N.Y.P.D. The suspect.

The police are on the hunt for a woman who stole a purse from Arlene’s Grocery on August 7.

The suspect allegedly swiped the bag hanging below a bar inside the music venue at 12:50 a.m. Police said the bag contained a cell phone, wallet, cash and credit cards.

Joann Jovinelly

Good morning, East Village.

A lengthy piece in The Observer detailing the trials and tribulations of the city Housing Authority features neighborhood city Councilwoman Rosie Mendez defending its embattled chairman, John Rhea — guardedly. “I didn’t think we needed a banker, but I have to say, he’s done a good job. We’re seeing progress, but I don’t know if it’s enough. Given the situation we’re in, I don’t know if any one person could fix it.” The councilwoman also recalls growing up in the Williamsburg Houses during a more hopeful time for public housing. “Even when the city started to get really bad in the ’70s and ’80s, NYCHA still had it all,” she said.

The Wall Street Journal previews tonight’s Community Board 3 committee meeting, which will discuss the possibility of a special nightlife district in the East Village. “As the neighborhood once known for its intimate night life is transformed into what some deem a multi-block frat house, community leaders are looking for ways to control the scene that are more subtle than simply quashing liquor-license applications.”

Of course, while the debate picks up steam at C.B. 3, bars will keep opening. The Times reports that “Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and the East Village (arguably the city’s two best neighborhoods for drinking) will become even richer in saloon life, welcoming new places run by some of the best bartenders in the business.” The paper singles out the soon to open fancy cocktail joint Pouring Ribbons on Avenue B.
Read more…

Daniel Maurer

Susan Stetzer woke up to an unpleasant surprise this morning – the “Wanted” flyers you see here were posted all along her walk from home to her office on East Fourth Street, where she is district manager of a community board that has become entangled in many a controversial bid for a liquor license.

Ms. Stetzer told The Local it could’ve been one of those hearings that drove someone, whose identity is unknown, to post the flyers. “Most of the complaints that come into the office are liquor license related,” she said. “C.B. 3 has more than any other community board and I don’t know of any other issues that people are so upset about.”

Ms. Stetzer said her building’s superintendent took down some of the postings describing her as an “unelected meddler” and an “assassin of New York’s creativity,” as did workers near the community board’s offices on East Fourth Street between Bowery and Second Avenue (The Local spotted the flyer shown here on Second Avenue). She said she didn’t care to try to ascertain the identity of the poster. “It’s someone who obviously has some problems and issues and they’re dealing with it personally and in a very destructive manner instead of seeing how it can be resolved in constructive manner,” she said.

It’s curious that Ms. Stetzer has been singled out as Public Enemy #1. As she pointed out, she doesn’t vote on community board issues. “I implement board policies and I’m the person who gives information about relevant legal issues,” she said. “I don’t vote. I don’t give suggestions on how people should vote – what I do is maybe bring up zoning issues and that sort of thing.” Read more…

Joann Jovinelly Spotted at East 13th Street and Avenue B.

Good morning, East Village.

NY1 takes a closer look inside the two new restaurants next door to each other on Extra Place that share the same owner but completely different concepts. “I found the space, we designed the layout and then the space next door became available, and I thought ‘why not make it two restaurants in one,'” the owner, Amadeus Bogner, said. So now Mr. Bogner is managing a restaurant serving traditional Turkish street food, as well as a Swiss fondue joint.

Speaking of restaurants, The Times chatted with two customers at Upstate and gave a shout-out to the beer-and-oysters spot’s happy hour deal.

Eater notes that a pizzeria dubbed “Famous Artichoke Pizza” in Hoboken eliminated the “Artichoke” from its name. The owner of the original Artichoke Pizza was none too happy about the imitator. Read more…

Stephen Rex Brown

Stephen Rex Brown

Today construction workers were installing a new awning above the entrance of 46 Cooper Square, which will welcome the Grace Church School’s inaugural class of high school students next week. According to the school’s Web site, 59 students will be in the first ninth grade class. In four years, the school hopes to have maxed out enrollment with 320 students. Next year, the school will expand into the adjacent Village Voice building when the alt-weekly’s lease expires.

Scott Lynch

Good morning, East Village.

Earlier this week, Gothamist featured a video of a nasty beating of a man in Union Square. The report yielded a flood of complaints about “Tyrone,” a tall man allegedly bullying Occupiers and homeless people in the park. He claims to be a member of the Crips, and has allegedly threatened to kill Matthew Silver, the goofball often dancing around Astor Place with underwear on his head. (There’s video of a confrontation between them, as well). Park advocates tell the site that Tyrone’s unchecked behavior is an example of neglect by the Parks Department.

Shulamith Firestone, a reclusive and influential feminist writer, died in her East Village apartment on Tuesday, apparently of natural causes, The Times reports. At 25 Ms. Firestone wrote “The Dialectic of Sex,” which “extended Marxist theories of class oppression to offer a radical analysis of the oppression of women, arguing that sexual inequity springs from the onus of childbearing, which devolves on women by pure biological happenstance.” Following the publication of the book, she withdrew from public life.

