Seaside Heights roller coaster submerged by Sandy may be left there

AP

A man walks on the beach as a rollercoaster that once sat on the Funtown Pier in Seaside Heights, NJ rests in the ocean.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — The remains of a roller coaster that was knocked off a New Jersey amusement pier by Superstorm Sandy and partially submerged in the Atlantic Ocean may be left there as a tourist attraction.

Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers tells WNBC-TV in New York that officials have not made a decision on whether to tear down the coaster. But the mayor says he's working with the Coast Guard to see if the coaster is stable enough to leave it alone, because he believes it would make "a great tourist attraction."

Meanwhile, efforts to rebuild the storm-ravaged town are continuing.

Demolition crews have removed the resort's damaged boardwalk. And Akers says construction on a new boardwalk should begin in January and be ready by Memorial Day.

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Black Friday is creeping into Thanksgiving evening

Marling Sequeira has her Thanksgiving all planned: turkey, trimmings and pumpkin pie at her boyfriend’s in Miami, then a moonlit drive to Walmart to snag a 72-inch Samsung TV on sale for $800.

“It’s more exciting at midnight,” said Sequeira, 22, a medical assistant who is moving into a new Brickell-area apartment with her boyfriend on Friday. “Besides that, the specials are more convenient.”

All over South Florida on Thursday, bargain-hungry shoppers will be gobbling down their Thanksgiving meals with an eye on heading to the mall.

Thursday is becoming the new Black Thursday, as the old-fashioned kickoff day of the holiday, Black Friday, creeps into Thanksgiving dessert.

“Retailers are now commercializing Thanksgiving, giving the opportunity to the consumer who doesn’t want to watch 12 hours of football,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at the NPD Group, a consumer and retail market research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y.

The stores’ goal, he said, is to compete more vigorously with online sites for those valuable early holiday dollars.

And retailers have learned that if they open their doors and offer deals, shoppers will come. Last year those who extended their hours saw sales rise up to 22 percent for the Black Friday weekend, while those retailers that did not lost up to 8 percent, Cohen said.

The result: this year, more than ever, shopping is seeping into Thanksgiving festivities.

Kmart is opening at 6 a.m. and Bass Pro Shops at 8 a.m. on Thursday. Sears and Toys”R”Us are opening at 8 p.m. Target is opening at 9 p.m. Loads of stores, including Macy’s, The Gap, Old Navy and Best Buy are opening at midnight. Best Buy is promising deals on such items as TVs, laptop computers, digital cameras and more.

Walmart is open 24 hours, so it will stay open all day on Thanksgiving, with specials offered at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday and 5 a.m. on Friday.

“Whether you want to stay up late on Thursday night or get up early on Friday, at Walmart we have a Black Friday event for you,” said spokesman Steve Restivo. Walmart is offering price guarantees to shoppers who are inside a store between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., on three hot-selling items, an Apple iPad2, an Emerson 32-inch LCD TV and an LG Blu-ray player.

In South Florida, even entire malls will open on Thanksgiving. Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater and Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise will be first, each opening at 9 p.m., and staying open until 10 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, on Black Friday.

Dadeland Mall and Miami International Mall will open at midnight Thursday.

“We’re very excited to open at midnight and give our shoppers a head start to the holiday season,” said Sara Valega, director of marketing for Miami International Mall, which will stay open until 11 p.m. on Friday.

Nationwide, 17 percent of consumers, or 41 million people are expected to shop on Thanksgiving, according to the latest consumer holiday tracking survey, released Tuesday by The International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs.

With stores opening earlier and earlier, and some retailers launching pre-Thanksgiving sales, the retail industry has officially crossed the traditional Black Friday barrier — with no end in sight, said Kimberly Taylor, associate professor of marketing at Florida International University.

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High court ruling on deportation issue does not apply to past cases, Florida Supreme Court says

A Miami man who could face deportation for an 11-year-old drug charge is not eligible to have his conviction thrown out, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

Gabriel Hernandez, now a successful bank administrator, had asked a Miami trial court to toss out his 2001 drug conviction, saying his lawyer failed to properly warn him he could face deportation to his native Nicaragua.

