Spectators Suffer Minor Injuries in S.I. Helicopter Mishap by Tim Minton and Michael Clancy - NBC New York

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Ten people were injured, including seven transported to the hospital, when an Osprey military aircraft performing a Memorial Day demonstration in a Staten Island park knocked down tree limbs onto spectators.

The Osprey MV-22 aircraft was landing at Staten Island's Clove Lakes Park around 9 a.m. Monday as part of Fleet Week when it blew down a number of tree limbs. Video captured by an overhead chopper filming the demonstration shows spectators scrambling for cover as the powerful helicopter - which combines airplane-like wings with rotors that let it take off and land vertically, like a helicopter -- kicked up a terrible wind.

"It was like two tornadoes with the propellers," eyewitness Keith Carlsen told NBCNewYork. "They got low and everything started flying. I was walking 300 yards away and it was still amazing."

Onlookers first scrambled for cover and then rushed to clear fallen branches to see if people were trapped beneath them. Parents snatched up small children and carried them out of harm's way. One tree lost all its branches on one side, photographs from the scene show.

ed, including seven transported to the hospital, when an Osprey military aircraft performing a Memorial Day demonstration in a Staten Island

park knocked down tree limbs onto spectators.

The Osprey MV-22 aircraft was landing at Staten Island's Clove Lakes Park around 9 a.m. Monday as part of Fleet Week when it blew down a number of tree limbs. Video captured by an overhead chopper filming the demonstration shows spectators scrambling for cover as the powerful helicopter - which combines airplane-like wings with rotors that let it take off and land vertically, like a helicopter -- kicked up a terrible wind.

"It was like two tornadoes with the propellers," eyewitness Keith Carlsen told NBCNewYork. "They got low and everything started flying. I was walking 300 yards away and it was still amazing."

Onlookers first scrambled for cover and then rushed to clear fallen branches to see if people were trapped beneath them. Parents snatched up small children and carried them out of harm's way. One tree lost all its branches on one side, photographs from the scene show.

"The wind was unbearable," recalled eyewitness Anita Muriale. "People were falling. Trash was going all over the place. Trees was flipping -- I ran!"

Ten people suffered minor injuries in the mishap. Seven people taken to Richmond University Hospital and three people on the scene refused treatment, according to the fire department.

The MV-22 is a Marine Corps version of the V-22, which combines airplane-like wings with rotors that let it take off and land vertically. It "stirs up a lot of wind, and that's apparently what did it," Marine Corps spokesman Lt. Josh Diddams said.

"We came in over the trees and the next thing I see is a Tennessee Titans blanket blowing up in the air and so that made me think something was below us," Capt. Mike Henson told NBCNewYork. "And I turned down and looked and there's some people walking away from the downed tree."

A joint venture of Boeing Co. and Textron Inc.'s Bell Helicopter, the V-22 is designed to carry 24 combat troops and fly twice as fast as the Vietnam War-era assault helicopters it was designed to replace.

The Osprey program was nearly scrapped after a history of mechanical failures and two test crashes that killed 23 Marines in 2000. But development continued, and the aircraft have been deployed to Iraq.

While the General Accounting Office questioned the V-22's performance in a report last year, the Marine Corps has called it effective.

In hindsight things would be done differently but every precaution had been taken, the Marine regiment commander in charge of the operation said.

"All i can tell you is we hit all of the safety parameters as far as distances," Col. Eric Smith said. "So the people were as far back as they should have safely been. But that tree limb obviously was not something we anticipated snapping."

Queens Man Arrested with Subway Up-Skirt Cam | NBC New York

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An alleged peeping pervert was arrested on the E train in Queens yesterday after being caught in the act by a teen-aged girl.

Police said Jose Gil, 39, was on the Jamaica bound train at about 7:30 a.m. Thursday, somewhere between 71st-Continental Station and Briarwood, when he was spotted with a complicated up-skirt recording system.

A 16-year-old girl noticed Gil had a video camera propped up inside of an open sports bag that was positioned to videotape under her skirt, police said.

The teen alerted an uniformed NYPD officer on the train and Gil was picked up immediately.

Gil, of Lefferts Blvd. in South Ozone Park, was charged with unlawful surveillance and acting in a manner to injure a child.

Seinfeld Appears On 'SNL' To Rip Eric Massa...

