New York City - Michael Bloomberg must stand for reelection to a third term as mayor in 2009. Run, Mike, run. New York is only beginning to weather the damaging effects of the worst financial crisis to hit the U.S. since the Great Depression. Severe aftershocks of lost jobs and shrinking tax revenue will present the occupant of City Hall with huge and unprecedented challenges. New Yorkers...

Baltimore, MD - Monday, 9 Elul marked the Sheloshim of Chananya Backer Z”l a 16 year old who was seriously injured [reported by VIN News] in a car accident and was niftar on Tishah B’av. A siyum mishnayos was held in his memory, attended by family and close friends. A group of his friends in Eretz Yisroel also made a siyum mishnayos in his zechus. Chananya was a sweet boy who was beloved...

Israel - The Egged bus cooperative has removed political advertisements on the sides of its buses sponsored by the far-left Meretz Party against the "haredization" of Jerusalem. The banner which was removed from buses. Reads: Putting a 'Meretz' end to the 'harediztion' of Jerusalem. The dispute, which comes less than two months before the city mayoral race, comes amid growing concern among...

Postville, IA - Postville's city government is examining the possibility of implementing a housing code for its residential buildings. The move -- pushed by some city officials -- comes after complaints about the living conditions faced by workers at Agriprocessors in rental properties in town. City attorney Anne Loomis said she was surprised when she moved to Postville earlier this year...

Queens, NY - Reports of a suspicious package in JFK Airport at the JetBlue Terminal. Emergency vehicles responding to reports of multiple hand grenades found in a piece of luggage in the terminal. U/D: 08:55am Police found 2 World War 2 replica grenades that were used as paperweights wrapped inside a passenger's suitcase, the scanners spotted them in the passenger's luggage. The terminal has...

Jerusalem - The Education Ministry has disqualified the matriculation exam in Jewish philosophy administered at an ultra-Orthodox girls' school in Jerusalem this past summer, after the institution refused to allow a ministry proctor into the classroom because it said she was not properly attired. The ministry said the school did not have the authority to reject a proctor, and therefore...

Lakewood, NJ - Lakewood police have just now arrested a female perpetrator in the Red Oak neighborhood. After a string of break-ins in the area, this morning an alert person called the cops when he saw some suspicious activity. The female perp parked her vehicle and went around the corner through the backyard to break in to the Tomchei Shabbos office at 9 Devash. She made off with cash and...