Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.
The Bronx (11/30/09) - It's a scene all too familiar in the Bronx. Family and friends crying over the death of a loved one killed by a bullet. This time it's 17-year-old Issi Dominiguez. He was shot in the head on Sunday when a gunman fired into a group he was with. They were leaving a party on Tiebout Avenue in the Fordham section.
"He was a helpful gentleman, he would always help all of the older ladies with the groceries. He was a good boy. He didn't deserve this," said the victim's cousin Alexus Drakeford.
The 17-year-old's family and friends say he was going to high school and was never in trouble. They say those who know what happened should come forward and tell the police.
"You better snitch, we are going to find him. We are going to find whoever did it, I don't care," said the victim's friend Ruthie Gomez.
Dominiguez wasn't the only shooting victim this past weekend in the Bronx. Police report at least five people were shot, two of whom were killed.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been battling gun violence and the sale of illegal guns and says more has to be done by politicians and the community.
Bloomberg said. "We try to improve our schools that will, long-term we think, reduce the crime rate."
"I would like for you to report to the governor, mayor, the borough president, the City Council -- give our kids jobs. Get them off the street, they have no place to go. We need community centers for them," said community activist Louella Hatch.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What was the name of the teenager that was shot?
4) How many people were shot in the Bronx this past weekend?
5) The teenager was shot walking home from a party. His friends want anyone who knows something to "snitch". How do you feel about that? Would you tell the police if you knew who shot him? Why or why not?
Info and video from NY1
Monday, November 30, 2009
Homework -Cell Phones in School?
Read the story. Answer the questions.
WESLEY CHAPEL, Florida (Friday, 11/27/09): High School teacher Ariana Leonard's students waited in their seats for her to tell them what to do."Take out your cell phones," she said in Spanish.
The teens pulled out an array of colorful flip phones, iPhones and SideKicks. They divided into groups and Leonard began sending them text messages in Spanish: Find something green. Go to the cafeteria. Take a picture with the school secretary.
Leonard's class at Wiregrass Ranch High School in Wesley Chapel, a middle-class Florida suburb about 30 miles north of Tampa, is one of a growing number around the country that are abandoning traditional policies of banning cell phones. Instead teachers are using them to teach class lessons. Spanish vocabulary becomes a digital scavenger hunt. Notes are copied with a cell phone camera. Text messages serve as homework reminders.
Much more attention has gone to the ways students might use phones to cheat or take inappropriate pictures. But as the technology becomes cheaper, more advanced and more ingrained in students' lives that way of thinking is changing.
Today's phones are the equivalent of small computers — able to check e-mail, do Internet searches and record podcasts. Meanwhile, most school districts can't afford a computer for every student.
"Because there's so much in the media about banning cell phones and how negative phones can be, a lot of people just haven't considered there could be positive, educative ways to use cell phones," said Liz Kolb, author of "From Toy to Tool: Cell Phones in Learning."
Even districts with tough anti-use policies acknowledge they will eventually need to change.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What was the High School teacher's name?
4) What did she use cell phones to do in her class?
5) Why are cell phones against the rules in most schools?
6) Why are some schools letting students have their phones during school?
7) What is your opinion? Should we let students have cell phones in schools? Why or why not?
Info and video from Yahoo
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
homework - Illegal Gun Bust
Story:
New York City (11/23/09) - Undercover New York City Police Department officers have removed dozens of illegal guns off city streets after busting a Florida-to-New York gun trafficking ring.Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the police announced the bust on Monday.
They say it took undercover cops three months to arrest Ryan Woodard, 27, and Watson Joaquin, 22, for buying the weapons at gun shows in Florida, then taking them to Brooklyn to sell illegally.
"I don't know how many murders you have to have before people say enough is enough. Or maybe they will start to realize that it could be them or their child," said the mayor.
Both both men were found guilty of multiple sales of a firearm in the first degree. They face up to 25 years in prison.
The police took 28 semiautomatic pistols, three assault rifles, and three sawed-off shotguns. They were often sold fully loaded, ready to be fired.
City leaders want criminals to know these guns have no place in New York neighborhoods.
"We have to get the guns out of the hands of criminals and out of the hands of children,” Bloomberg said.
Officials also used Monday's announcement to talk about the city's Gun Stop program. In this program, you get $1,000 for giving the police about some information about someone carrying an illegal gun.
Anyone who wants to give the police some information about an illegal gun can call 1-866-GUN-STOP or 311.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) Name the two guys that got arrested.
4) How many years could they go to prison for?
5) How many guns did the police take off the criminals?