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Continuing to promote "The Marriage Ref" by simply being Jerry Seinfeld, the comedian joined Seth Meyers last night for the segment "Really!?! With Seth And Jerry." Seinfeld took on the role originated by Amy Poehler as he and Meyers laid into Eric Massa. Asked Seinfeld: "Why do I have the feeling that Massa massages were followed by Massa-bations?"

SNL opened the show last night with a sketch mocking Eric Massa and the ever-growing list of "non-sexual" acts he engaged in with his staff. Cutting away to his memories, we finally got a glimpse at the tickle-fest that was his 50th birthday, as well as insight as to what "snorkeling" actually is. And while it may seem lewd, it's nothing compared to his stint in the Navy.

Frank Gulluscio, City Council Candidate 32 CD

NYC Test Scores Raise Serious Questions About Testing by Gabe Pressman | NBC New York

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein hail the big gains on state math tests this year in the city's public schools.

But Merryl Tisch, the chancellor of the state's Board of Regents, warns there is strong reason for caution in analyzing these results.

"Just because scores have gone up dramatically does not mean that our youngsters are ready to go to college," she told the New York Times.

While she complimented Bloomberg and Klein for moving the school system in the right direction, Ms. Tisch told me that "the time has come to raise the bar in the testing process. It's time to start a conversation about testing.

"When we look at the graduation statistics, we find that many students are not prepared to enter college. Seventy-four percent are in need of remediation when they reach college."

In plain language, Ms. Tisch thinks the tests are too easy. She believes young people are graduating without basic skills. She's not saying that we're cooking the books. But she is raising a serious question: are the tests really telling us how well the educational system is doing?

I talked to a veteran teacher and administrator at a Queens school. She didn't want her name used but she had a lot to say about the tests that our young people are taking. "The tests are too predictable. And teachers, including myself, are training kids to pass the tests.

"This math test has been most predictable. We know what's going to be on it from examining past tests. We practice constantly and the ultimate result is the kids are likely to score well but not necessarily know more than they did last time they were tested."

The Mayor and Chancellor Klein insist that the achievement gap between city students and those in other parts of the state is closing. Also, they say, the gap between students of different races is closing.

"This is a big victory for the city," Klein said. "And we should bask in it."

But the leader of the state's entire educational system, Ms. Tisch, insists otherwise.

"No one should interpret (the recent test-score results) as an enormous victory," she said. "We're moving in the right direction but just because scores have gone up dramatically does not mean that our youngsters are ready to go to college."

She has a point. When three-fourths of those who reach college need remedial work to qualify for courses, it's clear there's something rong here. We can understand Tisch's concern.

And we can also understand why the seasoned teacher who talked to us says, "We're teaching to test and the results are predictable, but not necessarily beneficial to the students.

It angers me that there is so much emphasis on tests and so little on the well-rounded education that can only come in the classroom from the relationship between teacher and students."

There is a danger in this election year that the statistics can be used for political purposes. Let's hope, for the sake of the kids, that this won't happen.

Sue Simmons F***s Up on Live TV by Verne Gay - Newsday

On-air expletive raises question about Simmons' future

BY VERNE GAY

What the -- -- was Sue thinking?

WNBC news anchor Sue Simmons dropped an expletive on startled viewers Monday night, leaving thousands gasping and probably the same number laughing. But in the wake of one of the biggest on-air gaffes in Channel 4 history, a question was left hanging: What was she thinking?

And this one too: Will she survive?

An industry source confirmed yesterday that Simmons directed the expletive at her longtime co-anchor Chuck Scarborough, seated to her left when the "tease" for the 11 p.m. news aired just after 10:30; viewers couldn't see his reaction because a shot of a cruise ship was on screen when Simmons yelled, "What the -- -- are you doing?" at him.

He returned solo to the air about 20 minutes later for another tease, although both anchors were on the 11 p.m. broadcast, where Simmons apologized. On yesterday's 5 p.m. newscast, Simmons made no mention of the day's most talked-about story.

Sources also added Tuesday that Simmons had believed the "tease" -- an industry term for a brief cut-in that promotes a later broadcast -- was being taped. Scarborough, who looked distracted during the segment, also appeared as if they were in a rehearsal.

"It was supposed to be a pre-taped piece and wound up live," said one source. "She didn't know it was live and blurted that out." Industry sources say that Scarborough may have missed a cue, prompting Simmons' outburst.

