Last year, there was a very sad report about a 14-year-old boy who committed suicide by jumping into the frigid waters of the East River, and his mother suggested it was because of school bullying. Now the Daily News reports that the Administration for Children's Services had been investigating a charge that the boy's mother had choked him and beat his brother with a belt. Last March, Sidney Hatchett and his 6-year-old sister were walking... more ›

Last August, Viola Goodman found her son Robert dead on the bathroom floor of his apartment, which was stiflingly hot. Despite the August heat, the heating system in the building was blasting. Robert Goodman had called his mother earlier to report the blasting radiators and flooding. As his mother waited downstairs in the building's basement waiting for the fire department to arrive and find a steam shut-off valve, her son was upstairs frantically trying to mop up a quarter inch of water on the apartment's floor as plumbing was springing leaks. When the steam was finally shut off, Viola Goodman returned upstairs and found her dead son. A city medical examiner determined that his body temperature was 112 degrees after he died. more ›

The relatively recent boom of opening bank branches in Manhattan is examined in amNew York. With a 36% increase in Manhattan bank branches between 2000 and 2006, it's hard for many people to walk a block or two without passing at least one (though there are more in places like Midtown or the intersection of Second Avenue and 10th Street). Banks will pay higher rents, which makes landlords less willing to continue to rent spaces to mom-and-pop businesses. And basically, a pun explains why there are so many:

Chase spokesman Tom Kelly...pointed out that "economies of scale" make operating 120 bank branches not that much more expensive than running just 90... more ›

One of the greatest gifts in life is that of being given a nice, cooked meal. An arguably better gift (and downright city survival skill) is the ability to cook for oneself. Last August, armed with a handful of basic kitchen tools, some moxie and a typepad account, writer Cathy Erway began to document her endeavor of not eating out in New York, which is, not coincidentally, the name of her blog. Erway has given up truffle tasting menus and egg sandwiches alike, all in the name of figuring out some elusive truth of dining in. Not Eating Out in New York reads equal parts cookbook, diary, and notes from an elaborate science project, especially when Erway posts “brownie points,” or nutritional ratings in the form of little brownie graphics, at the end of recipes. What’s more is that each recipe is usually very cost effective, and flight-tested in Erway’s Fort Greene apartment kitchen. Last weekend, Gothamist had the opportunity to catch up with Erway to talk about her experiment-in-progress, which has been going on now for seven months. more ›

On March 20th this year, the 3rd Anniversary of the US Invasion of Iraq, a group of artists will come together for the Bring 'em Home concert. Michael Stipe, Bright Eyes, Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, Rufus Wainwright, Steve Earle, Fischerspooner, Peaches and Devendra Banhart will join forces for the event which will benefit the Iraq War Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace. more ›

You should not be in your cubicle reading this. You should be outside enjoying the beautiful summer, er fall, weather. Can't escape today? Don't worry, tomorrow and Wednesday promise to be just as nice. Mid-70s today, upper-70s the next two days. Thursday's forecast finds the Weather Service and the Weather Channel in disagreement. The former says a high of 71 while the latter is calling for 82. 82 on October 5th is nowhere near that date's record (94 in 1941), but, still… more ›