Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe (NEW YORK) -- Citizens of the Big Apple have turned the calendar, moving out of the disastrous, gut-wrenching year of 2001 to what most hope will be a much better year -- 2002. The man who became "Mr. Mayor of the world," Rudolph Giuliani, made a misty-eyed farewell to the city he directed for eight years at several different venues in the final hours of his stewardship. Named "Man of the Year" for 2001 by Time magazine, he participated in the New Year's Eve dropping of the ball in Times Square. He had insisted that the event go on, for the 98th time, to prove that security concerns could not stop the Dec. 31 tradition in Manhattan. Advertisement New mayor Michael Bloomberg has a hard act to follow. Now, for many the question is: "What next for Giuliani?" Some say he will move to New Jersey, set up housekeeping, register to vote and run for the Senate. (ATLANTA) -- Building experts in Atlanta are investigating Monday night's collapse of a stairway at a popular nightspot in that city just as patrons were preparing to ring in the new year. Advertisement The Journal and Constitution is reporting that at least 15 young people were hurt when a stairway inside a club called The Masquerade collapsed about 11:30 that night. Some of the patrons on the stairwell at the time were sent crashing as much as 15 feet to the ground. Miraculously, the worst of the injuries was a broken ankle. There were as many as 3,000 revelers inside the building at the time. Experts say it could have been much worse had more people been going from one level to another when the walkway suddenly gave collapsed. (CHICAGO) -- Officials in the Windy City are making final preparations for Friday's arrival of the torch that is headed to Salt Lake City for the Winter Olympics next month. As in other cities along the route, local celebrities will take turns running with the flame. Others, including several handicapped Chicagoans, will also get their chance. The Sun-Times is reporting that the torch will arrive Friday morning aboard the train that has carried it to many cities after departing Atlanta. The flame arrived there on a Delta Air Lines jetliner from Athens. One Chicago torchbearer told the publication that this week's events are a far cry from what she was doing one year ago this week -- undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Advertisement (DETROIT) -- The Motor City has its youngest-ever mayor. In private ceremonies at the St. Regis Hotel, Kwame Kilpatrick was sworn in before a crowd of media and about 250 invited guests. According to the Free Press, Kilpatrick's official public inauguration -- set for Wednesday -- will begin with a prayer breakfast. Numerous events are scheduled for this week, with the culmination on Sunday. The 31-year-old mayor plans to hold an ecumenical prayer event at a Detroit church that night. Altogether more than 20 events will be held this week as part of a multi-day festival. Most are open to the public.
