The Villager

The Paper of Record for or Greenwich Village, East Village, Lowerr E Eas East asst a s t Si S Side, i de de, Soho, Union 1933 n Square, Squa a rre e , Chinatown Ch C h in i n a own and Noho, Since 19 inat 93 33 3

October 5, 2017 • $1.00 Volume 87 • Number 40

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Marte will challenge Chin for District 1 seat in November election

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

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hristopher Marte announced on Wednesday that he intends to mount a third-party campaign against Margaret Chin and run on the Independence Party line in the Nov. 7 general election.

In addition to Chin — the two-term Democratic incum-

bent, who is seeking a third and final four-year term — and Marte, another candidate, Aaron Foldenauer, will be running on the Liberal Party ballot line on Nov. 7.

Marte finished a close second to Chin in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary, losing by a mere MARTE continued on p. 12

Captain gets Amazon truck off blast block; Look out on Lafayette!

BY MARY REINHOLZ

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nz’s retro fashion boutique, located right next to the site of the deadly 2015 East Village gas explosion, has attracted blonde bombshell customers like Jerry Hall, Lauren Hutton and Helen Mirren since opening on the block in 2002..

On Monday, the rockabilly store’s diminutive brunette owner, designer Mariann Marlowe, got a visit and an apology from another blonde who said she represented Cornucopia Logistics, a freight-hauling company with corporate headquarters on E. 42nd St. CorAMAZON continued on p. 4 AMAZO

PHOTO BY REBECCA WHITE

Protesters outside Trump Tower Tuesday evening called on the president to respond more rapidly and appropriately to the dire emergenc y in Puer to Rico — and stop insulting the island and its people. See Pages 2 and 19.

Croman nabs a rent-free home — on Rikers Island

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n Tuesday morning, a judge sentenced notorious Manhattan landlord Steve Croman to a year in jail on Rikers Island.

While Croman has long been accused of using harassment to force out rent-regulated tenants so he could charge higher rents, what he was found guilty of was tax and mortgage fraud on many of his more than 100 buildings.

“Rikers ain’t the Ritz,” Jus-

tice Jill Konviser, told Croman at his sentencing, the Daily News reported. Last month, Konviser postponed Croman’s sentencing during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holy Days.

“I hope that you spend your days thinking about the religious principles that this case was postponed for,” the judge chastised him, the News said.

The case is fairly unique since rarely do landlords get

prison time on these type of charges.

Croman’s “secret weapon” to force out tenants was Anthony Falconite, a former police officer who entered tenants’ apartments without permission, checking their mail and following them, in an attempt to prove they weren’t rent-regulated.

In May 2016, Attorney GenCROMAN continued on p. 11

Umanov Guitars going out on a high note..........p. 2 Ai Weiwei ‘Fences’ install already finished........p. 8 Village pets get blessed..........p. 6

www.TheVillager.com

UMANOV’S SWAN SONG: Another classic Village small business is biting the dust — but this time, at least, it’s not because of skyrocketing rents. Matt Umanov Guitars, at 273 Bleecker St., between Jones and Cornelia Sts., will be closing shop within the next few months. Matt Umanov, owner of the eponymous music mecca, told us why. “Been meaning to get in touch with you,” Umanov wrote us in an e-mail. “Of course I read The Villager, have for many, many years, and as the neighborhood news organization, I thought you’d want to know. The reason I’m closing is simple: It’s been over 50 years and it’s time to relax. Not the usual rent thing, not gentrification: I turned 70 a few weeks ago and I no longer have the compulsion to put in 60 hours between Monday and Friday every week; it takes a lot of work to keep a place like this running. My son is certainly capable of taking it over, but he’s built his own corner of the music business and is not interested

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Matt Umanov, left, and Paul Prestopino in Washington Square Park last month at the Banjofest reunion of musicians who used to play in the park in the 1950s and ’60s.

in retail. I also have two grandchildren now and want more time to spend with them, and also finally want to have some time to travel. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll most of all miss the people I’ve gotten to meet here every day, from the fabulous professional musicians, to the local kids, to the hobbyists, to the actors and artists of every stripe. I’ll also miss the occasional nutjob or drunk walking in (music attracts all types); you just couldn’t make up some of the acts that have walked in here. The very best part, of course, is having had the opportunity to help so many people make music, which is really what all this is about. I’ve been in this location for 35 years; five years prior to that in what is now the second room of John’s Pizza; and If the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act on Bedford St. before that (CCRA) passes Congress, carrying a starting in 1969. Prior to that I did guitar restoragun into NYC from out of state will be tion and repair in several easier than ever. neighborhood locations, starting around 1964.

After having been in this building for a while, I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to buy it some years ago from another neighborhood person, in the family that had Emilio’s restaurant on Sixth Ave., for those who remember, and I will be looking for a tenant to whom to rent out the store after we close, probably at year’s end.

My very best to you and the entire Villager staff.”

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October 5, 2017

D.B.A. P.R. AID: Former Community Board 3 Chairperson-tur nedboxing manager David McWater and Bob Perl, co-owners of d.b.a., will be hosting a fundraiser for Puerto Rico disaster relief at the 41 First Ave. bar, between E. Second and E. Third Sts., on

Wed., Oct. 11. McWater said he is “99 percent sure” that City Councilmember Rosie Mendez and Carlina Rivera, the Democratic nominee to succeed Mendez in the Nov. 7 general election, both will attend. “This is Bob’s idea, actually,” McWater told us, “and I thought it was a really great idea.” McWater said 100 percent of the proceeds will go to Puerto Rico to help it recover from the two devastating hurricanes that have hit it this season, the most recent one the worst the island has seen in 90 years. “If you buy an $8 beer, $8 is going [to Puerto Rico],” he said. The bar opens at noon and will close at 4 a.m. “I’m sure it’ll pick up at night,” he said, as to when the event will really get going. They are working with the Hispanic Federation because a 501(c)(3) nonprofit is needed to ensure the money is being used for the charitable cause, McWater said.

C.S.V. FOR P.R.: Another benefit for Puerto Rico is being held at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Education Center, at 107 Suffolk St., on Sun., Oct. 8, with an event on La Plaza from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a concert from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The suggested donation is $10, and they are collecting diapers, baby food, batteries, first-aid supplies and feminine hygiene products. The musical lineup includes DJ Trase, Papote Jimenez Orchestra, DJ Ralphy CBS, Sammy Zone Freestyle and Reggaeton performer Denzel Y Marlex.

WEEDS WHACKED: It looks like our report one month ago on poisonous plants growing wild along the Hudson River bikeway and in the Route 9A highway median had an effect. It was former Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe a.k.a. “The Nontoxic Avenger” who first spotted the dangerous greenery. For at least the past couple of years, he had been raising a cry that the state Department of Transportation had basically dropped the ball on maintaining these planted areas itself and had also stopped giving funding to the Hudson River Park Trust so that it could do it. We went by this past weekend and saw that these areas — at least in the Village and up through Chelsea Piers — have virtually been clear-cut down to the dirt! It practically resembles something out of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. Admittedly, the medians looked a lot better with foliage, in our opinion, but at least there is no longer potentially fatal foliage — like Jimsonweed a.k.a. locoweed and black nightshade — growing there anymore.

“Yes, all the weeds have been removed,” Benepe told us, “at least from the areas adjacent to the bike path.

Your story had an effect!”

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October 5, 2017

Captain gets Amazon truck to leave blast block and move to Lafayette St. AMAZON continued from p. 1

nucopia’s gigantic trucks have hijacked as many as four parking spaces directly outside Marlowe’s store, at 125 Second Ave., between E. Seventh and St. Mark’s Place, since the summer began, setting up a makeshift distribution center on the street and sidewalk to unload packages as a contractor for Amazon, the e-commerce behemoth. Marlowe claims to have lost an estimated $200 a day in revenues because pedestrians couldn’t see her sign from across the street due to the trucks and congestion.

