Chelsea Now - May 30, 2019

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Chelsea VOLUME 11, ISSUE 21

YO U R W E E K LY C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S E R V I N G C H E L S E A , H U D S O N YA R D S & H E L L’S K I T C H E N

MAY 30 - JUNE 5, 2019

BUS-T A MOVE? Port Authority pitches three revamp plans Page 8

MAGIC BUS Vehicle transports with groovin’ tunes Page 19 PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

The Abracadabra bus really gets around.

The Por t Authorit y might move its intercit y bus terminal to the Javits Center’s basement.

We've Got the Power!

Over half a million rent-stabilized units are in buildings more than 70 years old.

They require constant maintenance.

But Albany wants to gut programs that let owners maintain these buildings.

Existing programs mean owners can afford to maintain their buildings, while still keeping rents affordable. Without them, they’ll make it impossible for many owners to afford to maintain their buildings, causing them to fall into disrepair.

Call your State Legislators: Senate 518-455-2800 & Assembly 518-455-4100

We need Responsible Rent Reforms.

Paid for by Taxpayers for an Affordable New York 2

May 30, 2019

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‘We can fix it’: Parkland dad on guns

BY GABE HERMAN

A

t a May 23 event in Chelsea at the Center for Jewish History, Parkland father Fred Guttenberg talked about the school shooting last year that took his daughter’s life, and the work he is doing to promote gun safety laws in America.

Guttenberg’s daughter, Jaime, was 14 when she was killed on Feb. 14, 2018, in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida, by a troubled former student. The shooting left a total of 17 people dead, including students and staff.

Guttenberg was joined in conversation at the Chelsea event, at 15 W. 16th St., by ABC News journalist Matt Gutman.

Guttenberg spoke candidly and powerfully of the events of that tragic day last year. Since it was Valentine’s Day, he had digitized his and his wife’s wedding video, to watch that night as a family with Jaime and their son.

He recalled that morning being a normally chaotic one, trying to get everyone out the door. Guttenberg said he is haunted by what he doesn’t remember of that day, like not knowing if he told his daughter that he loved her.

He received a call in the afternoon from his son at school, who said there was a shooter and that he didn’t know where his sister was. Later that day Guttenberg had to tell his wife the news he had learned, that their daughter had been slain.

Jaime was killed in a school hallway, just before she was able to turn a corner and safely go into a stairwell. Guttenberg said he could only hope that she died instantly and did not suffer.

Guttenberg has since worked tirelessly to advocate for gun control laws, and started a nonprofit with his wife, Orange Ribbons for Jaime. The organization supports programs that were important to Jaime, and those that work toward gun safety reforms. This year, the nonprofit is supporting Jacob’s Pillow, the Paley Institute and Broward County Humane Society.

The statistics related to gun violence in America are staggering, as was noted in the evening’s conversation. Gutman said there are about 40,000 gun deaths in America every year. Just this year, just since March 31, there have been 50 mass shootings.

“And school shootings are the ultimate derangement,” Gutman said.

Guttenberg, who is originally from Long Island, stressed that shootings don’t just happen in schools,

COURTESY FRED GUTTENBERG/FACEBOOK

Jaime Guttenberg, center, with her parents Fred and Jennifer and her brother Jesse.

though.

“Every one of you loves someone,” he said. “We need to understand that we are all potentially victims.”

“The crazy thing is, this is fi xable and preventable,” he added. “We have a gun problem in this country.”

He said he wouldn’t stop his advocacy efforts until the problem was addressed, and said that while the U.S. House of Representatives currently has the will to pass laws, the Senate does not.

“The next election for me means everything,” Guttenberg said.

Guttenberg and Gutman discussed the potential causes of America’s problem with gun violence and mass shootings. Gutman thought that maybe a lack of community and isolation was a major factor.

Guttenberg said that even though mental health is often pointed to, two-thirds of shooters do not have a mental health problem, and that what is unique about America is how easy it is to obtain weapons.

The bereaved father said that most countries restrict the kinds of weapons that people can buy, and make them harder to purchase, including by adding

more background checks. He said this would also help because many shootings are done based on emotion, and taking more time to obtain guns might prevent shootings.

When it comes to America’s gun violence, “the first cause people should say should be the gun,” Guttenberg emphasized. He said the National Rifle Association is the biggest reason more is not being done to address the crisis, in his view.

“The problem has escalated and we’ve done nothing about it,” he said.

This March, Jaime’s Law was introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). The law would require instant universal background checks for sales of gun ammunition.

“Bullets don’t know if you’re Republican or Democrat,” Guttenberg said at the Chelsea event. He also supports safe storage laws, which require guns to be locked away and unloaded when people who are not authorized to possess a gun are present.

“This is not rocket science, this is a fi xable problem,” he said. Guttenberg added that while laws won’t prevent every killing, commonsense legislation can prevent dangerous people from getting guns, including those who spew hate on social media.

Since the conversation was held at the Center for Jewish History, Gutman asked Guttenberg about his Jewish background and the role it plays in his life.

Guttenberg said that he grew up in a Conservative Jewish home on Long Island, and was raised to give back and do what’s right for others.

“That is the Jewish upbringing in me, that plays a strong role in what I do,” he said.

Guttenberg acknowledged that his faith in God has been shaken, first when his brother died of 9/11-related cancer just four months before the school shooting, and then after his daughter was murdered.

“My faith in community and people got stronger than it’s ever been,” he shared. “I have met amazing people who have been pillars of strength for me.”

Gutman noted that kids who save lives in school shootings are being lauded as heroes, and Guttenberg said that while he is thankful for those children saving lives, he feels that it normalizes gun violence.

“No 12-year-old should be giving his life because we have a gun problem in this country,” he said. “Kids are being coached how to deal with shootings and be heroes, instead of addressing the gun problem,” Guttenberg added. “No one should be O.K. with that.”

Woman hit by branch in Wash. Sq. recovering

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

A

Virginia tourist who was critically injured by a falling tree branch in Washington Square Park last week is doing better. However, the fungus identified as the accident’s cause has been associated with “branch drop.”

Penny Chang, 55, of Charlottesville, was sitting on a bench on the park’s west side around 7:40 p.m. on Mon., May 20, when a reportedly 30-to-35foot-long branch from a London plane tree fell and struck her. Her skull and spine were fractured, according to the Schneps Media

Massaria, a fungus,” she said. “Additional review of the tree and surrounding trees found no immediate hazard.”

Massaria is most often found in London plane trees. Stress, usually due to lack of water availability, is tied to incidence of Massaria.

Wikipedia notes that Massaria disease “has usually been considered to be a weak parasite causing only minor damage, such as twig dieback in warmer Mediterranean climates. However, in the 21st Century it has been found associated with branch death and rapid decay within other parts of Europe, most notably Germany and Austria,

Daily News.

“She is doing better. Her injuries are quite serious, but the doctors are more optimistic now,” her son, Jacob, told the News on May 22.

Chang was said to be in stable condition at Bellevue Hospital’s intensivecare unit last week.

Crystal Howard, the Parks Department’s assistant commissioner for communications, told this paper that the 35-inch-diameter tree was last inspected in July 2017 and its last pruning was in August 2017.

“Our preliminary inspection indicated that the tree showed signs of having

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the Netherlands and parts of France.

Damage caused by this fungus has been reported in the southern United States. The first formal identification of the disease in the United Kingdom came in March 2011. … The disease causes large lesions on the upper sides of branches associated with branch drop.”

Similarly, Forest Research, the United Kingdom’s main forestry and treerelated research organization, notes that Massaria disease in plane trees can cause branch drop.

May 30, 2019

3

Police Blotter First Precinct Subway grab There was a forcible touching incident in the Chambers St. I.R.T. subway station, police said. On Mon., April 29, around 9:05 p.m., a 37-year-old woman was standing beside the MetroCard vending machine, when a man approached from behind and grabbed her buttocks. The guy then fled in an unknown direction. Police released a surveillance image of the suspect, who is described as about age 30, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a green jacket and maroon pants, white sneakers and a green baseball hat.

