WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane On The Story

On reports of an 87 percent rise in MSG ratings, maybe it’s not a surprise to hear that MSG Network and Time Warner Cable have held their first meeting on their standoff since December.

The head of MSG media tells WFAN’s Mike Francesa that “now is the time to do a deal.”

Will Flaherty at seatgeek.com says ticket prices are rising to an average of $250 for Friday’s game and $300 for Sunday. CNBC’s Darren Rovell said on Twitter that Sunday’s price is up to $704.09.

“I think the best thing to do, really would just to be, quite really to look for some games… against Atlanta and against the Nets,” Flaherty told WCBS 880 reporter Paul Murnane.

At the Village Pourhouse, $10 gets you what the New York Pork post describes as Lintoxicated Bombs – shots of Japanese shoku liquor and Chinese beer.

It may not be your fault. New science suggests that genetics may cause your brain to be wired that way.

Angelica Boccella and her mother don’t always agree on her spending habits.

“A month ago, I had to bail her out, ahem,” said Angelica’s mother, Lisa.

Lisa admits she can understand her daughter’s love of shopping.

“When I was younger I remember just buying and buying and buying and it does run in the family. I have two sisters who shop a lot, her grandmother owns a pair of Louboutins,” said Lisa.

Expensive shoes aside, new research now backs up Boccella’s theory that “a love of shopping” is genetic. It may be no different from other family traits, like certain mannerisms, eye color, hair texture, even a laugh.

“When you look at the family and you look at the parents and the kids, there is a lot of resemblance,” said genetics expert Dr. Gil Altzmon.

Researchers from the University of Washington studied 15,000 sets of twins, since the early 1950s to come to the conclusion that you are either born to save or to spend. They found that the twins had the same spending patterns, even among those who had lost contact with one another.

Altzmon and other researches claim that this is due to a shared genetic background.

The study says that genetics is the single greatest reason why a person chooses to save or spend. The discovery has spawned a new field known as geno-economics. 

To Lisa and her mother the theory rings true.

“I think I was born this way,” said Angelica.

“I see it in my family and it’s true,” added her mother.

Psychologist April Benson specializes in compulsive spending. She told CBS 2′s Kristine Johnson that this new research could be key in helping the more than 13 million Americans dealing with this problem.

“If we believe that somebody is genetically determined to be a spender, then this might be the kind of person that we try and help enhance their financial self-control,” Benson said.

But, Dr. Altzmon says not so fast. Before you use this study as an excuse to hit the mall, remember, genetics is just one of many influences when it comes to spending.

“I think the environment in this case is much more prevalent,” he said.

And genetics aside, if you don’t have the money you can’t do what may come naturally.

The authors of the study say that by age 40 a person’s spending is almost fully governed by their genetic predispositions.

Are you a shopaholic? Does the rest of your family share your penchant for spending? Let us know in our comments section below…

WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs On The Story

“Every win, people come in more and more looking for jerseys and t-shirts,” said assistant manager Joe Rizzo.

Lin jerseys and towels greet you at the front door.

Rizzo says he’s hot.

“60 to 70 percent of the phone calls we get throughout the day are do we have Lin products. No matter what it is. Jerseys, shirts, whatever they can get their hands, that’s is what they want,” he told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs.

Rizzo said right now Lin merchandise is more popular than Super Bowl items.

The Knicks host the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden tonight at 7:30.

Do you have your Jeremy Lin merchandise? Discuss it in the comments section below!

WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau On The Story

Package store owners in Connecticut are not keen on repealing the blue laws. They see no benefit, but Malloy who is  fighting hard for repeal of the ban on Sunday liquor sales says Connecticut is losing a lot of money as shoppers there cross the borders on Sunday to buy wine, beer, and liquor.

“Let me assure you that the businesses in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island don’t want us to change our laws because they know they’re getting millions of dollars of sales from Connecticut that goes across the border to their states to access lower prices and more convenience,” Malloy told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau on Tuesday.

Malloy estimates Connecticut is losing about $600 million just on Sunday sales as folks there travel across state lines to buy not only beer, but cheaper gas too.

Do you think Connecticut’s blue laws should be repealed? Sound off in the comments section below!

