MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS EARLY BIRD NEWS

SEE IT: Miami Marlins Giancarlo Stanton leaves game on stretcher after being drilled in the FACE by pitch

Miami Marlins All-Star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was hit directly in the face by Brewers pitcher Mike Fiers Thursday night.

Oscar Pistorius' ex says former Olympian menaced her during 18-month relationship

While Oscar Pistorius dodged premeditated murder charges Thursday in a trial that has captivated a country, his ex-girlfriend spoke out detailing her nightmarish relationship with the former South African Olympian.

Jurors shown haunting footage of autistic boy with accused murderer, his mom, in Peninsula hotel hours before death

Little Jude Mirra stood obediently at his mother’s side as she checked into the five-star hotel where, hours later, she would allegedly force-feed him a fatal pill cocktail, according to a video seen by jurors.

Queens Library boss Thomas Galante placed on paid leave

The story of embattled Queens library chief Thomas Galante entered a new chapter Thursday night after he was put on indefinite leave by the board.

Catholic League withdraws from 2015 St. Patrick’s Day Parade because gay group will march but anti-abortion group cannot

For the first time in 20 years, the league won’t join those marching in New York City’s famous tribute to the Irish saint because a gay group is being permitted to walk under an identifying banner, but an anti-abortion Catholic group is not.

Hollywood hate fest: Inside the nastiest celebrity feuds

ALS-stricken former cop ‘meticulous planned’ double homicide: prosecutor

A former Wisconsin sheriff's deputy stricken with ALS and accused of gunning down his wife and sister-in-law saw his bail doubled to $2 million Thursday after prosecutors claimed that he carefully planned the killings.

California golf coach Andrew Nisbet admits to sexually abusing boys

A California golf instructor pleaded guilty Thursday to molesting three of his students between the ages of 12-17 and then later plotting to kill them from jail.

Baby born with eight limbs in Uganda undergoes surgery to remove 'parasitic twin'

Paul Mukisa had four of his extra limbs—- two arms and two legs — surgically detached in the delicate operation last month.

Gonzalez: Beware surge in Green Dot MoneyPak scams, fraudulent Con Edison debt collectors

Use of these MoneyPaks has exploded in low-income communities. They’re used to transfer cash into prepaid debit cards or to directly pay the bills of certain participating companies.

LIFE WITH JOAN: Inside Melissa's touching eulogy

NYC's Candy Cab is need of a financial pick-me up after car broke down

After more than 215,000 miles and countless candies and smiles, Mansoor Khalid's Toyota Camry which he used to dish out sweets to unexpected passengers broke down. He's now out of a job while unable to afford a new ride but hoping his fans may be able to lend a hand.

EXCLUSIVE Bronx hot-sheets motel next to Donald Trump's newest golf course to become homeless shelter

The recently shuttered hot sheets motel next to Donald Trump’s soon-to-open Bronx golf course is being turned into a homeless shelter, the Daily News has learned.

Cuomo announces $2.8 million plan to rebuild the Sea Gate beach bulkhead damaged by Hurricane Sandy

Gov. Cuomo announced a $2.8 million plan Thursday to rebuild the Sea Gate beach bulkhead damaged by Hurricane Sandy and protect nearby Coney Island.

LA-SEX-TOYA: Shocking Jackson family items hit the auction block

Bernie Madoff’s son, Andrew, left one-third of $16M estate to estranged wife and $50,000-a-month to fiancée in will

Andrew Madoff, 48, also left behind all his personal property to his children, according to the will filed Thursday in Manhattan Surrogate's Court.

Michael Dunn, who faces minimum 60-year sentence, wants to move retrial for killing Florida teen over loud music

A judge will wait until jury selection begins to determine whether to move the first-degree murder trial of a Florida man accused of killing a teenager during an argument over loud music.

Obama authorizes the U.S. military to target the head of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

As part of his expanded campaign against the Islamic State, President Obama has authorized the U.S. military to target Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the driving force behind the violent extremist group, it was reported Thursday.

PHOTOS 9/11 memorial services mark 13th anniversary of attacks

On the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, hundreds of people gathered near the World Trade Center to commemorate those who lost their lives on the darkest day of this century for our nation.

'My father died a hero... It's not something you just dismiss over time': 9/11 victims' families and nation pause to remember 13th anniversary of terror attacks

The city is pausing once again Thursday morning to mark the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Widow who met husband at WTC still hurts 13 years after his death on 9/11

Denise Matuza (with son Nico Matuza, left) is heading out for her annual pilgrimage to Ground Zero to hear her husband Walter's name echo over the memorial pool.

Obama declares that ‘America stands tall’ as he observes 9/11

President Obama honored the innocents who died on 9/11 — 13 years after the terrorist attacks and 13 hours after launching a new military campaign against vicious Islamic fanatics.

Where's Beyoncé? Six graders in Washington school thought Bey was coming for 9/11 project, not Obama

President Obama and the First Lady found time for light moments on a somber day while participating in a service project Thursday to mark “the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.”

