Gothamist

Great Trans-Gowanus Cable Takes To The Canal

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-10T16:45:50-05:00

As Whole Foods confirms there will be no ribbon cutting for a store on the Gowanus, this Sunday there will be a ribbon cutting for the Great Trans-Gowanus Cable (flyer here). The organizers explain:

"We will be building a telegraph along and across the Gowanus Canal, from the corner of Second St. and Second Ave. to the corner of Third St. and Third Ave. At either end of the telegraph wire will be stations outfitted with vintage telegraph keys and a guide to Morse Code. Posted will be Morse's famous transmission: 'What Hath God Wrought.' Passerby will be able transmit their answers to this question (with brevity), as well as receive responses. All sent messages will also be transmitted to us, off-site."

Just like Twitter! Sort of. You can learn more about the project, and the big day, here. Meanwhile, now that Whole Foods is officially gone, the Brooklyn Paper officially declares that, just like the octopus, they support Superfunding the Gowanus. They also note that "there will be plenty of other developers eager to get to work in a safe and clean Gowanus Canal zone" once the 10-year clean-up is complete.

Cops "Fear The Worst" With Missing Woman

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T16:24:42-05:00

Police are still searching for Eridania Rodriguez, who was last seen at a Financial District office building on Tuesday night, but they have also brought the search to a Pennsylvania landfill. According to the Daily News, Rodriguez was part of 2 Rector Street's cleaning crew and her cleaning cart was left abandoned on the 8th floor. Newsday reports that detectives are sifting the landfill where garbage from 2 Rector Street was taken: "Among those questioned about her disappearance are a DOT worker who had worked in the same building and appeared to be following her and a freight elevator operator with an arrest record, police sources said." Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, "We have reason to fear the worst. That's the theory that we are operating on, that something untoward happened to Mrs. Rodriguez inside the building." The police, who are also searching the building for a third time, are asking for the public's help: Call 1-800-577-TIPS or send a text message to "CRIMES," (274637), then enter "TIP577".

Weekend Movie Forecast: Brüno or Humpday

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T16:06:50-05:00

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Click on the film stills above for more details and reviews on this week's new releases and repertory screenings, which also include Humpday; Blood: The Last Vampire; I Love You, Beth Cooper; Soul Power; Lake Tahoe; Yoo-hoo, Mrs. Goldberg; Vanished Empire; Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb; Casablanca; Mississippi Mermaid; and Alien.

Thanks to This Week's Advertisers

tien mao — 2009-07-10T16:00:00-05:00

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist.

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If you're interested in advertising on Gothamist or any other site in our network, check out our online mediakit.

OMGGGGGG! Texting Teen Girl Falls Into Open Manhole

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T15:32:46-05:00

Via SI Live

To paraphrase Mel Brooks, "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when a Staten Island teen falls down an open manhole while text-messaging." 15-year-old Alexa Longueira was walking with a friend around 5 p.m. yesterday and was about to send a text when she felt the ground give way: "She literally just handed me the phone and I opened it [and] I felt this big drop. It was four or five feet, it was very painful. I kind of crawled out and the DEP guys came running and helped me. ... They were just, like, 'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!'" Longueira got some scrapes on her arms and back (pictured), but doctors are concerned about possible spine damage and want a follow-up MRI. A DEP spokesperson says workers left the manhole momentarily to retrieve cones from the truck and expressed "regret." But Alexa's mother is determined to sue the city, and argues that it doesn't matter whether Alexa was texting or not; the manhole shouldn't have been left open. She tells the Staten Island Advance that even though the sewer wasn't full, "Oh my God, it was putrid. One of her sneakers is still down there."

Empire State Building Gets Upscale Lounge On Ground Floor

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T15:10:50-05:00

Rendering of the Empire Room, with inset of the Empire State Building

In the former space of a ground floor post office at the Empire State Building, the company behind the Campbell Apartment and the World Bar at Trump World Tower are planning a 3,500 square foot cocktail lounge called the Empire Room. Hospitality Holdings owner and CEO Mark Grossich said, "The Empire Room, like our other lounges, will be an architecturally significant space located in an architecturally significant building. The Empire State Building is perhaps the most iconic building in The United States and one of the most recognizable in the world. Similar to our Campbell Apartment, The Empire Room will harken back to the golden age of the 1920s and 30s with its theme, A Toast to Another Time."

Eater has wondered if there will be a dress code as tough as Campbell Apartment's and snarked, "Look at that carpet! Those chandeliers! It's like being on a third tier cruise line or maybe a Marriott Renaissance." Well, it is a bit more fancy than other restaurants at the Empire State Building, which include Chipotle, Europa Café, Heartland Brewery, Rosa's Pizza and Uncle Louie G's (ice cream parlor).

The Hipster Grifter: She's Baaaack

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-10T14:43:05-05:00

It's been two months, so let's recap. Kari Ferrell, aka the Hipster Grifter, charmed the pants off half of Brooklyn with the promise of mouth handjobs over the last year. No crime there. But it turned out she was a liar and a thief, and like, wanted in Utah for passing $60,000 in check fraud. Speaking of, the Salt Lake Tribune has even adopted the Hipster Grifter nickname, as they report that Ferrell was charged again yesteday in 3rd District Court on numerous felony counts. "Ferrell allegedly opened a Comcast cable account in 2007 using her ex-boyfriend's name and Social Security number without his permission, charging documents state. She allegedly also wrote three checks to three different people on bank accounts that were closed or had a zero balance. She faces one count of identity fraud and three counts of issuing bad checks, all are third-degree felonies." And hey, Gawker points out commenters in her hometown feel about the same as they do here.

