NYC NEWS BRIEFS

School bus firms, union hold meeting

New York City school bus companies and union leaders met to try resolving a strike of drivers and aides that entered its eighth day Monday.

A mediator conducted the meeting at the mayor's official residence, Gracie Mansion.

The conflict is over the city's need to rein in costs against the bus drivers' goal of keeping their jobs.

The city contracts with private bus companies and says it must seek competitive bids to save money. Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union wants the new contracts to include job protections for current drivers if the companies they work for lose their contracts.

Suspect in violent robberies identified

Police officials said Monday detectives have identified the suspect in a string of violent robberies targeting people of Asian descent.

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said police believe Jason Commisso, 34, of Queens has been responsible for eight attacks and robberies since Jan. 17, six of them in East Harlem.

He called the attacks "vicious." He said noses and cheeks were broken, and money and cellphones were stolen.

Kelly said the suspect has more than 30 prior arrests. He was described as 6 feet, 1 inch tall, 200 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800 577-TIPS.

$20M gift to fund blood cancer unit

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital said Monday it plans to build a bone-marrow transplant unit.

Work Construction on the 9,400-square-foot Irving Bone Marrow Transplant Union is scheduled to be completed in early 2014.

The center is made possible by a $20-million gift from philanthropists Herbert and Florence Irving.

It will provide lifesaving therapy for patients with blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and other autoimmune diseases.

Another $40-million grant from the longtime supporters was announced in June. It helped recruit five new clinician-scientists in leukemia to the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center. The five specialists joined the faculty this month.

Koch hospitalized again for lung issue

The spokesman for former Mayor Ed Koch said he's been readmitted to the hospital two days after he was released.

Spokesman George Arzt said Koch went back to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital Monday, because Koch's doctor wanted the 88-year-old to get more treatment for fluid in his lungs, which is causing shortness of breath. Koch had been released from the hospital on Saturday after he had gone in Jan. 19 because of fluid in his ankles and lungs. Doctors have told Koch to reduce his salt intake.

Istanbul police try to trace missing woman

An official says Istanbul police are scanning security camera footage to trace a New York City woman who vanished while vacationing alone in the city.

Sarai Sierra, 33, arrived in Istanbul on Jan. 7 and was supposed to return to New York on Jan. 21 but was not on her flight home and has not been heard from since.

A police official said authorities are reviewing security camera footage from around her hostel's neighborhood. The official said no trace of her has been detected. He spoke on the condition of anonymity, in line with government rules.

Sierra's husband and brother are traveling to Istanbul to help the search.

Before she disappeared, Sierra told relatives she planned to take photographs at a tourist destination.

Stray animal adoption center planned

The city New York City plans to launch an adoption department for stray dogs, cats and other pets. The adoption service would mark a new strategy for New York City Animal Care and Control. It plans to have it running within a year. Finding homes for stray animals has largely been left to private groups.

The new department would have 10 to 12 staff members and would actively seek homes for the animals.

The agency's interim executive director, Risa Weinstock, t he Wall Street Journal she wants to make Animal Care and Control one of the first places people go to adopt a pet.

The department would be part of an expansion of the agency's staff from 150 to 250 over the next three years.

Compiled from wire reports