Manhattan Express - May 30, 2019

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V isit us online a t w w w. M anha t t an E x pr e s s .co m

MIDTOWN, UPPER EAST & WEST SIDES

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 10

Rev-olted

Residents fed up with Le Reve Page 8 An image for a Halloween par t y at Le Reve par tly captures neighbors’ feelings toward the E. 50s club.

MAY 30 – JUNE 12, 2019

Park gets its goats

Weed whacking, naturally, in Riverside Park Page 16 Brooklyn, above, is on the eat beat.

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1 M E T R O T E C H • N YC 112 0 1 • © 2 0 19 S C H N E P S M E D I A


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‘We can fix it’: Parkland dad on guns BY GABE HERMAN

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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

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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 - June 12, 2019

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Police Blotter bottles of Pepcid AC tabs, $380 worth of Mucinex DM tabs and $260 worth Zantac tabs. Cops say there has been a citywide pattern of these particular items being stolen. There is currently a citywide investigation ongoing.

19th Precinct Knife threat A man was arrested for threatening to stab a Walgreens employee on May 5, according to police. Cops were called at around 6:15 p.m. when a man whipped out a knife and threatened to stab an employee, 29, and her co-workers if they did not stop following him throughout the store. According to police, when officers arrived at the location, at 1328 Second Ave., at E. 71st St., the man stepped toward the employee while reaching for a knife in his back pocket. Officers were able to disarm him before anyone was harmed.

Century 21 shoplift A man tried to rob the Century 21 department store at 1972 Broadway, at W. 66th St., on May 9. According to police, at 1:20 p.m., a 29-year-old man shopping in the store began switching the tags on expensive items with cheaper ones and tried to exit the place’s back door with $1,141.35 worth of clothing. The Brooklyn native was stopped by an employee and returned the goods, including a $20 Billionaire Boys Club hat, $340 Versace Collection jacket, $260 Versace Collection pants, and two Versace Collection sweaters, one costing $130 and the other $300. Police arrested the attempted shoplifter.

Takeout Island Restaurant, at 1305 Madison Ave., at E. 93rd St., was robbed on May 5, police said. A roughly 20-year-old man walked into the place through the front door around 9:37 a.m. Although Island was not open for business, the door was open. He swiped an iPhone 6s worth about $150, plus $2.50 worth of quarters from the cash register.

Crooked game A phone scammer posing as an AppleCare employee swindled a 70-yearold woman out of $7,000 on May 20, police said. According to police, the phony AppleCare caller convinced the victim that she had pornography on her computer and that, in order to get rid of it, she had to buy GameStop and Google Play gift cards. She purchased four GameStop cards for $500 each and 10 Google Play cards, also for $500 each.

OJ assault Police say they are looking for a couple who attacked a woman and beat her with a large bottle of orange juice. On May 21, a customer at Blue Moon Deli & Grocery, at 1773 First Ave., near E. 92nd St., turned around and asked a male customer if she could get him anything while she was checking out at the cash register. “Bitch, I don’t want you. I got a girl and don’t look at me,” he reportedly responded. According to police, the woman tried to calm down the irate man by saying,

Bad show

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

Police say this man stabbed another man after an argument.

a man riding an electric scooter. Things escalated into a physical altercation, and the scooter rider stabbed the other man in the abdomen with an unknown object, causing a small laceration. The attacker fled on his scooter westbound on 51st St. An E.M.S. ambulance transported the victim to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. Police released surveillance video of the suspect, who is described as 20 to 30 years old, and last seen wearing a dark hoodie and camouflage pants.

“It’s O.K.” and “Not that serious.” But the woman was then punched in the face by the man’s girlfriend, who was standing beside him. The man then joined in the attack and, at one point, picked up a large plastic bottle of Tropicana orange juice and repeatedly hit the woman over the head with it. After beating the woman, the couple snatched her $1,200 iPhone XR from her hand and $250 from her right front pants pocket before fleeing. When police arrived at the deli, the victim complained of head pain and was taken to Metropolitan Hospital Center by ambulance.

20th Precinct

Midtown North

Medication pattern Police say they are looking for a couple who stole nearly $1,500 worth of medication from a Duane Reade on April 15. According to police, the pair entered the chain drugstore’s 4 Amsterdam Ave. location, at W. 59th St., at 9:09 p.m. and removed $500 worth of Flonase spray bottles, $320 worth of

Scooter stabber An argument on the street turned physical at 835 Eighth Ave., between W. 50th and W. 51st Sts., according to police. On Sun., May 19, at 11 p.m., a 56-year-old man got into a dispute with

A 71-year-old woman had her bag stolen during a show at Lincoln Center on May 16. After taking her seat in the Lincoln Center Atrium at 7 p.m., the victim placed her purse on the floor to the left of her feet. About 30 minutes into the performance, she looked down and realized the purse was gone. Her $150 sunglasses, along with a wallet containing multiple credit cards and $4,000 in cash were taken, along with the $2,000 Burberry handbag. The next day, a stranger came to the woman’s building on W. 66th St., and returned her wallet. The credit cards were inside but the $4,000 was gone.

