The Week In Review: Controversial Hearings, Spider-Man Changes & Tri-State Flooding
By Philip J. Victor, CBSNewYork.com
It was a week that had area residents dealing with rain-swollen waterways and flooded homes, featured controversy over Homeland Security hearings and more bad news for Broadway's Spider-Man production.
Here is the Week In Review for 3/7/2011 through 3/13/2011:
Heavy Rains Flood Parts of the Tri-State Area
Major flooding took its toll on parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut this week after heavy rains caused rivers and streams to overflow. Northern New Jersey and Westchester County were among the regions that faced the greatest devastation and damage. Residential streets were turned into flowing rivers that required boats to get from point A to B. The experience had many people questioning whether it was worth it to continue living in the flood-prone areas and deal with such a deluge year after year. As the waters began to receded, residents were faced with the daunting task of cleanup and recovery. WATCH VIDEO
Rep. Peter King Holds Muslim Radicalization Hearings
Long Island Representative and House Homeland Security Chair Peter King conducted hearings this week on the question of radicalization among Muslim-Americans. The hearings were not without controversy. Earlier in the week, a few hundred people held a Times Square rally to protest the hearings, saying they would send the wrong message to the Muslim-American community by "demonizing" them. King argued the protests were simply unwarranted "rage and hysteria." King said "we must be fully aware that homegrown radicalization is part of al Qaeda's strategy to continue attacking the United States. Al Qaeda is actively targeting the American-Muslim community for recruitment." WATCH VIDEO
The Local Impact of Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami
The devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan was expected to leave a death toll of over 10,000 people. Japanese-Americans living in the Tri-State area were left frantically trying to contact their loved ones in the country. Many were able to finally get word that their friends and family were safe, but others said they were still unable to definitively know their status. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that even the biggest nuclear bomb couldn't compare to the energy of such an earthquake and encouraged New Yorkers to call 311 to find out how they could help. WATCH VIDEO
More Delays & Changes For Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
The ongoing saga of the "Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" took another bizarre turn. The producers of the show said that the official opening of the play would not come until the summer of 2011. An announcement also followed that Julie Taymor, who directed and co-wrote the book for show, would no longer be at the helm of the production, but would be a part of the creative team. The news came as mishaps plagued the preview performances. The flight system of the Green Goblin failed twice this week, leaving the villain hanging over the stage and dark cloud hanging over the production's future. WATCH VIDEO
New 9/11 Attacks Video Released
A new video of the September 11 terror attacks was released this week after it was acquired by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The footage shows an NYPD helicopter as it spanned the area shortly after the impact of American Airlines Flight 11 on the North Tower and United Airlines Flight 175 on the South Tower, to minutes after the Towers collapsed. The pilot flew the police chopper around the Towers, surveying the damage from multiple elevations and vantage points, before setting the aircraft down. WATCH VIDEO
SOUND-OFF: Did we miss anything? Got an opinion about any of the stories in our list? Share it with us in the comments section...
