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TOP STORIES:
WTC-TEEN ARRESTED
NEW YORK — A teenage thrill-chaser slipped through a fence, eluded a security guard and climbed to the top of 1 World Trade Center, authorities said Thursday as concerns swirled about the audacious breach at what is supposed to be one of the world's most secure sites. Justin Casquejo, a New Jersey 16-year-old described by a friend as an adventure-seeker who loves to climb precarious places, spent about two hours early Sunday atop the symbolic and as-yet-unfinished 1,776-foot tower, authorities said. He apparently just wanted bragging rights and perhaps some photos, but the alleged escapade stirred what-ifs about the notion of someone with a more sinister agenda infiltrating the nation's tallest skyscraper. By Jennifer Peltz and David Porter. SENT: 780 words, photo.
MENTAL HEALTH SETTLEMENT
ALBANY, N.Y. — An insurer covering more than 500,000 people in upstate New York has agreed to reform its handling of behavioral health claims, cover residential treatment and charge its lower primary care co-payment for outpatient mental health and addiction treatment, New York's attorney general said Thursday. By Michael Virtanen. SENT: 460 words.
ALBANY PROTEST
ALBANY, N.Y. — A thick crowd of demonstrators chanting and cheering about education funding and other issues gathered outside Gov. Andrew Cuomo's offices in the state Capitol on Thursday, showing at least a temporary resurgence of Albany's Occupy movement and attracting state troopers who began trying to clear the hallway and arrested dozens. By Michael Virtanen. SENT: 480 words, photos.
NEW YORK BUDGET
ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo continued to tout his property tax freeze as a priority in budget negotiations Thursday but said he is getting resistance from lawmakers. Cuomo said lawmakers are feeling pressure to oppose the property tax freeze that connects rebates for homeowners to local governments cutting expenses and sharing services. But Cuomo said spending is "the enemy of lowering taxes. So my priority is to push for a tax cut." By Josefa Velasquez. SENT: 360 words.
NYC INNER CIRCLE
NEW YORK — Rudolph Giuliani donning drag. Ed Koch stepping out of the mouth of a man-eating plant. Michael Bloomberg wearing a harness and flying 20 feet in the air while dressed as Spiderman. The annual Inner Circle, the New York City news media's answer to the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, gives mayors a chance to let their hair down — or, just as likely, put on a wig — and poke fun at both themselves and the city they lead. Their appearances, which attempt to earn goodwill with the reporters who cover them, also can help shape their image in the public eye. By Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 770 words, photos.
HOT CELL DEATH
NEW YORK — The mayor called the death of a mentally ill, homeless former Marine who was found in a jail cell that had overheated to at least 100 degrees "very troubling" Thursday, while expressing his condolences to the man's family. Bill de Blasio, speaking at an unrelated bill signing, said that the investigation into Jerome Murdough's death last month on Rikers Island was ongoing but that he was struck by The Associated Press' account in a story Wednesday about the 56-year-old man's death last month. By Jake Pearson and Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 800 words, photos.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN TRANSPORTATION
MONTPELIER, Vt. — Plans to clean Lake Champlain and other state waterways are expected to cost more than $150 million over a decade, but new regulations might actually save money, a transportation official said Thursday. By Beth Garbitelli. SENT: 450 words.
IN BRIEF
— MANHATTAN FIRE: Firefighters battle 4-alarm fire in Manhattan
— BUS SHOOTING: Man fatally shot on MTA bus in Brooklyn
— NYC PARKS COMMISSIONER: Source: NY mayor to name new parks commissioner
— LIRR-STRIKE VOTE: 2nd emergency board appointed in LIRR labor talks
— GIANTS MEMORABILIA LAWSUIT: Eli Manning's attorneys ask for lawsuit dismissal
— NY VETERAN SUMMIT: NY holds 'Veteran and Military Family Summit'
— GOATS-PESKY PLANTS: Long Island town to rent goats to eat pesky weeds
— NYC MAYOR-CARRIAGE HORSES: NYC mayor doubles down on carriage horse ban
— MADOFF FRAUD-TRIAL: Madoff fraud deliberations to go on with 11 jurors
— NYC MAYOR-PAID SICK DAYS BILL: NYC Mayor de Blasio signs first bill into law
— MISSING INDIANA STUDENT: Judge denies Spierers' request to seal evidence
—NYC COMPTROLLER-IT CONTRACT: City comptroller rejects contract.
—UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD: 18 charged with unemployment fraud.
—SENECA-LAND PURCHASE: Town board members oppose new casino.
—FUGITIVE CAUGHT-PLEA: Woman pleads guilty to kidnapping.
—MLB-MATCHCOM: Baseball teams up with Match.com.
—NYC EXPLOSION-CON ED: Con Ed pays blast victims.
—NEWBURGH-GANG TAKEDOWN: 2 Hudson Valley gang members sentenced.
—TRAFFIC STOP-COCAINE: Cocaine found during traffic stop.
—GWB IMPROVEMENTS: $! Billion in bridge repairs approved.
—VANDALIZED PARK: Long Island park vandalized with hate graffiti.
—WILLIAMS COMMENCEMENT-BLOOMBERG: Former NYC mayor to be graduation speaker.
—JONE BEACH-REHABIITATION: Jones Beach to get $65 million in improvements.