New York TV stations have what they call "zero tolerance" for on-air expletives, but it was unclear yesterday whether Simmons would be disciplined or even fired. What is obvious, however, is that she stumbled at the worst possible time. Channel 4 is in the midst of near-draconian cutbacks after a new management team took over within the last month. There have been widespread reports in recent weeks that Channel 4 is looking to cut expensive anchor talent, and after Scarborough -- believed to be the highest-paid local anchor in the country -- Simmons is second highest on the Channel 4 food chain.

Channel 4's behind-the-scene upheavals have occasionally leaked out on air, too. In the midst of a mistake-plagued 7 p.m. broadcast a few weeks ago, the usually implacable Scarborough followed up a piece about financial woes with an angry aside that perhaps Channel 4 was suffering financial travails of its own.

"Everyone's waiting for the earthquake to stop," said a Channel 4 veteran yesterday. Staffers "don't really know what's happening. It's a whole new world they're trying to reformat."

Observers Tuesday said Simmons may have caught a break because the gaffe occurred well after 10 p.m., or outside what's considered the FCC's so-called "safe harbor period" for objectionable content from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Arthur Chi'en, a onetime street reporter for WCBS/2 and now with WPIX/11, uttered the same word during an early morning broadcast for Channel 2 almost exactly three years ago and was fired by the station. However, an arbitrator later ruled that the station had no basis for the termination.

Simmons' image may be Channel 4's biggest concern. For nearly 30 years, she has been a veritable portrait of amiability -- mischievous, occasionally puckish, though early in her run, prone to on-air gaffes. Viewers saw, or rather heard, a different Simmons Monday night: Raw, angry and profane. A station source adds, however, that she and Scarborough have been friends for years and frequently banter off-air.

On-air cursing "absolutely happens once a year somewhere and usually it's a situation like this, where something is being recorded and the wrong version is cued up and gets on the air," says Rick Gevers, president of an Indiana-based company that represents anchors and on-air news reporters. "But to someone with her track record? She's not a 23- year-old just out of college."

Hillary Clinton - Jay Leno - Tonight Show - April 3, 2008 - Parts 1 & 2

Part 1

Hillary Clinton appears on the Tonight show with Jay Leno to discuss the Democratic nomination campaign, superdelegates, and her family.

Part 2

Rooftop Firebomb Suspect In Police Custody - WNBC | New York

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NEW YORK -- A man who stood on a Queens rooftop and tossed Molotov cocktail-style firebombs at the street below has been taken into custody, police said.Police tell WNBC.com that Felipe Velasquez told them he ended up on the roofs of several homes on 123rd Street and threw Molotov cocktails onto the street below because he was having a bad day.

Velasquez, who caused one unmarked police car to catch fire in a residential neighborhood in Richmond Hill, was captured at around 7:15 p.m., according to police.

Video shot Tuesday shows the man pacing while apparently holding one of the weapons. Later, Chopper 4 filmed the man sitting on a roof.

A police spokesman said the incident occurred on 123rd Street between Hillside and Jamaica Avenues in the Richmond Hill section. Police cordoned off the area and evacuated the people on the street to the ends of the block.

A large police presence had responded to the scene.

It was unclear exactly what happened or what sparked the confrontation.

Police said they first responded to the area because of a 911 call from an Orthodox Jewish man who said he was cut in the head by a man with a machete as he was getting off of the J Train around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

As police searched for the suspect, they said they realized their unattended vehicle had caught fire.

No injuries were reported.

A witness told WNBC.com that four Molotov cocktails were thrown off of the roof, however, police were not able to confirm a number.

Nearby homes were evacuated, and even firefighters kept their distance because they were unable to tell where the bombs would land.

A neighbor said he never noticed anything out of the ordinary with the alleged firebomb-thrower.

"Normally he comes up and he smokes," said the man. "I pass him, he sits by the step. I say, 'Hi,' he says, 'Hi,' we go on my way, you know."

The neighbor described the man as "quiet."

"I'm surprised to come out and see all these things happening out there, you know?"Eventually Velasquez climbed down the roof and into police custody.

WNBC.com will provide updates as soon as they become available.

WNBC-TV: Parents, Teachers, Students Take NYC School Survey...

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Parents, Teachers, Students Take NYC School Survey

Carol Anne Riddell reports:Parents, teachers and students can tell the city what they think of their schools in a new survey.