“I have felt like a store inside an IKEA loading zone,” she said.

Marlowe described her visitor from Cornucupia as “very blonde, very corporate, very Hillary Clinton.” She introduced herself as Cathy Taylor (a staff member at Avant Business Services, Cornucopia’s corporate parent) and expressed regret for the company’s truckers parking three or four a hours a day in front of her shop.

“She said they weren’t supposed to do that and promised it would never happen again,” Marlowe related. “She also said, ‘We won’t infringe on any restaurant or retail store again.’ I asked her, ‘Can you compensate me $2,000 for my losses?’

She said, ‘We’ll see.’ She was putting on a nice face. Higher-ups probably told her to make amends.”

Those “higher-ups” were most likely prodded by Captain Vincent Greany, commanding officer of the Ninth Precinct, who listened carefully to Marlowe’s complaints about Amazon’s delivery provider hurting her business during a Sept.

19 Community Council meeting at the E. Fifth St. stationhouse.

The captain set up an outdoor meeting Saturday morning on Second Ave. and E. Seventh St., just steps away from Enz’s. It was a brief meeting, he said, attended by three other Ninth Precinct officers, two of them detectives from community affairs.

None of the cops were in uniform.

“I like to hold meetings right at the point of the problem,” Greany noted.

Cornucopia’s representative, whom Greany did not name, agreed to move the company’s operation to the two-block stretch of Lafayette St. between Astor Place and Fourth Ave, where there’s a loading zone — though it is quite a busy spot.

Greany noted that if Cornucopia does need to get to Second Ave. again, “it would only be for about 20 or 30 minutes.” In addition, he said, the Cornucopia rep agreed to meet with Greany and his team once a month to address any problems that might arise.

“Hopefully,” the captain said, “this will lead to a long-term solution, not just a quick fi x.”

Small retailers on Marlowe’s block will undoubtedly welcome the news that an

Sonam Tenzin, owner of Himalayan Vision, warned that while Amazon might move its distribution zones around the East Village, they won’t stop their disruptive operations.

Cook Mike Tarabitt at B&H dair y restaurant said the Amazon situation has been bad for all businesses on the block.

PHOTOS BY MARY REINHOLZ

Mariann Marlowe, outside her Enz’s 1950s boutique on Second Ave., says the Amazon unloading operation has drastically cut her walk-in business.

Amazon delivery provider will be sharply reducing its presence in the neighborhood. Mike Tarabitt, a longtime cook at B&H vegetarian restaurant, a few doors north of Enz’s, at 127 Second Ave., said the contract truckers have parked on the block “longer than three hours,” overstaying the three-hour limit for commercial vehicles, and have affected the eatery’s business, as well.

At the same time, he noted of the trucking crew, they’re “just guys doing their job,” as required by their bosses. He added that they are still working outside a Capital One branch on Second Ave. near E. 10th St. Tarabitt said Marlowe’s store bore the brunt of the problem on his block, which he characterized as a “bad situation. It’s not good for anyone,” he said.

It’s a situation that The Villager first covered happening in Noho at a Broadway location in August. A recent post by the EV Grieve blog extensively quoted from this newspaper’s account and led with new details about Marlowe’s grievances. Marlowe also had recently posted her grievances as reader comments on the original Villager article.

Sonam Tenzin, owner of Himalayan Vision, a Tibetan store also at 127 Second Ave., said last week that her business had dropped off because of Cornucopia’s workers on her block.

“They were loading on the street,” she said. “They were blocking people right on the sidewalk. Sometimes they would stop in front of me. I try to be compassionate and to understand,” she said of Cornucopia’s mostly minority staff. She added that she hasn’t spoken to any of them, just used “body language” to let them know that she’s watching.

“At first I thought they were [tenants] moving into a building” next to Enz’s, she said. “And I thought, ‘What’s going on? Is Amazon moving here? Why is a big company doing this? It’s never-ending,’ ” she said of the delivery trucks.

“They’re not going to stop,” Tenzin predicted. “They’ll just move to another block” when people complain.

For its part, Amazon, which has headquarters in Seattle, appears to be open to complaints about its so-called “independent delivery providers.” Ernesto Aprezo, a spokesperson, called this reporter on Sunday for a talk that he insisted be off the record, later e-mailing a formal statement: “We take this feedback seriously and continue to work with our independent delivery provider as they address this matter,” he wrote, alluding to Cornucopia.

Amazon Customer Service is available 24 / 7 at 1-888-280-4331. This reporter’s efforts to talk directly to Cornucopia distribution workers on Second Ave. and its corporate parents at Avant Business Services were unavailing.

TheVillager.com

Jane didn’t let in Latina

BY LIZZY ROSENBERG

U

nless you live under a rock, you’re probably aware of the unshakable racism that continually plagues our society in the form of microaggressions, and unfortunately, outward acts of aggression. Even liberal cities like New York are not exempt. Vancouver native Heba Maleki and a Colombian friend, Luisa Abuchaibe, now know this first-hand.

On Sept. 16, Maleki and Abuchaibe were visiting the Big Apple, when they decided to meet up with friends at The Jane hotel in the West Village. While two Caucasian girls ahead of them entered the bar with no problem, Maleki, who was raised in the Bahå’í faith, and her friend were denied entry. When they asked why, the bouncer reportedly responded with a slew of derogatory terms, such as “disgusting Mexicansâ€? and “Gisele Bundchen wannabe Spanish bitch.â€?

Shocked, Maleki asked was he joking. “Bitch, does it look like I’m joking?

Now get off my property,� she said he responded, encroaching on their space.

The women felt sufficiently threatened by his words and demeanor that they decided not to enter. The worst part, she said, there were bystanders, and nobody said anything. “What saddened me was how no one

spoke up,� Maleki said in a Facebook post. “Everyone around stood as spectators and people who observed what was happening still proceeded to enter the lounge. People put their heads down and walked in as if it had nothing to do with them. What they don’t realize is by ignoring such hate, you are both normalizing and accepting racism. As we stood outside we saw other visual minorities being turned away.�

The Jane has received multiple prior race-related and misogynist complaints on Yelp about this particular bouncer, as well as other Jane staff.

The Villager called The Jane hotel management several times but was unable to get a comment on the matter.

Fortunately, one man was able to turn around the women’s bad night out. Maleki and Abuchaibe were approached by a friendly guy outside The Jane who comforted them, and then sent them to Park Bar, a few blocks north on E. 15th St. in Union Square. He informed the bar of the women’s horrifying experience, and the pair were met with hugs by the staff and complimentary drinks. “While our night ended on a positive note, it does not erase the fact that discrimination and racism exist today,�

Maleki said. “Shame on The Jane for such disgusting practices. We cannot stand by...and normalize racism. It is a disease. ... We cannot be silent!�

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OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK WEEKEND AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY New York University is proud to participate in the 15th Annual Open House New York (OHNY) Weekend.

For two days each October, OHNY Weekend unlocks the doors of New York’s most important buildings, offering an extraordinary opportunity to experience the city and meet the people who design, build, and preserve New York. As a part of OHNY Weekend, NYU invites the general public to see the Edward Hopper Studio and to explore the NYU MakerSpace in Brooklyn.

Space is limited and reservations are required. RSVP and find a full schedule of other OHNY Weekend activities at www.ohny.org.

NYU MAKERSPACE 6 MetroTech Center, Room 118, Brooklyn NY, 11201 Saturday, October 14 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Visit the NYU MakerSpace, a collaborative workspace and lab that highlights new kinds of iterative, interdisciplinary teamwork using new tools of rapid prototyping and digitally driven production.