A brand new program allows people to get green upgrades now and pay for them later in their monthly utility bill.

Ruth Lahey told CBS 2′s Elise Finch that poor insulation, inefficient lighting fixtures, and a faulty boiler were causing the utility bills in her Westchester County home to skyrocket.

“Our oil bills were very high. One of my kids’ bedrooms was extremely cold compared to the other bedroom, so I knew something was wrong,” said Lahey.

A new state program allows New Yorkers to make energy-efficient upgrades in their homes without paying any cash up front, it’s called the On-Bill Recovery Loan Program.

John Schott of the New York State Energy Authority explains that, “most of the measures that truly save a lot of energy are expensive. Through on-bill homeowners can now take advantage of upgrading their homes through energy-efficient improvements and make their payments through their utility bill.”

Homeowners first agree to a comprehensive home energy audit to identify areas to save energy. The next step is applying for a 2.99 percent loan. If approved the homeowner will be eligible for up to $25,000 to make necessary changes.

The loan is repaid each month through a line item on the homeowner’s utility bill.

Experts say that using the program can save homeowners money.

“Work that is done is actually paid for by the savings they’re going to realize every month,” said Mario Bruni of Bruni and Campisi Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.

There are no income limitations for homeowners wishing to participate in the program. Participants must have a credit score of at least 640 or a good payment history for both their mortgage and their utility bills. They must also own the property.

New Yorkers who apply now won’t have to start repaying the loan until June.

Will you be taking advantage of the new program? Let us know in our comments section below…

WCBS 880′s Rich Lamb On The Story

Dressed in one of his dark grey, conservative suits Bloomberg proclaimed, “We are the fashion capital of the world.”

RELATED: Best Bars to Celebrate Fashion Week

His Honor crows New York is home to double the number of fashion companies as Paris

“Based on new data from the city’s economic development corporation, Fashion Week’s two events this year will produce a record economic impact of $865 million,” Bloomberg said Monday.

Fashion, said the mayor, employs 173,000 people in New York and pays $10 billion in wages.

He also promoted a new mini MBA program at the Fashion Institute of Technology that will help people start their own labels.

Fashion Week continues through February 16.

The fair features everything from pillows to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You can get a look at all of the new toys by checking out the video below.

WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond On The Story

iPhone users will show up at Apple Stores here in the New York City area and around the globe to demand better protections for workers.

The Apple customers delivering the petitions to Grand Central and elsewhere around he world say they want the company to use it’s motto of “Think Different” when it comes to protecting its workers.

“I’m calling you right now from an iPhone. People love Apple. They’ve got great products, really durable, really ahead of the market. What they want is for Apple to be better,” Sarah Ryan of change.org.

Apple users began the petition drive following reports of worker deaths, child labor, and exposure to neurotoxins at Apple supplier factories in China.

“We really want Apple to keep creating these awesome products, but create them at the price of workers’ lives in China,” Ryan told WCBS 880 reporter Marla Diamond.

A quarter million users have signed on.

Apple has not commented on the petition drive or its labor practices.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS’ Terry Sheridan reports

“It’s crazy, I lost my voice.  I love my Giants, baby!” said Matt Ryan of North Arlington, N.J.

“It’s unbelievable. To win a world championship in New York City, the greatest city in the world, with the world’s greatest fans, is unbelievable,” punter Steve Weatherford told CBS 2′s Don Dahler.

WATCH THE PARADE: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

For some of the players, it was a repeat of the ticker-tape parade of that championship year, 2008. For most, it was an experience they have never come close to feeling and one they will never forget.

LISTEN: WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond Along The Parade Route

EXTRA: The View from Chopper 880

Manning was joined on his float by coach Tom Coughlin, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Giants chief executive John Mara and Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, among others.

PHOTOS: Victorious Giants Tweet Parade Day Pics

Players boarded their floats at Battery Place and Washington Street. They then headed up the Canyon of Heroes on Broadway, east on Worth Street and then south to Lafayette before ending on Duane Street.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg reports

Fans dressed in head-to-toe Giants gear started lining the streets as early as 6 a.m. for Tuesday’s parade in lower Manhattan, which kicked off at 11 a.m.

