The local paper for Downtown wn WEEK OF JANUARY
SITTING NG DOWN WITH THE D.A.
15-21
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2015
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THE COST OF THE POLICE SLOWDOWN NEWS Though the reduction in ticketing and summons seems to be easing, its effect was most-felt in areas with traffic-safety problems BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
While Police Commissioner William Bratton appears to have put an end to the NYPD’s two-week-long reduction
In Brief IN MANHATTAN, HUNDREDS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF FRANCE
in summons activity, the slowdown seems to have been steepest in the area of Vision Zero enforcement. The initiative is being driven by Mayor Bill de Blasio, and is already credited with having saved lives by reducing the speed limit citywide to 25 miles per hour and putting in place a host of traffic safety improvements, as well as enacting legislation
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
TURNING GRIEF INTO ACTION NEWS Traffic victims and families press D.A.’s to prosecute drivers in pedestrian fatalities BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS
Families for Safe Streets staged a rally Sunday calling on New York district attorneys to take more seriously cases where reckless drivers kill or injure pedestrians. Photo by Daniel Fitzsimmons
© xprtshot/Bigstock.com
Do you know where this is?
Emma Blumstein. Seth Kahn. Kelly Gordon. Ella Bendes. Sammy Cohen. Cooper Stock. Their faces peered out from pictures held by family members who gathered Sunday on the steps of City Hall. Those holding the pictures were all members of Families for Safe Streets, and all have lost their loved ones
to collisions with vehicles on the streets of New York. Many held another sign that read “No Charges Filed,” a statement that’s become a rallying cry in the effort to get the five New York district attorneys to prosecute drivers that, due to negligence or recklessness, kill or seriously injure a pedestrian. “Crashes caused by aggressive driving are not accidents. When drivers make turns at full speed without even looking, or speed through intersections and kill people, D.A.s never press charges,” said Amy Cohen, a founding
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
Hundreds of mostly Frenchspeaking New Yorkers held pens aloft at a rally Saturday to insist on freedom of expression while decrying a deadly terror attack on a Paris satirical publication. The demonstrators braved below-freezing temperatures in Washington Square Park, where a leather-clad pole dancer gyrated in a provocative display meant to reflect the over-the-top cartoons in the magazine Charlie Hebdo. The dancer’s live soundtrack came from a concert grand piano hauled into the Manhattan square for the occasion as she twirled under a sign that read “Je suis Charlie.” French for “I am Charlie,” the words have emerged as a global rallying cry since two gunmen with assault rifles killed 12 people last Wednesday at the Paris headquarters of the magazine. Olivier Souchard, a French-born New York resident who brought his family and friends, explained the fierce support for freedom of expression that drove Charlie Hebdo’s images of the prophet Mohammed. “What we are afraid of is less freedom for more security, it’s muzzling,” Souchard said. He said he’s been in touch with his friend Philippe Lancon, a Charlie Hebdo columnist who is recovering from surgery after being shot in the face in the attack. In France on Saturday, hundreds of thousands gathered in cities from Toulouse in the south to Rennes in the west.
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2 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS CHECK
CITY TO LIFT CELL PHONE BAN IN SCHOOLS
Saturday, January 17 12pm – 3pm Westbeth Community Room 155 Bank St (b/t West St & Washington St)
Bring clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, house wares, electronics, books & toys that you no longer need. No furniture or large items. Take home something new-to-you, free! You don’t have to bring something to take something.
GrowNYC.org/Swap email recycle@grownyc.org call 212.788.0227 GrowNYC’s Office of Recycling Outreach and Education is a NYC Department of Sanitation funded program
Mayor Bill de Blasio will lift a longtime ban on cellphones in New York City public schools, ending a widely unpopular practice and bringing the city in line with other large school districts. De Blasio, who announced the policy change Wednesday afternoon during a news conference at a Brooklyn school, said the new plan will go into effect March 2. The rule requiring cellphones and electronic devices like iPads to be left at home was put in place by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg to address concerns about cheating, theft and the risk of students using their phones to summon a crowd for a fight. But the ban has never been enforced consistently. At schools without metal detectors, many students bring phones and keep them stowed in their backpacks. But most schools in the 88 buildings with metal detectors enforce the ban, and some students at those schools pay $1 a day to store their phones in a van or at a local business. De Blasio promised to overturn the ban during his 2013 mayoral campaign. Each school will have an individualized policy determined by its principal, with input from parents and teachers, according to Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina. The three most common choices will likely be for the students to store them in their backups for the day, to be allowed to use them during lunch or in other designated areas or to be allowed to occasionally use them in the classroom for instructional purposes. Students who violate the guidelines and are spotted using their phones at prohibited times — or for illicit purposes — risk having their devices confiscated, Farina said. Mona Davids, president of the New York City Parents Union, said she welcomed the change in policy. “As parents, we will feel more comfortable knowing we can keep in contact with our children while they are commuting to school,” Davids said. Allowing phones inside a school but telling students to keep them stowed during class will mirror policies of other districts such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. Under
Students will soon be permitted to bring their cell phones into public schools, where administrators will craft their own school cell phone policies. the new rules, principals and teachers will decide how to handle cellphones in schools.
