Community Board 3 is out with the list of restaurants and bars seeking support for liquor licenses next month. They'll go before the SLA Committee September 14th. Meetings are held at the JASA/ Green Residence, 200 East 5th Street (Bowery), 630pm.
New J&B Inc/Jin Bin Seafood Restaurant, 39-41
East Broadway (new license, wine only)
Silkstone One LLC/Rushbury, 17 Orchard
(new license, full liquor)
Local 138, 138 Ludlow (renewal with complaint history)
Sushi Hana, 111 Rivington (wine only, in resolution area)
Corp to be Formed, 180 Orchard St
(wine only, in resolution area)
812 Broadway Inc/Karaoke Boho, 196 Orchard St (wine only, in resolution area)
Senor Izquierdaj, 175 Ludlow (full liquor, in resolution area)
Kampuchea Noodle Bar, 78-84 Rivington
(upgrade to full liquor license)
Allen & Delancey, 115 Allen St (alterations, upgrade to full liquor, extend hours)
Corp to be Formed/currently Kelley & Ping, 325
Bowery (transfer full liquor license)
Home Sweet Home, 131 Chrystie (full liquor license upgrade, expansion)
The Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery (upgrade to full liquor license)
Even her opponents would have to concede it was Margaret Chin's night. A large crowd turned out in Chinatown last night to size up the four candidates running against incumbent City Council member Alan Gerson. In a lively, two hour forum, Gerson was under constant attack by Chin and another challenger, Pete Gleason. But Chin – a longtime Chinatown activist – on her home turf, took the lead.
It was the third major forum in advance of the Septhember 15th Democratic Primary. Chin's message was, essentially, "eight is enough." After two terms, she argued, it's time to give someone else a chance. Chin railed against Gerson's decision to side with the mayor in extending term limits. But she also strongly criticized his leadership. Taking issue with Gerson's argument in earlier debates that he has an "unparalleled record" of achievement, she claimed he only acts when prodded to do so by community activists (such as herself).
Gerson spent most of the night defending his eight years in office and highlighting his accomplishments. Enjoying a significant amount of support in the neighborhood, his responses were generally followed by fairly enthusiastic applause. Meanwhile, PJ Kim refrained from criticizing his opponents, making the case that the time has come to move beyond divisive politics. Arthur Gregory positioned himself as the "truth teller," the only candidate who will truly confront the realities facing the district. Gleason, who has been Gerson's fiercest critic, kept up the pressure and pledged to "stand up to the powers that be" at City Hall and in Albany.
At the end of the night, the candidates had one thing in common: none of them was brave enough to reveal his or her favorite restaurant in Chinatown!
A short time ago, we posted the full audio recording of last night's forum. Below, are two video excerpts. The first clip, focusing on support for struggling small businesses, illustrates Chin's forceful criticism of Gerson. There's also an exchange on term limits. In the second clip, you'll hear portions of the candidates' closing statements.
As a part of
the Summer Streets Program hosted by the Lower East Side's Business Improvement District, Stanton Street will be closed off to cars between Allen Street and
Ludlow Street to host a series of activities for the community. This Sunday's activities include:
Jeffrey's Meat Market – Fifth generation butcher and famous Essex Street Market will be barbecuing. Jeffrey will be discussing butchering techniques, the history of the Essex Street Maket and cooking.
3:30pm FREE Women of the Lower East Side Tour – hosted by the East Village Visitors Center.
4:30pm FREE Loui's Skateboarding School will partner with LES Shut Skates to offer lessons, from beginner to advanced, in skateboarding.
City Council member Alan Gerson's campaign announced three newendorsements today. Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, the National Organization for Women and the Social Service Employees Union (Local 371) have decided to support Gerson's bid for a third term. In a statement, Koch said:
Alan Gerson has a superb record of protecting and rebuilding his district, home of Ground Zero on 9-11, and advocating for his borough and the City. He went directly to the Port Authority to protect his constituents from the necessary but dangerous noise from the construction at the World Trade Center site and helped pass Clean Air legislation, another legacy of the 9-11 attack. He’s been a leader in creating new parks and open space and ensuring park improvements, including the wonderful renovation to Washington Square Park in my neighborhood. He’s worked hard to preserve affordable housing in a fast gentrifying community, to build new schools and to provide more and better services to seniors. He’s built a reputation as a City Council Member with good values and a strong work ethic. It’s a pleasure to endorse Alan J. Gerson for another term representing District 1 in the New York City Council.
Gerson faces four opponents in the September 15th Democratic Primary: Margaret Chin, Pete Gleason, Arthur Gregory and PJ Kim.
One lane on the north inner and outer roadways of the Williamsburg
Bridge will be closed on Saturday and Sunday from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm.
The south inner roadway will be reversed to Manhattan/westbound from
5:00 am to 3:00 pm. There will be four lanes westbound and two lanes
eastbound during these times; from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm there will be
four lanes eastbound and two lanes westbound.
Stanton Street from Allen to Ludlow Street in Manhattan will be
closed from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm on Sundays until September 13 for the
Lower East Side BID Weekend Walks.
A few weeks ago we reported on the negotiations taking place between community organizations and "Basketball City." Tomorrow, those organizations are planning a free basketball tournament, followed by a march to Pier 36, where the company will soon open a for-profit gym.
The groups (the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council and Good Old Lower East Side) opposed the city's decision to offer a 20 (plus) year lease to Basketball City, which once operated a facility on the West Side. But now that it's a done deal, the activists want to make sure there's "free court time and individual discounts" for working people and communities of color…"
The tournament, featuring more than 30 teams, will take place starting at 3pm. They'll be playing at the Henry M. Jackson Playground (at Henry, Jackson and Grand Streets.) The rally and march begins at 730pm.
We're told the talks with "Basketball City" are ongoing. The company says its willing to make accomodations for working-class people in the neighborhood.
The candidates running to represent the First District on the City Council debated the issues last night in Chinatown. We'll have a summary later today and video excerpts from the forum. Here's the full audio recording:
Downtown District Leader Adam Silvera sent us the following advisory:
Bring your own signs–see you rain or shine
Kick off rally with Council Member Rosie Mendez and feeder walk from Lower East Side Meet at noon at Tompkins Square Park (Avenue A & 9th street)
TOGETHER WE WALK, UNITED WE STAND FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Community Walks leave from locations across the city.* Walks converge for 2 pm rally in Times Square.
Health care reform is finally within our grasp, but special interests are spending millions every day and political partisans are spreading vicious lies to stop it. They want President Obama and Congress not to cave on important reforms like the choice of a public option. We cannot let that happen!
America voted for change last fall, and now we must see it through. Join hundreds of New Yorkers to walk and stand for historic health reform legislation. Help send off our local Congressmembers to return from their summer recess in September and “get the job done!”
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