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New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
NYers can't agree if it's OK to ‘save' a parking space, take sides on vicious three-way brawl over spot
Save the drama. A wild caught-on-video street brawl over a Queens parking space has reignited a longtime debate over whether it's ever OK to claim a public spot on the street with an item — or even your body. 'No, it's not OK. If you don't have a car, you shouldn't be standing there,' said Daniel Rosario, 52, of the Upper East Side, who owns a car and parks on the street. 'This is public parking. You can't be reserving spaces if they're not there,' Rosario added, noting he once pulled into a spot anyway when someone tried to guard it for a friend who was nowhere to be seen. 3 A wild street fight caught on video over a Queens parking space has reignited a longtime debate over whether it's ever justified to put your body on the line for a public spot. I-am-Mihnea/Reddit The comments come after the now-viral video captured a mother-daughter duo, Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, savagely attacking driver Jada McPherson after she tried to pull into a Ridgewood street spot that the pair were allegedly 'guarding' with their bodies. The battle broke out at 18-28 Putnam Ave, where an unidentified man also joined in on the gang-up on McPherson, but apparently high-tailed it out of the area before police arrived, cops said. When McPherson couldn't find another spot on the block, she came back to tell the family they couldn't guard parking spots, she previously told The Post. That's when the man went 'ballistic' and the mother-daughter pair flung racist language at McPherson, who is black. But some Big Apple drivers and residents — accustomed to circling blocks in search of a coveted parking space — said everyone was a little at fault under the unwritten rules of city parking. 3 Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, attacked and yelled slurs at Jada McPherson after she tried to pull into a Ridgewood street spot they were allegedly 'guarding' with their bodies. LP Media 'Honestly, if you have a friend that you know is literally coming around the corner in like a minute? Yeah, what's the problem with that? But standing there longer than five minutes… absolutely not,' said Freddie Bennett, 41, a Ridgewood resident who doesn't own a car. 'But that's just how New Yorkers are, territorial… I understand why, but it's not something I'd ever consider doing.' Mika Cook-Wraight, 25, agreed that the desperation is real, but it isn't worth putting your safety on the line. 3 Starman and Dumitru were later arrested and charged with first-degree assault and second-degree harassment for pelting Jada McPherson (pictured) over the spot, police said. Dorian Geiger/NY Post 'I personally wouldn't get into a fight over it … because of how people drive here, I would not put my body on the line in front of cars,' she said. 'I'd be scared to stand in the street to save a spot. Because of how people drive here, I wouldn't put my body on the line.' Cook-Wraight, who's originally from Boston, said saving spots with chairs or cones might work there, 'but that's just not sustainable here,' she quipped. Starman and Dumitru were arrested and charged with first-degree assault and second-degree harassment, police said. The mother-daughter duo has since apologized for the brawl after being hit with a slew of online death threats.
New York Post
08-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Texas animal rescue group helps ‘influx' of missing dogs and cats as floodwaters recede: ‘Thousands of pets out there'
KERRVILLE, Texas — Volunteers have been scouring the flood ravaged Hill Country landscape in Texas looking for lost and frightened pets, sometimes whistling in the wasteland in the hopes of encouraging a timid dog or cat to come forward. Rescue group Kerrville Pets Alive has already taken in 40 animals separated from their owners and received 100 reports of either lost or found pets since Friday's hellish floods. 'We are seeing an influx of animals because the water is receding,' Karen Guerrero, founding member of the nonprofit, told The Post on Monday. 'There are thousands of pets out there.' Advertisement 4 Kerrville Pets Alive is a volunteer organization looking for lost pets in the wake of the devastating floods in Texas. LP Media Kerrville Pets Alive is looking to reunite pets with their owners, and find pets whose owners may have died in the tragic flooding. Volunteers are also looking through wreckage to find the bodies of pets that didn't survive the once-in-a generation flooding. Advertisement Sadly, the group is already handling about 20 dead pets. But one that emerged from the devastation was a 'brave' Whippet whose owners were killed in the floods. 'She's by herself,' said Lauren Singleton, a 33-year-old Kerrville resident and teacher who is fostering the orphaned pooch. 4 Lauren Singleton, 33, is fostering a dog whose owners died in the Texas floods. LP Media Advertisement 'I have pets of my own so as soon as I saw they were needing help and support, the first thing I did was step up and foster.' 'She's so sweet, too. She's been giving me kisses,' Singelton said, adding the dog is skittish. Eventually, the Whippet will head to a breeder. 'I'm happy she's not going to be in the kennel,' Singleton said. 'She will have a safe space to go lay down and have a good night's rest.' Advertisement Volunteers expect there will be about 50 dogs and 50 cats up for adoption. There have been about 15 reunions so far. 4 Kerville Pets Alive expects to have 50 cats and 50 dogs who will be up for adoption. LP Media 'It's just incredible,' Guerrero said. The death toll from the catastrophic Texas floods surpassed 100 on Monday as rescue workers continue to sort through the destruction looking for survivors. Meanwhile, the volunteers from the Kerrville Pets Alive have been on the hunt for beloved pets. One of those volunteers, Kelly Kirby, 50, came from San Antonio to help look for lost animals. 'This was somebody's baby,' she said holding a dead Cockatiel after coming back from her search near the river. 'It's heartbreaking.' Advertisement 4 Kerville Pets Alive has reunited about 15 pets with their owners so far. LP Media Kirby, whose family lives in the area, said she's been hoping she can reunite pets with their owners. 'We have just been whistling and calling them out and seeing if we can see any pets that are alive or deceased,' she said. Looking for human victims of the flood, she said, was too much. 'I didn't think I had the heart to help on the human side, Kirby said. 'I just don't know if I can do that. But I know I can help on this side.'
