Report: Avenue C deli owner busted for possession and sale of narcotics

[Photo by Dave on 7th]

On Friday, we noted that the NYPD had shuttered the deli on the corner of Fourth Street and Avenue C... The Local East Village followed up on the story later on Friday, reporting that the NYPD arrested and charged the shop's owner with possession and sale of narcotics. Undercover officers reportedly bought narcotics from the store on five occasions. The owner is expected to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court today, according to the Local East Village.

Giant white Timber Wolf spotted on Houston and the Bowery

Luckily, it seems as if Billy Leroy was able to tame the beast..

Watch those feet!

At the Tompkins Square Park dog run earlier today. Photo by Bobby Williams.

2 rent rallies

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Two things to consider doing tomorrow

1. Get on the bus to Albany on Monday

Tenants and our allies in the State Senate and Assembly are hoping to get a deal done on stronger rent laws Sunday or Monday. Buses are going up to Albany on Monday and if you want to let Republican state senators who are holding up stronger rent laws know what you think, here's your chance to get on the bus.

FREE buses to Albany leave Monday morning from Manhattan (95th & B¹way) and Brooklyn (Dekalb & Flatbush). Call 347-541- 3339 to reserve your seat. More buses to be announced!

Sponsored by the Real Rent Reform Campaign.

OR...

2. Join Council Members Dan Garodnick and Rosie Mendez tomorrow for a March and Rally for Fair Rents

When:
June 20 at 4pm.

Where:
Meet on the Northeast corner of E. 14th St. and 1st Ave.; march to The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 East 7th St. at 3rd Ave.

Why:
MARCH, RALLY, AND GIVE TESTIMONY at the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) public hearing. The RGB proposed renewal lease guidelines for rent stabilized apartments to increase rents between 3 - 5.75% for a 1 year lease, 6 to 9% for 2 years, and add a 1% surcharge for buildings with oil heat. That is way out of line with inflation and wages.

Co-Sponsors:
NYS Senators Tom Duane, Liz Krueger and Daniel Squadron; NYS Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Members Deborah Glick, and Brian Kavanagh; Community Boards 3 and 6; The Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association, Tenants and Neighbors, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, the Cooper Square Committee, Good Old Lower East Side, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, and University Settlement

Shopping woes on the Lower East Side

Crain's checks in today with an article titled Lower East Side's fashion faux pax ... here are a few excerpts of the piece by Adrianne Pasquarelli:

Initially expected to be the next SoHo or West Village, the Lower East Side is getting an F as a shopping destination. Since February ... several other apparel shops, including trendy In God We Trust, have given up on the Lower East Side. Others, such as accessories purveyor Bag and fashion boutique Convent, have announced their imminent closures. Businesses complain that landlords, anticipating completed developments, have been jacking up rents, though several construction projects are still stalled with recession-related woes.

And!

The influx of nightlife has only driven up rents, making the area even less appealing for emerging boutiques. In the past 18 months, asking prices in the neighborhood have jumped, increasing 20% following recession-related drops. Now, asking rents on prime streets range from $100 to $150 a square foot, while secondary areas are closer to $65 a square foot, according to brokers.

And!

“If I was a landlord, I'd want to fill the block with cool local stores so the foot traffic is cool—we don't need another NoLIta or SoHo,” said Julie Noyce, In God We Trust's general manager. “The Lower East Side has always been for artists and rock 'n' rollers — if you get rid of that local flavor, then it's just Steve Madden and a bunch of bars.”

Taggers hit Cooper Square Hotel fence; spare Pimm's Cup sign

A worker was out this morning cleaning off the freshly tagged popsicle fence at the Cooper Square Hotel.

However, the Pimm's Cup sign was spared.


Previously.

A bird bath in Tompkins Square Park

EV Grieve resident ornithologist Bobby Williams captures a robin in the wilds of Tompkins Square Park yesterday...

A 'tragic theft'

Several readers pointed out these stolen bike flyers that appeared starting late last week... we spotted this one on Second Avenue near Third Street...

Today at the Tompkins Square Park pop-up piano

EV Grieve Senior Pop-Up Piano Correspondent Bobby Williams was on the scene...

And, he reported, this couple danced to "New York, New York" ...

And what Lower East Side bar did the NYPD close last night?

Welcome to the Johnson's. According to reports, the 7th Precinct cited them for allegedly serving minors.

This is the latest bar the 7th Precinct has shuttered. BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down have full reports on this latest closure.

[Photo via BoweryBoogie]

Ivories on pop-up piano in Tompkins Square Park ready for tickling

Today, the nonprofit organization Sing for Hope officially unveils the piano in Tompkins Square Park, one of 88 that you can find around the city...

This morning, Allen Semanco photographed Jordan Bailey tuning up the piano...

Meanwhile, Bobby Williams noted it last night as it sits near the ping-pong table.

So! What will be the first song that someone plays? This is my guess. Sounds pretty good on a piano...



Uh, anyway. A few other facts. The artist Nicolina did the art for this piano, dubbed "Piano of Magical Merriment."

And go here for the official list of activities at this piano.

Houston and Chrystie, 10:11 am., June 18

Previously.

Another tree comes down at the Tompkins Square Park dog run

As we pointed out on Monday, workers removed a tree after a storm knocked out a branch near the Tompkins Square Park dog run...

Allen Semanco sends us this photo, noting that workers had to remove another tree after Thursday night's storm took out a branch...

And the DEP catch of the day is...

Second Avenue at 10th Street.