The arguments were made Friday before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan.

Aafia Siddiqui was once a bright young student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brandeis University. She was branded a fugitive terror suspect after she left the U.S. in 2003 and married a nephew of the 9/11 master planner.

She was detained in Afghanistan in 2008. A day later, she was wounded during a confrontation with U.S. authorities who had gone to interrogate her. Six witnesses testified that she had grabbed a rifle and fired at the Americans.

Please leave a comment below…

(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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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.)

Officer Kevin Brennan was all smiles as hundreds of uniformed officers gave him a hero’s send-off as he left Bellevue Hospital.

Brennan also received a very special homecoming visit from a member of Big Blue.  The Giants’Justin Tuck greeted the officer, a die-hard Giants fan, who left the hospital wearing the defensive end’s No. 91 jersey.

“I  wanted to show him some support,” Tuck told the Daily News.

“This young man has such spirit, such resolve and I think that’s all very much a part of his recovery,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. “It’s just amazing, couldn’t ask for anything better.”

The sound of bagpipes mingled with a thunderous applause as the 28-year-old was immediately escorted into a waiting vehicle to return home to his wife and 2-month-old daughter, Maeve.

1010 WINS’Al Jones reports

The six-year veteran of the force was shot at point-blank range on Jan. 31 during a struggle with 21-year-old Luis Ortiz at the Bushwick Houses, police said. The bullet lodged at the base of Brennan’s skull.

Brennan suffered mild brain damage from the injury and doctors said he lost some of his peripheral vision.

Ortiz has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer, assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.

Prosecutor Lewis Lieberman called the shooting an “evil act by an evil individual” and said it was “an assassination attempt.”

WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman On The Step Forward For Brennan

Ortiz has a lengthy criminal record and police say he is also the prime suspect in a New Year’s day murder.

Brennan is expected to continue his rehabilitation at an outpatient facility on Long Island.

“Whether or not he’ll return to service is something that the police department and he will have to decide,” Dr. Ronald Simon said.

Mohammed Wali Zazi, convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, was sentenced Friday to 4.5 years behind bars.

Authorities said the former cab driver from Colorado tried to cover up his son’s 2009 plot to attack the New York City subways by destroying evidence and lying to investigators.

The elder Zazi pleaded not guilty to obstruction charges on December 9, 2010

In 2009, the younger Zazi confessed he was plotting to bomb the New York City subway system. He said he returned from Pakistan to the family’s Denver-area home to practice making homemade bombs.

The younger Zazi then drove to New York with plans to attack the subway system. Instead, he learned he was being watched by the FBI and fled back to Colorado.

Please leave a comment below…

(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.)

Actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover was in Manhattan on Friday, during Black History Month, as part of a major initiative to provide affordable energy to New York City residents.

FULL INTERVIEW: Click Here to Listen To the Full Interview with Danny Glover

Glover will be leading an affordable energy community forum at the Family Life Center located at 172^nd & Linden Blvd. in Queens.

He was also in town to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the film Lethal Weapon — a film he said changed his life.

While in The Big Apple, he also found some time to stop by 1010 WINS and chat with anchor Brian Carey.

Brian Carey and Danny Glover (credit: Jeff Geller)

WCBS 880′s Sophia Hall On The Story

Carlos Sanchez, 28, of Massapequa, is expected to be arraigned Friday on two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Police said on Monday, Sanchez started talking to two girls, ages 16 and 17, who were on the swings in Farmingdale’s Lincoln Park.

Police said he then began to touch the 16-year-old’s feet and held onto her when she tried to pull away.

The girl was eventually able to free herself.

Carlos Sanchez (credit: Nassau County Police Department)

Police allege on Jan. 24, Sanchez approached three teenage girls who were walking home from school in Farmingdale and reached down, took off one of the victim’s shoes, looked at it and put it back on her foot.

Police said Sanchez fled in a car after asking the girls if they would like a foot massage.

Police said one of the victim’s snapped a picture of Sanchez with her cell phone camera which helped lead to his arrest.

One of the coldest air masses so far this winter will descend upon the the Tri-State area as well as most of the Northeast this weekend, but for many it will be gone as quickly as it came.

LINKS: Weather Forecast | Track The Storm | LISTEN LIVE: 1010 WINS | WCBS 880

The brief but fierce blast of cold air will be accompanied by snow showers and squalls this weekend in the Northeast. This will be due, in part, to a storm forming offshore.

As if cold and snow weren’t bad enough for warm-weather fans, gusty winds will drive AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures well below the actual thermometer reading, and in many areas well below zero for a time.

John Elliott’s CBS2 Forecast 

The brutally cold temperatures will be a stark contrast to the relatively mild temperatures experienced for much of the winter.

Truly chilly air will hold off along the I-95 corridor until Sunday, where temperatures will stay in the 20s for most of the day. Northern New England will fare much worse, with temperatures only reaching the single digits and teens for highs in some areas.

The good news is that the cold air will not be able to “lock in,” as relatively mild air for mid-February will push back in across the East for the new work week.

The proposal allows religious employers not to offer the contraception care they object to. Insurance companies will be required to offer care directly to those employees.

The announcement follows an intense backlash and an unusually public war of words with Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan.  The proposal by the White House is seen as an effort to soften the requirement that religious institutions cover birth control for their employees.

“I understand some folks in Washington want to treat this as another political wedge issue. But it shouldn’t be. I certainly never saw it that way,” Obama said. “This is an issue where people of good will on both sides of the debate have been sorting through some very complicated questions.”

Obama hopes that the announcement will be seen as an accommodation to Catholic Church leaders furious that they have been told Catholic institutions like schools and hospitals will have to pay for birth control and “morning after” pills as part of their employee health packages.

“Religious liberty will be protected and a law that requires free preventative care will not discriminate against women,” Obama said.

WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond On The Story

The compromise did little to appease Newark Archbishop John Myers.