VIDEO Tribute In Light: Go behind the scenes of the rehearsal for 9/11 memorial

September 10, 2014, Lower Manhattan. The Tribute in Light installation will illuminate from dusk until dawn on Sept 11th. The night before, the production crew rehearses.

Gov. Cuomo rides same path as 9-11 heroes on a motorcycle

In memory of the fallen firefighters of FDNY's Rescue 1 in Midtown, Gov. Cuomo on Thursday hopped on a motorcycle and took part in a commemorative bike run that traced the heroes' tragic route on 9-11.

THE IMAGES WE'LL NEVER FORGET: See the grim photos taken on Sept. 11, 2001 as the U.S. suffered the worst terrorist attack in the country's history

Photos from 9/11/01 remain seared into the nation's consciousness.

Bill de Blasio attends observances honoring victims during first 9/11 in office

On his first Sept. 11 in office, Mayor de Blasio attended observances honoring the dead and said it is 'sobering' to grapple with his new responsibility to keep the city safe.

EDITORIAL The duty to remember in NY is help for the forgotten victims of 9/11

Thirteen years ago, mass murder came from the sky as Islamist radicals turned those four airliners into missiles aimed at the heart of America.

New York

Home health aides abused Staten Island man, 99, and refused to help him when he suffered broken bones during a fall, lawsuit says

A 99-year-old Staten Island man was still living at home, headed toward his 100th birthday — until hired home health aides “killed my father,” the man’s distraught daughter says.

New Yorker Hotel fighting bedbug protesters in court

In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the New Yorker Hotel says it’s being extorted by union protesters claiming the hotel is “infested with bedbugs” — and who’ve illustrated their claims with a giant inflatable bug.

PICTURED Cops hunt creep who allegedly snuck into woman's Upper East Side apartment, tried to rape her

The woman told police she woke up around 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 1 to find a man — who authorities say is about 25-years-old — leering at her by her bed.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

'We will not be bullied': Two women with separate lawsuits to challenge teacher tenure are at odds

Mona Davids, president of the New York City Parents Union, who filed the first legal action, made wild accusations Thursday against Campbell Brown, who filed the second.

Ex-Bronx Assemblyman informant gets probation after lying during corruption probe

Now-former pol Nelson Castro, 42, had faced up to two years in prison for his not-so-bright fibs to the feds, but Judge Paul Engelmayer cut him a break because his “historic” cooperation had led to six arrests and convictions.

ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD: Single Neil gets cozy with Daryl

28 children drink bleach at Jersey City daycare: report

A total of 28 children and two adults were hospitalized Thursday after drinking a mixture of water and bleach at a day care in New Jersey.

California Highway Patrol: Officer who punched woman had pulled her from oncoming traffic

An investigator says a California Highway Patrol officer videotaped repeatedly punching a woman on the side of a Los Angeles freeway had just pulled her from oncoming traffic and she pushed him.

Ohio woman kicked off city bus for broken sandal minutes before rape: police

A 21-year-old woman says she was booted from a Columbus, Ohio city bus because of a broken sandal – minutes before she was raped by a homeless man.

Carmen Electra looks sexy in bejeweled corset

Raissman: Can’t see TV bigs canceling Roger Goodell

The National Football League’s television partners are not about to abandon Roger Goodell. Why should they? The frantic fallout over the commissioner’s handling of Ray Rice’s domestic violence case can be examined in many ways. Here’s another one: In a perverse, very perverse, sense, it has actually expanded the NFL’s audience.

Chicago sicko raped pregnant college student, 24, at knifepoint, stuffed her in car trunk: police

A sicko kidnapped a pregnant college student at knifepoint in broad daylight, raped the woman in a Chicago alley, then stuffed the 24-year-old in the trunk of her own car, police said.

HEALING POWER? Ebola survivor Kent Brantly donates blood to treat infected American doctor

Blood from Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantly is being used to treat another American doctor who contracted the deadly virus in Liberia.

Sports

Myers: Owners fear Goodell more likely to quit over Rice than be fired

The vultures are circling over Roger Goodell and pressuring NFL owners to dump the commissioner for what has become Ray Rice (Video) Gate. So far, it’s not working.

Critics: NFL’s choice to lead Ray Rice investigation ‘terrible’

Roger Goodell didn’t do himself or his embattled NFL any favors when he announced late Wednesday that he had hired former FBI director Robert Mueller III to investigate how the league handled the Ray Rice domestic violence case.

Ex-prosecutor: Sending Ray Rice video to NFL a legal no-no

One former Atlantic City prosecutor says the law enforcement person who allegedly sent the Ray Rice video to the NFL violated state court rules and “should be worried for (their) job.”

Female senators call on NFL to adopt 'real zero-tolerance' policy

The NFL returned to the field Thursday night, but for a fourth straight day, Roger Goodell took the most hits. The NFL commissioner, who has been under fire since the Ray Rice elevator video surfaced early Monday, faced a new round of criticism and bad news on Thursday.