EDWARD HOPPER STUDIO 1 Washington Square North (entry on University Place) Sunday, October 15 10:00 am - 2:30 pm Step into the studio where artist Edward Hopper and his wife, Josephine, lived and painted for more than 50 years.

Tuesday, October 17 November 14 9am–10am We also offer tours every Tuesday from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m

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Edward Hopper Studio

NYU MakerSpace

October 5, 2017

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Prayers for pets as the animals are blessed

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ogs, cats, at least one hamster, right, and the ashes of a late beloved pet, Snowy, were anointed with holy water at St. Anthony of Padua Church on Sullivan St. for the Blessing of the Animals in a special Mass last Sunday. The annual religious ritual is in honor of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

PHOTOS BY TEQUILA MINSKY

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October 5, 2017

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Arch artwork goes up in 2 days, to last 4 months

T

here’s been a lot of discussion about the Public Art Fund’s Ai Weiwei project slated for beneath the Washington Square Park Arch since news of it fi nally became public in late August.

On the other hand, the installation of the cage-like fence underneath the landmark went very quickly, taking less than two days, and looked essentially finished by early this Wednesday.

Titled “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors,” the citywide project will also include 299 installations at other sites around New York that will each have some form or representation of a fence.

The project’s aim is to highlight the new administration’s restrictive policies on immigration, which famed Chinese artist Ai says are counter to America’s tradition of openness.

A few leading members of Community Board 2 were informed about the project back in June, but — in what basically amounted to a gag order — were forbidden by the de Blasio administration from speaking about it publicly until the Public Art Fund was ready to announce it.

For its part, the Public Art Fund said the plans had not all been finalized earlier this summer, so it wanted to hold off announcing the project until things were all firmed up.

The project will officially open Thurs., Oct. 12, and last for four months.

In the case of Washington Square Park, the iconic holiday tree — along with caroling — will have to be relocated from the traditional spot under the arch.

Trevor Sumner, president of the Washington Square Association, said they are currently working with the Public Art Fund to figure out where to place the tree.

There was a proposal last week to put it halfway between the arch and the fountain, but Sumner said he doesn’t agree with it just “based on aesthetics.”

According to Sumner, nothing has been worked out and they are still in the process of figuring out where to place the tree.

PHOTOS BY TEQUILA MINSKY

The “Fences” installation took about t wo days to put up and was essentially all finished by Wednesday morning.

Lincoln Anderson and Levar Alonzo

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October 5, 2017

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October 5, 2017

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POLICE BLOTTER Card crime A 29-year-old man received messages that unauthorized charges were being made on his credit card on Sun., Oct. 1, at 1:13 a.m., according to police. Subsequently, a suspect was arrested inside 94 W. Houston St. David Ean Louis, 28, was charged with felony grand larceny.

Prone, then punchy Police said a man entered a taxi in front of 158 Bleecker St. on Sun., Oct. 1, at 2:30 a.m. and proceeded to lie down without giving the driver directions. The 25-year-old driver stated that the suspect then got out of the vehicle and hit the hack’s side window with his hand, causing it to break.

Maximilian Melville, 28, was arrested for felony criminal mischief.

Kicked caregiver A nurse, 41, was assaulted inside 30

Seventh Ave. South, between Morton and Leroy Sts., on Wed., Sept. 27, at 1:30 a.m., police said. The nurse was kicked in the knee while performing her normal duties, causing swelling and bruising to both knees. The suspect was yelling and acting disrespectful toward the nurse, which made it hard for her to do her duties, she said.

Eni Demelo, 51, was arrested for felony assault.

Bike thief busted A man tried to steal an electric bike in front of 40 E. 10th St., between Broadway and University Place, on Thurs., Sept. 28, at 12:10 a.m., police said. Cops found him in possession of burglar’s tools, which were later determined to be stolen.

Juan A. Roman, 25, was charged with attempted felony grand larceny.

Tabia C. Robinson

Croman sent to Rikers CROMAN continued from p. 1

eral Eric Schneiderman brought numerous mortgage fraud and tax evasion charges against Croman. The landlord admitted to inflating the rental income he was collecting, in order to get $45 million in loans under false pretenses.

In pleading guilty this June, Croman conceded to paying a $5 million settlement and serving prison time. He paid the first $3 million of the settlement last month.

“Steven Croman thought he was above the law,” Schneiderman said.

“But today, he begins a sentence in Rikers Island for perpetrating an elaborate scheme that was intended to push out rent-stabilized tenants. The measures Mr. Croman took to boost his own bottom line — while blatantly disregarding the well-being of his tenants — are shocking. A booming real estate market is no excuse for criminal activity aimed at displacing New Yorkers already struggling with high rents.”

A separate civil suit filed by Schneiderman against Croman regarding tenant harassment and other charges is pending.

VILLAGER FILE PHOTO BY JEFFERSON SIEGEL

Landlord Steven Croman — holding a folder to cover his handcuffs — being walked into Manhattan Supreme Cour t this past May to be arraigned on a slew of charges against him by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. This Tuesday he was sentenced to year in jail on Rikers Island.

For more news & events happening now visit www.TheVillager.com WESTBETH FREE EVENTS

Join Us For

OPEN OPEN HOUSE STUDIO

SATURDAY & SUNDAY • OCTOBER 14 & 15

Sunday, October 8th at 3:00 pm At the Church of St. Luke in the Fields in the W. Village 487 Hudson St.(corner of Hudson and Grove Streets) WESTBETH IS THE LARGEST LIVE-WORK ARTIST COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES. RESIDENTS LEAD 1 HOUR TOURS THROUGHOUT THIS LANDMARKED BUILDING.

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There will be a service in the church and a recep on a er on the playground for people + pets The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields www.stlukeinthefields.org|212.924.0562

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October 5, 2017

11

Marte is running vs. Chin in Nov. 7 general election MARTE continued from p. 1

222 votes. Foldenauer finished a distant third in the four-person race, and Dashia Imperiale came in fourth.

Showing weakness on Chin’s part, she could not even win a simple majority of the vote, only getting 46 percent of the total.

The district includes Lower Manhattan, the South St. Seaport, Southbridge Towers, Battery Park City, Tribeca, the Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown, Soho, Noho and part of Greenwich Village.

Running on a third-party line in a general election — especially in an overwhelmingly Democratic town like New York — is always a challenge since many people just “vote the straight party line” for Democrats. But Marte, 28, said his strong showing in the primary gives him confidence that he really could pull off a win.

“I think what we saw in the primary is the majority of people voted against our councilperson,” Marte told The Villager Wednesday. “I think our job over the next five weeks is to get the message out, to elect a councilperson who’s going to communicate to the community, hold town halls and push back on overdevelopment.”

As for Foldenauer’s presence on the the ballot, Marte said, “I think the race

is between me and the councilperson.

What we showed in the primary is we were able to get support throughout this district. Everyone has the right to run,” he added.

A Chin spokesperson said she is confident of winning re-election.

“Councilwoman Chin is proud to be on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines this November,” said Jake Dilemani. “Democrats sent Councilwoman Chin to victory in the Democratic primary election based upon her strong record of preserving and expanding affordable housing and standing up for tenants. Councilwoman Chin looks forward to speaking with Lower Manhattan voters between now and November, as well as to another four years on the Council, where she will continue her work to make New York a more livable, affordable city for all.”

Foldenauer, for his part — in a press release that threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at Marte — blasted what he called Marte’s “last-minute entry” into the general election and claimed that he, Foldenauer, is the true “anti-establishment candidate.”

“Chris Marte will be no more independent of the current dysfunctional Democratic leadership than Margaret Chin has been,” Foldenauer charged. “That’s precisely what led to the huge debacles in this district, such as Rivington House

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October 5, 2017

Christopher Mar te has announced he’s running in the general election, after narrowing losing to Margaret Chin in the Sept. 12 Democratic primar y.

and the pending closure of the Elizabeth St. Garden. In contrast, I am running a truly independent campaign with the support of the Liberal Party, which has a history of backing candidates independent of the failed establishment.”

