Losses at El Jardín del Paraíso

Part of a downed willow tree remains blocking the sidewalk on East Fourth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D outside El Jardín del Paraíso...

In addition, a reader notes that someone placed this flyer in his building nearby.

No word on the condition of the other livestock/critters in the community garden.

The pedestrian line for gas this morning at Mobil

Avenue C and East Houston. People with various canisters to refill their pumps, generators, etc. The vehicle line still goes to Avenue D. Soon, this gas station will close to yield to a luxury development...

Ongoing LES relief efforts

We'll update this post all day.

For now, a good place to start:

The Lower East Side Recovers website

Plus:

GOLES is running low on supplies.

The list below can dropped off at 6th street community center. 638 east 6th st. Between avenue b and ave c. Contact is Citlalic and Howard. 212-677-1863.

-Diapers -Baby Items, baby foods (lots) -Batteries -Flashlights & candles -Peanut Butter & Jelly -Bottled Water -Fruit n vegetables -Sliced Bread - Feminine hygiene products Blankets

Spotted on East Houston...

Businesses coming back to life on Avenue C

Here are a few photos that EVG reader Robert Walker shared from last Monday night after the Sandy storm surge raced down Avenue C (here at East Eighth Street) ...

[Via The Guardian UK]

Late this afternoon, I walked by and saw the businesses here at East Eighth Street back open...

Also on Avenue C, Alphabet City Beer Co. reopened today in a limited capacity... Co-owner Zachary Mack reports that they suffered major losses, including their taps and walk-in cooler... but they are opening cans and bottles... You can read more about how they were able to reopen here. Next door, the Bobwhite Lunch & Supper Counter was also hoping to be back open tonight ...

The 'despair' at Campos Plaza

WNYC has a report on the "despair" at Campos Plaza on Avenue C at East 12th Street...

Afternoon gas check

Waiting for a gas delivery at the Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C...

...where cars are parked back to Avenue D and north several blocks up the Avenue. Mobil photos via EVG reader William Klayer...

And at the BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street, Shawn Chittle notes the line goes back to St. Mark's Place...

There's only 1 voting change in our area

Thats's for people who were to vote at the Bard HS Early College poll site. This will now be at PS 188/196 at 442 East Houston.

Find all the changes in the five boroughs via the Board of Elections here.

GOLES accepting donations on Avenue B

Via GOLES:

Anyone who would like to donate non-perishable food, water, blankets, flash lights or batteries, GOLES is accepting them at their office (169 Avenue B) today from Noon to 7 pm and the rest of this week until power is restored in buildings that still don't have power due to flood damaged basements. Volunteers are welcome, even if you can only spare an hour.

Free post-flood mold prevention training tonight

No gas at BP this morning

As of around 10 a.m., the BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street was out of gas... and waiting for a delivery...

The line of cars waiting for gas stretched back to East Sixth Street.

While the line has been fairly orderly, there were tense moments here Saturday afternoon.

Coffee by candlelight: Thanks to everyone who stayed open during the blackout

[At Ray's Candy Store this week. Photo by Dave on 7th]

Several readers wanted a chance to thank all the East Village businesses who were able to stay open and serve the neighborhood leading up to and after Hurricane Sandy. If there's a restaurant or business that you'd personally like to thank, then please leave a comment.

[Sheen Brothers on Avenue B and East 10th Street remained open. Photo by Gudrun Georges]

Of course, I know of many places that wanted to stay open, but either suffered damage or had some other issues preventing them from doing business.

Cleaning up the Sixth Street and Avenue B Community Garden

The garden here got whacked pretty good during Hurricane Irene... as noted earlier, the garden's willow tree didn't make it... Clean-up started last week...

[Carmine assessing the damage on Friday ... via peter radley]

EVG friend Elizabeth Frayer filed this report on the clean-up efforts:

Gardeners showed up with their tools and some even brought their children to help clean up. After several hours of work, the tree and other items that had been damaged from the storm were on their way to being cleaned up. The tree fell across many garden plots, however, and many were completely destroyed. It will take months, if not years, to restore this East Village oasis.

Read more here.

[Photo by Mat Gundell]

To follow the progress, there's now a Twitter account for the garden — @6BGarden

The scene today on East 14th Street and Avenue C

Via faces...

East River Park after the storm

Photos from Friday via EVG regular peter radley...

Meanwhile, yesterday, volunteers arrived to help clean up the Park... via ‏@caitibeth

Hurricane Sandy Relief Volunteer Opportunities

EV resident Alyssa Galella has created a Google Map with local volunteer opportunities in the neighborhood... Find the link here.

Monday night

Around 10 p.m. on East Eighth Street looking east toward Avenue C.

Photo by Gudren Georges. Find more photos here.

The scene at BP yesterday afternoon

A reader shares these photos from yesterday afternoon at the BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street... there were blocks-long lines all day...

According to the reader:

Passing the gas station ... I heard a policeman screaming 'shut your door' to a woman driver one car away from tanking up. I guess she didn't cause the next thing I heard was her screaming. When I doubled back to see what the commotion was, she was on the ground getting cuffed! I was shocked to see such a display of force upon a mother in front of her two kids.

The reader didn't see everything that transpired here. So perhaps there was more to the NYPD's actions. Did anyone else witness this?

The latest updates will be on the EVG Twitter account

With lost produce & revenue, #EastVillage businesses need our support. Eat & shop local.

— evgrieve (@evgrieve) November 3, 2012

Follow along here.

Assessing the damage to businesses along Avenue C; Associated may be closed for 1 month

[Dave on 7th]

New York Natives takes a look at some of the storm-damaged businesses along hard-hit Avenue C. Things are particularly bad at the Associated at East Eighth Street. Per NYN:

[A]t The Associated Supermarket, flooding effected an entire basement and half the general floor with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of food completely spoiled. A supervisor estimated they would be closed for at least a month as he threw out sealed but still contaminated boxes of lettuce.

Help clean up local parks

Many city parks are reopening this morning... The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation sent out the following:

New Opportunities to Volunteer
Many of New York City’s parks and playgrounds were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. If you would like to volunteer with NYC Parks to aid in clean-up and recovery, please review the list of parks and playgrounds below that are in need of assistance and go here to sign up.

Manhattan
East River Park
Saturday and Sunday
10am – 1pm
meet-up: East River Track Building located at E. 6th St.

Sara D. Roosevelt Park
Saturday and Sunday
10am – 1pm
meet-up: Hester Street and Sara D. Roosevelt Park

Here is a list (PDF) of the parks that remain closed.