MATZO FACTORY MOVING FROM L.E.S. TO NEW JERSEY A family-owned matzo factory that’s operated from tenement buildings on the Lower East Side for 90 years is moving the operation to New Jersey. Streit’s Matzo owner Alan Adler says the business has outgrown the four adjoining buildings it occupies. He says the decision to close the factory was difficult. But he says the old ovens slow productivity and newer ones are too big for the converted tenement buildings. Matzo is unleavened bread that is central to the Jewish Passover holiday. Adler says the factory plans to cease production in April and move to its facility in Moonachie, New Jersey, by the end of May. Streit’s Matzo has been a part of Lower Manhattan’s history since the early 1900s when it was a flourishing immigrant neighborhood. AP
MAN ARRESTED AFTER CRASHING INTO PORT AUTHORITY POLICE CAR Authorities say they have arrested a man who made anti-police statements after he crashed his car into two parked vehicles and a Port Authority police car in Manhattan. It happened just before 8 p.m. Wednesday near the Holland Tunnel on Varick Street at the intersection of Watts Street. Witnesses told the Post he was yelling that he wanted to “kill cops.” Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentangelo says the man,
who was driving a grey Audi with a Pennsylvania plate, claimed he had smoked PCP and “wanted to take out a police officer.” He says officers found what appeared to be synthetic marijuana in the car. The Post identified the man as Matthew Christian Cash, a 24-yearold from Pennyslvania. Cash reportedly has a long arrest record, including charges of assault against a girlfriend and his five-year-old son, who was injured when Cash threw a bag of oranges at the child’s face. The 24-year-old man was hospitalized in stable condition after being arrested on charges of attempted aggravated assault, terroristic threats and reckless driving. It wasn’t clear if he had a lawyer. New York Post
311 CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE HAS RECORD YEAR Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City’s customer service hotline had its busiest year ever in 2014. The 311 line received over 28 million customer contacts. It surpassed the previous high, set in 2011, by 16 percent. New Yorkers can use the number to get information on a wide range of city services and issues. They include reporting a lack of heat, enrolling in prekindergarten and checking on alternate side of the street parking regulations. Most customers call 311 but the service can also be accessed online or by texting. The 311 service was created by de Blasio’s datadriven predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, in 2003. Its call center is in Lower Manhattan. The website can accommodate more than 50 languages. AP
JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 3
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG
NO TICKETS IN TIMES SQUARE OVER NEW YEAR’S Of all the statistics from the recent New Year’s Eve in Times Square — 1 million revelers, 2,000 pounds of confetti, thousands of police officers, dozens of surveillance cameras — there is one number that stands out: zero, as in zero tickets for low-level crimes. No tickets for having an open container of alcohol, no tickets for public urination, no tickets for double parking, no tickets for furry, costumed characters hassling tourists to take their picture. Add in low-level arrests, and there was just one, for a subway-related offense. And that wasn’t just on New Year’s Eve. That was for the entire week containing the holiday. During the Christmas week, when the neon-lit streets were every bit as jammed, the total for such infractions was 23 — compared to more than 650 summonses per week the previous year, according to police statistics. Times Square is perhaps the most jarring example of a slowdown in low-level enforcement across New York City amid tension between rank-and-file police and Mayor Bill de Blasio, whom they accuse of encouraging violence against cops by siding with protesters after the chokehold death of Eric Garner. The 14-block precinct in the heart of Times Square was among at least seven across the city where not a single summons was issued for parking, moving or criminal violations during New Year’s week — a statistic that makes some people nervous. To Army veteran Hortensia LaCorbiniere, police aren’t in a position to back off on doing any part of their jobs, whatever the reason. “Their orders are to protect and serve,” LaCorbiniere said as she went to a medical appointment in another precinct with zero tickets on the East Side. “You do your job, or you get out of that occupation.” The slowdown in enforcement hasn’t translated to a rise in crime. In the past two weeks, reports of serious crimes were down to 3,704 from 4,130 in the same period a year earlier.
MONCLER MON DIEU Individual shoplifters pose enough of a menace, but a gang of them? At 6:31 p.m. on
CLUB MONACO TO GO
Friday, January 2, ten to twelve men entered the Moncler store at 90 Prince Street. Acting in concert, they removed seven jackets from hangers and fled the location on foot. Video is available of the robbery. Merchandise stolen included a Moncler jacket valued at $1,520, a Canmore jacket priced at $1,120, a Rambouillet jacket tagged at $1,900, a Dinan jacket worth $1,150, a Harry jacket valued at $1,900, an Ernest jacket tagged at $1,490, and a Brive jacket priced at $1,480. The total amount of the jacked jackets came to $10,560.
Yet another conniving couple hit another local shop. At 3 p.m. on Monday, January 5, a man and woman entered the Club Monaco store at 121 Prince Street. The woman removed merchandise from a shelf and concealed it in her bag, while the man removed merchandise from a shelf and concealed it under his jacket. Both perpetrators then left the store, fleeing westbound on Prince. Video is available of the robbery. The items stolen were twenty Club Monaco Sonic denim jeans with a total value of $3,000.
CAN-DO BURGLAR
UNEASY AT AĒSOP
A strong thief put a garbage can to bad use. At 6 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, a 30-yearold man threw a metal garbage can through the front window of the Coach store at 143 Prince Street and stole merchandise. Video is available of the breakin. The items taken included two Crosby carryalls each valued at $398, a Crosby Mini carryall priced at $298, an embossed shoulder bag valued at $375, six Edie shoulder bags in a variety of colors, each worth $375, and four New Refined Moto jackets, priced at $1,195 apiece. The total value of the stolen merchandise came to $8,499.
Aesop’s latest fable involves burglary. At 9:24 a.m. on Sunday, January 4, a pedestrian passing by the Aēsop store at 438 West Broadway called police to report that the shop’s front door had been smashed. When a 22-yearold male employee arrived at the boutique, he found that a computer and quantity of hand balm had been taken. There was no video of the break-in, as the cameras outside the store were not working. Police searched the area but could not locate the burglars or their booty. The items stolen were a MacBook Air valued at $1,200 and a supply of Resurrection hand balm tagged at $291, making a total of $1,491.
DOUBLE TROUBLE A couple favored robbery therapy over retail therapy. At 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 30, a woman held open the front door of the 75 Greene store while her male accomplice grabbed items from the front window. The two perpetrators then ran out of the store. Video is available of the theft. The merchandise stolen included a pair of Chanel Flower boots valued at $5,000 and a Trapeze Suede Celine bag priced at $3,000, making a total of $8,000.