“This step doesn’t truly address the religious liberty issues or the conscience protection issues,” said archdiocese spokesman Jim Goodness.

“To pretend that we get something out of this when all you’re doing is a back door technique is insulting and quite frankly, it’s also devious,” said Catholic League president Bill Donohue.

He says the compromise will pit more liberal Catholics against conservatives.

New Jersey, New York and Connecticut are among 28 states that mandate all employers provide contraception as part of the health plans offered to employees, but some faith-based organizations refuse to prescribe it.

1010 WINS’Steve Sandberg reports

Judy Waxman with the National Women’s Law Center expects that to change.

“What this new law does is it expands the very same obligation to more employers than are covered by the state law,” she told WCBS 880 reporter Marla Diamond.

Steve Sandberg of 1010 WINS spoke with some New Yorkers outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral who had various opinions about the issue, including “Lori,” who said the proposal strikes the necessary balance religious rights and personal freedoms.

“Because the institution gets to hold up their ideals, but ultimately, it’s an individual’s choice,” she said.

“Jill” considers herself a woman of faith, but says her individual rights as a woman trump those of her religion.

“It think women for women’s health deserve the right to have contraceptive needs covered.  It protects them and it’s a basic right — just like it is for men to have other kinds of support,” she said.

Still others are voicing their support for the proposal.

“If you’re anti-abortion, how do you prevent abortion?  With birth control and the Catholic church should be in the forefront of providing birth control for women and to not do that is unconscionable, unethical and anti-women in way that is just so sad,” one woman said.

The proposal also requires the entire cost of birth control to be covered by the insurer.

Obama’s move comes less than 24 hours after sources told CBS 2′s Marcia Kramer that Dolan felt betrayed following his meeting with and private assurances from the president on the issue late last year.

“Well, yeah, I’m honest in saying I feel a bit let down,” Dolan told Kramer Thursday. But sources told Kramer the feelings ran deeper than what was being said in public – that Dolan felt betrayed after his November meeting. Sources said the president promised Dolan he would “get most of what he wanted.”

Instead, the administration issued a directive forcing Catholic institutions like schools and hospitals to pay for birth control and the “morning after” pill for their employees. The nation’s 355,000 churches are exempt.

Whether the so-called accommodation pleases Catholic leaders remains to be seen. White House sources tell CBS News Obama will not back off his commitment to provide coverage to millions of women of all faiths who work for Catholic organizations.

The whole issue battered the relationship between Dolan and Obama – and notions of a possible compromise.

“You would not be surprised that I’m a little skeptical,” Dolan said Thursday.

The issue rankled some Democrats, who said that at the end of the day it was a women’s health issue, not a religious one.

“One million people and their dependents are employees at religiously sponsored hospitals and another two million students and workers are at religiously sponsored colleges and universities — far too many women to exclude from crucial health coverage,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

“My colleagues and I stand in solidarity with American women who have waited decades for equity in contraceptive coverage,” said Westchester Rep. Nita Lowey.

“No one is telling the bishops anything about the religious practices of the Catholic chruch,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler. “What is at issue here is that the bishops want the ability to impose their religious beliefs on other people, on them employees of religiously affiliated hospitals and universities.”

What do you make of the possible compromise? Is the White House buckling? Should they? Sound off in our comments section below.

Others winning induction into the hall this spring include actor Michael Douglas, jazz singer Sarah Vaughn and author Joyce Carol Oates.

Gov. Chris Christie announced all 11 names Friday afternoon in Trenton.

Rounding out the hall’s 2012 class are basketball coach Bob Hurley, media mogul Samuel I. Newhouse, Olympian Milt Campbell, Wild West Show sensation Annie Oakley and John Dorrance, the chemist who invented condensed soup.

The public induction ceremony and red carpet entrance will be June 9 in Newark.

Hall of Fame architect Michael Graves is designing a Mobile Museum for the hall that would travel from school to school. The hall also exists online at http://www.NJHallofFame.org.

The hall honors New Jerseyans who have made their mark in the fields of history, entertainment, enterprise and sports. There’s also a general category for educators, military leaders and politicians.

Many inductees were born or raised in the Garden State; some still live here or have other significant ties to New Jersey.

Reeve, of Princeton, became a quadriplegic after a horse riding accident and later lobbied on behalf of people with spinal cord injuries. Nutley’s Annie Oakley overcame poverty to achieve success, her life later immortalized through Irving Berlin’s musical “Annie Get Your Gun.”  Hurley won 26 state championships and amassed more than 1,000 winds in 39 years at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City.

Recipients were chosen by fellow New Jerseyans, who voted online from a list of 50 nominees, and by a voting academy made up of 100 state organizations.

Previous inductees include Bruce Springsteen, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Yogi Berra. Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Les Paul, Count Basie and Carl Lewis were inducted in May.

One of the inductees, the E Street Band, will be touring out of the country in early June, so their induction has been postponed.

Hall of Fame organizers have invited inductees from the first four classes who could not accept their awards in person previously to join this year’s awards ceremony.

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

LISTEN: WCBS 880′s Irene Cornell Updates The Case

Ann Pettway turned herself in to the FBI last January and was charged with felony kidnapping after admitting to abducting Carlina White in 1987.

Police said Pettway raised White in Bridgeport, Conn.

White had suspicions of her mom since they didn’t look anything alike, and Pettway couldn’t produce any of White’s birth records when she became pregnant as a teen.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS’Juliet Papa Reports

White’s fears were confirmed when she found her own baby picture next to a computer generated image from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The center tracked down her real mother, and White, having solved her own cold case, found her way home.

Prosecutors said Pettway admitted to the kidnapping after suffering several miscarriages, and was desperate to be a mother. Pettway said she was sorry and acknowledged she caused a lot of pain.

As part of her plea bargain, prosecutors agreed to recommend between 10 and 12 1/2 years in prison for the 51-year-old, though she faced up to 20 years.

