The attorney for the crane rigger accused of causing the deadly 2008 crane collapse in Manhattan said that “incompetence at the highest levels of city government” caused the accident, which killed seven people, rather than the “recklessness” prosecutors alleged against his client, William Rapetti. Photo: AP/Louis Lanzano Rapetti on the day of his indictment in January, 2009. Photo: Michael Goodman for ENR The defense has emphasized that Rapetti operated equipment at Ground Zero. Related Links: Rigger Declines Jury Trial Crane-Failure Case Heading to Court Rapetti was the master rigger of a 200-ft-high tower crane at the high-rise apartment construction site

The MTA is claiming it “moved far more quickly than required or planned to put federal stimulus (ARRA) funds to work,” despite a State Comptroller report claiming that current spending on city transportation represents only a tenth of one percentage of statewide expenditures. The report, released in late January, says the MTA has spent only $857,000 in stimulus funds as of Jan. 15, 2010, whereas the state has spent $704 million. As of Jan. 15, 2010, the report states, the MTA spent no money on the two projects expected to receive the bulk of its earmarks, the Second Avenue Subway