MURRAY WORRY A bus stop proved a poor parking spot for an electric bicycle. At 1:50 p.m. on Monday, July 5, a 37-year-old man from Jersey City chained up his electric bicycle to the M9 bus pole in front of 41 Murray Street and left to take a walk. When he returned at 3:20 p.m., he found that his bike was gone. Police searched the area but could not locate the missing two-wheeler. The electric bike was black in color and carried a value of $1,460.
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1ST PRECINCT Report covering the week 12/28/14 through 1/4/2015 Week to Date
Year to Date
2014 2013
% Change
2014
2013
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
0
0
n/a
Rape
0
0
n/a
0
0
n/a
Robbery
0
2
-100
0
2
-100
Felony Assault
2
2
0
0
2
-100
Burglary
6
2
200
4
1
300
Grand Larceny
12
15
-20
6
9
-33.3
Grand Larceny Auto
0
1
-100
0
0
n/a
212.336.6520 chelseapiers.com/fh
4 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
THE COST OF THE POLICE SLOWDOWN
Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 7th Precinct
19 ½ Pitt St.
212-477-7311
NYPD 6th Precinct
233 W. 10th St.
212-741-4811
NYPD 10th Precinct
230 W. 20th St.
212-741-8211
NYPD 13th Precinct
230 E. 21st St.
NYPD 1st Precinct
16 Ericsson Place
212-477-7411 212-334-0611
FIRE FDNY Engine 15
25 Pitt St.
311
FDNY Engine 24/Ladder 5
227 6th Ave.
311
FDNY Engine 28 Ladder 11
222 E. 2nd St.
311
FDNY Engine 4/Ladder 15
42 South St.
311
ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin
165 Park Row #11
Councilmember Rosie Mendez
237 1st Ave. #504
212-587-3159 212-677-1077
Councilmember Corey Johnson
224 W. 30th St.
212-564-7757
State Senator Daniel Squadron
250 Broadway #2011
212-298-5565
Community Board 1
49 Chambers St.
212-442-5050
Community Board 2
3 Washington Square Village
212-979-2272
Community Board 3
59 E. 4th St.
212-533-5300
Community Board 4
330 W. 42nd St.
212-736-4536
Hudson Park
66 Leroy St.
212-243-6876
Ottendorfer
135 2nd Ave.
212-674-0947
Elmer Holmes Bobst
70 Washington Square
212-998-2500
COMMUNITY BOARDS
LIBRARIES
HOSPITALS New York-Presbyterian
170 William St.
Mount Sinai-Beth Israel
10 Union Square East
212-844-8400
212-312-5110
CON EDISON
4 Irving Place
212-460-4600
TIME WARNER
46 East 23rd
813-964-3839
US Post Office
201 Varick St.
212-645-0327
US Post Office
128 East Broadway
212-267-1543
US Post Office
93 4th Ave.
212-254-1390
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 designed to keep pedestrians safe. Whether officers purposely cut down on enforcing traffic law over their feud with the mayor is impossible to prove. What is known, though, is that during the height of the slowdown statistics on parking tickets and moving violations fell off at a much higher rate than in other enforcement areas. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, the second week of the slowdown, police in the 24th Precinct on the Upper West Side issued zero parking tickets and zero moving violations, according to CompStat records. Last year over the same week officers in the 24th issued 188 parking tickets and 152 moving violations, which includes the everimportant summons for failing to yield to a pedestrian. Citing department policy, 24th Precinct officers declined to comment. That same trend applies to police in the 20th Precinct, which covers the lower half of the Upper West Side. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, police issued three parking tickets and zero moving violations. Last year over the same period they gave out 180 and 125, respectively. Contrasting another enforcement area, police in the 24th Precinct made 22 arrests compared to 40 over the same period last year, and police in the 20th Precinct made 22 arrests compared to 24 last year. While
traffic enforcement is of a much different stripe than say, having to arrest an individual who poses a threat to the public, the comparison is noteworthy. The trend also holds on the Upper East Side. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, police in the 19th Precinct issued 16 parking tickets compared to 310 over the same period last year, and 10 moving violations compared to 175 last year. Police in the contiguous 23rd Precinct issued 16 parking tickets compared to 225 last year and two moving violations compared to 69 last year. In Lower Manhattan, police in the 1st Precinct gave out zero parking tickets and zero moving violations. Over the same period last year, those numbers are 271 and 129, respectively. In the 5th Precinct, which covers Chinatown, Little Italy and Two Bridges, police issued zero parking tickets and just one moving violation from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4. Last year over the same period they gave out 134 parking tickets and 109 moving violations. Officers in the 7th Precinct, which is responsible for the Lower East Side, gave out 21 parking tickets compared to 143 last year and zero moving violations compared to 75 last year. On the Upper West Side, where a woman was struck and killed on New Year’s Eve and a 10-year-old girl was struck on Jan. 7, Council Member Helen Rosenthal said a slowdown damages the trust that most New Yorkers, the majority of which support the police and their mission, place in the
