N.Y. Today: Tests for Jury Duty Get Personal; Hint of Scandal Embroils Queens Library's Leaders-NYT-PALMERA 777-10-04-2014-4-CERCO SANITARIO-24-08-14-8-9-10-SUSPENSO Thursday, August 21, 2014 IN THIS EMAIL Today | News | Features | Sports | Arts As a subscriber to New York Today, get all digital access to The Times for just 99 cents. The Easiest, Hardest Month Good morning to you on this cloudy Thursday. Look around, everybody. Say hi. We should feel a certain solidarity, simply because it's August and we're here - unlike the hordes who have fled the city for Provence or Provincetown. It can be challenging to be left behind. You may ask yourself how you got stuck here. But there are certain rewards for having stayed behind: A better night's sleep, thanks to the smokeless, quiet bar entrance below, or a seat on the subway at rush hour. Some things become refreshingly easier when so many people leave New York at once. But of course, other things get harder. Here are a few: More of the day's news » News TV Habits? Medical History? Tests for Jury Duty Get Personal By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD Questionnaires, rather than oral Q. and A.'s, have become increasingly familiar in courtrooms across America. Interactive Feature: Will You Be Seated on a Jury? Hint of Scandal Embroils Queens Library's Leaders By AL BAKER A criminal inquiry is examining spending by Thomas W. Galante, president of the Queens Public Library, including whether he steered construction contracts to an acquaintance. De Blasio, Seeking Calm in Chokehold Case, Turns to Clergy By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM and NIKITA STEWART Mayor Bill de Blasio and clergy members met to discuss tensions between the police and the community surrounding the death of a Staten Island man in police custody. Former Aéropostale Executive Is Sentenced to 8 Years for Fraud By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD Christopher Finazzo, the former second in command at Aéropostale, the apparel company, was convicted of fraud and conspiracy in a scheme with a vendor. ADVERTISEMENT Features BUILDING BLOCKS A Brooklyn Map That Shows Battle Positions Instead of Trader Joe's By DAVID W. DUNLAP The borough's historical society is exhibiting the map carried by Lt. Gen. Hugh Percy in the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776, marking the American positions the British intended to overrun. More Building Blocks Columns To Feed More People, a Meal Service Asks Rich Donors for Help By WINNIE HU Citymeals-on-Wheels, a nonprofit food provider, has started a program in which wealthy donors can opt to sponsor meal delivery in a specific area. Sports ASTROS 5, YANKEES 2 Yankees Cautious About Pineda in Loss That Damages Their Playoff Hopes By JORGE ARANGURE Jr. Michael Pineda helped the Yankees to a 2-1 lead, but he was pulled in the seventh inning after 89 pitches in an eventual loss to Houston. METS 8, ATHLETICS 5 Offensive Spark Helps the Mets End a Losing Streak By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Mets are hoping to build on Wednesday's offensive performance, in which Lucas Duda hit a three-run homer and Eric Campbell also homered as the team beat the Oakland Athletics. A Close Look at Murray and Sharapova Preparing for the U.S. Open (Psst: It's Free) By STUART MILLER The Open lets fans in free the week before the tournament to watch qualifying matches, but one of New York's best-kept secrets is that the top players are also in attendance and practicing. For more Sports news, go to NYTimes.com/Sports » ADVERTISEMENT Multimedia VIDEO: Money Talks. We Sing. As the Metropolitan Opera's management and unions negotiated behind one set of closed doors, performers carried on with their rehearsals behind others. Related Article Arts Metropolitan Opera Clears Last Major Hurdle in Labor Talks By MICHAEL COOPER The Met's management and the union representing its stagehands reached a contract deal, allowing the company to go ahead with its coming season of performances. CHECKING BACK A New Set of Believers, but the Same Peppy Faith By BEN BRANTLEY After more than three years on Broadway, "The Book of Mormon" retains its peppiness and devotion to the musical comedy spirit. alt=.>Memories of 'The Book of Mormon' OPERA REVIEW Shakespeare's Preening Con Man, as Seen by Salieri, Then Updated By VIVIEN SCHWEITZER Antonio Salieri's "Falstaff" is part of the dell'Arte Opera Ensemble's A Summer of Shakespeare festival at the East 13th Street Theater. For more Arts news, go to NYTimes.com/Arts » FOLLOW US: Facebook | @NYTMetro | Pinterest Visit T Magazine alt=.