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The Week In Review: Yonkers Rescue, L.I. 'Mayhem,' and Charlie Sheen

By Philip J. Victor, CBSNewYork.com

The big stories that came to our attention this week evoked a range of reactions.  There was admiration for the firefighters who came to the rescue of two construction workers in Yonkers, shock over the weapons cache found on a gunman on Long Island and both laughter and head shaking over the network media circus that was Charlie Sheen.

Charlie Sheen's Public Feud With CBS

Charlie Sheen
(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

Charlie Sheen said he was not bi-polar, but rather "bi-winning."  CBS Executives, however, could wave bye bye to Sheen and pull the plug on the top-rated show.  While the actor said the show was "absolutely...coming back," the network had no comment.  Following appearances on radio stations featuring bizarre rants on topics including Alcoholic's Anonymous, party girls and his ex-wife, the network stopped production of "Two and a Half Men" for the remainder of the season.  The announcement drew even more of Sheen's ire and he took it out in appearances on NBC and ABC.  "It's going to cost them a lot more because they're on a battlefield," said Sheen, who will reportedly sue for mental anguish.  CBS CEO Les Moonves shot back at Sheen saying: "Sheen is on the air quite a bit these days. I wish he would have worked this hard to promote himself for an Emmy." WATCH VIDEO

Bellmore Gunman Shoots EMT After Accident

Gun and Truck (Nassau Police)
(Photo/Nassau County Police)

Nassau County Police said 31-year-old Jason Beller, of Commack, was "was out to commit mayhem." After crashing his truck into a utility pole on Tuesday night, Beller was approached by emergency personnel, who were trying to assist a man they believed to be an injured civilian.  But as they went to help, authorities said he got out of his vehicle with a modified AK-47 assault rifle and began shooting.  He shot and wounded 20-year-old EMT Justin Angell, who was released from the hospital on Thursday.  Among the weapons found on Beller were a rifle strapped to his chest, a small semi-automatic pistol in his pocket, a revolver on his lap and a TEC-9 within easy reach.  Despite the shooting, authorities said the situation could have ended up much worse. WATCH VIDEO

Firefighters Rescue Yonkers Construction Workers

yonkers-scaffold-rescue
(Photo/CBS 2)

The dramatic rescue unfolded on live television as firefighters attempted to rescue two Yonkers construction workers hanging precariously from their emergency harnesses.  The two men, who were apparently working on the facade around the 13th or 14th floor when their scaffolding gave way, were dangling from the building for more than an hour.  Firefighters decided they would have to go down the side of the building themselves to bring the workers to safety.  Firefighter and rescue operations expert Mike Giroux rappelled not once, but twice to return the men to ground level. "I don't consider myself a hero," Giroux said. "This is just something that I was fortunate enough to be here today, I was fortunate to be picked to go over to do this." WATCH VIDEO

Woman Wrecks Rockland Liquor Store

liquor-store-mayhem
(Photo/CBS 2)

A woman went on a bottle breaking rampage in a West Nyack liquor store Tuesday after having an argument with a store clerk.  Mahogany Morrow could be seen on video heading to the back of the store and clearing parts of a shelf on her way out.  The angry son of the store owner said: "in 25 years in this business I've never seen something like this."  The following day, however, the woman spoke with CBS 2 to try and explain her behavior.  Morrow called the incident "a big mistake" and said: "I am apologetic. That's not me. That's not my character. That's not my demeanor." Morrow argued the clerk's use of the phrase "you people" set her off.  "Either way, no excuse what she did," store manager Chris Giacopelli said. WATCH VIDEO

City Could Close 110 Senior Centers

senior-centers
(Photo/Marla Diamond, WCBS 880)

Senior citizen's battled this week to block the closing of 110 senior centers in New York City. A series of rallies and meetings were held this week across the city protesting the proposed closures. In Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed state budget, Title XX funding for city senior centers was eliminated to the tune of more than $25 million. "For the governor of the state of New York to close down senior centers suggests to me that he is cold and heartless," Councilmember Letitia "Tish" James said in Brooklyn, the hardest borough to be hit by the potential closures. Gertrude Lerner told 1010 WINS' Stan Brooks that seniors, like herself, will be lost without the centers."They get depressed, they get lonely, they die before their time only because they have nowhere to go to give meaning to their lives." WATCH VIDEO

SOUND-OFF: Did we miss a story you thought was more important?  Have an opinion about any of these stories?  Let us know in the comments section below...

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