Roger Clemens to NY

THE ROCKET HAS LANDED
Roger Clemens returned to the New York Yankees, making a dramatic announcement to fans from the owner's box during Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners. At the end of the seventh-inning stretch, Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard told fans to turn their attention to the box, where Clemens was standing with a microphone. As the video scoreboard in right-center showed Clemens, who made the announcement himself.

Reverend McGreevey?

Reverend McGreevey?
James E. McGreevey, the nation's first openly gay governor, has become an Episcopalian and wants to become a priest in that faith, according to a published report. McGreevey, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, was officially received into the Episcopal religion on Sunday at St. Bartholomew's Church in Manhattan, said the Rev. Kevin Bean.

Wife of Former New Jersey Governor Says She Never Knew He Was Gay

Posted: Tuesday, 01 May 2007 12:27PM

CHICAGO (AP) -- The estranged wife of the nation's first openly gay governor fired back at her husband during an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show,'' saying she never knew he was gay.

"He kind of gave me the news in cowardly installments,'' said Dina Matos McGreevey, who is in the process of divorcing former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey.

The former governor told the world in August 2004 he was "a gay American'' and had an extramarital affair with a male aide. He resigned months later.

"I felt like my world had crumbled and my life was over,'' Matos McGreevey said. "In the course of the three days of his explanation and confession to me, it was clear to me that he never loved me.''

Oprah Winfrey interviewed Matos McGreevey in a show that aired Tuesday, the same day "Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage,'' was published by Hyperion Books.

"No one ever said to me that he was gay,'' she said. "It's a cliche that the wife is always the last to know, and it's true.''

'Spider-Man 3' premieres at Tribeca

Event held in Astoria, New York

Sometimes, the venue is so unorthodox, the concept so ambitious, the movie itself such a draw that the night becomes one of those you-had-to-be-there spectacles.

Monday night's U.S. preem of "Spider-Man 3" for a crowd 3,000 strong joined that short list, though not in quite the same way as other mega-events in New York -- "X-Men" on Ellis Island, "Godzilla" at Madison Square Park or "King Kong" in Times Square. Those were established settings compared with the unlikely one for this bash: a 14-screen Regal multiplex in Astoria, Queens, roughly the East Coast equivalent of Van Nuys.

Why Astoria, land of car dealerships and Archie Bunker? Two main reasons: It's the hometown of Spidey alter-ego Peter Parker, and the Tribeca Film Festival's endless quest to bring movies to the masses.

After a parade of stars, marching bands and balloons wound its way to the theater, a line of several hundred people started wrapping around the complex as the 7:30 start time came and went. They were separated by metal police barricades from the neighborhood's modest homes, used furniture stores and auto body shops. Staff from Sony was around the corner and mostly inside the front doors. Out on the street, it wasn't at all clear whether the line would be moving.

Would some of the 14 screens start the movie? Would they reach capacity? No one outside had any information. "I dunno, do we have room for a couple theaters more in there?" one of the lone headsetted staffers asked someone inside. Suddenly, it was Blackberries at 10 paces. "Hi, is she in?" impatient attendees asked, phoning offices of people who might know people who could allow a VIP to cut this DMV-like line. Guests huddled to see if a wiser move would be to cut bait and go have dinner. The limo was warming up around the corner. Which way to Manhattan again? The time was 7:55.

The line miraculously moved. "If you have actual tickets, enter this way!" one staffer announced periodically. All but a few people kept shuffling along, gritting whitened teeth. The doors were finally in sight, across from a modest set of bleachers occupied by a few dozen hardy stargazers.

Inside, it was barely controlled chaos. Concession stands quickly ran out of supplies. "Everybody take your seats, please, the movie is about to start!" one employee called out, sounding like that rube in "Animal House" crying out "All is well!" The time was 8:15.

Finally, the lights went down. It was 8:30, an hour late. When the expensive, shimmering summer popcorn action had let up, it was time for the crowd to head down the block, to another line, past chain stores and a school bearing the proud sign "this is a drug-free school zone!" for the vibrant, red-bedecked after-party at the fabled Kaufman-Astoria Studios.

Once curiosity and appetite were sated, the final quest: finding the way back across the East River past midnight. The security personnel were not completely sure of directions to the subway. "Maybe follow those people?" one suggested. "I think it's 34th," another offered. "No, 31st. No, 33rd." Right on cue, a taxi appeared.

Related review: 'Spider-Man 3'

Miss America Won't Testify in L.I. Sting Casesutor:

Posted: Tuesday, 01 May 2007 12:01PM



HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (AP) -- An undercover sex sting on Long Island starring Miss America may have bombed after the beauty queen told prosecutors that she would not return to testify.

Lauren Nelson, of Lawton, Okla., worked with police in Suffolk County to target would-be Internet sexual predators, taped for an episode of the television show "America's Most Wanted.'' She posed as a teenager and lured men into chatting online and meeting her at a Bay Shore home, where police and crews were waiting. Eleven men were arrested in the sting.

But one or all of the cases against the men could be in jeopardy after Nelson told prosecutors she did not plan on returning to Long Island to testify, said Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota in Newsday's Tuesday edition.

NYC Air Quality Report to Be Released

Posted: Tuesday, 01 May 2007 11:25AM

NYC Air Quality Report to Be Released
It's not getting any easier to breathe in New York City.

The American Lung Association has a new report showing that air quality has deteriorated across all five boroughs in the past year. The eighth annual air pollution report said that ozone pollution or smog is highest on Staten Island, and particle pollution, otherwise known as soot, has substantially worsened on Staten Island, as well as in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Corzine Leaves Hospital 18 Days After Crash

Posted: Monday, 30 April 2007 4:14PM

Corzine Leaves Hospital 18 Days After Crash

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) -- An emotional Gov. Jon S. Corzine was discharged from a hospital Monday, 18 days after an automobile crash in which he sustained critical injuries.