One group of fans at the corner of Battery Place and Broadway woke up early to snag the perfect spot along the Giants championship parade route.

“We got up at 3 a.m.,” said Jimmy Caruso from Staten Island. ”Got dressed and hopped on a ferry.”

“Just them winning is really cool, but to actually get to see this up close, it’s very exciting,” Giants fan Andrew Messite added.

Alexandra Rudnicki, a 92-year-old, die-hard New York sports fan, refused to miss the celebration.  She had her daughter leave her South Jersey home in the middle of the night so she could get picked up and secure some prime spots along the parade route.

“I wanted to see the greatest fellas in the world. They deserve everything they got here today,” Rudnicki told CBS 2′s Jessica Schneider.

And is wasn’t just about the fans. The players soaked up every minute of their victory march, many of them filming the parade from their floats as they drove by.

WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell: Confetti Rained On Lower Manhattan

“Thanks to the millions that came today. An unreal experience. Unbelievable,” tweeted Justin Trattou.

“I’m just happy to be a New Yorker right now baby,” safety Antrel Rolle told WFAN’s Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. “That’s what it’s about.”

“Parade is crazy #WORLDCHAMPS,” tweeted Terrell Thomas from the parade route.

The parade was followed by a ceremony at City Hall, where the Giants received a key to the city.

PHOTOS: Giants’ Ticker-Tape Parade

The Sanitation Department said crews picked up 34.2 tons of paper after the Giants’ 2008 parade. Street sweepers were out in full force as soon as fans left.  The department brought in more than 300 workers, 30 mechanical sweepers, 14 collection trucks and 129 leaf blowers to clear the streets.

The floats in Tuesday’s parade were made by Bond Parade Floats in Clifton, N.J., the same company that built the floats for the team four years ago.

The city estimated that the ticker-tape parade and celebration brought between $20 million and $38 million to city businesses and that the average parade-goer spent $23.

The Giants also celebrated their win with a rally at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey after the parade and City Hall ceremony.  An estimated 35,000 to 40,000 fans came out for that event.

Were you at the parade? Tell us about it in the comments section below…

The Record reported that the streets of Indianapolis remain ripe with alleged scalpers leading up to Sunday’s game, asking passersby if they “need tickets”.

Scalpers said that the presence of the Giants in the Super bowl has been good for business,

And scalpers say that they offer a better service than the online retailers.

“They’ve got to wait two or three weeks to get their money, and there’s all those fees they gotta pay,” said one particularly impatient scalper. “They’d be better off coming to us.”

As game time approaches the scalpers rely on Super Bowl economics to help drive up the price that fans are willing to pay for a seat.

“It will get down nice and low here,” said one scalper, “and then we’ll get $2,100 [reselling it later].”

How much would you be willing to pay for a ticket to the big game? Let us know in our comments section below…

WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman On The Story

To the west is a deli, a little boutique furniture store, and a few other small shops. To the east, the entire block is a Duane Reade, and a Chase bank.

“There’s a really sad thing. On the next block, Therapie just closed. It was small. It seemed to be one owner, one store.  They just have a lot more character than the biggest stores,” said Phyllis.

She says she’s all for the city planning department’s proposal, under which new storefronts could be no more than 40-feet-wide on Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues.

Broadway is too far gone already, they say.

“Children actually come up to me, I’ve been surprised, begging to keep the streetscape. They want to see a toy store,” said Coucilwoman Gale Brewer. “Because we love our mom and pops. I can’t tell you how much a neighborhood pharmacy means.”

Opponents including the Real Estate Board of New York say chain stores are popping up, because people appreciate them.

“It’s 24 hours, and a large store like this, can be 24 hours. A smaller store probably couldn’t afford the overhead,” said one shopper. “A large store like this – more jobs. Jobs is really what we need. So, when you have a large store, you have more people working there.”

The idea isn’t to keep chain stores out entirely, but to keep them from dominating.

Kenneth Yoo, owner of the party supply and stationary store Paper House on Amsterdam Avenue, tells 1010 WINS even though a store like Duane Reade is a drug store, their selection and store size cut into his business.