Foreclosure Mess In Panorama-Vision

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T14:22:05-05:00

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Earlier this week, the NY Times had a feature on the Queens Museum of Art's Red Lines Housing Learning exhibit. Artist Damon Rich put markers on the Panorama of New York City (the 9,335 square foot architectural model of the city which has over 895,000 structures) to show where there have been foreclosures. From the Times:

Each plastic triangle represents a block where there have been three or more home foreclosures. Visitors on the balcony walkway that surrounds the Panorama, at the Queens Museum of Art in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, can see in a single glance precisely where subprime lenders wreaked the most havoc.

Hundreds of these pink stigmata cover Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, East New York and Canarsie in Brooklyn like an invading army. In Queens most markers are camped out in Ozone Park and Cambria Heights, as well as in parts of Jamaica and Corona. As for Manhattan, there are precisely two.

All told, the Times reports there are "582 [markers] in Brooklyn; 551 in Queens; 140 in Staten Island; and 151 in the Bronx, mostly in the Wakefield section." And these numbers were derived from figures from the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project and calculations by the Regional Plan Association.

As for putting the markers on the Panorama, volunteers wore slippers and were armed with maps as they ventured on the map to place the markers (atop foam squares) in neighborhoods. For another view of the foreclosure crisis, here's the Times interactive map that allows you to see foreclosures at the street level. And if you have (a lot of) change to spare, you can adopt buildings on the Panorama.

Over 15,000 Claims From Victims Lost In Madoff's "Labyrinth"

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T13:59:35-05:00

Via MadoffMail

Bernard Madoff's epic Ponzi scheme, which is still be investigated by federal prosecutors and securities regulators, has resulted in far more claims from victims than expected. 8,800 claims had been filed by victims by the start of last month, but the finally tally of claims is actually 15,400, according to an interim report [pdf] filed yesterday by the trustee overseeing the liquidation of Madoff’s estate. The trustee tells the Times he's "unearthed a labyrinth of international funds, institutions and entities of almost unparalleled complexity." The claims include 258 applications to the trustee’s hardship program, which is supposed to fast-track reimbursement to victims who are elderly, bankrupt, or unable to pay for basic living expenses or medical needs. (152 of those claims have been approved.) Meanwhile, Madoff's lawyers have announced that he won't appeal the 150-year sentence, which means he'll almost certainly die behind bars. But every six months he can look forward to a big shipment of letters from his irate victims; the website Madoff Mail is now accepting hate mail and e-mail, and promises to deliver them to the phony financier twice a year.

Presented By:

2009-07-10T13:59:35-05:00

July Is The Anti-June

Joe Schumacher — 2009-07-10T13:40:22-05:00

a beautiful day by gleek.net on Flickr

Kids, it doesn't get much better than eighty degrees and nary a cloud in sight. It may be difficult to return to the office after lunch. A few wispy cirrus clouds may arrive this evening, making for a lovely sunset.

This evening's cirrus are a harbinger of tomorrow night's cold front passage. Saturday should start with clear skies but clouds look to arrive by mid-afternoon. There's a chance for a scattered shower or thunderstorm beginning tomorrow evening.

Clouds and rain, if any, may linger into Sunday morning. By afternoon it should be sunny and warm, with a high in the mid 80s. The return of the sun means the second Manhattanhenge of 2009 will be visible. The early part of next week is shaping up to be very pleasant thanks to a high pressure system.

Are Your Children Safe from Sand?

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-10T13:22:06-05:00

Summer is here, time for some scaremongering! Newsday delivers the first dose in what is likely a season full of over-the-top warnings. The latest casts a dark shadow on sand, following a study by the Environmental Protection Agency who "found those who dig in the sand have an increased chance of gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, due to fecal matter in the sand." Sand castle builders and those who enjoy getting buried in the sand are at a greater risk (seriously, it says that). Eh, a little gastrointestinal illness isn't a bad trade off for sculpting a sweet sand castle... but don't be fooled, that's not all you'll catch, you can also come down with upper respiratory illnesses, rash, eye ailments, earaches and infected cuts. The paper also injects this floating fact into the article for us locals, "Long Island has several outfall pipes that discharge to water near bathing beaches." Yeah, that's sewage overflow. So enjoy the beach this weekend everyone, and don't forget this year's hottest accessory (pictured).

Pencil This In

2009-07-10T13:18:08-05:00

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Willoughby Windows Rejuvenate Empty Storefronts

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-10T13:02:35-05:00

Photo by Martha Cooper/Ad Hoc

The empty storefronts along Willoughby Street in Brooklyn have become canvases for local artists during the strip's ghost town era. The Daily News notes that the Willoughby Windows art show set up in prime retail space masks the eyesore of an abandoned retail corridor "created when 30 merchants along Willoughby, Duffield and Bridge Sts. were booted by a developer to make room for a glitzy new, $208 million commercial and residential complex." Guess how that plan went? The recession sure is ugly, and artists were sent in to dress up the stalled area.

But not everyone is a fan. 57-year-old Jeff Garguilo had to abandon the Bagel Guys shop last year, and now "a wood-carved print cash register with keys that read 'pink slip' and 'outta luck'—part of the exhibit—has replaced a real register that Garguilo used to fill with cash." Color him unimpressed, he told the paper, "To me this is not an art show. It's painted windows." A passerby declared the project to be "warming," but also stated "It's like putting a Band-Aid on the wound."

Today through 7 p.m. Ad Hoc Art and MetroTech BID are celebrating the windows, like 'em or not. They invite you to "feast your retinae on an afternoon of creative spectaculars. Not only will there be outstanding installations by some of the world's finest artists, there will also be two amazing sets of deep-crate spinning dj's, the St Joseph Step Team, and Lady Circus' stilt walkers and hoopers, with perhaps other special twists if the crowd motivated." That's sure to brighten up the neighborhood, right naysayers? Check out a few windows here—and could Williamsburg be next?