>Visit TimesTalks alt=NYT> The Scoop offers lists of our favorite New York restaurants, bars, events and experiences. alt=NYT> Access The New York Times from anywhere with our suite of apps: iPhone® | iPad® | Android | All About This Email This is an automated email. Please do not reply directly to this email. You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's New York Today newsletter. As a member of the TRUSTe privacy program, we are committed to protecting your privacy. Unsubscribe Manage Subscriptions Change Your Email Privacy Policy Contact Advertise Copyright 2014 | The New York Times Company | NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 N.Y. Today: Housing Rules Keep Sex Offenders in Prison Beyond Release Dates; Abduction Case Shows Challenges Amish Face Friday, August 22, 2014 IN THIS EMAIL Today | News | Features | Sports | Arts As a subscriber to New York Today, get all digital access to The Times for just 99 cents. Cool, Cool Summer Good morning on this foggy Friday. Lightning, thunder - that was a proper summer storm last night. But not entirely. A proper summer storm would have brought quenching relief after a sticky day. Afterward, it would have felt steamy again. Instead it was just wet. Still cool, just wet. Our columnist Andy Newman looked into this mild summer, and how that affected some key players - for example, ice cream truck vendors. Should you find yourself wondering exactly how cool the summer was: • There have been no heat waves (defined as three days in a row of temperatures above 90). The mercury has touched 90 only four times and it has never gotten above 91. More of the day's news » News Housing Restrictions Keep Sex Offenders in Prison Beyond Release Dates By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN A new interpretation of a New York State law on where the offenders can live means that homeless shelters within 1,000 feet of a school are off limits. Abduction Case Tests Limits of Amish Ties to Modern World By KIRK SEMPLE The kidnapping of two girls in Oswegatchie, N.Y., highlighted the challenges the Amish face by adhering to a 19th-century lifestyle in a 21st-century world. At Arab Bank's Terrorism Trial, Victim Recalls Seeing Suicide Bomber's Body By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD In federal court in Brookyn, Brian Faudem recounted a 2003 bombing at a Tel Aviv bar, one of 24 acts linked to Hamas by plaintiffs who have accused the bank of financing terrorism. Judge Drops Charges for 8 in an Inquiry on Benefits By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. Six police officers and two others were among 136 workers accused of faking mental illness to obtain disability benefits. ADVERTISEMENT Features A Basketball League Whose Success Isn't Measured in Points By KIA GREGORY The Positive Influence league, whose season is restricted to summer because space at nearby school gyms is booked by adult leagues, provides an outlet for teenagers on the Upper West Side. Sports YANKEES 3, ASTROS 0 With Extra Pep, McCarthy Prevents Sweep With a Shutout By JORGE ARANGURE Jr. The late-season acquisition shut out the Houston Astros in a victory that kept the Yankees from being swept at home by one of the worst teams in baseball. N.F.L. ROUNDUP Jets-Giants Meeting Won't Be About Their Rivalry By TOM PEDULLA In a preseason game Friday night, the two teams will focus on addressing their own obvious deficiencies. URBAN ATHLETE And All That Time You Thought You Were Just Playing By MICHELA TINDERA For New Yorkers who miss their childhood Slip 'N Slides, there are classes in Midtown Manhattan that recreate the experience. For more Sports news, go to NYTimes.com/Sports » ADVERTISEMENT Multimedia VIDEO: An Interview With Joe Torre On Saturday, Aug. 23, the Yankees will retire Joe Torre's number in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium. The New York Times's Tyler Kepner recently interviewed Torre about his long baseball career. Related Article Arts Son Discovers His Father's Life of Crime Is Now a Work of Art by Warhol By TATIANA SCHLOSSBERG Reading a review of an exhibition at the Queens Museum, George Lawler was shocked to see a photograph with a portrait of his father, who robbed a bank in 1955. ART REVIEW Midtown