Longtime City Island resident Alex Schibli became the highest bidder when the Rat Island auction ended this afternoon. The Swiss-born engineer will pay 73-year-old Edmund "Red" Brennen a total of $716K for the one plus acre island, which is made up entirely of rock. Red, who now lives in Jupiter, Florida, and is a former City Islander, reportedly paid $5K for Rat Island in 1972. He's pictured on the right wearing the biker suspenders.

This Week in History, Oct 2 - Oct 8

Oct 02, 1985
Hollywood icon Rock Hudson dies of AIDS at 59, becomes the first major U.S. celebrity to die.
Oct 03, 1995
O.J. Simpson acquitted in brutal 1994 double murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman.
Oct 04, 1957
Soviet Union inaugurates the "Space Age" with its launch of Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite.
Oct 05, 1947

EUROPEAN BANKS. Financial Crisis.

TRIPOLI PROTESTS. Oil Company Greed.

OBAMA URGES CANDIDATES. Support All American.

CHRISTIE'S CORONATION. A NJ Governor GOP Campaign?

SO LONG BUDGET. New Fiscal Congressional Battles About To Begin.

In Union Square, more than a thousand people rallied in an event called "SlutWalk" to call attention to sexual violence against women.

The Brooklyn Bridge location attracted two marches. One demonstration came from Brooklyn to Manhattan by a group opposed to genetically modified foods, and another in the other direction against poverty.

FDNY systematically discriminates against minority applicants, according to a Judge who cites racist practices.
The court's conclusion is that that the Vulcan Society of black firefighters had proven its claim and set the stage for changes in the Fire Dept.

As a result, the judge has credited the NYCs recent efforts to sign up record numbers of minority recruits for the upcoming firefighter exam. Fire officials said 48% of those who applied for the next test are people of color - almost double the 26% who took the last test in 2007.