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(L-R) District Leader Anthony Feliciano, Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, Senator Daniel Squadron, tenant advocate Marie Christopher, CD1 Democratic nominee Margaret Chin, affordable housing advocate Harvey Epstein. Below, Epstein, Councilmember Rosie Mendez, Christopher, Chin and Feliciano.
Margaret Chin doesn't exactly have a lot of anxiety about her prospects in the upcoming General Election. She shouldn't have much trouble prevailing over Republican Irene Horvath, her opponent in the District 1 City Council contest. Nevertheless, she was happy to have gotten the "official" endorsements of several key Downtown Democrats this afternoon.
Chin, who knocked off incumbent Alan Gerson in last month's Primary, won the support today of Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, State Senator Daniel Squadron and City Councilmember Rosie Mendez. All three politicians refrained from making endorsements leading up to the Primary.
They appeared alongside tenant advocates Marie Christopher and Harvey Epstein at 210 Stanton, a building that has been a focal point in the fight for affordable housing.
We'll post the video from today's event in a day or two.
 
The East Village band Mr. Gio will be performing at the benefit Grand Street Settlement LIVE! tomorrow night, starting at 7pm, at Think Coffee (248 Mercer Street). 100% of the proceeds will go directly to Grand Street Settlement's programs and services, which assist more than 10,000 low-income youth, teens and seniors on the Lower East Side annually. General Admission is $50, a Sponsor is $250 (includes 2 tickets) and a Patron ticket is $500 (includes 5 tickets). Each ticket includes 2 complimentary beverages (Sixpoint Craft Ales of Brooklyn will be served). For tickets visit Ticket Web.
If you cannot attend but would like to support Grand Street Settlement, please go to http://www.grandstreet.org/html/donation.html
A few minutes ago we stopped by Houston Street and Avenue B to check on Chico's new mural. The legendary LES artist retired to Florida earlier this year. But, as EV Grieve reported yesterday, Chico is back, thanks to the Lower East Side Girls Club and the anti-violence organization, Power of Peace (POP). Pictured above with Chico: Councilmember Rosie Mendez and Anthony Feliciano, district leader and one of the driving forces behind POP. We'll have more pictures later, once Chico is a little further along with his mural.
If you are staying out of the fray of the CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival, there are still plenty of events happening on the Lower East Side this evening:
As we've mentioned, the guys from Grand Opening are "re-opening" PONG this afternoon on Grand Street. Stop over for a pick-up game of ping-pong, or become a member and compete for a
chance to win the L.E.S. Cup, in a season-ending tournament that will
reveal the most talented table tennis players in the Lower East Side.
Tonight at ABC No Rio you can catch some standup from Christine Nangle (Saturday Night Live), storytelling from Seth Lind (Thank You Robot, Told) and sketch comedy from Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting (Edinburgh Fringe Festival). The night of comedy, titled, Don't You Find Us Charming?, is hosted by Bushwick's favorite improv team CHESTER. Admission is on a sliding scale ($3-$8) and the laughing starts at 8pm.
Also, tonight at The Museum at Eldridge, Historian and filmmaker Suzanne Wasserman discusses and shares a rough
cut of her newest project, a short film on Yiddish writer and
force-of-nature Anzia Yezierska. The event is part of the museum's Academic Angles Series on immigrant history. Admission is FREE.
The Pitt Station Post Office on Clinton Street faces possible closure
The City Council's Committee on Governmental Affairs held a hearing yesterday on a resolution in support of keeping local post offices open. As we have been reporting, the U.S. Postal Service is looking at closing 14 postal locations in the city, including the Pitt Station Post Office on Clinton Street. The resolution would urge Congress to pass two bills.
The first bill, H.R. 22, the “United States Postal Service Financial Relief Act" would allow the USPS to tap into its retirement health benefits fund to help pay for health insurance for its retirees, freeing up $3.5 billion in the operating budget. In theory, the move would alleviate the need to close so many post offices across the country. The second bill, H.R. 658, the “Access to Postal Services Act,” would require the USPS to hold public hearings and to justify closures. The Postal Service supports the first bill but not the second, saying it would be too restrictive. “In these challenging times, the Postal Service needs greater flexibility to make management decisions to sustain the business, a Postal Service spokesman said.
