May 4, 2002

City and state officials seem to have settled on crucial components of future of site known as ground zero; most officials say publicly that slate for Lower Manhattan is still blank, ready for best and most creative ideas about how to fill gaping hole in financial district's heart; they stress that any final decisions about rebuilding will be made jointly by Lower Manhattan Development Corp, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and offices of Gov George E Pataki and Mayor Michael R Bloomberg; still, planners are going ahead with plans for revamping of Lower Manhattan's tranportation system, complete with extensive underground concourse that will house retail stores, and few if any of plans mention either idea of replicating twin towers or of excluding commercial office buildings from site; map; photos (M)

Farda Amiga wins Kentucky Oaks, known as fillies' run for the lillies, pre-Kentucky Derby tradition for Louisville natives; photos (M)

George Vecsey Sports of The Times column discusses instant celebrity of New Jersey Nets after winning thrilling Game 5 of first-round playoff series against Indiana Pacers, which brought playoff series victory to team for first time in 18 years; photo (M)

Mortgage lenders have significantly reduced rate of foreclosures, instead altering schedule of loan payments in hope that drop in borrowers' income would turn out to be relatively brief; Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-created companies, have driven much of change; now, as economy continues to show signs of recovery, lenders' bet seems to be paying off; mortgage delinquencies have begun to fall, suggesting that many homeowners are getting back on their feet; lenders can thus avoid staggering losses that their newfound flexibility could have caused if economy had deteriorated further; analysts say decline in foreclosure rate has helped solidify progress that many struggling urban neighborhoods have made in recent years; photo; graphs (M)

West Virginia is generously sprinkled with public works named for its senior senator, Robert C Byrd; economically stressed state has advanced handsomely into modern era of government infrastructure and employment as its favorite son has amassed 50 years of clout in Washington; Byrd seems to relish being known at home as Prince of Pork; West Virginians display shared pride at his annual helpings from federal pork barrel, but not everyone believes state's many Byrd name signs are happenstance; list of some of more than 30 existing and pending federal projects named after Byrd; map; photos (M)