Marte has been endorsed by many of the area’s leading local Democratic clubs, including Village Independent Democrats, Downtown Independent Democrats and Village Reform Democratic Club. Marte has strongly condemned the sale of Rivington House to private developers and is a staunch defender of the Elizabeth St. Garden.

Despite being called a spoiler, Foldenauer said it was, in fact, Marte who blew the primary.

“Chris Marte has already squandered a golden opportunity in the Democratic primary,” he said. “Marte had unprecedented backing from establishment political clubs and organizations and had a tremendous amount of funding. That he was unable to capitalize on Chin’s immense unpopularity with all of those resources is stunning.”

Foldenauer further said the low turnout in the Democratic primary was because the “activists” supporting Marte failed to get out the vote.

“Less than 20 percent of registered Democrats turned out in the Democratic primary,” he said. “Had the ‘activists’ supporting Marte done their job in getting out the vote, Chin would have easily been defeated.

“In fact, some of Chris Marte’s mailers were hitting mailboxes a day or two after the primary, which demonstrates elementary dysfunction inside his campaign,” Foldenauer added. “Had Marte and his backers gotten the basics right, Marte could have easily picked up the additional 200 votes he needed.”

The Villager asked longtime New York

City political consultant Hank Sheinkopf his thoughts about whether a third-party candidate could actually win a general election in Lower Manhattan.

“This is an advertisement for electionlaw reform,” Sheinkopf said. “In California, nonpartisan primaries work, and people vote for the Democratic anyway.”

In other words, anyone can vote in California’s primary elections — they don’t have to be registered in a particular party.

“Generally, in New York City, the elections are decided in the primary,” Sheinkopf said. “It’s not impossible, but don’t hock the house, don’t bet the farm,” he said of the chances of third-party candidates winning in heavily Democratic districts like District 1.

“If there’s any hope for change, it’s that young voters come out and get more sophisticated in their voting,” he noted.

Yet, on primary day, one poll worker in the South Village — showing a chart he had jotted down for one election district — lamented the fact that only one or two voters in their 20s had turned out. Most of the voters in that particular E.D. were senior citizens, he noted. It’s a very concerning trend, the poll worker said.

“There’s nothing at the top of the ballot to bring people out,” Sheinkopf added of the lack of bigger races on Nov. 7. “De Blasio has wrapped it up.”

Although Sheinkopf has helped run winning campaigns for several judges on the Liberal Party line — including the late Harold Baer — he said the system simply is geared against third-party candidates.

“It’s hard to win ‘off the line,’” he said.

“The present system is fixed for incumbents. The progressives are not progressives at all — they’re the system’s maintainers.”

TheVillager.com

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17

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Diller’s ‘sensible decision’

Subscribe to The Villager

To The Editor: Re “Diller Island’s demise; Goes the way of Westway” (news article, Sept. 28): The finest people I know have worked for decades to preserve the Hudson River as a river.

Barry Diller’s sensible decision not to site his performance venue in the river’s nearhore waters will keep thousands of people out of harm’s way when the next big hurricane hits.

If politicians and the media keep echoing misleading spin in the drive to turn the river into real estate, they will jeopardize not only public safety, but priceless views of open water and a natural resource whose miraculous bounty should be treasured — not eliminated bit by bit.

Marcy Benstock Benstock is executive director, Clean Air Campaign and Open River Project

Your Community News Source

Good run, Christopher!

To The Editor: Re “After counting paper ballots, Marte still down more than 200 votes” (news article, Sept.

21): Impressive effort by Mr. Marte. Looking forward to hearing more from him.

Salvatore Rasa

The war on cars Call 718-260-2516 or e-mail pbeatrice@cnglocal.com

We cover “The Cube”!

To The Editor: The traffic throttling on Fifth and Seventh Aves. is a significant and nasty policy mistake. Reducing the ability of the city streets to carry vehicular traffic deprives residents a transportation choice as other aspects of the mass transit system fail.

It brings dislocation, delays, deliberately created congestion, extra expense for both employer and employee, and more air pollution. It seems that it’s congestion pricing without the revenue. Whatever is claimed, this is not about bicycles.

The subway delays this past week remind us that there is a good chance that the subway system may

IRA BLUTREICH

18

October 5, 2017

become unreliable. There is no source of funds under the Cuomo approach that finances showboat projects like the Second Ave. subway. You can’t privatize a money pit, either.

Fare increases are not a meaningful source of revenue, and things like naming rights for stations bring in virtually no money. There is no cash that will be available from the federal government under Trump.

We need to put the priority on modalities that can bring velocity, capacity and density to the city.

Bicycles have been promoted heavily, especially by the Bloomberg astroturf group. Realistically, this is silly — there is no other word for it.

This whole program of removing our parking spaces and deliberately creating congestion is done without real public discussion or an attempt to solicit the views of residents and those affected.

If the city Department of Transportation gets it wrong, and they probably will, the transportationgrid problems will cause a decline in economic activity and a meaningful reduction in property values. (Real Estate Board of New York take notice; these people are not your friends.)

It will get worse. Stay tuned.

John Wetherhold

Blaz sets bar too low To The Editor: Re “Sal hopes third time’s charm; Says voters blah on de Blasio” (news article, Sept. 8): I didn’t vote for de Blasio the first time and I’m not voting for him now.

Like Albanese says, it not enough to choose someone because they haven’t been indicted — yet came close to it.

I like Sal’s pied-a-terre tax. Sal seems honest, direct and pragmatic. Maybe a breath of fresh air!

Elaine Young

Mayor a true progressive To The Editor: Re “Sal Albanese for mayor on Sept. 12” (editorial, Sept. 9, thevillager.com): LETTERS continued on p. 30

TheVillager.com r

Puerto Rico: Heartbreak, love and determination

NOTEBOOK

BY PUMA PERL

I

was raised in Gravesend, Brooklyn.

I just happened to be there, as if I’d disembarked from a long train ride at some random location. Eventually, I found my home on the Lower East Side and my spiritual center in Puerto Rico. It wasn’t until I began to carry Puerto Rico in my heart that I understood the concept of passion and love for a homeland. My daughter has strong connections with her Boricua side, and she spent all of her childhood summers in Bayamón. I did not want her to grow up estranged, as I had.

The news of Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that tore through the island on Sept. 20, threw many New Yorkers into shock. With no working infrastructure, reaching loved ones was impossible; some are still waiting, although many telephone lines are finally up in towns beyond San Juan.

People desperately sought ways to cope with the onset of fear and anxiety. On the news, the president stated, “Texas and Florida are doing well, but Puerto Rico was obliterated.” When asked if he would visit, he said, simply, “Yes.” In the end, he did fi nally visit on Tues., Oct. 3.

The word I hear from people most often is “heartbroken,” but it has not prevented them from mobilizing. The morning after the storm, my neighbor Carmen Gomez Gonzalez was home worrying about her mother, who lives in Isabela, a town in the northwest region.

“I had to do something,” she told me. “I called my sister and my friend and we brought a table downstairs, put up some signs, and that was it.”

For four days, residents on the block passed by, donating the items most desperately needed, and offering cash to purchase more. Through it all, Carmen had no news. A week later she learned that her mother is safe. Carmen is focusing her energy on getting to Puerto Rico. The closest airport, in Aguadilla, does not accept passenger fl ights, so she is trying to figure out how to make her way from San Juan.

My friend Eric Morales, a Brooklyn native, has become familiar with travel barriers. He experienced the agony of missing family members and, upon locating them, the red tape of negotiating fl ights home. His sister, Yvonne Morales, and her girlfriend were vacationing in their mother’s town, Ceibas, when the storm hit. Their mother has multiple health issues and might not have survived had Yvonne not been there.