Fifth Precinct Forcible touching There was a forcible touching incident on an Uptown 4 train in Lower Manhattan earlier this month, police said. On Fri., May 17, around 4:15 p.m., a 53year-old female passenger was onboard the train, when a man rubbed his groin area against her rear. The woman confronted the man after he grabbed her buttocks three times. The perp followed the victim off the train when it arrived at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station.

The man then fled the station on an Uptown 6 train. Police released a photo of the suspect, who is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, 170 pounds, and last seen wearing blue jeans, a gray jacket and multicolored sneakers.

Sixth Precinct Robbery pattern Police are looking for at least two teens wanted in connection with a pair of Downtown robberies.

Police said that on Thurs., May 9, around 4:40 p.m., a 48-year-old man was talking on his cell phone in front of 15 Park Row, when he was approached by several teenagers, one of whom took the man’s cell phone and fled. All the individuals also fled in an unknown direction.

Police are connecting the above incident to the robbery of an Uber driver in the Village on Thurs., May 16, around 5 p.m. In that incident, the 22-year-old Uber driver reportedly picked up the two individuals at the corner of Washington Square North and University

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

This guy grabbed a woman multiple times on the 4 train, according to cops.

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

This suspect allegedly burglarized a home at Washington and Horatio Sts., police say.

Place. Several other individuals then also attempted to enter the vehicle and the driver told them to get out, sparking a dispute.

A female member of the group then punched the driver in the face while another female removed the driver’s ear pods. A third individual held the driver’s arm while removing his ear pod charger box, before they all fled toward Fifth Ave. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.

described as in his 20s and last seen sporting white pants and a black shirt.

Ninth Precinct Liquor robbery Police said St. Mark’s Wine & Liquor Store, at 16 St. Mark’s Place, was robbed on Mon., April 29, at 8:50 p.m.

In the incident, an unidentified man approached a 50-year-old male store clerk and chatted him up as three sidekicks removed $60 worth of liquor without paying, according to a report. The clerk confronted them and one of them struck him in the face with a bottle, before they fled eastbound on St. Mark’s Place toward Tompkins Square Park.

The victim sustained minor injuries.

Police described one suspect as a black male, wearing a black knit cap and camouflage pants. The second suspect is described as a male Hispanic, last seen wearing a black Philadelphia Flyers sweatshirt and black knit cap.

The third suspect is said to be a lightcomplexioned male Hispanic, who was toting a book bag. The fourth suspect, police said, is a female Hispanic with short dark hair, last seen wearing a light-colored shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.

Laptops and jewelry There was a burglary in a building near Washington and Horatio Sts. last month, police said. On Fri., April 26, around 3:44 p.m., a man used an unknown object to pry open the front door of the building. While inside the building, he took laptops and jewelry totaling around $13,600. He fled in an unknown direction. Police released surveillance images of the suspect, who is described as elderly, with gray hair and a beard.

He was last seen wearing an olive-colored coat, dark pants and black shoes.

Seventh Precinct Buddha bash A criminal-mischief incident occurred recently in front of 15 Pike St., between Henry St. and East Broadway, at the Sung Tak Buddhist Association, according to police.

On Sat., May 18, around 7:40 p.m., an unidentified person jumped over a locked gate and smashed a Buddha statue with an unknown object before fleeing on foot northbound on Pike St. and East Broadway. Police released surveillance images of the suspect, who is

10th Precinct Hits hack A cabbie was attacked Fri., May 24, at the corner of 12th Ave. and W. 29th St., police said. The 42-year-old yellow cab driver said he was driving a male passenger about 2 a.m., when he told the

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

Cops say this man wrecked a Buddha statue.

fare, “Please don’t disturb me.” But the passenger got aggressive and reached through the partition, punching the hack in the head, in his right temple.

Dwayne Holmberg, 51, was arrested for misdemeanor assault.

Ensure boost There was a shoplifting incident at the CVS at 500 W. 23rd St., at Tenth Ave., last Friday, according to a police report. On May 24, around 9 p.m., two men stole several items from the store, including six 12-packs of Ensure Protein Shakes, and 10 6-packs of Ensure Plus bottles. The total value of the stolen products was $240. The pair put the items in suitcases and a backpack and left the store without paying.

One of the men was stopped by officers during a canvass of the area, and was positively identified by a store employee who was a witness to the alleged shoplifting. The man was in possession of one suitcase containing stolen Ensure drinks. Police searched him and found him in possession of alleged controlled substances.

Luis Perez, 40, was arrested for petit larceny. The stolen items were recovered. His accomplice was not caught.

Elevator grope There was a forcible touching incident inside 317 W. 36th St., between Eighth and Ninth Aves., on Wed., May 15, police said. Around 10:40 a.m., a 26-year-old woman was in an elevator at the address when an unidentified man squeezed her buttocks, then fled in an unknown direction. The victim was not injured. Police released a surveillance image of the wanted man, who is described as in his 20s, and last seen in a black jacket and carrying a duffel bag.

Gabe Herman and Lincoln Anderson

For more news & events happening now visit www.TheVillager.com 4

May 30, 2019

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May 30, 2019

5

C.B. 2 decked by Pr. 40 legislation leagues, the proposed changes also would see the minimum amount of passive and/or active public open space on the pier increased. Right now, under the existing Park Act, a minimum of 50 percent of the pier’s footprint (or equivalent amount of space located throughout the pier structure on different floors) must be reserved for such uses. Under the draft proposal, that number would be boosted to 65 percent. Active open space would include playing-field space, while passive open space would include things like seating areas and plantings.

The politicians also want to see the perimeter walkway preserved around the pier in any future plans.

The lawmakers are asking members of the public to give their opinions on the proposed amendments. Comments could be submitted at the public forum on Pier 40 on Tues., May 28, at the 75 Morton St. middle school, M.S. 297.

Meanwhile, Bergman, in a phone interview the day after Memorial Day, expressed his disappointment at the process, saying he “had enough.”

“I quit the community board,” he said. “This process was over-the-top for me. The electeds sent us a letter asking us to comment and for our position on Pier 40. They ignored the board’s input. I love the community board, but this just blew me away.”

Noting that he is now speaking only for himself, not C.B. 2, Bergman said that the politicians did not back up the board on several key points.

First, he noted, the board requested that if commercial offices are going to be allowed on Pier 40, then any such project should go through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP. C.B. 2 was not enthusiastic about office use on the pier, in general.

Second, C.B. 2 requested that the open space on Pier 40 be designated specifically for park use and that it be managed by the Trust.

Third, the Village board stated that, if there is to be office use on the pier, then there should be no more than 3,000 workers. But Bergman said that office space equal to 700,000 square feet could bring in as many as 5,000 workers, which would have too great an impact on the pier and park.

Furthermore, C.B. 2 said only 850,000 square feet of development rights on the pier should be used for structures, whereas the Trust wants to use all 1.4 million square feet.

In addition, C.B. 2 wants the current pier shed “adaptively reused” if the pier is going to redeveloped with commercial offices. But the proposed legislation provides an “easy out” for this, saying that if reuse of the current structure “is determined to be unfeasible” then a new office building could be constructed. Obviously, the Trust would have a major say — probably the primary say

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

A

s expected, the legislative amendments being proposed by state lawmakers for Pier 40 include allowing commercial office development on the jumbo-sized W. Houston St. pier.

However, the modifications also call for bumping up the amount of the pier’s public open space by 23 percent.

But what the legislators are pitching isn’t sitting well with most members of Community Board 2. In fact, Tobi Bergman, the chairperson of the board’s Pier 40 Working Group and a former chairperson of the Village board, resigned at last week’s C.B. 2 full-board meeting, charging the lawmakers had “ignored” an extensive resolution C.B. 2 passed on Pier 40 last month, in which they outlined what the legislative amendments should contain. Bergman said that, instead, the politicians were clearly responding to “political exigencies,” which he did not elaborate further on.