But White’s family said she should serve 23 years, the same amount of time their girl was missing.

Joy White, the birth mother, said she would never forget Ann Pettway’s face. She saw her when she was posing a nurse, telling her that her sick baby would be alright, even as she plotted to run off with the child.

“It was cruel. She was so mean,” said Joy White on Friday. “This is really too much for me right now.”

Pettway will be sentenced on May 14.

Brendan Riordan, a native son of Cavan, Ireland had been playing the New York Lottery with the money he was saving having given up cigarettes and now he’s won big.

WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane On The Story

The 28-year-old realtor stood alongside lottery maven Yolanda Vega in Yonkers on Friday and smiled for reporters to claim his prize from the Win For Life Spectacular scatch-off game.

“You know, you check about a hundred times to make sure it is real,” Riordan said.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS’Al Jones On The Story

Riordan will receive $10,000 a week and is guaranteed to receive a minimum of $10 million over the next 20 years.

Riordan plans to buy a home in New York and a car with the winnings.

His father, John, seems a little more keen to the notion of the luck of the Irish.

“When you walk into a store and you buy a ticket that may be sitting there for two hours before you got there, and nobody else bought it and you bought it and it’s the one handed, it’s luck,” he said. “I’ve been buying scratch cards for the past five, 10 years and the most I’ve ever got, I think, was $100. I’m Irish. So, the luck of the Irish didn’t come on me.”

28-year-old

Early Wednesday morning, police say a 36-year-old woman had just gotten off the J train at Bowery Street and Delancey. Police say the woman told them that as she was about to get on the escalator, she was grabbed from behind.

Armed with a screwdriver, a man wrapped his arm around her neck, covered her mouth and told her not to scream, police said.

1010 WINS’John Montone reports

He then knocked her onto the tracks, threatened her with the screwdriver and pulled her into a tunnel where he beat, raped and sodomized her, 1010 WINS John Montone reported.

As she was being attacked, police say, the victim heard a track worker nearby and began to scream. The suspect took off, and the track worker started to care for the woman – and called 911. EMS and police responded. The victim was taken to an area hospital where she was treated and released. She suffered injuries to her mouth, ribs and back.

Meanwhile, police began to hunt for the suspect. They swept through the area, canvassing it and looking for video cameras. It turns out the suspect’s entire run from the attack was caught on various cameras. Piecing the footage together, they were able to spot the suspect exiting the station, turning west on Delancey Street and running north on Bowery. Cameras caught the suspect entering a men’s shelter at 197 Bowery.

At 9:45 p.m. that night, that’s where police arrested Michael Torres, 29.

Torres is accused of assault, attempted rape, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal sex acts.

1010 WINS’John Montone reports Torres is a career criminal with 27 prior arrests.

What do you make of this story? Sound off in our comments section below. 

Officials say the number of fraudulent tax returns filed by scammers quadrupled last year.

Chris Madonna, of Smithtown, said he filed his tax return by mail last year and then discovered an identity thief had already filed an electronic one asking for a $9,000 refund.

1010 WINS’Mona Rivera reports

“An electronic return went in, and they got the hard copy of mine,” Madonna said. “So they had two returns – both were looking for refunds.”

Madonna said the return he filed sought a return for $4,000.

After receiving the hard copy, the IRS determined the electronic file was a fraud and gave Madonna his refund.

Congressman Steve Israel is calling call on the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to speed up prosecutions of this scam.

“This is a new and growing criminal enterprise,” Israel said.

Last month, two Long Island women were charged with stealing hundreds of identities and then claiming the victims’ tax refund checks.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said Susan Pemberton and Cynthia Sibert offered fake jobs and housing on Craigslist and then obtained the names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers of their alleged victims.

The suspects allegedly used the secure information to file $500,000 in fraudulent state and federal tax returns.

King’s declaration comes after the team lost reserve guard Keith Bogans to a broken ankle during Wednesday’s loss to Detroit. Bogans was just signed as a free agent two weeks ago, but his broken ankle will require surgery on Monday, more than likely ending his season.

“I don’t expect to bring anyone else in,” King said in a Friday morning conference call. “I don’t think we’ll waive anyone to create a spot. We have 15 guaranteed spots on the roster and we’ll go from there. I’m OK with the roster.”

There was some good news on the injury front. Rookie guard MarShon Brooks, fresh off being named to the Rising Stars Rookie/Sophomore Challenge as part of NBA All-Star weekend, has improved dramatically over the last two days in his recovery from a broken right pinky toe.

“MarShon’s status has changed and he’s progressed faster than anyone thought,” King said. “He’ll now be a game-time decision (for Friday night’s game at the Detroit Pistons). Earlier in the week, we weren’t sure, but he’s much better. A lot of it is his tolerance for pain, but he’s progressing nicely.”

Brooks, one of the bright spots in the Nets’dismal 8-19 season, was averaging 14.8 points per game before his injury two weeks ago, second among NBA rookies. King said that the injury to Bogans had nothing to do with Brooks’return. The Nets have lost four in a row.

“The big thing is how you recover,” King said. “Even if Keith was still playing, we’d bring MarShon back. It would be foolish to rush a kid if he’s not ready. But we think he’s ready.”

King also thinks that reserve forward/guard DeShawn Stevenson might be ready for a return shortly. Stevenson has been hobbled for the last two weeks with a sore knee, but has been working out with the team in pregame shootarounds.

However, there is nothing to report in terms of center Brook Lopez. Lopez, who suffered a broken foot in the final game of the preseason, requiring surgery, is in the seventh week of a recovery that was initially said to be up to eight weeks.

“He’s been following the rehab,” King said of Lopez, who averaged 20 points per game last season. “He’s doing a little bit more and taking part in shootarounds. But his progression is the same. We have no timetable on when he’ll be back on the court.

“He’s on schedule, but we’ll see how he feels.”

A reporter asked if Lopez could return to practice next week.

“Right now,” King said, “I doubt it.”