New York Post
07-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Dems try blaming Trump for Texas flood death toll — but weather-alert timeline and even experts critical of prez debunk claims
The finger-pointing has already begun after the Texas floods, with some Dems blaming Trump budget cuts aimed at the National Weather Service for the catastrophic death toll — yet even experts who are administration critics saying they weren't a factor. Foes of President Trump are claiming budget cuts by the White House hampered the federal weather agency's ability to issue life-saving warnings in time. But reviews by experts, the NWS' own timeline of the steadily escalating warnings the federal agency issued before the flooding disaster hit — and the fact that the budget cuts aren't supposed to take effect till Oct. 1 — have debunked the assertion. 3 Kerrville, Texas, which saw some of the worst of last week's flash flooding, was the subject of National Weather Service warnings of 'considerable' flooding risks at 6:22 p.m. on July 3 — nearly 10 hours before the Guadalupe River breached its banks. LP Media At least 89 people have been officially confirmed to have died in the flash flooding in Texas Hill Country, which saw the Guadalupe River rise more than 26 feet in just 45 minutes after a freak summer rainstorm. That grim figure includes dozens of children, many from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' summer camp near the banks of the river. Approximately 850 flood survivors have been rescued so far, but scores more remain unaccounted for. 3 Some Democrats have pointed the finger at President Trump's planned budget cuts at federal agencies, including the NWS and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — but the reductions any don't take effect until Oct. 1. Pool/ABACA/Shutterstock Texas Democratic Rep. Julian Castro seized on the opportunity of the disaster to score political points at the GOP president's expense, insisting 'Trump's cuts to the National Weather service should be investigated.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed his colleague's sentiment, demanding an investigation into whether 'staffing shortages' at the agency resulted in a higher death toll in a letter to Acting Inspector General Roderick Anderson. The White House shot back that any such claims that agency cuts initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency — which aren't slated to take effect until Oct. 1 — were 'disgusting.' On the morning of July 3, NWS Austin/San Antonio held briefings with emergency management officials during which discussions were had about imminent flash flooding risks. That same morning, the National Water Center issued a Flood Hazard Outlook, flagging Kerrville and surrounding areas as potentially under threat for flash flooding. 3 At least 89 people have been confirmed dead in the catastrophic flooding, including 28 children. The first flood watch was issued by NWS Austin/San Antonio at 1:18 p.m. CT on Thursday, July 3, to remain in effect in Kerr County through Friday morning. At 6:10 p.m. that evening, the Weather Prediction Center also issued three Mesoscale Precipitation Discussions — a forecast in which experts believe flash flooding conditions are possible over the next six hours — warning of excessive rainfall and flash flood potential. A few minutes later, at 6:22 p.m., the National Water Center warned of 'considerable' flooding risks to the north and west of San Antonio, including Kerrville, which later became one of epicenters of the flooding. At 11:41 p.m. CDT on Thursday, the first flash flood warning was issued for Bandera County, about 55 miles southeast of Kerr County. On Friday, July 4, the day the floods began, NWS issued a flash flood warning at 1:14 a.m. with a 'considerable' flag, a type of warning that denotes high-damage threats and automatically triggers Wireless Emergency Alerts on mobile devices, as well as through NOAA Weather Radios. The agency noted that the first reports from the Kerr County Sheriffs Office of flooding at low water crossings, which were put out at 4:35 a.m. that day, had 201 minutes of lead time. The flash flood warning was upgraded to a flash flood emergency in south-central Kerr County, including Hunt — where Camp Mystic is located — as early as 4:03 a.m. Friday. 