[Updated] Man's face cut in random slashing on East 6th Street

A 30-year-old man was the victim of a random slashing around 4:30 yesterday afternoon on East Sixth Street near Taras Shevchenko Place (between Cooper Square and Second Avenue), according to published reports.

Per the Post:

The victim, who is from Newark, NJ, told cops he was walking in front of 208 E. 6th St. around 4:30 p.m. — heading to a cafe to meet a friend while wearing headphones and looking at his phone — when an unknown Asian man came up behind him and pushed him against a wall.

The attacker cut his face and back with a knife while screaming, ‘F— you! F— you!” the man told police.

The victim, who was taken to Bellevue, was reportedly slashed from his ear to mouth.

Dried blood remains at the scene of the attack on East Sixth Street...



Updated 1/18

The ABC 7 report provides a general description of the suspect, via the NYPD: An "Asian male between 20-30 years old, 5'3', and 150 pounds. He was said to be wearing a dark-colored coat and a dark-colored skull cap."

Updated 11:19 a.m.

DNAinfo reports that the victim needed 150 stitches.

Updated 4:40 p.m.

The victim, Anthony Christopher-Smith, a social worker who lives in Newark, N.J, talked briefly to ABC 7.

"I was just walking up the street. I was heading to go meet a friend for lunch and someone just came up and randomly slashed me in the face and back. I never saw this person before. I have no idea who they are. I have no idea what their motivation was. They just came up an attacked me," Christopher-Smith said. "I couldn't call 911 because I bled so much on my phone that I couldn't press the buttons."

Christopher-Smith now has partial paralysis on the right side of his face. But with physical therapy and time to heal, doctors expect a full recovery. He just hopes the suspect is arrested long before then.

"I didn't realize that I have been slashed because I was shoved against the wall, fell to the ground," Christopher-Smith said.

Updated 5:53 p.m.

CBS 2 also spoke with Anthony Christopher-Smith. You can read that here. There's another detail about the extent of the slashing on his face: "Smith underwent eight hours of plastic surgery, and his doctors said he may regain the ability to smile by this summer."

Updated 8:54 p.m.

The Daily News story includes several rather grainy images of the suspect, according to the NYPD...



Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

Updated 1/21

The police have made an arrest in the case.

Week in Grieview

[Zoltar's fortunes; and the Bruins lost to the Flyers this night. Photo by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

So long to the Sock Man on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

20 St. Mark's Place, home of the Grassroots Tavern, has been sold (Thursday)

Empire Biscuit reduces business hours for the month of January (Thursday)

Out and About with Spike Polite (Wednesday)

Guayoyo has been closed now for one year on First Avenue (Wednesday)

The former New York Macaroni Co. space is for rent on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Fontana's closing this spring on Eldridge Street (Thursday)

More about the Mamoun's Falafel move on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Ruffian is now open on East Seventh Street (Tuesday)

This block of Avenue A is awfully quiet, and why is Lucy's closed? (Tuesday)

Rite Aid relocates ahead of new development on Avenue D (Monday) ... and the demo permits are now on file (Thursday)

The L train was fun while it lasted (Thursday)

Empellón al Pastor divides the bar and tacos on Avenue A (Tuesday)

Boutique office building on East Houston and Lafayette at BP site a go (Monday)

The Sweet Generation storefront turns 1 (Monday)

At the opening-night celebration for Punk Magazine (Friday)

Former Gothic Cabinet Craft space for rent (Wednesday)

Would you be surprised to learn that the East Houston Reconstruction Project is further delayed? (Friday)

Rainbows! DOUBLE rainbows! (Sunday)

... and RIP David Bowie (Monday)


[Mural in First Park by @hektad._official & @pictoform]


[Mural outside the 2nd Avenue F by @hektad._official]

What other photos of squirrels eating things can we post?

From the Post today:

Thanks to unseasonably warm winter weather, squirrels are fatter than normal this year, says evolutionary ecologist Dr. Andrew G. ­McAdam. Lack of snow makes it easier for them to sniff out food, and they have to expend less energy to keep warm. While they normally might be hunkered in a den this time of year, instead they just keep eating.

Other media outlets noted this trend earlier (here and here).

Anyway, this is a flimsy excuse to repost these photos from Jan. 5, 2014...







These photos in Tompkins Square Park came courtesy of EVG official Squirrel-Pizza Correspondent Goggla.