Manhattan Wouldn't Be the Same By JOSEPH GIOVANNINI "Times Square, 1984: The Postmodern Moment," at the Skyscraper Museum, displays attempts to reimagine Manhattan's central neighborhood. CHECKING BACK It's Still Popular Being Green By CHARLES ISHERWOOD "Wicked," which passed the 10-year mark last fall, evinces little sign of box office fatigue, especially among tweens. Memories of 'Wicked' For more Arts news, go to NYTimes.com/Arts » FOLLOW US: Facebook | @NYTMetro | Pinterest Visit T Magazine Visit TimesTalks The Scoop offers lists of our favorite New York restaurants, bars, events and experiences. Access The New York Times from anywhere with our suite of apps: iPhone® | iPad® | Android | All About This Email This is an automated email. Please do not reply directly to this email. You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's New York Today newsletter. As a member of the TRUSTe privacy program, we are committed to protecting your privacy. Unsubscribe Manage Subscriptions Change Your Email Privacy Policy Contact Advertise Copyright 2014 | The New York Times Company | NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Today's Headlines: U.S. Weighs Direct Military Action Against ISIS in Syria Today's Headlines Saturday, August 23, 2014 IN THIS EMAIL World | U.S. | Politics | Business | Technology | Sports | Arts | N.Y./Region | Travel | Today's Video | Obituaries | Editorials | Op-Ed | On This Day | CUSTOMIZE » As a subscriber to Today's Headlines, get all digital access to The Times for just 99 cents. Top News U.S. Weighs Direct Military Action Against ISIS in Syria By PETER BAKER and MICHAEL D. SHEAR A top national security adviser to President Obama said the United States was "not going to be restricted by borders" to protect its interests, including possibly pursuing direct military action in Syria. U.S. Isn't Sure Just How Much to Fear ISIS By MARK MAZZETTI and HELENE COOPER With the rapid advance of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the rhetoric the Obama administration is using to describe the danger the group poses to the United States has escalated. Russians Open Fire in Ukraine, NATO Reports By ANDREW HIGGINS and MICHAEL R. GORDON NATO officials said that the Russian military had moved artillery units inside Ukrainian territory in recent days and was using them to fire at Ukrainian forces. For more top news, go to NYTimes.com » ADVERTISEMENT Editors' Picks WORLD Executions in Gaza Are a Warning to Spies By FARES AKRAM and JODI RUDOREN Witnesses said more than a dozen were killed in what was seen as a message to potential informants after Israel's assassination of three militant leaders. Gaza Talks Build at U.N. OPINION | ROOM FOR DEBATE Should the U.S. Work With Assad to Fight ISIS? Is the militant group such a threat to the United States that working with the despised Syrian dictator would be in the national interest? QUOTATION OF THE DAY "Let the physical evidence tell us what happened. How badly injured was the police officer? Was he dazed? Was Michael Brown on drugs? Let's see what's really going on here." PAT DIAZ, a former South Florida homicide detective who investigated more than 100 police shootings, on the shooting in Ferguson, Mo. Today's Video VIDEO: A Preview of the U.S. Open Here's what to look for at this year's United States Open. VIDEO: Bill Cunningham | Streets Paved in Gold The illusion that the streets of Manhattan are paved with gold almost came to a reality this week. VIDEO: The Long March to Peace Gary Hill, an associate minister, lives in Ferguson, Mo., just a few blocks from where Michael Brown was killed on Aug. 9. He's urged for peace amid the volatile protests, with mixed results. For more video, go to NYTimes.com/Video » ADVERTISEMENT World Pentagon Says Chinese Fighter Jet Confronted American Navy Plane By HELENE COOPER The Chinese plane flew within 30 feet of the Navy aircraft on Tuesday in international airspace just off the Chinese coast, the Pentagon said. THE SATURDAY PROFILE American's Star Power Unrivaled in Japan By MARTIN FACKLER David Spector, with his bleach-blond hair and ability to deliver one-liners in flawless Japanese, has been a fixture in Japan's often raucous talk-show world for 30 years. Blackouts in Egypt Prompt Accusations By KAREEM FAHIM and MERNA THOMAS Officials blamed supporters of a deposed leader, while others pointed fingers back at the government. For more world news, go to