Scoopy’s notebook

Sexton II: Michael Haberman, director of New York University’s office of government and community relations, said N.Y.U. President John Sexton will hold his second town hall meeting for Greenwich Village and Downtown residents sometime in the winter, if not this semester, then at the start of the next semester; and that Sexton will definitely be there, leading the meeting.

Alan G. and Bobby D.: Councilmember Alan Gerson has arranged for actor Robert De Niro to be honored at the City Council’s Italian Heritage Celebration on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. De Niro, of Tribeca, will be honored for his artistic achievements and his efforts to help Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of 9/11.

No comment: Asked if he planned to write a comeback to last week’s Talking Point by Arthur Schwartz that contained veiled references to a political “newcomer,” Chad Marlow, president of Village Independent Democrats, said: “I would have loved to have written a counter piece, but the [Talking Point] does not call for a response.”

Lynne ’n’ Loco: Scoopy hears “Gringo Loco,” of Oaxaca, Mexico, will be deejaying at civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart’s birthday party Thurs., Oct. 9, from 7-11 p.m. at 315 Broadway (between Thomas and Duane Sts.), Suite 200, law office of Noah Kinigstein. Billed as “An evening of fun and politics,” the benefit for Stewart’s defense committee is open to the public. Attorney Michael Tigar will discuss Attorney General John Ashcroft’s case against Stewart, who was recently cleared of the top two charges of aiding terrorism.

Wants to scream: East Village activist Susan Howard said the blazing light from the “massive sign” at Keith McNally’s new place at Norfolk and Rivington Sts., Schiller’s Liquor Bar, is shining in residents’ windows and that the kitchen workers are making a racket cleaning pots and utensils on the sidewalk at 4 a.m.

Charas dream: David Leslie, artistic director of Howl!, said Phil Hartman, Howl!’s organizer, talks about buying the still-vacant former Charas/El Bohio building on E. Ninth St. and converting it back to an arts and community center. “It’s his dream,” Leslie said.

Judging the Times: Jerry Skurnik of Prime New York, who was Virginia Kolodny’s campaign manager in the recent Civil Court judge race, said it was the New York Times’ endorsement of Shlomo Hagler that decided the race, not just Grand St.’s turnout for local candidate Hagler. “All I know is the New York Times — after their obligatory two paragraphs blasting the system, they then endorsed all seven regular Democrats running for judge in the city,” said Skurnik. He noted that in three Brooklyn judge races, the Times endorsed the candidates backed by Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Clarence Norman; in the Bronx, the Times endorsed the two candidates backed by Bronx Democratic boss Jose Rivera; and in Manhattan, the Times endorsed the candidate backed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver — Hagler — and another candidate backed by the Upper East Side Democratic clubs.

Corrections: In last week’s article on the proposed rink in Hudson River Park and Pier 40 interim plan, it should have stated that the interim plan would add 800 to 900 more car-parking spots, not 600, to Pier 40. Also, the name of the Community Board 4 member on the special Pier 40 committee is Ann Sewell, not Linda Sewell…. In an article last week on the Bessie Awards, Laurie Uprichard, executive director of Danspace, was incorrectly referred to as associate director…. In the Notebook on George Plimpton by Andrei Codrescu, the longest pre-Codrescu story printed in the Paris Review, by Philip Roth, was “Goodbye, Columbus,” not “Portnoy’s Complaint.”

Cheesy event: Singer Vic Damone will be grand marshal of the Sorrento Summer in Little Italy Columbus Day Parade, Sat., Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. The parade, featuring a life-size cheese carving of Christopher Columbus by acclaimed food sculptor Jim Victor, will begin at Canal St. and proceed north on Mulberry St. to Broome St. The three-ft.-high, 250-lb. Columbus bust will be crafted from Sorrento parmesan wheels.