'The National Weather Service is heartbroken by the tragic loss of life in Kerr County,' the agency said in a statement. 'Flash Flood Warnings were issued on the night of July 3 and in the early morning of July 4, giving preliminary lead times of more than three hours before warning criteria were met.' Even as the warnings piled up, local officials said they had difficulty knowing whether to give the evacuation order. 'Why didn't we evacuate? Well, evacuation is a delicate balance, because if you evacuate too late, you then risk putting buses, or cars, or vehicles or campers on roads, into low water areas, trying to get them out, which then can make it even more challenging,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told CNN's Pamela Brown on Monday. 'It's very tough to make those calls, because what we also don't want to do is cry wolf,' he said. County officials had weighed installing a warning system along the banks of the Guadalupe River in 2017 but decided against it due to costs, the New York Times reported. The county had lost out on a $1 million grant at the time that was supposed to at least help fund the project. Other experts came to the defense of the NWS and shut down those who blamed the administration's impending budget cuts for making a bad situation worse. 'In this particular case, we have seen absolutely nothing to suggest that current staffing or budget issues within NOAA and the NWS played any role at all in this event,' Houston-based meteorologist Matt Lanza — a critic of the Trump weather agency cuts — wrote in a Substack post. 'Anyone using this event to claim that is being dishonest,' he added. CBS Austin Meterologist Avery Tomasco wrote on X, 'All I'll say is this. 'The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Kerr County more than 12 hours ahead of the catastrophic flood. A flash flood warning was issued for Hunt & Ingram 3 HOURS before the Guadalupe started to climb. They did their job and they did it well.' As for claims running rampant online that staffing cuts impacted NWS' ability to put out timely warnings, Tom Fahy, legislative director for the National Weather Service, told NBC News that wasn't the case. 'The WFOs [weather forecasting offices] had adequate staffing and resources as they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm,' he said.
New York Post
02-07-2025
- New York Post
Husband of alleged perv teacher Christina Formella defiantly holds her hand for court, refuses to answer questions after wife accused of dozens of heinous sex crimes
WHEATON, Ill. — Alleged dirty teacher Christina Formella's husband defiantly held her hand as she swished into into court with him Wednesday morning — even after she was accused last month of sexually abused a teenage student more than 50 times. Neither Formella or her husband, Michael, answered any questions as they walked into the DuPage County Circuit Court in suburban Chicago. Michael Formella has accompanied his 30-year-old bride to court for each of her appearances so far. Christina Formella was given an ankle monitor last month when the charges against her were upgraded — but cleverly hid it with baggy black pants. Advertisement 4 Husband of accused dirty teacher Christina Formella holds her hand as they walk into court. LP Media 4 Teacher Christina Formella is accused of dozens of heinous sex crimes. CUCWSOC/X 4 Christina Formella faces dozens of charges. DuPage County State's Attorney's Office Last month, Formella was hit with 52 additional charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault. The former Downers Grove special education teacher was arrested in March and is accused of raping her teenage student at least 50 times — including at least 45 times at the school. Advertisement She and her husband are college sweethearts and married just last year, about six months after the alleged abuse. 4 Teacher Christina Formella is arrested in front of her home. DuPage County Sheriff Prosecutors say Formella told the boy that she would leave her husband and take him for millions. Michael Formella is the scion of a Chicagoland Italian good purveyor.
