What I Did on My Summer Staycation
Increasingly, the answer to high gas prices and costly air travel is ?staycation,? taking time off but staying home.



Top Bloomberg Aides Said to Oppose Third Term
Deputy Mayors Edward Skyler, Patricia E. Harris and Kevin Sheekey oppose a third term, while business leaders in the city generally support the idea.



Republican Ex-Friends Do Battle in S.I. Congressional Contest
Dr. Jamshad I. Wyne and former Assemblyman Robert A. Straniere are sparring for the Republican nomination in a district that includes all of Staten Island and portions of Brooklyn.



For Lehman, More Cuts and Anxiety
Lehman Brothers, Wall Street?s most troubled firm, is preparing to lay off up to 1,500 people in its fourth round of cutbacks this year.



A Quiet Neighbor, a Fading Sports Car, and a Death Announced by Parking Tickets
A Romanian immigrant silently passes, leaving a lonely auto parked on a Brooklyn street and a community wondering.



Jobless Fund Running Dry, but Benefits Will Continue
New York State?s unemployment trust fund has repeatedly run dry in the last several years ? most recently a federal loan filled the gap.



Beachwood Journal: Small-Town Mayor Caught in Controversy Over Sex-Offender Son
Just seven months into his term, Mayor Ronald W. Jones Jr. of Beachwood, N.J., has run into a flurry of trouble and calls for resignation.



Boy, 3, Dies in S.I. Fire
A 3-year-old boy died in a house fire on Staten Island on Thursday night, the authorities said, and three adults escaped with minor injuries.



U.S. Charges 7 Accused of Ties to Bonannos
The seven face charges including racketeering and illegal gambling.



A Gold-Medal Winner in the Y.M.C.A. Pool: The Crowd Goes Wild
In New York City, Michael Phelps announced a grant from Visa to the Y.M.C.A. to encourage children to exercise and learn to swim.