F.D.A. Urges Judge to Cut Cheese From Peregrina

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T12:44:52-05:00

The F.D.A. has filed a complaint seeking an injunction against Williamsburg-based Peregrina Cheese in an attempt to stop the company from manufacturing and distributing food until further action is taken by the court. During visits this year, investigators reported filthy conditions at the factory, including standing water in food processing equipment and a dead rodent. More troubling was the the detection of Listeria bacteria in a sample of the cheese products and throughout the factory. According to the Listeria Blog, Listeria monocytogenes is a potentially fatal foodborne pathogen that can cause meningitis, septicemia, and other serious illnesses. The F.D.A. says the company's owners, Javier Peregrina and his wife Isabel, have failed to correct numerous violations cited as far back as 2004. (In March the F.D.A. ordered a recall on Peregrina's Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese after contaminants were found.) No illnesses have been documented from consumers who ate Peregrina cheese, which produces several Mexican-style cheeses. But according to the F.D.A., the bacteria collected by inspectors in 2004 is the same strain of Listeria found this year, which suggests "that the strain has formed a niche at Peregrina Cheese's facility...for at least five years."

Early Addition

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T12:22:37-05:00

Photograph by sea kay on Flickr

From the Gothamist Newsmap: A child struck at W2nd St in Brooklyn, a burn victim on Winfield St in Staten Island and a scaffolding collapse at Jerome Ave and Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx.
The New York Philharmonic, which visited North Korea last year, may be visiting Cuba.
A scorned Dean Skelos hopes for continued reform in the State Senate.
The Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation is seeking to make Hudson Street between Perry and W. 11th "Jane Jacobs Way" in honor of the urban writer and activist.
If you're signing for a FedEx package containing 20 pounds of marijuana, the cops will arrest you.
Activists are upset that "rainforest-harvested ipe wood" is being used for the sleek benches at the High Line.
A nurse claims that Anthony and Charlene Marshall eavesdropped on Brooke Astor's sessions with her lawyer.
Five hikers were rescued from NJ "bear country." The AP said they were in an area with a "desolate two-lane road where cell phone signals can be weak and black bears are known to roam."
Classic Post headline: TAIL TO THE CHIEF, to accompany photo of President Obama apparently looking at a young lady's rear. However, a video seems to suggest Obama was looking elsewhere—though French President Sarkozy still seems...French.
Is Bouley Upstairs really serving "Cotes de Thong"?
A doctor who treated Michael Jackson claims the King of Pop self-injected Demerol. Oh, and Joe Jackson thinks his son was murdered.

Five Arrests After Pit Bull Attack-Cop Shooting

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T12:03:33-05:00

After a woman set a pit bull on cops, prompting them to fatally shoot the dog in an Upper East Side public housing building on Tuesday night, there are some inevitable arrests: NY1 reports that the dog's owner, Milagros Martinez, and five others were arrested on "charges of possession of a controlled substance after police said they found crack residue in a crack pipe." Martinez was also previously evicted; according to the Daily News, she was "booted from her First Ave. apartment in April for not paying rent - but a judge let her back in." Apparently she was evicted because her husband was arrested "in a kiddie-toy drug bust," but was allowed back after paying back rent; Mayor Bloomberg said, "We had disagreed violently with the judge that let these people go back into their apartment." The News also spoke to the neighbor who claims she called 911 on Tuesday because she was "sick of the drugs" in the apartment; the woman felt bad about the dog's death, "I cried. But I feel the dog's probably in a better place than being with them."

Your New Senate Majority Leader, Pedro Espada Jr.

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T11:43:06-05:00

Photograph of Espada hugging it out from former majority leader Malcolm Smith by Hans Pennink/AP

Forget it, New York. It's just Albany. That's what we're thinking as the five week State Senate stalemate circus has ended with the State Senator who represents the Bronx but may actually live in Westchester and who is under investigation for a number of questionable dealings is now our new Senate majority leader. That's right, Espada, who left the Democrats to gain power by aligning with the Republicans, decided to rejoin the Democratic fold, after being assured of a powerful position—PolitickerNY calls him a triple-crosser while the Post sums things up as "SLEAZY DOES IT IN COUP PART 2." The Daily News' Juan Gonzalez's column headline: "Albany back-stabber Pedro Espada comes out ahead in senate stalemate that shut down state."

Espada said in a press conference yesterday, "It was never about power, but about empowerment." One Bronx resident told the Post, "He changes sides as much as he changes underwear. These guys have no backbone." Oh, the Post also notes, "Senate majority leaders get an additional $41,000 on top of their 'base' $79,500-a-year salary, as well as the right to hire dozens of patronage employees." Senator John Sampson (D-Brooklyn), who will be head of the Democratic caucus, also said in the presser, "To all 19.5 million people in the state of New York, we apologize. ometimes you have a dysfunctional family, dysfunctional family members, but at the end of the day, we understand that we are all one family and we are all home now. Home to stay." Barf. As for Senator Malcolm Smith, he'll be president pro tempore until December.

With the stalemate over, the Senate starting passing bills, including hiking sales tax in NYC by 0.5%. Mayor Bloomberg is expected to regain control of the school system.

JFK Runway Closing For 4 Months

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-10T11:29:22-05:00

Traveler beware: JFK's longest, and busiest, runway (13R-31L) will close for four months next year! But before you start looking up recipes for Turtle Soup, the shelled ones who recently delayed flights aren't to blame. The closure is all part of a $204-million, three-year makeover, Newsday reports. Last year the runway handled more than 143,000 takeoffs and landings, and individual airlines are currently analyzing the effect the closure will have on flight schedules (a JetBlue spokeswoman said "It certainly does have an impact on operations."). The director of aviation for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey explains, "The scope of the project is truly enormous. It provides for the replacement of almost three miles of asphalt pavement." You can read more here—and you've been warned, the closure will begin in March and run until July. Since delays have plagued JFK in the past, this probably won't help their track record.

Tim Hortons Pits Timbits vs. Munchkins, Free Coffee Monday!

Hugh Merwin — 2009-07-10T11:11:53-05:00

[S.W.A.G. UPDATE BELOW] Predictably, it's being called the doughnut wars: news that beloved Canadian coffee-and-doughnuts chain Tim Hortons will replace thirteen prominent NYC Dunkin' Donuts locations operated by the Riese Organization on Monday morning has all kinds of North Americans drawing battle lines in the powdered sugar. By the end of next month, sixteen Tim Hortons will be open in NYC, pitting Munchkins against Timbits (thankfully no A-holes are involved).

Riese announced on Wednesday they were splitting with Dunkin' because a contract was up; a Dunkin' spokesperson cited irreconcilable differences of sorts, stemming from a lawsuit involving a 1998 Post photo depicting a mouse dreamily chomping on a chocolate glazed in the window of a 46th Street shop.

Refering to the Tim's invasion, NY1 news anchor (and Calgary native) Pat Kiernan tells the Daily News "It's a glorious day for Canadians in the city," while the Times contemplates the sheer numbers of the more established chain, noting "There are 427 Dunkin’ Donuts within 10 miles of Times Square." Though clearly outnumbered, this may be an easier than expected fight for the scrappy, frontier-forged Tim Hortons: an Ottawa native living in New York puts it this way: “When you’re crossing the prairie and going through bear-infested territory, Tim’s is your friend.”

Let's hope (perhaps pray) the same follows when the infestation of sandwich-loving bears from Vernon finally master public transportation, visit the Statue of Liberty's Crown, and/or otherwise clog SoHo. UPDATE: On Monday morning from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., the new Tim Hortons in Penn Station will open by giving out 100 gallons of coffee to commuters, no questions asked. So start lining up now for your first free taste of Canadian black medicine; the T-Hos is located at north end of LIRR concourse, by the 34th Street and 7th Avenue entrance.

Nature's Wrath On A Brooklyn Dodgeballer

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-10T10:45:02-05:00

When it's nature versus hipsters, nature usually wins. First it was the Brooklyn Kickballers being scared of the newly planted saplings in McCarren Park, and now this. The Daily News reports that 23-year-old Justin Calicchio was playing a game of dodgeball in Carroll Park yesterday when a tree branch came out of nowhere and pinned him to the ground. Yikes. He told the paper from his hospital bed that, "I blacked out. Everything is starting to become clear again. My girlfriend has been telling me about it and I'm starting to remember now." He is suffering from back injuries but was told he barely dodged more serious problems. A friend reported back saying the branch was too big and fell too fast that there was no escaping it. Calicchio has lived in Carroll Gardens his whole life, and says the tree has always been there, and "branches have fallen off before." Paging the Parks Department!

Gotham Cops Collar Vigilante Batman, Superman In Times Square!

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T10:27:52-05:00

At far left and far right, Superman and Batman spotted earlier this week by Idle Type on Flickr; at center, yesterday's altercation via the Post

At long last, Gotham's police force has taken action to save the city from two reckless vigilante "superheroes" who have been terrorizing citizens with their lawless brand of street justice. Yesterday a group of doughty NYPD officers—fed up with the costly destruction unleashed upon our fair city by those masked outlaws "Batman" and "Superman"—spotted the two renegade freaks in Times Square and attempted to bring them to justice. According to The New York Post, officers tried booking the super-zeros on a charge of "performing in costume in public" without a license—but the only thing these two clowns were performing was civil disobedience.

And naturally these two goons, who presume themselves to be above the law, weren't about to go down without a fight. When the men in tights refused to produce proper identification, officers quickly cuffed Batman, while Superman flew off, screaming, "I'm not getting arrested!" Witness Ryan McCormick tells the Post, "The Man of Steel didn't go down with just two officers, it took seven officers! He was putting up a good fight. Little kids were like, 'Mommy, it's Superman!' " The Batman quickly confessed that Superman, his cowardly cohort, "freaked out and punched the girl cop in the face."

Police have revealed Superman's identity as one Maksim Katsnelson, 23, of The Bronx; he was charged with assault and resisting arrested. And the so-called "Dark Knight" has been exposed as Maine resident Frank Frisoli (not billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, as some have speculated). Frisoli insists his double life as a masked avenger was harmless, and that he and Katsnelson were "were just having a good time."

For some reason, officers inexplicably let Frisoli walk away after the incident, and we suspect that, once again, a phone call from his buddy the Police Commissioner played no small part in his release. And The Post reports that the Batman was last seen darting away with yet another new menace to society: a costumed crusader who calls herself "The Statue of Liberty." Taxpayers will no doubt have to foot the bill for her reckless torch-brandishing soon enough!

Refco Trial Juror Threatens To Cut Off Fellow Juror's Finger

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T10:02:36-05:00

Jury room debates in the fraud trial of a lawyer for commodities broker Refco have gotten so heated that a court officer has had to order jurors to lower their voices. And yesterday, after six days of deliberations, juror No. 4, identified only as "Kevin," sent a letter to the judge explaining that the "frequent insults" he's endured from Juror No. 9, Abigail O'Connell, had risen to a "whole new level. Specifically, in a loud and belligerent manner Juror O'Connell threatened to cut off my finger. She made that statement twice. In the same tirade she stated, 'I will have my husband take care of you.'" Kevin told the foreman that the "threats and intimidation" would not change his vote, but he's worried that "hearing these threats may affect other jurors." The foreman, however, says, "the altercation [Wednesday] could be traced to both parties involved." Judge Robert Patterson denied the defense a mistrial and ordered deliberations to continue; Refco's former attorney Joseph Collins is accused of helping hide the company's bad debts.