After the Nets lost Lopez, King acquired veteran and former All-Star center Mehmet Okur in a trade, even though Okur played in just 13 games for the Utah Jazz last year after injuring his Achilles tendon.

Okur has now been out of action with the Nets for eight consecutive games with back spasms and soreness. He underwent an epidural medical procedure earlier in the week to try to alleviate the pain, but his status is also unknown.

“We’ll increase his activity Sunday and Monday and see where he stands,” King said. “He’s getting better every day. He’s going to be back. It’s not a situation where he’s done. We’re just being extra careful with him. When we added Okur, it was to add to our depth. I still think he’s going to help us.”

The team already lost small forward Damion James to foot surgery. He’s out for the season.

“The injuries have been the underlining theme all season,” King said. “Our team has battled and played hard. We’ve managed to use the short amount of practice to try to improve. The guys in uniform are giving everything they can and that’s all we can ask for. It’s the nature of the sport. We’re not saying, ‘Woe, me,’It’s just how you deal with it. We can’t sit around and mope.

“It is what it is.”

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

Then the receiver New England deemed less dangerous than Victor Cruz or Hakeem Nicks made a catch that will be replayed over and over for years to come.

“This is still a Cruz and Nicks game,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick tells his defenders in audio captured for “Sound FX,” which first aired Wednesday night on NFL Network. “I know we’re right on them; it’s tight. But those are still the guys. Make them go to Manningham; make them go to (tight end Bear) Pascoe. Let’s make sure we get Cruz and Nicks.”

Manningham’s 38-yard reception — over-the-shoulder, between two defenders and along the sideline — was the key play on the Giants’winning drive. New England challenged the catch, but as the video review is going on, a dejected Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is heard muttering, “He caught it.”

Cruz had 82 catches for 1,536 yards this season, while Nicks had 76 receptions for 1,192 yards. Manningham caught 39 passes for 523 yards and was slowed by injuries.

With New York in position to run down the clock and kick the winning field goal later in the drive, New England linebacker Jerod Mayo tells his fellow defenders in the huddle, “We’ve got to let ‘em score.” Tackle Vince Wilfork then assures a teammate as the players are lining up, “Yeah, yeah, let ‘em score.”

But on the sideline, Brady laments, “They’re not going to score.”

He was wrong. Ahmad Bradshaw fell into the end zone after trying to stop himself, putting the Giants up 21-17 with 57 seconds left. With one timeout and needing a touchdown, Brady couldn’t lead the Patriots on a winning drive.

“Sound FX” replays will air on NFL Network on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

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

The 58-year-old Yonkers Republican was once one of New York’s most powerful politicians. He left office in 2006.

He admitted Friday in a White Plains courtroom that he had obstructed tax laws.

He confessed that he failed to report consultant fees and a real estate commission. He also said a corporation he controlled claimed improper deductions.

Spano’s plea agreement with prosecutors indicated he is expecting to be sentenced to 12 to 18 months in prison.

Sentencing was set for June 11.

Spano spent 28 years in the state Legislature, rising to assistant majority leader of the Senate.

WCBS 880′s Levon Putney On The Story

“That’s terrible,” reacted 80-year-old Wanda Walis, who is disabled with leg and lung problems.

She doesn’t know how she’ll afford it.

“I get $18,000 a year,” she told WCBS 880 reporter Levon Putney.

She says she draws over $7,000 from a pension and over $10,000 in Social Security.

“I can’t work. Why are you hitting me? They make $70,000 / $80,000. That hurts. That hurts,” she said Friday. “They don’t care. They have no heart for the residents.”

The city council blames budget strains. The new ordinance still needs final approval.

The city council also recently floated a plan to end free Sunday parking to deal with financial woes.

Do you think the city is going too far to deal with its budget strains? Sound off in the comments section below!

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Yankees are discussing a trade for the erratic righty, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports.

The teams are “thought to be a few million apart,” Heyman reported, though there’s still “hope” the deal could through.

He added that the Yankees initially asked Pittsburgh to absorb nearly half of the $33 million remaining on Burnett’s contract.

LISTEN: Heyman talks possible A.J. trade on WFAN

According to WFAN’s Sweeny Murti, the Bucs believe Burnett could thrive in a low-pressure market. The Pirates are not one of the 10 teams listed in Burnett’s no-trade clause, reported Murti.

New York general manager Brian Cashman let it slip in November that Burnett would be in the rotation “if he’s with us.” The comment made headlines and Cashman backtracked a bit, later telling the New York Daily News, “I won’t be shopping anybody.”

The Yankees could use the infusion of cash to secure a DH — Raul Ibanez or Johnny Damon, perhaps — and reserve infielder Eric Chavez, said Heyman.

The New York Post, meanwhile, reported on Friday that the Yankees are having “conversations with several clubs” about Burnett.

While not a model of consistency on the mound, the right-hander has proven to be a horse. Since signing with the Yankees prior to the 2009 season, Burnett has started in 33 (’09), 33 (2010) and 32 games (2011).

He pitched 207 innings his first year, 186.2 the next and 190.1 this past season.

Burnett went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA in 2011.

The Department of Environmental Protection will be giving a special tour for lovers of the 53-acre Newton Creek Wastewater treatment plant in Brooklyn.

Tour host and superintendent Jim Pynn said it’ll be a unique date.

“I think couples are going to make it a destination. How many people can say they spent their Valentine’s Day at a wastewater treatment plant?,” Pynn told 1010 WINS. “I just think that some folks are going to use it like their bucket list.”

The highlight of the tour, which kicks off at 10 a.m., will be the Greenpoint Avenue plant’s giant egg-shaped digesters which break down the noxious waste into harmless sludge and gas.

The digester eggs are 130 feet tall and offer great views of the city from the top.

“They’re an iconic piece of functional architecture that’s part of the plant,” Pynn said. “I get pretty rave reviews of the view of Manhattan and of course the view of the facility.”