Like hundreds of defendants statewide, Hernandez filed his request after the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2010 threw out the conviction for a Kentucky man, Jose Padilla, whose lawyer failed to warn him that he would be deported after pleading guilty.

But a Miami judge refused Hernandez’s request. And The Third District Court of Appeal ruled that the Padilla case did not apply to past cases like Hernandez’s.

On Wednesday, the Florida Supreme Court agreed unanimously that the Padilla case is not “retroactive.”

The issue of “retroactivity” has been closely watched in legal circles as thousands of people across the country — who could face deportation because of past convictions — sought help under the Padilla case.

Wednesday’s decision in Florida is not the final say for Hernandez.

Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether its own decision in Padilla applies retroactively.

Last month, the nation’s high court heard arguments for a Chicago woman, Roselva Chaidez, who is facing deportation for 9-year-old conviction for fraud. No ruling has been issued.

Hernandez arrived in the United States from Nicaragua when he was 2 years old. Now 30 and a legal resident, he boasts a bachelor’s degree and works as a successful computer network administrator for a Miami bank group.

His one blemish was at 19, when he was arrested on charges of selling LSD.

In an outcome typical for first-time offenders, Hernandez pleaded guilty and accepted a year of probation in return for a promise that no felony conviction would appear on his record. But Hernandez insists he never understood that the plea deal could wind up getting him deported to Nicaragua.

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Facebook proposes to end voting on privacy issues

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook is proposing to end its practice of letting users vote on changes to its privacy policies. The company says it will continue to let users comment on proposed updates.

The world’s biggest social media company plans to announce Wednesday that its voting mechanism, which is triggered only if enough people comment on proposed changes, has become a system that emphasizes the quantity of responses over the quality of discussion.

Facebook began letting users vote on privacy changes in 2009. Since then, it has gone public and its user base has ballooned from around 200 million to more than 1 billion. As part of the 2009 policy, users’ votes only count if more than 30 percent of all Facebook’s active users partake.

Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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The 'Sister Wives' Fight Over House Size

According to this exclusive clip from an all-new episode of TLC hit Sister Wives, among the many complications that arise from Kody Brown having four wives is the sister wives' arguments over their respective house sizes.

Although each of Kody's wives has their own house which is supposed to be comprised of the same budget, the other wives can't understand why first wife Meri needs as big a house as the others when she has less children.

Related: Heartbreaking 'Sister Wives' Miscarriage Revealed

"I began to worry that somehow what I needed would be sacrificed for what somebody else wanted in the name of equality of budget," second wife Janelle Brown says. "And that's where my real fear came into the situation ... that somehow I would be without something that I needed."

Of course, as you can see by watching the clip, things get more than a little awkward when Meri doesn't look too thrilled at the less than friendly comments from her sister wives.

Video: A Fifth Wife for the 'Sister Wives'?

Check out the clip to see how Kody solves the problem, and Meri getting emotional about all "the extra space."

Sister Wives airs Sunday nights at 9/8c on TLC.

Related: TLC's 'Sister Wives' polygamist family supports same sex marriage

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Tufts rescinds Lance Armstrong's honorary degree

MEDFORD, Mass. — Tufts University in Massachusetts has rescinded Lance Armstrong's honorary degree.

A university spokeswoman says the school's trustees voted unanimously at their meeting this month to rescind the doctor of humane letters bestowed upon Armstrong in 2006.

During his keynote speech in which he revealed a Tufts cycling jersey beneath his academic robes, Armstrong talked about his battle with testicular cancer and the need for everyone to get involved. He told graduates: "Be active. Be involved. Be heard. Be aggressive. Be smart. Don't be afraid."

AP

Lance Armstrong shows his Tufts University cycling jersey while he delivers the commencement address at the school in 2006.

The university said Wednesday that while respecting Armstrong's cancer-fighting efforts, the board concluded his "actions as an athlete are inconsistent with the values of the university."

Armstrong was stripped of seven Tour De France titles after the U.S. anti-doping agency revealed evidence of performance-enhancing drug use.

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Small Business Saturday: the anti-Black Friday

Don’t want to brave the Black Friday craziness? You can get a head start on your holiday shopping, snag some deals and support local merchants by participating in Small Business Saturday.

Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is focused on promoting small business owners nationwide. Since it was started in 2010 by American Express, the promotional effort has grown into a national movement involving thousands of businesses, chambers of commerce and economic development organizations. According to American Express, last year more than 100 million people nationwide participated.

“The one thing businesses have told us over and over again is that they need more customers. So we thought it would be great to create a day in the holiday weekend that focuses just on the small business and shopping locally in communities around the country,” said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior vice president at American Express Open.. “That’s how Small Business Saturday got its start.”

Organizations such as the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and Coral Gables Chamber have turned Small Business Saturday into a communitywide event.

“We decided to participate because in Coral Gables we support our small businesses,” said Mark Trowbridge, president and CEO of the chamber that is participating for the second year. “Coral Gables is an economic engine and our small businesses help to drive that engine.”

American Express cardholders who sign up at shopsmall.com will get a $25 credit on their bill if they make a purchase from a participating business on Small Business Saturday. Participating businesses get free marketing support from American Express via a toolkit on its website.

On Saturday, the Coral Gables Chamber, along with American Express, the Village of Merrick Park and Books & Books will host a day of activities, including a $100 Startup Competition, inspired by the best-selling book by Chris Guillebeau. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to bring their most innovative ideas for a business that can be launched with just $100 (register at http://100dollarstartup.co). Finalists will pitch their startup ideas to the public at the 4 p.m. event, held at Books & Books in Coral Gables; a panel of judges will select the winners.

More than 30 Coral Gables merchants will take part in the day; many will feature discounts. At Klara Chavarria Contemporary Art, for instance, patrons can take advantage of free delivery and installation of any artwork purchased Saturday.

The free toolkit has proven an invaluable resource to business owners like Michael Nucci of Fort Lauderdale-based Bluewater Books and Charts, which sells nautical books to recreational cruisers. “We decided to participate last year and again this year because we thought it would give us an advantage on the sale season,” said Nucci, who will be offering a 15 percent discount on most items he sells on Small Business Saturday. “We got started and used the toolkit to get free posters made and to send out e-mail and social media promotions to attract customers. It’s a great thing for small businesses in this economy.”

In Kendall, the Recycled Closet, a consignment shop for teens, is offering 20 percent off its already discounted clothing. “I’m so glad to see American Express and communities around the nation working to help by dedicating a day to the small business owner,” said owner Jennifer Kaloti.

In Miami Beach, small businesses are embracing Small Business Saturday, said Ana Cecilia Velasco, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. “As we are a tourist destination and get heavy traffic specifically for shopping during this time, it is a natural for us to highlight the event. Small Business Saturday makes sense to us as well because Miami Beach is known for its boutique shops.”

To survive the craziness of the season, consumers may want to treat themselves, too. At Pure Therapy, in the W Hotel on South Beach, customers get a $25 gift card with purchases of $100 or more and items from local designers will be 10 percent off on Saturday. In Bal Harbour, Gee Beauty, one of the only independently owned small businesses in the Bal Harbour Shops, will treat customers to a complimentary Gee Beauty Brow shaping with a purchase of $100 or more.

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Kendall man confesses to suffocating, raping wife and 8-year-old daughter, police say

A Kendall man confessed to suffocating his wife and raping her 8-year-old daughter inside a West Miami-Dade home, police say.

Alberto Sierra, 28, was charged early Tuesday with the murder of Gladys Machado and her two young daughters, whose bodies were found inside the bedroom closet of a home last week. Machado was also raped, according to an arrest report.

The shocking details cap a furious police investigation into a brutal killing that shocked South Florida. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of sexual battery.

Sierra, a convicted felon who was long the main focus of the investigation, confessed after hours of questioning Monday night. Also on Monday, detectives found Machado’s missing car near the Kendall apartment where Sierra was staying with his mother.

According to an arrest report, Sierra accompanied Machado and her daughters to the Mall of the Americas in West Miami-Dade. The on-again-off-again couple began to argue and Sierra, armed with a knife, stabbed her.

Then, he drove the three to the Flagami-area home where the family had lived up until recently. The home was vacant because the couple had split.

According to police, Sierra put the daughters in an adjacent bedroom and suffocated Machado in the master bedroom, then raping her. Then, Miami-Dade police said, Sierra called the oldest daughter to the master bedroom, raping and suffocating her.

