June 16, 1999

Dan Barry, in About New York column, notes that there are 2,079 dry fire hydrants in Lower Manhattan; says their only purposes are to create revenue in parking fines and to serve as 'squat symbols of government sloth'; says Giuliani administration plans to remove hydrants by next spring (M)

Eric Asimov reports on some extraordinary eateries in Manhattan that are inexpensive; among them are El Fogon and Charles's Southern-Style Kitchen, both in Harlem, Habib's Place and Flor's Kitchen in East Village, and John's Pizzeria in Greenwich Village; photos (L)

Anthony Tommasini on the 'virtual orchestra' that Operaworks uses for its productions as alternative to live unionized musicians; describes how sounds are taken from sampler CD and painstakingly sequenced into a computer so that entire score can be played on a keyboard; says resulting sound is weird and there is scant room for the orchestra to accommodate the live singers; David Leighton, company's founder, predicts that other smaller companies will soon be following suit; photo of Leighton with J Patrick Casey, who operates computer and keyboard (L)

Article on San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan in view of upcoming NBA finals against New York Knicks; photo (M)

Serbs' most brutal campaign to drive out Albanian majority from Kosovo Province is evident in City of Djakovica and swath of villages around it in landscape of grave sites, burned homes, toppled mosque minarets and smashed shops; scene of devastation described; city, almost entirely Albanian, has long been center of Albanian nationalism; discoveries confirm refugees' widely reported accounts; suspected mass graves are also discovered at sites of previously reported massacres in Velika Krusa and Bella Crkva; discovery 21 bodies in farmhouse in Mala Krusa discussed; photos; map (M)