Though the plant holds monthly tours, each Valentine’s Day visitor will be given a special treat – a Hershey’s kiss.

“Who knows, we may even get a couple proposing — making the ultimate commitment to each other,” Pynn said.

How’s this for a Valentine’s Day date? Let us know below…

Bobby Davis and Michael Lang sued Boeheim and the university after he defended longtime assistant coach Bernie Fine. The two men had accused Fine of molesting them as boys. Boeheim said Davis was lying to make money.

“He knew or purposefully chose to ignore Fine and his wife’s behavior,” Davis said in an affidavit filed last month. “He had every reason to know that I was telling the truth, but he instead lashed out at me and called me and my brother liars.”

Davis and Lang wanted names and addresses of every team player from 1992-1997, saying claims that Fine’s wife Laurie had sex with some would show Boeheim knew what was going on in the program.

But a supreme court judge says Laurie Fine’s relationships have “no bearing” on Boeheim’s comments.

Laurie Fine’s lawyer has called the allegations “disgusting.” Bernie Fine has denied wrongdoing.

Your thoughts on the decision? Sound off below…

(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.)

A majority of contending NHL franchises are defined by their style of play.  This isn’t something that can be said about the persevering New York Rangers.

Teams that are built around fast, skillful skaters often can be disrupted by an adversary that focuses on physical play and agitating.  On the other hand, a slow-skating roster can just as easily be burned when pitted against a team full of puck-moving speedsters.

The Rangers aren’t a team that relies purely on skill or physicality.  They can flip the switch and play either game.  Marian Gaborik and Carl Hagelin be dangle with the best of them, while Brandon Prust, Ryan Callahan and Mike Rupp provide plenty of grit and moxie.

Critics of the Rangers have pointed out their need to acquire an additional top-tier goal-getter or a ‘powerplay quarterback.’  Sure, any team would be boosted by adding such players to their lineup but the Rangers are by no means a broken vase in need of repair.

Until last night’s overtime-winning goal, casual hockey fans and overeager pundits were ready to bury Brad Richards.  They failed to see the entire picture of what Richards brings to the Rangers.  He isn’t just a player who is capable of putting up 70-point seasons.

Just ask Ryan Callahan, a terrific leader in his own right who appreciates Richards’entire package:

Brandon Dubinsky echoed similar sentiments about Richards when I spoke with him post-game.  “He’s been there for all year for us and finding ways to put big goals in the net. It’s huge to have a guy like that on our team and someone who really loves when the big parts of the game come along,” he reflected.

Richards is a steady veteran who’s ‘been there, done that and bought the t-shirt.’  Slumps are part of hockey.  It’s something that every player deals with and to Richards’credit, he’s spent the majority of his career without deviating from his high standards.

“You can’t keep a guy like that down for too long. He’s too gifted and too great of a hockey player. For him to break through tonight was very deserving. He’s pretty pumped about it and obviously, it gets us the extra point here tonight, so it’s a big goal,” Dubinsky stated.

It was never in doubt whether Richards would find his game.  I expect him to finish the regular season strongly and approach the 60-point mark.

Steve Eminger spoke about Richards’effect on the Rangers:

Richards spoke with reporters post-game, “It’s a process.  I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I’m happy with everything yet.  It’s great to help the team win.  It’s important to bounce-back from the from losing the other night and get right back on score-sheet.  If we can get the two points, that’s the main focus.”

Richards isn’t the only Ranger who has drawn criticism from careless pundits and armchair general managers.  Some were begging Glen Sather to rid of Brandon Dubinsky as part of an earlier potential deal to land Bobby Ryan from the Anaheim Ducks.

Dubinsky is one of the ‘glue players’within the Rangers’locker room.  He’s a more complete player than Bobby Ryan who is a typical NHL power forward who relies of size and power to score.  At this stage of his career, Ryan has a lot of learn about aspects of the game that Dubinsky quietly flourishes in such as penalty-killing and hockey sense.

Another player under the microscope was Brian Boyle who was being attacked for not repeating his 2010-11 breakout season.  Like Dubinsky, Boyle thrives on the penalty-kill and does everything that’s asked of him from head coach John Tortorella.

Lately, he’s been on a hot streak but Boyle is more of a player who chips in goals here and there.  His main assets are his size, grit, defensive awareness and faceoff skill.  Whatever offensive production Boyle adds beyond his capacities is an added bonus as far as I’m concerned.

All of the guys inside the Rangers’locker room believe in one another and in Tortorella’s philosophies.  There isn’t a panic or finger-pointing going on.  Everyone knows their role and goes about their business.  That coolness is why the Blueshirts have kept their losing streaks brief and lead the Eastern Conference with 73 points.

Rangers fans, is the Blueshirts’unity their most important attribute?  Share your opinions below and send your tweets to @HartnettWFAN.

It’s time for the team doctor to make one more house call to Kurt Warner, shine that penlight in the QB’s eyes, hold up a few fingers, and ask No. 13 what city he’s in. Because if Mr. Warner’s wanting assessment of Eli Manning is any indication, he may still suffer from post-concussion symptoms, which seem to include headaches and player hating.

Before the confetti was swept off the frostbitten streets, and the final echoes of gratitude, humility, and ecstasy drifted out of MetLife Stadium for a final time, Warner – a sublime signal-caller in his own right – said that Eli Manning isn’t a Hall of Famer.

“I fully disagree with that,” Warner said in response to the assertion that the younger Manning brother just cemented his place among the immortals by beating the unbeatable Patriots a second time in four years.

“You know, because I know we put a lot of weight on championships, and rightfully so. But championships are won as a team, and I’m fully convinced of that. You never see one guy — a great player, great quarterback — carry a team through the playoffs and into a Super Bowl and win a Super Bowl that way. I’ve never seen it.”

Then Warner inexplicably pointed to Manning’s 82 quarterback rating, career completion percentage (58%) and interception totals to fortify his odd argument that a man with double Warner’s Super Bowl rings doesn’t rate.