NYPD. “A work slowdown is not the answer to whatever grievances police officers or their representatives may have with administration policy or the environment in which uniform officers operate,” Rosenthal said. “The great confidence most New Yorkers have in the NYPD rests in police officers putting one hundred percent effort into their work, acting professionally and in many cases heroically. A work slowdown undermines this public trust.” Across the city, pedestrian safety has taken center stage as the visibility of fatalities -- many of them involving children -- has risen. Pedestrian safety advocates have since called for New York’s five district attorneys to treat such cases involving reckless drivers as potential crimes instead of accidents. Several elected officials have lent their support to that cause, and Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson recently announced the formation of his District Attorney Driver Accountability Initiative. In a 24th Precinct Council meeting just days before the assassination of officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in Brooklyn on Dec. 20, police reported a 519 percent overall jump in speeding tickets on the year. In 2013, police in the 24th issued just 58 speeding tickets. In 2014, as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero drive to decrease pedestrian deaths, police in the precinct issued 359. Additionally, over 300 enforcement violations were issued against cabbies for things like running red lights and failing to yield to a pedestrian. It was after those police shootings that the slowdown began in earnest. The police unions and Mayor Bill de Blasio were already at odds over comments the mayor made about having talked to his biracial son about potentially dangerous interactions with the police. Officers are also rankled by de Blasio’s apparent alignment with Rev. Al
Sharpton, a sharp critic of the NYPD. Demonstrations against police brutality that occurred after a Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict the officer that was responsible for Eric Garner’s death by chokehold, which was ruled a homicide, have exacerbated rank and file officers’ feelings of being embattled in a city they’re sworn to protect. Relations between the administration and the NYPD were worsened when Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said after the police assassinations that City Hall had blood on its hands and that de Blasio had contributed to a climate of hostility against cops. Since then, the mayor has been heckled at police functions and some officers turned their backs to him during Ramos’ and Liu’s funerals. De Blasio has refused to apologize for the comments he made, and Bratton has tried to strike a middle ground, chiding officers who rebuffed the mayor but allowing that their actions are reflective of how they’re feeling at the moment. The rift between the administration and the NYPD, he said, ““will probably go on for a while longer.” Bratton seems to have put an end to the slowdownfor now. News outlets began reporting earlier this week that officers were denied vacation time and even lunch breaks until they had brought their numbers up. Residents from across the city reported being ticketed for all manner of insignificant infractions, signaling that police were scrambling to close the enforcement gap that was so evident just weeks ago. “Standing by while observing transgressions - small or large - only serves to endanger ordinary New Yorkers,” said Rosenthal. “[New Yorkers] who by and large support the police, and respect police work and the dangers involved in carrying it out.”
JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 5
6 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
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The Celebration of Whimsy, 21A Clinton St. 8 p.m., $35. This unique show combines music with science to create an informational, yet exciting experience for audience members. 917-972-9394. imbible.org
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Sikkema Jenkins & Co., 530 W. 22nd St. 10 a.m., Free. This new artist is showing her work for the first time since her exhibition at the Williamsburg sugar refinery. Her pieces are her interpretation of J.M.W. Turner’s The Slave Ship. 212-929-2262. sikkemajenkinsco.com
17 NEVER SLEEP ALONE Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St. 9:30 p.m., $25+. In this interactive, comedic show, Roslyn Hart plays “sexual psychologist” Dr. Alex Schiller who’s goal is to get audience members to “hook-up.” 212-539-8778.
neversleepalone.com
THE ACTUAL Eleven Rivington, 195 Chrystie St. 12 p.m., Free.
This show is a collaboration of six up-and-coming artists who employ digital strategies to create their art. 212-982-1930. elevenrivington.com
JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 7
18 BURQ OFF 64E4, 64 E. Fourth St, between Bowery and Second Ave. 2 p.m., $30. Nadia Manzoor puts on a comedic show about what it’s like to be a modern Muslim woman living in the West. Directed by Tara Elliot. 800-838-3006. nadiapmanzoor.com
THE PHILIP K. DICK SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick St. 7 p.m., Free-$65. This is the last day of this festival, which shows films that are inspired by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. 212-941-2000. thephilipkdickfilmfestival.com
19 CTHULHU COMEDY SHOW Lovecraft Bar, 50 Ave B, at Fourth St. 9 p.m., Free. This free comedy show features local stand-up comedians. 347-416-2066. lovecraftbarnyc.com
PROJECT SHAW: HOW HE LIED TO HER HUSBAND The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South.
7 p.m., $30. The monthly project continues. Directed by David Steller, this show features various talent as they read the plays by George Bernard Shaw. 212-475-6116. theplayersnyc.org
20 OHIO EDIT READING KGB Bar, 85 E. Fourth St, between Bowery and Second Ave. 7 p.m., Free. A collective of authors, poets, and songwriters including Amy Fusselman and Jenna Crispin entertain audiences by performing readings for their favorite works. 212-505-3360. kgbbar.com
STUDIES PROJECT: “THE ROLE OF CLASS IN CURRENT DANCE PRACTICES”
Mark Greif examines and discusses the art produced during a period in American history in which most agreed that the world was doomed. 212-334-3324. housingworksbookstore.org
MARK GREIF: THE AGE OF THE CRISIS OF MAN Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby St. 7 p.m., Free.