NYTimes.com/World » U.S. Blood Industry Shrinks as Transfusions Decline By MATTHEW L. WALD Medical advances have increased efficiency, but the trend is forcing an enormous wave of mergers and job cutbacks. Key Factor in Police Shootings: 'Reasonable Fear' By MICHAEL WINES and FRANCES ROBLES A host of outside factors, from an officer's perception of a threat to the suspect's behavior and even his size, can emerge as mitigating or damning. U.S. Faces Suit Over Tactics at Immigrant Detention Center By JULIA PRESTON Civil rights groups claim that the government committed due process violations against women and children held for deportation at a detention center in New Mexico. For more U.S. news, go to NYTimes.com/US » ADVERTISEMENT Politics As Arizona Primary Nears, Governor Candidates Turn Eyes to Border By FERNANDA SANTOS The six Republican candidates to succeed Jan Brewer as governor of Arizona are jumping over each other to sound tough on illegal immigration. Emails Show Bigger Fund-Raising Role for Wisconsin Leader By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MICHAEL BARBARO Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin played a greater role than previously known in arranging for wealthy contributors to donate to a conservative organization, according to court documents. Document: Case File on Fund-Raising for a Group Helping Gov. Scott Walker Florida Judge Deals a Blow to Democrats on Districting By LIZETTE ALVAREZ After the Republican-led Legislature's map was ruled unconstitutional last month, a slightly modified version is approved, but the 2014 election will proceed under the old map. For more political news, go to NYTimes.com/Politics » Business Fed Chief Sees Not Enough Data to Raise Rates By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM At her first keynote speech for the Federal Reserve's annual conference, Janet Yellen says she wants to see more evidence of a labor market recovery. The Upshot: Worrisome Long-Term Economic Trends The Upshot: Why the Robots Might Not Take Our Jobs After All Efforts to Revive Rich California Mine Hit Strong Resistance By CAROL POGASH Where forty-niners once roamed, a plan to dig up 240,000 ounces of gold is vehemently opposed by local residents who fear damage to the environment and their way of life. BITS BLOG U.S. Finds 'Backoff' Hacker Tool Is Widespread By NICOLE PERLROTH The Department of Homeland Security said on Friday that more than 1,000 businesses had been infected with the cash register malware used in the Target data breach and others, leading to the theft of data from millions of customers' payment cards. For more business news, go to NYTimes.com/Business » Technology BITS BLOG Android Phones Hit by 'Ransomware' By NICOLE PERLROTH Hackers have figured out how to lock people out of their Android devices and demand money in exchange for letting them back in. COMMON SENSE Big Payoffs in HP Suit, for Lawyers By JAMES B. STEWART When Hewlett shareholders sued over "unlawful behavior" in the takeover of Autonomy, they didn't expect to be shut out in a possible settlement. Why We're Not Driving the Friendly Skies By STUART F. BROWN The dream of creating a flying car has reduced many would-be inventors to despair as they grasped the immensity of the engineering and design challenges of the divergent natures of airplanes and cars. Terrafugia Transition Pie-in-the-Sky Flying Cars From the Past Slide Show: Wheels and Wings For more technology news, go to NYTimes.com/Technology » Sports A Tennis Board Woven With Conflicts By MARY PILON and ANDREW W. LEHREN An examination of the United States Tennis Association's finances shows that several of the group's current and recent board members have benefited from its grants and contracts. Japanese Swimming Has Momentum at Its Back By KAREN CROUSE The momentum the Japanese are building at the Pan Pacific Championships could carry over to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. THE UPSHOT Duke of Hawaii: A Swimmer and Surfer Who Straddled Two Cultures By MICHAEL BESCHLOSS Duke Kahanamoku, who helped America become a little more Hawaiian by spreading the gospel of surfing, also helped Hawaii become more American. For more sports news, go to NYTimes.com/Sports » Arts An Encore 35 Years in the Making By MELENA RYZIK Kate Bush steps onto a London stage next week for her first live shows since 1979, and her fans are traversing continents to take part. Turin Opera's Music