The Battleship Potemkin, by dietrich at flickrToday on the Gothamist Newsmap: a construction accident on East 33rd St. and Madison Ave. in Manhattan, a pedestrian struck on 50th Ave. and 45th St. in Queens, and a shooting on Schenectady Ave. and Lincoln Pl. in Brooklyn. In three separate incidents yesterday, individuals were struck by subway trains. Two men were killed and the third was taken to Bellevue Hospital. Insurance fraud isn't brain surgery, until......

A Staten Island man arrived at his Clifton home to find four teen boys having sex with his 11-year-old stepdaughter and her 13-year-old friend. The stepfather called the police upon finding the naked teens. The boys, ages 16 to 18, were charged with first- and third-degree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The girls had signs of vaginal tearing and the Staten Island Advance reported, "The......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a suspicious fire at Prospect Ave. and Ritter Pl. in the Bronx, an armed robbery attempt at Tavern on the Green in Central Park and West 67th St. in Manhattan, and an armed robbery on East 84th St. in Manhattan. A Staten Island native and veteran of the war in Iraq, Christopher Small, was killed in central Pennsylvania after he asked uninvited guests at his best friend's daughter's birthday......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a fall victim on Davoe Terrace in the Bronx, a bank robbery on 2nd Ave. in Manhattan between 62nd and 63rd Sts., and a missing person on 180th St. and Clinton Ave. in the Bronx. Jay-Z is a significant partner interested in moving the Nets to Brooklyn, but the rapper apparently is also interested in the naming rights to the team's current Meadowland arena. Insurance broker Noel Lauria pleaded......

A Staten Island man was about to fall asleep early Thursday morning only to be woken up when someone broke into his apartment - little did he know that it was the 'Ninja Burgler'. Phil Chiolo heard his cat Tippy growl, which was unusual, before hearing something fall downstairs. While in the kitchen investigating the sound, Chiolo saw someone dressed in, "a Halloween-like ninja outfit, with just his eyes peering out." Soon afterwards, the ninja......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a possible abduction on West 15th St. and Surf Ave. in Brooklyn, a water main break on Broadway in Manhattan, and an escaped prisoner at Bainbridge St. and Rockaway in Brooklyn. Jamaican-New Yorkers were worrying about friends, relatives, and countrymen as Hurricane Dean was bearing down on the island nation. Fortunately, Jamaica escaped the full brunt of the storm. Emily "Pemmy" du Pont Frick feels that its "a tragedy"......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on Beekman Ave. in the Bronx, a double shooting on Throop Ave. in Brooklyn, and a dead body in the water just south of the Bayonne Bridge off Staten Island. There was a breaking news story on a cop being shot and killed this morning at or near a Hilton Hotel on 31st St. in Manhattan. Details were conflicting and confusing (not unusual in a breaking news......

No, this isn't our attempt to write a letter on behalf of a city school, it's an actual letter, rife with misspellings and mistakes, sent by a Staten Island teacher to students. A Health Academy dean at Markham Intermediate, Michael Levy, sent off a furious letter after a few eighth graders engaged in a food fight. Of course, little did he know that the letter would make him a laughingstock. From the Staten Island......

There's a fine line between a parent reprimanding a child with punishment and assault. A Staten Island man was charged with assault and child endangerment after he admitted to rubbing a hot yellow pepper on his 11- and 8-year-old sons' naked bodies - including their genitals, including their faces. Why hot yellow peppers? The Staten Island Advance reports that the father, Ganganue Gonesh, explained to the police, "I use pepper to rub on their body......

A bizarre accident occured at Bear Mountain State Park. A Staten Island family parked at a scenic viewpoint on a cliff yesterday, and the father, Victor Han, got out of the vehicle to take pictures. Then the van rolled towards the edge of the cliff, and then fell 300 feet down the side of the mountain. Han's wife Hejin, who had taken off her seatbelt, was killed, but their two daughters, ages 3 and 5,......

This is pure creepy: An electrician at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street was arrested for taking a cameraphone picture of a woman in the women's bathroom. This is how the Post describes it: "The unidentified woman told police that around noon, she saw a man's hand appear under a stall door holding what appeared to be a cellphone camera." What the hell is going on when a man will enter a women's......

- With friends like these: A Staten Island man did some reno work on the bathroom of a friend in Long Island - and installed a camera to watch her (ew ew ew) - Meg Ryan is adopting a Chinese baby - she's really getting into the spirit of celebrating Chinese New Year! - The NY Sun looks at Arquitectonica's addition to the Bronx Museum of the Arts - An elderly woman was killed......

- A Staten Island woman found her daughter murdered, naked, and stuffed under the mattress when she returned home last night. And the daughter's room was locked. - The Hard Rock Cafe is moving from West 57th Street to Times Square (Curbed has photos!). Great! More tourists for Times Square! Woo! But, really, when you're a middle schooler in the 80s, going to the Hard Rock and deciding you will collect every Hard Rock shirt......

A Staten Island Ferry crashed into wood pilings at the ferry slip in Staten Island. So far, one death is reported and there are multiple injuries , including limb and leg amputations. People jumped from the ferry. According to NY1, all ferry service is suspend. One passenger told NY1: I was sitting on the lower level on the left hand side when all of a sudden on the right hand side we hit the pilings.......