6) Where did the two guys get the guns?
7) Where did the two guys sell the guns?
8) How much money do you get if you give the police some information about illegal guns?
Info and video from NY1
Monday, November 23, 2009
Homework - 9-11 Suspect to Plead Not Guilty
Lawyer Scott Fenstermaker says the terror suspect Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, and the others will not deny their role in the attacks. Instead they are going to explain why they did the attacks.
Fenstermaker says the suspects will tell the jury their political views and their feelings about how America treats the world.
Earlier this month, the Attorney General announced the suspects would be tried in a downtown federal court that's located just a few blocks away from the World Trade Center site.
Some people have criticized the location of the 9-11 trial. They say that having the trial so close to the World Trade Center is just going to cause a whole lot of drama.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What are the terror suspects going to plead?
4) Name one of the terror suspects.
5) Where will the trial be held?
6) Why have some people criticized the trial location?
7) Do you think that this is a good location for the 9-11 trial? Why or why not?
Info and video from NY1
Friday, November 20, 2009
homework - Sexual Harassment on the 4,5, or 6 train
Click HERE for the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.
The chief of the Transit Bureau says sexual harassment most common on the number 4, 5, and 6 lines in Manhattan and occurs during the morning and evening rush hours.
Complaints are up 4%t from last year -- 564 last year, 587 this year
Many women NY1 spoke with say they've come to expect sexual harassment when riding the train.
"Sometimes when it's really crowded like now, a guy will come hold the bar and push against you. Usually, I just quickly move," said one female subway rider.
The NYPD believes many women aren't reporting sex offenses on the subway either because they're ashamed or they think that the police won't find the guy.
Many women NY1 spoke with say they've come to expect sexual harassment when riding the train.
"Sometimes when it's really crowded like now, a guy will come hold the bar and push against you. Usually, I just quickly move," said one female subway rider.
The NYPD believes many women aren't reporting sex offenses on the subway either because they're ashamed or they think that the police won't find the guy.
Police say the most important weapon in their fight is getting women to report crimes.
Authorities say if you're harassed on the subway you should report the incident immediately and if you can, snap a picture.
Police say cell phone photos have been instrumental in catching suspects.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) How much percent has sexual harassment increased this year?
4) How many complaints did the police get last year?
5) How many complaints this year?
6) What should women do if they are being sexually harassed on the train?
Video and info from NY1
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Homework - Gender Discrimination at B&H
Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.
Story:
Manhattan - One of the nation's largest camera and video retailers was slapped with a $7 million lawsuit Wednesday over accusations it failed to hire or promote females.Four women are suing B&H Photo and Video, saying they were not hired or promoted because of their gender.
Three of the women say they recently applied for jobs and were turned down.
The fourth, Nakisha Cushie, says she's been refused a promotion for a better paying sales job.
"I was very upset, I didn't find it fair that they told me I couldn't get the job because I am a woman," said Nakisha Cushnie.
This is not the first time B&H has been the target of a discrimination lawsuit. Two years ago, the federal equal opportunity employment commission accused the company of failing to hire and promote hispanics.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) How much is B&H being sued for?
4) How many women are suing B&H?
5) What did Nakisha Cushie say B&H refused to give her?
6) Do you think women should have the same chance to get promoted as men? Why or why not?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Homework - Everyone Should Get Sick Days
Story:
New York City - The City Council introduced a law on Tuesday that would make all employers in NYC give paid sick days to their workers.Public officials from the White House on down have encouraged those with flu symptoms to stay home. But what happens if you don’t get paid sick days and cannot afford not to go to work?
"Think about going to breakfast in the morning, and ordering a bagel, and getting a side dish of H1N1(swine flu), because the person who served it was not feeling well," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
The City Council held a hearing Tuesday on a bill that would require all employers in the city to provide up to nine paid sick days.
On one side, the local business owners say that they can not afford to pay for sick days. They say this would force them to cut salaries and benefits, lay off workers or relocate altogether.
"Pile on another expense to us, you’re gonna put people out of business. You’re gonna encourage people to move their business out of New York City. I’m a mile from New Jersey. It’s a hop over the bridge. And it’s very tempting," said Tom Scarangello of Scaran Heating & Air Conditioning Owner.
On the other side of the issue is a bunch of people like labor groups and elected officials. They say almost half of the city’s workforce has no paid sick days.
Mayor Bloomberg said "Everybody would love to be able to have paid sick leave, and at the same time, it’s true that a lot of small businesses probably can’t afford it, and so we’ve got to find some ways of balancing those two things."