Thompson Gets Working Families Party Endorsement

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T09:45:51-05:00

After three mayoral candidates—Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Comptroller Bill Thompson, and City Councilman Tony Avella—answered questions in a forum last week, the Working Families Party has endorsed Comptroller Thompson for mayor, though apparently the vote was "contentious." Here's the statement from the WFP:

As our city and nation tackle the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, standing on the sidelines is unacceptable. And the idea that Wall Street knows best no longer convinces anyone. As in last November's election for President, it's time for a new direction.

At our Forum last Thursday, Bill Thompson presented a clear, progressive message. He believes city government must first and always put the middle class and working families above the real estate developers and corporate interests that have dominated New York City for too long.

The vote tonight by the New York City Coordinating Council matches the overwhelming sentiment of WFP supporters who watched our Mayoral Forum, in person and online, and graded Bill Thompson the clear winner.

Addressing his profligate campaign spending, Mayor Bloomberg told the crowd last Thursday: “rich people don’t always win.”

The Working Families Party wants to help prove him right by helping Bill Thompson become the next Mayor of New York.

Thompson issued his own statement, “I thank the members of the Working Families Party for their support and I am proud to be on the WFP line. Tonight sends a clear message - I am the candidate for our City’s hard-working men and women. I will carry the momentum from the endorsement with me as I kick off my tour of the five boroughs this weekend. With the support of the WFP, an organization that embodies true progressive values, we will bring new leadership to City Hall.”

The Post says Thompson's "floundering mayoral campaign...got a boost last night with the" endorsement and that this is "one of Bloomberg's few political losses this year." Bloomberg's re-election team was really hoping to get the nod. Earlier this week, a Marist poll found that 51% of respondents think there should be a new mayor, but 73% think Bloomberg will win anyway.

Three-Alarm Fire On Throgs Neck Bridge

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T09:17:20-05:00

Around 5:30 a.m., a fire broke out on a construction platform under the Throgs Neck Bridge. According to WABC 7, "The fire spread under the bridge, from the Bronx-bound to Queens-bound lanes. FDNY marine boats were responding to put out the flames." And the MTA just sent this statement: "The Throgs Neck Bridge continues to be closed in both directions due to a fire on scaffolding under the bridge where contractors were working this morning. No reports of injuries. The Fire Department is on the scene along with engineers. There is currently no estimate of when the bridge might reopen. That will be a decision made by the Fire Department and engineers on the scene. Traffic is being diverted to the Bronx Whitestone and RFK Bridges."

Two Men Arrested in Assault on Transgender Queens Female

John Del Signore — 2009-07-10T08:51:11-05:00

Two men have been arraigned on charges of assault as a hate crime after an alleged rock-throwing attack on a transgender female in Queens on Wednesday night. Carmella Etienne, 22, says she walking by the corner of 116th Avenue and 199th Street in St. Albans when two men shouted anti-gay slurs and threatened to cut her throat. (NY1 reports they even threatened to sodomize her with a baseball bat.) After promising to call the police, the two suspects allegedly said, "The police don't care about you, they won't do anything to us." Rocks and a bottle were thrown, and Etienne sustained a deep cut to her leg.

Nathaniel Mims, 25, of the Bronx and Rasheed Thomas, 22, of Queens, were arrested at the scene, but Candy Brown, a friend of one of the suspects, tells NY1 cops got the wrong guys: "He stopped right here, started doing his little vogue-ing thing, cause that's what they do. And I guess the guy that is with my friend he didn't like he, you know 'Go outta here with that, you know, no one wants to see that' and he went about his business. Somebody else or whatever started throwin rocks or whatever, but they were here. They didn't have anything to do with it."

Thomas, one of the suspects, told prosecutors after the arrest, "I didn't know you could get locked up for calling somebody names. I called her a bunch of names. I called her a [expletive deleted], but she didn't see me throw anything." Etienne, 22, moved to Queens from Haiti six years ago and soon began her transformation from male to female. (According to CBS2, she's medically and legally a woman.) Both suspects are being held on $5,000 bail; if convicted, they could face up to 15 years in prison.

Etienne tells the Daily News, "The law will hopefully put them to justice. I love being myself." And Brendan Fay, a leader in the LGBT community in Queens, says, "There's mounting concern in the community and anger at the violence and prejudice." Last month another transgender woman was assaulted with a belt buckle by two men in Jackson Heights, and during Gay Pride Weekend a group of young men on the Upper East Side beat a man while calling him a "faggot."

Presented By:

2009-07-10T08:51:11-05:00

Four Saved From Shark-Infested Waters Off Fire Island

Jen Chung — 2009-07-10T08:17:32-05:00

Two off-duty Nassau Marine Officers helped save four fisherman whose "boat began sinking in shark-infested waters south of Fire Island," according to Newsday. Mike Spagnuolo and Mike Larmony, in Spagnuolo's charter boat, the Gina Ann, heard the distress call; Spagnuolo said, "We heard the panic in their voice and we knew we had to get there. We knew there were no other boats out there." The distressed boat, the Anger Management, sank minutes after the Gina Ann arrived. Anger Management captain Ray Pasieka and his crew put on life jackets and swam about 50 feet to the Gina Ann. Pasieka, who caught a mako shark but left it on the sinking boat, said, "That was the biggest fear, jumping in the water. We knew there was a shark in the water in eating distance."