Bike rustler A bicycle thief is targeting 100 Freedom Place, in the Riverside South complex. On May 11, a resident reported his $2,000 Cannondale Trail bike missing from the building’s bike room at 4:30 p.m. On May 17, a resident went to the bike room and noticed his $690 Giant Express 150 bicycle was damaged and that his $1,200 Giant Escape N150 bike had been stolen.

Alejandra O’ConnellDomenech

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

May 30 - June 12, 2019

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Le Reve club a nightmare: C.B. 5 BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

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car speeds the wrong direction along E. 54th St., forcing two pedestrians crossing the street to jump out of the way and fall on the sidewalk. The driver parks in front of Le Reve, a small nightclub nestled in the middle of a block of restaurants and residential buildings. The guy steps out of the car, rips off his shirt and angrily looks for someone in the crowd outside the club. Witnesses say he looked intoxicated. Eventually, two men help him back to his car. “It’s like this most weekends,” said Jorge Colon, the doorman at 135 E. 54th St., one of the two residential buildings neighboring Le Reve. Colon has worked at the building seven years and noticed a change in the behavior of Le Reve’s patrons three summers ago. In short, Le Reve, “the dream” in French, has become a complete nightmare, neighbors say. According to Colon, partiers started becoming more aggressive, especially once they exited the nightclub after an afternoon and evening of drinking. During the weekends, Le Reve is open from 2 p.m. until 4 a.m. and patrons will take part in “day parties.” But it has been within the last year that the loud music, yelling patrons, loitering, public urination and fights have become unbearable. “It’s gotten so bad that I almost got assaulted today,” said Colon, visibly shaken, during an interview with this paper on May 12. Earlier that afternoon, he and a resident heard shouting outside coming from the direction of Le Reve. When they stepped out of 135 E. 54th St.’s lobby to investigate, Colon said that he was approached by an intoxicated 20-something man who asked him what he was looking at and threatened to slap him. Security from Le Reve quickly came by to help Colon and eventually got the drunken man, and the group of other patrons behind him, to leave. Soon residents might be freed from their weekend ordeal. Community Board 5 recently voted in favor of an advi-

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May 30 - June 12, 2019

A promo piece for a Halloween par t y at Le Reve par tly reflects the communit y’s feeling about the place.

COURTESY GOOGLE MAPS

Le Reve has an unassuming entranceway but has become a big problem on its block, according to Board 5 and neighbors. MEX

sory resolution denying renewal of the club’s liquor license. According to the New York State Liquor Authority, Le Reve filed for the renewal on April 15. But the bar is currently under investigation by the S.L.A., which filed four violations against the place for noise, disorderly conduct and poor supervision. A hearing is scheduled for June 6. Only then can an official decision on the license renewal be had. Le Reve could not be reached for comment on the status of its liquor-license renewal application. C.B. 5 decided to recommend denial of the liquor license because of noise and assault complaints, its unorthodox security measures and the high number of police visits to the hot spot. “The fact that the operator sees the need to dress and equip their employees in tactical gear, including bulletproof vests, and arm them with pepper spray, shoe spikes and metal batons, is clear evidence that the premises is out of control,” the resolution states. Last year, 18 police reports were filed about incidents occurring at Le Reve. The majority of the reports were for instances of larceny and assault. One of the more violent incidents occurred on July 1, 2018, when three young women were slashed across their faces with box cutters and beaten with a belt during a fight, resulting in six arrests. In September 2018, the S.L.A. entered into a settlement agreement with Le Reve regarding “various offenses,” the resolution notes. Nevertheless, the problems persisted, including an incident last Nov. 11, when a Le Reve employee allegedly falsely identified himself as a police officer and used pepper spray to control an unruly patron. So far this year, there have been five police reports filed regarding incidents of harassment, assault and graffiti at Le Reve. Cops were called to the club on Sat., May 11, and Sun., May 12, but police were unable to provide incident reports for those two dates. Schneps Media


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Project has led in saving L.G.B.T. sites BY GABE HERMAN

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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,

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May 30 - June 12, 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 incorpoMEX

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/. Schneps Media


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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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Attend the Open House on Saturday, June 22 to tour the main campus, try out a minilesson with a professor, and feel what it’s like to and professional obliga- be a BMCC Panther! tions. Reserve your spot www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ BMCC has forged cng transfer agreements with top colleges, and mainStart Here. Go Anytains unique partner- where. Schneps Media


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

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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,

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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

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Park got its goats: ‘Safer than RoundUp’ BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

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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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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. TVG

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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 you’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 place’s small, unmarked storefront is modest and doesn’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 — a dough pastry — 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 reporter’s visit on the bakery’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 doesn’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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May 30, 2019

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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. Schneps Media


Rockin’ counterculture bus a real trip BY BOB KR ASNER

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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. Schneps Media

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

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

May 30, 2019

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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.

