Downtown Express - October 4, 2018

Page 1

VOLUME 31, NUMBER 19

OCTOBER 4 – OCTOBER 17, 2018

Run for heroes

Annual Tunnel to Towers run honors 9/11 first responders Photo by Trey Pentecost

Firefighters wearing full gear and waving American flags dashed past the Red Hook starting line of the Tunnel to Towers run on Sept. 30, which organizers stage each year to honor firefighter Stephen Siller’s journey on foot through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers on 9/11. For more, see page 15.

‘Cramming’ take on new meaning at Millennium High School Page 2

Also in this issue: Downtowners rally against new jail Page 15

1 M E T R O T E C H • N YC 112 0 1 • C O P Y R I G H T © 2 0 18 S C H N E P S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S G R O U P

Meet the Republican candidate who wants to stop luxury development Page 6

CRAM SCHOOL CB1: Millennium HS needs more space BY COLIN MIXSON The principal of a stand-out Fidi high school is seeking city approval to add roughly 10 classrooms to his Broad Street school in a bid to relieve severe overcrowding there, according to civic gurus on Community Board 1’s Education Committee. Teachers and community board members are all for the expansions, but they’re concerned that the Department of Education will take Millennium High School principal Colin McEvoy’s plea for more space as an invitation to cram more kids into the jam-packed school, and CB1’s Education Committee voted unanimously in support of adding another floor to the school — but not more kids. “The number one bullet point here is we’ve lived with overcrowding in that school for years,� said Jeff Mihok, a member of the committee and a teacher at Millennium High School. “It’s alleviating overcrowding, not giving us a luxurious student environment.� The overcrowding at Millennium — located on the 11th, 12th, and 13th

floors of a commercial building at 75 Broad St. — is a symptom of how the city funds its selective high schools, which accept incoming freshmen from across the city through a competitive admissions process, and are awarded money on the basis of headcount. That population-based funding scheme forces principals into the awkward position of accepting more students than their school can reasonably serve, with the expectation that a certain number of those kids will decline the offer in favor of other schools. Ideally, the practice produces a consistent student population — and thus stable funding — but if the principal’s guesswork is off, it leads to overcrowding. For the last two years, incoming freshmen have taken up Millennium’s acceptance offers in unexpectedly high numbers, and the results are not pretty, according to the chairwoman of CB1’s Education Committee, who said kids are now crammed 36 to classroom. “They have to hit that target spot on,� said Tricia Joyce, whose daughter attends

Photo by Colin Mixson

Millennium High School is seeking to expand his Broad Street facility to cope with extreme overcrowding.

9th grade at Millennium. “If they underoffer, they’re underfunded, and because of that, they’re completely boxed in.� There are now 700 students crammed into a facility built to accommodate 575, and both kids and faculty have been forced to make sacrifices as a result. Lobbies and student lounges, built as open spaces where kids could socialize and do homework, have been requisitioned as classrooms, a purpose they’re ill-suited for, according to Mihok. “You’re teaching in a giant public

space, with no contained walls, and it’s louder than you can imagine,� said Mihok. “One has a stairwell right down the center of it — it’s absurd.� And when the final bell rings, it takes half an hour to clear the building, as students queue up and filter 10 at a time into the three elevators allotted for the school’s use, Mihok said. McEvoy is now hoping to capitalize on an auspicious vacancy in the 14th Floor of 75 Broad St., just above the school’s existing classrooms.

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Study: Blood test could predict 9/11 lung damage BY SYDNEY PEREIRA Thirty firefighters exposed to World Trade Center toxins have helped researchers at New York University’s medical school to identify a specific set of substances in their blood that helped to predict which 9/11 survivors would develop lung disease. The researchers analyzed levels of hundreds of different metabolites — molecules the body makes as it turns food into energy — in blood samples taken from the firefighters within seven months of the disaster. Although all 30 firefighters had similar exposure to the toxins at Ground Zero, 15 firefighters with higher levels of more than two dozen specific kinds of fats, amino acids and stress hormones suffered from poor lung function by 2015 — compared to their 15 counterparts without lung damage. The senior author of the paper said the study is a bridge for the next phase of her team’s research, which will focus on identifying specific foods associated with those metabolites which might have contributed to the firefighters’ lung disease, in the hope of coming up with dietary recommendations to slow, halt, or even reverse the damage. “We are planning on taking a subset of individuals that lost lung function and trying to identify whether a certain type of diet is useful to them,� said Anna Nolan, a professor in NYU’s Department of Medicine and Department of Environmental Medicine.

Associated Press / Greg Semendinger

Thousands of people were exposed to toxic clouds of dust after the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11, and while many developed lung damage, some did not. A new study of firefi ghters at Ground Zero found chemical markers in their blood that predicted which ones later fell ill.

The right diet could “improve their quality of life and lung function,� she said. Previous research showed that nearly one-in-10 firefighters exposed to WTC dust have signs of lung injuries, which is attributable to heavy metals, asbestos, micro-particles of fibrous glass and other toxic chemicals in the debris, according to Nolan. Certain risk factors, such as poor diet, could be associated with the set of predictive metabolites that Nolan and her team found. If a better diet is associ-

ated with rebalancing metabolites, lung disease in people affected by WTC toxins could be stalled or even reversed. Nolan and her team plan to study the connections between a healthier diet — specifically a lowcalorie Mediterranean diet — and lung health, but she emphasized that using a healthy diet to improve lung function has not yet been demonstrated in clinical studies. The findings of her latest research, published last month in the scientific journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research, could one day lead to a test to predict early the eventual development of lung damage in people who are exposed to all sorts toxins. The earlier lung damage is found, the more effective treatment can be, she added. But to create such a test, further studies will have to look at a much larger, more diverse group, in order to evaluate a range of other possible predictors of lung damage, Nolan said. The 30 firefighters in the recent study were a “handpicked population,� she explained, in that they all had never smoked, were all men, and had all arrived at Ground Zero by September 13, 2001. Future research with a larger sample that better reflects the broader population “would have to be more generalizable,� said Nolan. “We would have to test our hypothesis in those populations too,� she added.