Last Night's Action: The Brooms Came Out

Tom Boorstein — 2009-07-10T00:01:00-05:00

Photograph of the Yankees after their win by Jim Mone/AP

Yankees 6, Twins 4: Alfredo Aceves gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings. Then the bullpen came to his rescue. David Robertson walked in two of the Aceves runs, but the relievers combined to throw 5 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. Jonathan Albaladejo, Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera did the honors. The Yankees got some pop from Mark Teixeira, who ended the longest homerless drought of his career (96 at-bats and 23 games). Now it's on to Los Angeles of Anaheim for a three-game set with the Angels before the All-Star break. With Boston's loss to Kansas City, the Yankees are tied for first place.
Dodgers 11, Mets 2: All that good will created by Wednesday's win and Daniel Murphy's play went up in smoke early. Livan Hernandez gave eight runs and four walks in four innings of work. His ERA is now 5.10. It has risen by 1.06 in his last two starts. With Tim Redding out of the rotation already, Oliver Perez still demonstrating no ability to throw strikes and Fernando Nieve hardly a sure thing, the Mets have some serious starting pitching problems. They get the Reds at home before a much-needed break.
Sparks 69, Liberty 60: Janel McCarville had 18 points, but they weren't enough to down the visiting team from Los Angels. New York is 3-7 on the year.

Extra, Extra

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T19:11:53-05:00

Photo taken in Greenpoint by Katie Sokoler

From the Gothamist Newsmap: an escaped EDP at 35th St and 2nd Ave, a bank robbery on Jackson Ave in Queens and a person under a train at Jay and Willoughby Sts in Brooklyn.
A 3-year-old special needs child was left on a school bus unattended for five hours.
A Hoboken garbage truck ran a red light and struck a NJ Transit train this morning.
The owner of two Nargilla Grill restaurants has admitted evading hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate and sales taxes from his businesses.
As the month of madness in the state senate (hopefully) began heading toward its conclusion today, Governor Paterson tweeted away about hanging out with good ol' Joe Biden.
According to the early stages of this poll, most people say they wouldn't pay to subscribe to the NY Times online.
Joe Torre doesn't know if he'll ever step inside Yankee Stadium again—not that he'd mind being forced to this October.
Today is Day Two of the controversy surrounding whether Nike confiscated a videotape of a college student dunking on LeBron James.
James Bond and Wolverine are teaming up to star in a new Broadway play this fall.
And don't forget to dress like a cow tomorrow for a free meal at Chick-Fil-A. Now, the fast-food chain's only location is inside NYU's Weinstein Food Court, so here's hoping no ill-fated student occupations stand between you and your chicken sandwich.

Ravitch Was Secretly Sworn In At Peter Luger's

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T18:51:12-05:00

It's unclear whether Governor Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch will ever hold up as being legal, but at least the pair can rest knowing this—they pulled it off like pimps. Soon after Paterson went on television and made his announcement yesterday and before the GOP could mount a court challenge to block it (way back when they were allied with Sen. Pedro Espada), Ravitch was secretly sworn in while having dinner at Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg. When Ravitch's 7:45 reservation for four added a mysterious fifth person, the group explained what was going on and said they were in a hurry. The president of Peter Luger's told the Times, "They drew out some documents, and they were very excited and everything. Mr. Ravitch said, ‘This is my favorite restaurant, and I wouldn’t take the oath of office anywhere else.’ People around them were trying to figure out what was going on.” While there's no word on what Ravitch ordered, he did pose for a picture as he signed his oath, hopefully with the blood of an $85 steak.

O'Reilly Has Rep. King, Rev. Sharpton Discuss Michael Jackson

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T18:31:48-05:00

Last night, Bill O'Reilly had two very vocal figures discuss Michael Jackson on his show last night—Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island), who blasted the media attention devoted to a "pedophile" "lowlife", and Rev. Al Sharpton, who told Jackson's children that there was "nothing strange" about their father. First, O'Reilly had King on; O'Reilly pointed out that Jackson was acquitted of molestation charges and that settling the other case "doesn't mean you're admitting anything" (which the talk show host knows about first hand). King responded:

Bill, I would say an adult male who sleeps with young boys is a child molester. If nothing else, he's molesting and abusing their psyche. How are those children going to possibly grow up normal after spending nights in bed with Michael Jackson? So — and I would say also there's not a daycare center in the United States that would be allowed to hire him...

Listen, if Michael Jackson had died, it got one or two days of coverage, that would have been fine. But the way it went on and on with this wall to wall, round the clock coverage, and at the same time we have Americans dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have the president in Russia trying to negotiate arms control, nuclear arms control. To me it was a real reflection on the culture of our country.

[Video of King's segment, as well as video of Sharpton's after the jump.]

Then Sharpton was brought on—and it's a shame that he was on separately from King. Sharpton had fierce criticism of King, "The issue is that it is totally irresponsible for a lawmaker to disregard the law. Charges were made against Michael Jackson, a mostly non black jury, you talked about 9 out of 10, let's try 12 out of 12 in a jury said he was not guilty of child molestation. That's all. And it's reckless and irresponsible to say he's a child molester, as it would be for me to come on here and say Dick Cheney shoots his friends hunting." Ha!

Then O'Reilly asked Sharpton about Jackson as an African-American icon and his children:

O'REILLY: Answer me this. I heard a lot of people yesterday — and I think you were one of them, but correct me if I'm wrong — saying that Michael Jackson was some kind of African-American icon.

SHARPTON: Yeah, he was.

O'REILLY: Well, then why did he have white children?

SHARPTON: What does that have to do?

O'REILLY: What does that have to do? He chose to have in vitro by a white woman and a white man. What does that have to do?...

SHARPTON: Well, we didn't say he was an African-American — father of African-American children. We said he was an African-American icon.

O'REILLY: An icon? But why would he have white kids then?

SHARPTON: What he did in his personal life and his personal — has nothing to do with his iconic status.

O'REILLY: It doesn't?

SHARPTON: If I said that Bill O'Reilly has a hot television show, does that mean I have the right to go to your house and say but how come his kids chew bubblegum?

Here's the full transcript.