A Duane Reade on the Upper West Side - New York, NY - Feb 3, 2012 (credit: Alex Silverman / WCBS 880)

It’s believed the proposal for the Upper West Side could become a model for other parts of the city. It is, however, just a proposal at this point and would require approval from the City Council.

Where do you stand? Sound off in the comments section below!

Police tell The Journal News that 21-year-old Valerie Fajardo, of the Bronx, used a skimming device to capture the credit card information from unsuspecting customers at a Mamaroneck Staples between May and December.

Police say she then sold the information for $6,000 to a man who used it to create fraudulent credit cards to rack up more than $180,000 in purchases.

Fajardo was arrested Tuesday on charges of criminal possession of a forgery device, scheme to defraud and other charges and is being held without bail at the Westchester County jail in Valhalla. Information on her lawyer was not immediately available.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Joe Sparacio of Cora Housewares And Hardware in Riverdale told CBS2′s Vanessa Murdock that snow is his winter cash cow.

“We really count on the snow in january and February to get us through the winter months,” he said.

A lack of the white stuff means tough times.

“It’s been a challenge to keep the store going,” said Sparacio, “We’re praying for a little bit of snow.”

They aren’t the only ones. At the pedigree ski shop in White Plains ninety percent of the business is driven by the winter, as a result of this year’s weather sales are way down.

“This winter has been definitely tough because of the lack of snow right here on the ground and the warmer temperatures,” said Michael Furst.

But while the weather may be bad for some, for others it means big business.

Managers at the Westchester Golf Range say a mild winter is exactly what they need. Record breaking rain in 2011 meant a lot less play, but a warm 2012 means that they may be able to recoup some of those losses.

Warmer weather also means that oil and gas price hikes are being offset by a reduced need for home heating.

How are you spending the dog days of January and February? Let us know in our comments section below…

But the wolf keepers at the Westchester Wolf Conservation Center told CBS2′s Lou Young that they’re upset about the way the animals are being portrayed in “The Grey”.

“This movie does exploit an irrational fear, and it’s going to keep growing,” said Spencer Wilhelm. “They used wolves in making that film. Behaviorally, wolves are not going to do things like that.”

The conservationists at the center raise and care for endangered wolves before releasing them into the wild out west, and in the south to improve ecological balance.

In the wild the wolves face an already hostile human environment.

“We’ve had wolves released from here and just months after those releases those wolves were illegally shot and killed,” said Maggie Howell.

The center’s twenty-five wolves are kept far from human contact and fed from a meat locker filled with local roadkill.

Experts say that wild wolves will avoid contact with a person, even one carrying raw meat.

When CBS2′s Lou Young left the meat and the camera with the wolves they refused to approach until the humans were long gone, not like in the movies.

The experts at the center say that the film has created a teachable moment. They have no problem with people seeing the movie as long as they understand that the characters in the film are fictitious.

“I love thrillers. Movies like this are fine as long as people understand that this isn’t reality,” said Rebecca Bose.

It’s believed that the last wild wolf was killed in New York State in 1893 by a hunter, since then coyotes have claimed the area as their home.

Have you seen ‘The Grey” and do you view wolves as friend or foe? Let us know in the comments section below…

WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane On The Story

1,500 retail positions and more than 1,000 constructions are expected to be created.

Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack says what is to come is like a smaller Woodbury Common meets Main Street U.S.A.

It’s been a long, lingering death for the Nanuet Mall and town taxes have dried up along the way.

At last count, the mall was down to really a hair salon and a restaurant on the inside.

“Every tenant is out and they’re in there now actually starting the demolition,” Gromack told WCBS 880 reporter Paul Murnane on Wednesday.

A health club and an upscale grocer could join the development.

Sear’s and Macy’s remain open as anchor tenants.

The plan is for the new shopping experience to be open to the public in the fall of 2013.

What are your memories of the Nanuet Mall? Share them in the comments section below!

Tuesday was the deadline for contractors to send proposals to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to replace La Guardia’s Central Terminal. The agency will be looking at them over the next few months.

Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye says the existing Central Terminal is obsolete.

