May 27, 1999

CITY WANTS NASDAQ TO MAKE NYSE IN SHARED BUILDING

Richard Grasso and Frank Zarb under one roof? The respective chairmen of the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq may indeed wind up sharing the same address under a...

RALLY SWEEPS STREET - DOW ADDS 171 AS FED DREAD FADES

The Alan Greenspan sell-off lasted only four days, broken by a big rally on Wall Street yesterday. The Dow Jones industrial average made a late-day run that left the benchmark...

MEDINA, PUFFY SMOKE PEACE PIPE

BENNY Medina and Sean "Puffy" Combs have kissed and made up. The rap mogul and his longtime manager were trying to patch up their differences this week when word came...

INVESTOR APATHY BEAR-ING DOWN ON 'NET STOCKS

Internet stocks are finally losing their luster. After months of leading the market's march up, Internet stocks are now tumbling down at a much-faster rate than for other technology shares....

MOUSE DROPPINGS - DISNEY EXPOSE IS KILLED BY PUBLISHER

Broadway Books, a unit of Random House Inc., has cancelled Kim Masters' expose on the Walt Disney empire "Keys to the Kingdom." The move has sparked a tug of war...

ALLEN SNAPS UP 2 CABLE COS.

Billionaire Paul Allen has finally become a cable TV mogul. Allen's latest two deals announced yesterday give him Los Angeles cable group Falcon Communications for $3.6 billion, and Denver-based TW...

AT&T PUTTING DOWNTOWN HEADQUARTERS ON THE BLOCK

For sale: TriBeCa 29-story office building, brick terraces and windows that actually open. AT&T yesterday sent a memo to employees at its world headquarters that its landmark building erected in...

ALLEN NOW THE NO. 4 CABLE MOGUL

Billionaire Paul Allen has finally become a cable TV mogul. Allen's latest two deals announced yesterday give him Los Angeles cable group Falcon Communications for $3.6 billion, and Denver-based TW...

BEETLEMANIA; EVERYBODY LOVES THE BUG

IT is the best-selling car every produced - more than 20 million - and the only model that is basically unchanged, except for a few modernizing facelifts and safety and...

POST-WORLD WAR II FAMILY AFFAIR MAKES FOR A 'GOODNIGHT'

'GOODNIGHT Children Everywhere" is a vintage song from World War II about a mother comforting her absent children. It's also the title of Richard Nelson's 1997 play,which opened last night...

MATTHEWS GIG'S JAM-PACKED

THE loopy grooves of the Dave Matthews Band aren't quite rock, and they aren't jazz or folk, either. The band's music isn't like anyone else's, and Tuesday night at GiantsStadium...

STOP BRAWLS AND JERRY'S ON THE ROPES

TAKE away the fighting from "The Jerry Springer Show" and what do you have left? Nothing. That's right. Nothing. With the fighting, the show made history and headlines. Many viewers...

I WANT MY MET-TV - VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS WILL ROCK AND SHOCK THE OPERA HOUSE

'Putting on a rock and rap show at the Metropolitan Opera House really appealed to us. It seemed very titillating' - Awards executive producer Dave Sirulnick THIS year's "MTV Video...

JOEY'S STERN WORDS FOR AMY

A furious Joey Buttafuoco stunned radio listeners yesterday - saying he'd like to bash the just-freed Amy Fisher over the head with a baseball bat and run her over. "I'm...

TV TICKER

'Home' at last The series finale of ABC's "Home Improvement" averaged 54 million total viewers - making it the fourth-highest-rated series finale of the '90s. Tuesday's 90-minute very-special episode -...

'SPRINGER' WON'T PULL HIS PUNCHES - CRITIC - POLITICIAN KEEPS THREAT TO CALL IN THE COPS

CHICAGO City Council member Edward M. Burke doesn't believe that Studios USA will tone down "The Jerry Springer Show" - and is determined to grill Springer under oath about the...

NEW CARTOON TRIES SHORT CUTS

NBC is borrowing a page from "The Simpsons" to launch a new animated show. "Julia's P.O.V.," a cartoon from the producers of the Comedy Central series, "Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist,"...

WE KNOW WHAT SCOTT WOLF'S DOING THIS SUMMER

THERE'LL be no summer vacation this year for 'Party of Five'' cutie-pie Scott Wolf. Instead of sailing around Catalina Island, loafing in the south of France or doing whatever it...

