Homework - Winter storm

Click HERE to watch a video. Read the story. Answer the questions.

New York, NY (2/25/2010) - Today New Yorkers are waiting for yet another powerful blast of winter.

A winter storm warning has been issued for the city through Friday afternoon. Most areas will see a mix of snow, sleet and rain, with total accumulations between five and eight inches.

The Sanitation Department says it's already in the process of outfitting 1,600 of its trucks with plow blades.

They also have 365 spreaders lined up and loaded with 170,000 tons of salt.

Workers are being put on 12-hour shifts for the next couple of days.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says it's too soon to tell whether schools will need to close.

"It's a long time away between now and Friday. My hope is that the snow will stay to the north and west of us, and we'll just have rain," said the mayor. "Our kids need another school day. We will cancel school only if it would really be dangerous to get the kids into school."

The Sanitation Department says it will not send out the plows until at least two inches of snow is on the ground.

Consolidated Edison says it will have extra workers ready to respond in case the power goes out.

Meanwhile, New Yorkers spent most of Wednesday stocking up on supplies needed to keep their property clear.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) How many inches of snow is supposed to fall this time?

4) How many tons of salt has the city got stored up?

5) What did Mayor Bloomberg say about the schools?

6) What does Con Ed have ready in case the power goes out?

Info from NY1 

Homework - 4 Dead in Murder-Suicide

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Story:

Queens, NY (2/22/2010) - Four members of a Queens family were killed Monday in what investigators say appears to be a murder suicide.

A murder suicide is when a person kills someone and then kills himself. The police think that the father killed his family and then killed himself.

A relative called police after he could not get in touch with the family.

The father, whose name is Mark Bailey, 40, was later found with a gunshot wound to the head and a rifle at his feet inside the family's Springfield Gardens home.

According to sources, his wife Dionne Bailey, 42, and his daughters, Yanique Bailey, 19, and Yolanne Bailey, 14, were discovered in separate bedrooms, all with gunshot wounds to the head.

A note of apology was found on the kitchen table, sources say.

"The sad thing about all of this is the fact that someone reaches the point in their life where they would think in terms of taking the life of their life and their two teenage daughters," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. "It's just incomprehensible to me that something like this would occur."

Brown says Bailey was a school bus driver based in Nassau County. His wife was an assistant principal at A. Philip Randolph High School in Manhattan. And, the youngest daughter was a student at Cardozo High School in Queens.

NY1 has been told that grief counselors have been sent to both schools.

The oldest daughter was a college student.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What was the name of the father?

4) What the mother's job?

5) How old were the two daughters?

6) What is a murder suicide?

Homework - Puerto Ricans have to get new birth certificates after July 1st

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Bronx, NY (2/19/2010) - Identity theft is when someone steals your social security number or birth certificate so they can stay in the USA or use your information to borrow money in your name and leave you to pay it back.

Identity thieves interested in buying someone else's birth certificate may not have to look very hard, as Puerto Ricans in New York say a certificate from Puerto Rico is easy to find.

The government of Puerto Rico says hundreds of thousands of copies of birth certificates from the island are floating around unprotected and can sell for as much as $10,000.

"Puerto Ricans are selling the birth [certificates]," said one Bronx resident. "They got so many in here pretending to be Puerto Rican, but they are not."

An old law said that Puerto Ricans had to leave original copies of their birth certificates in a bunch of public and private offices as they filled out paperwork. So people got hold of these birth certificates and started to sell them.

"If you physically look Latino or physically look Puerto Rican, and you show up with a Puerto Rican birth certificate, no questions are asked," said Bronx Congressman Jose Serrano. "Because Puerto Ricans, as you know, are born American citizens and can just leave Puerto Rico and travel to the United States."

Now, a new law that starts on July 1 will force anyone born in Puerto Rico to get a new birth certificate.

This law will mean that the old birth certificates will no longer be accepted and thieves will no longer be able to sell them and steal your identity.

Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What is identity theft?
4) How much can a Puerto Rican birth certificate sell for?
5) When will the new law start?
6) What does the new law force Puerto Ricans to do?

Info and video from NY1

Homework - Reefs in Belize Dying

Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.

