Superstorm Sandy costly to art world

Silas Seandel stands in the back storage unit of his facility after flood waters from the Hudson River damaged several works during Superstorm Sandy. A photograph dries at Derek Eller Gallery after being damaged by Sandy flooding. Owner Derek Eller stands in his gallery during cleanup efforts after the storm. Ongoing construction inside Haunch of Venison, a large gallery in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. Debris stuck to a work by Jaye Moon shows the flood levels Sandy brought to Newman Popiashvili Gallery during. Gallery owner Leo Koenig stands outside his space during repairs. Marisa Newman assesses the flood damage wreaked on her space, the Newman Popiashvili Gallery. Artist and studio owner Silas Seandel works to restore his facility after floodwaters broke through his doors. A watermark in Silas Seandel's storage room shows flood levels from the Hudson River. Zach Feuer, temporarily using the floor above his gallery, stands in front of art being salvaged from his space. One gallery owner anticipates losses to the art world in the "hundreds of millions" "Chelsea is the center of America for contemporary art," another says Flooding from the Hudson River quickly filled basements and street-level facilities Sculptor says he and thousands of pounds of metal were knocked down by the surge New York (CNN) -- Dumpster-lined streets and sidewalks strewn with destroyed art hint at the damage Hurricane Sandy wreaked on New York's most important art district last week; but as electricity slowly returns and flood waters recede, the impact of the "super storm" is still uncertain in New York's downtown Chelsea neighborhood. "Chelsea is the center of America for contemporary art," Zach Feuer, owner of Zach Feuer gallery, told CNN. "This is a big cultural loss." The destruction has left the contemporary and modern art world reeling, and as the recovery effort continues the massive creative and monetary toll is rising fast. "I would not be surprised if, when it's all said and done, the damage that is done to our art world will be in the hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in unrecoverable work," gallery owner Leo Koenig said. The storm that broke records -- and hearts What caused so much damage? Crowds wait for free gas on Saturday, November 3, at the Bedford Avenue Armory in Brooklyn, New York. The U.S. East Coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Superstorm Sandy. View photos of the recovery efforts in New York. A house sits devastated by Superstorm Sandy on Friday, November 2, in Union Beach, New Jersey. The cost of the storm's damage in the U.S. is estimated at between $30 billion and $50 billion, according to disaster modeling firm Eqecat. A baby picture lies beneath rubble in a neighborhood devastated by the storm in Union Beach on Friday. Flood-damaged belongings sit on the side of the road in Union Beach on Friday. Park Choul works by flashlight in his deli in New York's East Village on Thursday, November 1. More than 3.3 million customers remained without electricity in 15 states and the District of Columbia four days after Sandy barreled ashore. Geronimo Harrison's apartment in the East Village remains without power or water Thursday. He's using candles for light and a gas stove for heat. Water gets pumped out of a business in the East Village on Thursday. A roller coaster sits in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after the Fun Town pier it sat on in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Amusement-park rides lie mangled on the beach after the Fun Town pier in Seaside Heights was destroyed. The arcade at the FunTown pier in Seaside Heights is in ruins. Storm damage is expected to cost tens of billions of dollars. The inside of a gas pump is exposed at a closed station that was recently under floodwater on Thursday, November 1, in Hoboken, New Jersey. Superstorm Sandy, which made landfall along the New Jersey shore, has left the state with a fuel shortage due to logistical problems and power failures. People wait in line for fuel at a Shell Oil station onThursday in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Fuel shortages have led to long lines of cars at gasoline stations in many states. Cars wait in line for fuel at a Gulf gas station in Fort Lee, New Jersey. A woman leaves an Exxon gas station that was out of fuel on Thursday in North Bergen, New Jersey. Bridget De La Torre holds her daughter Neve, 3, as daughter Paz sits nearby while they rest and charge devices on Thursday at a shelter for those affected by Superstorm Sandy at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Hoboken, New Jersey. Bridget's family has no electricity or hot water, and their car was destroyed by flooding. Waves break in front of an amusement park destroyed by Superstorm Sandy on Wednesday, October 31, in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. At least 56 people were killed in the storm. New Jersey suffered massive damage and power outages. People walk near the remains of