Electrical fires, possibly sparked by Sunday evening’s vicious thunderstorms caused power outages that affected hundreds of people in Boerum Hill and Williamsburg and knocked out service along some subway lines. Comment

Development: The foul Gowanus Canal zone would be reborn as a mixed-use neighborhood of housing, commerce, light industry and — here’s the kicker — green open space under the city’s long-awaited rezoning plan unveiled last week. Comments (2)

Development: A local lawmaker wants the city to ban hotels near the northern end of the Gowanus Canal in what has become the surprisingly hot “Gowanus Canal Hotel District.” Comment

A popular Red Hook liquor store run by a feisty entrepreneur is scrambling to find a new home after an apparent deal to keep it in the neighborhood collapsed — along with the store’s ceiling — at the 11th hour. Comments (3)

Dining: As guests sat down to dinner on Tuesday night at Marco Polo Ristorante’s 25th anniversary celebration, a group of musicians crowded around the piano and launched into the theme from “The Godfather.” Live music, endless amounts of wine and a jaw-dropping menu of Marco Polo’s famous Italian dishes? Now that was an offer few could refuse. Comment

Crime: A prostitute “tricked” an easy mark out of credit cards while performing a popular sex act on him on May 27 — but cops later collared her for not only the theft, but the sex, too. Comment