The local paper for the Upper East Side
MORNING GLORYVILLE EPISODE NO. 8 Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Sq South. 6:30 a.m., $20. Wake up with a group of health-minded individuals in this early-morning “rave,” complete with a yoga classes, a DJ, a juice bar, and massages. 212-477-0351. www. brownpapertickets.com/ event/1054122
FAT BABY STAND-UP COMEDY
Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St, between Seventh and Eighth Aves. 9 p.m., $15 - 2 drink minimum. This weekly comedy show features up-and-coming comedic talent. The show is taped, and featured live on axs TV. 212-367-9000. gothamcomedyclub.com
November 5, 2014
April 17, 2014
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The Stand, 239 Third Ave, between 19th and 20th Sts. 10 p.m., Free. Gibney Dance, 890 Benny D and Giulio Gallarotti, Broadway, at 19th St, fifth floor. the masterminds behind Fat 6 p.m., Free. Baby Comedy, produce this showcase which features local, In the continuation of Movement Research, the faculty up-and-coming stand-up talent. explores what the role of class is 212-677-2600. in today’s dance world. thestandnyc.com 212-598-0551. movementresearch.org GOTHAM COMEDY LIVE
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YOU READ IT HERE FIRST
The local paper for the Upper West Side
LOST DOG TALE, WITH A TWIST LOCAL NEWS
A family hopes that Upper West Siders will help bring their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel back home Upper West Side For the past week, Eva Zaghari and her three children from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, have been papering the Upper West Side with over 1,300 flyers asking for information on their beloved dog Cooper. ?We are devastated, please return our dog,? the sign implores. The catch though, is that Cooper didn?t technically get lost, or even stolen. He was given away. When she explains the story, sitting at Irving Farm coffee shop on West 79th Street before heading out to post more flyers around the neighborhood, Eva and her kids are visibly distraught. About a month ago, on September 5th, her husband Ray had arranged to give the dog away, via a Craigslist ad. He mistakenly thought that removing a source of stress from his wife and kids ? walking and feeding and caring for a dog, tasks which had fallen mostly to Eva ? would make everyone happier
October 2, 2014
October 8, 2014
The local paper for the Upper East Side
A CENTURY OF SEX TALK ON THE EAST SIDE MILESTONES Shirley Zussman, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, worked with Masters and Johnson, and still sees patients as a sex therapist BY KYLE POPE
UPPER EAST SIDE Some people’s life stories write themselves, and Shirley Zussman, the 100-year-old sex therapist of the Upper East Side, is one of those people. She was born in 1914 at the start of World War I (less than a month after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand), lived in Berlin at the height of the Cabaret era, became a protege of the original Masters and Johnson, and, now into her second century, continues to see patients in an office in the ground floor of her apartment building on E. 79th Street. Last month, more than 50 people crowded Yefsi restaurant, a Greek place
August 7, 2014
August 20, 2014
FI R S T I N YOU R N E I G H BO R H O O D
(212) 868-0190 The local paper for the Upper East Side
The local paper for the Upper West Side
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8 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
Voices
Letter THE OTHER SIDE OF MARIO CUOMO To the Editor: There is more to “Mario Cuomo and the Power of Words” (Chistopher Moore. Jan. 8). Former Governor Mario Cuomo was not a reformer, but rather a proud product of the Queens County Democratic Party clubhouse machine. After losing the Democratic Primary for Lieutenant Governor in 1974, Governor Hugh Carey appointed him Secretary of State in 1975. Mario was never above using class warfare as an issue to divide and conquer. Remember his reference to Republican Governor candidate Lew Lehrman’s expensive watch during a debate in 1982? Lehrman was a selfmade millionaire who was the founder of Rite Aid drug store chain. One of Mario’s claims to fame was being a great orator and debater. In 1986, he followed the infamous Rose Garden strategy in his race for a second term. His opponent was unknown and under financed. The late Republican Westchester County Executive Andrew O’Rourke had to carry a cardboard cutout of Cuomo to debate. In the end, Mario agreed to one token debate at the 11th hour. In 1992, Mario had no problem signing off on the reapportionment plan for new State Assembly and State Senate district lines based upon the 1990 census. This bill preserved and expanded the Democrats’ control of the State Assembly, along with preserving the Republican majority in the State Senate by gerrymandering district boundaries. So much for good government reform of state government legislative districts. When it came to supporting public transportation, rather than increase the level of state support by billions under MTA Five Year Capital Plans, it was Mario who started the trend of having state authorities like the MTA borrow rather than providing hard cash contributions. The same was true by increasing the level of state spending and long term debt hiding it offline under many other state authorities rather than the general budget. We all mourn for the loss of anyone’s father. Mario is not worthy of sainthood. He was a mere mortal, like the rest of us. Sincerely, Larry Penner
FIGHTING WITH FACTS IN THE HORSE-CARRIAGE DEBATE Thank you for choosing me as one of the people to watch in 2015 concerning the horse-carriage ban. I was quite surprised to see that your Letters section titled “Debating Our Pick for People to Watch” included two anonymous negative comments that had been posted in response to the original online article. It is neither informative, nor useful when your newspaper prints comments by someone who hides behind a fake blog name - allowing them to spew lies and venom with me as the target. Apart from deliberate misrepresentation of facts,
this is gratuitous, personal criticism, libelous and damaging. Here are some truths that we have taken the time to research: 1. Five-week vacations for the carriage horses are not all they are cracked up to be. Equine experts say that horses need daily turnout to pasture, which these horses do not get. Horses are sensitive animals and need to be able to relax after a long workday, to socialize with their herd and engage in mutual grooming to relieve stress. The Department of Health requires neither the names of the facilities
where the horses are sent nor inspections. In 2011, a former ASPCA equine veterinarian was quoted in one of the newspapers as saying that she noticed some of the horses looking worse after they returned from furlough. We suspect that some are made to work and/or they are not fed well enough. 2. The Teamsters like to refer to the carriage driver jobs as “good union jobs” with the hope of keeping them. But there are no benefits provided: no medical, vacation or sick days. Not everyone belongs to the union and their dues
are essentially a lobbying fee. Most, if not all, of the workers are independent contractors and do not pay into Social Security. They are also not eligible for sick pay under the new City law. Because the 68 individual businesses operate as “cash only,” no one knows how much they make or how much is paid into the NYC tax coffers -- but we suspect it is negligible. The IRS or the Comptroller’s office should investigate. 3. Since 2005, I have been following the lists of horses in the business. Last year I released a study that revealed that over 7-1/2 years,
529 horses passed through the industry. The law does not protect these horses, not even requiring sales records if a horse is sold outside NYC, as most are. Some probably found good homes but we believe the majority eventually went on to auction and then to Canada to be slaughtered. More than 100,000 American horses were sent to Canada in 2014 - surely some were carriage horses. Drivers are entitled to their own opinion -- but not to their own facts. Elizabeth Forel
STRAUS MEDIA-MANHATTAN President, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com
Publisher, Gerry Gavin Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth
Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade Account Executive Susan Wynn
Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Editor, Megan Bungeroth editor.otdt@strausnews.com
Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons
Block Mayors, Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side
JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 9
The local paper for Downtown
The local paper for the Upper West Side
The local paper for the Upper East Side
&
THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR ETHICAL CULTURE Invite You to a Town Hall Meeting
Pedestrians vs. Cars:
Manhattan’s Deadly Traffic Problem and What Can Be Done About It Wednesday, Januar y 21, 2015 6pm - 8pm The Society for Ethical Culture (Central Park West at 64th St.)