Morales and his wife, Rosa, worked TheVillager.com

PHOTO BY REBECCA WHITE

Ninth Precinct police officers helped collect items for Puer to Rico disaster relief on E. Third St. last Saturday. They accepted canned foods, such as beans and soup, along with diapers, baby food, batteries, firstaid supplies and feminine hygiene products.

tirelessly on travel arrangements, dealing with astronomical costs — which have since dropped — and fi nding ways to get the family to San Juan.

They refused to see the expense as an issue.

“I’ll just work more,” Eric told me.

“I’d swim there to get my girls home.”

It took 16 hours for them to make it home, not including the long wait at the airport, but on Sept. 27, they arrived. While this is a positive outcome for the immediate family, they don’t view it simply as a happy ending.

“If I didn’t have to bring my mom home, I would have stayed and helped,” Yvonne said. “I felt guilty getting on that plane while so many are suffering.”

A cousin who is in the military has reported back about the catastrophic conditions.

“We are planning to go in a few weeks,” Eric said. “My uncle in Ponce is in a second round of radiation and needs treatment. Pastor Raymond Ramos [another Brooklyn friend] is down there now and I’m trying to help him set up a relief base for distribution.

There have been babies with no food, sick people without medication. It’s a nightmare. People need to know.”

Shipping and distribution, especially during the fi rst week, were obstacles not easily overcome. The goods

collected in my building were brought to the Puerto Rican Family Institute.

They delivered them to the National Guard. But it was still impossible to move the arriving crates past San Juan to towns and camps across the island.

Also frustrating was the president’s refusal to waive or, more appropriately, abolish the Jones Act, a 1920 regulation requiring that goods shipped by water from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico only be done by American-owned boats. He had promptly waived the act for Texas and Florida.

His tweets about the hardship it would cause the shipping industry angered many.

“Texas and Florida are doing well,” Trump tweeted on Sept. 25, “but Puerto Rico, which was already suffering from weak infrastructure and massive debt, is in deep trouble… .”

On Sept. 28, it was reported that, under congressional and public pressure, as well as a formal request from Puerto Rico’s governor, Trump waived the act. The celebratory bubble burst quickly at the news that it would only be for 10 days. Lawmakers have been pushing for a one-year waiver in order to speed deliveries to an island that may be without electricity for six months or more.

The president’s communications reached a new low when he began a

Twitter war with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz after she requested more help. Trump accused her of “poor leadership quality” and the community of “wanting everything done for them” and cautioned the citizens, still without power, not to watch “fake news.”

A photo of Cruz wading through sewage with a bullhorn searching for survivors quickly went viral.

Despite the lack of a unifying leader, for New Yorkers the fight goes on.

Collections and benefits are underway, particularly in areas with large Latino populations. I’ve touched base with many corners in addition to my City Council District 1 neighborhood, where signs announcing collection sites are everywhere. On Mon., Sept. 25, I stopped by a tremendous collection outside the Sunset Park office of Assemblymember Felix Ortiz, who was also searching for two family members. The following evening, I attended Barrio Poetix Hurricane Relief Benefit in East Harlem’s La Marqueta, a night of poetry, music and art. Tables surrounded the space to accept donations and sell contributed artwork.

During a break, I asked performer and sponsor La Bruja, how they were transporting the items.

“That’s the problem,” she respondRELIEF continued on p. 12 October 5, 2017

19

My survey says: People don’t want Ai’s fence TALKING POINT

BY SHARON WOOLUMS

I

n my 16 years serving on the Community Board 2 Parks Committee, presenting a major project as a done deal is something brand new to me.

I was one of two public members of the committee who opposed “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors,” Ai Weiwei’s large-scale sculpture for Washington Square Park. The artwork’s name comes from Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall,” which includes the lines: “Before I built a wall I’d ask to know / What I was walling in or walling out / And to whom I was like to give offence.”

In this case, though, no one was asked and many took offense that this was presented as a fait accompli. Given the disruption of annual public programs that would occur, that the Parks Committee received 50 form letters and e-mails in support of this project for its meeting on this subject last month, merely demonstrated the extent to which objections were anticipated — and perhaps why this project was shrouded in secrecy un-

PHOTO BY SHARON WOOLUMS

Workers were busy installing the Ai Weiwei “Fences” public-ar t project under the Washington Square Arch on Monday. It was completed by early Wednesday morning.

til the very end.

The Public Art Fund touts New York City as “a beacon for free expression and democratic ideals” in explaining why it is funding and promoting this project. Yet, for a park such as ours that

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embodies democracy, this process was demonstrably undemocratic.

I surveyed actual park users who felt left out of the discussion (or lack thereof) and felt their opinions were dissed.

Art is subjective but parks are for everybody. For parkgoers seeking a refuge in nature amid so much visual noise in Manhattan, gigantic themed art installations in their small park are a distraction.

Survey participants felt the assumption that their objections stemmed from a lack of art appreciation — and that this great artist’s talent should automatically warrant acceptance — was condescending.

This is a gift! Except that nobody asked for it! Parkgoers acknowledge, however, this a great opportunity, at great expense, for Ai’s use of our park to promote his art and laudable “themes of division and separation.” Unafraid to appear politically incorrect, most of those I surveyed resent decisions from perceived top-down art establishments.

Tourists save up and come here to get that coveted selfie of the World Trade Center or the Empire State Building framed by the park arch. During almost half a year (four months while the installation is up and one month of noise and disruption installing and dismantling it), tourists will not experience the arch as we do, but as a wall protesting walls, blocking the view and wide entrance and egress of our iconic park gateway.

Washington Square Park itself is a living, breathing work of art. Through the vista of the arch (referred to as “the void” by Mr. Ai), spontaneous creativity happens naturally — acrobats, sand painting, human sculptures, would-be Bob Dylans and children dancing to music of every sort.

There’s nothing static about our park and nothing big, bulky and static need be imposed upon on our already-busy 10 acres, no matter how fabulous or correct the sentiment. Many survey respondents disdained the idea of the arch being politicized for any reason.

Neighbors worry “Fences” gawkers will create a Times Square-on-steroids atmosphere. There are thousands of art galleries and museums in the city to challenge and expand our minds and vision. But, for many, the need to escape the city’s visual clutter and just be with trees and plants is vital. They love their gateway to creative freedom as is, and find it indefensible that this gigantic sculpture will be superimposed onto the creation of another recognized genius, architect Stanford White, partially obscuring his work.

There is a wonderful sculpture on the triangle plaza at Greenwich Ave. at Eighth St. There are such plazas and empty lots all over the city, perfect for large-scale installations that will not intrude on a park’s mission of passive relaxation, so desperately needed at this time. The Statue of Liberty is one.

We respect that Mr. Ai’s intentions are noble, and his work appreciated by many. We might really enjoy his work in all 299 of the sites around the city.

Some feel, however, that Ai is merely preaching to the choir — since New York is a sanctuary city — but maybe not to the good neighbors’ choir, who have sung traditional carols of peace and love at the holiday tree under the arch since 1909.

Installation of the work was quick and finished early Wednesday. The grand opening will be Thurs., Oct. 12, or Wed., Oct. 11. Installations at other sites reportedly are still being done.

TheVillager.com

Old dogs, new show, visual tricks ‘Dressed and Undressed’ unleashes the Wegman archives

BY NORMAN BORDEN There are many breeds of fi ne art photographers, but William Wegman has long had a pedigree all his own.

He has been photographing dogs — not just any dogs, but his beloved Weimaraners — for nearly 40 years. With Man Ray as his fi rst muse, Wegman has humanized his dogs to the point of absurdity at times and made them famous. Long recognized as a brilliant conceptual artist, painter, photographer, writer, and video artist, he has portrayed his dogs as landscapes, put clothes on their backs and everything from wigs to fruits on their heads, thereby making us take a closer look at ourselves. With a wink here and there, he has turned his dogs into a cast of whimsical characters, virtually guaranteed to make us smile while we wonder how he does it.

More smiles are in store in “William Wegman Dressed and Undressed,” a thoroughly engaging show at Sperone Westwater of 20 x 24 inch Polaroids never exhibited before. It spans over 30 years of Wegman’s Polaroid work and, amongst its many charms, it challenges the viewer with visual sleight of hand. Is that a mountain range or a dog’s back? Is that a wine glass or dogs’ legs artfully composed? Why is one dog much bigger than the other? It’s Wegman’s wellknown wit at work.

Speaking recently with this publication by phone, the artist explained how Man Ray started it all. “I got him in September 1970 as a very young puppy.” Wegman recalled. “I had just started to do video and photography so I took him to my studio and TheVillager.com

Photography by William Wegman, courtesy the artist & Sperone Westwater, NY

Photography by William Wegman, courtesy the artist & Sperone Westwater, NY

“Twisted Hope” (2001. Color Polaroid, 24 x 20 in. / 35 x 26 1/2 in. frame).

“Parcheesi” (1998. Color Polaroid, 24 x 20 in. / 35 x 26 1/2 in. frame).

took his picture. Naturally, if you have a baby, you take his picture and it was sort of magical the way he looked on camera. I was working in black and white photography and video and he was grey; somehow he seemed to suit it. The longer we worked, the more involved it became and the more hilarious he was, especially in video.”

In 1979, the Polaroid Corporation invited the artist to try out its new 20 x 24 inch camera. He took Man Ray to Polaroid’s Boston studio to work with him and liked the large format and the almost instantaneous (70 seconds) exposure. “I reveled in that everything was the same 20 x 24 vertical,” Wegman said. “I loved that. I didn’t have to think how big

this should be. Polaroid was great because you could see every little trick. If you tried to hide something, forget it, you couldn’t Photoshop it out. The dogs were really cooperating; they weren’t just stuck in there in some post-production way. That’s what I liked.”

However, the camera had its limitations. It was huge, weighing over 200 pounds — and since it couldn’t be pointed down at the ground, Wegman used special stools and pedestals to raise the dogs up to camera height.

In the studio, if the shot he was trying to get didn’t work out after two or three exposures, he said, “I’d stop and go another way… It sticks its thumb out at you. It costs a lot of money to make and

gives you this tremendous energy to correct it.”

After Man Ray died in 1982, Wegman didn’t get another dog until 1986 when Fay Ray entered the picture.

“The real laughs came with Fay Ray,” the artist recalled.

He took hundreds of Polaroid images of her and her offspring until 2007, when Polaroid stopped making the 20 x 24 fi lm. He would rent the 20 x 24 camera every couple of weeks and take 4 x 5 inch color transparencies of a few Polaroids for exhibitions, and store the rest in archival boxes. “I would never look at them again,” he said.

But when writer Bill Ewing proposed doing “William Wegman: Being Human” (published Oct. 3 by Thames & Hudson), these archived

Polaroids became the basis of the book and the current show. Ewing, the artist noted, “is the one who broke down these characters into chapters like ‘Landscapes’ for the book and ‘Dressed and Undressed’ for the show.

I thought it was funny having nude dogs and characters. I never thought of myself as the guy who dressed up all the dogs, but most people probably think that.”

Asked his reaction when Polaroid announced it was ending 20 x 24 film production, Wegman’s answer was surprising: “I was kind of relieved. The camera was exhausting to use.” Of course, at that time, digital photography was changing WEGMAN continued on p. 23 October 5, 2017

21

Halloween horrors of the virtual world Disturbing and terrifying treats for October and beyond

BY CHARLES BATTERSBY Many video game publishers like to focus on big blockbuster games in the fall, to usher in holiday giftgiving profits. However, a few clever companies have brought their spookiest titles to the market just in time for Halloween. Horror games where monsters pop out at the player for cheap scares are slowly being replaced by projects offering more cerebral frights. Many of this year’s big horror titles have little combat — and even when they do, the primary source of fright comes from the protagonist doubting their own sanity. Whether you’re fi lling up your own virtual pumpkin bucket or playing the long game of stocking stuffi ng, here are a few disturbing and terrifying treats that deserve to make the cut.

This year, October 13 is on a Friday.

So, of course, Bethesda Softworks had to release their big new horror blockbuster, “The Evil Within 2,” on that ominous (some say cursed) date.

The much-anticipated sequel picks up a few years after the fi rst “The Evil Within,” but new players should be able to leap right in without playing the fi rst game. They will take control of former police Detective Sebastian Castellanos, who fi nds himself in a small town called Union. The plot of the fi rst game centered on a device that could draw people into a virtual reality, and Union is actually a distorted virtual version a wholesome little town. The game has a non-linear story, so players will be able to set aside the main quest line and go looking for mysteries to solve in Union.

Both “The Evil Within” games are directed by Shinji Mikami, who also directed the fi rst game in the “Resident Evil” franchise, not to mention “Resident Evil 4.” Many horror game fans consider “Resident Evil 4” to be the apex of that series, and “The Evil Within 2” uses similar controls and combat. This means the horror is tempered with plenty of action. Players will still need to ration their ammunition and other resources carefully but, for those who like gunplay combined with their horror, this is the game grab of the fall.

People who want a more introspective form of horror can try “Conarium,” which released in June.

This game has little combat, and takes its inspirations from weird science

22

October 5, 2017

Via Red Barrels Inc.

Dreaming you’re back in the fourth grade is not the scariest part of “Outlast 2.”

Via Bethesda Softworks/Tango Gameworks

“The Evil Within 2” promises visceral horrors and sadistic enemies.

author H.P. Lovecraft, and his tales of things too terrifying for mankind to comprehend. It begins at an Antarctic research base and uses a plot that is overtly inspired by Lovecraft’s novella “At the Mountains of Madness.”

The player discovers a secret prehuman society deep beneath the ancient ice. To survive this encounter with the unknowable, players will need to solve puzzles and occasionally escape pursuing monsters.

Unlike “The Evil Within 2,” this

game doesn’t allow players to gun down the bad guys. In “Conarium,” the only option for the poor protagonist is fleeing in abject terror.

Learning the full backstory of the game requires players to hunt down journal entries and other clues, and then piece together what happened.

The overall tone, visual design, and storytelling will delight true Lovecraft fans.

Another terrifying game from earlier this year is “Outlast 2.” In

it, players control a photojournalist, armed only with a camcorder.

Instead of rationing ammo, players have to ration batteries for their camera. As with “Conarium,” there is no way to fight back — and “Outlast 2” is full of patrolling enemies who are constantly searching for outsiders to kill. Players must sneak around in the darkness to survive, using the night vision lens of their camera outwit HORROR GAMES continued on p. 23 TheVillager.com

HORROR GAMES continued from p. 22

foes in the darkness.

Much of the horror in “Outlast 2� comes from the fact that it uses a relatively realistic setting. The main characters must escape a rural community that is beset by a holy war between two groups of religious fanatics. It is deliberately provocative with its use of Catholic imagery and a “Middle America� setting.

Because “Outlast 2� uses an entirely different protagonist and location, players don’t need to have experienced the fi rst game. However, the original “Outlast� remains a brilliant psychological horror game in its own right, even four years after its release.

For players who want to support the work of indie designers, the game “Inmates� hits the virtual shelves on Oct. 5. While it isn’t as polished or elaborate as some of the other horror

Via Iceberg Interactive/Zoetrope Interactive

A hatchet is of little use against the abysmal enemies of “Conarium.�

games out there, it does incorporate many of the same design elements, including a helpless protagonist trying to escape a prison populated only by memories and phantoms.

Even games that aren’t specifically about horror are getting in on the act this month. Online multiplayer games like “World of Worldcraft� usually

hold short-term events during the weeks around Halloween, and WoW’s developers have already confi rmed a “Hallows End� in-game event, which begins on Oct. 18.

Last year, the online shooter “Overwatch� also held a “Halloween Terror� event that temporarily added in new maps and game modes with a

WEGMAN continued from p. 21

everything. According to the artist, “Digital is way more instantaneous...

The choices you can make are huge — how many, how big, how little, do you add something, subtract something?�

One of the more riveting images in the show is “Parcheesi.â€? Composed of two dog legs touching each other; the negative space looks like a wine glass. It’s just amazing. “Parcheesi looks easy,â€? Wegman said, “but it was very hard to do‌ everything had to be just so‌ It’s very geometric; a map of dog legs, ‘Parcheesi’ [a classic board game] refers to the colors.â€?

When asked how he gets the dogs to pose, Wegman replied, “The dogs are so calm. Once they get in the studio they let you adorn them. They like the attention, they like being looked at, held, talked to and used. They thrive on the interaction. They’re calm around me, but not other people. Must be something I do. They’re always looking at me like, what should we be doing, Bill?�

In viewing the diptych “Victor/ Chundo,� which features a ceramic statue of the iconic RCA Victor — its head tilted to the right and Chundo, the number one son of Fay Ray, tilting his head to the left — one has to wonder, how did that happen? �You can elicit the tilted head by speaking sweetly,� Wegman explained of his method of questioning. “Do you want TheVillager.com

Photography by William Wegman, courtesy the artist & Sperone Westwater, NY

“chick CHICK� (1991. Color Polaroid. Two panels, each 24 x 20 in. / 35 x 49 in. frame).

to go for a walk or be in a video?

They’re trying to listen and hear what you’re saying.�

In the photograph “BATTY/Batty,� size matters. The conceit here is that the small image is actually a cutout from a Polaroid. The artist revealed that he made a little stand for the small picture and after placing it next to Battina, took the Polaroid of the photo. Very clever.

In “Daisy Nut Cake,� an incredible parody of Renaissance painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s work, Fay Ray sports two Slinkys with glass eyes, her head covered by fruit, flowers, and a hat. Wegman said, “Fay had remarkable steadiness and willingness to put up with this stuff. Fay was proud of her stamina.�

So where does this conceptual genius get his ideas? Wegman credited the source as the dogs them-

gothic horror theme. It also served as a way to test out a new cooperative mode where players teamed up to fight waves of robot zombies.

This week, the publisher of “Overwatch� confi rmed the return of “Halloween Terror� beginning on Oct. 10. People who have yet to try this massively popular game now have one more reason to jump on the bandwagon.

Zombies have been a part of the “Call of Duty� franchise for nearly a decade. The most recent game, “Call of Duty: Infi nite Warfare,� also has an outlandish zombie mode. The developers have confi rmed that something special coming this month, although details have not been released at the time of this writing.

From the absurdities of fi ghting robot zombies to the terrors of confronting religious extremism, Halloween 2017 has a virtual nightmare for everyone.

selves. “Some of the later ones, where I turned them into landscapes, came from looking at my groups of dogs lying on the couch close together, creating hills and valleys‌ and probably a lifetime of working with them in the studio, playing with them, and living with them in your house gives you ideas.

Once in a while there’s a project, like when the Metropolitan Opera loans you sets and costumes and asks, ‘What can you do with that?’ Once I became well-known, it’s kind of thrown in your lap and ideas come from that.�

Through Oct. 28 at Sperone Westwater (257 Bowery, btw.

Houston & Stanton Sts.). Hours: Tues.–Sat., 10am–6pm. Call 212999-7737 or visit speronewestwater. com. Artist info at williamwegman. com.

Theater for the New City • 155 1st Avenue at E. 10th St. Reservations & Info (212) 254-1109 For more info, please visit www.theaterforthenewcity.net

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23

ELDERCARE TODAY

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Plucky senior musicians

A

reunion of musicians who played in Washington Square Park in the 1950s and ’60s brought out a bevy of banjo and mandolin pickers and guitar strummers last month. It’s no secret that music keeps one young at heart and in body. It’s a drug-free way for seniors to reduce stress, anxiety

and pain. Music therapy can also aid those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, helping them connect to memories and emotions, plus increasing secretion of “feel-good” brain chemicals, like melatonin, serotonin, norepinephrine, epinephrine and prolactin. And...it’s also just plain fun!

Pick up next week’s special edition newspaper in recognition of

Breast Cancer Awareness Month and get the latest information on s Finding the right specialist s Chemotherapy vs radiation - which is the right choice for you? s Reducing cancer risk through exercise s Preparing for your mammogram

s Identifying lesser known symptoms for early detection s Post therapy action plan s Local health care resources s Support services and more

Sponsored by:

24

October 5, 2017

TheVillager.com

Cookie dough line gets a rise out of some locals

BY LEVAR ALONZO

S

ince the start of the year, a new Greenwich Village sweet spot, Cookie DŌ NYC, has had people lining up for hours just for a taste of the uncooked treat.

The shop, which opened in January at 550 LaGuardia Place, between W. Third and Bleecker Sts., sells a $4 single scoop of cookie dough, in a variety of 20 different flavors, including gluten-free and vegan choices.

The coveted stuff is made with pasteurized eggs instead of raw eggs, meaning there is no chance of getting salmonella from it. The place also uses heattreated ready-to-eat flour, making it safe to consume raw but also suitable for baking.

Despite the dough dispensary being an instant hit and gaining citywide acclaim, some Greenwich Villagers have taken issue with the enormous lines outside the shop.

Neighbors say not only do people wait two to three hours just for the cookie dough, but they block the sidewalk, plus it makes it tough for anybody in a wheelchair or walker trying to get by.

“There are often 500 people as early as 10 a.m. lined up to buy the stuff,” said Patrick Jay, a New York University Tandon School of Engineering graduate student. “I am an able-bodied person but I am bored of bumping into people. God bless them for having good business. But God help anyone who tries to use the surrounding sidewalks.”

The long lines have prompted some residents to ask whether the business truly cares for the community.

One local says, even though the lines have gotten a bit better, his M.O. simply is to avoid DŌ.

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Who needs cronuts? A happy customer near the LaGuardia Place cookie-dough hot spot.

“Lines are a bit less, but honestly, I try to walk on other streets if I can,” said Timothy McDarrah.

“There’s one metal barrier on their side of the street now, but still chaos when there are crowds on LaGuardia Place. Maybe it’ll taper off in the winter.

Sure hope so.”

According to DŌ’s Web site, customers are limited to four items per person and are asked to line up at the northeast corner of LaGuardia and W. Third St.,

across the street from the shop. DŌ’s owner said they do this out of respect for neighboring business and residents. Also, the line is single file, so that pedestrians can still use the sidewalk.

“We have taken steps toward streamlining our line process, including adding staff dedicated to line management, and we have staff managing sidewalk trash multiple times a day,” Kristin Tomlan, DŌ’s founder, said in an e-mail.

But Jay said the “monitors” the store employs are “kids wearing earphones” that stare at their phones and do not pay attention to the crowd that is illegally blocking the street.

However, Tomlan assured, “We are in close communication with city officials and are working with them to find more ways to be good neighbors to the residents and fellow small business owners in the area.”

Jay told The Villager he has contacted Community Board 2 and Sixth Precinct police but nothing has been done to curb the cookie dough shop’s lines.

“I have also spoken to the store and suggested they install barriers or hire cognizant security people, but nothing,” Jay said.