Director Threatens to Leave By MICHAEL COOPER Gianandrea Noseda, Teatro Regio's music director, says he will not renew his contract unless the general manager, Walter Vergnano, is replaced. CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK Champion of Jazz Talent Brings His Work Home By NATE CHINEN Bruce Lundvall, a former president of Blue Note Records now in an assisted-living center, has brought music to his turf with the Sunrise Senior Living Jazz Festival. For more arts news, go to NYTimes.com/Arts » N.Y./Region New York's Top Jail Investigator Resigns After Inquiry on Rikers Brutality By MICHAEL WINERIP and MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ Florence L. Finkle's resignation is the first of many changes expected in response to a federal inquiry that found a "culture of violence" at Rikers Island. Fatal Confrontation Heightens Tensions in Staten Island Police Precinct By J. DAVID GOODMAN Complaints of misconduct by officers in the 120th Precinct on the North Shore rival those in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Assault Charge Against City Council's Ex-Finance Director Is Thrown Out By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. A judge tossed out domestic violence charges against Charles Preston Niblack after prosecutors said an investigation had failed to turn up evidence supporting the accusations against him. For more New York news, go to NYTimes.com/NewYork » Travel PURSUITS Dollywood: A Little Bit Country, a Little Bit Gay By KIM SEVERSON Views of Dolly Parton's wildly popular theme park in Tennessee can differ significantly depending on one's lens. OVER THERE 100 Years of Gratitude By RICHARD RUBIN A century later, exploring America's contribution to World War I in a country that's still thankful for it. FOOTSTEPS Searching for 'Anne of Green Gables' on Prince Edward Island By ANN MAH More than 100 years after its publication, the book still pulls fans to its island setting. For more travel news, go to NYTimes.com/Travel » Obituaries Deborah Sussman, Who Dressed Buildings in Vivid Colors and Shapes, Dies at 83 By JOSEPH GIOVANNINI Known for a bold use of color, Ms. Sussman was an early advocate of applying print elements to campuses, buildings and cityscapes. Simin Behbahani, Outspoken Iranian Poet, Dies at 87 By DOUGLAS MARTIN Ms. Behbahani touched on sensitive topics in her poems, often upsetting Iranian authorities. Robert Sherrill, Author Who Skewered Right and Left, Dies at 89 By WILLIAM YARDLEY Mr. Sherrill rose to prominence in the 1960s and '70s for his provocative assessments of gun culture, military justice, Lyndon B. Johnson and other political topics. For more obituaries, go to NYTimes.com/Obituaries » Editorials TODAY'S EDITORIALS A March for a Safer City By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Will aggrieved residents achieve some level of faith in the future of policing in Mayor Bill de Blasio's New York? Sri Lanka's Intransigence Questions for the Patent Office For more opinion, go to NYTimes.com/Opinion » Op-Ed OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR The Danger of Combustible Dust By RAFAEL MOURE-ERASO Tiny particles can ignite. But these explosions are readily preventable. OP-ED COLUMNIST Gift Horses Gone Wild By GAIL COLLINS Who's been following the trial of Bob McDonnell in Virginia and knows what FLOVA means? Columnist Page OP-ED COLUMNIST Lessons Not Learned By JOE NOCERA The S.&L. crisis could have helped us avoid the financial crisis. Columnist Page For more opinion, go to NYTimes.com/Opinion » ON THIS DAY On Aug. 23, 1927, Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed in Boston for the murders of two men during a 1920 robbery. See this Front Page | Buy this Front Page FOLLOW US: Facebook | @NYTimes | Pinterest Access The New York Times from anywhere with our suite of apps: iPhone® | iPad® | Android | All Save 15% at The NYTimes Store » Have questions? Help Section » Visit our mobile website at m.nyt.com » About This Email This is an automated email. Please do not reply directly to this email. You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Today's Headlines newsletter. As a member of the TRUSTe privacy program, we are committed to protecting your privacy. Unsubscribe | Manage Subscriptions | Change Your Email | Privacy Policy | Contact | Advertise Copyright 2014 | The New York Times Company | NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018