BEING A N.Y. COP NEARLY KILLED ME - ISABELLE REDMAN'S AMAZING CAR-CRASH COMEBACK

ALBANY - On the wall of her study, former cop Isabelle Redman keeps a framed poster of a destroyed police car. The same picture was sent to every NYPD precinct....

WICKED WORDS ARE BIG TROUBLE AFTER LITTLETON

"Are we safe enough? That is the priority, much more than the rights and liberties of students." BILL HIRSCHEN, STATE EDUCATION DEPEARTMENT A 13-year-old Long Island boy was arrested for...

BAD HABITS SLICE 10 YRS. OFF OUR LIVES, DOCTOR SAYS

"The vast majority of us have incredible genes to get to our mid to late 80s." DR. THOMAS PERLS The majority of Americans needlessly shave 10 years off their lives...

THIS FAILING SYSTEM IS RACIST

IF Al Sharpton could take his mouth from the gas bag which is his life-support system and stop trying to shoot at cops, he might learn what real racism is...

SHEEPISH DOCS: DOLLY'S DAMAGED GOODS

Baaa-d news. Dolly, the cloned sheep, is having an early midlife crisis. The scientists who created the extraordinary ewe said yesterday some of her DNA is damaged, showing signs of...

JONBENET'S BROTHER TESTIFIED, SAY REPORTS

The grand jury could wrap up within a month. The 12-year-old brother of slain child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey has reportedly testified about the case before a grand jury. Burke...

SWITCHED-EGG INFANT HANDED TO GENETIC PARENTS

The genetic parents of a switched-before-birth black baby delivered by a white woman have won custody of the child, it was revealed yesterday. Richard and Donna Fasano handed over little...

NATO HITTING SLOBBO'S WALLET HARD

New cracks in Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's war machine emerged last night as NATO reported the pressures of its air campaign are starting to exact a heavy toll on his...

COPS REEL IN 'STAR WARS' CROOKS

Two men surrendered yesterday in the theft of a copy of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" from a Wisconsin movie theater. The suspects - who were not...

CUNY CHIEF QUITS UNDER FIRE

The City University of New York's chairwoman quit yesterday - after a barrage of criticism for not moving quickly enough to enact reforms. Anne Paolucci, a former English professor, said...

CRISIS-FILLED LAST DAYS OF TRAGIC TRAIN FAMILY

The Connecticut mother who took her four little boys on a deadly walk on the train tracks in the middle of the night reportedly had been stressed out, quitting her...

HILL BARES HEART ON BILL

WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton says she sticks with her cheating husband because they have a "deep and abiding commitment" - but won't say if Sexgate made her think of...

INDIAN JETS HIT PAKI GUERRILLAS

India launched unprecedented airstrikes on Muslim guerrillas in the divided Himalayan border region of Kashmir yesterday and again today - and Pakistan has threatened to retaliate. The two nuclear rivals...

NEW HOPE FOR DIABETICS AS FDA APPROVES DRUG

A new diabetes drug that may cause less risk of liver damage than a competing product could hit pharmacy shelves by the end of next week. The drug, Avandia, which...

FOUR GUARDS CHARGED IN BEATING DEATH OF INMATE

Four Nassau County guards - allegedly part of a jailhouse goon squad - were charged yesterday with the fatal beating of an inmate who wouldn't quit demanding treatment for his...

THE LESSON OF THE READING TESTS

'Far too many - if not most -big-city kids are presented to thepublic-school system at the age of 5or so wholly unprepared toparticipate in their own education.' ONLY Rudy Crew...

LOUIMA JUDGE: TRIAL WILL GO ON FOR OTHER COPS

The judge in the Abner Louima case yesterday shot down defense requests for a mistrial following sex-torture cop Justin Volpe's stunning guilty plea. Lawyers for Officer Thomas Wiese and Sgt....

GIRL, 14, HANGS HERSELF AT TRAGIC BX. HIGH SCHOOL

A Bronx high school was reeling in shock today after a 14-year-old student hanged herself in the bathroom - the second of two tragedies to hit the school this week....

RUDY DEFENDS NYPD BEFORE FEDERAL PANEL ON BRUTALITY

Mayor Giuliani yesterday told a federal civil-rights panel investigating alleged police brutality that the NYPD is a disciplined force that cut crime while still showing restraint. The mayor, sitting alone...

FORMER DC 37 BIG GUILTY OF STEALING 50G IN UNION DUES

The former treasurer of scandal-rocked District Council 37 pleaded guilty yesterday to helping himself to more than $50,000 in dues by using his union credit card and expense account for...

