Reverend Billy and Savitri D have been named King Neptune and Queen Mermaid of the 2008 Coney Island Mermaid Parade, taking place this Saturday, and they're using their power to save Coney "from the gentrifying apocalypse of RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT HELL!" But as they say, No pain, No Gain -- and in order to help their cause, the Queen Mermaid has declared a hunger strike.The Queen Mermaid will refuse to go back in the ocean! She......

A nosy Post reporter may have cost Coney Island “Mayor” Dick Zugin his free apartment in a building he purchased with a 3.6 million grant from the city. Zigun runs his Coney Island USA sideshow and museum out of the Surf Avenue building, which the city helped his group buy last year. But when confronted with documents that report the address as his residence, Zigun admitted that he’s also been illegally living there, albeit humbly......

Time for everyone to say good-bye to Coney Island, as the 2007 season for Astroland's "Big Park" and Cyclone ends today (the kiddie park will be open through mid-October). And with real estate developer Thor Equities and the city battling it out over Coney Island's future, it's unclear whether the park will reopen next year. Today at noon, there will be a demonstration to urge Thor to extend the Astroland lease. In an AP article,......

This morning the video mentioned in this Metro piece was up on YouTube. Now it's missing and all that's left is a message reading it "has been removed by the user." The video was posted by Coney Island developer Thor Equities’ and portrayed a clearly scripted and favorably edited scene from the Mermaid Parade. The clip, which opens and closes with the Mermaid Parade logo, features costumed revelers professing their love of Coney Island and......

There is a silver lining to all the talk of Coney Island redevelopment. With everyone worrying whether this may (or may not) be the last season of the Coney Island we all know and love, people are making sure to head there and enjoy it while it lasts! The Post reports that 11 of 12 businesses it surveyed have been doing great business. Astroland is up 5% while Wonder Wheel Park is up 15%.......

As the redevelopment of Coney Island keeps moving ahead, it's starting to become clear what will be around next summer and what won't. Thor Equities, the developer with 10 acres of Coney Island land, has been letting various tenants know whether their leases are up or if they get to stick around. The NY Post put a positive spin on things, noting that "11 boardwalk businesses would be allowed to remain open at least......

This Friday at Crobar, the good people at Coney Island USA are having a fundraiser and mini-hot dog eating competition. The "City of Fire" Spring Gala will feature various entertainment, including Miss Coney Island, the World Famous Pontani Sisters, and a mini Mermaid Parade. For our money though, the eating competition is where the money is at. Dick Zigun, Coney Island USA's Artistic Director, will take on Crazy Legs Conti, the IFOCE's 12th ranked eater.......

In yet another story about how NYC is safer today than it was 10 years ago, the Post looked at how Coney Island has gotten safer. Crime has dropped significantly, thanks to the quality-of-life crackdown during the Giuliani administration, plus the new Stillwell Avenue subway station and Keyspan Park, where the Brooklyn Cyclones play, Coney Island have contributed to the rebirth. [Dick Zigun from the community group, Coney Island USA, told the Post, "It used......