Perhaps someone should remind Warner that Eli Manning was more than just a participant in the Super Bowl. Indeed, Manning was the MVP of both games – with a 103.8 passer rating last Sunday – leading the underdog Giants over an allegedly superior coach and quarterback. And while Warner is correct that collaboration is a resounding theme in pro football, that no one player wins a game, Warner also knows that the quarterback isn’t just the most important position in the NFL, but in all team sports.

Someone should ask Warner how he feels about Joe Namath, who threw 173 touchdowns, 220 interceptions, completed an appalling 50.1 percent of his passes, and finished with a subterranean 65.5 QB rating. No one is saying that the QB of Big Blue is better than Broadway Joe, but stats can’t be the sole criterion.

And we do know that Namath isn’t in the Hall of Fame without Super Bowl III, just as Warner won’t reach Canton without toppling the Titians in the Super Bowl, reaching the same game the next year and then leading the Cardinals to an improbable run nearly a decade later. Maybe someone should ask Warner why he lost to Brady and Belichick despite being two-touchdown favorites, while Eli beat them as two-touchdown underdogs.

What makes all of this so stunning is that Warner knows the game – particularly quarterbacks – better than the rest of us combined. But we needn’t take an NFL snap to see the mounds of evidence supporting Eli Manning. After winning his second Super Bowl MVP, Manning joined Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks with multiple MVP awards.  What do they have in common? Their final uniforms included yellow jackets. (And no one doubts Brady will have his bronze bust five years to the day after he retires.)

Parse the particulars all you want, include the caveats Warner inserted as he tried to moonwalk from his myopic declaration. But Warner’s assessment wasn’t just wrong; it was rude. Someone should tell Warner that Manning is about to pass him in yards and touchdowns, has already passed him in wins and rings, and, most importantly, would never disparage a peer so publicly.

This isn’t an indictment of Warner as a man because we know he’s a pillar of any community he inhabits, with a family bigger than the Waltons, including a cluster of adopted kids. He’s the football iteration of Rocky Balboa, literally bagging groceries and bouncing between Arena League teams before rising to Super Bowl champion. If you thumb through the dictionary and stop at “American Dream” you’ll find Warner’s visage, the quintessential journey from outhouse to penthouse, a corporeal parable about what can happen when you refuse to abandon your goals.

And despite his dementia, it says here Kurt Warner belongs in Canton. Some of us just don’t get why he doesn’t want Eli Manning to join him.

Feel free to email me: Keidel.jason@gmail.com

www.twitter.com/JasonKeidel

Spring training is nearby, just around the corner  -  success for the Mets, though, may not exactly be around the same proverbial bend.  But things are looking up.  The much-maligned farm system is actually getting better.  And it’s spearheaded by what you need at the top  -  good, young, strong cost-efficient pitching.

No, it’s not Top 10 yet, and it’s probably strongest in pitching, with a lack of impact position players being the most obvious weakness.  Most Met fans know all-too-well the short-circuited stories of Generation K  -  three highly-touted young pitchers  -  Paul Wilson, Bill Pulsipher and Jason Isringhausen (that name sounds familiar)  -  who were supposed to lead the Mets to the Promised Land but were waylaid by injuries and excessive expectations.  The latest Holy Trinity are all powerful righthanders  -  Zack Wheeler, the # 6 overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Giants, traded by San Francisco to the Mets last season in the Carlos Beltran deal at the trading deadline  -  Matt Harvey, the Mets’1st-round pick from the University of North Carolina in 2010  -  and Jeurys Familia, an international free-agent signing back in 2007.

Mets G.M. Sandy Alderson and V.P. of Player Development and Scouting Paul DePodesta both have roots in the Oakland organization, and are obviously very attuned to the success that the A’s trio of pitchers  -  Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder  -  experienced.  Wheeler, Harvey and Familia all have outstanding fastballs, power breaking balls, and the ability to strike people out.  Combined, they averaged 1.1 strikeout-per-inning last season.  Harvey probably has the best fastball of the three, Wheeler likely possesses the best command of his secondary pitches, and Familia may have the best overall stuff of the trio, especially if he can master the changeup which is rapidly coming.

There are other righthanders as well, like last year’s compensatory round draft pick Michael Fulmer, the 2011 second-round pick Cory Mazzoni from North Carolina State, and Rafael Montero.  As for southpaws, there’s Robert Carson, who’s on the 40-man roster and has a chance to make the team out of the bullpen this spring.  Carson has a lively fastball and a very good cutter, but he struggled at Double AA last season, so an impressive spring is a must.  Darin Gorski may have a limited upside but he went 11-3 for St. Lucie last year with a Florida State League best 2.08 ERA, and had an almost 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio  -  140 K’s with just 29 walks in 139 innings.  There’s also 18-year-old Juan Urbina and Chase Huchingson, an outfielder-turned-pitcher who notched a 1.82 ERA while allowing just one home run over 84 innings.

There are no Bryce Harpers at the moment amongst Mets’position players, but the depth is getting better.  Last year’s # 1 draft pick  -  outfielder Brandon Nimmo of Wyoming  -  is still some time away, but Kirk Nieuwenhuis may be close.  Nieuwenhuis is a good contact hitter with improving power who hit .298 with a .403 OBP before being injured last June.  Nieuwenhuis suffered a torn labrum in his non-throwing (left) shoulder and it shouldn’t affect his already strong defense.  There are other outfielders as well  -  Cesar Puello, a terrific all-around player  -  Cory Vaughn and Matt Den Dekker, drafted in consecutive rounds (4th & 5th) in the 2010 draft, and Den Dekker was extended an invite to big league camp this spring  -  Juan Lagares, who had a breakthrough season at two levels (St. Lucie and Binghamton) last year  -  and Darrell Ceciliani as well.

