As Long Island police continue searching for more remains on Jones Beach Island, professional and armchair serial-killer and criminology specialists are lining up to offer profiles of the suspected strangler. But considering the slim amount of information that has been released about the case, anyone with a working knowledge of Law & Order could probably have come to similar conclusions: more ›

Last year Jones Beach had to close Field 1, one of the park's largest parking areas, because of the state's budget mess. (Even worse, the MTA suspended buses to Jones Beach amphitheater, making it a real headache getting out there for Creed.) But a couple of forward-thinking lawmakers have come up with a solution to the budget shortfall: Build a casino at the beach! Reactions to the idea have been mixed, to put it mildly. more ›

A little over a week after the now-famous flop a Phish fan took off of a balcony at the band's Jones Beach show, the man who purposefully took the plunge has come face-to-face with The Man, again. The fan, who has gone unidentified until now, is 30-year-old Luke Duplessis from Maine; he was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned on reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct charges, the State Park Police told Newsday. Duplessis turned himself in a week after the incident, which left one concert-goer injured and broke a number of seats in the amphitheater. Karma will be served! more ›

The man who took a plunge from the upper decks of the Jones Beach amphitheater last week was discharged from the hospital on Friday, just two days after his nearly fatal fall at the Phish show. The man's name has still not been officially released, but he reportedly jumped from the balcony—as opposed to being shoved, or losing his balance. And this means he's going to face charges. more ›

Friends of the Phish fan who jumped off the mezzanine at Jones Beach amphitheater during the band's setbreak Wednesday night say he's going to pull through. Speaking to the Post outside Nassau University Medical Center, one friend says, "It's really a miracle, man. He's just got some broken bones, but he's going to be fine. He's talking; he's sedated, he's sort of out of it. But surprisingly, he was able to talk." more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] First of all, they never should have stacked that 4,257-seat monstrosity on top of Jones Beach amphitheater back in 1998. Sure, the view of the sea is impressive, but if there's any wind that's where the sound is headed, too. On the night the mezzanine opened, one concertgoer told the Times, ''I think it's a little rude when you ask where your seats are and the usher laughs when he sees the ticket." ("Another couldn't decide whether the stage or the moon seemed closer. 'It's a tie,' the insurance broker said, shaking his head as he pulled from his pocket a set of tickets. He hadn't realized what mezzanine meant. 'The secretary in my office got these tickets. She's in trouble.' ") Anyway, last night we saw a guy fall about 50 feet to the seats below. more ›

It's sometimes easy to forget that New York is a city surrounded by great beaches, some accessible for just the cost of a luxury MetroCard. Click on the images here for details on four excellent beach options within easy reach from downtown Manhattan: Fort Tilden, Sandy Hook, Manhattan Beach, and Jones Beach. more ›

Well, this is a bummer. As NewYorkology notes, tonight the Jones Beach summer concert series kicks off with the kick-ass Jethro Tull, but because of the MTA budget cuts, New Yorkers who schlep out there by LIRR and bus are going to have a real hassle getting home. There will be no public bus service after the show due to the cuts, and the last bus heading to the venue from Freeport leaves at 7:35 p.m. Sure, you can get a cab to the amphitheater, but it's going to be tough sledding getting back to the train station after Rush, KISS, or Creed lets out. Concert promoters Live Nation said today, "As of right now it’s just cabs." Good luck with that! more ›

A humpback whale washed ashore in Jones Beach this morning, according to Fox5, who had their news chopper overhead the site around 10:30 a.m. They report that animal rescue crews (including the Riverhead Foundation) were surrounding the 25-foot whale at the time, but it was already dead when it washed ashore. more ›

Sorry, slowpokes: Newsday reports, "The State Parks police closed access to the Jones Beach parking lots at 10:45 a.m., spokesman George Gorman said. The lots filled quickly this morning with heavy beach traffic, he said." Or, as one Twitter user puts it, "omfg its only 10:40 and jones beach is closed cuz the parking lots are full!!!! wow" more ›

A swimmer is missing and presumed dead off of Long Beach. WCBS 2 reports, "a 19-year-old Brooklyn man was wading about knee-deep in the water with three friends, but the strong current off the jetty soon sucked all four of them out to sea." Only the three friends could swim, and officials were unable to find Baruch College student Emanuel Tiburcio. Long Beach City Manager Charles Theofan said, "Unfortunately, not even the best swimmer could survive in water that rough and that cold." more ›

The next casualties of the state's budget problems may be the state's parks—just in time for summer! The State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has said it will close 55 parks and historic sites around the state in response to Paterson's budget cuts, and parks not on the chopping block could see reduced hours and closed facilities. The proposed cuts include closing Bayswater Point State Park in Queens, Riverbank State Park in Harlem and closing the pool and canceling 4th of July fireworks at Jones Beach State Park. more ›

Hurricane Bill washed out one of the last weekends of the summer for most beachgoers after state parks officials closed down most beaches due to the dangerous conditions brought on by effects of the storm. But when surfers got wind of the fact that sea was foaming like a bottle of beer, they simply told the State Parks Department, "The waves are comin', but we ain't got no fear." Officials said that 2,000 surfers, some from as far as California, showed up at Montauk—the most ever counted out there. And one Long Beach manager told Newsday, "You're supposed to have a pass. The surfers refuse to come out of the water when they're waved in to check their beach passes." more ›

