PS 288 in Coney Island finally reopens

Minus desks, internet and phones, Coney Island school reopens | The New York World (full article)

(Excerpt)
“Welcome back,” a man said as he passed Joelene-Lynette Kinard, the principal at the Shirley Tanyhill School.

Kinard said that while Monday had been “wonderful,” the last couple months had been anything but. Flooding during the storm released the contents of oil tanks in the school’s basement, bringing oil and water up to the first floor and damaging seven classrooms, the cafeteria and the school nurse’s office, she said. Extensive repairs were required before the school could welcome back its students.

“It was such bad damage I didn’t even know if we would open this soon,” Kinard said.

While the school was closed in November and December, its nearly 500 students, from pre-K to 8th grade, were taken by bus to I.S. 228 David A. Boody school in Gravesend, Brooklyn, three miles away.

Jewish group leads fight against Coney Island casino

Jewish group leads fight against Coney Island casino • Brooklyn Daily
(Excerpt)
The Sephardic Community Federation — a Manhattan-based advocacy group claiming to represent 100,000 Sephardic Jews in the metro area — unleashed a salvo of ads against the proposed slot house in December, claiming it would bring debauchery, sin, and seedy characters to the People’s Playground.

Coney Island Eatery Celebrates New Year With Free Meals For Sandy Victims

Coney Island Eatery Celebrates New Year With Free Meals For Sandy Victims - NY1.com
(Video)

Tom's Restaurant in Coney Island served hundreds of free hot meals on Saturday to local business owners and neighbors who were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Restaurant management collaborated with the ConeyRecovers initiative, the Mayor's Fund, the Met Council and other charitable organizations on the event to help celebrate the new year with the Brooklyn community that has eaten there for three generations.

"We do what we can. We're a family place and we worry about the community," said Billy Vasilios, the manager at Tom's Restaurant. "One hand washes the other."

Dozens of diners enjoyed breakfast staples like pancakes, eggs and french toast and then those who came for lunch enjoyed burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and Philly cheesesteaks.