The infield stock is not quite as deep, but it’s a big year for SS Wilmer Flores, who actually might be better suited at 3B.  Second baseman Reese Havens will come quickly if he can remain healthy, and there’s also the extremely talented and quite precocious Jordany Valdespin too.

The Phillies and Braves remain strong.  The Nationals and Marlins are making great strides.  It’s not going to come easy keeping up in this division, extra wild-card team or not.  We’ll see how soon we see some of these names in New York.

C U soon
Eddie C.

General manager Jerry Reese said during a conference call Thursday he expects a strong core of players to return next year, but cautioned “there will definitely be some changes.” That’s no surprise considering 20 players are set to become unrestricted free agents in March.

“We’re in the early stages of our evaluation of all our players,” Reese told WFAN’s Boomer & Carton on Friday. “We haven’t made any decisions on what we’re gonna do with respect to anybody at this point.”

Listen: Reese with Boomer & Carton

(Download the full interview HERE.)

The Giants, just 7-7 with two games remaining in the regular season, finished with six straight wins, including a 21-17 victory over New England last Sunday in the Super Bowl. It was the second time coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning beat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots for the title.

Chemistry and camaraderie were among the chief reasons the Giants were able to overcome a four-game losing streak and rebound to win the NFC East title in the last game of the regular season.

“We had talented players, we got talented coaches, gotta have a little luck to get to that point,” said Reese. “We definitely had some valleys and we definitely had some peaks. We finally started to put it together late in the season and got on a hot streak. And here we are.”

Wide receiver Victor Cruz emerged from nowhere to become a household name. Now he wants to be paid like one.

“I mean, I feel like after my performance this year, you know, I feel like I deserve to be paid more money at this point,” he told ProFootballTalk.com on Thursday. “But that’s something I’ll let my agents and those people take care of and I’ll just go out there and play the game.”

“Everybody on the roster who helped us win the Super Bowl wants to get paid,” Reese said Friday. “That’s just the way it is.”

Only four of New York’s starters will be free agents: tackle Kareem McKenzie, linebacker Chase Blackburn, cornerback Aaron Ross and punter Steve Weatherford. Wide receiver Mario Manningham, defensive end Dave Tollefson, defensive tackle Rocky Bernard, cornerback Terrell Thomas and safety Deon Grant are among the key players that could test free agency.

Manningham, who lost his starting job to Cruz, could get plenty of attention on the open market after making a sensational 38-yard catch on the Giants’go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter against the Patriots.

“Again, we haven’t even had a meeting yet,” Reese told Boomer & Carton. “We’re still in the evaluation process. We’ll talk about every single person on the roster and where they fit and how they look in the future for us.”

One of the top offseason issues involves Osi Umenyiora’s contract situation. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end was a training camp holdout last summer, and had harsh words for Reese after not getting a contract extension.

“Personally, give him what he wants,” defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul said of Umenyiora’s contract situation Wednesday, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. “Osi’s a great player and I’d love to play with him for the rest of my career until he’s ready to leave.”

Umenyiora is slated to earn $3.975 million next season in the final year of a seven-year deal he signed in 2005. He had nine sacks in nine games in 2011.

“You play 23 games, including the preseason,” said Reese. “We’re a little bit behind in respect to the offseason preparation.”

Who should the Giants retain and who should they let walk? Sound off in the comments below…

(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.)

Police said Diana Pereyra, of New Cassel, was driving a 2005 Toyota Scion on Sea Cliff Avenue when the car left the roadway, hit the wall and a utility pole before coming to a rest on the driver’s side around 11:25 p.m.

Pereyra was pronounced dead at the scene about 30 minutes after the accident.

Three passengers – two women, ages 18 and 19, and a 19-year-old man – were taken to a hospital.

Police said the male victim suffered brain injuries and is listed in critical condition. The women suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.

Pat Hanlon, the team’s vice president for communications, told Albany-area media outlets Thursday that the Giants plan to follow up on franchise President and CEO John Mara’s pledge to bring the camp back to upstate New York.

The Giants decided during last year’s NFL labor lockout to hold the 2011 training camp at their headquarters in East Rutherford, N.J. Mara had said then that the team intended to return its training camp to Albany in the summer of 2012.

The Giants trained at the University at Albany for 15 years, their longest stay at one training camp site in the 87-year history of the franchise.

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

Ernie is the author of “Lombardi and Landry.”

Victor Cruz came out Thursday and said that, while he didn’t feel underpaid as an undrafted free agent that made the league-minimum $450,000 in 2011, he should be paid more than the $490,000 he’s due next year.

He wasn’t militant about it. He didn’t throw an Osi Umenyiora-type pay-me-or-release-me tantrum. You kind of get the idea, and the hope, that the salsa-dancing, first-year hero of the Giants’ championship season will never turn into that.

But he did spark the big question. After being such an integral part in a Super Bowl-winning season, why shouldn’t the Giants spice up his salsa-and-chips-level contract with an extra jalapeno or two?

Get it? Jalapeno? Green?

But we digress. While this writer is not particularly enamored of reworking players’ contracts, especially when they have two more years remaining on them, maybe general manager Jerry Reese has to make an adjustment here. Cruz wasn’t just Eli Manning’s second or third passing option. He was a go-to guy and a playmaker, just as valuable in his team-high 82 catches for a franchise record 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns as former first-round draft choice Hakeem Nicks.

And Nicks gets paid a darned sight more than Cruz if you count a 2012 base salary that will be $300,000 higher than Cruz’ and whatever is left from the $6.5 million signing bonus the Giants gave him in 2009.

While Umenyiora undoubtedly will be knocking on Reese’s door again — he still has one year at $3.75 million left on his deal — Cruz could be there, too, along with other players who believe they, too, deserve a bump after a championship effort.

It’s a happy problem for Reese that goes with the blessing of a Lombardi Trophy.

“It’s a good problem to have,” Reese said. “You win a Super Bowl and everybody thinks they’re the reason we won it. It’s just part of the offseason. There’s always contract issues.