BUSINESS
GUM'S DECLINE
NEW YORK — Gum seems as appealing as that sticky wad on the bottom of a shoe these days. It's not that Americans still don't ever enjoy a stick of Trident or Orbit, the two most popular brands. They just aren't crazy about chomping away on the stuff as they once were, with U.S. sales tumbling 11 percent over the past four years. By Candice Choi. SENT, 1,000 words, photos.
UNITED STATES-TOYOTA
NEW YORK — Toyota's misleading statements presented a "reprehensible picture of corporate misconduct" as it failed to properly protect consumers from unexpected acceleration in its vehicles, a judge said as he nevertheless accepted a deal that lets the Japanese automaker escape prosecution with a $1.2 billion penalty. By Larry Neumeister. SENT: 430 words.
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
THEATER-WALKING WITH DINOSAURS
NEW YORK — The dinosaurs are ready to roar again across America — but they're sporting a new look. "Walking with Dinosaurs, the Arena Spectacular" is coming back to the U.S. and Canada — its first visit to North America since its inaugural 2007 sell-out tour — and many of its lifelike puppets will be wearing downy feathers, reflecting recent discoveries. By Drama Writer Mark Kennedy.
THEATER-SANTINO FONTANA
NEW YORK — Actors like to switch it up, but Santino Fontana has taken that to ridiculous lengths. The title role in "Hamlet"? OK. A big dance show like "Billy Elliot"? Check. A period comedy with "The Importance of Being Earnest"? Sure. What about a Stephen Sondheim musical or a role as a suffering orphan in an off-Broadway play? Yes and yes. Even the Prince in the latest Broadway "Cinderella." ''I don't want to repeat myself. I don't want to get any one muscle stronger than any other," says Fontana, who recently added to his eclectic resume by singing on the "Frozen" soundtrack. By Drama Writer Mark Kennedy. SENT, 800 words, photos.
AP ON TV-CABLE CUSTOMER WORRIES
NEW YORK — The herky-jerkiness of my Netflix video stream is nothing compared with my jittery nerves. I've been fretting since news broke last month that Comcast, the nation's biggest cable colossus, plans to swallow runner-up titan Time Warner Cable. By Television Writer Frazier Moore. SENT: 780 words, photos.
— L'WREN SCOTT-JAGGER: Mick Jagger begins arrangements for Scott funeral
SPORTS
RACE HORSE-ABUSE PROBE
ALBANY, N.Y. — Thoroughbred racing regulators in New York and Kentucky are investigating allegations of mistreatment of horses by Racing Hall of Fame-nominated trainer Steve Asmussen and his top assistant. SENT: 130 words. Will be updated.
FBN--JETS-FREE AGENCY
NEW YORK — John Idzik is still calm and deliberate, even when panicked New York Jets fans are begging for more. Sure, the Jets have upgraded at wide receiver by signing Eric Decker and replaced the departed Austin Howard with Breno Giacomini at right tackle. There have been few splashes, though, by the Jets since the NFL's free agency period began last week. By Dennis Waszak Jr. SENT: 800 words.
BBA--YANKEES-RED SOX
FORT MYERS, Fla. — David Phelps went six innings, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts as the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2. By Maureen Mullen. SENT: 600 words, photos.
BKC--NCAA-SAINT JOSEPH'S-CONNECTICUT
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Shabazz Napier shook off a miss at the second-half buzzer to score nine of his 24 points in overtime and lead seventh-seeded Connecticut to a 89-81 win over Saint Joseph's in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday. By John Wawrow. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BKC--W MICHIGAN-SYRACUSE
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Syracuse's backcourt of Trevor Cooney and Tyler Ennis combined for 34 points and the Orange defense clamped down in a 77-53 victory over Western Michigan on Thursday in the second round of the NCAA tournament. By John Kekis. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BKC--MILWAUKEE-VILLANOVA
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Villanova, the second seed in the East, tries to get back on track against upstart Milwaukee in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Wildcats, Big East regular-season champions, have been waiting almost a week since a one-point loss to Seton Hall in the conference tournament. By John Kekis. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts approximately 9:25 p.m. EDT.
BKC--NCAA-ALBANY (NY)-FLORIDA
ORLANDO, Fla. — Billy Donovan's bench came up big, bailing out top-seeded Florida in a tight game against what was supposed to be an overmatched opponent. Dorian Finney-Smith scored 16 points, most of them on dunks, and the Gators used a second-half surge to beat No. 16 seed Albany 67-55 in the NCAA tournament Thursday. By Mark Long. SENT: 750 words.
BKC--NCAA-MANHATTAN-LOUISVILLE
ORLANDO, Fla. — Fourth-seeded Louisville begins defense of its national title against 13th-seeded Manhattan, a game that pits legendary coach Rick Pitino against one of his former assistants, Steve Masiello. The Jaspers view the Cardinals as "us on steroids." By Mark Long. UPCOMING: 750 words. Begins around 9:40 p.m.
— BKC--DAYTON-OHIO STATE: Sanford lifts Dayton to 60-59 win over Ohio State
— BBO--BRAVES-METS: Ervin Santana makes Braves' spring training debut in 7-6 loss to Mets
— BBA--YANKEES-ELLSBURY: Yanks send Ellsbury for MRI of ailing right calf
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