USA Today is a big fan of “Dirt Candy,” the comic-book cookbook that tells the story of the vegetarian restaurant on East Ninth Street. “If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to start a restaurant from scratch, Cohen doesn’t glaze over the details here: Shady contractors, piles of money and a temperamental staff factor in to Dirt Candy’s evolution.” Here’s a trailer for the book.
Read more…

The Lexus Project. An image posted on Facebook of Lexus Project staff with Star.

Here’s your hourly update on Star, the pit bull shot in the head by a police officer on 14th Street.

The miracle mutt is now in the care of the Lexus Project, which describes itself as “a law firm for dogs” that provides “legal defense on a case by case basis for dogs we believe are improperly or unfairly facing dangerous dog designations or euthanasia.” The organization, based in Kew Gardens, Queens, writes on Facebook that the dog, after losing an eye in surgery yesterday, is bound for a rehabilitation facility “where she can rest and be pampered on until she goes for her behavior assessment. From there, she will be placed into her forever home.”

That means that all the folks clamoring to bring the perseverant pooch into their homes need to hold off. Instead, the Lexus Project urges people to adopt another dog “on death row.” “If everyone of the people who contacted me adopted a dog on death row, there would be 60 — yes 60 — dogs alive at the end of today instead of a lonely and frightening death,” the organization wrote on Facebook. Read more…

Stephen Rex Brown These two construction workers at 51 Astor Place put on a show yesterday that would make Philippe Petit proud.

Good morning, East Village.

Yesterday, two of the owners of CBGB sent along word that they had just returned from Russia, where they hand delivered a letter in support of the band Pussy Riot to the office of the prosecutor general in Moscow. Tim Hayes and Louise Parnassa Staley convened with the band’s family members, legal defense team and others, according to a press release. The letter, in support of the three women found guilty of hooliganism and sentenced to two years in prison, was signed by the likes of Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and Anthony Bourdain. “They are punks and CBGB felt a need to support punks in trouble,” Mr. Hayes wrote in an e-mail. “We spent very intense days with their families, lawyers and friends. The environment in Moscow is much more heated than we ever expected.” He added, “Pussy Riot is the most dangerous band in the world; without question. They are also the most important band in the world today.”

A reader complains to EV Grieve that the scaffolding beside Solas has turned into a raucous after-party zone. Earlier this month a neighbor of the nightclub ended up in handcuffs after taking pictures of a boozed up club-goer passed out on the street.

Bowery Boogie doesn’t seem too keen on couples taking wedding announcement photos in front of Aiko’s wall. Read more…

Animal Care and Control Star chews on a toy, undeterred by her missing eye.

The pit bull who took a bullet from a police officer on 14th Street and lived to tell the tale had surgery today to remove her left eye, as well as metal fragments still lodged in her skull.

“Star had suffered soft tissue, bone, head trauma, and eye damage as a result of her wounds,” said Richard Gentles, a spokesman for the city Animal Care and Control, which handled care for the dog, Star. “She suffered a significant degree of hearing loss, but her hearing is coming back and the vision in her right eye also seems to be improving.” Another photo…

N.Y.P.D. The suspect.

The police department has released a surveillance image of the suspect in Saturday’s bank robbery.

The suspect passed a note to a teller at the Chase Bank on Second Avenue near East 10th Street at 12:40 p.m., the police said. The teller then forked over a wad of cash, and the robber made a run for it, toting a black Pullman suitcase.

He is thought to be in his 20s or 30s, 200 pounds and five-foot-10.

Next month’s Community Board 3 agenda just landed in The Local’s inbox, and with it comes the list of bars and restaurants that will seek a recommendation in their favor for a license to sell alcohol, along with an assortment of other issues. Here’s a roundup.

Vladi Radojicic Nublu.

Nublu will seek approval for a renewal of its wine and beer license. Very little has been heard from the jazz club since the State Liquor Authority temporarily shut the place down due to its proximity to a Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall. Though the club itself has not faced much controversy since then, neighbors who recently spoke out against the sandwich shop, Bikinis, implied that its owners were not trustworthy due to their association with Nublu.

The Lobster Joint will also seek approval for a liquor license at its future location on Houston Street. Two days ago, its owner was on the street seeking signatures in support of his application.

Paulaner Brauhaus, the large Bowery beer hall that has faced its fair share of construction and community board woes, will once again seek approval for a full liquor license.

As has been the case since early this year, Nevada Smiths is on the agenda seeking approval for a liquor license at its new location. The soccer bar’s owner told The Local today he is hoping to open in October.

Vella Market, the gourmet deli bound for the former Kate’s Joint space, will plead its case for wine and beer.  Read more…

Carlisle Brigham, the 29-year-old woman who died from a slip down the stairs of 191 Orchard Street on Monday, was on the verge of entering rehab, The Post reports. According to the paper’s sources, Ms. Brigham’s father — who served under Mayor Ed Koch — was flying into the city to help her cope with her drinking, which had become a major concern. The Times also has more details on Ms. Brigham, who is described as a talented “starlet” who was “a natural fit with the society Web sites that featured photos of her snapped at galas, charity events and gallery openings.” Less than an hour before she was found dead, she spoke with her father.