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Blue elephant GOP state Senate candidate may be to the left of Dem incumbent BY SYDNEY PEREIRA He wants to impose a moratorium on luxury development in the city, radically toughen the state’s affordablehousing tax-break program, fund mass transit with a carbon tax, and even put an additional tax on apartments on high floors in luxury buildings — and to get it done, he’s taking on a long-time Democratic pol. But this is no insurgent democratic socialist who beat a stodgy Dem incumbent with a primary challenge from the left, like state Senate candidate Julia Salazar or House candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He’s Anthony Arias, the Republican candidate running against Democratic state Sen. Brian Kavanagh in District 26, which covers Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. Arias, a self-described “liberal Republican,� is the 28-year-old founder of Sada Capital, a financial advi-

Anthony Arias

Anthony Arias, the long-shot challenger running against state Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D–Downtown), is a Republican, but some of his policy positions can make him sound more like a Democratic Socialist than a member of the Grand Old Party.

sory firm. He is also president of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, and earlier this year he

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joined Community Board 1. The pro-choice, green-boosting candidate may seem more like a Democrat, but Arias wants to pursue his liberal policy goals through fundamentally Republican means, in most cases favoring incentives over regulation. Rather than ban plastic straws, for example, why not offer a tax credit to businesses that use paper ones instead? Businesses that invest in energy-efficient lighting and appliances could get a discount on business-license renewals. So long as policies aren’t taking away options for people or forcing “excessive taxes” and “over-regulation,” he likely supports it, according to Arias. A centerpiece of his platform — and one of his most radical proposals — combines three of his priorities: limiting luxury development, incentivizing affordable housing, and funding stormresiliency infrastructure. Arias is proposing to replace the current affordable-housing tax break known as 421-a, which offers developers an incentive to rent 25-to-30 percent of units in new residential construction at below-market rates, with a new “421-b” that would require 100 percent of units to be below-market rate for a project to receive the tax benefit.

The stringent new requirements, according to Arias, would greatly reduce the number of projects taking advantage of the tax break — and thus reduce the amount of revenue the city foregoes, which adds up to $1.4 billion a year, according to the Department of Finance’s Division of Tax Policy. His idea is to take that additional city revenue and place it in a “lockbox” to fund the “Big U,” a massive, 10-mile shoreline protection project designed after Hurricane Sandy as a to protect Lower Manhattan from storm-surge flooding. “God forbid one of those storms that’s going into the Carolinas right now were to tick up here into the north,” Arias said, referring to Hurricane Florence, which recently battered the Carolinas with massive flooding. “We would be screwed again.” Though Arias’s proposal for a 100-percent requirement could significantly reduce the absolute number of affordable units the tax incentive produces, the self-described “Teddy Roosevelt Republican” said his distaste for runaway luxury development is also a key motivator in wanting to reinvent the 421-a tax law. “No more 80/20 or 75/25 right now,” Arias said, referring to the per-

Blue School doubles in size

centage breakdown often seen between market-rate and affordable units. “No, screw the whole damn thing. We have enough with all of that luxury stuff. Let’s just do 100 percent [affordable units].” But he also has an idea to help make housing more affordable from the other end, with a rental tax credit that would be deductible from state income taxes for renters. And Arias has other proposals to both fund resiliency infrastructure and reduce incentives for excess luxury development. One is a tax on foreign nationals who buy up luxury units through shell companies — since such transactions have driven much of the luxury development boom in Manhattan — though he said his tax attorney is still looking into how it could be targeted and whether or not that would be legal. But perhaps Arias’s most Bernieesque proposal is an extra tax on luxury apartments on the highest floors of a building. This view tax would not only raise revenue to protect ground-floor plebs from storm flooding, but also disincentivize the practice of including empty floors of undeveloped space in a luxury tower to boost the height of the pricey apartments at the top. Despite his vocal antagonism to

luxe overreach, Arias insists he’s not anti-development — or even anti-gentrification — he just thinks that the current boom in luxury buildings is not the best use of Downtown’s scarce real estate, at least from the standpoint of most people who live and work there. “We’re not saying we’re anti-development,” he argued. “It’s just we want the right kind of development, the right kind of gentrification. And in this case, we wanted to be focused on green small business and affordable spaces.” Kavanagh’s office did not respond to requests for comment on Arias’s proposals by press time. The senator was elected last year after spending a decade in the lower house representing Assembly District 74, which overlaps with his senate district mostly in the Lower East Side. Arias may have slim odds as a Republican to oust a Democratic incumbent from a seat representing Lower Manhattan and western Brooklyn, but he said he’s throwing his hat in the ring with hopes of bringing younger people to Albany. “Politics needs to start coming back and be more community centric,” he said. “And I think it’s also about time that our generation gets into office, too.”

MAKE YOUR NEXT

BY COLIN MIXSON A private school near the South Street Seaport that was created by the founding members of the Blue Man Group celebrated the grand opening of a new satellite facility last month, which will allow the school to double enrollment while expanding its athletic and teaching capabilities, according to school’s headmistress. “This campus expansion positions us to serve more students in the future and further fulfill our mission to develop and share an inquiry-based approach to education that truly puts the child at the center,” said Dr. Gina Farrar, head of school at the Blue School. The Blue School launched in 2006 at a 41,000-square-foot space at 241 Water St., where it’s currently able to serve 300 pre-K–8th-grade students in 22 classrooms. The new location, located at 156 William St., is slightly larger, at 45,000 square feet, and adds 10 new classDowntownExpress.com

rooms, in addition to a common area, a much larger library, a STEM Lab, an art room, and a 1,600-square-foot gym space, which doubles as an auditorium. The William Street location was designed by architect David Rockwell, whose work includes Nobu’s Tribeca restaurant, in addition to sets for Broadway plays including “Hairspray,” and the 2004 puppet-based comedy film “Team America.” The added space will AP / LM Otero allow Blue School to expand enrollment to 600 students over the next decade, where kids will benefit from an integrated learning environment, which incorporates the latest scientific breakthroughs to ensure a balanced education, according to the school’s website. Of course, a cutting-edge curriculum and facility doesn’t come cheap, and parents can expect to pay as much as $47,000 in annual tuition to put their kid through the non-for-profit academy.

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BAG MAN Cops busted a man for allegedly stealing a designer handbag at knifepoint from a Spring Street fashion boutique on Sept. 27. An employee told police he approached the suspect to guide him to a mirror at the store between Greene and Mercer streets at 6:02 pm, when the guy allegedly pulled a kitchen knife on him and ran out of the store with a leather bag worth about $500. Police soon caught up with the suspect on Broadway, where they cuffed him following a brief tussle, after which officers recovered burglar’s tools off the man, cops said. He was charged with felony robbery, according to police.