burned homes in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens, New York, on Wednesday. An overview of the fire damage in Queens, New York, following Hurricane Sandy. Residents in hard-hit areas sifted through the wreckage of Sandy on Wednesday as millions remained without power. Buildings on the shoreline are pictured from Air Force One as it prepares to land in Atlantic City, New Jersey, carrying President Barack Obama, who visited areas hardest hit by the unprecedented storm. President Barack Obama speaks as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie looks on, as they visit a shelter for Hurricane Sandy victims in Brigantine, New Jersey. The shadow of Air Force One is cast on the water as it prepares to land in Atlantic City on Wednesday, October 31. Residents in the Rockaway section of Queens, New York, wait to charge their phones at a government generator. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey resumed operations on limited schedules Wednesday, and the New York Stock Exchange commenced trading after being closed for two days. Motorists drive through standing water in Hoboken, New Jersey. Known as the Mile Square City, the low-lying neighborhoods suffered deep flooding resulting from the storm surge associated with Hurricane Sandy. A member of Army National Guard Unit Gulf 250 from Morristown, New Jersey, evacuates victims of Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken on Wednesday, October 31. Residents traverse flooded streets as clean up operations begin in Hoboken, New Jersey. New Jersey Natural Gas technician Carlos Rojas inspects a leaking gas main that is under water at a home damaged by Hurricane Sandy in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. A resident looks through the remnants of his home in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens, New York. Flood-damaged streets are viewed in the Rockaway section of Queens, New York, where the historic boardwalk was washed away due to Hurricane Sandy. People walk past homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Traders stand outside of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wednesday, October 31. U.S. equity markets resumed trading Wednesday for the first time this week after Hurricane Sandy. People board the ferry, one of the few functioning transportation systems, in Hoboken, New Jersey, on Wednesday, October 31. Members of the State University of New York Maritime Academy aid in the relief efforts, using row boats to help victims from in Hoboken, New Jersey. Jimmy Lee, owner of The Nail Store, begins the cleanup of his shop from damage done by Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken, New Jersey. Blaine Badick and her fiancee Andrew Grapsas cross a flooded street with their dog while leaving their home in Hoboken. Residents walk through the area where the boardwalk was washed away in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, New York, on Wednesday. The Rockaway boardwalk in Queens, New York, was stripped down to the piers by Superstorm Sandy. People look at a damaged section of the Rockaway boardwalk in Queens, New York, on Wednesday. People walk down a flooded street on Wednesday, October 31, in Hoboken, New Jersey. A man charges his cellphone at a home that still has power in Hoboken, New Jersey, on Wednesday, October 31. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 2 million customers in New Jersey were without power. A firefighter stands on the porch of a home destroyed by fire in Queens on Wednesday. Customers line up to buy supplies at an Ace Hardware with a power generator in Hoboken, New Jersey, on Wednesday. Superstorm Sandy stripped the steps from the deck of this home in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Superstorm Sandy left a car buried in sand in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. A helicopter flies past damaged homes in Long Beach Island, New Jersey, on Wednesday, October 31. A man makes his way through floodwater and debris in Long Beach Island, New Jersey, on Wednesday. A police car patrols an empty waterfront neighborhood without power in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Wednesday. Concrete piers are all that remain of the destroyed boardwalk in Atlantic City on Wednesday. Debris from damaged property and the remains of a boardwalk litter the shoreline in Atlantic City on Wednesday. Waterfront property in Atlantic City lays in tatters on Wednesday. Transportation in the state was crippled by floodwaters, as well. "We are in a state of crisis all across this state," Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker told CNN on Wednesday. "It's going to be a challenging time." A police car patrols an empty waterfront neighborhood that lost power at dawn in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Wednesday. People wait for buses along New York's Sixth Avenue on Wednesday. Superstorm Sandy stripped New York's historic Rockaway boardwalk down to its foundation. A woman examines damage to the Rockaway neighborhood in New York on Wednesday. Commuters ride a NY Waterway ferry from Jersey City, New Jersey, on Wednesday, the first day of operation since the storm hit. A man rides on the front of a forklift while recording flood damage for insurance purposes in Little Ferry, New Jersey, on Wednesday. Con Edison employee John Shammah pauses while working on a steam pipe on First Avenue in New York City on Wednesday. CNN iReporter Jordan Shapiro captured this view of the Williamsburg Bridge in New York at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, October 30. Half of the bridge and Brooklyn is lit, while the Manhattan side and the surrounding part of the island remain shrouded in darkness. Dog owners in Alexandria, Virginia, gathered to see the flood waters left by Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday. Taxis sit in a flooded lot Tuesday in Hoboken, New Jersey. People take pictures of a flooded street Tuesday in Hoboken. A man stands near a homemade road block on Tuesday in Little Ferry, New Jersey. People wait in line to fill containers with gas at a Shell station in Edison, New Jersey, on Tuesday. Superstorm Sandy left much of Bergen County flooded and without power. Aerial images from the U.S. Coast Guard show the coastline in Brigantine, New Jersey, on Tuesday. Sandy struck land near Atlantic City, New Jersey, around high tide Monday night. Homes and other buildings in Brigantine were destroyed in Sandy's wake. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie described the devastation in the state as "unthinkable." Brigantine saw extensive damage from high winds and flooding. Homes are flooded Tuesday in Tuckerton, New Jersey. President Barack Obama signed major disaster declarations for New Jersey and New York, clearing the way for federal aid. A resident walks down a street covered in beach sand due to flooding from Hurricane Sandy in Long Beach, New York on Tuesday. Firefighters work to extinguish flames in a home in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens on Tuesday. The massive fire broke out during the storm and destroyed at least 80 homes Ted Wondsel, owner of Ted's Fishing Station in Long Beach, assesses the damage to his business Tuesday. People wait outside a shelter at the Bergen County Technical Schools Teterboro Campus on Tuesday in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. Utility workers from Delmarva Power replace a power pole that was damaged during Hurricane Sandy in Ocean City, Maryland, on Tuesday. Dale Kelly sits on a bench Tuesday on a flooded street in Ocean City, New Jersey, which was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. Ted Wondsel, left, of Point Lookout works on part of a dock destroyed in the storm in Long Beach on Tuesday. West Broadway in Long Beach is covered in beach sand due to flooding from Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday. Residents walk along a street covered in beach sand after floodwaters from Superstorm Sandy retreated Tuesday in Long Beach. A small plane damaged in the storm sits on a runway in Farmingdale, New York, on Tuesday. Streets remain flooded in portions of Ocean City, New Jersey. Utility workers repair a traffic signal damaged by the storm in Ocean City, New Jersey, on Tuesday. A Virgin Mary statue stands in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens, New York, on Tuesday after a fire fed by high winds destroyed at least 80 homes, officials said. President Barack Obama outlines the federal government's response to Superstorm Sandy at the Red Cross headquarters in Washington. Firefighters work to contain the fire in Queens on Tuesday. Some 200 firefighters battled the six-alarm blaze. A man surveys damage to sailboats Tuesday at a marina on City Island in New York. "My message to the federal government: no bureaucracy, no red tape, get resources where they're needed as fast as possible, as hard as possible, and for the duration," Obama said in Washington Tuesday. Both Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney canceled campaign events. People stand on a mound of construction dirt on Tuesday to view a section of the uptown boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that was destroyed by flooding. A firefighter looks through debris in Queens on Tuesday. In September, the same area endured severe weather as a powerful cold front brought heavy rain, high winds and a tornado. A malfunctioning generator billows black smoke at a building in New York on Tuesday. Mitt Romney helps gather donated goods for storm relief Tuesday in Kettering, Ohio. Emergency personnel help a resident of Little Ferry, New Jersey, onto a boat after rescuing her from floodwater on Tuesday. Dean Walter, left. and Henry Young walk along a seawall in Scituate, Massachusetts, with their surfboards after going into the heavy surf for about 20 minutes on Tuesday. Superstorm Sandy left New York's South Street Seaport flooded and covered in debris on Tuesday. Passers-by look at a car that was crushed by a tree near New York's financial district on Tuesday. Pedestrians and bikers