said. Officers busted the web of imposters, which include unscrupulous doctors; “runners,” or directors who stage automobile accidents, and “jump-ins,” or actors who pretended to be patients.

Phony victims would be paid a $2,500 fee for their participation, which included going to one of two medical mills in Queens. A mill is the equivalent of a Stop & Shop supermarket, offering a variety of services, a detective from the fraud squad involved in the case, Christopher Jones, 36, said. The doctors would then file claims for as much as $50,000, Mr. Jones said. The investigation began in March 2004 on a tip from a confidential informant, Mr. Jones said. Police went undercover posing as runners and patients and they arrested 11 people and two or three more are still at large, he said yesterday.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun