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 Congregation Chasam Sopher, 8 Clinton Street. Image from Mattron's Flickr photostream. Sunny and 89 degrees today. This evening Community Board 3 will, for the first time in several years, undertake a review of its policies surrounding liquor licenses. Not that it won’t be entertaining, but if you prefer to spend a beautiful evening outdoors, there will be a “Tribute to The Fania All Stars with DJ Lucho” in East River Park. Want to keep up with The Lo-Down? “Liking” us on Facebook is a great way to know when we publish new content. Click here to visit our page!
 
 Artist: Veronica Frenning. Two corner variation, 2009. The Abrons Arts Center has chosen its Artists in Residence for 2010-2011. The program provides residencies and free workspace in which established as well as emerging artists are able to develop their work and careers. There are four visual artists, one who will focus on ceramics and one curator in this year’s group. In addition to Veronica Frenning (whose work is pictured), the artists are: Miguel Amado, William Cordova, Yeon Yin Kim, Nyeema Morgan and Austin Shull. You can read all about their impressive backgrounds on the Abrons Art Center’s web site.
 Ratha Chaupoly Last week, Ratha Chaupoly of Kampuchea (78 Rivington) announced he was closing his restaurant (too high end for the neighborhood) and opening something new in the same location. Today Grub Street reports that “something new” will be Bun & Company, opening on Saturday: Continue reading Kampuchea Becomes Bun & Company
 ABC No Rio. Image from vivnsect's Flickr photostream. Cloudy skies today with a high of 80 and a chance of showers tonight. This evening’s big event: best-selling author and relentless self-promoter Gary Shteyngart is back in the neighborhood for “Tenement Talks.” Have a good Wednesday.
 Google map.
A trusted tipster emailed a few moments ago to tell us about an accident she witnessed on East Broadway, near Seward Park earlier tonight. Apparently a boy, who looked to be about 7, ran from the park into the street, was struck and suffered a head injury. It happened at about 645pm. Our tipster said the boy is Chinese.
Just this summer, there have been at least two other serious accidents in the immediate area (one on Essex, the other on Clinton). In the past, 7th Precinct officers have told us their efforts to piece together accident reports are made more difficult because witnesses seldom come forward. If you saw the incident and can share more information, please Email us.
We’ll be following up on this story tomorrow morning.
—UPDATE 12:13am: We’ve heard from a second tipster who saw the aftermath. A medium sized crowd had gathered outside the park, near the intersection of East Broadway, Essex and Canal. There was a maroon colored sedan stopped in the middle of the street.The boy was sitting on the pavement and an adult, probably a parent, was holding him. He was crying and had blood on his face, but the witness said he seemed coherent. He added, “this little triangle of street is incredibly dangerous. When cars are driving West on East Broadway, they NEVER EVER signal whether they’re going to continue down East Broadway or bear right onto Canal. And there’s a damned playground right there! It was an incredibly sad sight.”
From the in-box this morning:
State Senator Daniel Squadron announced that on Sunday, Governor Paterson signed into law his bill that will help the State Liquor Authority (SLA) crack down on nightlife operators who routinely violate noise laws, fail to control unruly crowds and repeatedly draw police attention. Continue reading New Law Cracks Down on Bad Bars
- Sheldon Silver said he won’t oppose the Islamic Cultural Center near the WTC site, but he thinks it would be better if they found a different location (Daily News).
- Congressional candidate Reshma Saujani decries Democratic silence on the “mosque.” BTW, her opponent, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, put out a statement on the issue August 5 (Capital Tonight).
- Shelly’s had it with dictatorial governors (Daily News).
Continue reading Silver Offers Lukewarm Support for “Mosque,” Chinatown Bus Violence, Following the Fringe
 Image via Chris DiClerico's Flickr photostream. After last night’s deluge, party cloudy today and a high of 90. This morning we’ll wrap up last night’s CB3/SLA Committee meeting. They said yes to “dining in the dark,” — yes to a New Mexican cantina on Grand Street — and no to two new places from the Frank’s Chop Shop team on Ludlow Street. Details coming up. We’ve already posted this week’s Lo-Down List, our summary of what’s happening in the hood. be sure to check it out!
Our weekly look at upcoming happenings on the Lower East Side. If you have a neighborhood event you would like us to post, please email us here.
 Gary Shteyngart comes to the Eldridge Museum to discuss his latest highly acclaimed satire. Photo by Matthew Monteith.
Wednesday, August. 18th
 Last month, politicians and pedestrian safety activists rallied at City Hall. Local elected officials are praising Governor Paterson for signing “Hayley and Diego’s Law,” legislation that will increase penalties against careless drivers. Earlier this summer, we attended a news conference at City Hall intended to step up pressure on the governor to act. On Friday, he did just that. Continue reading Paterson Signs Legislation Stemming From Fatal Chinatown Accident
Here’s a reminder about Thursday night’s big Community Board 3 meeting looking at it’s much-maligned bar/restaurant liquor licensing policies. If you’re a resident frustrated with the growing number of clubs and bars in the neighborhood — or an operator who believes CB3′s SLA Committee is capricious and unfair — this is the time to speak your mind.
The community board will be looking at a wide range of contentious issues. Near the top of the list: designated “resolution areas,” certain blocks that have been deemed so over-saturated with bars that CB3 requires applicants to “demonstrate (the) public benefit or (show) substantial support from the surrounding community.” Continue reading CB3 Re-Evaluates Liquor Licensing Policies Thursday
 Barry Chusid is fighting to stay in his home, a 100-year-old, city-owned tenement located at 400 Grand Street. But this is not your average story of a guy at war with City Hall. That’s because Chusid (and the residents of 12 other apartments) happen to be sitting on some prime real estate — a little corner of the infamous Seward Park Urban Renewal Area (SPURA).
43 years after 2-thousand homes and many businesses adjacent to the Williamsburg Bridge were bulldozed, former site tenants are still battling for the right to return. They’re actively involved in Community Board 3′s drawn out quest for a consensus plan. Meanwhile, Chusid is on a quest of his own. At a recent meeting of CB3′s SPURA task force, he vowed to “pitch a tent,” if necessary, rather than be displaced. Continue reading One Man’s Battle to Stay on SPURA
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