Your move, Pizza Rat (who may be a fake).

Updated 1:44 p.m.

EVG correspondent Steven is questioning the "squirrels-gaining-weight-this-winter" story... as evidenced by this photo from Tompkins Square Park from the fall showing a husky-size squirrel ...



Updated 1/18

EVG reader Mr. Baggs shared these photos from Thursday... unsure if the squirrel is simply carving the pumpkin...



... or eating it...

Morning from Tompkins Square Park

Photo by John Greally

...and a close-up via Derek Berg...



Rejected headlines:
Searching for Bear-y Fischer

Reader report: What happened to the Pak Punjab Deli and Grocery?

An EVG reader says that the 24/7 store hasn't been open lately... the place does look a little lifeless at the moment. And the phone is not in service. There's also nothing on file with the DOB to note a storefront renovation here on Second Avenue at East Third Street.

The place sells homemade Pakistani-Punjabi food at the counter that the Voice has said is "not the best Punjabi in the city, but the friendly vibe and low prices are hard to beat."

Updated: Per the comments, this appears to just be a temporary closure for some renovations.

Report: Avenue C gunshot victim tries to leave in cab, refuses to cooperate with police

[Photo from Friday morning]

Just after midnight on Thursday, an EVG reader told us that there were three shots fired in front of 193 Avenue C at East 12th Street. The NYPD, the reader said, had taped off the scene... and recovered spent 9mm shell casings.

The Post today has more information in its Daily Blotter. According to police officials, a 23-year-old man had been shot in the left leg. He was spotted trying to leave the scene in a cab. "Cops said the man was uncooperative and refused to give them a description of the suspect."

The man was treated at Bellevue for non-life-threatening injuries.

Another Wi-Fi hub arrives on 3rd Avenue

Another Wi-Fi hub was unveiled this past week on Third Avenue... right at East 14th Street (and a block from the Wi-Fi hub that debuted on Dec. 28).

Soon, you will be able to send and receive faxes, charge your pager or hop on the Information Superhighway from right here.



Actually, these payphone-replacing Wi-Fi kiosks will offer free gigabit Internet ... and a charging station for tablets and smartphones, among other things.

This one is also offering free pizza for a limited time only...



You can read more background about the LinkNYC project here.

The David Bowie memorial on East 4th Street, now with Little Debbie Peanut Butter Crunch bars

Outside the New York Theatre Workshop on East Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery... where the David Bowie-created "Lazarus" is ending its already-extended (and sold out) run on Wednesday... (though $1,000 and $2,500 seats remain for the closing-night benefit)...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Meantime, the Post speculates whether "Lazarus" might be headed to Broadway...

Hunger games

Maybe London's Yak will be back around these parts in the New Year (the trio was here for CMJ shows back in the fall)... they have a newish EP out... though this single, "Hungry Heart," is from early last year.

The Sock Man extends his last day to tomorrow (Saturday!)

[Image via Twitter]

In case you wanted to make one last stop at the Sock Man on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... he extended his last day to tomorrow afternoon...

A photo posted by The Sock Man (@thesockmannyc) on Jan 15, 2016 at 10:04am PST

We first reported on Jan. 7 that the nearly 33-year-old shop would be closing. Owner Marty Rosen is apparently facing an unmanageable rent hike from new landlord Raphael Toledano.

At the opening-night celebration for Punk Magazine

The 40th anniversary of the Punk Magazine exhibit opened last night at the Howl! Happening gallery space on East First Street ... The exhibition showcases work by founding editor John Holmstrom, who created cover No. 1 featuring Lou Reed, as well as some of the artists and illustrators who contributed to the magazine during its three-plus year run, including Robert Romagnoli and Ken Weiner.



EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by early for a few photos...


[John Holmstrom]






[Ramones contact sheet via Roberta Bayley]


[The Sex Pistols puppets from the cover of Punk No. 14]


[Artist Robert Romagnoli and wife Patrice Donnell]


["Ugly Portraits" artist Ken Weiner]


[Raven, sax player for Murphy's Law, Bobby Zou, creative director of the exhibit, and artist Alexander Pernhorst]

The exhibit continues through Jan. 30 at the Howl! Happening gallery space. Visit Howlarts.org for updates and a full schedule of events.

