STATEWIDE

GOVERNORS URGE CONGRESS TO EXTEND TERRORISM INSURANCE

Twenty-eight governors, led by Governor Pataki, sent a letter to Congress saying, “Our nation’s economy depends on the availability and affordability of terrorism insurance.” The governors are urging Congress to act quickly to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which expires on December 31, they said yesterday, adding that they had sent the letter last week.” In the absence of any financial protection, a future terrorist attack will have a significant impact on our nation’s ability to recover as businesses find themselves without the necessary resources to rebuild their operations,” the 20 Republicans and eight Democrats wrote in the letter, addressed to the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate, Senators Frist and Reid, and Representatives Dennis Hastert and Nancy Pelosi.

Signed into law on November 26, 2002, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act responded to soaring insurance prices after the terrorist attacks of September 11,2001,which ultimately cost the insurance industry $32.5 billion. The law guarantees that, in the event of a terrorist attack, the federal government will pay 90% of all commercial damages up to $100 million, above a certain deductible for each company. Lawmakers originally meant the bill as a stopgap until the private sector developed its own solution. It has failed so far because only those most at risk of attack are buying terrorism insurance, the president and CEO of the Partnership for New York, Kathryn Wylde, told The New York Sun.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

CO-FOUNDERS OF GILDER LEHRMAN INSTITUTE AWARDED MEDAL

\The two cofounders of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History were awarded the 2005 National Humanities Medal in a White House ceremony Thursday. President Bush presented the medals to Richard Gilder and Lewis Lehrman, who founded the New York-based institute in 1994 as a way “to promote the study and love of American history.” The organization creates history-centered schools and research centers, holds seminars and lecture series, and funds book awards and fellowships. The National Humanities Medal has been given since 1989,and Messrs. Gilder and Lehrman were one of 10 recipients this year. “Lew and I honor America’s story, that of the only nation built on ideas, and we believe those ideas must be understood, interpreted, taught, preserved, and discussed by Americans of all generations, and peoples of every nationality,” Mr. Gilder, who is also a co-chairman of the New-York Historical Society, said in a statement.

– Special to the Sun

BROOKLYN

MARCH CELEBRATES MILLIONS WITHDRAWING FROM COMMUNIST PARTY

Celebrating the fact that more than 5.5 million citizens of Red China have submitted withdrawals from the Chinese Communist Party to the Epoch Times, several hundred democracy activists and community members marched through the Chinatown section of Brooklyn yesterday. “We must support the five and a half million people who renounced the communist party and expose the crimes that the Communist Party, has committed. Is committing now, not only in the past,” an organizer with the Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice, Yufeng Liang, said. The Epoch Times is a free international newspaper that advocates democracy in China and supports the Falun Gong sect.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

POLICE BLOTTER

POLICE RESCUE MAN FROM ONCOMING TRAIN

Officers rescued an unconscious man from the path of an oncoming subway train Saturday, jumping onto the track and carrying the man to safety seconds before the train pulled into the station, police said yesterday. The 33-year-old man earlier had reported feeling unwell before apparently falling face-down onto the tracks at around 3:15 p.m., Lieutenant John Grimpel said. Two officers at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station requested that power be cut from the track but had received no confirmation when they saw the the oncoming F train. The man was treated for minor injuries and a possible broken arm at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Lieutenant Grimpel said.

– Associated Press

FIRE IN LIBRARY AT TRINITY SCHOOL

A small fire in the library of the Trinity School at 139 W. 91st St. in Manhattan was reported yesterday at 7:41 p.m., the Fire Department said. There were no injuries reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated. Trinity School could not be reached for comment and the Fire Department did not know if the school would be open for class today.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun