photo; mayor believes expansion of Javits convention center and new football stadium will lead to revitalization of forgotten neighborhood in West 30's from Ninth Avenue to Hudson River; Pataki believes planning for World Trade Center site will focus international attention on city and, by proxy, himself as continuous governmental link since Sept 11 attacks (M) Political Memo; The West Side's Yours, Ground Zero Mine

photo; Mayor Jason West is obeying court injunction to stop conducting such ceremonies; also present are police officers who give written warnings to clergy and take notes during ceremonies (M) Uniforms Mix With Wedding Finery at Same-Sex Nuptials

photo; Mayor Maarouf Zahran is one of few who still has hopeful contact with Israelis, through calls with Israeli counterparts and as part of group of Palestinian and Israeli mayors who meet periodically overseas; he points out that Palestinian bombers did favor for Prime Min Ariel Sharon, increasing support for hard-line policies; Qalqilya zoo boasts new playground given by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and several animals sent by Israeli zoo (M) For Palestinians, a Sense That Arafat's Era Left Them Empty-Handed

photo; Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov George Pataki step off AirTrain into gleaming new terminal in Jamaica; computer-operated train links airport terminals and connects to local trains and subways in Jamaica and Howard Beach; Manhattan passengers still have to transfer but train will spare them unpredictable, expensive taxi ride; advocates credit Pataki with finally pushing through scaled-back plan (M) Century After Wright Brothers, a Train to J.F.K.

photo; Mayor Rudolph Giuliani jokes that he will announce new police commissioner the way Pres Kennedy supposedly said he would announce brother's apppointment as attorney general: by peeking out door at 2AM and whispering 'It's Bobby'; outgoing police commissioner, Howard Safir, 6 feet 3 inches, is often seen walking his ten-pound dog on Upper East Side; Colleen Cronin and Roy Finlay give up attempt to row from Newfoundland to Ireland; British Airways intends to keep half-size model of Concorde on Times Square billboard, despite grounding of real Concorde following crash in Paris (Public Lives column) (M) PUBLIC LIVES

photo; Mayor Sharpe James says city has spent $3.2 million, and blames state for not making declaring disaster area; Gov Christine Whitman's office says damage does not rise to that level (M) Residents Complain of Lack of Assistance After Newark Plane Crash