cross the Brooklyn Bridge after the storm on Tuesday. People stand among the debris of the destroyed section of Atlantic City, New Jersey's, uptown boardwalk on Tuesday. Sailboats rest on the ground after being tipped over by Superstorm Sandy on City Island, New York, on Tuesday. Onlookers watch a dangling crane, damaged in the winds of Superstorm Sandy, atop a luxury high-rise under construction in midtown Manhattan on Tuesday. An onlooker snaps a photo of the damaged crane on Tuesday. Jolito Ortiz helps clean up a friend's apartment on New York's lower east side on Tuesday. A tidal surge created by Sandy flooded the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in New York on Tuesday. A worker cuts down a tree near American University in Washington on Tuesday. A home badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy sits along the shoreline in Milford, Connecticut, on Tuesday. An emergency worker carries a resident through floodwaters in Little Ferry, New Jersey, on Tuesday. Police walk past debris left by the storm at Battery Park in New York on Tuesday. Floodwater splashes into the window of a building on the shore in Bellport, New York, on Tuesday. Rescue workers use a hovercraft to rescue a resident using a wheelchair from floodwaters in Little Ferry, New Jersey, on Tuesday. A resident of Little Ferry, New Jersey, assists in rescue efforts with his personal watercraft on Tuesday. The HMS Bounty, a 180-foot sailboat, is submerged in the Atlantic Ocean about 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, North Carolina, on Monday, October 29. A man walks through the debris of a 2,000-foot section of Atlantic City, New Jersey's "uptown" boardwalk on Tuesday. It was destroyed by flooding from Sandy. Downed trees are removed near the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington on Tuesday. Heavy surf buckles Ocean Avenue in Avalon, New Jersey, on Tuesday. Sam Rigby walks on Tuesday near an uprooted tree that grazed his house and hit his neighbor's house in Washington. A photographer shoots waves in Lake Michigan generated by the remnants of Sandy as they crash into the Chicago shoreline on Tuesday. A police officer helps remove a tree branch brought down during the storm in Washington on Tuesday. A man takes pictures of cars from the steps of a home on a flooded street at Hoboken in New Jersey, on Tuesday. A woman wades through water at the South Street Seaport in New York City on Tuesday. A street light and utility pole lie on the street in Avalon, New Jersey, on Tuesday. Atlantic City, New Jersey, resident Kim Johnson inspects the area around her flooded apartment building on Tuesday. A power line knocked over by a falling tree blocks a street in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Tuesday. Workers shovel debris from the streets in Ocean City, Maryland, on Tuesday. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flies over Central Park in New York on Tuesday. A man jogs near a darkened Manhattan skyline on Tuesday after much of New York City lost electricity. Workers clear a tree blocking East 96th Street in Central Park in New York on Tuesday. View more photos of the recovery efforts in New York. 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In many cases, precautionary sandbags and sealants were washed away easily, and even works that were elevated high on the wall were soaked by morning. As the storm subsided, gallery owners and managers returned early on Tuesday, but much of the permanent damage had already been done. Gallery owner Derek Eller returned to his building but couldn't operate his electric gate because of the power outage. From a back window he was able to see boxes on the ground floor that had floated up when flooding in his 1,800-square-foot basement nearly reached the ceiling. "It's a disaster, pieces are lost forever," Eller said after emerging from his still-soaked basement. "We have been saving works over the past three days." Storm victims' latest adversary: Cold Koenig sealed the bottom of the entrance to his space in preparation for the hurricane. "My common sense told me that if there was a foot and a half of water standing on 23rd Street, the world was about to end," he said. But when Koenig opened his doors the following day, water trapped in the gallery all night by the sealant came gushing out onto the sidewalk. While many returned to find their collections in ruins, some witnessed the wreckage as it unfolded. "The surge came in and broke through the door, and knocked me down," Silas Seandel, a sculptor who lives above his studio, told CNN. "[It] threw me and thousands of pounds of steel, and bronze, and sheets, all the way to the back door." Remarkably, Seandel was able to return to higher ground and wait out the storm. From Eller's basement to those barely affected, galleries and conservators seem to agree that the priority right now is recovering as much work as possible and keeping it dry. Tweets from @cnnbrk/sandy "The conservators were here immediately, there are trucks leaving with art constantly to get repaired," said Feuer, who estimates millions of dollars in damage to his gallery alone. "The mold is kind of our biggest race, so there's a speed issue." Other galleries have had to perform restorations on their own, reaching out to artists and conservators for insight during this crucial time. Marisa Newman, co-owner of Newman Popiashvili Gallery, gathered as much work as she could and raced uptown to her parents' home on Tuesday, knowing they still had power. Opinion: Sandy shouts climate change "I used their apartment for art triage," Newman recounted, "I brought as much there and we just cracked open all the frames, got everything out so they would just dry." Newman is now using the space above her gallery to hold and restore other works. To further assist this process, the Museum of Modern Art and conservators from the American Institute for Conservation Collections Emergency Response Team, are offering official guidelines and "a free public presentation on recovering wet art and cultural materials," according to an official release from MoMA. Despite the chaos, this generally competitive community has worked tirelessly to come together and ease the blow that Sandy has dealt, providing each other with generators, food and everything in between. "This kind of event brings back the human factor to it," said Emilio Steinberger, senior director at the gallery Haunch of Venison. "These are artists, these are dealers, people put their heart and soul into the art world and they're moving to save it, and put things back together." How to help This sentiment seems to be echoing through the galleries of the damaged neighborhood and many have been adamant that Chelsea's art culture will not only recover, but maintain its prestigious position within the art world. Seandel, who has worked and held exhibits in the same studio since 1978, has already insisted that he will repair and refinish all damaged works. "I'm 75 years old, but I feel I've still got a lot of life in me, my work is still in demand all over the world," Seandel said. "The thing about the New York gallery community is that it's an industry full of extremely intelligent, extremely capable people," gallery owner Cristin Tierney said. "So, I really believe that as dire as things are now, we're going to bounce back." Photos: New York recovers from Sandy CNN's Crista Giuliani contributed to this report.

Abbas comment sets off Hamas protest

Hamas protesters say President Abbas abandoned a demand for a "right of return" Abbas says he did not, and that he was only speaking for himself Israeli PM Netanyahu says if Abbas is serious, peace talks could start today Jerusalem (CNN) -- Hundreds of Hamas supporters took to the streets of Gaza on Saturday, protesting against Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and accusing him of giving up a key demand from Israel: a so-called "right of return." Abbas, however, said he did no such thing. Abbas leads the Palestinian Fatah movement based in the West Bank, which has battled Hamas for power. Over the weekend, in an interview with Israel's Channel 2, Abbas spoke about being originally from the town of Safed in northern Israel. He said he would want to go back to visit, but not to live. "I want to see Safed. It's my right to see it, but not to live there," he said. "Palestine now for me is '67 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital," he added, referring to the borders that existed before the 1967 war. "I believe that West Bank and Gaza is Palestine, and the other parts is Israel." Many Palestinian officials have generally argued that Palestinians should have a right to return to their ancestral homes in what is now Israel. Hamas leader Salah al-Bardawil, speaking at one of two Hamas rallies Saturday in Gaza, said Abbas "must apologize to the Palestinian people" for his remarks. Protesters trampled on posters of Abbas, saying he had abandoned the demand for a right of return. But Abbas insisted that he was only speaking for himself. Palestinian state-run news agency WAFA carried a quote from an Abbas spokesman saying that whoever "accepts a temporary state is the one who gives up the right to return." That idea has long been suggested: that Palestinians who would choose to live in an independent Palestinian state would give up demanding a right of return. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said he had seen the interview, and heard that Abbas "has already gone back on what he said. But this only proves how important it is to get into direct negotiations without any preconditions. Only direct negotiations will allow us to clarify what the true positions are." Netanyahu added that if Abbas "is indeed serious and intends to push the peace process forward, as far as I am concerned, we can sit together immediately. Jerusalem and Ramallah are seven minutes apart. I am prepared to start the talks today." He called on Abbas "to return immediately to the negotiating table without conditions." CNN's Kareen Khadder, Talal Abu Rahma, and Josh Levs contributed to this report.

