Scoopy’s notebook

Latest Pier 40 rumor: Nathaniel Schoen of Garber’s Hardware, which recently moved to Greenwich St., near Charles St., called us on Monday concerned that Channel 4 TV News had called him to ask about reports Home Depot was exploring putting a new superstore on Pier 40 in the Hudson River Park at W. Houston St. Schoen naturally is worried about the competition a big-box hardware store would pose — said Channel 4 also planned to interview him on camera about it. What gives? A Home Depot certainly hasn’t been in the interim plan for Pier 40 that the Hudson River Park Trust has been presenting to the community. Not surprisingly then, Chris Martin, spokesperson for the Trust, when asked, said, “We have no knowledge of any such proposal.” Don Harrison, Eastern division public relations manager for Home Depot, said: “There are only two [Home Depot] stores in Manhattan I’m aware of at all — one on 23rd St. down by the Flatiron Building and one up in Midtown at 59th St. and Third Ave. We announced that some months ago.” The stores, each about 100,000 sq. ft., will open in the summer.

Segarra may run: We hear former Deputy Mayor Ninfa Segarra is planning to run for City Council in District 2, Margarita Lopez’s East Side district, in 2005, where she would likely face Lopez’s protégé, Rosie Mendez. Segarra lives in Battery Park City, in District 1, though was raised in LaGuardia Houses on Madison St., where her mother still lives. If elected, she would move into the Council 2 district. Segarra reportedly was going to run if Lopez was term-limited out of office last year. Segarra, who was also president of the Board of Education under former Mayor Giuliani, was invited to be guest speaker at Roberto Napoleon’s installation as Baruch Houses Tenants Association president last Saturday, though couldn’t make it. “She’s considering it, that I can tell you,” said Roberto Caballero, president of the Lower East Side Political Action Committee. “She is Napoleon’s choice. And she is mine.” Caballero said Mildred Martinez, president of the Campos Plaza Tenants Association, would not run if Segarra does.

Help Kerry win: Fresh off their endorsements of John Kerry for president, Downtown Independent Democrats and Village Reform Democratic Club are having an organizational meeting of Downtown residents to support Kerry’s campaign and “take back the White House” at Panchito’s Restaurant, 103 Bleecker St., between Bleecker and W. Third Sts., Wed., Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. For further information, call Sean Sweeney at 212-460-9896.

Judicial Ethics 101: Under the code of judicial ethics, judges aren’t supposed to be going to political club meetings — unless they’re up for reelection or running for state supreme court. So why was Kathryn Freed at D.I.D.’s presidential endorsement meeting last week, talking about the cases before her, including the East Side rapist, no less? “Anyone who’s in politics — this is the first thing you learn,” said a source, requesting anonymity. “Judges are supposed to stay away from politics and endorsing candidates.” A former 10-year councilmember and longtime D.I.D. leader, Freed has been on the bench one month. But it sounds like it should now be bye-bye D.I.D. for Freed.

Tired…: Transgender activist Melissa Sklarz resigned in January as chairperson of Community Board 2’s Committee, because, she said, she’s “tired of fighting with my neighbors over quality of life.” We hear that without Sklarz as chairperson, the committee may be dissolved.

BID battle: Both sides are rallying support in the skirmish over whether or not to form a Hudson Sq. Business Improvement District. The pro-BID side is reportedly sending out information packets — that were supposed to have been sent out last May — on the BID plan; we hear Rocio Sanz, who owns a building on Hudson St., received one dated Feb. 4. Meanwhile, Lisa La Frieda and Marie Derr are sending out questionnaires asking if property owners were aware of the BID and want to be a part of it; the responses to La Frieda and Derr’s survey will be sent to Amanda Burden, commissioner of the City Planning Commission.