May 31, 2003

Hudson River Park project, which hopes to revitalize riverfront from Battery Park to 59th Street on Manhattan's west side, faces many obstacles, including inadequate funding, political infighting and logistical issues concerning sanitation and environmental hazards; photos (M)

New York City Police Dept issues unusually candid report on May 16 raid that resulted in death of Alberta Spruill after police broke down door and threw concussion grenade into her Harlem apartment; report details errors made by officers that led to Spruill's death, including fact that suspect being sought was in custody and thus could not have been there; report finds that some senior officials are ignorant of written policies on use of grenades; also includes recommendations for changes, including greater accountability and oversight of ways search warrants are executed; Police Comr Raymond Kelly comments; photo (M)

Dozens of teenage foster children in New Jersey remain locked up in array of secure juvenile detention centers because of lack of more appropriate places to put them; some are guilty of nothing more than violating court orders prohibiting them from skipping school or running away from home, while others, who have committed minor crimes, would be released quickly if foster families or group homes were available; problem is faced by many other states as system becomes more crowded and facilities scarce; authorities blame slow evaluation procedures as well as lack of facilities (M)

Schering-Plough Warns That It Faces Indictment The Schering-Plough Corporation said that it could soon be indicted in a federal government investigation into its marketing practices for prescription drugs, and face charges that employees destroyed documents related to the case. Prosecutors are examining whether the company gave financial incentives to doctors, whether it marketed drugs for unapproved uses and whether it submitted false pricing information to the government. [Page A1.]

Diamond ring stolen in 1994 and reported to FBI as being offered for sale in 1997 still has not found its rightful owner, as three potential owners emerge and Federal District Court (NYC) Judge Harold Baer Jr must try to sort out ring's complex journey (M)