“It’s got a quaint, nostalgic but unacceptable kind of 1940s, 1950s feel that’s just not acceptable,” he told a meeting of the Association for a Better New York.

Foye also said about $350 million is earmarked for overhauling Terminal B at Newark. Travelers have criticized that terminal because of the way it limits passengers to individual “piers” instead of allowing them to move around the whole terminal.

Later this year, the Port Authority will also ask contractors for proposals to build a new Terminal A at Newark, Foye said.       Delta Airlines and the Port Authority are also renovating Delta’s hub at Kennedy’s Terminal 4, mostly through $900 million in special-project bonds.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Which airport do you usually fly out of and what type of changes would you like to see? Leave your comments below…

WCBS 880′s Sophia Hall On The Story

Giants fever is so big in Suffolk County that folks want to mark the big occasion on their arms, back, and ankles.

At Top Hat Tattoo in Rock Point, owner Mark Goldhaber says blue is a big color this month.

“It is crazy our phones. Our phones have been ringing off the hook. We’ve probably done about 30, 40 Giants tattoos so far. People are getting the Giants logos. They say Giants. Helmets with New York on it,” he told WCBS 880 reporter Sophia Hall. “A lot of people, they just want to show their enthusiasm, you know, for the team.”

He said he is running a Super Bowl special.

“The shot minimum is normally $60, we’re running, like, a special – $40… nothing too crazy,” he said.

He says he’s happy about the Giants being in the Super Bowl because January is usually a slow month for him.

Top Hat Tattoo is located at 678 Route 25A, Rocky Point, NY 11778. You can reach them by phone at 631-849-5441.

A consultant for the dealmaker tells The Star-Ledger that Trump is considering seeking state approval to put a 1.5-acre burial ground next to Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.

Ed Russo says it would be available for club members to rest in peace, but that a section could be saved for Trump and his kin.

The plan would also make the club available for late golfers to have their ashes spread there.

Trump has previously considered making the course his fairway to heaven. But he decided in 2007 not to build a big family mausoleum in the Somerset County community in 2007.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Minimum wage workers haven’t seen a pay increase in three years. That could soon change, since State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver reportedly plans to introduce a bill today, raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.50.

That’s a 17 percent increase.

The bill would also require the rate to be adjusted annually for inflation.

Nationwide, 18 states already have a higher minimum wage rate.

Earlier this month, Silver spoke about the need to bring New York up to par. He said the current minimum wage is unrealistically low.

“It’s absurd to expect anyone, let alone a working family, to afford the cost of living today,” he said.

It’s an issue both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have championed recently.

“The cost of living in New York City, like nearly everywhere else, has gone up,” Bloomberg said during his annual State of the City address. “And not just housing, but food, transit and all the key parts of a family’s budget. But there’s one thing that, in all fairness, hasn’t gone up: The ability of those at the bottom of the economic ladder to pay for those essential needs.”

Should the minimum wage be increased? Sound off in our comments section below.

Eligible customers have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to apply for the credit, which ranges from $100 to $200.

The amount will be determined by the number of customers who apply and meet eligibility requirements by being without power after noon on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The $30 million fund is being paid for by shareholders of Northeast Utilities, the parent company of CL&P.

Eligible residential customers can apply on the utility’s website or by calling 1-888-566-9257. The credits will begin to be applied to February’s billing statements.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs On The Story

Al Horowitz of Smokin’ Al’s BBQ Joint in Bay Shore will reimburse the cost of your Super Bowl party order if the Giants win.

“Pick up the food. You put it on a credit card, and if the Giants win, we rip up all the credit cards. We cancel them all out and the food is free on Smokin’ Al’s,” he told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs.

LINK: Smokin’ Al’s Website

And if that’s not crazy enough, Smokin’ Al himself is rooting for the Giants.

“Go Giants. I want them to win. This thing only works great for us if the Giants win,” he said.

Smokin’ Al says it’ll be a pleasure to lose thousands of dollars in food to his customers.

Smokin’ Al has a second location in Massapequa Park.

“Super Bowl Sunday, both locations will be buzzing,” he said. “We cook all night. We smoke all night.”

What are your Super Bowl plans? Share them in the comments section below!