IS IT THE LAST STRAW? - DARRYL'S FATE UP TO BASEBALL AFTER PLEA

Yankee slugger Darryl Strawberry was sentenced yesterday to probation on sex and drug charges - and now it's up to George Steinbrenner and Major League Baseball officials to decide if...

RUSH IS ON FOR AFTER-CLASS HELP

Thousands of free-reading programs are open across the city and more are springing up, but parents have to start looking now if they want their kids signed up for next...

SHOT TEEN'S KIN DISPUTE COP'S CLAIM OF ACCIDENT

The highly decorated cop who critically wounded an unarmed teen claims his gun accidentally went off in a struggle over the weapon - an account the victim's family angrily disputes....

BRIT TAB IN SORRY STATE OVER TOPLESS ROYAL PIC

Britain's top-selling newspaper apologized yesterday for publishing a photo of a bare-breasted royal bride-to-be Sophie Rhys-Jones after Buckingham Palace howled in protest. The 10-year-old photo of TV personality Chris Tarrant...

ANGUISHED MOTHER IS A VICTIM, TOO

THE dreadful call came at 2:30 a.m. Sharon Johnson, 40, was simply told her son was shot and in critical condition at Lincoln Hospital. The frantic mother raced to the...

CHARGES HE MIGHT FACE

Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic faces these possible charges from the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, according to former State Department expert Paul Williams: *Violation of the Genocide...

TEST SCORES MAY WRITE PRINCIPALS' PINK SLIPS

Mayor Giuliani called yesterday for a "massive shake-up" at city schools where fourth-grade reading and writing scores hit rock bottom. "There should be a major, massive management shakeup," Giuliani said...

PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1 - SLOBBO INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES

WASHINGTON - The International War Crimes Tribunal has indicted Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes, a State Department source said last night. The indictment of Milosevic and a "handful"...

IT JUST GOT HARDER FOR CLINTON TO CUT A DEAL

IT'S pretty tough to cut a deal with a war criminal without hanging your head in shame, so Slobodan Milosevic's indictment puts President Clinton in something of a box. Which...

STRAW RETURN GOOD BET

TAMPA - The obese, look-at-me shock jock from the local radio station wore a long blond wig and practiced the routine he would use on air upon Darryl Strawberry's arrival...

CHILI & CONE WANT DARRYL IN PINSTRIPES

Chili Davis pleaded Darryl Strawberry's case to Major League Baseball yesterday as all of Yankeedom braced for word on what the commissioner now has in store for the lefty slugger....

IT'S OFFICIAL: 'BULLET' IS IN

Forget "The Phantom Menace." The true new installment of the "Star Wars" saga will play June 5 at Belmont Park when Charismatic, one victory away from becoming the first Triple...

ROBINSON RETURNS TO HELP OUT DEVILS

Attempting to shore up one area in which they were beaten by the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, the Devils yesterday rehired Canadiens Hall of Famer Larry...

HENNIG, PLETCHER WIN STAY

Trainers Mark Hennig and Todd Pletcher, suspended by the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Revenue for equine drug positives, were granted a stay yesterday in federal district court in New York...

PARCELLS TELLS JETS NOTHING'S CHANGED

As speculation has swirled about the Jets' future without Leon Hess as the owner, questions about what effect imminent new ownership will have on Bill Parcells have surfaced. At the...

CHURCHILL LANDS 2000 BC

Officials at Breeders' Cup Ltd. announced that Churchill Downs has been selected to host the 2000 Breeders' Cup Championship. The 17th running of the Breeders' Cup will be held for...

MO FOCUSES ON RING, NOT MONEY

Jet linebacker Mo Lewis, in the final year of his four-year, $8.24 million contract, said yesterday that getting a new deal done is the least of his concerns. "Right now,...

CAMBY GOALS: RUN & STUN - KNICKS NEED MARCUS TO KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

"I've been very happy with Marcus since the third day [of training camp]. That doesn't mean he has always gotten the opportunities he wanted." JEFF VAN GUNDY MARCUS Camby has...

CHILDS, WARD FEAR JACKSON

So much for trash talk. After listening to Charlie Ward and Chris Childs discuss their upcoming task in the NBA playoffs - defending Mark Jackson - you'd think the Indiana...