King on the O'Reilly Factor:

Sharpton on the O'Reilly Factor:

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City Schools Local Fishermen To Be Wary Of Deadliest Catch

Billy Parker — 2009-07-09T18:14:50-05:00

Photo taken by Matt Semel on flickr

People, throw the fish back in the water. That is what the city is making sure to remind New Yorkers of with new signage going up at fishing spots around town. This comes after the Daily News discovered that old signs had worn away or were non-existent while fishing for food among lower-income New Yorkers is on the rise. The signs warning of high levels of carcinogens such as PCBs and mercury don't sound likely to deter the fishermen though—they tell the paper that contaminated fish beats an empty dinner plate. While Senator Schumer is asking the federal government to update its guidelines on what fish is safe, the mayor has basically said pish posh to all this, that people should "use common sense" when dealing with city waters. Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum is taking him to task for that, calling the mayor "out of touch" with the low-income fishermen, whom she says "we need to protect." A spokesman from the mayor shot back, "There are actually still a lot of people in government who work on solutions instead of just calling people names."

New Restaurants on the Radar: Cellar 58, The Mott, André

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T17:55:28-05:00

Cellar 58 (John Del Signore/Gothamist)

Cellar 58: The wine bars are coming for you; they're coming for us all! The latest vino dispenser to descend upon the East Village is Cellar 58; but this one has a lot going for it. One, it's run by real Italians who run around talking at each other in their glorious native tongue. Two, there's a really cute back room, seen here, that fills with diffused, late afternoon light and feels sort of other-worldly. Three, during the opening party last night, we heard the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Radiohead, and not a single Andrea Bocelli torch song. Fourth, besides the 120+ international wine selection, they're doing a pretty extensive small plates menu (flatbread pizzas, pastas, bruschetta, etc.) which doesn't set them apart from other wine bars (like the one right across the street) but we felt great amore for everything we tried. 58 Second Avenue; (212) 420-1300

The Mott: We're told his militantly seasonal new 38-seat Nolita restaurant is "fully committed to locally sourcing all ingredients and ONLY serving what’s in season on the menu." It's got so much farm-to-table cred that Chef Brian Bieler was even born and raised on a farm in Kansas. Your move, Blue Hill. Bieler says he's going to personally visit green markets "just about every morning" to scout out the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. He even vows, "In my restaurant you will never find a tomato in January or a strawberry in the Fall." The summer menu consists of just six appetizers and six entrees, with starters including Soft Shell Crab Tempura with homemade tartar sauce and frisee and Tomato Coulis, a raw combination of pureed red and yellow heirloom tomatoes topped with opal basil. There's an entrée of Roasted Chicken, made from free range Bell and Evans chickens; and a Seared Halibut with asparagus and sunchokes. But is chicken in season? 173 Mott Street at the corner of Broome; (212) 966-1411

André: Located inside the new Renaissance Hotel, this upscale bistro finally gives Wallace Shawn fans a chance to have their own dinner with Andre. Also serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch, the space is connected to the newly-relaunched Opia Lounge, so you can even get drinks with André after your dinner. Chef Ted Pryor's menu emphasizes "classic French principles with an American accent"; main courses include a Warm Poached Lobster Salad with Baby Golden Beets, Osetra Vinaigrette for $28; Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Sage Pulp New Potatoes, Snap Peas, Black Cherry Jus for $32, and appetizers such as Lobster Ravioli with Summer Squash, Baby Basil and Lobster Bisque ($14). Lunch sandwiches include a Smoked Salmon Club Sandwich on grilled bread with avocado, red onion, tomato and lemon vinaigrette; and for breakfast there's Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes with apple butter and spiced apple compote. 57th Street and Lexington Avenue; (212) 688-3939

H1N1 Vaccine On the Way As Nine More Flu Deaths Reported

Jon Hill — 2009-07-09T17:30:44-05:00

Brockenbrough's Flickr

Swine flu relief might be coming soon in the form of a shot. NY1 says that White House officials are laying plans for distribution of an H1N1 vaccine by as early as October, with priority going to at-risk groups like pregnant women. That, of course, assumes no hitches in vaccine production or testing, which Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confirms will soon be underway: "We're moving towards the likelihood of a specific vaccine for H1N1...What we need to do is make sure we have a safe vaccine." That likelihood is particularly welcome news following today's Health Department announcement of nine more New York City deaths linked to the H1N1 virus. But, as Newsday reports, the city's new swine flu death toll of 47 could get much worse if the virus mutates in time for the fall flu season, a possibility that Mayor Bloomberg says alarms him: "We're certainly worried about what happens in the fall and we're making sure that we have, to the extent we can, facilities to treat people." The latest H1N1 victims were not identified by the Health Department, but they range in ages from 25 to 65.

Flashback: Remember New York Airways?

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T17:14:43-05:00

As noted in our newsletter this morning, on this day in 1953, the first commuter passenger service by helicopter began. New York Airways provided a lift for busy folks who wanted to avoid traffic.

Just a little over 10 years after launching, one of the flights from Idlewild Airport (now JFK), en route to Newark via Wall Street, crashed and killed all six on board. In the late '70s, the landing gear failed on a plane taking on passengers at the Pan Am building. "It tipped over; its spinning rotor blades killed four passengers waiting to board (including movie director Michael Findlay) and injured a fifth, and parts of a broken blade fell into the streets below, killing one pedestrian and injuring another. The accident precipitated the closure of the heliport for good." Yikes!

There's a great collection of old schedules and brochures here. Would you have ever gotten on this thing?