Carter Booth, the board’s chairperson, also issued a stinging rebuke of the proposed legislative changes.

Assemblymember Deborah Glick released the draft legislative proposal last Thursday afternoon — right before the start of the Memorial Day long weekend. A public forum on the proposed changes was held the day right after the holiday, when many people were still out of town.

Pier 40 is one of two remaining “commercial nodes” permitted to generate additional revenue for Hudson River Park. Any changes to permit currently prohibited uses — such as commercial offices — on the 14-acre Lower West Side pier must come from changes in the Hudson River Park Act of 1998 passed by the state Legislature.

The Hudson River Park Trust, the waterfront park’s governing state-city authority, favors adding office use as a dependable revenue generator at Pier 40, which currently boasts parking as its main moneymaker. According the Park Act, the park is supposed to be financially self-sustaining “to the extent practicable.”

In a first-of-its-kind process, local lawmakers and/or their representatives have met regularly since the start of the year to hash out what the proposed use changes for Pier 40 should be, and to determine what parameters for the pier’s redevelopment — such as height — can or should be set legislatively.

The Trust wants to pass the amendments during the current legislative session, which runs through the end of June. However, the authority is not happy with the lease term being proposed for Pier 40 or limitations on the size of what it can build there.

The politicians noted they used the

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May 30, 2019

COURTESY DUSC

Local youth leagues, like Greenwich Village Little League and Downtown United Soccer Club, want to see playing-field space increased at Pier 40. The pier’s massive central cour tyard is currently covered by an ar tificialtur f field.

groundwork laid by the Community Board 2 Future of Pier 40 Working Group, which was started in 2017, as a template for their discussions.

“It is imperative that if any changes are made to the Hudson River Park Act that will allow for future development at Pier 40,” Glick said, “they must evoke the desires of the greater community of residents and park users while also contributing to the financial stability of the park in the future. ... [T]he Hudson River Park Act must reflect a community-driven solution at Pier 40, and the draft legislation shared here, based on many months of community input, proposes to achieve that goal.”

Among the proposed measure’s stipulations is that no commercial office on Pier 40 exceed 700,000 square feet in size. Specifically, the modification’s language refers to allowing “business, professional or governmental office space.”

The pier’s existing donut-shaped two-story pier shed encloses 761,924 square feet of space.

Another proposed regulation change is that no structure on the pier would be allowed to exceed 88 feet in height.

That is the height of the still-extant gantries — pulleys that were used when Pier 40 was a maritime pier — and is the maximum height C.B. 2 endorsed in a resolution last year. The current pier shed is about 48 feet tall.

The proposed modifications would also increase the lease term for developers of Pier from 30 years to 49 years, with the option of one 25-year renewal.

No doubt pleasing local youth sports CNW

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Local water front watchdog Melv yn T. Stevens, who is also a gayrights activist, has dusted off his protest sign from six years ago when local youth spor ts leagues were pushing a plan for residential towers at the foot Pier 40, and the Hudson River Park Trust was considering the option among a couple of possible scenarios.

— in what is allegedly feasible or unfeasible on the pier.

Among local elected officials, those reportedly most committed to the adaptive reuse option are Glick and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, while other local politicians are said to be more open to the “flexibility” option.

Google already will have offices at Pier 57 in Chelsea — where it will be the anchor tenant — and Bergman said that is more than enough for the 5-mile-long park.

Ironically, the Pier 40 Champions group — a coalition of which Bergman was a leading member — in 2013 pitched the idea of building twin market-rate residential towers at the foot of the W. Houston St. pier to raise revenue for the aging structure’s repairs and help generate revenue the park. Bergman now admits that was a mistake.

Yet, he added, “Those residential buildings were smaller. We were talking a couple hundred families.”

In addition, although Bergman did not specifically mention this, the C.B. 2 resolution stated that 80 percent of Pier 40’s footprint — or an additional 250,000 square feet — should be dedicated to active recreational uses.

A former G.V.L.L. president, Bergman was C.B. 2 chairperson during 2015-16. When he announced his resignation from the board last week, he received a standing ovation for his two decades-plus of work on the body, his signature issue having been Pier 40.

“I’ve had enough,” Bergman told this paper. “I really feel severe demoralization about this process.”

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May 30, 2019

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Project has led in saving L.G.B.T. sites

BY GABE HERMAN

T

he NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project is a young organization, headed by veteran preservationists, that is having a big impact in protecting local L.G.B.T. sites, plus increasing awareness of the community’s importance to the city and country.

The Project was founded in 2015 by Andrew Dolkart, Ken Lustbader and Jay Shockley, who have been L.G.B.T. preservation advocates for more than 25 years. Many of their efforts have focused on Greenwich Village, where both Lustbader and Shockley live.

The project’s three co-directors work pro bono on it. There is one paid staffer, manager Amanda Davis.

The Project’s Web site has mapped 175 historical and cultural sites in the five boroughs that are associated with the L.G.B.T. community. Shockley said they plan to increase that soon to 200, and are working on documenting every Broadway theater with connections to the community.

“Our project virtually is the history of New York City, but done through an L.G.B.T. lens,” Shockley said. Sites date back to the 17th century, and go up to as recent as 2000. In keeping with the preservationist spirit, only sites still in existence are mapped.

Shockley said the L.G.B.T. community has had an outsized impact on American history and culture, but that some friends and colleagues of the project’s founders didn’t understand their mission at first.

“Even within the gay community, there was this self-imposed myth that there was no history prior to Stonewall,” Shockley said.

Some people they knew also questioned whether there were important sites beyond gay bars.

“We had to destroy those two myths,” he said.

The Project launched with the first-ever L.G.B.T. grant from the National Park Service, for $50,000, from the agency’s Underrepresented Community Grant Program.

Some of the categories of sites that the Project maps include performance venues, medical facilities, residences, public spaces and cultural and educational institutions.

COURTESY JAY SHOCKLEY

Members of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, from left, Jay Shockley, Andrew Dolkar t, Amanda Davis and Ken Lustbader.

And the Project was instrumental in recently getting six L.G.B.T. historic sites calendared by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. The hearing is set for June, which is also the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Those six sites include Caffe Cino and the L.G.B.T. Community Center in the Village, the Women’s Liberation Center in Chelsea, and the Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse in Soho.

“We are thrilled that our research was a catalyst for the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s review of cultural landmarks, which highlight the rich L.G.B.T. history of New York City,” said Dolkart in a statement when the six sites were calendared. “We met with the commission’s chairperson, Sarah Carroll, and her staff to discuss how important L.G.B.T.-related sites are to the history of New York, and are pleased that these cultural sites may soon be designated alongside the city’s architectural landmarks, adding to the di-

versity of places officially recognized by the city.”

The roots of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project go back to the early 1990s, according to Shockley. The group’s founders were involved in 1993 in a mapping project with the Organization of Lesbian and Gay Architects and Designers, or OLGAD. A networking group, it was one of the first efforts by gay people to connect professionally, Shockley said.

The map was the first L.G.B.T. site-based history project in America, and half of the sites were in the Village.

“We were the first people in the Unites States to connect the fact that the L.G.B.T. community had history,” Shockley said.

Shockley worked at L.P.C. for more than 35 years, where he started to incorporate L.G.B.T history into designation reports, many of them concerning Village locations.

In 1994, there was a push to landmark the Stonewall Inn on the riots’ 25th anniversary. But the attempt didn’t succeed until five years later, when Shockley and Dolkart were lead authors in the Stonewall nomination.

The Stonewall Inn was declared a national monument in 2016.

“Everything from Stonewall came from people in our project,” Shockley said. “Obama didn’t wave a magic wand when it became a national monument.

We did the groundwork.”

And the Project’s work continues, as it has been recognized with preservation awards. The organization was given the New York State Historic Preservation Award last November, and in 2019 the Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of New York State.