Story:

Belize (1/25/2010) - The coral reefs off the coast of Belize are really important to that country. A lot of people from Belize depend on the coral reef for food. The reef is home to over 500 different kinds of fish. The people catch them so that they can eat them for dinner...Also many people travel there to look at the fish. This brings in $100 million dollars a year for the country.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch hit Belize and destroyed parts of the reef. Then a weather system called El Nino brought in a lot of super hot water onto the reef and that basically cooked the reef. This is called bleaching.

Right now there are piles of dead coral all over the  reef. A scientist named Melanie McField studied the reef and she says that 48% of the reef is dead.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) How many different kinds of fish live there?

4) How many dollars does Belize earn from people coming to look at the fish?

5) When did Huuricane Mitch hit Belize?

6) What is it called when the reef cooks?

7) What percent of the reef is dead?

Info from the Guardian and Nat. Geo.

homework - Prisoner escapes from the Bronx Court

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Story:

Bronx, NY (2/9/10) - Police are asking for the public's help in finding a prisoner who escaped Tuesday morning from the Bronx Criminal Court.

Police say Michael Bautista, 22, was released from custody after pretending he was another prisoner during arraignment (court).

Police say he was arrested for a domestic violence charge but was mistakenly released on a driving with a suspended license charge.

Bautista is described as being 6' tall, 180 pounds with black hair, brown eyes and a tattoo of a red scorpion on the left side of his neck and a star tattoo on the right.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What was the name of the guy that escaped?

4) How did he escape from court?

5) What was he arrested for?

6) Do you think the police will catch him again?

Info from NY1

homework - 6 train stations closed

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Bronx, NY (2/8/10) - A rough ride to work may be in store for some Number 6 train riders in the Bronx over the next few months.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has closed the Morrison Avenue-Soundview and Whitlock Avenue stations for renovation (fixing) work that is expected to last through mid-September.

Riders can get free transfers to the BX4 bus, which will take them to the Elder Avenue and Simpson Street stations.

For more information, go online to mta.info.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What train is going to have two stations closed?

4) What stations are going to be closed?

5) What bus will you have to transfer to if you want to go to these stations?

6) When will the stations reopen?

7) Why were the stations closed in the first place?

Info from NY1

Homework -Boy with BB gun shot

Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.

Story:

Brooklyn, NY (2/6/2010) - A  man with a BB gun  was shot by police in Brooklyn early Saturday morning and  is now facing charges.

James Crockett, 61, is charged with criminal possession of a disguised gun and menacing.

Police say Crockett was shot after a brief stand off with three uniformed officers on Linden Street in Bushwick just before 1:30 a.m.

They say the officers took cover behind parked cars and told Crockett to drop his weapon, but that he turned toward them with the gun and refused to put it down.

One of the officers fired twice, hitting Crockett in the left side of his torso and thigh.

He is now recovering at Elmhurst Hospital.

Police say the gun they recovered, seen above, was a BB gun.

Questions:

1) Where did the story take place?

2) When did the story take place?

3) What is name of the man who pointed his gun at the police?

4) How old is the man?

5) What hospital did he go to?

6) How many times was he shot?

7) WHat is he charged with?

Info from NY1

Homework -Principal fired

Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.

Story:

Brooklyn, NY (2/2/2010) - It just keeps getting worse for Paul Robeson High School.

Last week, the Department of Education said the school will officially close in three and a half years, after the current freshman class has had time to graduate. 

This past Tuesday, students and teachers learned that Ira Weston, the principal for the past 12 years, will not be coming back to work.

"Monday, Mr. Westin was here and spoke with the faculty. Tuesday morning, Mr. Weston was not here and we were told by our network leader that Mr. Weston would not be returning and there were immediate changes that were necessary," said Paul Robeson High School Assistant Principal Joseph Brooks.


The DOE told the embattled school community that Weston is under investigation but they did not say why. Students and faculty don't really know why he was fired either.

People have been saying that Weston was drunk on school property. NY1 spent several days at the school last month, but never interviewed Weston on camera, since he was out sick most of the time NY1's crew was there.

Staffers tell NY1 he's scheduled for surgery next week. Sources in the department say Weston's performance as principal has been disappointing for years, but students gave him mixed reviews.

"I think that he has been fired because of the graduation rate and the absences and stuff. And all of the confusion in the school and stuff," said Paul Robeson High School student Guerline Casimir.

"Maybe because there was a lot of fights in the school. A lot of fights. And principals are supposed to prevent violence from happening in the school," said Paul Robeson High School student Carlaysia Manigault

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What is the name of the principal that was fired?

