Jonothon Lyons, creator of Buddy the Rat, is launching a community litter clean initiative called "Buddy's Brigade: Litter Exterminators."
Lyons and NYC entrepreneur Michael Quinn are hosting a series of volunteer community litter cleanups around New York City with material resource support from the Department of Sanitation.
The first cleanup will be around the perimeter of Tompkins Square Park this Thursday (Aug. 18) at 5 p.m.
Volunteers can meet at the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A on Thursday. You don't need to bring anything: Quinn said that the Department of Sanitation will be supplying all of the necessary resources and equipment. They will also be coming back to pick up the trash, he said.
Rake Wine Bar is now open on the SW corner of First Avenue and Third Street.
Vinicius Aboin (above) co-owns the space with Jorge Arias, who operates Urban Wines & Spirits on the corner ... which you can keep an eye on from the cafe...
Aside from Aboin, EVG contributor Stacie Joy met managers/bartenders Ian Garcia (left) and Elbert Giron ...
As we mentioned back in December, Urban Wine & Spirits was opening a small wine bar — via a separate entrance on Third Street — in the shop's new corner space.
According to Rake's website, the cafe "is inspired by the many small 'mom and pop' wine bars that are located throughout Europe."
There's a food menu with a variety of bruschetta, fresh bread, olives, and meats and cheeses. The space accommodates about 20 people, with a few sidewalk tables weather permitting. There are plans for events such as wine tastings as well.
The hours: 5-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 2-11 p.m. on Friday; 1-11 p.m. on Saturday; and 1-10 p.m. on Sunday.
In the past week, we've received multiple reader missives about a high number of vehicle bootings around the East Village.
Reader Carl Bentsen said he saw three boots on one block... and we counted about a dozen or so on a recent walk...
First, why a vehicle's owner might get the boot. According to the NYC Department of Finance:
If you do not pay or dispute your ticket within approximately 100 days, it will go into judgment. This means the City takes the legal step of entering a default judgment against you for the entire amount plus penalties and interest. The City can take steps to collect the debt, such as sending your debt to a collection agency or seizing assets. If you have more than $350 of tickets in judgment, your vehicle could be booted or towed.
And there's this rather jaunty video about how to get one removed...
The Department of Finance reportedly suspended the booting program on March 16, 2020. As Streetsblog reported in the fall of 2020:
According to data provided by Republic Immobilization Services, which currently has the contract to boot the cars of drivers with multiple unpaid parking tickets, the city deactivated between 5,000 and 15,000 cars per month before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The Guardianreported yesterday that the city is owed $534.5 million in unpaid parking fines.
Anyway, we don't know at the moment when the boots were returned post-March 2020 ... or why the marshal booted so many in the East Village this past week.
The FDNY battled a two-alarm fire overnight on the top floor of 313 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Two people, a resident and a firefighter, reportedly (via Citizen), sustained minor injuries
The FDNY first reported the fire at 2:03 a.m. ... with the "under control" coming nearly 90 minutes later...
Manhattan 2-Alarm Box 0437, 313 E 6 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING A
Foundation work continues at 645 E. Ninth St., where a 7-story residential building will rise on the site of a former parking lot between Avenue B and Avenue C.
The now-approved permits, first filed in April 2020, show 10 residential units, most likely rentals given the square footage.
This is the second former residential parking lot on the block to yield to housing... No. 639, an 8-story building, was unveiled (finally) in late 2020...
The "14Y Fitness in the Streets" series of free outdoor classes have returned to the Open Streets of Avenue B.
Via the EVG inbox...
The 14Y is proud to partner with Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (LOSCC) with support from NYC Departments of Transportation and Small Business Services this summer to expand our group fitness class offerings and support our vibrant downtown community!
Join us on Wednesdays and Saturdays in August and September for Zumba, Masala Bhangra, and Heart and Soul Cardio Dance to stay active, enjoy some sunshine, and connect with your neighbors!
All fitness levels are welcome!
You can find the schedule and more info at this link.
An EVG reader shared this from an unnamed East Village community garden ... "the sky and trees on the surface of the pond makes it look like the turtle is swimming in the sky. She is my favorite turtle in the neighborhood — very curious and frisky."
A new day dawned at the Keith Haring's "Self Portrait" on Astor Place at Third Avenue ... with stickers (featuring a QR code for some film project) all over the sculpture ...
The working assumption is that the car entered the Park on Ninth Street and Avenue A ... and headed east before colliding with a fence just past the dog run.
At this point, we don't have any other details, such as the condition of the driver or the number of passengers.
On Sunday morning, a man drove into the Park after allegedly hitting a female companion and sparring with people who came to her aid.
Updated 9:13 a.m.
Here's a look at the collision site... given the skid marks and impact at the benches, observers believe the driver was speeding...
Thank you to the folks at the Tompkins Square Dog Run for the photo.
Updated 10:30 a.m.
A reader shared this surveillance footage of the car driving at a high rate of speed and smashing into the benches and fence...
Here's a second video from the reader... showing the aftermath of the crash. Several people in the Park confront the driver, the man in shorts and a ponytail, and take his keys... and wait for the NYPD... the video does not show what happened after the police arrived and what, if anything, may have happened to the driver...