Then, police say, Sierra went to the other bedroom and suffocated the youngest daughter as she slept.

The bodies were not found until Tuesday afternoon. A woman who rents an efficiency in the home found Machado and Julia and Daniela Padrino, ages 8 and 4, laid out inside a closet.

A convicted felon with a long rap sheet, Sierra walked into the Kendall substation last Wednesday. After homicide detectives questioned him for several hours, he was allowed to leave. His criminal history includes convictions for drugs and weapons.

But armed with forensic evidence, Miami-Dade homicide detectives called him in for questioning Monday and he confessed.

Sierra has a violent past. Back in 2010, Machado told police he bit her arm during a heated argument. Investigators later found him with 79 grams of Ecstasy, a stolen 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol and ammo.

After he was sentenced to one year of probation, he and Machado were married in October 2011.

That same month, Sierra was also investigated by the state’s child welfare agency after Julia told a teacher that her stepdad had bitten her on the arm.

The girls’ biological father asked for sole custody of the children, but the Department of Children and Families closed out its investigation when Sierra was again arrested in November on charges of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. At the time, he was living with Machado at the same Flagami-area house where she was later found dead.

Officers seized a rifle, a shotgun and ammo. His probation was also revoked and Sierra later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 364 days in a Miami-Dade jail.

In June, Sierra was released from a Miami-Dade jail and had returned to living with Machado. It is not known when the two separated.

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Bates Motel First Photo

It was announced back in July that A&E had greenlit a new 10-episode series called Bates Motel, which would serve as a pre-quel to Alfred Hitchcock's classic, Psycho.

VIDEO - How Anthony Hopkins Prepared To Play Hitch

Now you can get your first look (via) at Finding Neverland's Freddie Highmore as a young Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga as his mean mother as their iconic house looms large in the background.

VIDEO - Scarlett Johansson on Recreating Psycho's Shower Scene

The series, executive produced by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights), will expand the universe beyond the hotel's rooms and showers, according to the showrunners. ''The town itself is very much a character in the show,'' Cuse tells EW.com. ''There are a lot of secrets that lurk beneath this bucolic veneer.''

Bates Motel premieres Spring 2013 on A&E.

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Mystery man ruled out in Brooklyn serial killer investigation

AP

Police have ruled out a person of interest seen in this sketch from the Aug. 2 murder in Bensonhurst.

Cops have ruled out a person of interest in one of the murders committed by the Brooklyn serial killer, saying that the subject of a police sketch released in August has no connection to the slayings.

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said the man in the sketch circulated after the Aug. 2 Bensonhurst murder of Isaac Kadare, 59, was in the area at the time.

"That was a sketch that surfaced with one of the previous murders, it is no longer relevant," said Kelly. "That individual washed out again. That individual was somebody we wanted to talk to, who may have been in the area. He’s not a subject, he’s a person we simply wanted to speak to."

"It was someone that we wanted to speak to in the area. I believe that individual was interviewed."

Cops are still hunting for a mysterious man toting a duffel bag identified as a key “person of interest” after surveillance video showed him at one -- and possibly two -- of the three slay scenes, law-enforcement sources told The Post yesterday.

Police are still looking to speak with the man they've dubbed "John Doe Duffel Bag"

"We would obviously like that individual to come forward and contact us," Kelly said today.

The unidentified man -- dubbed “John Doe Duffel Bag” -- who is middle-aged, white and balding, was most recently caught on surveillance video, duffel bag in hand, at around 6 p.m. Friday near the Flatbush store where owner Rahmatollah Vahidipour, 78, was found dead at 7:11 p.m., cops said.

Another video appears to show the same man near a Bensonhurst shop around the time its owner Kadare was killed, several sources said yesterday.

Kelly today disputed the claim that he was spotted at older murders.

“That’s not the case,” he said.

The duffel man has no known connection to the first murder of shopkeeper Mohammed Gebeli, 65, in his Bay Ridge clothing store on July 6.

All three murders were committed with the same .22-caliber handgun, and all three occurred while the lone business owner was closing up shop.

All three bodies were also covered when they were discovered, cops said.

"It may be significant, it may not, but in all three cases, the victim’s head was covered either by cardboard or clothing of some sort," said Kelly.

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