Details:
Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
All events are free
Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project, 6 E. First St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue

I interviewed Holmstrom this morning on East Village Radio. EVR will re-stream the show tomorrow (Saturday) at noon ET. You may listen in via dashradio.com/EVR or the Dash Radio app.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

Would you be surprised to learn that the East Houston Reconstruction Project is further delayed?

[What lies beneath East Houston]

Anytime that you've tried to cross East Houston from Avenue A west to the Bowery these past, oh, six years, you've probably wondered, When, dear [____], will this construction ever end?

To answer that very broadly — sometime this year. Probably!

Various reps for the never-ending East Houston Reconstruction Project appeared before CB3's Transportation & Public Safety/Environment Committee on Tuesday night. BoweryBoogie was there and learned that — ding! ding! — there will likely be another delay in completing the project.

Per BoweryBoogie:

Not only is the project delayed three years, but the September 2016 completion date previously provided was stretched again by another month. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s easily the third revised end date in recent memory. Blame more of the “utility interference” that contractors encounter each time the roadway is torn asunder (i.e. encountering issues with different agency wiring that needs attention).

Oh, and here are some photos of the Greenstreets pedestrian plaza outside Punjabi Deli from the fall... the work was finished around that time, but the final planting inside of the planters and bench installation likely won't happen now until the fall...





As, as previously posted, here's how the new Greenstreets and street configurations at Avenue A and Houston will look ...



And here are some general highlights from the city's latest East Houston Street Reconstruction Project newsletter (PDF!):

Proposed Work Schedule Winter 2016
1.Continue excavating and install 36” trunk water main at the Bowery and East Houston Street
2.Continue excavating and install trunk water main on East Houston Street between 2nd Avenue and the Bowery
3.Continue installing new catch basin and chute connection at 2nd Avenue
4.Begin excavating and install new center median planters

The DDC is reconstructing/replacing combined sewers, trunk main, water mains, catch basins, fire hydrants, sidewalks, etc., etc., along East Houston Street, from the Bowery to the FDR Drive. This work phase started in June 2010, when the Lakers beat the Celtics to win their 16th NBA Championship and "Jonah Hex" was playing in theaters.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming soon to East Houston: Construction, hell, rodent control stations

Long-threatened East Houston reconstruction starting this month

East Houston Street construction will be a living hell for an extra year

How you can help Punjabi Grocery & Deli stay in business

Never-ending construction continues to hurt Punjabi Grocery & Deli

Taxi Relief Stand arrives on Avenue A; Punjabi Grocery & Deli relieved

FedEx Ground takes on a new meaning on East Houston

An EVG reader shares the following...

Is the reason FedEx Ground is called FedEx Ground because this is a service that involves your packages being left standing on the GROUND on Houston Street?

We have noticed this ourselves... it appears that FedEx is using the former check cashing storefront in the Shoppes at Red Square between Avenue A and Avenue B as a storage space. That's all fine.

Except, as the EVG reader noted, there are piles of boxes on the sidewalk here on a daily basis — often without much adult supervision.





Back to the reader, who travels this route on a daily basis...

Surely this can’t be a good idea. Do things go missing? Do dogs pee on the boxes? One day we saw a set of three car wheels among the boxes.

We wondered what had happened to the fourth wheel. Stolen?

3 East Village restaurants that are expanding into new neighborhoods

[Image via]

1) Whitmans at 406 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue is opening its second NYC location ... in the Hudson Yards development on 10th Avenue between East 29th Street and East 30th Street, per DNAinfo. Co-owner Larry Kramer said that he hoped to be serving their style of burgers by the end of the summer or early fall.

2) Flinders Lane at 162 Avenue A between East 10th Street and East 11th Street is bringing their Australian cuisine down to West Broadway in Tribeca. CB1 gave them the OK for a liquor license this week, per the Tribeca Citizen.

3) Two Boots, with its flagship location on Avenue A at East Third Street, already has a fairly large pizzeria footprint ... and now they are adding to that. For starters, the 2 Boots in Grand Central is shutting down at the end of the month, as Eater first reported. Founder-owner Phil Hartman is moving nearby to 337 Lexington in the beginning of March. In addition, Eater notes that Hartman and his son Leon are adding locations in Jersey City, Stamford, Conn., Washington, D.C. and in the Financial District. This will up the 2 Boots total to nearly 20 in the United States.