New York City briefs

School bus hits, kills woman; kids not hurt

A woman is dead after being struck by a school bus on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Police say a woman believed to be in her 40s was hit around 3:30 p.m., Thursday at East 93rd Street and Second Avenue.

The FDNY said the woman was in cardiac and respiratory arrest and died before firefighters and officers arrived.

Police say the five children on the bus were not injured. They say the matter is still under investigation.

Rights panel seeks to block hotel from NYC

The Human Rights Campaign wants to stop the expansion to New York City of Dorchester Collection hotels, a chain owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, a branch of the Brunei government.

At issue is the regime's implementation of harsh Sharia law that would permit the death penalty for adultery and homosexual behavior.

The hotel chain said in a statement, "we believe this boycott should not be directed at our hotels and dedicated employees."

Metro-North bar car takes final run today

Last call for the Metro-North bar cars will be at 7:07 p.m. Friday, when the last commuter train serving booze leaves Grand Central Terminal.

The bar cars -- relics from the '60s that sell beer, wine and a host of spirits -- are ending their run after 40 years of easing the ride home for commuters. There are four still operating, and the last one will head out to New Haven this evening. The fleet of cars that sold alcohol, which generated $357,000 in revenue last year, have been phased out for a new model.

But this may be a short-lived prohibition, possibly lasting a year as the Connecticut Department of Transportation considers ways to keep the suds flowing, according to spokesman Judd Everhart.

"[Gov. Dannel Malloy] is on record in favor of retaining the bar cars and we are making plans to do that," he said.

Two options being considered are buying new bar cars from the maker of the new fleet of Metro-North New Haven line trains, Kawasaki, or to have a company retrofit six to 10 of the new cars to have a place for drinks. If riders want an adult beverage for the commute, they can still grab a drink at the bar carts in Grand Central and take the drink on the Metro-North train, according to Connecticut DOT.

Bronx man sentenced for shooting officerA Bronx man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 2012 shooting of an off-duty NYPD officer.

Joseph Baez was also sentenced to 3 1/2 years of post-release supervision yesterday.

Baez, 21, had pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the shooting of Officer Nelson Vergara and another man.

An attorney for Baez didn't immediately return a message.

Prosecutors say Vergara was walking home after his shift when he confronted a man for throwing a bottle at him.

That's when they say Baez got out of a passing car and fired a semi-automatic pistol, striking Vergara in the shoulder and leg. Vergara returned fire.

Vergara has been promoted to detective. He's also served two tours in Iraq as a Marine.Compiled with

wire service reports