[Updated] Report: Handsome Dick Manitoba arrested for domestic violence

According to the Confidential column at the Daily News, Handsome Dick Manitoba was arrested last week for allegedly assaulting Zoe Hansen, his former domestic partner.

The two are owners of Manitoba's on Avenue B and reportedly still share access to the same East Village apartment.

Per the News:

According to the police report, obtained by the Daily News, Hansen was “crying, with tears streaming down her face and her body shaking,” when officers arrived. She told the cops, “He bit me. He bit my nose. He grabbed my neck and applied pressure.”

An NYPD spokesperson confirmed to Billboard that Manitoba was arrested at 10:15 a.m. last Friday.

An NYPD rep told Variety that he was charged with third-degree assault, criminal mischief and attempted strangulation. Manitoba, who was the lead singer of the Dictators, is due back in Manhattan Criminal Court on March 26.

Updated 2/13

According to Page Six, Hansen allegedly smashed a window at Manitoba's on Sunday night. Manitoba's lawyer Frank Rothman told Richard Johnson at Page Six that Hansen came to the bar for money. When the bartender refused, "she picked up a bottle of wine and smashed the window," Rothman said.

Manitoba, who denies the previous assault claims, filed a police report at the 9th Precinct yesterday, Page Six reported.

Manitoba's is in danger of closing on Avenue B

[Image via Facebook]

Handsome Dick Manitoba and Zoe Hansen, owners of Manitoba's at 99 Avenue B, shared the following letter with us last evening... (slightly edited for length)

Since January 1999, Manitoba’s has existed and thrived as one of the last great New York City Rock and Roll Bars, with a sub-specialty in Punk Rock, a casual bar to enjoy a few drinks, watch a game, play a game, or have a lovely conversation with a member of our wonderful, unpretentious staff ... and listening to Johnny Cash, The Stooges, The Beatles, The Ramones, and The Dictators, for example.



Sadly, this East Village landmark is now in danger of shutting down.

Due to a small wrinkle in the interplay between State and Federal law, Manitoba’s was recently forced to reluctantly settle a case with a private individual for a cumbersome amount that threatens the future of the establishment.

Our backs are against the wall. Our ONLY choice, after being advised by several very competent lawyers, was to settle.

Manitoba’s, its proprietors and patrons, are the very fiber of the East Village — the same East Village that is now being commoditized at an alarming rate and manifesting itself in the form of tenants in expensive apartments levying noise complaints at 8 pm.

This is a battle cry for help. Please don't let Manitoba’s meet the same fate as other business institutions that have recently been forced to close.

Understand this please, this situation is not part of what you would call, "business as usual." It's not a fine, and it's certainly not business mismanagement. We either pay, or shut down. Not one penny goes into the owner's pockets, or is being used to pay bills. All of it goes to settling this claim and keeping the bar open.

There will be auctions, concerts and donations. Every donation — no matter how small — will greatly assist towards keeping the lights on, the beer cold and the jukebox playing.

Thank you,
Handsome Dick Manitoba & Zoe Hansen, owners

We'll have more information on the situation here as it becomes available...

Handsome Dick Manitoba has been polyresinated

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Handsome Dick Manitoba ... leader of The Dictators and owner of Manitoba's on Avenue B ... has been promoted to throbblehead status...

Per the news release: "This figure capturing Richard's signature modern day look is limited to 1,000 numbered units, stands at 7 inches tall, and is made of super strong polyresin. Manitoba is the 12th person to be polyresinated by Aggronautix. In May of 2009, the company launched with a highly popular G.G. Allin '1991' figure, which was limited to 2,000 numbered units. Pre-orders open now, shipping February 2012. Link is here."

Things about a "Changing City"

Alex at Flaming Pablum has his tickets for the WNYC-hosted forum tomorrow morning titled "The Places that Bind: Examining Preservation and Culture in a Changing City."

Meanwhile, Norman at the Atlantic Yards Report posted WYNC's program from Monday that serves as a sneak preview for tomorrow. Brian Lehrer talked with Rosie Perez, who's hosting the event, and writer/filmmaker Nelson George, on "the importance of mom and pop shops, stoops, civic gathering places, and neighborhood character in a changing city."

Atlantic Yards noted one of the comments from a caller to the program:

"A caller named Manny, who grew up in the Lower East Side and Washington Heights, expressed understandably mixed feelings. 'Is the city safer, yes, but at what cost?' he asked rhetorically. 'To have $90-a-plate food [at restaurants] on Avenue B is crazy... It's good, but it's also bad, because the poor people at the end have to pay.'"

Norman also posted two videos of the Dictators doing "Avenue A," from their 2001 record "D.F.F.D."



In this performance, as Norman, wrote, Mantioba "disses Avenue B (home of his bar Manitoba's) as 'Avenue Bistro,' laments seeing a New York University dorm go up where AC/DC opened up for the Dictators, and snarls, 'Give me back my fuckin' neighborhood.'"



P.S.
In case you missed it.... last week, WNYC hosted Lou Reed, Santigold and string quartet Ethel in a program Titled "Downtown: World in a Word."

FYI -- The Party Starts Now

A special thanks to the Intern of EV Grieve for finding this gem.