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). Newsday reports that some swimmers had a Jaws moment and screamed "Shark!" around 1:30 p.m yesterday, but the lifeguards were quick to act, and caught it with their bare......

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......

Shocking R.E.M. Tour 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,......

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. $1.5 million has been......

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......

Look out, Jones Beach regulars. Trump’s moving in. The NY Post is reporting that a $40 million complex called Trump on the Ocean, will be completed in 2009. The restaurant, including a lounge and catering facility for up to 1,500 people, will replace the former Boardwalk Restaurant. It’s the developer’s first stand-alone public facility purely for events. According to a New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation press release, the lease between......

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." According to authorities, when the friend awoke around 10PM, she became worried that he was still gone, so......

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. But that's nothing compared to subway workers who don't get to board an air-conditioned train. One transit worker said,......

The recent recommdendation by the NTSB for banning flights over the East River notwithstanding, a New York Times reporter and photographer were treated to flights in an F-16 that raced from Manhattan to the Hamptons in 12 minutes and an aerobatic plane, respectively, in a preview of Memorial Day flight shows to occur this weekend. The reporter blacked out in the middle of a 9G turn, to the amusement of the Air Force pilot, Major......

As the debate about the former Parks Commissioner rages on, Venerated newsman Gabe Pressman is cheerleading for Robert Moses. In an article posted on the WNBC web site, Pressman says that he knew the master builder. Here’s his take: Yes, Moses was tough. And he fought hard against those he believed were undermining his vision of what New York should be. But he was far from insensitive to the needs of people. The Yale-educated master......

Iin yet another story of a con artist duping an elderly person, an 81 year old astronomer was bilked by a 31 year old scammer out of over $200,000. The fact that Joseph Gossner is a prominent city philanthropist lands him on the cover of the Daily News - he was taken in by Janet Costello, who told him she suffered from breast cancer and needed money to pay the bills, but actually used the......

-- Does anyone else love the Milford Plaza song? Someone should use that in a mashup! [Via Gawker.] -- If you haven't visited the new Morgan Library yet, you really should-- it's beautiful. -- Bad news: mixing heroin and bathtub-fentanyl can kill you! Guess it's time to go back to huffing glue! -- There's something strangely compelling about Andy Warhol's "screentest" of Bob Dylan. Speaking of Dylan, check out this article in this week's......

If you're thinking about taking a little trip to cap off the summer, check out Farecast-- they just opened their beta to include New York and a bunch of other cities. The service predicts fares over the next few weeks, so you can time your purchase to minimize the expense. For instance, the graph above shows the NYC to LA fares for late October. Honestly, though, you're probably better off just going to Coney......

THEATER: Last time we saw the National Asian-American Theatre Co. http://www.naatco.org/ was in the charmingly quirky Cowboy vs. Samurai. Now, for something completely different: their next show, which opens tonight, is The Dispute by Pierre Marivaux, an 18th century French dramatist. In it, a prince confines two male and two female orphans to an artificial "Eden" until they come of age, then he sets them loose to see what happens -- who will succumb first......

It's hot, humid, and I want to go to the beach. What are my options? Well, Gateway National Recreation Area is right in our neck of the woods, extending in three New York City boroughs and into northern New Jersey. It is a good place to start your quest for the perfect patch of sand and cooling waters. Queens: Jacob Riis Park 2 to Flatbush Ave., Q35 Bus to Riis Beach Staten Island: Great Kills......

The last weekend of spring promises to be sunny and hot. According to the Weather Service temperatures should max out around 90 tomorrow and the mid-90s on Sunday. Central Park's record high for June 19th is 98. We probably won't get that warm but we'll come close. The Weather Channel thinks we'll only get up to 90 on Sunday. Where's a good place to cool off? For natural cooling the south-facing beaches will be your......

Yeah, some of you will ride our butts for posting this clip of No Doubt performing at Jones Beach in 2004-- but we're not going to apologize! It's a good song, and it was performed right here in the city. Okay-- maybe not quite in the city, but just outside it, and it's a pretty slow day on YouTube. So back off! [Related: the same user posted a bunch of other clips from the......

Today's Times takes a long look at possible futures for the city's next big thing: Governors Island. The 172-acre island just off the southern tip o' Manhattan, Dan Doctoroff's newest playground, is ready for some serious redevelopment the money for which is finally starting to come in. And it's about time. Despite the fact that the city and the state took control of the Island from the Federal government in 2003, little has been......

This week requires you to make some very important decisions. It all starts on Wednesday with the question, "will it be SPIN or Summerstage?" SPIN is celebrating their 20th anniversary at Webster Hall with an incredible lineup that includes Public Enemy, Death Cab for Cutie, LCD Soundsystem, Drive-By Truckers, Lady Sovereign, Diplo, and Afrika Bambaataa. All that can be yours for only $10 more than it'll cost you to see just Death Cab in......

The Thrills have a great new album, Let's Bottle Bohemia (I hear a bit more pop and less California country), and are stopping by Irving Plaza tonight. The much-buzzed-about and Mercury Prize-nominated band The Zutons are opening the show. If your wallet is a little light these days, don't fret. The Thrills are playing at Tower Records at 4th and Broadway tonight at 6pm. On Saturday, New York Dolls frontman David Johansen will perform at......

The last kite Gothamist flew prominently featured Rainbow Brite--but that might soon change. April is National Kite Month, and the American Kitefliers Association has put together a ton of activities in the New York area for kids, amateur fliers, and those, ahem, serious kite aficionados out there. Honestly, Gothamist can't believe the hipsters haven't reclaimed lovable, kitschy kiteflying as their weekend activity of choice. (It's the logical next step after rollerskating.) It probably has something......

It's July 4th, Independence Day. There are lots of activities in the city, but the highlight is Macy's Fireworks over the East River. This year's fireworks display is called "Lights of Freedom." According to information from Macy's, the display will have 50,000 shells, which means 1,600 shells per minute. And the Macy's Fireworks show uses 55 times more fireworks than the average US fireworks display. WNBC's July 4th coverage is extensive, including thorough tips for......