DON’T MESS WITH HER

POLITE PERP A thief made off with $5,700 from a Greenwich Street bank on Sept. 24. A teller told police the crook approached at the bank between Murray and Barclay streets at 9 am, and he passed him a note that read, “stacks of 50s and 100s, please.” October 4 – October 17, 2018

CRIME TIME A thief ransacked an 86-year-old woman’s King Street home on Sept. 17, nabbing antiques. The victim told police she and her dog were at home between Varick Street and 6th Avenue at around 5 am, when the sound of shattering glass caused her pooch to start yapping, and alerted her to the prowler’s presence. She immediately called 911, and police rushed to the scene only to find that the crook — in addition to the woman’s antique clock and silverware set — was already gone, cops said.

CASH MACHINE GUN A thief robbed a man on Greenwich Street on Sept. 28 at both gun- and knifepoint, forcing him to withdraw cash from the ATM at a nearby McDonalds. The victim told police he was near Chambers Street at 8:40 am, when the suspect waltzed up to him and started barking orders. “I have a knife — and a gun,” the robber growled. “Give me something out of this.” The thief took the victim’s headphones, but upon discovering that the victim only had $2 on him, the perp forced the guy into the nearby fast food restaurant and made him withdraw $20, cops said.

Cops arrested a man for allegedly mugging a woman on Franklin Street on Sept. 25. The victim told police she was between Greenwich and Hudson streets at 9:20 pm when the suspect allegedly grabbed her, threw her onto the ground, and snatched her bag, which contained about $70 worth of clothes. The woman immediately called police, who took her along in search of the suspect, and he was arrested on felony robbery charges after she pointed him out on the street, cops said.

8

The worker handed over a fat stack of bills, but failed to press the panic button, and the thief made off with his ill-gotten cash, cops said.

RAID! Cops arrested a 72-year-old man for allegedly spraying chemicals into the face of a younger man on Vandam Street on Sept. 19. The victim, 46, told police he was between Greenwich and Hudson streets at 12:45 pm, when the suspect allegedly doused him with an unknown chemical agent, causing pain and swelling. The victim was taken to Downtown Hospital, while the old man was busted on felony assault charges, cops said.

CHILD’S PLAY Police busted 12- and 13-year-old kids for allegedly robbing a 12-year-old on Greenwich Street on Sept. 17. The victim told police the suspects jumped him on Chambers Street at 4:40 pm, allegedly grabbing his backpack and dragging him to the ground. The suspects allegedly grabbed $15 and fled into a nearby 2 train, but detectives caught up with them the next day, slapping the terror tykes with felony assault charges, cops said.

DELAYED REACTION A thief rode off with a man’s Ducati motorcycle he parked on Wall Street on Aug. 11. The victim told police he left his 2018 Ducati V4s between Water and Front streets at 1:30 am, and returned at 7 am to find his bike missing. The man initially assumed his ride was towed, and waited more than a month to file a police report after realizing it was stolen, cops said. — Colin Mixson DowntownExpress.com

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ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING SUSPENDED MONDAY FOR COLUMBUS DAY Downtown’s Columbus Day Festival on Monday closes lower Broadway from Liberty St. to Battery Pl. 10 am to 6 pm. Whitehall St. between Water and Stone streets will also be closed. Morning commutes will be a bit better Monday because of the holiday, with schools and government offices mostly closed. You can park by most public schools, but make sure there are no programs there that day. All parking rules but alternate side parking are in effect, so be careful, it’s a high summons day. Capitale on Bowery near Broome St., and the Williamsburg and Manhattan bridges, hosts the Ireland-U.S. Gaelic Heritage Awards Thursday 6 pm, and the Bowery Mission’s fund-raising auction Wednesday 6:30 pm. The South Street Seaport is busy this weekend. Pier 17 has Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame performing Friday 7 pm, followed by Pink Martini Saturday 7 pm, and Paul Anka Sunday 6:30 p.m. Before Anka takes the stage Sunday,

Jaz Dhami, the popular Punjabi singer, headlines nearby as part of the Deepavali Festival, which closes Water St. between Fulton and Fletcher streets and John St. between Front and Water streets 10 am to 6 pm. Catherine St. will be closed between East Broadway and Madison St. Saturday noon to 5 pm for the Two Bridges Move and Meet festival. The Jets play the Broncos 1 pm Sunday at MetLife Stadium congesting streets near the Holland Tunnel around noon, and even more so after 5 pm when fans and returning daytrippers will congest Sixth Ave., Hudson, Canal, and other streets. The Q train is not running in Manhattan this weekend, but the M weekend route has been extended from Delancey-Essex to 47-50th streets, where it will switch to the Q track to 96th St., from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The W will have special service from Whitehall St. to Ditmars Blvd. Saturday and Sunday until 7 p.m. both days. The extra service is because the L and 7 trains are not running in Manhattan this weekend.

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1-800-MAT-FIRM | MATTRESSFIRM.COM 0% APR: 6 years* with a minimum purchase of $3999, 5 years* with a minimum purchase of $2799, 4 years* with a minimum purchase of $1999, 3 years* with a minimum purchase of $1299, 2 years* with a minimum purchase of $999 on your Mattress Firm credit card. 72, 60, 48, 36 or 24 equal monthly payments required. *Offer valid 10/5/18-10/8/18 and applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of months in promo period until promo is paid in full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a non-promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases. Down payment equal to sales tax and delivery required. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for their applicable terms. Subject to credit approval. 1. Free Free Free Offer: Offer valid 10/5/18-10/8/18. Purchase select mattresses at $249 and above and receive select free gifts with purchase. Offer breakouts are as follows: Spend $249-$498.99 and receive 2 free pillows (a $58 value) and a free mattress protector (up to a $99 value). Spend $499-$748.99 and receive 2 free pillows (a $58 value), a free mattress protector (up to a $99 value) and a free box spring (up to a $350 value). Or spend $749 or more and receive 2 free pillows (a $58 value), a free mattress protector (up to a $99 value) and a free Head Up 50 adjustable base (up to a $699 value). Where applicable, free gifts must be same-size as mattress purchased. Split king or split California king base purchases consist of 2 bases. For split king or split California king purchases consumer will receive one free adjustable base with promotion, with second base at regular price. Free box spring and adjustable base offer valid to complete mattress set. Offer has no cash value and cannot be used as credit. Offer not valid on previous purchases, floor models, clearance items or Final Markdown. Other exclusions may apply. Value of free gifts received (up to $856) will be deducted from refund if mattress is returned for a refund. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Limited quantities available; offer valid while supplies last. See store for complete details. †120 Night Low Price Guarantee: We will beat any advertised price by 10%, or your purchase is free, if you find the same or comparable mattress advertised by competitors recognized by us, whether online or in print, for less than your invoiced price within 120 days. Restrictions apply to our 120 Night Low Price Guarantee including select models, clearance merchandise, floor models, vendor rollbacks/rebates, special purchases, promotional items, doorbusters, discontinued merchandise or any MAP products. Merchandise offered for sale on auction sites (e.g., eBay, Craig’s List, etc.) is excluded. See store for complete details. ‡Same or Next Day Delivery: We guarantee your new mattress will be delivered within the designated delivery window, or your delivery is free. Valid on in-stock and available products in local delivery areas. Must be purchased before delivery cut off time. Not applicable on all products. See store for complete details. In-store dollar savings range from $50-$1356. We invite you to ask about any individual prices. Product and selection may vary from store to store. Photography is for illustration purposes only and may not reflect actual product. Mattress Firm, Inc. strives for accuracy in our advertising, but errors in pricing and/or photography may occur. Mattress Firm reserves the right to correct any such errors. Store hours may vary by location. Unless otherwise indicated, offers valid 10/5/18-10/8/18 or while supplies last at your local Mattress Firm. See store for complete details. MF1_NYC_WRAP_10.5_DAILYNEWS_COMMUNITY_4