Shockley acknowledged the magnitude of the Project trying to map so many sites related to the L.G.B.T. community, especially because there isn’t just a single topic on which to focus.

“Our community has impacted everything that has ever happened in this city,” he said.

Port Authority eyes three rebuild options

BY GABE HERMAN

T

he Port Authority has taken a step toward a replacement plan for its aging bus terminal, outlining three possible options in Midtown.

On May 23, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released a scoping document, kicking off a formal environmental review process and a 120-day period for public comments from residents and officials. This will include two public hearings each in New York and New Jersey. Specific dates for those have not been set, but they will be sometime in July and September.

In the document, the Port Authority has narrowed its replacement options to three, one of which would be to rebuild on the current terminal site, bounded

by Eighth and Ninth Aves. and W. 40th and 42nd Sts. The document notes about this plan,

8

May 30, 2019

rating new building, bus operation and passenger technologies, the document says.

Estimated costs for a new Port Authority bus terminal have reached as high as $10 billion. In 2017, the Port Authority’s board allocated $3.5 billion for a replacement as part of a 10-year capital plan.

In 2016, Hell’s Kitchen residents fought off a proposal to rebuild the Port Authority on nearby blocks on the West Side, including potentially demolishing buildings in the neighborhood.

The current bus terminal was built in 1950 and expanded in 1981. It sees about 260,000 passenger trips on weekdays. By 2040, the Port Authority estimates that demand is expected to grow by 30 percent, with as many as 337,000 weekday passenger trips.

“Today’s kickoff of the formal public outreach process for the new bus termi-

“Although there would be challenges, the PANYNJ would maintain, to the greatest extent practicable, bus operations during construction and would seek to address impacts on the community during construction.”

A second option would use the lower level of the nearby Jacob Javits Center — between 34th and 38th Sts. west of 11th Ave. — as a bus terminal. Potential design and construction problems with this plan include part of the West Side Highway having to be raised, and part of the Lincoln Tunnel having to be shut down, according to the document.

A third option would move intercity buses to the lower level of the Javits Center, while renovating the existing Port Authority site for commuter use.

Challenges to this last scenario include compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, accommodating heavier, taller and longer buses, and incorpoCNW

nal is a critical milestone for what will be one of the largest and most important transit infrastructure projects in the country,” said Kevin O’Toole, Port Authority chairperson. “We are strongly committed to replacing this legacy, overcapacity facility, and look forward to a spirited dialogue with all stakeholders on how the project will proceed.”

Rick Cotton, Port Authority executive director, added, “We are committed to building the replacement bus terminal and to do so in full consultation with the community, with elected officials in both New York and New Jersey, and with all stakeholders.”

The Port Authority expects the replacement project to be completed by 2030, according to the scoping document.

Public comments about the scoping document can be submitted at https:// publiccomments.panynj.gov/.

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The Washington Square Music Festival is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with the City Council, The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, NYC Council Member Margaret Chin, and the Office of the Borough President of Manhattan Gail Brewer. Generous grants from The Earle K. & Katherine F. Moore Foundation, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Washington Square Association, The Margaret Neubart Foundation Trust, New York University Office of Community Engagement, SalamonAbrams Family Fund, Washington Square Park Conservancy, The Hilaria and Alec Baldwin Foundation, Con Edison, and Three Sheets Saloon/ Off the Wagon/Down the Hatch are deeply appreciated.

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PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Richard Corman, president of D.I.D., left, and David Siffer t, president of V.I.D., right, co-moderated a discussion with Congressmember Jerrold Nadler, center, on May 19.

We may impeach: Nadler to Dem clubs

BY TEQUIL A MINSK Y

O

n Sunday afternoon May 19, members of Downtown Manhattan Democratic clubs packed the auditorium at the LREI high school on Charlton St. for a “state of the government” public forum with Congressmember Jerry Nadler.

Nadler is particularly high-profile these days as head of the House Judiciary Committee.

Richard Corman and David Siffert, the respective presidents of Downtown Independent Democrats and Village Independent Democrats, moderated the afternoon.

“We’ve been wanting to have collaborative events with the other local Democratic clubs,” Corman said.

Impeachment led the topics and during the Q&A, the burning question was asked, “Isn’t following the rule of law first and foremost, and isn’t there a moral imperative to impeach?”

“We may well impeach,” Nadler said. “We are holding hearings and having inquiries,” he assured, hedging that they just aren’t calling it impeachment, at this time.

However, the veteran congressmember raised the alarm of ultimate catastrophe if Trump is re-elected, citing the almost-irreversible damage to the environment and the impact on climate change that four more years of his policies would mean. Nadler also voiced great concern over nuclear proliferation and how canceling treaties could lead to increased nuclear buildups. The message, in short: Trump must be defeated!

Issues included vetting judges, the abortion bans, and gerrymandering of districts, which the Republicans have so strategically implemented.

On the local level, he mentioned how a two-way toll Schneps Media

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

In addition to possible impeachment proceedings in the House against President Trump, Nadler also spoke about the pending restoration of the two-way toll on the Verrazzano Bridge, among other issues.

would finally be restored on the Verrazzano Bridge, stopping “toll avoidance” heavy truck traffic in Brooklyn. Nadler spoke of the need for a freight-only train tunnel or bridge from New Jersey because New York City’s truck traffic — 93 percent of which comes in over the George Washington Bridge — causes so much hazardous pollution. He would also like to see a major shipping-container port in Brooklyn, which could also help reduce carbon emissions from trucks.

The representative also cited a list of accomplishments — each drawing applause — including the 9/11 Health Care Bill, votes cast against the Iraq War and Patriot Act, and the struggle for marriage equality.

State Senator Brad Hoylman was introduced TVG

midway through the afternoon. Pointing to the jampacked auditorium, he said, “Thanks to activists, the state Senate is ‘true blue.’”

He added that, thanks to recently passed legislation in the newly Democrat-controlled Legislature, the state Department of Taxation would now be sharing New York tax returns with the House Ways and Means Committee. Hoylman and Democrats hope that includes Trump’s tax returns, though it may face a constitutional challenge.

Subsequently, on the morning of Fri., May 24, Nadler, 71, had a health scare while with Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference on the Upper West Side touting the city’s newly expanded school speed-cameras program. Nadler basically fainted and bowed his head while sitting on the dais. De Blasio encouraged him to drink some Gatorade the mayor had in his water bottle and said Nadler appeared dehydrated.

According to The New York Times, three doctors attended to Nadler and he soon revived and was seen eating an orange before he was taken by ambulance to N.Y.U. Langone Hospital, where he was held overnight for observation. The Times noted that Nadler has no history of health problems. To deal with obesity, he had stomach-reduction surgery 17 years ago.

This Tuesday, Daniel Schwartz, a Nadler spokesperson, said the West Side congressmember is staying in New York this week since Congress is in recess.

“It was very warm in the room and he felt a bit ill,” he said. “It was just dehydration and, after receiving fluids, he felt much better.”

With reporting

by Lincoln Anderson May 30, 2019

11

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ZVX] lZZ` ^c eg^ci VcY ZkZgnYVn dca^cZ Vi lll#I]ZK^aaV\Zg#Xdb PHOTO BY ALAJOS SCHUSZLER

A view of the Abingdon Square Doughboy from July 8, 1935. The monument was dedicated in 1921 and donated by the Jefferson Democratic Club. The inscription reads, “Erected by popular subscription in honor of the brave men who went for th from this neighborhood to join the Armed Forces of the United States during the World War.” “Doughboy” was a nickname for American soldiers in W WI, though its origin is unclear. When the park was renovated more than 15 years ago, the Doughboy statue was relocated to the park’s nor thern end and rotated 180 degrees to face southward.

