Morning Headlines | Must-Reads from the WNYC News Hub

MEDIA
NYPD Training Police Officers in First Amendment Rights of Press (Capitol New York)
Joe Pompeo reports: “In an interview with Capital on Tuesday, Deputy Inspector Kim Royster said that the department had taken a number of steps in response to a blistering letter on Nov. 21 from 13 news organizations that took police to task for arresting and acting physically aggressive toward journalists during Occupy Wall Street protests the previous week.”

POLITICS
NJ Redistricting Map Debate Continues Into the Night (Star-Ledger)
Matt Friedman reports: “The game of musical chairs that is congressional redistricting progressed late into tonight, with the apparent focus remaining on the elimination of one of three districts in the northeastern part of the state. But as the third day of meetings continued, there was still no vote on a new map to reduce the number of New Jersey’s congressional districts from 13 to 12 as mandated by the 2010 Census.”

POLITICS
Testing Firm Faces Inquiry on Free Trips for Officials (NYT)
Winnue Hu reports: “New York State’s attorney general is investigating whether the Pearson Foundation, the nonprofit arm of one of the nation’s largest educational publishers, acted improperly to influence state education officials by paying for overseas trips and other perks.”

POLITICS
Gov. Cuomo’s Records from Attorney General Stint Are Missing (City & State)
Michael Keller reports: “The records, documenting the inner workings of Cuomo and his administration, were destined for the State Archives for “permanent historical preservation,” according to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s spokeswoman Lauren Passalacqua. That much is known. The whereabouts of the records since then remain a mystery.”

HOUSING
Residents of Bronx Building No Cooking Gas Since Thanksgiving (NY Daily News)
Daniel Beekman reports: “Tenants at a Bronx apartment building that had no cooking gas for Thanksgiving and will have none for Christmas are suing the landlord they call "The Grinch." More than 30 angry tenants gathered outside 1520 Sheridan Ave. in Mount Eden on Tuesday to protest their treatment by Jonathan Wiener, principal of Chestnut Holdings. The Riverdale-based landlord didn't respond to requests for comment.”

POLITICS
Former State Sen. Kruger Claims to Be Broke (NY Post)
Rich Calder, Josh Margolin and Bob Fredericks report: ‘Disgraced ex-state Sen. Carl Kruger will have to forfeit up to $450,000 to the feds after pleading guilty to bribery charges, even though his lawyer claims Kruger is pretty much broke. “Despite all of the stories to the contrary, Sen. Kruger personally has always maintained a very modest lifestyle,” attorney Ben Brafman said yesterday. “Other than his state salary and state pension, he has no other assets whatsoever.”’

FRACKING
Binghampton Approves 2-Year Drilling Moratorium (Gannett)
Stephen Reilley reports: “Following an impassioned, three-hour public hearing Wednesday night, Binghamton City Council voted 6-1 to enact a moratorium on oil and gas extraction within the city's borders.”

ENVIRONMENT
Environmentalists Rally Against Bill Proposing Logging in N.J. Forests (NJ Spotlight)
Tom Johnson reports: “The bill (S-1954), expected to come up in the lame duck legislature, pits the environmental community in a rare public dispute against two of its biggest friends in the Statehouse, Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex), the chairman of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, and Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex), the chairman of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee. They are sponsoring the bill in each house.”

BABIES
Former Congressman Weiner & Huma Abedin Have Baby Boy (NY Post)
Tara Palmeri and Leonard Greene report: “Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, gave birth to the wee Democrat yesterday, 10 days before the New Year’s Eve due date, The Post has learned. Jordan Zane Weiner checked in at just over 7 pounds, a source said. The Post first reported in September that the couple was having a boy, months after Weiner’s political career crashed and burned in an embarrassing sexting scandal that forced him to resign from Congress.”