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October 4 – October 17, 2018

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Running dry Fund for 9/11 victims may not even last until 2020 deadline BY COLIN MIXSON A bipartisan group of New York members of Congress is demanding that their colleagues permanently reauthorize the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, releasing a joint statement on Oct. 2 mere hours after the program’s lead administrator stated that the $7.375 billion that lawmakers allocated to support survivors of the terror attacks may run out before the fund’s 2020 deadline. “As we near the expiration of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund in 2020, our job is not done,” read the statement signed by Democratic Congress members Jerrold Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, Republican Congressman Peter King, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. “As today’s notice shows, allowing this program to expire, or not fully funding the VCF would be devastating for those with new claims and the undoubtedly high number of 9/11 first responders and survivors who have yet to be diagnosed with a Ground Zerorelated illness.” The VCF, like the World Trade Center Health Program, was included as part of the James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which Congress approved following revelations that not only first responders, but Lower Manhattan residents, workers, and students were falling ill with a laundry list of cancers and other debilitating

respiratory and digestive diseases as a result of the vaporized glass, asbestos, and other carcinogens that haunted the Downtown area for months after the Twin Towers’ collapse, even as the federal government falsely assured the public that the air was safe. The VCF was originally set to expire in 2015, but Congress reauthorized the fund for another five years following a nation-wide campaign led in part by comedian Jon Stewart, so victims now have until Dec. 12, 2020 to file claims through the program. Survivors and their advocates have already raised the alarm about that arbitrary deadline, pointing out that many cases of 9/11-related cancers will continue to be diagnosed long after the end of 2020. But an Oct. 2 report by the VCF’s special master, Rupa Bhattacharyya, raised the new spectre that even victims who are diagnosed and enrolled before the deadline may not receive proper compensation, given the rising number of diagnoses of 9/11-related cancers and other illnesses, and the fact that the fund has only about $3 billion left in its coffers. Bhattacharyya cited data from the WTC Health Program, and the VCF’s own records as of Aug. 31, which suggested that, baring any changes to current policies, the VCF may exceed its funding limits well before the 2020

Associated Press / Stan Honda

The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund has had surging registrations, but has only about $3 billion left in its coffers.

deadline, although the special master declined to make what she described as a “formal determination” that funding was insufficient. Public records released by the WTC Health Program show a steady increase in enrollment, rising from 56,204 victims in July 2011 to 88,484 in June, 2018. Enrollment rates have increased by more than 74 percent year-on-year between July 2016 and June of last year. Moreover, civilian enrollment now routinely outpaces the number of first responders signing up for the program — out of the 14 months between May 2017 and June 2018, only four months saw more first responders sign up than civilian survivors. Bhattacharyya noted in her report that she’s been charged by Congress to prioritize claims of victims suffering the most debilitating conditions, but said she would be begin planning contingencies in case funds reach a critical level, and will begin seeking public input on any changes to how the VCF should be

administered for those who have not yet filed claims. In a letter sent to their colleagues in Washington, however, Schumer, Maloney, Nadler, King, and Gillibrand demanded the VCF be both permanently funded and extended indefinitely, citing data showing that the number of people dying from 9/11 illnesses will soon exceed the number of direct victims of the attack killed that day, and also noting the anguish and uncertainty caused by the rapidly approaching deadline. “Congress needs to fix this now before waiting until the last minute and putting our heroes through more suffering and anxiety over whether their federal government will stand with them in their time of need,” the pols wrote. “Brave men and women across our country answered the call to assist our country in a time of vulnerability, and we need to ensure that they receive not only the medical care that they desperately need and deserve, but the financial help they and their families need.”

Thousands run Tunnel-to-Towers to honor fallen 9-11 heroes BY ANTHONY ROTUNNO It was a run to remember! More than 30,000 do-gooders from around the world turned out for a 5k walk-run fund-raiser that honored first responders who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks 17 years ago. This year’s Tunnel to Towers run, whose route through the BrooklynBattery Tunnel to the World Trade Center commemorates the run Park Slope firefighter Stephen Siller took to the Twin Towers on foot in 60 pounds of gear on that fateful day, drew droves of big-hearted New Yorkers, international participants from England, some 2,500 cadets from West Point, and runners representing Gold Star families DowntownExpress.com

Photo by Milo Hess

West Point cadets cross the finish line of the Tunnel to Towers run on Sept. 30.

who lost kin in battle — a contingent that turned out in bigger numbers than ever before, according to an event rep. Many of the firefighters participating also ran in gear like Siller, hoofing through the tunnel from Brooklyn to the

finish line near the World Trade Center. Following the main event, participants mingled at a post-race celebration that included a free barbecue, performances by country musician Darryl Worley and West Point’s Benny Havens Band, and watching attendee Katelyn Traut walk away with keys to a brandnew car she won for collecting more donations than any other person in this year’s competition. The run raised more than $2 million, according to a rep, which went toward the Siller Foundation, an organization the late firefighter’s family established after his death that provides financial aid to families of heroes who dedicate their lives to serving their country.

Photo by Milo Hess

This year’s run raised $2 million for the Siller Foundation, which offers support to the families of those who dedicate their lives to public service.