Publisher of The Villager, Villager Express, Chelsea Now, Downtown Express and Manhattan Express PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER CEO & CO-PUBLISHER EDITOR IN CHIEF REPORTER CONTRIBUTORS

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Published by Schneps Media One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 Phone: (718) 260-2500 Fax: (212) 229-2790 On-line: www.thevillager.com E-mail: news@thevillager.com © 2019 Schneps Media

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May 30, 2019

VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS JOSHUA SCHNEPS LINCOLN ANDERSON GABE HERMAN MICHELE HERMAN BOB KRASNER TEQUILA MINSKY MARY REINHOLZ PAUL SCHINDLER JOHN NAPOLI MARCOS RAMOS CLIFFORD LUSTER (718) 260-2504 CLUSTER@CNGLOCAL.COM MARVIN ROCK GAYLE GREENBURG JIM STEELE JULIO TUMBACO ELIZABETH POLLY

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Write a letter to the editor

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news@thevillager.com Member of the National Newspaper Association

Member of the Minority Women Business Enterprise

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Op-Ed

Letters to the Editor mittee forum on Lenox Health Greenwich Village. Anna Allen of Say Ah! was right in saying people need to get educated about healthcare’s costs.

As the resident cited who incurred the big charges for being in good health, I’d like to educate your readers on the charges: more than $750 for the ambulance ride, more than $500 for lab work, and in excess of $350 for the doctors. So, between $1,600 and $2,000 for feeling dizzy.

In the future, I’ll call my doctor, not 911, unless I’m sure it’s an emergency. Because L.H.G.V. told my insurance it wasn’t an emergency, I got stuck with the bill. I’ll also have a good conversation with my doctor about how to recognize an emergency situation.

Mayoral control saved our school

BY JONAH BENTON, BUXTON AND LISA MIDYETTE AND ANSHAL PUROHIT

T

oward the end of last year, the future of our Blue Ribbon award-winning school, P.S. 150, the Tribeca Learning Center, hung in the balance. That is when the families and staff members learned that after 25 years in our beloved home, our school would have to find somewhere else to exist after the 2018-19 school year.

The problem: We needed more time to fi nd a new home for our hardworking students and staff. Anyone who has ever hunted for an apartment in New York City knows that it can be a long and frustrating process. Imagine trying to relocate an entire school in mere months.

We tried to negotiate with our building’s leaseholder, explaining that our situation was more than disruptive; it threatened whether or not we could remain a school at all. All of us, and all our children, were tremendously anxious. Curriculum planning had to grind to a halt.

Our plight was about more than the survival of one New York City school. Our students and staff members have been supporting local businesses through our Taste of Tribeca fundraiser for nearly 25 years. An eviction would put an entire community at risk.

Sadly, our arguments fell on deaf ears, and in the end, we could not reach an agreement that would allow us enough time to plot our future. That is when we put out a cry for help — and Mayor Bill de Blasio stepped in.

After learning about our situation, the mayor contacted our leaseholder personally —yes, personally. He worked out a deal that would allow us to continue focusing on our students’ academic growth while a search for a new school site begins in earnest. In fact, the new agreement allows P.S. 150 to stay at our current location for several years longer than the landlord had originally offered.

For us, this wasn’t a matter of politics; this was a matter of doing what was right for our children and educators. It sounds so simple and obvious. But it couldn’t have happened if the mayor was not directly responsible for our schools.

Here’s what we mean. Before mayoral control, principals, staff members and parents would have had to lose valuable classroom time building a case for P.S. 150 across several school boards and committees. We would have been lucky to have received a decision before our lease expired. With mayoral accountability, we just needed to enlist the one person who is accountable for the success of our schools, and that is the mayor.

We are grateful to Mayor de Blasio for his assistance. Likewise, parents throughout the city need to know that when an issue arises, our current — and future — mayors will do whatever it takes to keep students in classrooms learning. This is the promise we make to our students. This is the promise of mayoral accountability.

Benton, the Midyettes and Purohit are P.S. 150 parent leaders Schneps Media

Barry Drogin

Thrown to curb PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Greenwich Village housing activist and zoning specialist Doris Diether, Manhattan’s longest-ser ving community board member at 52 years, has been standing up to power since 1960. She star ted her activism with a protest against Rober t Moses over a plan to scrap Shakespeare in the Park.

Congrats, Doris!

Earth-elujah

To The Editor: Re “Village’s Diether among Lemlich honorees” (news article, May 23): Big, loud congrats to Doris Diether who has served all parts of her community with brains, courage, wit, charm and ageless beauty.

To The Editor: Re “Rev. ratchets up RoundUp attack” (news article, May 23): If a man-made chemical is strong enough to kill plants, it cannot be good for the Earth.

Constant spraying affects the soil and nearby plants. We lie in the grass coated with glyphosates. Wildlife can’t avoid contact with glyphosates.

Goats are coming in to deal with the weeds. I hope they won’t be grazing near plant life sprayed with RoundUp!

Martha Danziger

Spot-on op-ed To The Editor: Re “Foxes guard City Planning henhouse” (op-ed, by Lynn Ellsworth, May 23): Another brilliant, well-researched piece by Lynn Ellsworth. Bad development is out of control. We need electeds and political appointees to do the right thing. Fix the charter.

Stop the conflicts of interest.

Stop the bad development.

Alison Greenberg

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Barbara R. Lee

Cost was healthy To The Editor: Re “Village E.D. gets a community checkup” (Health article, May 9): Thank you for your excellent report on the Community Board 2 Social Services Com-

To The Editor: Re “Grand stops restored to M14A route” (news article, May 23): West Village seniors seem to have been thrown to the curb.

A hospital has been eliminated. The Abingdon Square stop is planned for elimination. Do people just not care?

Carol A. Venticinque

Do the math To The Editor: Re “Grand stops restored to M14A route” (news article, May 23): So the M14 is the city’s second-most-used bus route and also the second slowest? Well, duh! If more people are getting on and getting off, of course it takes the bus longer.

Rayna Skolnik 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.

May 30, 2019

13

PHOTO BY STACIE JOY

Female Democratic district leader candidate Aura Olavarria, center, and her running mate, District Leader-elect John Blasco, right, were out on the avenue enjoying the festival. Olavarria has an opponent in the June 25 primar y election but Blasco does not.

Loisaida Fest a ray of sunshine on Ave. C A forecast of cloudiness didn’t put a damper on the 31st Annual Loisaida Festival this past Sunday. Avenue C was bursting with song, dance, theater, food and drinks, information, merch and limitless Boricua pride. The theme of this year’s fest was “Bridging Resurgence: From Sandy to María,” focusing on the hurricane-ravaged island’s recover y and resilience.

PHOTO BY STACIE JOY

Loisaida defender forever.

PHOTO BY STACIE JOY

PHOTO BY STACIE JOY

Fantastical creatures for a fantastic day.

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May 30, 2019

Give her a hand for that sand!

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PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

From left, state Senators Brad Hoylman and David Carlucci and A ssemblymember Jeremy Dinowitz stand next to King Singh, 5, who has a compromised immune system, making it dangerous for him to be exposed other kids who are unvaccinated.

Push to end measles religious outs

BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

L

awmakers gathered with young cancer survivors at 250 Broadway to put a face to a bill that would end nonmedical exemptions from vaccinations for schoolchildren.

“We stand here together to defend our right to have safe schools for all children,” said state Senator Brad Hoylman. He was joined by fellow state Senator David Carlucci and Assemblymember Jeremy Dinowitz.

According to the state’s public health law, children are required to be vaccinated against measles and other diseases before entering school unless their parents have “genuine and sincere religious beliefs” that are contrary to the requirement. The bill would remove that exception, mandating that all children entering New York schools be vaccinated, barring a medical reason.

The push for the legislation comes in response to recent measles outbreaks in Brooklyn and Rockland County.

Both outbreaks occurred in predominantly ultraOrthodox Jewish communities that have been reluctant to vaccinate their children, in part due to “anti-vaxxer” propaganda claiming the vaccines cause autism and are made from aborted fetal cells,

Schneps Media

according to The New York Times.

Since last September, there have been 535 confirmed cases of measles in New York City and 310 confirmed cases elsewhere in the state.

“It might not seem scary to you guys but it’s terrifying to us,” said Teela Wyman, speaking through an orange face mask. The 26-year-old law student has a compromised immune system after receiving treatment for stage-four lymphoma.

Before her, Toby Pannone, 15, a stage-four neuroblastoma survivor; Christopher Bidelspach, 12, a stage-four heptablastoma survivor and lifelong user of immunosuppressants; and King Singh, 5, currently in treatment for high-risk leukemia, spoke of their fears of going to schools where all students aren’t vaccinated.

Due to that fear, King’s parents have chosen to home-school him and his two older siblings.

“We don’t want to put him in an environment where he can basically die from picking up something that is preventable,” said Michael Singh, King’s father.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, for people with uncompromised immune systems, the measles is a respiratory disease that can cause fever and a rash — although serious complications, like pneumonia, brain swelling and deafness, can TVG

occur. In some cases, however, the disease can be deadly.

Those most at risk for death and complications are children under age 5, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems.

During the press conference, there was a small but loud counterprotest outside the building.

“This is an attack on religion and freedom,” said Stefanie Miahiras, a Bronx mother who is against the bill. In fact, Miahiras believes the vaccine gave her measles.

But even though some charge the bill infringes on First Amendment rights, the legislators don’t believe that allows anyone to put children at risk.

With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, the lawmakers were hopeful the bill would pass both houses — and that as soon as the Legislature passed it, the governor would sign off on it.

New York would be added to the list of states banning nonmedical exemptions.

California did away with a religious exemption after a measles outbreak at Disneyland infected 131 people in 2014 and 2015. As a result, the state’s vaccination rate rose from 90 percent to 95 percent. Just last week Maine also ended nonmedical vaccine exemptions.

May 30, 2019

15

Park got its goats: ‘Safer than RoundUp’

BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

G

oats are cleaning up another Gotham park.

The Riverside Park Conservancy unleashed 24 goats in a fenced-in

stretch of Riverside Park from 119th St. to 125th St. as part of a new “Goatham” initiative.

Hopes are that the herd will finally be able to tame the unruly area, which has become overgrown due to the prevalence of viney invasive plants, poison

ivy and a slope too steep for a lawnmower.

“It’s cheaper than machinery, cheaper than people with machinery and safer than RoundUp,” Larry Cihanek, owner of Green Goats Rhinebeck, told ABC news when he brought the goats to the park on May 21.

According to the Riverside Park Conservancy, the animals are a more environmentally friendly means to remove unwanted plants from a landscape and are much more efficient than humans.

Goats can daily consume up to 25 percent of their body weight in vegetation, including poison ivy, and can traverse places that humans cannot.

Goats have been used locally to get rid of invasive plants before, on Staten Island in 2012, when phragmites, an invasive reed, started choking the shoreline. In 2016, Brooklyn Bridge Park used four Nubian goats to tackle weeds, and the Prospect Park Alliance

enlisted the help of goats for the same reason.

But this is the first time the grassgobbling animals have been used for this purpose in Manhattan — although their close cousins, sheep, have been doing similar work for a few years in the southern part of the borough.

Since the summer of 2015, St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral on Mulberry St. has used three sheep to maintain the cemetery’s grass in the summer.

“They were the biggest hit,” said Frank Alfieri, a ministry director at the cathedral. “The only problem was the bi-product.”

According to Alfieri, the cathedral will be getting a new pastor this summer, and it will be up to him to decide if the bleating trio will return to the cemetery grounds again. The community is hopeful that they will be baa-aa-aa-ck.

Skittles, one of the grass-guzzling crew currently busily munching in Riverside Park.

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May 30, 2019

When Brooklyn (black) and Charlie (brown) take a break from challenging each other for dominance in the Riverside Park herd, they’re busy chowing down on invasive vines and other unwanted foliage.

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Eats

COURTESY MICHAELIBAKERYNYC/INSTAGRAM

Yum! A boxful of assor ted Michaeli pastries.

Michaeli Bakery: Sweetness on the inside

BY GABE HERMAN

A

great new bakery just opened on the Lower East Side, but it can easily be missed if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not looking for it.

Michaeli Bakery opened May 9 at 115A Division St., between Orchard and Ludlow Sts., one block from the East Broadway F train stop. The placeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small, unmarked storefront is modest and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do justice to the tasty treats being baked inside.

The bakery comes courtesy of Adir Michaeli, who has years of pastry chef experience in his native Israel and New York City. He led the pastry department at Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv, before moving to New York in 2013 to lead the opening team of Breads Bakery, at 18 E. 16th St., near Union Square.

The chocolate rugelach at Michaeli Bakery is rich and moist, and the potato burekas â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a dough pastry â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are also delicious. There are other savory varieties of bureka all for $2 or $3.

Other pastries include cinnamon roll,

vanilla raisin Danish, chocolate and almond croissants, and mini kugelhopf, a yeasted cake similar to brioche or Bundt cake. The pastries range from $2 to $5.

There are cookies, including shortbread, tahini, and Linzer crumble cookies. And there are cakes and pies, like babka, log cakes, Israeli cheesecake and meringue roulade. Challah breads are available on Fridays.

The shop has a small interior with a counter and seating area with six chairs near the window. The back of the store

is the baking area, and further proof of how fresh all the goods are.

During this reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit on the bakeryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second day, an employee said that business had been very good so far. They had even sold out of their vegan donuts for the day. The unassuming storefront doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be keeping away people eager to try the new treats in the neighborhood.

Michaeli Bakery is open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit michaelibakery.com.

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PHOTO BY KAREN KRAMER

Matt Pless, a young folk singer, at a peace rally in Lower Manhattan.

Times a-changin’…for protest artists

BY ROSE ADAMS

‘I

’ve always been a rebel,” says Jeremy, or “Germ,” a young poet in Karen Kramer’s latest documentary, “Renegade Dreamers.”

He speaks in a low voice, his eyes often wandering.

“But I’ve always wanted to take my rebelliousness and channel it more productively through the art of protest.”

The same could be said for all the artists in “Renegade Dreamers” — a film about New York’s protest poets and musicians that makes its U.S. premiere at Cinema Village on May 31. Through interviews and performance footage, “Renegade Dreamers” deftly weaves together the stories of three young spokenword poets and three folk singers who live on the margins, the poets chanting their verse in dimly lit cafes, the singers performing in subway stations.

Alongside their stories, Kramer interviews many of the leading figures of protest music and poetry, like Wavy Gravy, Peter Yarrow and Dave Van Ronk, who recall the Village’s rich history of the art form.

“I’ve always had an interest in people who challenge the status quo, who don’t heed to conformity,” said the film’s director, Karen Kramer. The

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Village-based filmmaker has produced several award-winning documentaries, including “The Jolo Serpent Handlers,” “Legacy of the Spirits” and “Haitian Song,” which have screened at the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian Institution and an array of international film festivals.

“I was always fascinated by the people who were able to escape the conformity of America after World War II. They came to Greenwich Village and started putting their words and their questioning into poetry,” Kramer added.

Like its subjects, “Renegade Dreamers” is both down to earth and idealistic, gritty and reminiscent.

The documentary digs deep into the Village’s history of protest music and spoken word. Impressive footage of anti-Vietnam War protests and performances at the famed Gaslight Cafe — where young artists like Bob Dylan got their start —immerse the viewer in the anti-establishment energy of that era.

Older artists wax nostalgic remembering the close community the Gaslight Cafe fostered.

But the film’s contemporary subjects bring the viewer back to the unromantic present day. Life as an outsider isn’t easy, these artists remind us. It’s lonely, uncertain. Germ and his contemporaries embody what Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie once TVG

were: artists on the fringe. Or, renegade dreamers.