New player in education jumps into state races

By Sarah Butrymowicz, The Hechinger Report A dozen states are poised to pass significant education reforms this year, depending on the outcome of next week's election. State-level candidates in many of them want to abolish teacher tenure and tie teacher evaluations to student tests. On the ground trying to make sure they win is a new organization, StudentsFirst, founded by former Washington D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. The group has infused cash and organizing into races in states such as California, Iowa and Michigan, where teachers unions have historically dominated politics and enshrined such policies as tenure and pay based on seniority in state law. StudentsFirst  hopes to undercut unions' power and remove many of the labor protections that unions support.   The 2012 election is the group's first real test. In Missouri, another state on the brink of wide-scale changes in education, StudentsFirst has poured more than $100,000 into campaigns since the primaries and recruited more than 40,000 members to push for the election of 21 candidates it has endorsed. Nationwide, the group has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in primary and general elections. Due to the reputation of its founder as a tough and unapologetic enemy of unions, StudentsFirst has the highest profile among a small number of similar groups, including Stand for Children and Democrats for Education Reform, that have emerged in the last few years to fight policies typically supported by unions. Most recently, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he had formed a super PAC to back candidates that support, among other things, the education reforms he has pushed in New York, including expansion of school choice. "Typically if you voted for school reform, you came under the wrath of the protectors of the status quo," said Tim Melton, the StudentsFirst legislative director, referring to the unions. "[We're a] new group that lets people know if they want to take some of those tough votes, someone's going to stand with them." For years, the unions have dominated the political landscape on education. They are often  major campaign donors and organizers for candidates that they endorse. The rise of outside groups eager to influence education policy corresponds with a growing number of candidates who are paying attention to the issue. In recent years, nearly every state in the country has passed some sort of significant education reform bill. They have changed curriculum standards, expanded charter schools or revamped teacher evaluations. "When you look at education, it hasn't been something that has been a political dynamo issue for candidates to run on," Melton said. "You just now see in the last three years a major shift." More from The Hechinger Report Teachers unions in Ohio seek to elect educators to office Ed in the Election: Ballot initiatives could transform state education policies Days lost to hurricane put New Jersey schools to the test StudentsFirst came to Missouri in January after being approached by both Democratic and Republican members of the state Legislature. It worked to get a charter school bill passed, but fell short on a bill that would reform Missouri's teacher tenure law. The legislation would have extended the time before a teacher can receive tenure from five years to 10. It passed narrowly in the House, but failed in the Senate. Union officials say five years is more than enough time to weed out low-performing teachers. StudentsFirst plans on returning to the issue after the election is over, and Melton is hopeful the numbers will be on his side this time. "It could be one or two members in a chamber that could make a significant difference," Melton said. The Missouri National Education Association (MNEA) and StudentsFirst have endorsed opposing candidates in eight races, including the race for lieutenant governor, and the same candidate in five. Chris Guinther, MNEA president, stressed that the union did not pay attention to the StudentsFirst endorsements. Her organization does its own independent selection process, she said. Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter But she is unhappy about the presence of StudentsFirst in state politics. "I would hope the Missouri legislators are willing to listen to those who work in our public schools every day rather than someone who flies in from California," she said. "Who in public education, who in service to our children doesn't put students first?" The Missouri Association of Teachers has found even less common ground with StudentsFirst. The union supports only one candidate that StudentsFirst also endorsed. In an open letter on its website, the association said the campaign of any candidate that takes StudentFirst money will be considered "anti-public education." Melton said he was unaware of the letter. "They represent their members, we represent the interest of students. I would hope that we can find [joint interest]," he said. "You can give them my phone number if they actually want to have a real conversation about that." Watch the Top Videos on NBCNews.com Whether StudentsFirst will have the impact it's hoping for, however, remains to be seen. Only 10 of 17 candidates the group endorsed in Missouri's primary elections last spring won. StudentsFirst could gain as much power as the unions, eventually, said Mike Antonucci, director of the Education Intelligence Agency, a group that monitors teachers unions. That won't happen any time soon though, he said. The unions have a built-in organizational structure that others have yet to match. Teachers' unions push to get educators elected "It looks to me like StudentsFirst has money; they don't have the organization," said Antonucci. "If you're going to compete with [the unions], you have to have both." Nov. 6 will provide the first clues as to whether StudentsFirst is likely to be a true player in state elections. "Part of what we perceive to be their influence will actually be determined next Tuesday," Guinther said, noting that her group was braced to have a tenure debate again. "I'm sure they'll be back." This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education-news outlet based at Teachers College, Columbia University. 