THE HILARIOUS MUSICAL COMEDY RETURNS

NOW THRU JUNE 16!

A school to preserve the practice and training of an ancient living tradition of medicine

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All are welcome at our upcoming events in NYC: At the Kitchen Table: A 10-Year Conversation Magic, Medicine and Mastery (Free and open to the public)

June 7. 6:30 -8:30 pm 308 West 30th Street #1C Streetlamp June

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“AN EARLY SUMMER DELIGHT! ...COMFORT FOOD FOR THE MUSICAL THEATRE SOUL.

IT’S HYSTERICAL!” –TheateMania

YORKTHEATRE.ORG | (212) 935-5820 | #YORKENTERLAUGHING ENTRANCE ON 54TH STREET JUST EAST OF LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK

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PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

This year’s Clara Lemlich Award recipients, from left, Doris Diether, Dr. Melissa Freeman, Ronnie Eldridge, Philoine Fried and Elba Cabrera.

Village’s Diether honored for activism BY TEQUIL A MINSK Y

W

hile fashionistas were recently showing off their wildest creations and tying up traffic around the Metropolitan Museum, a heartfelt gathering was taking place

stellar women among their own. Labor Arts started the Clara Lemlich Awards ceremony on the 100th anniversary of the deadliest industrial fire in New York City, the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in Greenwich Village, in which 146 garment workers died. Each year, the event honors five women over age 80 working most of their lives in the tradition of those who sparked reforms in the Triangle fire’s aftermath. Clara Lemlich led a life of activism and impact, continuing from when, at the age of 23 in 1909, at The Cooper Union’s Great Hall, this immigrant interrupted union labor leader Samuel Gompers shouting, “I have something to say!” Her inspiring speech led to an unexpected vote to strike, which would become known as the Uprising of 20,000. The awards honor those who follow in her footsteps. “These women are entirely inspirational,” said Esther Cohen, co-founder of the event, greeting the packed room. “They are strong and certain and intelligent and unexpected and fighting still!” Among the five recipients was Village icon Doris Diether, introduced by housing activist Katie Goldstein, the daughter of Donna Schaper, pastor of Judson Church. Diether, 90, Manhattan’s longestserving — 52 years — community board member, is not shy when it comes to going up against powerful figures. She started her lifetime of activism with a protest against Robert Moses over a plan to do away with Shakespeare in the Park. During her acceptance remarks, Diether talked about organizing strate-

just a bit farther Uptown on Fifth Ave. On the Museum of the City of New York’s piazza overlooking Central Park, community organizers and labor activists mingled for a simple reception, entertained by the New York City Labor Chorus. They gathered to recognize

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gies. She and her activist friends — including, notably, Jane Jacobs — divided the Village into mini-regions, each one with a group of neighbors similarly committed. When important hearings took place, each activist showed up with numbers of Villagers taking a stand. Another honoree was Melissa Freeman, a Harlem-based doctor, granddaughter of a slave. She has been practicing medicine since 1961, and is on the front line of opioid-addiction treatment. Elba Cabrera, a supporter of Latino artists, who, with her two sisters, changed New York’s cultural landscape, particularly the Bronx, also received an award. At age 102, the oldest recipient this year was Philoine Fried, daughter of legendary labor leaders Bessie Abramowitz and Sydney Hillman. She worked for decades with the Jewish Labor Committee and is a founding member of the New York Labor History Association. Lifelong feminist and former politician Ronnie Eldridge was among this year’s youngest honorees. Eldridge advocated for women as a special assistant to Mayor John Lindsay and was the only female in Governor Mario Cuomo’s cabinet and later represented the Upper West Side in the City Council from 1989 to 2001. “There were a few of the previous honorees in the audience over 100!” Cohen glowingly noted. Indeed, among them were Bea Klier, 102, an early scientist, as well as Naomi Replansky, a prize-winning poet/activist, who turned 101 on May 23. A plethora of speakers connected to civic commitment by work, politics, family and heart gave remarks. In the spirit of Clara Lemlich, attendees affi xed buttons provided that read, “I have something to say!” Schneps Media


Lessons Learned While On The Beat

ĂŽ 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) • Helps you stay in your home and keep your property out of the tax lien sale • Defers a portion or, in some cases, all of your property tax payments • payments • Sets up either short-term or long-term payment plans

As a child, I knew lean times – times when I had to forego things my classmates had and could afford. At one time or another I’ve heard “sorry, but those sneakers are just too expensive, and we can’t afford to buy those right now.� “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 ‘soft skills’ 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, I’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 students’ 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 nation’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 can’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. That’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 - June 12, 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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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.” MEX

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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There are lot of ways to describe AFib. Make sure you know what to listen for. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) have a 5 times greater risk of stroke. We have guidelines and tools that may help you diagnose faster and more easily support your patients.

For more on how to expand your AFib approach visit Heart.org/AfibTools Made possible with funding from Š 2019 American Heart Association, Inc. a 501c(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.

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