Report: 5 people are splitting the $50,000 Crime Stoppers reward for Frank James tip

Photos Wednesday by Stacie Joy

The NYPD yesterday announced that five people will share the $50,000 Crime Stoppers reward for submitting tips leading to the arrest of Frank James, the alleged Sunset Park subway shooter. 

Per Gothamist: 

The names of the individuals, who will receive $10,000 each, were not released by the NYPD.

The amount – cobbled together by the New York City Police Foundation, Transportation Workers Union Local 100, and MTA – is among the larger rewards doled out by Crime Stoppers. The tip line allows anyone to provide leads anonymously and without having to testify in court, according to its website. 

As the Associated Press reported, James tipped off police about his whereabouts on Wednesday. 

Media accounts have speculated that at least two of the recipients will be Zack Tahhan, the security camera installer (below), and Frank Puebla, the manager at Saifee Hardware & Garden on First Avenue (watch interviews with both men here ... read this interview with Puebla at NY1) ... the two were outside the hardware store on Wednesday afternoon when James walked by.

James allegedly shot 10 people on a subway train in Sunset Park on Tuesday morning. In total, 29 people were wounded in the aftermath on the train and platform. 

Per NPR, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said James was charged with one count of violating a law prohibiting terrorist and other violent attacks against mass transit systems. James could face up to life in prison if convicted. 

His attorney, Mia Eisner-Grynberg, told reporters after Thursday's hearing: "The initial press and police reports in cases like this one are often inaccurate. Mr. James is entitled to a fair trial, and we will ensure that he will receive one." 

Meanwhile, multiple media reports have retraced James' path following the shootings. He was said to be on the Lower East Side Wednesday morning when a high school student tipped off police to his presence. There were also reports that he ate at Katz's on Wednesday, though a manager told ABC News that was not true. 

Following his arrest early Wednesday afternoon on the NE corner of First Avenue and St. Mark's Place, the media descended on the area...

James is currently being held without bail.

Monthly plant sales return to the Recovery Center on 3rd Street

The monthly plant sales have started up for the year at the Recovery Center ... starting today from noon to 3 p.m. at the facility, 8 E. Third St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

Proceeds go directly to clients of their outpatient substance use treatment center.

The Center, part of Project Renewal, will host these sales on the third Saturday of the month.

Good Friday on Avenue B and 8th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

St. Brigid-St. Emeric on Avenue B celebrated Good Friday yesterday with a Stations of the Cross processional and Senor de los Milagros ... commemorated with Most Holy Redeemer/Nativity Parish on Third Street. (And the first in-person Good Friday procession since 2019?)

The procession began at St. Brigid on Avenue B and Eighth Street...

... with the Way of the Cross procession heading east along Eighth Street...

... and a look inside St. Brigid-St. Emeric on Avenue B at Eighth Street...

Friday's parting shot

Joey Ramone died on this day in 2001...

Massive 'A.T.T.A.C.K'

 

Arre! Arre! just released a new record titled We Ride the Universe (PNKSLM). 

While we're waiting for new videos from the Swedish band (described as "Punks from Malmö, Sweden"), here's a clip for "A.T.T.A.C.K" from their 2018 debut.

Keith Haring's 'Self Portrait' returns to Astor Place undercover of the night

Keith Haring's "Self Portrait" has returned to Astor Place at Third Avenue... EVG reader 8E shares these photos of workers putting the sculpture back in place last night...

Workers removed "Self Portrait" in September 2020 for conservation work.

The sculpture first arrived here in December 2014. 

Updated 11:30 a.m. 

Workers have yet to do the unwrapping... thanks to Steven for the photos...

Updated April 21 

Unwrapped!

Birria LES opening an outpost on St. Mark's Place

Photos by Steven 

The owners of Birria LES, which debuted an instant hotspot on Rivington Street last spring, is opening a new location at 34 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... signage arrived here yesterday ...

A little background via Grub Street: 

This is the origin of Birria LES, a tiny new storefront with a food-truck-sized menu of tacos, mulitas, tostadas, consommé, and esquites on Rivington Street. The restaurant is a partnership between childhood friends Iqbal "Iggy" Ahmed and Emon Ullah, along with another friend, chef Raymundo Garcia, a native of Tlaxcala in central Mexico. 

