CITYWIDE

MOTHER SUES HOSPITAL AFTER HER DEAD NEWBORN IS FOUND IN LAUNDRY

A woman whose premature daughter died minutes after birth, and whose tiny corpse was later found mixed in with hospital laundry, has filed a negligence lawsuit against the hospital, her attorney said yesterday. Verna Uptigrow, 35, of Queens Village, says she suffers from nightmares and depression following the death of her 22-week-old baby, named Isabella Rosa Pickney.

– Associated Press

LIRR TRAINS BUMP INTO EACH OTHER; ONE INJURY REPORTED

A Long Island Rail Road train heading east from Penn Station bumped into another eastbound train yesterday morning. One female rider reported an injury, a railroad spokesman said. The collision happened around 8:15 a.m. just east of Jamaica Station, a LIRR spokesman, Sam Zambuto, said. The train to Babylon from Penn Station hit the train heading to Hempstead from Flatbush Avenue. Both trains were traveling under 15 mph, the railroad said. The railroad said it was looking into human error as a possible cause of the collision.

– Associated Press

STATEWIDE

WESTCHESTER GARBAGE UNION JOINS CITY’S LOCAL 813 IN STRIKE

Another garbage-carting union has gone on strike after failed negotiations with Waste Management Incorporated. The Westchester chapter of Local 813 of the Teamsters union, which has about 20 workers, has joined the city’s chapter in an all-out strike against the company. New York’s garbage truck drivers and carters have been on strike since Monday. No official negotiations have taken place between the two sides. The union contends Waste Management is increasing health care contributions, freezing pension growth, and offering insubstantial raises. The company said the same contract, which it characterizes as fair, has been accepted by 98% of the other unions it deals with.

– Special to the Sun

SPENCER ATTACKS MAYOR’S STANCE ON GUN CONTROL

A Conservative Senate candidate, John Spencer, attacked Mayor Bloomberg yesterday over gun control, saying Mr. Bloomberg is touting “liberal solutions that simply do not work.”

– Associated Press

‘LAPSED’ TENNIS PLAYERS CAN FIND PARTNERS ONLINE

WHITE PLAINS – Just enter your ZIP code, rank yourself as a player, tell the computer if you like to play after work or on weekends, and with one click you can find a tennis partner. In an attempt to bring new players in and “lapsed players” back, the United States Tennis Association has revamped its Internet site, www.usta.com, to help match players with each other and find them a place to play.

– Associated Press

IN THE COURTS

LAWSUIT SEEKS EPA RELEASE OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT HUDSON CLEANUP

An environmental organization sued the Environmental Protection Agency yesterday, saying it has refused to turn over records concerning a plan to clean toxic pollution in the Hudson River.

– Associated Press

PALESTINIAN MAN SAYS HE WAS TORTURED AFTER HELPING ISRAEL

A Palestinian Arab man sued Palestinian authorities yesterday, saying he was tortured after he helped Israel prevent attacks on its citizens by Palestinian Arab terrorists. The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan says Ali Mahmud Ali Shafi was kidnapped on September 22, 2001, in a Palestinian Authority-controlled territory and tortured for six months.

– Associated Press

MANHATTAN

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP SUES TO KEEP DUCK BOATS OUT OF MANHATTAN

An environmental group is trying to clip a duck boat company’s wings by suing to stop its use of the amphibious tourist vehicles that would operate on Manhattan’s streets and in the Hudson River.

– Associated Press