WCBS 880′s Steve Knight On The Story

Some big high-tech companies are bypassing resumes, at least initially.

This new – and growing – trend is developing because employers want to know what the Wall Street Journal’s Rachel Silverman calls a job candidate’s “online presence.”

“So that could be a Twitter account or a Facebook account or a Tumblr, a blog, a website, anything that shows that the candidate is digital,” she told WCBS 880 reporter Steve Knight.

Silverman says a candidate’s online presence can often reveal more about an applicant’s real personality than a resume can.

A traditional resume, and an interview, would come later in the process.

Do you have any job search tips? Share them in the comments section below!

WCBS 880′s Rich Lamb On The Story

That’s 3.5 percent more visitors than the number recorded in 2010.

“One of the primary influences, clearly we had wonderful weather during December,” said Fertitta on Wednesday.

He said that helped them exceed the average 125,000 visitors per day.

Fertitta believes a lot of international travelers extended their stays.

Also, he says, “Of course those people that live within a 150-mile radius that come in often for the day and spend all day here, they were coming in droves.”

He said visitor spending hit $32 billion, the highest in the nation. The numbers are compiled from sources including hotels and airlines.

The city hopes to also have at least 50 million visitors this year.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs On The Story

“How wonderful it was to win, because I tell people as difficult as it is to make it to the Super Bowl, it’s even harder to win the game,” he said Wednesday.

Landeta was commemorating the 25th anniversary of the first New York Giants Super Bowl victory at an event in Nassau County. In that game, the Giants beat the Denver Broncos at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

His only advice to the G-Men as they prepare for this year’s super game: “Win the Super Bowl.”

“Enjoy it because when they look back on it, they’re gonna realize how quick it went. Obviously, it’s so exciting everything since you’ve been a kid has now come to pass,” he added.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano says the Giants are bringing a much-needed boost to the area economy.

“Each person will spend an average of nearly $60 on the Super Bowl and that’s all sales tax money to help run our great county,” said Mangano.

The Giants will take on the the New England Patriots in Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5, 2012.

Do you have something to say about this story? Share it in the comments section below!

WCBS 880′s Sophia Hall On The Story

Babylon Village on Long Island has a lot of foot traffic and with above normal temperatures and no snow, business owners are smiling.

That includes Happy, who is very happy his restaurant, Glen’s Dinette, is very busy.

“The last three years in a row really have been kinda tough. I, mean, snow has been a bit much. Everybody has their day. You know, I guess the ski resorts did better the past few years. This year, it’s our turn,” he told WCBS 880 reporter Sophia Hall.

RELATED: Check Your Local Forecast

Lucia Provenzano of Shabby to Chic Decor said, “I love showing off my stuff outside. It makes it nice and cozy and people do come out a little more.”

How has your routine changed this winter? Share your story in the comments section below!

The once dominant bagel empire is on the brink of losing its final property, but H&H owner Helmer Toro told the Wall Street Journal he’s seeking new investors and is confident the business will survive.

Toro is trying to keep his remaining midtown location on 46th Street even though the property has been sold at a bankruptcy auction and a bankruptcy trustee has moved to evict H&H from the building.

A judge has cleared the way for the New York institution to be evicted last year because it owes nearly $600,000 in rent.

Related: Best Bagels In New York City

The original Upper West Side store and a manufacturing plant in Secaucus, New Jersey both closed last year amid financial difficulties.

But Toro said he is now in talks with investors to stay afloat.

H&H was founded in 1972 and some connoisseurs consider Toro’s bagels the city’s best.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

3 World Trade Center was originally planned to be an 80 story skyscraper. According to a report in Crain’s New York Business, Silverstein is now thinking about capping it at just seven stories.

Silverstein has been unable to secure at least one major tenant for the building, according to the report. Silverstein is looking for someone to pre-lease 400,000 square feet in the building. Amid the current financial climate, attracting that kind of tenant has proved challenging.

So Silverstein was reportedly thinking of turning it into a retail center.

If the building is capped at seven stories, the cap itself could be removed and construction could resume if a major tenant is found.

WCBS 880′s Rich Lamb On The Story

Silverstein, however, is shrugging off stories of the capping.

Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye is on board for the full 80 stories.