October 4 – October 17, 2018

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O PI N I O N

Community Board term limits would be an accidental gift to developers PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Victoria Schneps-Yunis CEI & CO-PUBLISHER

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October 4 – October 17, 2018

BY GALE BREWER There’s a reason lawmaking is compared — unflatteringly — to sausage factories. It’s not neat, it’s not quick, and if you do it out in public, it can kill a lot of people’s appetite for the final product. But rushing through new laws with short notice and inadequate public review, on an issue that isn’t a genuine emergency, isn’t the answer either. That’s not how we make good policy — it’s how government makes mistakes. That’s the story with the three ballot proposals coming out of the mayor’s Charter Revision Commission, and placed on the General Election ballot this November 6. Proposal #3 would institute term limits of eight years for all Community Board members, cutting our first line of defense for protecting our neighborhoods. Introduced midway through a Charter Revision Commission that was convened to focus on different subjects, this change to Community Board appointments would further empower developers, who already wield too many advantages in the city’s land use process — and developers aren’t term-limited! Like a lot of well-intentioned ideas, it will have substantial unintended consequences. I should know; I served on my local community board for many years. When an issue reaches one of the city’s 59 all-

volunteer boards (each with 50 members appointed to two-year terms by the borough presidents), the institutional memory of those members comes into play and helps them decide local issues large and small. In my Board experience on the West Side, we did our best to mitigate how Donald Trump could build over the West Side rail yards. During the development boom New York has experienced, the land use and zoning decisions boards make, and the scrutiny that boards can put development plans under, have all been critical in shaping neighborhoods’ destinies. Major rezonings by the administration in East New York, East Harlem, and Inwood have all been examined — and improved by — Community Board membership. And that’s just Proposal #3 on the ballot; Proposal #2 creates something called a “Civic Engagement Commission” with a majority of members appointed by the mayor, that would supply urban planners and other support services to Community Boards. But the mayor already has control over the Department of City Planning; why should his appointees help select the Community Boards’ technical advisors for land use decisions, too? Borough presidents already have responsibility for appointing a diverse, active membership to Community

Boards and help inform and support their work — and borough presidents are term-limited. I’ve appointed more than 360 new members as borough president — more than 60 percent of the 600 board members in Manhattan. We conduct a rigorous interview process and assign an urban planner to cover each board and supply technical advice and counsel. The Boards could certainly use more permanent staff, but that can be accomplished by the city’s budget process. The 2018 Charter Revision Commission the mayor proposed in February’s State of the City Address was charged with changing the City Charter to “enhance voter participation and improve the electoral process.” In proposing to term-limit Community Board members and change their staff support, it has ranged a little far afield — and used “term limits” as a buzzword to help sell their brand of reform. The Commission’s Proposal #1, on campaign finance, has merit. But the other two proposals will make it harder for Community Boards to do their job as an early-warning system and an honest advocate for neighborhood residents — and thus will strengthen the hand of developers. On Proposals #2 and #3, I’m voting no. Gale Brewer is the Manhattan Borough President.

accessing necessary services such as public assistance, Medicaid, and food stamps, for which they are eligible. The proposed change only exacerbates this fear. This fear is the result of persistent myths exaggerated in our country’s current environment, such as immigrants don’t pay taxes, or don’t work hard and contribute to our economy, when it has been proved this is not true. Complicating factors have been revisions to information required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, amplifying fears of immediate deportation due to things like any accidental errors in completing applications. The current challenges are formidable: nonprofits are doing the best they can despite a national climate of bias and discrimination

against immigrants and the groups that serve them. We must use our voices to seek change. This November 6 is one opportunity, when people can support candidates who understand the needs and benefits of our multicultural society— and not just give lip service to secure votes. Even simply starting a conversation with friends and family—albeit difficult ones—can springboard to broader awareness of the issues surrounding immigration, greater support for nonprofits on the frontlines of serving immigrants, and, most importantly, a better life for immigrants seeking a life in America free from discrimination and fear. Katie Leonberger President and CEO of Community Resource Exchange

Letters To the editor, The news that immigrants who legally access public benefits, such as food, housing, and medical assistance, could be denied green cards will make it increasingly difficult for many immigrants to meet their basic needs, creating greater demand for support from the nonprofit sector. Organizations that focus on immigration and other social service and advocacy groups are facing a doublebind: increased demand for support by families and communities facing discrimination and deportation coupled with changes to the system that make service-delivery harder. The increased workload is due to multiple factors, including that immigrants already have a heightened fear of being viewed as a public charge when

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A Kavagnawing Sense of Emptiness and Despair BY MAX BURBANK Fair warning: This is yet another column about Brett Kavanaugh, his quest to become a Supreme Court Justice, and all the overstuffed, hideous man-baggage that goes with it. If that makes you want to stop reading, so be it, and I don’t blame you. Hell, I don’t want to write about it. After the last month, I am sick of men’s voices to the point of vomiting, and believe me, that includes my own. I was praying Trump would fi re United States Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last Thursday, just so I could write about that instead of this. I know. Shameful, right? Brett Kavanaugh is an enigma. As a teen, he was either a belligerent, binge drinking, attempted rapist-bro OR a studious, virginal, deeply pious angel-child. How can we ever know who the real Brett Kavanaugh is? The only fact about him we can establish with certainty is that he really likes beer. He liked it then, he likes it now. He likes it so much he wants to tell you he likes it as often as possible during testimony, even though it’s weird and uncomfortable. He wants very much to know if you like beer, because if you don’t there is clearly something suspect, unpatriotic, and vaguely repulsive about you that ought to preclude you from asking questions of a Yale graduate destined from birth to sit on the Supreme Court. No, wait, there are two things about Kavanaugh we know for sure. He superlikes beer, and credible charges of attempted s e x u a l assault aside, he’s going to be the next Supreme Court Justice. It’s foreordained, a very fancy word meaning “to be appointed in advance,” usually by God — or in this case, a very small group comprised entirely of old, white, Republican men. Donald Trump really wants Kavanaugh confi rmed. Sure, he called Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony (wherein she recounted how Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge pushed her into a room and turned the music up to cover any noise, how when she tried to yell for help, Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming) credible. However, he also described Kavanaugh as straight out of Central DowntownExpress.com

Casting, and a fantastic man who was born to be on the High Court. Hard to square those two statements, right? Trump clarified, saying, “I really don’t know what the word ‘credible’ means in this context, or at all.” Okay, I totally made that last quote up — but it’s not like I’m under oath and looking for a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land. Mitch McConnell wants Kavanaugh confi rmed now, preferably before the FBI turns up proof

spoke, or some other transparently ridiculous twaddle. Lindsey Graham seems to feel that the entire nomination process is a quaint formality, and is toma-

thing he’s essentially already been given is now being taken away. His entire testimony boiled down to a spoiled toddler shrieking, “You promised it to me! It’s MINE!” The hollering, the crying, the sniffi ng, asking Senator Klobuchar if she ever got blackout drunk! And that face! You know the one I mean, that screwed up, tiny mouth, enraged weasel face! Honestly, having the physical ability to make that face should immediately disqualify you from even being considered as a Supreme Court Justice! And the lies, the obvious, easily disprovable, nearly constant lies. Small things, big things, inconsequential things. He lied over and over about what things on his high school yearbook page meant. Ugly words and phrases anyone with access to the Internet can tell you the meaning of. “Boofi ng” isn’t “flatulence.” “The Devil’s Triangle” isn’t a drinking game. Oh, and “Renate Alumnus” wasn’t meant to be nice. Google it if you really want to know, or spare yourself.