Though Birria LES has only been open for a few weeks, the tiny restaurant — with its seven indoor seats and three outdoor standing tables — is a burgeoning favorite among young Muslims. Its popularity is soaring thanks to TikTok, first from @HalalNYC, in a clip that has over 130,000 views and reads, "#Birria LES is a game-changer for #Halal eats in #manhattan 🌮👌🏼." 

Birria LES takes over the space from Japanese chain Ramen Setagaya, which shuttered earlier this year.

Half Gallery opens an annex on 4th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Half Gallery has opened an annex at 233 E. Fourth St. (a former hair salon) ... just a few storefronts away from the main space on the NW corner at Avenue B. 

The annex is currently featuring the work of Kyle Staver ... a collection of bas-reliefs ...

... that complement her paintings on exhibit in the Half Gallery on Fourth and B...

The work will remain up through May 8. 

The gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. (Ask for access to the annex at the main gallery.) 

Half Gallery debuted in the East Village in March 2020.

El Colmado debuts on East Houston

Photos by Stacie Joy 

El Colmado, a market specializing in Dominican food, is now in soft-open mode at 309 E. Houston St. between Clinton and Attorney. (We first mentioned this pending arrival here.)

For now, the market offering a variety of sandwiches, empanadas and to-go-meals is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

El Comado has an Instagram account here. 

A sign that the Keith Haring sculpture is returning to 51 Astor Place?

Update: Yes — "Self Portrait" is back.

Work has been taking place on the perch outside the DeathStar, aka 51 Astor Place ... where the Keith Haring sculpture — "Self Portrait" from 1989 — has been MIA since September 2020. 

At the time, the director of collections at the Keith Haring Foundation told us that the sculpture had been removed for minor conservation work and would be reinstalled after this work was complete. 

Perhaps this is the future date.

The sculpture first arrived here in December 2014. 

Report: Alleged subway shooter held without bail after first court appearance

Photo at the 9th Precinct on 5th Street yesterday by Katie Godowski 

Frank James, accused of opening fire on a crowded subway train in Sunset Park on Tuesday, made his initial appearance in a federal courtroom this afternoon. A U.S. federal judge ordered the alleged gunman to remain in custody. 

Per CNN: 

In court, Assistant US Attorney Sara Winik described the attack as "premeditated and carefully planned" as prosecutors requested James remain behind bars. 

Defense attorneys told the federal judge they consented to him remaining in custody for now but may press again for bail later. The lawyers further asked for a psychiatric evaluation to determine James' medical needs. 

His attorney, Mia Eisner-Grynberg, had this to say: 

"We are all still learning about what happened on that train. What we do know is this: Yesterday, Mr. James saw his photograph on the news. He called Crime Stoppers to help. He told them where he was. Initial press and police reports in cases like this one are often inaccurate. Mr. James is entitled to a fair trial, and we will ensure that he receives one." 

James was arrested on the NE corner of First Avenue and St. Mark's Place yesterday afternoon. According to media accounts, James called the NYPD tip line and told authorities where they could find him. 

Two workers outside Saifee Hardware & Garden are also credited with alerting police after spotting James walking by the store on the SE corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street.

At the NYC premiere of 'The Crusaders'

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Last Thursday night saw the NYC premiere of "The Crusaders" at the Village East by Angelika on Second Avenue and 12th Street. 

This is the first film for Maxx Starr (below right with Jahmal Kirwan aka Manhattan Mal), co-owner of Fun City Tattoo on St. Mark's Place, who wrote and directed the short (24-minute) crime noir filmed entirely in the East Village. (International Bar on First Avenue and Nublu Classic on Avenue C served as locations for several scenes.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was at the premiere as moviegoers and other guests waited to enter the auditorium...

Members of the cast were present, including the two leads — Tessa Gourin...

... and Frederick Rusak...

Other cast members include Jerry Dean, Skam Dust, Peter Greene, Sophia Lamar, Santiago Melchiorre, Christopher Ponds and Neko White. 

The film was screened in the large auditorium — the Jaffe Art Theatre...

You can follow @thecrusadersnyc for updates on upcoming screenings.