Crown Heights — Residents of 881 Eastern Parkway building beat up a serial burglar after he broke into an apartment, then held him for the cops.
The criminal – whose long record includes at least seven prior arrests and several convictions for burglary-related offenses — was roughed up by the residents. He was treated at Kings County Hospital for bruises and a minor head wound.

He is being charged with burglary, attempted assault, menacing, trespass, possession of burglars’ tools, criminal mischief and harassment, a law-enforcement source said.

The people who beat him up have not been charged, a spokesman for the Brooklyn DA said. And cops also say that what happened between them is not being investigated as a bias incident, the criminal is black, and his attackers are Jewish.

Discovery has landed safely at the air force base in California after the first shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster.

The hearing to consider a Viznitz group’s petition to form a village in the Town of Thompson has been put off until September.
The original date, which was today, did not provide the sufficient 20-day
notice required by state rules, the town’s attorney said.
The group plans to incorporate a village on land between Monticello and
South Fallsburg on Gibber Road.
The town supervisor has been negotiating with the leaders in a bid to get them
to drop the idea, as of yet, no deal had been struck.
The hearing will be 3:30 p.m., Sept. 7 in the Town Hall.

Brooklyn +B.Q.E. Overturn Eighteen Wheeler+ At the B.Q.E. East bound at Hamilton Ave there is an overturned tractor trailer with a large fuel spill FD and PD Highway units are on the scene with all lanes closed expect delays.

U/D: 5:48
Roadway will stay closed for some time.

U/D: 6:43
Hazmat requested, traffic delays into the morning hours.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the recall of about 2.6 million Crock-Pot’s named Rival® Slow Cooker from the Co. Holmes Group, of Milford, Mass.
The handles on the base of the slow cookers can break, posing a risk of burns from hot contents. These Rival® Slow Cookers, include all units manufactured and sold from January 1999 through September 2004.

The recall includes model numbers 3040, 3735, 5025, 5070 and 5445, they are sold by Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and additional discount department stores nationwide.

Visit The Holmes Group’s Web site at www.rivalrecall.com or call (800) 299-1284 anytime.

Suffolk County, Setauket: +Aircraft Down+ A small airplan is down 2 miles out of Long Island Sound in the water, mutual aid boats to respond.

NEW YORK, NY — The search is on for the best shofar blower in America.

The NJOP is inviting amateur and professional shofar blowers to enter the “Great Shofar Blast-Off” competition for a chance to win a pair of round trip tickets to Israel and accommodations, plus the title of “Greatest Shofar Blower in America.”

The deadline for entries is Aug. 26. Complete rules and an entry form can be found at www.njop.com

Williamsburg +Traffic Advisory+ Williamsburg Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan, tractor trailer stuck in the inner roadway.

Sullivan County: Viznitz’a Camp at Pleasent Valley Road near the 4 corners, Hatzolah ALS on the scene for a child that fell and has serious injuries, requesting additional ALS and chopper from Sullivan County. L/Z at the Fallsburg High School at Brickman Rd.

Queens +Traffic Advisory+ East bound L.I.E. at Little Neck Parkway , PD and Highway 3 on the scene with an overturned tractor trailer, expect heavy delays in the area, all lanes subject to closure.

U/D: 14:02
ESU also on the scene, no pin.

U/D: 14:04
Alll lanes east bound are closed.

U/D: 14:17
Highway units are requesting Sanitation and tow to respond with a rush.

The work that stopped June 13 on the bridge of Route 59 in Monsey that starts just west of Monsey Auto Body and ends near Augusta Avenue about a quarter-mile west of Route 306, is planed to restart this month.

The two-month reprieve from traffic backups will soon end. While an exact start date for the project is not yet known, DOT spokeswoman said it would be midmonth, and is expected to be done by the end of the year.

The $6.144 million contract calls for replacement of the 80-foot concrete span. It will be 60 feet wide instead of the current 48, and will have sidewalks and a center turn lane.

Because Route 59 tends to have very few low-traffic periods, one lane will stay open in each direction when work resumes.

New Yorkers have something altogether different in mind when they think of Crown Heights – and that’s real estate.

Crown Heights wouldn’t be a hot real estate market if it had continued to be torn apart by racial strife. But the neighborhood has mended – thanks to efforts by religious leaders, civic coalitions and even a group of Jewish and African-American.

Some neighbors on St. Francis Place see a darker side to Crown Heights’ real estate renaissance.

They said the boom is drawing builders to Crown Heights who are using its development sites for luxury condos when there’s a need for affordable housing.

Some are worried that some elderly homeowners would get confused. They might not realize their properties are worth far more than he’ll pay.

And residents are annoyed by a constant barrage of letters from brokers, offering to sell their houses for them.

To reduce mosquito activity and to control West Nile virus, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will spray pesticide from trucks in sections of the Bronx from 8:15 P.M. today, August 8th, to 6:00 A.M. on Tuesday, August 9th, weather permitting.

Mamakating Sullivan County +MVA On Rout 17 E/B+ A serious MVA with entrapment at Route 17 east bound between exit’s 112 and 113, FD on the scene operating with the jaws, traffic is closed at this time.

Flatbush +Motorcycle MVA+ At E12th St and Quentin Rd an MVA involving a motor cycle, Hatzolah on the scene requesting 2 busses.

Orange County +Traffic Alert+ Route 17 east bound is closed, all lanes have been closed due to an MVA between exits 125 and 126, Hatzolah EMS on the scene with at least one serious injury requesting ALS with a rush.

A Manhattan man was arraigned on hate crime charges Friday after allegedly spray painting swastikas in his building.

Shawn Lawyer is charged with criminal mischief and aggravated harassment. He’s accused of painting more than a dozen swastikas throughout 501 West 189th Street.

Many of the people who live there are students at Yeshiva University. Police say Lawyer did it after getting into a dispute with another resident of the building.

Staten Island +Several Sharks Sightings+ At Midland Beach Parks Dept confirming there are several sharks in the water circling off shore, PD on scene requesting Aviation and Harbor units, everybody out of the water, beach and adjacent beaches and the boardwalk are being closed.

   Monticello Thompson Supervisor said that leaders of the Chasidic group Viznitz might drop their plans to form a village in the Town of Thompson.
“We are in the middle of negotiations,” he said after a 90-minute meeting with three leaders in his office, the meeting was “fruitful,” and he’s cautiously optimistic a deal will be worked out by Monday or Tuesday.
   With a key hearing coming up on Tuesday, the town has been wheeling and dealing to get the group to drop the idea, the town would lose control of zoning in the new village.
  The group’s spokesman, wouldn’t comment on negotiations.
   The group’s leaders have previously said they want zoning flexibility to develop about 350 acres in the town. They want to build multifamily units and make other modifications not permitted by Thompson’s building codes.
   Gov. George Pataki is watching the proceedings closely. Michael Fragin, an executive assistant to the governor, has met with the town and talked with the group’s leaders. The governor plans to take no position on the proposed new village.
   Other politicians appear to be rooting for a deal to avoid a new village.

Woodridge Sullivan Count +Traffic Alert+ At 13 Green Ave. and Broadway to the pizza shop is closed due to a out of control large brush fire in the area.

U/D: 10:34
Broadway is back open.