Rachel Citron

Good morning, East Village.

For many bars in our neighborhood, this week marks the start of a new era.

As we reported Wednesday, Community Board 3 voted to overhaul the liquor licensing process in the East Village and Lower East Side. Before the vote, when a bar underwent a change in management, new owners could essentially buy the liquor license from the former owner. This morning, commenters in the blogosphere have been weighing in with their reactions to the vote. Save the Lower East Side characterized the move as a “momentous vote” and wondered if it will eventually lower rents and bring more commercial diversity to the neighborhood. The Lo-Down and DNAinfo also have posts on the decision.

EV Grieve reports the famed East Village bar, Coyote Ugly, reopened last night after being shut down for over a week following a surprise Feb. 15 visit by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. After scoring a 90 (an ideal score would be 13 points or fewer), the bar was ordered to remain closed following a second inspection on Friday. Coyote Ugly was finally given the green light upon third inspection on Wednesday after spending the weekend completing tasks like re-painting the walls and installing a new floor in the basement.

In today’s forecast, Accuweather predicts a high of 46. It is expected to rain through the night into tomorrow, though temperatures will climb into the 50s.