Illustration by Max Burbank

of multiple acts of perjury. “The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close,” McConnell stated. I guess he forgot that one time where a Supreme Court nominee (who’d never been accused of attempted rape) was denied even a hearing because the president (who wasn’t under investigation for obstruction of justice) only had half a year left in his presidency, and the voice of the American people needed to be heard. See, when America elected Obama to two consecutive terms, they mumbled, or mis-

to-faced apoplectic that anyone might brook this good man’s path. Why, it’s as if the Democrats were conspiring with Satan himself to keep the very sun from rising! Of course, Graham also recently told CNN “If you don’t like me working with President Trump to make the world a better place, I don’t give a shit.” Oh, Lindsey. Everyone knows the only thing you’re working on with Trump is anything it takes to keep him from spilling whatever he revealed he has on you that day you played golf. It must be pretty bad. When it comes out, and it will, there won’t be a hole on earth deep enough to hide you. Kavanaugh himself acts like some-

That rage? The belief that the other team has to play by the rules but you can do any damn thing you please? The reflexive lying about anything and everything… does it sound familiar? It should. It’s the brand of the man most of my columns are exclusively about. A specter looming over all of this. A vast orange presence without which none of this would be taking place. Trump’s very good at turning up the music to cover any noise. Twitter, rallies, bizarre, racist public statements… what is that but making the music louder? He’s trying like hell to get his fat, short fi ngered, orange hand over America’s mouth — but I think I he’s maybe underestimated the level of anger he’s inspired out there. Because November is coming. If Republicans use their current majority to force Kavanaugh through now, they may fi nd themselves across the aisle from Democrats with subpoena power very soon… and Supreme Court Justices can be impeached. October 4 – October 17, 2018

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From Renegades to Role Models RuPaul’s DragCon expands its reach and redefines the rules

Photo by Victor O

At the “Judgey Judies” panel, the Q&A included comment from Franny Swiger, who credited “RuPaul’s Drag Race” as a way to teach her daughter how to deal with bullies.

Photo by Bob Krasner

PinkOracle.com helped ensure the con was accessible for disabled queens.

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October 4 – October 17, 2018

BY CHARLES BATTERSBY Drag was once on the fringe of society. Gender rebels performed their cuttingedge material in nightclubs and cabarets that most citizens never knew existed. Now drag culture is mainstream enough to warrant an industry convention that fills half of the Jacob Javits Center. The attendees at RuPaul’s DragCon NYC (Sept. 28-30) were an even mix of pro queens and their civilian fans — and this edition asserted itself as a place for parents to bring their kids, wholly in spite of the sexy outfits, bawdy humor, and free samples of alcoholic beverages on the show floor. In its second year at the Javits Center, DragCon NYC not only took up more space, but also showed signs of catering to a wider crowd, including the disabled. New to the con was PinkOracle.com, which was founded by disabled queen Ramona Dabone and John Bowden after they visited last year’s DragCon. The Javits Center hosts conventions that range from whimsical comic book conventions (this weekend’s New York Comic Con) to stuffy business events. DragCon is a mixture of both. Fans line up to meet celebrity queens, but the show floor was also checkered with booths run by serious businesses that

provide supplies to professional drag performers. Drag performers generally don’t use the sort of makeup that civilians buy at drug stores. Among the theatricalcaliber makeup suppliers at the con was Alcone, a long-lived company that once catered to Broadway, but became a staple for drag artists. We spoke to J.D. Kraemer of Alcone. “We’ve catered to the drag community since the beginning,” he explained. “We started out selling eyelashes to Broadway showgirls — who were the original drag queens.” “Consumers” (as he calls the nonqueens) were about half of his business, but the rest were professional drag artists stocking up on indispensables like Ben Nye face powder, and Kryolan TV paint sticks — a combination of makeup hardy enough even for clowns and geishas. Smaller cosmetics manufacturers are also aiming to bring their products to gender fluid consumers, as was the case with Fluide, a smaller booth at the con. We spoke to Laura Kraber, the company’s co-owner and CEO. “We want to make makeup fun and easy for everyone,” she told us, “and break down some of the gender binaries that exist in the fashion and beauty world.” Around the show floor, there were dozens of simiDowntownExpress.com

Photos by Bob Krasner

The founders of Manic Panic make do makeup, not just hair dye.

Alcone provides theatrical-caliber makeup to drag queens and their fans (second from the right, the legendary Lady Bunny).

Alcoholic beverages were among the sponsors of DragCon, with samples freely available.

lar small companies presenting drag-specific makeup, nails, eyelashes, and glitter for every part of the body. One of the con sponsors was Anastasia Beverly Hills, and they catered to both pros and fans by offering makeup touch ups, followed by a photo shoot that literally placed people on a pedestal. Several other booths were offering recreations of high fashion photo shoots, to promote photography services. Jonsar Studios even had a fan blowing on the attendees to give these aspiring models the glamorous “wind in her hair” look, as photographers’ assistants hovered around. This sort of diva treatment is routine for the drag performers, but it is a fantasy come true for fans who want a taste of the glamorous life. Unfortunately, even a glamorous photo shoot at a drag con is still no escape from politics! Although the con was planned a year ago, it happens to fall in the middle of contentious Supreme Court confirmation, plus the regularly scheduled midterm elections. A panel was held on the “Resistance” movement, and booths were allocated to an anti-gun violence organization, as well as the “Swing Left” movement. Although there are a few members of the drag community who openly espouse conservative views, DragCon definitely hangs to the left (when not tucked). “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has been on for 10 seasons; long enough for Ru and the girls to become role models to a generation of kids. During a Q&A with Michelle Visage and other judges from “Drag Race,” a mother DowntownExpress.com

Fluide is a local cosmetics company that targets gender-fluid consumers.