Above is a video sent to The Local by bartender Ethan Minsker, who also created the footage of paper cutouts reenacting his memoir, “Barstool Prophets.” “Here is a video I made on the old fanzine we did for more then 20 years in the East Village,” he wrote in a message sent through The Local’s Facebook page.

A CNN iReport expresses many of the same sentiments popping up on Star the pit bull’s Facebook fan page. Charlie Cifarelli, a native New Yorker who now lives in Nebraska, actually started the page after seeing footage of the dog being shot. “I cried, but no tears outside; I’m a guy I cried inside,” he said. “I never felt such pain because I saw a dog screaming in pain, Lech on the ground and all the children who had to see this pain. I saw the Police shooting in the direction of each other and thought this is insane.” Mr. Cifarelli is now looking for the dog’s owner. “As a business man, I have helped others get back on their feet. I offer them help, a place to stay and a job. In all the media that has been written in the two weeks, I am concerned that Stankiewicz’s needs have been overlooked.”

EV Grieve noticed new renderings of what the Amato Opera could be. (Hint: “Bowery Fashion.”) Read more…

The New York Times

The injuries that caused the death of 29-year-old Carlisle Brigham were “consistent with a fall down the stairs,” a spokeswoman for the city’s medical examiner said.

An autopsy revealed that the woman, whose father served as the city budget director under Mayor Ed Koch, died of “blunt impact injuries of the head and neck.” When news broke of the gory death at 191 Orchard Street yesterday morning, the police said that Ms. Brigham had been sliced across the neck (the amount of blood around her neck led to that theory, according to the Post). But the examiner’s report did not include anything regarding a cut.

The much-delayed hearing regarding the proposed nine-story hotel next door to the Merchant’s House Museum is now set for Sept. 11. This is the fifth time the hearing has been postponed: Previously, it was scheduled for Sept. 4 after the developer of the hotel requested more time from the Landmarks Preservation Commission to prepare a presentation that will likely seek to allay the many concerns of museum supporters. Critics have said the hotel could threaten the foundation of the museum, and that its size would diminish the historic qualities of the 180-year-old building.

Andrew Carmellini is aiming to open his lounge in the mezzanine of the refurbished Public Theater in time for a star-studded ribbon-cutting on Oct. 4, a spokesperson for the chef has confirmed. Fans of Locanda Verde and The Dutch – and, for that matter, of Joe’s Pub, which Mr. Carmellini’s partner Josh Pickard helped launch – can hope for The Library to open in the first week of October, barring construction delays. Meanwhile the French restaurant that Mr. Carmellini, Mr. Pickard and Luke Ostrom are opening at 380 Lafayette Street by the end of the year is still without a name, said the spokesperson.

Scott Lynch

Good morning, East Village.

The New York Post reports that Carlisle Brigham may have died from a slip down the stairs. “There was so much blood around Brigham’s neck when her body was found at 10:33 a.m. that investigators initially theorized she’d been slashed. But they later said it appeared to be just a tragic accident, during which she shattered her chin on a step of the first-floor stairwell in the building.” Former mayor Ed Koch called the victim “a wonderful young woman.”

The Post also reports that the woman killed yesterday by a flatbed truck turning onto Sixth Avenue is named Jessica Dworkin, and that she was known around the neighborhood as “the Scooter Lady.”

Guest of a Guest has a street styles gallery of “The Pretty and the Gritty in Alphabet City.” Read more…

A Facebook page set up in Star the pit bull’s honor features photos of the pooch before she was shot by a police officer in the middle of 14th Street. The photos show the dog lounging on the street with humans and other mutts, and in one photo checking out a rat. The Facebook page also includes chatter about Star going into surgery tomorrow, possibly to have an eye removed. A spokesman for Animal Care and Control did not respond to a question regarding further treatment for the dog. Meanwhile, The Daily News reports that the dog is “recovering at lightning speed.”

The New York Times

The police have identified the woman who died from a cut across the neck this morning as Carlisle Brigham.

The Wall Street Journal cites a police source who said the victim was estranged from her husband.

Her roommate at 191 Orchard Street, where she was found in partial cardiac arrest, told investigators he spoke with her this morning and she sounded “distraught,” according to the paper.

The Lo-Down reports that the victim’s husband or boyfriend is currently being interview by investigators.

Last year, The Times published a wedding announcement regarding Carlisle Vose Brigham and Anthony Lindley Champalimaud. It noted that Ms. Brigham’s father was the chairman of an investment bank in St. Louis, and that he served as president of the New York City Public Development Corporation and the city budget director in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Mr. Champalimaud was a vice president for a Malaysian hotel conglomerate.

Update | 9 a.m. According to The Times and The Post, Ms. Brigham’s death may have been the result of a fall. The investigation is ongoing, but the headline of this post has been changed in light of the fact that the police do not currently believe there was a slashing involved.