Moderated by Editor-in-Chief Kyle Pope Featured speakers will include:
Polly Trottenberg Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation
Jill Abramson Former Executive Editor The New York Times
Helen Rosenthal City Council Member
Dana Lerner Families for Safe Streets
The Event is Free but Space is limited. Please respond by emailing to
rsvp@strausnews .com
Seating is first come first served
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10 West Side Spirit JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
KIDS READY TO ROCK MUSIC Local music school teaches kids to perform as classic rock cover bands BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, Lower East Side music venue Drom had a formidable audience assembled at tables in front of the stage, perching on stools and ordering drinks at the venue’s full bar. A familiar scene for a downtown music club, though not one musician on stage could order much more than a ginger ale, and some might have trouble seeing over the bar. The young musicians hail from School of Rock, a music school based on the Upper East Side that emphasizes live performance. The concept originated in Philadelphia in the early millennium with musician and guitar teacher Paul Green, who discovered that music lessons structured as band rehearsals were more effective than one-on-one instruction alone. Now an international franchise, the music school pairs individual lessons with weekly band rehearsals with fellow students, which all leads to a live show at a local music venue. Recent themes included the music of Jimi Hendrix, Queen and The Police. “If you’re not playing in rhythm or you’re playing bad notes, you’re going to
hear it in a way that you can’t when you’re playing by yourself,” said guitar instructor Bob Jones. “With a wind ensemble, if you’re one of six trumpets it’s really easy not to play at all. But if you’re up there and you’re a bass player in a band, there’s nowhere to hide.” On Jan. 10 and 11, two dozen students took to the stage, covering classics by the Rolling Stones and the Eagles, performances they’ve been preparing for since September. “I get nervous,” said keyboard student Tejas Varma, 10, during rehearsal a few days before the show. “But that helps because I know I’ve gotta get this, and I’ve gotta try my hardest. I have bad days and good days. Like today might be a bad day but on the show I just gotta be like, ‘OK, there are a lot of people here, you don’t want to mess up.’” The students in the program cite a range of musical preferences, from Meghan Trainor and One Direction to Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel and Barry Manilow. Tenyear-old Eleanor Adams, a pint-size keyboard player and singer in leather jeggings and an AC/DC shirt, recently learned one of her favorite songs, the Beatles’ “Let It Be,” by ear on the piano. “Taylor Swift is kind of my pop artist right now,” said bass player Ari Silverman, 14, as he sat on an amp dur-
Students with after-school music program School of Rock perform Rolling Stones song “Brown Sugar” at Lower East Side music venue Drom. Photos by Gabrielle Alfiero ing a recent rehearsal, bass guitar in his lap. He went on to list Cream bassist Jack Bruce as inspiration, along with the new film “Whiplash.” “But don’t sign me up for country. I hate country. It’s so catchy I want to kill myself.” Meanwhile, Ari’s younger brother Henry, 10, is new to the program and just learning guitar. If he could meet any musician, alive or dead, he’d choose Jimi Hendrix “because he is God,” he said. “Actually, no. Clapton is God. But Hendrix is Hendrix.” The School of Rock space on East 75th Street near York Avenue functions as part after-school hangout, part rehearsal space. During down time, students head out two-by-two for pizza and Subway sandwiches, and play video games on their phones. But when they plug in, it’s mostly business. “You get these kids on these songs and the next year when they come back they know even more,” said guitar instructor Nick Llobet, who directed the Eagles show. “They’re just reliable. You can count on
them to learn these songs.” At the performance, the students were decked out in their stage gear, in knit beanies and fedoras, leather jackets and Stones tees. Spare seats were hard to come by as parents and friends took pictures and video on their iPhones. Between songs, jokes were told to the audience while guitars were tuned, and the crowd was asked to sing along. “Hello Drom,” Ari said into the mic before playing “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” a song that featured an impressive guitar solo by Foster Hudson, who dropped to his knees for the interlude. The crowd, as they say, was feeling it. The band soaked it in. The whole show was a little bit magical. “It makes going to see adults play music not quite as special,” said Jones, who directed the Rolling Stones set. “It’s really refreshing. And it makes me less tolerant when I’m at a show and someone’s on stage with a bad attitude or whatever. Like, I was just with a tenyear-old who can smoke you guys.”
Guitarist Adam Light and bass player Ari Silverman at School of Rock’s student performance series.
5 TOP
JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 West Side Spirit 11
OUR BUS IS YOUR BEST BET.
FOR THE WEEK BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO
THEATER
“NEVERMORE”
“NEWSTEPS” The semi-annual showcase of new work by emerging choreographers returns to the downtown dance space. The six choreographers selected for the showcase include Emily Craver, whose quartet incorporates traditional folk songs as part of her examination of everyday moments and the passage of time, and Ana Sosa, who contemplates the disparate emotions of manic episodes in her solo work. Jan. 15-17 Chen Dance Center 70 Mulberry St., at Bayard Street, second floor, 7:30 p.m. Tickets $12
GALLERIES “CROSSING LINES” A new group exhibition at international gallery Able Fine Art showcases work by three artists that crosses lines both conceptually and physically. Korean artist Yun-Woo Choi’s three-dimensional sculptures made from folded bits of magazine pages and recycled paper consider the universe’s dimensions, while Adel Gorgy’s abstract paintings and large-scale photographs, which contain references to works by Henri Matisse, Cy Twomby and Andy Warhol, explore issues of authorship and appropriation. Art critic and painter Robert C. Morgan’s work plays with light and dark, exploring the role of light in works of art. Opens Jan. 15 Able Fine Art NY
$15 Meal/Retail Coupon Two $10 Free Bets & One $5 Free Bet
Round Trip Bus Fare
Why Drive?
