graffiti internet, by Rob Hoey at flickr Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an aircraft fire at JFK terminal 4 in Queens, a robbery on Central Park West in Manhattan, and a missing child on Pennsylvania Ave. in Brooklyn. Surf cams (permanently installed cameras monitoring surf conditions) are a great way to notify surfers of conditions, until one realizes that surfers don't want conditions notified for fear of crowds. No matter what you've ever seen......

A city may be putting the kibosh on Thor Equities' ambitious plan to transform Coney Island. The Daily News has an exclusive: A "high-ranking city officials" says the plan is "dead in the water." Apparently the city is bothered on a few counts: The fact that Thor wants $100 million in subsidies (there's no guarantee Thor won't sell the land after getting the zoning it wants) and its plan for time-share hotel space. From......

Happy July 4th! After some spectacular weather, today is rather blah. And to make matters more meh, it's a Wednesday! The NY Times pondered the oddness of a hump day July 4th, a mini-break in the middle of the week. The first Wednesday July 4th our country celebrated wasn't until 1781, but little did our forefathers know that Americans would be agonizing over how to manage their vacation days during what is generally a slow......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting at 178th Pl. in Queens, a bank robbery at White Plains Rd. in the Bronx, and a homicide on West 157th St. and Broadway in Manhattan, and a water rescue off 88th St. near Gracie Mansion.. The suspected killer of FDNY Chief Ray Downey's nephew, who was tracked to California, killed himself yesterday when cornered by cops. East River State Park opened today. Be one of the......

For decades East Harlem has been the center of New York's Puerto Rican community. Over the years many Mexican and Dominican immigrants have also made East Harlem their home. Now, as the squeeze of affordable housing gets tighter and tighter in Manhattan, more middle-class professionals are moving to the neighborhood. In a tale almost as old as New York itself, the changes have long-time residents worried about the loss of community. The Times describes......