The architect of a $100 million mortgage fraud scheme admitted on Monday to attempting to arrange the murder of a witness who testified against him at trial. More >

The accolades continue for a homeless New York teen who’s a semifinalist in a prestigious national science contest.

Brentwood High School senior Samantha Garvey appeared Thursday as a guest on the “Ellen” talk show, where she received a $50,000 scholarship from AT&T to the college of her choice. She also was given a $5,000 J.C. Penney gift card and a $1,000 gift card for Whole Foods.

Last week, Garvey was named one of 300 semifinalists in the prestigious Intel science contest. The story of the aspiring marine biologist attracted national attention after it was reported that she and her family were forced to move to a homeless shelter on New Year’s Eve.

Retiring U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey said he hopes his upstate New York district remains intact through the current redistricting process. More >

A Columbia University student accused of selling LSD on the New York City campus has pleaded guilty to attempted drug possession.

On Tuesday, Adam Klein became the last of five students to plead guilty in a loose-knit campus drug-dealing ring.

He’s expected to get five years’ probation at sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 28.

Samantha Garvey and her family had been living in a Long Island shelter for several days when they got word the 17-year-old aspiring marine biologist had made it to the semifinals of the prestigious national Intel science competition.

Now, with donations coming in and the county finding them rent-subsidized housing, she’ll again be able to do her homework in a home.

Maestro Alan Gilbert brought the New York Philharmonic’s stirring performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony to a grinding halt because of a persistent ringtone emanating from an iPhonein the front row at Lincoln Center. More >

The U.S. Education Department has warned New York that its fight over implementing tougher teacher evaluation systems threatens hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid.

State Education Department Commissioner John B. King last week suspended aid to 10 school districts including New York City where local officials couldn’t agree with their teachers’ and principals’ unions on new evaluation systems.

New York auditors on Monday reported widespread compliance by local governments with the state’s 2 percent property tax cap, though 177 exercised the option to pass resolutions or local laws and exceed that limit. More >

Van Halen got their reunion tour off with a bang, delighting an audience of VIPs in a tiny New York venue.

Playing their biggest hits including Jump and Panama, the band went down a storm at the famous Cafe Wha? in West Village.

Ahead of the show, David Lee Roth said he was more nervous than he would be if they were playing in the city’s massive Madison Square Garden arena.

A New York City man accused in a series of New Year’s Day Molotov cocktail attacks that hit a mosque and a Hindu place of worship has been ordered held without bail, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Ray Lazier Lengend, a 40-year-old unemployed tow-truck driver from Guyana, was arraigned at Bellevue Hospital Center, where he is under psychological observation.