At least two concertgoers had their vibe severely harshed by the Man on Friday before Phish's sick show at Jones Beach ("My Friend, My Friend" melted faces!). The total arrest stats for the band's three night stand at the venue haven't been released yet, though it's doubtful they'll rival the 194 arrested and $1.2 million seized at their reunion concerts in Hampton, Virginia in March. But according to Newsday, police did arrest one Lawrence Collins, who had 2 1/2 ounces of cocaine, 6.7 ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms and 10 grams of ecstasy. State Troopers, who were patrolling the venue lots because it's in a state park, spotted Collins selling drugs to one unlucky 23-year-old from Toronto named Erik Schwarz, who was arrested on a felony charge of fifth-degree drug possession. As for Collins, he's still in jail because he hasn't yet posted bail set at $200,000 bond or $100,000 cash. Police say he faces six felony—or phelony, if you prefer—drug sales and possession charges. But when will cops at Jones Beach go after the real criminals inside the venue? Vendors charge $6.50 for a small bottle of water! more ›

If you're still searching for something to do this weekend, don't forget the New York Air Show at Jones Beach. We were fortunate enough to get a little preview of the show yesterday and head up into the sky in a P-51 Mustang with Ed Shipley of The Horsemen. Shipley, along with Jim Beasley and Dan Friedkin make up the only world's only P-51 aerobatic team. While we highly recommend heading out to Jones Beach to check out the air show and The Horsemen in action, you can keep up with the group on ASB.tv. more ›

The instrumental Scottish post-rock outfit planted themselves at the Music Hall of Williamsburg this week for a three-night run. While the venue was small for the once Terminal 5 headlining band, the intimacy was to set the scene for a movie they were filming throughout the run. The band explained away their wearing the same clothes each night, for the sake of consistency, but made no apologies for the ear-splitting sets each night. The smaller room created an interesting dynamic for the audience. While the band is almost impossibly loud, the sound still feels very minimalist, and the occasional chatter from the crowd proved to be surprisingly distracting despite the volume coming off the stage. Mogwai seems to have a broad range of fans, and while most of them were able to co-exist, the chatty few put a damper on an otherwise impressive run. more ›

A chaotic scene emerged outside last night's O.A.R. concert at Jones Beach where concertgoers "threw beer bottles, stood on car rooftops and tossed young women in the air." Newsday reports that at least twelve people in attendance were brought to the hospital with alcohol poisoning and police said that there were "massive amounts of underage drinking." Rowdy crowds are nothing new for concerts of O.A.R. (which stands for "of a revolution"). Last year 82 arrests were made outside the jam band's live show in Holmdel, New Jersey. more ›

. WCBS 2 went to the beach and captured some of the hysteria: "They told us there were sharks!" "There were like 10 whistles blowing!" A NY State Parks spokesman said the fisherman said he saw a "12- to 15-foot shark," while the park police officer in a patrol boat saw a fin next to the boat. Newsday spoke to some more blasé beachgoers, one said sharks are "as much afraid of us as we are of them." more ›

It's shark season! The first reported spotting of the summer happened at Jones Beach yesterday, as beach-goers trying to cool down spotted a 4 or 5-foot long shark in the bathing area (the shark was noticeably smaller than the recent one spotted with surfers in Florida). more ›

Nothing says "Close Jones Beach Down" like 100 unexploded fireworks washing ashore. While Nassau County's arson and bomb squad didn't believe the wet fireworks would pose immediate harm, authorities were concerned about what would happen when they dried out. Police suspect fireworks may have been backups for the company that produces the Jones Beach fireworks show. The beach was closed at 12:30 p.m. and Newsday reports the entire park was shut down a few hours later, making it a disappointing but safer afternoon for many families. more ›

R.E.M. stormed through town a couple of times this week, first hitting Jones Beach over the weekend, then MSG last night. The Long Island show was a bust for some when the skies opened up and life threatening lightning struck the upper deck of the amphitheater, delaying the bands start. The soaked and scared fans were left with little direction from management, with many bailing on the evening once it was delayed, assuming the looming lightning would keep the band offstage all night. While the venue's questionable safety standards is a serious cause for concern to anyone considering attending a show at the beachside theater (there was plenty of lightning in the sky even after R.E.M. took the stage), those who stuck it out were treated to quite the special show, with the band starting things off with a cover of "Have you Ever Seen the Rain," and plowing through a nearly full length greatest-hits set that went well past curfew. more ›

Get ready to groan: "I look forward to 'Phase Two' of the 'blinging up' of the Parachute Jump," said inveterate cornball Marty Markowitz during his recent State of the Borough speech. The 262-foot Coney Island landmark was retrofitted with a lighting system two years ago, but borough president Markowitz and others deemed the effect too subdued and “artsy.” Now the city is soliciting proposals from companies to create a flashier effect. more ›

Yesterday morning, surfers contacted the Coast Guard about "tar-like balls of oil washing up" on the shoreline of Lido Beach, near Jones Beach on Long Island. The surfers said they also had oil on their wet suits. The spill seems to be about 3000 feet wide and 1500 feet long. Now the Coast Guard, working with other local, state and federal agencies, are trying to figure out where the spill is coming from as they... more ›

Look out, Jones Beach regulars. Trump’s moving in. more ›

A Brooklyn resident who went swimming in the buff off Long Beach was lost overnight until the Coast Guard found him yesterday morning. Newsday reports that Neal Mello went for a swim around 9:30PM on Saturday night. He "left his clothes, phone and wallet beside a friend, who then fell asleep on the sand near Edwards Avenue." more ›

It is hot. Although temperature is just over 90 degrees, it feels more like 100 with the humidity. And if you're on certain subway platforms, well, forget a mini-pack of tissues - you'll need a whole stack of paper towels or a big towel to wipe away the sweat while you wait for your train. more ›

Major Klatt took Vincent Laforet, a photographer for The New York Times, up in an Extra-300L aerobatic plane on Thursday. more ›