This space in between past and present is where the film gains much of its strength. By contrasting 1960s protest art to today’s version, Kramer hints at how our collective memory of the past has softened, turning what was once a radical, far-left movement into little more than an entry in a mainstream textbook.

The film’s balance between today and yesterday also reveals the ways in which protest art has changed over the decades. Today’s subversive artists don’t share the same tight-knit community their predecessors did. And the issues they tackle have broadened and changed.

But despite these differences, all of the film’s renegade dreamers share the same overall vision —one that the documentary communicates subtly and skillfully.

“The film isn’t about a person, it’s not about a cause,” said Kramer. “It’s about radical optimism.”

“Renegade Dreamers” will screen from May 31 to June 6 at Cinema Village, 22 E. 12th St. Tickets $12 for adults, $8 for students and seniors. For more information, visit https://www.cinemavillage.com/Now-Playing/renegade-dreamers.html.

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Rockin’ counterculture bus a real trip

BY BOB KR ASNER

T

he Beatles had their Magical Mystery Tour, The Who sang about the “Magic Bus” and the Merry Pranksters had Furthur, about which the Grateful Dead frequently sang, “The bus came by and I got on, that’s when it all began.”

And now the Abracadabra Field Trip — the brainchild of musician Laura Newman and former “gypsy” Tycho — has the Bluebyrd, a machine that aims for counterculture status as a literal and figurative way of navigating the journey of life.

A number of times each year you can see Newman fronting a band on top of the bus at their usual stops — and occasionally while in motion between destinations. Union Square and Washington Square, the Whitney Museum and Tompkins Square are the favorite spots, where the band plays a mix of ’60s standards and Newman originals from atop the bus while “dancetigators” hit the ground and get people moving. They are frequently joined by mem-

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

From right, Tycho (“The Bus Daddy”) , Zariah, with her steering-wheel pillow, and her mom Lori, with friends, family and paying customers.

bers of the Radical Matriarchy, a group that, among other concerns, hopes to desexualize women’s bodies by being topless in public.

Newman, who sang with performanceartist preacher Reverend Billy as the “Diva of the Stop Shopping Choir” for 16 years, wanted to create an experience

that was, as she put it, “a portal into a peaceful world.”

“It’s not political — it’s about freedom of expression,” she explained. “We want to create something beautiful out of liberation and playfulness.”

Owned and operated by Tycho a.k.a.

“The Bus Daddy,” the converted school bus has been to Burning Man 10 times and has an intriguing history.

“I bought it in 2008 on eBay,” he said.

“It was a traveling reptile museum, with the largest king cobra in the U.S. It was well taken care of — nobody wants to break down with a bus full of cobras.”

With the stench of snake feces long

gone, the bus is now full of friends, family, performers and the lucky paying customers who bought space on the bus through Airbnb Experiences. Nine year-old Annie got her money’s worth, sitting for glitter makeup (as did her dad) and putting on a costume while the bus was en route to a performance. Gail, from the U.K., thought the whole thing was “fabulous.”

Newman’s mom was onboard, as well, on a day the singer chose to wear an old silk robe of her mother’s, which frequently opened wide to reveal her solidarity with the Matriarchy.

“My husband and I are ‘old hippies,’ so we are probably less affected by the extraneous antics like the partial nudity,” said mom Diana Brady-Herndon. “When I see my only child standing on top of a converted school bus in Lower Manhattan, singing and playing with a great band, I can only feel joy, pride, happiness and a sense of accomplishment for what Laura and the band have created.”

As for Newman, it’s easy for her to sum up the day.

“It’s always a beautiful scene,” she said.

The next trip will be on Sat., June 8.

For more information, check out @ abracadabratrip on Instagram or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/ abracadabratrip/ . To ride the bus, visit https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/173687.

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

Members of the Radical Matriarchy, post-per formance outside the Whitney, from left, Gravit y, Queen of Love and Hope; Heather Morowitz; and Michelle Joni.

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PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

Per formance ar t outside the Whitney Museum of American Ar t in the Meatpacking District.

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Manhattan Happenings Fri., May 31, the Whitney Museum of American Art, at 99 Gansevoort St., will host free walking tours exploring the surrounding neighborhood’s rich queer history. From the Hudson River piers to the clubs, visitors are invited to consider their connection to the changing landscape of the neighborhood the museum now occupies, as well as to the city’s history, in general. Tours begin at 6 p.m. and run every Friday until Sept.

27. To register for a tour, visit the Whitney Museum Web site, https://whitney. org

BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

MUSIC Waterfront blues: The New York City Guitar Festival will host its 20th anniversary celebration at Brookfield Place, at 230 Vesey St., on Sat., June 1, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This year, the event is a tribute to legendary blues guitarist Memphis Minnie, and will feature a free outdoor concert on the waterfront plaza of the North Cove.

A night for Amy: Singer Alexis Fishman and Mitch Winehouse, Amy Winehouse’s dad, will perform in separate shows at The Loft at City Winery, at 155 Varick St., on Thurs., May 30. The evening will benefit the Amy Winehouse Foundation, of which Winehouse’s idol, Tony Bennett, has become a big supporter. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. VIP tickets are $50, reserved tickets $40 and bar stool tickets $30. For more information about the performance visit https://citywinery.com/newyork/tickets.html/ Eastern musical mix: Two masters of Japanese music, Marco Lienhard and Masayo Ishigure, will perform traditional and modern compositions on instruments like the shakuhachi, koto

FILM

COURTESY WHITNEY MUSEUM

Before the Hudson River Park, cruising on the broken-down piers was a par t of the Village’s gay life.

and samisen with East Winds Ensemble at Resobox – East, 91 E. Third St., on Fri., May 31, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com and range from $18 to $27.

HISTORY Revisiting queer history: Starting

The Unseen Hand: Medicine From Antiquity

Canyon ’60s scene: Starting on Thurs., May 30, the Angelika Film Center, at 18 W. Houston St., will show “Echo in The Canyon,” a documentary film about how groups like The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas & the Papas birthed the beginnings the Laurel Canyon music scene and created the California sound. A Q&A session with director Andrew Slater will follow each 8:30 p.m. screening on May 30, May 31 and June 1, followed by a musical performance by Jakob Dylan, Jade Castrinos and special guest. Ticket for adults are $16. To purchase tickets, visit: www. angelikafilmcenter.com.

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B.M.C.C. gala, gift make great night

BY GABE HERMAN

T

he Borough of Manhattan Community College Foundation’s board of directors hosted a gala on May 16 that raised $922,000 for scholarships for the school’s students.

Called “Invest in a Future, Celebrate Success,” the college-boosting confab was attended by 480 people.

Honorees included Tim Gokey, C.E.O. of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., and special guest artist honoree Ashley Bouder, the founder and director of the Ashley Bouder Project and principal dancer at the New York City Ballet.

A third honoree was the Herbert and Audrey Rosenfield Fund, which announced at the gala a $1 million gift to the B.M.C.C. Foundation, to support the school’s Out in Two Program.

“These gifts bring our most talented and hard-working students closer to the careers and advanced degrees they want, in order to strengthen their communities and contribute to the world in a positive way,” said Doris Holz, vice president of development and C.O.O. of the B.M.C.C. Foundation. “Students who are awarded scholarships are nearly four times more likely to graduate within three years, than comparable nonrecipients. Not only that, gradu-

COURTESY B.M.C.C.

Tom Rosenfield, trustee of the Herber t and Audrey Rosenfield Fund, right, announced a $1 million gift to B.M.C.C., as Karrin E. Wilks, the college’s interim president, applauded.

ation rates for students who receive scholarships are close to 85 percent, compared with about 45 to 60 percent for their peers who did not receive that support.”

In acknowledgment of the $1 million gift from the Rosenfield family, a naming ceremony was held on May 20 at Shirley Fiterman Hall, at 245 Greenwich St., for the Herbert and Audrey Rosenfield Lobby.

