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.

Struggling after Sandy in Coney Island

Steeplechase pier is off limits

Manned park vehicle posted at entrance to damaged Steeplechase pier.

As reported earlier significant damage is present because of a shift of the cement blocks that supported the pilings holding up the deck during Sandy.

Best breakfast on the boardwalk-Tom's Coney Island!

Best breakfast on the boardwalk-Tom's Coney Island! - CNN iReport

No arguments here...and don't forget the scrumptious pancakes. Enough for the next morning.

Luna Park: 1905

Luna Park: 1905 | Shorpy Historical Photo Archive

Brooklyn Gentrification and other stuff

Brooklyn Gentrification: The Map!: Gothamist

This link will take you to maps of property information and other interesting layers of information about how your home location and neighborhood compares to others in the borough such as property values, flood zones, transportation, schools, etc..  Lots of maps and layers to keep you busy exploring stuff you need to know or don't care to know. From propertyshark.com.