4) Why do the students think he was fired?

5) How many years was he the principal?

Info from NY1

Homework -Bar fighting firemen

Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.

Story:

Brooklyn, NY (1/29/10) - The city's Department of Investigation and NYPD have started investigations into a bar fight last week that involved some firemen.

Members of Brooklyn's Engine 310 Ladder 174 -- who were all off duty -- were in  a bar called the Salty Dog last Friday.

Sources say trouble began when a firefighter spilled a drink on somebody who reacted by punching him in the face.

Several other firefighters and other bar patrons got involved.

Some of them may have been trying to break up the fight, but more fighting quickly broke out.


Sources say the brawl lasted just a couple of minutes, until security broke it up. 

The entire thing was caught on a  video and the cops are looking at it.

Now, four of the men have  filed complaints saying they were assaulted by the firefighters.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What was the name of the bar where the firefighters had the fight?

4) How did the fight start?

5) How many men filed complaints against the firemen?

6) What do you think? Who was wrong? Why?

homework - Seniors with no heat

Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer  the questions.

Bronx, NY (1/30/10) - Residents of a senior housing complex in the Highbridge section of the Bronx say they are struggling to keep warm at the expense of their own health. 

At the Fannie Lou Hamer senior apartment complex on Walton Avenue, dozens of bundled up seniors crowded the hallways Saturday eager to tell NY1 about the lack of heat in their building and how they're suffering.

"It's very, very cold. You can't take it," said 78-year-old resident Geraldine Rollins.

Berta Barry is disabled. Her home attendant, Brenda Lalin, dressed for a walk in the snow, wears a hat and full jacket inside and says she feels terrible for Ms. Barry.

"She tells me it's too cold, I can't sleep. I tell her I can't do anything," Lalin said.

The recreation room in the complex is frigid with no heat and a broken thermostat on the wall. And the higher up you go in the building, the colder it gets.

Lee Samuel, 78, lives on the seventh floor. He suffered a stroke last year and says the cold air seeps into his bones. He leaves all four stove burners on through the night to comfort him -- a dangerous fire hazard.

"We paying rent here. This shouldn't be. I pushed around the window and everything, and it's not coming through the window or anything, it's just cold," Samuel said.

"The administration don't put no attention to us when we complain about something," said 76-year-old resident Francisco Cardoza.

Every resident NY1 spoke to says they have called the building management, Mid-Bronx Senior Citizen Council, dozens of times but nothing changes.

"Every year I have to put up with this," Rollins said. "I can't afford to move, where can I go?"

NY1 has reached out to the building management to get some answers and see that the problem is fixed. As of late Saturday, NY1 was still waiting to hear back.

In the meantime, seniors at the complex said they hope it doesn't take a tragedy like someone getting seriously sick or even dying before something gets done.

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) Why are all the seniors in the apartment complex complaining?

4) What is Lee Samuel doing at night to keep warm?

5) Why do you think that the building management does not fix the heat?

6) How would having no heat in your building affect your life?

Info and video from NY1

Homework - Mobile DTV!

Click HERE to watch the video. Read the story. Answer the questions.

Story:

Las Vegas, Nevada (2/1/10) - Back in the day one of the very few mobile devices you could own was a small TV that you could put in your kitchen or set up in your garage. Remember the rabbit ears? 

Yet, for the hundreds of thousands of things our cell phones can do, watching live TV is the one thing you can't do automatically. But that will change this year, thanks to Mobile Digital TV. 

Mobile Digital TV will let you watch live TV on your cell phone.

As far as the signal goes, developers of the technology are saying that it is clear with no static.

"This signal looks pretty much perfect all the time, if you go through a six mile long tunnel you'll lose it but other than that you get a really great picture because it's digital, it doesn't have the snow or flutter or things like that," said Tim Laud of Zenith Electronics.

For those who have a WiFi enabled phone like an iPhone or certain Blackberries, an app called "Tivit" will allow users to go to a WiFi hotspot where it will transmit a DTV signal to their phone.

Mobile DTV devices are set to begin testing with consumers in Washington D.C. in the spring, with some going on sale by the end of the year

Questions:

1) Where did this story take place?

2) When did this story take place?

3) What does Mobile digital TV do?

4) What is the iphone TV app going to be called?

5) How is the signal going to be?

6) What do you think of TV on your cell phones? Would you like it or not?

Info from NY1