and her teen daughter in the audience talked about how the sassy queen attitude can help cisgender girls in their own lives. The Swiger family came to DragCon together, and Franny Swiger noted, “ ‘Drag Race’ has brought me and [her daughter Emily] so close... I’ve used it as a tool to make her stand up for herself.” When picked on at school, Swiger instructed her daughter to, “Put your hand on your hip and use your best drag queen quote, and say ‘B!tch please.’ ” To help promote this family-friendly image, the con has a new Kids’ Zone in the middle of the show floor (not too far from booths that were handing out samples of cinnamon-flavored whiskey, and 99 proof fruit beverages). The Kids’ Zone included a ubiquitous bouncy house, along with a theater for puppet shows, and frequent installments of the popular “Drag Queen Story Hour.” A new organization joining the con this year at the Kids’ Zone was Saber Guild: Empire Temple, a group of Star Wars fans who teach lightsaber techniques to younglings and Padawans. We asked Michelle Montanez, the assistant local director of the temple, how the crowd at DragCon differs from sci-fi oriented events like New York Comic Con. She said there weren’t any Jedi trainees in drag, but that the crowd was “less inhibited here… They’re more willing to jump in and do it.” As a result, Montanez noted, the group spends “less time creating illusion, and breaking down the barrier to entering this fantasy world, because everyone comes here, ready for that.”

Anastasia Beverly Hills provided touch-ups and glamorous photo shoots.

October 4 – October 17, 2018

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Just Do Art BY SCOTT STIFFLER Uptown class meets East Village edge at Pangea, the progressive musical performance venue whose October roster includes chameleonic chanteuse Tammy Faye Starlite. A gifted, unpredictable interpreter of everyone from Marianne Faithfull to Nico, Faye is a ray of cosmic kookiness locked in a battle between genius and madness that commands respect — and rapt attention. Thursdays, 7pm in October, “She Comes in Colors” puts

her highly collectible stamp on the Rolling Stones’ loved/reviled studio experiment, “Their Satanic Majesties Request.” Cover is $25. Call 212-9950900 or visit pangeanyc.com. Local history programming, free at The Tompkins Square Library, includes Oct. 10’s 5pm author talk with Alice Sparberg Alexiou and Kerri Culhane on the “Rich, Gritty History of the Bowery.” Oct. 19, Clayton Patterson and Penny Arcade are among the living legends on

hand for “The East Village in the 1980s.” Now through Nov. 1, the vigorously researched exhibition “A Look Back on the East Village of the 1980s” does just that, by focusing on the neighborhood’s creative counter culture. Call 212-228-4747 or visit nypl. org/locations/tompkins-square.

from BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center’s “Singing Our Songs: A Night of Singer-Songwriters” concert. The Oct. 12 installment features talented multitaskers Mario Giacalone (a musical artist, actor, and director), Queensbased folk singer Joshua Garcia, folk/ jazz artist Lindsey Wilson, and Bev

They write the songs — and will sing as well. That’s the ironclad guarantee

Photo by Bob Gruen

Urban songbird Tammy Faye Starlite takes flight with a new show at Pangea.

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Just Do Art Grant (current founder/director of the Brooklyn Women’s Chorus and former leader of the ’70s/’80s folk/rock/world music fusion band Human Condition). For tickets ($21), call 212-220-1460 or visit TribecaPac.org. After taking last year off for the first time since its inception, expect the New York International Fringe Festival (aka FringeNYC) to come roaring back no signs of having frayed, and with more edge than ever before. The sprawling, multi-venue fest runs the entire month of October, and there’s at least one element of it that hasn’t changed a bit: Many performances are already sold out. Plot your brick and mortar binge strategy now, by visiting fringenyc.org. They’ve been presenting some of the East Village’s most raucous, laugh-outloud, and quite possibly diagnosably insane comedy showcases for a full decade — and that’s no joke. Now, Todd Montesi and Richard James’ “UG! COMEDY SHOW!!” has found a new home for their Tuesday night destination event: Drexlers, at 9 Avenue A (btw. First & Second Aves.). Talent booked for this month includes Mo Vida and Lisa Chanoux (Oct. 9), Ian Koranek and host Ricki Sofer (Oct. 16), Luke Touma and Liz Glazer (Oct. 23), and Terence Hartnett and Devon Walker (Oct. 30). For info and reservations, call 646-524-5226 or visit ugcomedyshow.tumblr.com. Trigger Warning for a Carpenters reference: Rainy days, we can’t do anything about — but at least one Monday a month won’t get you down. That would be when the fast-paced, monthly variety show “The Mosquito” lands in the Lounge at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St., btw. Rivington & Delancey Sts.). Hosted by the wry, sincere-instead-of-ironic, witty wordsmith (and Emmy award-winner!) Nancy Giles, the Oct. 15 installment of this always-free series could very well feature any, or all, of the following oddball regulars: Pat Candaras, Cynthia Kaplan, Peri Gaffney, Kathryn Rossetter, Sheila Head, Susan Burns, Sue Giles, and Nancy Shayne. For more info, visit dixonplace.org. Give them three hours and they’ll take you places you’ve never, ever been before, even if you’re a regular visitor to The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Pier 86 (W. 46th St. and 12th DowntownExpress.com

Photo by Atticus Stevenson

We double dare you to take a ride on Dandy Darkly’s terror train.

Ave.). On Sat., Oct. 6, the alreadyawesome and frequently interactive museum will launch “Below Deck & Behind the Scenes: The Intrepid Hard Hat Experience.” This all-new new guided tour lets you put your own mark on the footsteps of the Intrepid’s crew, by exploring unrestored parts of the ship that have, until now, remained beyond the grasp of the viewing public (including the emergency diesel generator room and the sickbay). The guides, former members of the crew, will regale you with tales of what it was like when the ship was at sea during its many years of service. For reservations and tickets ($150, with discounts for Museum member and veterans), call 212-245-0072 or visit intrepidmuseum.org. The minimum age for this tour is 16, and participants will get to keep the branded bump cap they must wear for protection during the tour — which, they want you to know, “requires extensive walking and standing” and requires one to “navigate under shallow clearings, up and down steep angled Navy ladders and through the ship’s hatches” — a small price to pay for such high adventure! ALL HAIL HALLOWEEN! Some people like candy corn, while others favor candy apples. But what kind of monster doesn’t love a