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What did the city council want to give all NYC workers?
4) What did the business owners say about the law?
5) What did the Mayor think about the law?
6) How many sick days would the new law provide?
Info and video taken from NY1
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
homework - Army Mom Refuses to go to War b/c of Child
Read the story. Look at the picture. Answer the questions.
SAVANNAH, Georgia (Monday, 11/16/09). – An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her baby son while she was overseas.
Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems.
Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson's superiors told her she would have to deploy anyway and place the child in foster care.
"For her it was like, 'I couldn't abandon my child,'" Sussman said. "She was really afraid of what would happen, that if she showed up they would send her to Afghanistan anyway and put her son with child protective services."
Hutchinson, who is from Oakland, Calif., remained confined Monday to the boundaries of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, 10 days after military police arrested her for skipping her unit's flight. No charges have been filed, but a spokesman for the Army post said commanders were investigating.
Kevin Larson, a spokesman for the Army, said he didn't know what Hutchinson was told by her commanders, but he said the Army would not deploy a single parent who had nobody to care for his or her child.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What is the name of the army mom that is facing charges?
4) Why was she arrested?
5) Why did she refuse to go to Afghanistan?
6) What would you have done in the same situation?
Info, pic, and slideshow taken from Yahoo News
Monday, November 16, 2009
Homework - Bk Bar Fight Leaves One Person Dead
Story:
Cypress Hills, Brooklyn - An investigation is underway into a police involved shooting in Brooklyn that left one man dead and two others injured early Sunday morning.It happened inside a packed sports bar on Norwood Avenue in Cypress Hills.
Police say a large fight broke out, with people throwing bar stools before shots were fired.
One of the officers fired three shots at Donovan Wilson, 19, when they saw him walking out of the bar with a gun. He was treated at Jamaica Hospital.
Officers later returned gunfire at Kevin White, 43, who began shooting inside the bar. The officers fired one round, striking White in the neck. He was pronounced dead at Brookdale Hospital.
Witnesses say the officers identified themselves when arriving on scene.
A third individual was also struck.
The police took three guns from the scene.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) How many people died?
4) How many people were injured?
5) What was the name of the guy who died?
6) How many guns did the police take from the scene?
7) Some people say that crimes like this bar fight just prove that there are too many guns on the street. What do you think? Should regular people be allowed to own guns? Or should ONLY the police be allowed to carry guns? Defend your answer.
Friday, November 13, 2009
homework - Coney Island sold for $96 million
The city will purchase 6.9 acres, mostly situated along the waterfront, making 11 acres of a proposed 12.5-acre amusement park public property.
The mayor also said in the City Hall press conference that 10 acres would be ready for business by next summer.
City officials want to turn the area in several years into a year-round entertainment destination with hotels, restaurants, retail space and a new roller coaster.
Sources tell NY1 that private developer Joe Sitt will retain 6.5 acres in Brooklyn to build hotels, restaurants and stores.
The group "Save Coney Island" says the city needs to purchase all the land or Coney Island's future will still be at risk.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) when did this story take place?
3) How much is the city buying the 10 acres in Coney Island for?
4) What does the city plan to build on the land?
5) How many acres did Joe Sitt keep?
6) What does the group "Save Coney Island" think?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Pesky Pirates Still Taking Ships on African Coast!
STORY:
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Pirates have hijacked a Panamanian-flagged ship with 18 crew off the east coast of Africa 10 days ago.The Juba General Trading Company had hired the ship to carry cargo from the United Arab Emirates to Mogadishu, Somalia.
There are 18 people on board.
When the company called the ship, a pirate answered the phone and said it had been hijacked. He said that the bandits were demanding a $3 million ransom. The man refused to give his name for fear of arrest. He said the ship was captured 10 days ago about 60 miles off the Somali coast.
The latest hijacking means Somali pirates are holding 11 ships with more than 200 people being kept as hostages, including a British couple seized from their personal yacht late last month.
QUESTIONS:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) How many people were on the ship?
4) How much ransom are they demanding?
5) How many ships do the pirates have in total?
6) How many people are they holding in total?
Info and slideshow from YAHOO!
Monday, November 9, 2009
homework - Fire in Queens Kills 3
Story:
Queens - The house fire that killed three people in Queens early Saturday morning is raising concerns over the city's 911 dispatch system.Fire investigators say the flames broke out around 2:45 a.m. inside the basement of a home on 65th Street in Woodside.
Fire officials say two people died in the house and one later died at Elmhurst Hospital.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association says precious response time was lost when firefighters were sent to the wrong address.