Continue reading City Council Joins Fight to Save Post Offices
In the aftermath of last month's Primary Election, Democrats in Lower Manhattan are coalescing around Margaret Chin. She defeated two-term Councilmember Alan Gerson and now faces a nominal Republican opponent in November's General Election. This afternoon several key figures in downtown politics will endorse her – we won't spoil the surprise before the 1pm news conference at 210 Stanton Street.
Earlier this week, Gerson released a statement acknowledging his support for Chin and dispelling rumors that he was thinking of running as an independent in November:
It has recently come to my attention that there are still reports floating around that I will continue my run for a third term on a third-party line and I want to dispel them for the record. Margaret Chin has my full support. She is well positioned to be a top notch councilmember and to continue the process of the past eight years. I wish her well. I have been blessed with some of the most loyal and enthusiastic supporters any elected official could ask for. In this campaign, as in each of my three previous successful campaigns, they have been there for me and our common causes in every way imaginable. We ran a thoughtful and positive campaign and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
Continue reading Downtown Democrats Rally Around Margaret Chin
A bit of a battle is expected at next week's Community Board 3 monthly meeting over the proposed restoration of so-called "cabaret units." Those are specialized teams the NYPD assigned to deal with problems at clubs and bars. Most of the units have been phased out in the past year, to the chagrin of many business owners.
The community boards are finalizing a list of budget priorities for the next year – things they would like to see the city fund. In at least two committee meetings this past month, board members spoke in favor of bringing back the cabaret units. Accoding to CB3 District Manager Susan Stetzer, a lot of bar and restaurant owners developed relationships with the officers in the "cabaret units," and therefore felt comfortable calling them for help. Since the elimination of the units, that element of trust is gone, leaving some nightclub operators reluctant to involve the NYPD.
Continue reading Community Board Wants Funding Restored For NYPD’s “Cabaret Units”
"Mothers & Fathers in Arms," the new organization hoping to find solutions to the upsurge in youth violence will be holding another meeting tomorrow night. In an effort to reach out to different segments of the community, the meetings are rotating among several locations. Hamilton-Madison House, 50 Madison Street, will host tomorrow night's planning session. Members of the group are planning a series of activities, including a basketball tournament, to keep kids off the streets and focused on something positive.
Shortly after the last meeting on Ocrober 9th, there was a shooting on East 6th Street, right in front of a Community Center. A lot of people in attendance felt it was another indication that the violence in the neighborhood needs to be confronted head-on. At a community meeting last night, NYPD Captain Tom Hogan acknowledged the shooting took place. He said the victim has "not been cooperative."
Tomorrow evening's meeting takes place at 6:15pm at Hamilton-Madison House. Representatives from most of the neighborhood's elected officials and several organizations, including Good Old Lower East Side and the East Side Tabernacle Church will take part.
If you're interested in finding out more, email: mothersinarms@gmail.com
Or call 212-673-3181.
The Community Board 3 committee that evaluates liquor license applications is certainly accustomed to confrontation. As residents grow increasingly agitated about the proliferation of restaurants and bars in the neighborhood, these meetings have become pretty tense. Last night's session was especially contentious. Eater and EV Grieve have the play by play. We're going to take a closer look at the most dramatic debate of the night, the saga over Le Souk. It was a revealing snapshot of the nightlife tug of war (pitting bars and residents against each other) that has been raging downtown for the better part of a decade.
Le Souk, at the corner of Avenue B and 4th Street, was shut down by the State Liquor Authority (SLA) earlier this year. Incessant noise complaints from neighbors, as well as numerous overcrowding citations were the reasons given. But then a judge overturned the SLA's ruling. So Le Souk was allowed to reopen in August, temporarily, while the appeals process plays out. When a final court opinion is at hand, the SLA is not required to come back to the community board. Last night was CB3's last chance to weigh in on a renewal.
Continue reading Another Contentious Evening for Community Board 3′s SLA Committee
Don West-7th Precinct Commnity Council President, Captain Barry-Commanding Officer 7th Precinct, Deputy Inspector DeQuatro-Commanding Officer 9th Precinct, Police Officer Gallagher-9th Precinct, Police Officer Demlar-9th Precinct, Detective Madden 7th Precinct Detective Squad
We were on hand for last week's 7th Precinct Community Council meeting as Captain Nancy Barry reported that overall crime (within the 7th Precinct) is down 36% in the last 28 days. There have been 28 less major crimes than last year, robberies are down 72% (5 this year vs. 22 last year), grand larceny is down 20% (24 this year vs. 30 last year) and burglaries and felony assaults are also down. Captain Barry mentioned some crime prevention techniques for car break-ins, and encouraged people not to leave their GPS systems and personal property out overnight in vehicles. Speaking about preventing robberies, she suggested that people not leave pocket books and personal property unattended.