“We’re in the early stages of the evaluation process. We’re evaluating our players from our perspective.”

As Reese expects the salary cap to remain close to last year’s approximate $120 million figure, and with outsiders’ expectations that Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham will leave in free agency, the Giants won’t be able to accommodate everybody. At least not to everyone’s satisfaction.

But here’s the thing with Cruz. He might just get that extra money. Reese said the future, not just the here and now, influences a lot of the team’s financial decisions.

So the question is, was Cruz’ performance worth renegotiating things past the two remaining years? Would Reese be amenable to show some faith that 2011 was not just a fluke for the small-town, small-college kid, rip up his contract, and hand him a lucrative deal that locks him up for the next four seasons?

It would be worth his while.

Of all the people who will be knocking on Reese’s door with their hand out, Cruz is most deserving.

Should the Giants re-work Cruz’s deal? Sound off in the comments below…

WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau On The Story

He says it’s unusual for this time of year, since winter is far from over.

But he says among the factors pushing prices up are a weak dollar, uncertainty in the Middle East, and the closing of some refineries.

Beutel says usually the number one factor in spiking prices – demand – is not in play here.

“Right now, over the last four weeks, gasoline demand is down 7.4 percent,” he told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.

He predicts gas prices will continue to climb and he would not be surprised to see prices for regular at $4.50, especially in Fairfield County.

“The big question is whether we’ll see a high price in March or whether we’ll see it in May,” said Beutel. “Whatever the high price is, it looks like the lows are behind us.”

Are you driving less because of gas prices? Sound off in the comments section below!

CINCINNATI AT MARQUETTE

If you like Big East basketball, this game is a must watch. Marquette has shown flashes of being the second best team in this conference behind Syracuse but Cincinnati has quietly put together a solid season and the Bearcats have shown no signs that they’re done yet. In Wednesday’s win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, Mick Cronin went back to a four guard lineup with Jaquon Parker as an undersized glue guy. Look for Parker and the presence of Yancy Gates to be the difference as Cincinnati continues to gain momentum with a marquee road win.

THE SKINNY: CINCINNATI 72, MARQUETTE 69

WICHITA STATE AT CREIGHTON

Gregg Marshall told me this week that Creighton is a team that “doesn’t have many weaknesses” and he’ll get a first hand look when he leads the Shockers against the Blue Jays on Saturday. There’s been a consensus throughout the entire season that these are the two best teams in the Missouri Valley Conference and even though Creighton has gotten more national attention, Wichita State has played just as well. Look for the Shockers veteran perimeter of Joe Ragland, Toure’Murry, and David Kyles to be the difference in this one.

THE SKINNY: WICHITA STATE 68, CREIGHTON 64

MICHIGAN STATE AT OHIO STATE

The two best teams in the Big Ten do battle in a game that seems like it should be played in shoulder pads rather than sneakers. The Buckeyes got a bit of a scare in a narrow win earlier in the week against Purdue and there’s no doubt Thad Matta will have Ohio State primed and ready for the savvy Spartans. Look for reserve big man Evan Ravenel to play a big role for the Buckeyes defensively on Draymond Green while Deshaun Thomas carves up the Michigan State defense. A match up nightmare all season, Thomas has been waiting for his seminal moment on a big stage. It says here this will be it.

THE SKINNY: OHIO STATE 74, MICHIGAN STATE 66

KENTUCKY AT VANDERBILT

There was a time early in the season where this game looked like it would feature the two best two teams in the SEC. However, Kentucky has lived up to its annual monumental expectations while Vanderbilt has been somewhat disappointing due to a lack of consistency and a lack of offensive production off the bench. In order for the Commodores to pull the upset, they’re going to need their three stars — John Jenkins, Jeffery Taylor, and Festus Ezeli to be at their best and that’s a daunting task considering the way the Wildcats have protected the rim. John Calipari’s teams have always featured tremendous talent but this unit might be the best defensive squad he’s ever assembled — a fact Vanderbilt will learn first hand on Saturday night in Nashville.

THE SKINNY: KENTUCKY 77, VANDERBILT 65

BAYLOR AT MISSOURI

After Wednesday’s performance at home against Kansas, this game is more about desperation than anything else for the Bears, who will need a win in Columbia if they have any hopes of competing for a Big-12 regular season championship. The first time these two teams met this season, Tigers big man Ricardo Ratliffe dominated the paint and Phil Pressey played one of his best all-around games of the season. With a raucous crowd expected for Missouri at home, expect there to be a strong chance of history repeating itself.

THE SKINNY: MISSOURI 79, BAYLOR 73

What’s your prediction for Cincinnati-Marquette? Sound off below…

One thing we love about living in NYC is the sheer variety of everything – including food trucks.  Bongo Brothers is the only Cuban food truck in town, and they are one of the better rookies, arriving on the street in May 2011.

More: NYC’s 7 Best Food Trucks

Bongo Brothers is owned and run by actual brothers, Danny & Albert.  Everything I’ve had there has been good to very good, but for your first visit to a Cuban food truck, I would suggest a Cubano Sandwich ($7).

(credit: New York Street Food)

From the bottom of the sandwich up, the cubano had lots of tender, juicy roast pork, several slices of Virginia ham, a little Swiss cheese, mustard and homemade pickles.

More: The 7 Best Sandwiches In Manhattan

In some Cubano sandwiches, one ingredient often stands out, whether it’s vinegary pork or strong mustard, but in the Bongo Brothers Cubano, everything blended really well together.

In my opinion, the roast pork was the star of the show, with a lightly marinated flavor that was nice and tasty – but the other ingredients were also tasted in each bite.

There are lots of good dishes to choose from at Bongo Brothers, including some good appetizers too.

Bongo Brothers makes it around to different neighborhoods such as FiDi, Flatiron and others, so make sure to check their twitter account here to see when they will be near you.