Under the new Unified Call Taker system, 911 operators dispatch firefighters directly instead of first transferring calls to the Fire Department.
In this case, fire officials say a dispatcher entered the wrong address by mistake, sending one unit down the street and delaying it about 40 seconds.
The fire department says errors are common with the new call system and even small delays
can cost lives.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) How many people died?
4) What did the 911 operator do wrong?
5) How many seconds was the fire department delayed?
Info and video taken from NY1
Friday, November 6, 2009
homework - Parade for the Yankees
Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.
The parade starts at 11 a.m. in Battery Park City and ends at City Hall.
The MTA recommends taking the 1, R, or W lines to Rector Street, or the E to the World Trade Center. You can also take the 2 or 3 train to Chambers or Wall Street and the J train to Broad Street.
After the parade, the team will receive keys to the city at City Hall.
This will be the Yankees' first parade since 2000 when they beat the Mets to win their third straight championship.
The sidewalks along the parade route along Broadway are open to members of the public.
About 500 lucky fans were given free tickets to see the Yankees get their keys through a giveaway earlier on Thursday.
For those without seats, there will be a large screen TV set up near City Hall Park.
Story:
New York City - More than two million people are expected to flood the streets of Lower Manhattan Friday as the city celebrates the Yankees' World Championship win with a ticker-tape parade.
The MTA recommends taking the 1, R, or W lines to Rector Street, or the E to the World Trade Center. You can also take the 2 or 3 train to Chambers or Wall Street and the J train to Broad Street.
After the parade, the team will receive keys to the city at City Hall.
This will be the Yankees' first parade since 2000 when they beat the Mets to win their third straight championship.
The sidewalks along the parade route along Broadway are open to members of the public.
About 500 lucky fans were given free tickets to see the Yankees get their keys through a giveaway earlier on Thursday.
For those without seats, there will be a large screen TV set up near City Hall Park.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) How many people are going to the parade?
4) What trains can you take to get to the parade?
5) Where will the parade begin?
6) Where will the parade end?
7) How many fans got free tickets?
Info and video taken from NY1. Due Mon 11/9
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
homework - Bloomberg is still the mayor.
Bloomberg finished with a 51 percent to 46 percent lead over his William Thompson.
"Today voters from every borough, and every background, every neighborhood and every nationality. From every party and every persuasion went to the polls and they chose progress," Bloomberg declared during his victory speech.
During his concession speech, Thompson thanked the dedication of his volunteers.
Bloomberg's re-election was made possible last fall when City Council members approved a controversial bill striking down the city's two-term limit law and extending it to three terms.
Bloomberg will now join Koch, Robert Wagner and Fiorello La Guardia as the city's only three-term mayors.
The victory makes Bloomberg the first New York City mayor elected to a third term since Ed Koch was elected for a third time on November 5, 1985.
Bloomberg spent $100 million of his own money on his campaign, which works out to be about $200 per vote.
The victory makes Bloomberg the first New York City mayor elected to a third term since Ed Koch was elected for a third time on November 5, 1985.
Bloomberg spent $100 million of his own money on his campaign, which works out to be about $200 per vote.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) Who won the election yesterday?
4) How much percent of the vote did Bloomberg get?
5) What law had to be changed in order for the mayor to run?
6) How much money did Bloomberg spend on his campaign?
Video and story from NY1
Monday, November 2, 2009
homework - American wins marathon for 1st time in 30 years!
Meb Keflezighi, 34, crossed the finish line just before noon finishing with a time of 2:09:15.
Keflezighi is the first American man to win the race since 1982. The East African native came to the U.S. with his parents when he was 12, and began running with his junior high school in San Diego. He won the silver medal in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics.
In Sunday's women's race, Derartu Tulu, 37, of Ethiopia crossed the finish line after pulling ahead in the final mile.
New Yorkers lined the streets early to cheer on more than 40,000 runners who made their way through the five boroughs.
"Awesome crowds here. We love New York," said one runner.
"I think it's very emotional, all these people are here for a single cause, to cheer people on and being excited about people running, people of all different countries and ethnicities -- I think its a gathering everyone gets together and is happy about it," said one spectator.
The race started out on the Staten Island side of the Verrazano Bridge and made its way 26.2 miles through the city before finishing in Central Park.
Top finishers on both the men's and women's side took home $130,000 in prize money.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) When was the last year that an American won the race?
4) What is the name of the man who won the race?
5) How long was the race (in miles)?
6) Where did the race start?
7) Where did the race end?
8) Who won the women's race?
Story and video taken from NY1
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