PIRATES CAN HARDLY FIGURE OUT PIAZZA

PITTSBURGH - Shortly after Mike Piazza had hammered the Pirates for three hits and three RBIs, including a 443-foot bomb to a land far, far away in the third deck...

JAX MARKS PATRICK AS GREATEST KNICK EVER

INDIANAPOLIS - He went to bat and voiced strong opinions about Knick coach Jeff Van Gundy, and now Mark Jackson, who was so very much a part and unquestioned star...

EL DUQUE IS BACK - HERNANDEZ GEM TAMES BOSOX AGAIN

Beware, Bosox. "El Duque" is back in '98 form. If Joe Torre's assertion is true that the deeper starting staff will ultimately decide the AL East winner between these hated...

SOUND AND FLEURY: MONEY'S NOT EVERYTHING

DENVER - Theo Fleury is told that Brian Leetch thinks that Manhattan is a wonderful place in which to live and play hockey. "I'm sure he does, and I'm sure...

BO: NO BEEF WITH MIKE

MET NOTES PITTSBURGH - Even though no one ever said there was a feud between him and Mike Piazza, Bobby Bonilla was annoyed yesterday because he felt that impression was...

O'NEILL HOT ON AND OFF THE FIELD

YANK NOTES Paul O'Neill is hot. Hot at the plate and now hot at recent reports that manager Joe Torre was considering dropping him from third to sixth in the...

VG'S REBUILT TEAM GETS ACID TEST; TIME FOR NEW KNICKS TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP

IF LOSING to the Pacers in five games of a second-round series last year wasn't the main reason the Knicks decided they had to get younger, faster and more athletic,...

REG KEEPS HIS BOASTS TO HIMSELF

INDIANAPOLIS - Pacer practice was winding down and what remained were shooting drills. Reggie Miller took feed after feed from Pacer assistants and from a another guy who built a...

SILENT TREATMENT - VG ORDERS AGENT TO STOP TALKING ABOUT CHECKETTS

"He's trying to do what's right for me, but he didn't do the right thing. He won't be saying anything more." JEFF VAN GUNDY ON HIS AGENT, ROB ADES SILENT...

IT'S MULLIN'S BEST SHOT AT RING

INDIANAPOLIS - Chris Mullin knows a lot about gratitude. He is in the latter stages of a usually brilliant, sometimes turbulent, career. Throughout it, he used the jumper and game...

A MANCHESTER MIRACLE

LONDON - It was one of those timely moments, when the dedicated note-taking sportswriter notices he has reached the bottom of the page, with regulation time expired and the evening's...

JAYSON ACING LEG REHAB

INDIANAPOLIS - Jayson Williams is so far ahead of his rehabilitation schedule for his broken leg, that he already is plotting his scoring strategy for next season. "Somebody is going...

MILLER IS LEGENDARY KNICK-KILLER

John Starks used to head butt him and maybe Latrell Sprewell will strangle him. But the Knicks know all too well that it will take more than dirty tactics to...

JEFF MULLS DUDLEY START

Chris Dudley might be moved into the starting lineup to guard 7-4 Rik Smits for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday, Jeff Van Gundy said yesterday. "We may...

ISLANDERS SIGN PICK FROM '97

The Islanders signed their 1997 fourth-round pick yesterday, 6-foot-4 center Petr Mika of the Czech Republic, days before losing his rights. Mika, 20, played last winter in the World Junior...

METS LOOK LIKE MILLION BUCS

PITTSBURGH - Slowly but with certainty, all the pieces are coming together for the Mets. The starting pitching looks almost respectable, the hitting is coming around, and after last night's...

STARS CONTINUE AVALANCHE SLIDE

DENVER - Frustration is beginning to overtake the Avalanche every bit as much as the Stars have now overtaken them in the Western Finals. "I'd be lying if I said...

OREL CAN SEE WINS PILING UP

PITTSBURGH - Barely six feet away from where Orel Hershiser was talking about how creeping doubts earlier this month made him wonder if it was time to give it all...

IZZY TO GET MRI ON ELBOW

MET NOTES PITTSBURGH - The star-crossed career of Jason Isringhausen took another frustrating misstep yesterday when the right-hander felt pain in his surgically repaired elbow in the bullpen. The Mets...

JEFF OR JAX? - CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE BEST MAN TO COACH THE KNICKS

ABSTRACT: As Jeff Van Gundy leads his Knicks into their first conference final appearance since 1994, a cloud of controversy surrounds the coach. Rather than wondering whether the Knicks will...