CITYWIDE

ACTIVISTS SAY CENTRAL PARK COYOTE MISHANDLED

Animal-rights activists and wildlife caregivers are criticizing state officials after the coyote captured in Central Park two weeks ago died in their custody. The coyote, nicknamed Hal, was being tagged prior to his release into California Hills State Forrest in Putnam County when he stopped breathing March 30, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, Maureen Wren, said. The animal was wearing a soft muzzle, but its nasal airway was unobstructed, she said. Still, the licensed wildlife caregiver who worked with the coyote before turning him over to the state, Rebecca Asman, said she believes the animal’s death was a tragic mistake. She offered to have the animal tagged under veterinary supervision but was turned down, she said. Animal-rights activists placed most of the blame on the Cornell University graduate student who was reportedly tagging the coyote for a research project. “It wasn’t necessarily intentional, but it was totally incompetent,” the president of the advocacy group Wildlife Watch, Anne Muller said. One animal rehabilitator from upstate New York, Elise Able, said coyotes can be docile in experienced hands. Tagging this animal before releasing him served little purpose, Ms. Able, who has 15 years’ experience working with coyotes, said.

– Special to the Sun

IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES TO HOLD RALLY AT CITY HALL TODAY

City immigration advocates will target the detention and deportation measures of a Senate bill at a rally in City Hall Park today, two days after thousands marched in protest across the Brooklyn Bridge. While the bill before the Senate is seen as less restrictive than a measure passed by the House last year, organizers say the proposal doesn’t go far enough and that they plan to highlight aspects that they say “criminalize undocumented immigrants.” The debate on Capitol Hill has sparked massive rallies across the country over the last week, culminating with Saturday’s march in New York. Today’s rally near City Hall comes after Mayor Bloomberg last week called for the construction of a wall to protect America’s border with Mexico, but said the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants should not be deported.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

POLICE BLOTTER

FIREFIGHTER ARRESTED FOR DRIVING UNDER INFLUENCE

An off-duty New York City firefighter was arrested early yesterday morning on charges of driving under the influence and resisting arrest, police said. Michael Radigan, 28, was apprehended at about 4 a.m. yesterday at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, police said. Mr. Radigan, a firefighter for two years, was assigned to a firehouse in Manhattan, a spokesman for the Fire Department said. His arrest comes nearly a week after the arrest of a police officer, Brandon Colon, who is charged with hitting and killing a man while driving drunk on the Queensboro Bridge early Tuesday, police said.

– Special to the Sun

THREE SHOT, ONE DEAD AT BRONX NIGHTCLUB

Three people were shot – one fatally – early yesterday morning after a fight broke out in a Bronx nightclub. The incident occurred at about 6 a.m. yesterday morning at the Flamenco Lounge on East Gun Hill Road, when police said a patron got involved in a dispute with a club disc jockey. As of last night, police said investigators were still piecing together the series of events, but they identified one victim as Gary Gray, 30, of Ely Avenue in the Bronx, who died from his wounds. Police said a 26-year-old woman whose head was grazed with a bullet and a 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his arm were taken to Jacobi Medical Center to be treated for their injuries.

– Special to the Sun

DELI OWNER IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER ASSAULT

A Bronx deli owner was in critical condition last night after a dispute with a repeat shoplifter, police said. The 31-year-old man – whose name was not released by police – reportedly was hit in the head with a baseball bat after he tried to eject a 19-year-old man from his West 142nd Street deli at about 4:15 p.m. Saturday. Yesterday, police arrested Darnell Williams, 19, and Dominic Howell, 20, charging them both in the attack. The deli owner was brought to Harlem Hospital with head injuries, police said.

– Special to the Sun

FIVE CHELSEA CLUBS SHUTTERED IN STING

Police shut down five Chelsea nightclubs and issued restraining orders to two more, capping a nine-month undercover operation that uncovered drug sales, prostitution, and underage drinking at the establishments, police said. Officers from the police narcotics unit carried out the sting Friday night at 10 p.m., temporarily shutting clubs involved in various illegal activities. Police closed View on Eighth Avenue, where an undercover officer purchased cocaine and ecstasy on at least three occasions, as well as Club Deep on West 22nd Street, where undercover officers bought marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy at least six times. They also shuttered Avalon on West 20th Street, where undercover officers bought ecstasy at least four times; Splash on West 17th Street, where undercover officers bought $2,700 worth of cocaine, and Spirit on West 27th Street, for serving alcohol to minors and for being the site of drug sales and several assaults, including a stabbing. Police issued restraining orders – orders to stop illegal activity – to Steel Gym on East 23rd Street and Club Speed on West 39th Street, where undercover officers purchased cocaine and were offered sexual acts for money, police said.

– Special to the Sun

STATEWIDE

SCHUMER SLAMS IRS PLAN TO ALLOW WIDER SALE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Senator Schumer said yesterday that an Internal Revenue Service plan to let commercial tax preparers sell clients’ personal financial information more widely to data brokers and marketers could lead to widespread identity theft. “It’s mindboggling,” Mr. Schumer said.

– Associated Press

HEATING PROGRAM EXTENDED

New York State will extend its heating aid program for the poor and elderly for another month. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), originally scheduled to close April 15, will remain open through May 15, a spokesman for the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Michael Hayes, said.

– Associated Press