POST-SANDY INFO FAIR: Area residents are encouraged to attend a resource fair on Sun., Dec. 9, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., that will serve as a one-stop shop for New Yorkers in need of assistance or who want to get involved with recovery efforts and long-term planning. At “New York After Sandy,” which will take place at Murry Bergtraum High School, residents will be able to get information from representatives of government agencies, including FEMA and the New York City Housing Authority; the utility companies Con Edison and Verizon; legal service representatives; volunteer organizations; and business organizations, including the Downtown Alliance and the Lower East Side Business Improvement District. The event will also include a community conversation on New York City’s long-term recovery and how the city can prepare for future emergencies. An identical fair is also taking place in Brooklyn on Sun., Dec. 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Galapagos Art Space, at 16 Main St. Language assistance in Spanish and Chinese will be available at both locations. The public can RSVP online at https://tiny.cc/NYAfterSandy or by calling 212-298-5565.
NICE NYCHA EXTENSION: When Sheldon Silver speaks, NYCHA listens — or at least, most recently, they listened when Silver said that public housing tenants affected by Hurricane Sandy should be given an extra month to pay their rents. Last week, The Villager reported Silver’s response to NYCHA’s eviction moratorium that was originally scheduled to expire on Jan. 1. On Friday, a day after that article was published, NYCHA Chairperson John Rhea announced that the moratorium will in fact be extended until Feb. 1. Along with making any tenants impacted by Sandy exempt from rent-related evictions during that period of time, NYCHA said it will not bring any new Housing Court actions until after the Feb 1. deadline, and any current actions have been suspended. On a side note, the Daily News published a story about the extension after it was announced, but they conveniently forgot to point out that they first read about the impetus for NYCHA’s turnaround in your favorite Downtown neighborhood weekly. Hey guys, the News wasn’t the first paper to print the Assembly Speaker’s response, and he didn’t release it publicly — he told it to The Villager, when we asked him about it!
FASS TIMES ON 103RD ST.: While we were Uptown on Sunday, we stopped by the Museum of the City of New York to see underground radio icon Bob Fass getting inducted into the City Lore “People’s Hall of Fame,” for his work pioneering the free-form talk show. City Lore, which is based on the Lower East Side, is a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving New York’s urban culture. Other new inductees from the world of radio included Kathleen Biggins, for anchoring the Irish music scene; Oscar Brand, dubbed America’s great folk DJ; Awilda Rivera, for fostering Latin jazz on the airwaves; Phil Schaap, also for promoting jazz; and DJ Red Alert, for helping to put hip-hop in the air decades ago. Fass is well-deserving of the honor, partly because of how his broadcasting style on WBAI played a huge role in giving a voice to the L.E.S. anti-gentrification movement, among other subculture talking points. And along with using his mic as a powerful sociopolitical tool, Fass’s show hosted early performances from artists like Bob Dylan, Carly Simon and Arlo Guthrie back in the ’60s — and Fass is still going strong on Thursdays from midnight to 3 a.m. on WBAI. A new documentary on Fass, “Radio Unnameable” (named after his show), was also released recently.
TRASH-STRAVAGANZA: On Wed., Dec. 12, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., kids can enjoy a free workshop on how to transform ordinary “trash” (such as mylar chip bags, bottle caps, candy wrappers and plastic trays) into beautiful holiday ornaments. The workshop is open to ages 2 and up. Adult “kids” are welcome too! Not only will participants learn about creating but about the value of things that are ordinarily wasted. B.Y.O.T. Bring your own “trash” items to craft, but there will also be plenty on hand to share. The “trash-stravaganza” is being brought to you by yanbuki (trash guru) Rolando Politi of RAP Studios (Recycle and Pray) and garden mama Sarah Ferguson.
SANDY RELIEF-PALOOZA: BoysLike-Barbies and MERMAIDFARM Media Arts present I Heart Hurricane Relief, a benefit for Occupy Sandy, on Sat., Dec. 8, from 5:30 p.m. to midnight, at Sidewalk Cafe, 94 Avenue A at Sixth St. It will be a night of music, poetry and comedy, plus raffles and live auctions. The entire portion of funds raised will go toward Occupy Sandy, whose members have been helping coordinate relief efforts for neighborhoods and people affected by Superstorm Sandy. There is a $10 suggested donation, and 15 percent of all house sales will go toward Occupy Sandy. Ann Enzminger and Leah Milstein both live in neighborhoods that experienced power outages, but were fortunate not to have felt the most severe effects of the storm that many other parts of the city did. While Leah looked for ways to volunteer and donate supplies, Ann brainstormed about how to connect the artistic community with the various efforts, and proposed throwing a benefit show. Together, they pulled it all together. The benefit will feature performances by Jeffrey Lewis, Victor Varnado, Debe Dalton, John F. O’Donnell, Madison Cano, Jessica Delfino, poetry from Bernard King Presents, Myka Fox, Bridget and the Squares, The DeLorean Sisters, Tim Shea, Peter Loureiro, Sean T. Hanratty and the Mighty Mighty. Hosts will be everyone’s favorite folk duo, A Brief View of the Hudson. In addition to monetary contributions, the organizers ask everyone who plans to attend to take a look at the Occupy Sandy Web site, and to bring any supplies or donations Occupy Sandy is currently seeking. A coordinator from Occupy Sandy will be in attendance. The group is looking for volunteer help, especially on weekends. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/138428286305851/?fref=ts .
REAL ESTATE ICON REPEAT: The obituary on Irving Bender in this week’s edition of The Villager was written by and paid for by the William Gottlieb Management Company. (The obituary is not running in this week’s East Villager.) The Villager previously ran a different obituary on Bender in our Nov. 9 issue.