The lobby memorializes the family’s contributions to both B.M.C.C. and Lower Manhattan, according to a B.M.C.C. statement. In 1987, Herbert Rosenfield founded the Abner B. Rosenfield Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Citizenship, in honor of his father.

LOOK FOR OUR CIRCULAR IN TODAY’S PAPER!

Herbert Rosenfield, who died in 2016 at age 97, was also a key supporter of B.M.C.C.’s move from Midtown to Chambers St. in 1983, and he was a founder of the B.M.C.C. Foundation.

He also lobbied in Albany for the Loft Law, which allowed artists to live in their lofts, in places like Soho, organized the first community cleanup in Gramercy Park in the 1960s, and helped develop programs for New York Downtown Hospital as a board trustee.

His wife, Audrey, who died in 2001, worked locally with the New York School for the Deaf, The Girl Scouts of New York and the Gramercy Park Flower Show. Audrey and Herbert both helped to found the Chambers-Canal Civic Association.

COURTESY B.M.C.C.

Members of the B.M.C.C. Foundation board.

VISIT PCRICHARD.COM FOR A STORE NEAREST YOU 22

May 30, 2019

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Lessons Learned While On The Beat

Ă&#x17D; Fallen behind on your property tax payments? We may be able to help.

By Eric L. Adams

Teaching the Value of a Dollar at an Early Age

The NYC Property Tax and Interest Deferral Program (PT AID) â&#x20AC;˘ Helps you stay in your home and keep your property out of the tax lien sale â&#x20AC;˘ Defers a portion or, in some cases, all of your property tax payments â&#x20AC;˘

payments â&#x20AC;˘ Sets up either short-term or long-term payment plans

As a child, I knew lean times â&#x20AC;&#x201C; times when I had to forego things my classmates had and could afford.

At one time or another Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard â&#x20AC;&#x153;sorry, but those sneakers are just too expensive, and we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to buy those right now.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I made so many mistakes as a young man because I never had a background in basic financial education, and I wasted so much money.

I believe we need financial education taught to every young New Yorker so they can have an early start on establishing a bright financial future. Teaching these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;soft skillsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is foundational, like ensuring the gears of a machine are properly oiled, to closing the inequality gap and helping create self-sufficient families. Recently, I put my support behind S.2452/A.1357, legislation that would establish a financial education curriculum in grades 9 through 12 across New York State.

At least five states currently require a personal finance course to graduate high school, including Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia; in September, New Jersey will require all middle schools to offer financial education.

Since arriving at Brooklyn Borough Hall, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve committed to improving the financial literacy of all Brooklynites, including an understanding of how money works, how one earns and manages it, and how to invest or donate to help others in need.

Partnering with organizations in the financial services, grassroots, and small business communities, my administration has organized and supported hundreds of free educational opportunities across the borough since 2014, which have taught nearly 4,500 residents the necessary skills to make wise everyday financial decisions. I declare every April to be Financial Education Empowerment Month in Brooklyn, highlighting the importance for families to make smart budgeting decisions, avoid financial scams, and monitor their expenses. Still, these efforts are no substitute for classroom instruction at an early age, helping young men and women avoid the pitfalls that can handicap their opportunities.

It is of the utmost urgency that our children and grandchildren learn to navigate the world of personal finance at an early age.

Learn more and apply at www.nyc.gov/ptaid.

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Eric L. Adams Implementing a financial education curriculum has been demonstrated to improve studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; credit scores and increase savings rates. This is particularly impactful when we consider the number of millennials who are concerned about their finances. A 2016 survey from Bank of America found that only 16 percent of Americans between ages 18 to 26 are very optimistic about their financial future, which for many includes part of the trillions of dollars in student debt that our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s borrowers carry. Perhaps even more alarming, a 2018 report

by Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households indicated that a full forty percent of American households did not have enough money to cover a $400 emergency expense. Many more families are struggling on top of that when we note differences in education levels, race, ethnicity and geography.

As borough president, I realize that Brooklyn cannot thrive if its families canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t survive on their finances. All Brooklyn families also want their children to thrive, and be assured their children will be able to survive and overcome challenges that they may face in the future, by getting a head-start on financial literacy. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why a holistic 21st century education needs to include financial education.

Eric L. Adams is borough president of Brooklyn. He served 22 years in the New York City Police Department (NYPD), retiring at the rank of captain, as well as represented District 20 in the New York State Senate from 2006 until his election as borough president in 2013.

May 30, 2019

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Real Estate

You’ll feel expansive thanks to 18-foot-high ceilings at this offering at 27 W. 67th St.

Light and height, the artistic ideal

BY MARTHA WILKIE Twenty-seven W. 67th St. has a duplex co-op with two beds and two-and-a-half baths, a dramatic northfacing window, and 18-foot ceilings. The windowed eat-in-kitchen is sparkling white. There’s a private terrace and multiple walk-in closets, plus a full laundry room. $3.25 million.

(A ndersaust adte a m.elli ma n.c om /new-yorkcity/27-west-67-street-1fe-manhattan-osnhcxj)

I

once went to a party in the historic Hotel des Artistes building, at 1 W. 67th St., on Artists’ Row. Walking into this dramatic space was one of those “only in New York” moments. The living room had the tallest ceilings I’d ever seen in a home, with a spectacular huge window.

Agent Shaun Anders, with Douglas Elliman, knows homes on this block are exceptional.

“Twenty-seven W. 67th St. was designed for artists by architects Sturgis & Simonson, in 1902, as the first of eight buildings on W. 67th St., just off Central Park,” he noted. “The duplex loft units feature unique 18-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings, with wood-burning fireplaces, and oversized windows highlighting the true northern light which artists desire.”

Artists need light and space. Painter Vivian Reiss recently moved to Murray Hill from Toronto.

“I’ve always had a home studio,” she said. “In my move to New York City, I sought to recreate the Gesamkunstwerk of my last place — a perfect synergy of home and art.”

She found a beautiful historic townhouse in Murray Hill, but it needed to be adapted to her needs.

“I took down walls to provide the biggest space possible and added skylights,” she said.

Do you dream of the artist’s life? Here are four homes that fit the bill. Although good luck finding a $200-a-month, rent-regulated pad with a huge window in the West Village, like Monica from “Friends” enjoyed:

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May 30, 2019

Nearby, at 15 W. 67th St. there’s a two-bedroom, two-bath co-op with 11-foot ceilings, and “towering conservatory windows.” Charming period bathrooms, but some might find the kitchen a little dark and dated. Well-priced (considering the neighborhood) at $1.725 million.

(Corcoran.com/nyc-real-estate/for-sale/upperwest-side/15-west-67th-street-apt-2r/5443524) Not an atelier per se, but a pretty studio rental on W. 69th St. sports large windows and tall ceilings.

It’d make a charming home for an artist. The sleeping loft is cleverly arranged above a kitchen with chic, compact appliances. $2,895 per month.

(Bondnewyork.com/upper-west-side/apartmentfor-rent/14-w-69-street-7/1527355)

Enter this Gothic-style building and enjoy “towering conser vator y windows.”

CNW

A stunning Greek Revival townhouse on W. Fourth St. has a top-floor room with a dramatic skylight that would make an incredible artist’s space, though not for a starving artist. $19.995 million.(Lesliegarfield. com/properties/new-york/sale/313-west-4th) Schneps Media

Women’s bodies in the crossfire Pro-choice activists rallied at Middle Collegiate Church at E. Seventh St. and Second Ave. in the East Village last Tues., May 21, during a day of national protests against new antiabor tion bans in Southern and Midwestern states. The demonstrators warned that those actions are setting the countr y on course for a showdown over Roe v. Wade in the U.S. Supreme Cour t. Detective Jaime Hernandez, of Ninth Precinct community affairs, said about 100 people turned out at the East Village event. There was also a larger rally at Foley Square down by the cour ts.

PHOTO BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

PHOTO BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

PHOTO BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

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