The troubled life and dark works of literary and cultural icon Edgar Allan Poe—known for his Gothic tales and his addictions—inspires Canadian company Catalyst Theatre’s “Nevermore.” Weaving Poe’s fiction with pieces of his biography, the macabre musical debuted in Canada in 2009 and first opened in New York at the New Victory Theater in 2010. The new, expanded production, written and directed by Catalyst’s Jonathan Christenson, opens with previews this week. Previews open Jan. 14 New World Stages 340 W. 50th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues Assorted show times Tickets $75-$115
DANCE
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For Information Call: Academy 1.800.442.7272 ext. 2353 www.academybus.com
Day Service on Thursday Friday & Saturday from Manhattan
Port Authority 201.420.7000 ext. 2353
85th Street Candy 212.288.7690
Why not extend your stay? Visit mymohegansun.com to view your hotel rates.
511 West 25th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, Suite 607 Gallery hours: Tues-Sat 11 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE
“An Intimate Place to Learn in the Heart of a Great City”
SUSAN HAUPTMAN’S “NEW DRAWINGS” In her four-decade career, artist Susan Hauptman has worked exclusively on paper and with little color, and her latest show at Forum Gallery is no exception. Included in her ten new charcoal drawings are four signature self-portraits and six still-lifes that feature ordinary objects like decorative porcelain figurines and vintage advertisements. Opens Jan. 22 Forum Gallery 730 Fifth Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets, 2nd floor Gallery hours: Tues-Sat, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. FREE
MUSIC
Dear Parents: You are cordially invited to attend one of our OPEN HOUSES at York Preparatory School.
Wednesday, January 21st 9:10AM-10:30AM
SONATAS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO As part of 92nd Street Y’s School of Music faculty performance series, esteemed pianist Lora Tchekoratova, who received her doctoral degree in musical arts from the Juilliard School, joins violinist Georgy Valtchev for a program of sonatas by Beethoven, Debussy and Schnittke. Sunday, Jan. 18 92nd Street Y Weill Art Gallery Lexington Avenue and 92nd Street 3 p.m. FREE
Tuesday, April 21st 9:10AM-10:30AM
RSVP to the Admissions Office at: 212-362-0400 ext. 133 or admissions@yorkprep.org York Prep is a coeducational college preparatory school for grades 6-12.
12 West Side Spirit JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
Neighborhood Scrapbook
M.L.K. MARCH FOR MANHATTAN COUNTRY SCHOOL
LENOX HILL’S KNITTING PROJECT
Manhattan Country School 8th graders will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by taking to the streets of Manhattan to speak out about what they consider to be the most pressing civil rights issues of their time. For this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative March, on Jan. 19, students will share their hopes and desires for their generation and the ones to follow. Through speeches, the students will address a host of topics including police brutality, equal access to quality education, bullying, and women’s rights. As the oldest students at Manhattan Country School, the 8th graders, pictured here during last year’s march, are responsible for choosing the theme and selecting the route.
Lenox Hill Hospital patients with cancer and other serious illnesses are a bit cozier this winter. The Madresita Project, a knitting and crocheting group which produces and distributes handmade hats to patients, many of whom have lost their hair, was started by radiology receptionist, Susana Luna, who created the project in honor of her late mother who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2012. Many hospital staff members have been involved with the project since its inception in November, not only making the hats but also donating yarn and other materials. “I want people to know that they are not alone and that people still care,� said Luna.
IN OUR HANDS RESCUE & NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA
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JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 West Side Spirit 13
2014 WESTYS
West Side Spirit Thanks You
AWARDS Noel Auld
Douglas Blonsky
Laura Maioglio
Stephan Russo
Rita McMahon
Charles Salomon
Capt. Michael Falcon
Mike Mishkin
Jeremy Travis
Ellen V. Futter
Rachel Moore
Cyrus Vance, Jr.
John Herrold
Danny Koch
Clinton Neils
Danny Wasserman
Carole Zabar
14 West Side Spirit JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
2014 WESTY WINNER Find More Neighborhood Happenings Here westsidespirit.com
FIGHTING CRIME FROM ALL SIDES CYRUS VANCE, JR. BY MEGAN BUNGEROTH
NEW V www.westsidespirit.com More Neighborhood News
You Never Forget Who You Grew Up With. The rough touch of tree bark, the scent of freshly mowed grass, the gentle hum of pollinating bees as a flower blossoms — green spaces touch lives and all five senses. Green spaces are a vital part of growing up — they enhance lives, make memories and connect people with their neighborhoods and communities. Be a part of preserving and enhancing green spaces where we live, work and play. To volunteer, to learn how to help your community and to donate, visit ProjectEverGreen.org or call toll-free (877) 758-4835.
projectevergreen.org (877) 758-4835
In his role as the District Attorney of Manhattan, Cyrus Vance, Jr. sees himself as more than a prosecutor. He’s also a crime preventer, a problem solver, and protector of the most vulnerable victims. He’s serving at a time of historically low crime rates in the city, which Vance sees as an opportunity to address the root of crime. Last year, the D.A.’s office opened the Manhattan Family Justice Center, at 80 Centre Street. It’s a place for victims of domestic violence, and other related crimes like child abuse, sex trafficking and elder abuse, to get crucial services from Special Victims prosecutors as well as representatives from city agencies. “It enables us to best screen these cases for the range of criminal conduct that may have occurred,” Vance said at a recent interview at Rosa Mexicana on the Upper West Side. “We’re able to provide critical services to these women; [...] many of them don’t know where they’re going to sleep that night.” Vance has made cracking down on domestic violence a priority, even lobbying Albany to pass a bill that would enable prosecutors to charge repeat domestic violence offenders with a felony for committing two or more misdemeanor offenses within five years. Helping elderly crime victims is another priority for the D.A.’s office, which Vance said can be difficult because victims often don’t report the crimes out of shame or fear. In 2013, his office prosecuted about 900 cases of elder abuse crimes – most of them financial in nature – but that number likely represents a small percentage of crimes actually committed. Vance compared the view of elder abuse to that of domestic violence five years ago. “People understand this is a real problem, but public awareness and action hasn’t reached the place it has with domestic violence.”