Dachshund dressed up like a hot dog? So get to work now — and by 10am on Sun., Oct. 28, you’ll have your own doggone clever outfit for Fido to strut in The High Line Hotel’s annual Dog Costume Parade (11:30am). The free “fur-ocious” festivities include doggie refreshments, snacks for humans, and face painting for kids of all ages. Canine costume contest categories include Funniest, Most Stylish, and, of course, Best in Show. For more info, visit thehighlinehotel.com/dogparade. Fully formed apparitions hold conversations with visitors, notes play from a phantom piano, and snoring is heard on a couch with no mortal occupants: These things, and more, happen at Merchant’s House Museum, a genuinely haunted (whatever that means) 19th century domicile built by the wealthy Tredwell family. Hear about it all, and get a history lesson to boot, on their Candlelight Ghost Tours. Book your journey into the unknown now, because these annual October tours fill up quickly. Not spooky enough for you? At the stroke of midnight on select dates, paranormal investigator Dan Sturges (who’s logged hundreds of hours at the house) takes you through the house, while discussing his methodology and eerie findings —including some spine-tingling call and response

audio between the living and, possibly, the dead. Visit merchantshouse.org. Venerable basement theater space UNDER St. Marks is the place for a witch’s brew of eccentric Halloween atrocities. First up, kabuki-faced killer clown and rapturous, alliteration-loving gothic storyteller Dandy Darkly brings his latest back to his home base of NYC, after packed-to-capacity performances in Edinburgh, London, and San Francisco. “Dandy Darkly’s All Aboard!” (Oct. 11-14) finds the satanic shaman serving “Deep South shame alongside sizzling social satire and howling humor.” Think creepy corporate robots, African spider gods, beauty shop gossip, and plenty of trains. Also in the underground black box venue, creep show scribe extraordinaire Clay McLeod Chapman offers frights up close and personal, with a version of his longrunning storytelling series that plays to a single audience member at a time. In performance since September and in high demand due to deeply disturbed, cult-leader-like Chapman’s cult-like following, “Pumpkin Pie Show: One-onOnes” was scheduled to end this weekend, but has just been extended through Oct. 28. Get your tickets to see Dandy and Chapman at FRIGIDnewyork.info. Access artist info at dandydarkly.com and claymcleodchapman.com. October 4 – October 17, 2018

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BY JANEL BL ADOW It feels like fall. Weather permitting, it’s a great time to sit at one of the many Seaport outdoor cafes and enjoy a drink, a meal, and really great people watching. Maybe even meet your neighbors. A FESTIVAL OF FUNNIES… Animation Nights New York returns to the Seaport for the 2018 ANNY Best of Fest, an annual celebration of everything animated. Watch films, visit exhibits and attend panels with animators, developers and experts this weekend, Oct. 6 and 7, noon–10 pm, at 180 Maiden Lane. Highlights include: The Animation Showcase, co-presented by Benoit Berthe Siward; a special screening of “Goose in High Heels” by John Dilworth; and virtual reality experiences by Within, Looking Glass Factory and others. Talks include a presentation by animator (and friend) Bill Plympton of his recent work, including his “Trump Bites” series from the New York Times, as well as other panels ranging from “Coffee is for Closers: Budgeting, Pitching & Negotiation,” “Animation & Documentary,” and “The Importance of Story.” The Best Fest also features a screening of 20 films from this year’s festival. There are hands-on workshops, and the Art In Motion exhibit is a big mixed bag of photography, animation cells, performance art, and mixed media. And one of the featured photographers is Downtown Express’s own Milo Hess! The opening reception is Saturday, starting at 5:30 pm, and anyone can join in. The “Enthusiast Package,” which includes entry to the main venue and some panels, is free. The “Industry Package” is $30 and covers everything, including an ANNY Loot bag! Be sure to register early at www.animationnights.com. SEAPORT’S SECRET SAUCE… Last month a sleek new storefront opened at the Seaport with a mysterious name: “Yondu.” Bright, crisp, and shiny, with pleasant gathering area in front featuring a bar-like station backed by a wall of goblets with greenery, and in back, a sleek, white, modern kitchen, with a long, butcher-block-topped center island ringed with stools. Passersby wondered, what is this Yondu? A restaurant? A bar? According to Jaume Biarnes, the venue’s marketing director and head chef, Yondu is both a soy sauce and a test kitchen. Yondu, the sauce, ($8.99 a bottle), is a natural blend of eight vegetable extracts based on a Korean soy sauce recipe that predates the Japanese invasion of 1910. It’s produced by Seimpo, South Korea’s largest soy sauce maker. Yondu, the test kitchen, is one-of-a-kind space where chefs Biarnes, Cristy Alvarado and Sunnie Kim will develop recipes using the sauce. “You can use it anywhere, on any cuisine,” says Chef Kim. “We want everyone to know DowntownExpress.com

Photo by Janel Bladow

Yondu’s chefs, left to right, Cristy Alvarado, Jaume Biarnes and Sunni Kim.

how versatile and tasty it is.” So why open a storefront kitchen in the Seaport? “We are new and want to expand throughout the U.S.,” says Biarnes. “We wanted to start as part of a community and wanted to start in New York City. This is definitely a community here. I’m from Barcelona, and this is the closest I could find in New York City to a neighborhood. Roots are important to our brand.” True to his word, Thursday night, the space at 254 Front St. was beautifully lit up as neighbors from Warrior Bridge yoga studio enjoyed a workshop and tasting party. Chefs Biarnes, Kim and Alvarado demonstrated four dishes made with Yondu sauce, then whipped up six dishes to taste with their guests. They made a hummus dip, and a pizza with sweet potatoes and lentils on top. Warrior Robbie Beltran, said the demo dishes and those they cooked themselves were both delicious. “Yondu-licious,” chimed in Warrior Melissa Wu. The group had a great time and left with little gift bags and full tummies. You can be a test chef yourself every Thursday night, 7–9 pm, when Yondu hosts free cooking demos and tastings. They will also tailor private events as well as have family and kid workshops on weekends. To find out more, visit www.yondubrand.com or email info@sempio.com to sign up. FALL’S BOUNTY… Want really fresh food from down on the farm without leaving the city? Visit Fulton Stall Market, an indoor, nonprofit farmers’ market, open daily 11:30 am–6 pm, at 91 South St. Or wander over to Pier 17’s Seaport Square at South and Fulton streets on Sundays through Dec. 23, (11 am–5:30 pm), to shop from various farmers and smallbatch vendors. Or better yet, sign up for this season’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm Share program. Started a couple of weeks ago, you can subscribe to a weekly delivery of locally grown fall vegetables, fruits, eggs, cheese, fresh pasta, seafood, chicken, beef or pork. The program runs through Dec. 13 with weekly pick-ups Thursday evenings, 5:30–8 pm. Your payment goes directly to the farmers and producers. To sign up, go to http:// fultonstallmarket.org, call (646) 801-5499 or sign up in person at Fulton Stall Market. October 4 – October 17, 2018

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October 4 – October 17, 2018

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