Report: Cops interrogate Leftover Crack manager; defend using Taser during arrest

Lincoln Anderson reports in The Villager:

Following the arrest of Scott Sturgeon, 32, lead singer of the punk-rock band Leftover Crack, and four of his fans in the East Village last Friday evening, three men identifying themselves as Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau officers paid a surprise visit to Bill Cashman, the band’s manager, Monday afternoon. The three officers easily entered the building, on Avenue C near 10th St., since its front door had reportedly been left open due to ongoing construction inside.

Later in the article we hear from Deputy Inspector Dennis De Quatro, Ninth Precinct commanding officer, who defended the use of a Taser on one of the people arrested at Tompkins Square Park last Friday night.

The man was tased through his shirt on his upper torso for three seconds with the Taser being used in “touch-stun mode.” The deputy inspector noted that a Taser’s other mode is to shoot two electrically charged darts, which are attached to wires on the Taser, up to 20 or 30 feet. These darts puncture the person’s skin and leave wounds that could get infected, he said. The “touch-stun” technique — in which the Taser is manually pressed against the individual — is safer, especially at close range, he noted.

More EV Grieve Donut Social coverage here.

New York has lovely skylines, stylish and diverse people, great art galleries, and we're really expensive and not too fucking friendly

According to Travel + Leisure's annual America's Favorite Cities list...New York received the most No. 1 ratings -- 11 in total! We're tops in classical music, theater, diversity, style, people-watching, skyline/views, art galleries, local boutiques and luxury boutiques. That's only nine. Whatever!

And NYC was dead last for "peace and quiet" and "relaxing retreat" and — shocker! — "affordability." And NYC was 24 out of 25 for "friendliness." That's fucking bullshit! Fuck you!

No rent for you -- but only if you're fun

"Fun" can be so subjective. Sign graffiti on Avenue A near St. Mark's.

Is Reveille is at 05:00? Or is that last call?

On Water Street near Wall Street.

Report: Demolition permit for St. Brigid’s is still in effect

Could the church still be torn down?

The Villager reports:

A demolition permit for St. Brigid’s Church on Avenue B was still in effect last week, despite the promise in May of this year of $20 million from an anonymous benefactor to restore the 1849 building and the East Village parish that the Catholic Archdioceses of New York dissolved in 2004.
But an archdiocese spokesperson said last week that architects were preparing plans and contractors were drawing up documents for building permits.
“We know the demolition permit has to be withdrawn and we decided to do it all at once,” said Joseph Zwilling. “There is no construction date and we’ll make an announcement when we have one.”
Nevertheless, Edwin Torres, president of the Committee to Save St. Brigid’s, the group that went to court in 2005 to prevent the church building’s demolition, said last week that the committee was troubled that the demolition permit was still on file at the Department of Buildings.

Yes, we should all be troubled.

In a pickle Sunday

After you've pickled your livers all weekend (sorry!), head to Orchard Street Sunday for the 8th Annual NYC International Pickle Day.

According to the NY Food Museum Web site:

Your favorite street festival lives on! This year we are expanding to two blocks, giving people lots of room, and heading toward event greater demonstrations, educational displays and community involvement. Bring your own costume, and prepare to pucker!

As always, Pickle Day will feature pickles from around the world, and around the corner. In addition to expanded selection of pickled fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, we want to hear from you, what you’re doing, and your relationship to the pickling industry. It’s your festival, after all… on Orchard St, between Broome and Grand, 11-4:30.

Oh, whatever you do, don't invite Mariah!



Photo: In front of Gus's Pickles in 1990 by Bruce Davidson/Magnum Photos

Dear marketing people: ENOUGH with the viral campaigns

Seen on First Avenue. TV Squad was game enough to call the attached number. For a CBS series called "The Ex List." Ugh.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A poorly timed marketing campaign(?)

Righteous Hams 2: Bad to the Bone

Meant to add this to my original post...

Oh, and the Post gave the film one star. Lou Lumenick, taking a break from being a dick to Roger Ebert, writes: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro collect bloated paychecks with intent to bore in "Righteous Kill," a slow-moving, ridiculous police thriller that would have been shipped straight to the remainder bin at Blockbuster if it starred anyone else.

And in the Times, Manohla Dargis writes: In “Righteous Kill” these two godheads of 1970s cinema go macho-a-macho with each other — furrowing brows, bellowing lines, looking alternately grimly serious and somewhat bemused — in a B-movie (more like C-minus) duet that probably sounded like a grand idea when their handlers whispered it in their ears.

Lo king at an o d M A ad

2nd Ave. Sagas takes us back to 1993 with this MTA PSA:



As Benjamin Kabak notes:

I remember seeing this one in the subways, and at the time it was very appropriate. As you can see above, the ad plays on the MTA’s notoriously unreliable public address system. Fifteen years, the MTA swore they were working to improve the PA system. Based on what I hear on the trains and in stations every day, I’m guessing that the PA overhaul is one project not quite there yet.

Anarchy in the UK and US

Stupefaction provides the details on the Howl!-related panel discussion at the Bowery Poetry Club titled "Unrest in the 70s -- US vs UK."

Featured panelists:

Richard Lloyd (Television)
Ari Up (Slits)
Cynthia Sley (Bush Tetras)
Judy Nylon (Snatch)
Walter Lure (Heartbreakers)
Arturo Vega (Ramones)
Steve Garvey (Buzzcocks)

Moderator: Mary Harron