I really believe that a modern D.A.’s office’s job is reducing crime.” Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. wants to focus his office on preventing and prosecuting cyber crime, domestic violence, and youth crime, among other priorities. Advancing public safety is important to Vance, and he bases all his decisions on facts, data and the law. He’s received some criticism from pedestrian safety groups for not prosecuting more drivers who fatally injure pedestrians in crashes, but he says that his office is aggressive in pursuing the cases it’s able to bring to court. “My job is to essentially prevent crime, or to prosecute it fairly and evenly. When a tragic accident occurs, if we’re notified we’ll send assistants out to the scene, and try to make sure that evidence is preserved and do an investigation,” Vance said. “The truth is that not every tragic accident is a crime. If you are a family member who has just lost a loved one, that’s sometimes simply inexplicable. And yet it is in fact what you want a D.A.’s office to do. As unpopular as it may be not to charge a crime, it is far more
dangerous, I believe, to charge a crime when you believe that one hasn’t been committed.” He said that he takes the problem of traffic fatalities seriously, but that it will take more than just the D.A.’s office to address it – solutions, he suggested, need to come from the Department of Transportation, speed limit enforcement, tighter regulations on taxi and limo drivers, and better education for pedestrians, too. He’s familiar with many of the challenges, particularly on the Upper West Side; he and his wife live on West 103rd Street near West End Avenue, and often walk their dog in Riverside Park in the mornings and bike in Central Park, where Vance said he sees firsthand how some cyclists flout the traffic laws. In the upcoming year, Vance plans to focus on cyber crime, as well as domestic violence, and youth and gun violence. One way of combatting youth violence is to give kids alternatives, which is the impetus behind the D.A.’s Saturday Night Lights program, providing courts and coaches for sports for middle and high school students on Saturday nights. “Philosophically, I really believe that a modern D.A.’s office’s job is reducing crime,” Vance said. “If I can get kids on a court on Saturday night, or a volleyball court, or a tennis court or a soccer field, nothing but good comes out of that.” He measures his success not just by cases won, but by the effect of his efforts on Manhattan communities. “We’re good at enforcement,” Vance said. “But I’d rather not prosecute a robbery; I’d rather have prevented the gun from getting in the kid’s hand. That’s the win.”
JANUARY 15-21 ,2015 Our Town Downtown 15
CLASSIFIEDS Classified Advertising Department Information Telephone: 212-868-0190 | Fax: 212-2868-0190 Email: classified2@strausnews.com Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | Deadline: 12pm the Friday before publication ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL SERVICES LOMTO Federal Credit Union It’s hard to beat our great rates! Deposits federally insured to at least $250K (212)947-3380 ext.3144
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North Shore Animal League AnimalLeague.org 1-877-4-SAVE-PET Facebook.com/TheAnimalLeague ANNOUNCEMENTS
GrowNYC.org Recycle@GrowNYC.org 212-788-0225 ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES
Antique, Flea & Farmers Market, East 67 St Market (bet. First & York Ave). Open every Saturday, 6am-5pm, rain or shine. Indoor & Outdoor, Free Admission. Call Bob 718-8975992. Proceeds benefit PS 183.
CAMPS/SCHOOLS Alexander Robertson School Independent School for Pre-K through Grade 5, 212-663-2844, 3 West 95th St. www.AlexanderRobertson.com Loyola School 646-346-8132 www.loyolanyc.org admissions@loyolanyc.org River Park Nursery School 212-663-1205, www.river parknurseryschool.com York Preparatory School 212-362-0400 ext 133 www.yorkprep.org admissions@yorkprep.org
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POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. We will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. Manhattan Media Classifieds assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid. REAL ESTATE - SALE
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WE BUY-TOP DOLLAR PAID Fine & Costume Jewelry Gems-Silver-Gold-Jade Antiques-Art-Rugs Call Gregory@718 608 5854 Certified GIA Gemologist
Directory of Business & Services To advertise in this directory Call Susan (212)-868-0190 ext.417 Classified2@strausnews.com
ANTIQUES WANTED
TOP PRICES PAID
Chinese Objects Paintings, Jewelry Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased
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John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service, INC. Independently Owned Since 1885. WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 212-744-3084 Marble Collegiate Church Dr. Michael B. Brown, Senior Minister, 1 West 29th St. NYC, NY 10001, (212) 689-2770. www.MarbleChurch.org Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers NYC’s Coolest Place to Skate! ChelseaPiers.com/sr 212-336-6100 WANTED TO BUY
ANTIQUES WANTED Top Prices Paid. Chinese Objects, Paintings, Jewelry, Silver, Furniture, Etc. Entire Estates Purchased. 800-530-0006. CASH for Coins! Buying Gold & Silver. Also Stamps & Paper Money, Comics, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NJ: 1-800488-4175 I Buy Old Tribal Art Free Appraisal 917-628-0031 Daniel@jacarandatribal.com
SOHO LT MFG
462 Broadway MFG No Retail/Food +/- 9,000 sf Ground Floor - $400 psf +/- 16,000 sf Cellar - $100 psf Call Mark @ Meringoff Properties 646.262.3900
16 Our Town Downtown JANUARY 15-21 ,2015
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Hint: It’s where the New York State Legislature is housed.
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Last Week’s Answer: Saratoga Racetrack Saratoga Racetrack was opened in 1863
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WEEK 4: Hunter Mountain
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