Annmarie Fertoli

Cicadas are starting to emerge on Staten Island’s south shore.

Homelessness among female veterans is on the rise in the United States, even as the overall rate of homelessness among veterans is going down.

New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says he is taking new steps to prevent sexual harassment in the legislature, after coming under fire for his handling of complaints against former Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez, who resigned Monday.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is taking the military to task after an annual review showed the number of sexual assaults in the military increased.

New York is home to thousands of restaurants, but a new crop of cookbooks may inspire you to stay in the kitchen and cook, rather than order takeout.

Could more cameras in New York City help prevent attacks like the one at the Boston Marathon? That's what Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the NYPD is looking into.

This year's syrup season ran slightly longer than usual, due to a cold March. Here's how to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak.

A salsa musician and Bronx native is stepping into the fray, in the lead-up to the Venezuelan presidential elections this Sunday. Willie Colon released a song that's criticizing the Nicholas Maduro, the candidate picked by the late Hugo Chavez. The song is called Mentira Fresca, or fresh lie, and is getting lots of attention.

Music video enthusiasts, fashion lovers, and punk rock aficionados: This spring season of museum offerings has something for each of you, from a shoe show, to a punk exhibition, to a retrospective that pays homage to the art of the music video.

The union representing faculty and staff at the City University of New York opposes an initiative that’s aimed at making it easier for students in the two-year community colleges to transfer to four-year college programs. Union leaders say the curriculum changes, known as Pathways, are too restrictive, and that they water down CUNY’s academic standards.

The MTA says Long Island Railroad trains will be cancelled and re-routed through Friday, all due to a train derailment on Monday night.

The man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed an expectant Brooklyn couple and their unborn child is facing additional charges.

A Senate Subcommittee led by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is hoping to shed more light on sexual assault in the military. Those testifying at the Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel on Wednesday include advocates for victims of sexual assault as well as members of the military.

From help learning computer skills, to mastering English as a Second Language, the city’s public libraries are playing a bigger role in their communities. That’s the finding of a recent study by the Center for an Urban Future, and it’s also the topic of a symposium the group is hosting at the New York Public Library on 42nd Street on Monday.

A rally against New York’s newly enacted gun control laws drew one of the largest crowds to the State Capitol in recent decades.

The Chelsea arts scene is expanding and thriving, even though several galleries flooded and had their collections damaged during Sandy. Dan Duray, of the Observer’s Gallerist page, said the community has bounced back quickly and is experiencing a boom.

The human brain is getting a lot of attention this week, as details emerge about the brain mapping effort President Barack Obama alluded to during his State of the Union address.

Next month, President Obama is expected to announce details about dedicating resources to a massive study of the brain. That’s music to the ears of neuroscientists at Columbia University, where some of the research will be centered.

The video-sharing service YouTube is now part of the Billboard Ratings.

The city of Long Beach, Long Island is collecting opinions from residents and visitors, as it moves forward with plans to rebuild its boardwalk. Officials say they’re hoping to replace at least part of the more than two-mile boardwalk, which was heavily damaged by Sandy, in time for the summer season.