“We’re rooting for and betting on Larry Silverstein getting those tenants. No one’s made any money in this city betting against Larry,” said Foye on Monday.

Silverstein said in a statement that he’s 100 percent committed and determined to build 3 World Trade Center to the top as quickly as possible.

What do you think of a possible seven story World Trade Center? Sound off in our comments section below.

The city’s health department said it closed the club’s restaurant on Jan. 19 after inspectors found a number of problems.

The violations included failing to keep refrigerated food cold enough, not keeping hot foot hot enough, and letting workers prepare food with their bare hands.

The failing inspection came on Thursday, a day after the club celebrated its relaunch with a celebrity-studded party.

The New York Post reports that the problems were corrected Friday night and the restaurant reopened.

Club spokesman Ron Berkowitz tells the newspaper there was “no interruption in service or sales.”

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

WCBS 880′s Rich Lamb On The Story

AAA manager of group and executive travel, Jill Rosenberg, says there has been no rush to cancel cruise plans as the result of the deadly Costa Concordia crash.

PHOTOS: Costa Concordia Runs Aground

“People are calling and inquiring and asking questions, but I think they realize that this was an isolated terrible tragedy, but they also know that the cruise industry is a very safe way to vacation,” she told WCBS 880 reporter Rich Lamb.

Rosenberg says the cruise clients with whom she has spoken have mentioned the tragedy in passing but none has expressed fear a similar disaster might befall him or her.

The cruise ship grounded off Tuscany has again shifted on its rocky perch, forcing the suspension of search and rescue operations for the 21 people still missing.

It’s not clear if the movements registered overnight by onboard sensors are just vibrations as the Costa Concordia settles on the rocks or if it’s slipping off the rocks.

The ship’s movements are being carefully monitored since any significant shift could be dangerous for divers trying to locate those missing after the Concordia ran aground Jan. 13 off Tuscany. An additional fear is that any significant movement could damage tanks holding a half-million gallons of fuel oil.

Navy spokesman Alessandro Busonero says divers are ready to go back in once conditions are safe.

Are you afraid to cruise? Sound off in the comments section below!

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At least six people are dead and at least twenty-nine are still missing including a retired couple from Minnesota, CBS2′s Chris Wragge reported on the dangerous search for victims.

Pier Luigi Foschi the CEO of the company that owns the Costa Concordia says an investigation is underway to find out why the ship ran aground.

“We believe it has been human error as the Captain did not follow authorized route,” he said.

Captain Francesco Schettino denies allegations that he took the ship too close to shore and  says that maps did not show that he was steering into rocks. Schettino could face charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship.

Schettino claims that the Concordia struck an unmarked reef, but officials say that the waters in the area are well charted.

An ameteur video from a few weeks ago shows that the Costa Concordia has sailed close to the shore before, performing the nautical version of a ‘fly-by’.

Passengers on the Costa Concordia seemed to have little confidence in their Captain and crew.

“I met the captain on my second day. My first impression was that he didn’t care anything about the ship,” said James Groff.

Passengers say that after impact the crew failed to tell them how serious the situation was.

“The staff had been reporting that everything was under control, but we were concerned with the tipping of the ship so we headed out to see where we needed to be,” said Cary Lukes, a passenger from Alaska.

Survivors say that there was chaos on board the ship as passengers rushed to lifeboats, but cruise line officials say that the staff acted appropriately during the evacuation.

Megan and Robert Mauri, of Lancaster Pennsylvania corroborated claims that the crew was ill-prepared to deal with the accident.

“You could not see any crew member, there was nobody to be found. Everybody was just running for their own safety, obviously because you want to get off the boat,” said Megan.

Added Robert,”If the evacuation procedure worked, there wouldn’t be six people dead.”

Officials instead pointed the blame towards the Captain saying that he,”took an initiative of his own will which is contrary to our written rules of conduct.”

Crews have recovered the ship’s black box . It should help investigators pinpoint the exact location of the Costa Concordia when the accident happened and reveal how the Captain responded to the emergency, he will be in court tomorrow.

What do you make of this tragedy? How safe did you feel on your last cruise? Let us know in our comments section below…