9th Precinct Commanding Officer DeQuatro was also present as Captain Barry gave awards to Police Officer Thomas Gallagher and Police Officer Christopher Delmar (both from the 9th Precinct). The two officers collaborated with Detective Kevin Madden from the 7th Precinct Detective Squad to solve a fatal stabbing case that took place on September 12th. The victim, Glenn Wright, (whom The Lo-Down reported about earlier here), turned out to have been mistakenly identified as a target by a gang looking for revenge in the Baruch Housing Developments.
CWA Local 1180 announces a half million dollar anti-Bloomberg ad campaign. That's more than Bill Thompson himself has spent on TV advertising.
Continue reading Anti-Bloomie Ad Campaign, Mayor’s Race Record, Beer Pong at the Doghouse
Lower East Side real estate developer Sion Misrahi says the scandal-plagued NYC Buildings Department is “scared to death,” and that their paralysis is making it “impossible to do business in this city.” It’s the real reason, he told me, there are now More than 540 stalled construction sites in New York. During a conversation Friday in his office on Rivington Street, Misrahi said he did not believe the market has yet “hit the bottom,” but he said it’s only a minor factor in the citywide construction standstill. Perhaps more than any other person, Misrahi is responsible for the transformation of the neighborhood in the past 15 years. As a deal maker and founder of the LES Business Improvement District, he has constantly clashed with preservationists and affordable housing advocates. He was a fierce opponent of the rezoning of the Lower East Side, implemented last year. He was cast as the villain in the recent documentary, “The Lower East Side: An Endangered Place.” During our interview, he spoke out on the rezoning issue, the effort to restrict the number of bars and clubs on the LES and on the reasons behind the many stalled construction sites across the city.
Continue reading Misrahi: Buildings Department Paralyzed By Fear
Rudy Giuliani, campaigning with Mike Bloomberg, said the city could become a more dangerous place if the mayor's not re-elected. Bill deBlasio, almost certainly NYC's next public advocate, said Giuliani's comments "verged on race baiting."
Continue reading Rudy’s “Race Baiting,” Shelly “Force of Stability,” Wake For ABC NO Rio
Today is your last chance to pre-register for CMJ ‘09. The College Music Jounal's annual music marathon and film festival starts tomorrow and runs (almost non-stop) through the weekend. Venues all throughout the city, including local Lower East Side favorites like Arlene's Grocery, Cakeshop, Pianos, Delancey and Bowery Ballroom, will be jam-packed with up-and-coming bands and music insiders. For those of you who consider yourselves "just an average show-goer", TimeOut offers a great CMJ For Dummies interview with founder Bobby Haber.
As a warmup for CMJ, you can be your own star and head to Pianos (158 Ludlow) tonight, for their weekly Feed Your Head (Rock Trivia!) at 8pm and My Sweet Karaoke at 10pm.
If you're staying in tonight (and don't happen to care for Monday Night Football), tune in for the premier of HBO's new documentary, Schmatta:Rags To Riches To Rags, at 9pm. The film focuses on New York's Garment District and follows the
decline of the once-robust apparel manufacturing industry in the U.S., while
chronicling the industry's relationship with unions and government.
 Community groups fighting to influence the city’s plans for the East River waterfront have a new ally: Representative Nydia Velazquez. This weekend, she vowed to take their concerns to city officials, “fighting every step of the way,” and to seek additional federal funding for the project. Velazquez made her remarks at a press conference to release the results of a comprehensive survey and a detailed alternative plan to the city’s blueprint.
The groups, led by the Urban Justice Center, focused on the NYC Economic Development Corporation’s proposals to rehabilitate Piers 35, 36 and 42. The coalition, “Organizing and United Residents” say the plans are “not responsive to the needs of the surrounding community and did not include any mechanisms for community input or participation.” Noting that the median income in Community Board 3 (which includes the Lower East Side and Chinatown) is scarcely over $32-thousand, the report said, these “two neighborhoods… have gentrified rapidly in the last decade, and the EDC’s plan (has) the potential to increase the pace of gentrification.”
Continue reading Velazquez, Community Groups Press City to Revise Waterfront Plan
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