No Pooper Scooper Laws for Horses

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T16:54:52-05:00

Photo via f.trainer

Uh oh, seems both dogs and horses are marking their territory in Brooklyn... but only one animal's owners are obligated by law to pick up their pet's mess. The Brooklyn Paper reports that a common sight in Kensington and Park Slope is that of horse waste. Yuck. The paper note that "the decades-old city law mandating pet owners to remove excrement from sidewalks applies to dogs and dogs alone, according to the Sanitation Department." Do the main culprits at the Kensington Stables feel any pangs of guilt for not cleaning up after their horses? Apparently it falls on the city, but they do say, “Generally, the barn hands pick up around the neighborhood. I have made it a general policy to handle this. We don’t make a stink out of it.” Time is off the essence, however, and reportedly it takes hours or more for a volunteer to come and scoop the poop—one resident told the paper, “It smells like a toilet" in Prospect Park.

Stalled Condos Will Become Affordable Housing in City Plan

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T16:33:12-05:00

krzysztof.poluchowicz's Flickr

Bad news for squatters and survivalists: Instead of just letting abandoned condo developments turn into illegal havens for trespassers, the city is starting a $20 million pilot program to turn unsold condominiums, unrented apartments and stalled construction sites into affordable housing for middle-income families. Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced the plan, called the Housing Asset Renewal Program (HARP), in which the city will negotiate with developers and banks to turn the unoccupied units into affordable housing.

Quinn says the average cost to the city of $50,000 per unit would be less than the $75,000 to $100,000 it usually costs the city create an affordable housing unit from scratch. With HARP, the city won't actually be buying the properties, and the program will focus on neighborhoods outside of Manhattan to turn around two types of developments: completed projects with a high number of vacancies and stalled sites that are still under construction. (There are a lot of them these days!) Bloomberg told reporters yesterday, "Private developments that sit vacant or unfinished could have a destabilizing effect on our neighborhoods, but we’re not about to let that happen." As many as 400 units could be converted as part of the pilot program.

Vincent Riso, a Queens developer, predicts that developers and banks will want to cut their losses and participate in the program. He tells Crain's, "At some point, a developer has to be a practical person and say, 'I don’t see the economy coming back for a year, two years, let me get out of it whatever I can.'" Last year the city announced plans to use $24 million in federal money to buy more than 100 foreclosed homes and create 300 low- and middle income housing units. And last month another program that turned an empty luxury condo in Brooklyn into a homeless shelter drew outrage from some neighbors.

NYC Now Has 200 More Miles of Bike Lanes!

John Del Signore — 2009-07-09T16:16:33-05:00

City officials and cycling advocates gathered in The Bronx yesterday to celebrate meeting the goal of adding 200 bike-lane miles in all five boroughs in three years. Dr. Thomas Farley, city health commissioner, was on hand to trumpet the health benefits of cycling; Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe praised the bike lanes connecting the city's parks and waterfronts; and DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan declared New York "the bicycling capital of the United States." The bike lane network is now the equivalent length of a bike lane running from New York City to Boston! The 200-mile initiative was launched after a 2006 report [pdf] determined that cyclists were safest in bike lanes and wearing helmets. The project cost $8.8 million, and included installing 6,100 bike racks and 1,000 guide signs. According to the DOT [pdf], there are now 70.9 miles of bike lanes in The Bronx, 138.9 miles in Brooklyn, 90.4 miles in Manhattan, 96.7 miles in Queens, and 27.6 in Staten Island. And besides helping cyclists, they make for great parking spots, too!

New Mural Replaces Haring Tribute on Houston

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T16:01:02-05:00

Photo by Will Sherman/AnimalNY

So the Keith Haring tribute mural has been buffed, and currently the Brazilian street art duo (and twin brothers) Os Gemeos (real names Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo) are creating their own mural in its place (Animal has photos of the work in progress).

If you've been to Coney Island anytime in the past four years, it's likely you've already seen Os Gemeos' work, they have a mural opposite the Coney Island subway station that Creative Time sponsored.

As for this new one, it's sponsored by Deitch (who also commissioned the Haring piece). They tell us it will "blend ideas from artist's daily life with the fantasy or 'ludico' world where the recognizable is harmonically blended with the abstract." And the artists are doing this as they go, the duo don't work off sketches, so we'll just have to wait and see!

NJ Gov Hopeful Christie: No Palin, But Maybe Rudy

Jen Chung — 2009-07-09T15:47:25-05:00

NJ gubernatorial Chris Christie reassured NJ voters that he's not interested in having soon-to-be former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin stump for him this fall. The Republican challenger did offer one familiar name—the Star-Ledger reports that Christie told 101.5 FM, "This is about New Jersey issues and New Jersey, and I don't think having Governor Palin here would do me, or frankly the state, a whole lot of good in the sense that we need to talk and focus on what the New Jersey issues are. I hope Mayor Giuliani will continue to be supportive and be here and work with me, but other than that, I think the people of New Jersey have to hear from me and that's the person they'll be electing. I'll be sitting in the chair, and I want them to spend most of their time getting to know me." Giuliani endorsed Christie back in February. Governor Jon Corzine, who trails Christie in the polls, is optimistic about his chances, "We have a national recession, we have a global recession. The public understands that President Obama and the Democratic policies are not how we got into this mess."

Coney Wants More Neverland Rides

Jen Carlson — 2009-07-09T15:31:46-05:00

Coney Island already has Michael Jackson’s Dragon Wagon Kiddie Coaster (albeit only temporarily), but now they want another piece of the King of Pop! Don't stop til you get enough, etc. ATZ reports there's an opportunity to snag a Neverland ride on a permanent basis, as the bumper cars designed for and by Michael Jackson are up on the auction block at eBay. The man behind the auction is carnival owner Earl “Butch” Butler, who brought the aforementioned Dragon Wagon to town. The bidding is currently at $46,100.00 (and has not met the reserve price), and the Coney folks are suggesting Mayor Bloomberg buy it as a gift for the City of New York. Should Coney Island consider a new design plan: Neverland II?