Vivienne Gucwa

Good morning, East Village.

We begin the day with the news that has taken the city by storm: Cathie Black, chancellor of education, has stepped down at the mayor’s request and will be resigning effective immediately. The news comes after Ms. Black’s brief and tumultuous tenure and a 17 percent approval rating, according to a recent NY1-Marist poll.

In neighborhood news, EV Grieve reports that another corner market, the Fuji Apple Market, on 12th Street and First Avenue is going out of business, continuing a trend that has seen a wave of small markets and bodegas close across the city.

An East Village artist has come under scrutiny from the MTA for creating a series of oil paintings on discarded subway cards. Maybe partnering with the artist could help the MTA with its financial woes? Sounds better than raising subway fares.

The performance space known as Under St. Mark’s was featured on NY1. The building, which has been owned by a theater development group since 1999, is for sale and some fans of the venue are concerned that the new owner might close the theater. Watch the NY1 video here.

As for the weekend weather, the forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 50’s.