Robert Jackson, a Sixth Precinct community affairs officer, said DŌ hasn’t been doing anything wrong, and is simply a victim of its own success.

The store also worked with the Department of Sanitation to add an additional trash can on LaGuardia Place through the Adopt-a-Basket program since the trash overflow is a direct result of the long lines.

Through the program, the store is given trash bags and regularly tends the can.

(formerly known as Nancy Burner & Associates, P.C.)

Elder Law, Estate Planning, Guardianships, Trusts & Estates

Estate Planning and Probate Breakfast October 17 at 10:00 am Niles NYC 371 7th Ave (Off West 31st)

Trusts 101 Breakfast October 24 at 10:00 am River Room Stuyvesant Oval Town 545 East 14th St. (off Ave. B)

Please RSVP at (212) 867-3520 or email info@burnerlaw.com TheVillager.com

October 5, 2017

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27

ADVERTORIAL

TOP DRIVER DISTRACTIONS Using mobile phones Leading the list of the top distractions behind the wheel are mobile phones.

Phones now do more than just place calls, and drivers often cannot pull away from their phones, even when driving. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, studies have shown that driving performance is lowered and the level of distraction is higher for drivers who are heavily engaged in cell

28

October 5, 2017

phone conversations. The use of a hands-free device does not lower distraction levels. The percentage of vehicle crashes and nearcrashes attributed to dialing is nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening.

Daydreaming Many people will admit to daydreaming behind the wheel or looking at a person or object outside of the car for too long. Per-

haps they’re checking out a house in a new neighborhood or thought they saw someone they knew on the street corner. It can be easy to veer into the direction your eyes are focused, causing an accident. In addition to trying to stay focused on the road, some drivers prefer the help of lane departure warning systems.

Eating Those who haven’t quite mastered walking and

chewing gum at the same time may want to avoid eating while driving. The majority of foods require a person’s hands to be taken off of the wheel and their eyes to be diverted from the road. Reaching in the back seat to share some French fries with the kids is also distracting.

Try to eat meals before getting in the car. For those who must snack while en route, take a moment to pull over at

a rest area and spend 10 minutes snacking there before resuming the trip.

Reading Glancing at an advertisement, updating a Facebook status or reading a book are all activities that should be avoided when driving. Even pouring over a traffic map or consulting the digital display of a GPS system can be distracting.

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October 5, 2017

29

Puerto Rico effort RELIEF continued from p. 11

ed. “I spoke to my aunt in Manatí. They are running out of food, drinking polluted water, the animals are dead… .

They need our help now.”

During the event, performer Maria Aponte, the founder / president of Latina 50 Plus, and board member and artist Mia Roman announced a $500 donation from their organization.

On Thursday, before attending the Emergency Rally for Puerto Rico at Lower Manhattan’s Federal Plaza, I visited Daisy Paez, a newly elected Lower East Side Democratic district leader, at the Educational Alliance on East Broadway, where she works.

It’s also a collection site, spearheaded by Rachel Birch, the settlement house’s director of donor engagement and special events. I asked Paez about coordination of collections and collaborative efforts in our neighborhood.

“Right now, agencies and churches are all involved independently,” she said. “I had a call from a rabbi yesterday too, asking how he can help. What I am working on, with my partner, David Maldonado, is a very large fundraiser which will include wellknown musicians. We need to do it on a grander scale.”

This conversation led me to reflect on the lack of visibility of City Councilmember Margaret Chin. I have not sensed her

presence or found any statements or analysis, despite the fact that District 1 is 25 percent Latino, primarily Puerto Rican. I spoke with Marian Guerra, Chin’s director of communications, who stated that the councilmember’s office was supporting the community initiatives and working with Paez to secure a date and venue for a large event.

Many are determined to continue the struggle, but more than a willing spirit is needed. As poet / educator Bonafide Rojas stated, “When Puerto Ricans are referred to as a ‘resilient’ people it’s because we had to be, not because it was something we wanted to be. When people speak of resiliency, you are unconsciously letting a corrupt government, a colonial power, incompetent leaders, puppet politicians and an infrastructure that is decades old and overdue for repair off the hook… . We are an oppressed people. We as Puerto Ricans want respect, sovereignty, dignity, human rights and freedom to choose our future!”

Upon this writing, two of my daughter’s Bayamón family members have yet to be found. Do not let this story slip into the back pages. This writer does not recommend specific charities, but urges you to carefully research your choices and to support local efforts.

Palanté, Siempre Palanté!

Letters to The Editor LETTERS continued from p. 10

De Blasio is hardly a failed mayor. Crime is at a record low under his watch. He introduced and has since expanded universal pre-K and instituted a freeze for rentregulated tenants. Despite a low turnout in the Democratic primary, he cruised to victory and will likely do so again in the general election. Yes, he was investigated for his fundraising for candidates Upstate but was not charged with a crime.

It’s grossly unfair to say he’s been tarred as a pay-to-play pol.

He’s hardly perfect, but

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October 5, 2017

PHOTOS BY DAMIEN ACEVEDO

Edgar Berlanga, right, during his recent brief bout with Saadiq Muhammad. Berlanga would lay Muhammad out with a quick right straight to the face.

Young Baruch boxer really packs a punch, his foes find

SPORTS

E

dgar Berlanga, born in Brooklyn, but now residing on the Lower East Side, was an extremely hyper child. Looking for ways to channel his energy, his parents encouraged him to try different sports. But after being introduced to the “sweet science” at the age of 7, Edgar put all his attention into perfecting his newfound love.

By age 8, Edgar began competing. Annihilating his opposition, he compiled an astonishing amateur record of 162 victories with only 17

defeats.

Edgar’s résumé includes just about every championship an amateur can acquire, including winning the national championship an impressive eight times.

With Edgar now 20 and under the guidance of Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Sports & Entertainment, one of his goals is to win a world title in the middleweight division and all the way up to the cruiserweight division.

A recent bout on Sept. 9 saw him face off with Saadiq Muhammad. Both fighters were 4-0 with four knockouts. It took Edgar just 40 seconds in the first round to

knock out Muhammad with a sharp right straight to the face, nearly sending him flying out of the ring. (See a video of the fight at https:// youtu.be/RTQ7TtBTCzQ) Edgar’s other goal is to give back to his community on the Lower East Side while also helping to inspire kids that were just like him growing up.

A graduate of New York Christian Center Academy, in Brooklyn, he now lives in the Baruch Houses with his mother.

Damien Acevedo

this big guy is a genuine progressive and I’m delighted The New York Times endorsed him.

Mary Reinholz E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 1 MetroTech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Edgar Berlanga with his team after his Sept. 9 victor y over Saadiq Muhammad.

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October 5, 2017

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Volume 1 | Issue 3

The Pulse of

Lenox Health Greenwich Village

Breast Cancer Awareness October is breast cancer awareness month – the perfect time to stop procrastinating and get your annual mammogram. Mammograms can detect changes in breast tissue before they are palpable by human hands.

That means earlier diagnosis and treatment and a much better prognosis. It’s a fact – mammograms save lives.

Breast cancer facts and stats: – After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women.

– Risk factors for breast cancer include increased age, early menstruation, late or no pregnancy, and a family history.

– Breast cancer is not just a women’s concern.

About 2,470 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men this year.

– A woman in the United States has a one in eight chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

Did you know…

You can decrease your risk of developing breast cancer by exercising regularly, being within a normal weight range and limiting your alcoholic intake.

Did you know…

There will be about 230,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in American women this year.

Getting screened for breast cancer can save your life.

Lenox Health Greenwich Village has a state-of-the-art imaging center equipped to meet the breast imaging needs of the entire community. Visit Northwell.edu/LHGV or call (646) 760-6800 to schedule an appointment.

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October 5, 2017

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