New York Post
01-07-2025
- New York Post
‘Second Miracle on the Hudson': Chili the Chihuahua mix goes missing for 10 days — then kayaker spots him in NYC river
And they say cats have nine lives. Chili the Chihuahua mix ran off from his stricken Manhattan owners and was missing for 10 days last month — before an eagle-eyed kayaker plucked the oil-covered, malnourished pooch from the water off Manhattan in what locals are calling the 'Second Miracle on the Hudson.'' The dogged 8-month-old pup is now happily back with owners Gabby Porter and Gianni Calistro, both 27, in their Hudson Yards apartment, a fairytale ending to one of the worst weeks of the young couple's lives. 8 Chili the Chihuahua mix has been happily reunited with Manhattan owners Gabby Porter and Gianni Calistro since going on the lam for 10 days — and ending up in the Hudson River. LP Media 'It's really a miracle. He really did fight to come back home,' Porter, an architect, told The Post. The dramatic tale initially unfolded June 11 when Porter and Chili were wrapping up a double pet date with a friend and her golden retriever in the West Village. Chili, uninterested in splitting from his flaxen-haired four-legged friend, wriggled out of his harness and bolted for one last goodbye lick — but instead ran directly into traffic. 'He kind of got hit by a car. A car bonked him and slammed on his brakes. Then he got spooked, so he went running down south, and we ran after him — but he's so fast,' recalled Porter, whose story was first reported by local outlet 42nd Street. 8 The 8-month-old puppy was malnourished, dehydrated and covered in motor oil when he was plucked from the river. Courtesy Gabby Porter Porter and her friend ran after Chili, but the tiny canine was in the wind. The dog's frantic owners then logged more than 10 hours apiece each of the next four days — including two days they took off from work — canvassing the West Side Highway and plastering every pole, street sign and window with 'lost dog' posters. 'I was screaming his name in the streets, it was really sad,' Porter said, with Calistro adding that, 'It got to a point where it felt like we were going in circles because we didn't know which way to go.' The signs and a series of social-media posts drew some leads: Tipsters called to say they saw Chili at Pier 40 the night he disappeared. 8 Chili was found 200 feet offshore, more than the length of an Olympic swimming pool. Courtesy Gabby Porter Security cameras along the waterfront also caught sight of the pooch that night, but then Chili seemed to vanish into thin air. The next week was grueling — and the couple's grief was intensified by perverted prank callers who claimed to have eaten Chili and others who callously barked into the line. 'Those calls would really make our hearts stop for a second,' Calistro said. 'Chili was kind of like the start to our family,' he said. 'We've only had him for six months, and he's already made such a positive impact on our lives.' 8 Joseph Scarpetta noticed the poor pup drowning and headed the rescue effort for him. LP Media 8 'He really did fight to come back home,' Porter said of her pooch. LP Media 8 Scarpetta recognized Chili from missing fliers posted all along the West Side Highway. Facebook / Gianni Calistro By the time the kayaker called the couple Saturday, June 21, to say he found Chili in 'the river,' Porter and Calistro's faith had worn to the bone. They assumed it was another cruel joke — until a picture of their beloved Chili, covered in motor oil and malnourished, was sent. The dog had been found 200 feet off shore — more than the length of an Olympic swimming pool — by the kayaker enjoying the sights around Pier 26. 'There was a huge pile of trash floating in the water, and within this pile of trash, there was something bobbing up and down. It was a dog, so I started screaming, 'There's a dog in the water!' ' said avid kayaker and pet lover Joseph Scarpetta, 26, to The Post. 'Immediately, I recognized the dog. … I had seen fliers all over the place for this dog,' he said. 8 'Chili was kind of like the start to our family. We've only had him for six months, and he's already made such a positive impact on our lives,' Calistro said. LP Media Scarpetta raced toward Chili and shouted for other nearby kayakers to help lift the dog out of the water. 'It was literally the most devastating, sad visual ever,' he said. 'The best way that I can explain it — this is kind of morbid — but you know this scene from 'Titanic' where Rose is letting go of Jack and Jack is drifting under the water? That's what was going on. 'This dog clearly didn't know how to swim or tread water, so it couldn't really get its head up, so it was just completely submerged like ten inches under the water.' The currents were strong, and Chili was frightened, so it ultimately took four kayakers to yank the pooch into the boat and take him back to shore — where he was soon reunited with Porter. 8 Chili doesn't pull on his leash anymore, his owners said. Facebook / Gianni Calistro His owners rushed him to a vet center, where workers ruled he was healthy but severely malnourished and dehydrated and likely had barely eaten during his 10 days on the lam. They had to cut sections of his fur where the oil was so saturated. It's not clear where Chili had spent all of his days on the loose. Calistro believes he hunkered down under a pier until he was somehow taken out to sea. Scarpetta wonders if Chili slipped over the pier edge through the large holes in the fencing — which he says poses a safety hazard to small children, as well. Either way, his rescue has drawn comparisons to the original 'Miracle on the Hudson,' when US Airways Capt. Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger made a successful emergency landing of an Airbus on the river in January 2009, 42nd Street said. As for Chili, he is now as happy and friendly as ever, though a few pounds lighter, and has apparently lost his penchant for leash pulling. Porter and Calistro bought Chili a new, tighter harness, anyway — just in case.