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NYC crime falls by one third in wake of Sandy

By Reuters NEW YORK - New York City crime dropped by a third in the days after superstorm Sandy, but there was a slight increase in burglaries after at least 15 people were charged with looting empty businesses and homes blacked out since the disaster. Between Monday - when the storm hit, killing 41 people in the city - and Friday, murder dropped by 86 percent, rape fell 44 percent, robbery decreased by 30 percent, assault by 31 percent, larceny by 48 percent and car thefts by 24 percent. Burglaries rose by 3 percent. Experts say flooding in the Big Apple can be prevented in the future by building seawalls, levees or gigantic surge barriers. NBC's Richard Engel reports. During that period, overall crime declined in New York City by 32 percent from the same week the year before. "Overall, there were 1,061 crimes over the last five days compared to 1,541 last year," New York police spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement. "Police continued to be deployed to storm-affected areas by the thousands on extended tours of duty to provide security and recovery assistance." Read more Sandy coverage on NBCNews.com The drop in crime comes as New York police have been stretched to respond to one of the worst natural disasters to hit the region, sparking dangerous rescue efforts and concerns about crime in storm-darkened neighborhoods. Browne said that earlier on Saturday, a man wearing a Red Cross jacket was arrested for burglary on Staten Island after police saw him checking the front doors of unoccupied houses. With collapsed roads and destroyed homes along the New York area shore, the changes have altered the coastline and accelerated beach erosion. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports. Police presence at gas stations was increased on Saturday, said Browne, after at least 10 people were arrested on Friday for various disputes over line jumping. Drivers have been lining up for hours and tempers have been fraying as gas became scarce. Five other people were arrested for disorderly conduct at gas stations on Saturday, he said. In Queens, more than 15 people have been charged with looting and a man was charged with threatening another driver with a gun after trying to cut in on a line of cars waiting for gas, District Attorney Richard Brown said earlier this week.  More content from NBCNews.com: Sandy death toll in US rises to 109 Near-freezing cold, potential nor'easter add to misery New York Harbor reopens to offer fuel supply Cops: NYC man pulls pistol after cutting in line for gas Deadliest zone: Staten Island reels from devastation Wind, flames, Our Fathers: The inside story of Breezy Point's terrible night 'We'll figure out a way': Breezy Point looks ahead War veterans hit Sandy's front lines for rescues, cleanup How to avoid post-storm insurance and repair scams New Jersey investigating reports of price gouging Your Sandy photos: Show us the heroes in your life Sandy's aftermath: How you can help Full NBC News coverage of Sandy aftermath Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Police helicopter crash kills 2 in Atlanta

The crash knocks out power to 1,300 customers The copter with two officers onboard crashes late Saturday night "Losing two (officers) is an unthinkable tragedy," police chief says Atlanta (CNN) -- It started as a helicopter search for a missing 9-year old boy. About two hours later, the police chopper lay in pieces on a city street, two officers were dead and hundreds of northwest Atlanta residents had no power. The helicopter with two officers on board crashed late Saturday night, just miles from downtown. It was flying low to enable the officers to conduct a more thorough search, according to Atlanta Police Chief George Turner. Both officers died on impact. "Losing an officer is the most difficult thing a police chief can face," Turner said. "Losing two is an unthinkable tragedy. Our hearts go out to the families of these officers and our thoughts and prayers are with them. This is a difficult day ... it is a reminder of their bravery and the sacrifices made by our officers every day." There were no injuries on the ground, but the crash knocked out power to 1,300 Georgia Power customers. "I don't know specifics of what happened in that crash. We believe it is a result of the helicopter," said John Kraft, a spokesman for Georgia Power. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Turner said his department has cordoned off the area, but has turned the investigation over to the federal authorities. The boy was found safe. CNN's Maggie Schneider and Ayana Smith contributed to this report.