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GRAND NEWS New Year, New Chief, New Projects
by Sara Spielman
New Chief at the 7th
 he Seventh Precinct welcomed Captain
Frank Dwyer as its new Commanding Officer
at last month’s Community Council meeting.
Dwyer is replacing Deputy Inspector Brian
McCarthy, who was promoted to the rank of
Inspector and placed at the helm of the 114th
Precinct in Queens.
Dwyer arrives with 23 years’ experience,
having worked in Police Headquarters
assisting Commissioner Howard Safir,
Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, and Chief
Joseph J. Esposito, and at various precincts,
including stints as Executive Officer at the
77th and 79th precincts. The Captain, who is
a Fulbright Graduate, holds Masters Degrees
from Harvard, Cambridge and Fordham
Universities.
Dwyer addressed a small audience in attendance
at the Community Council meeting,
promising to “walk up and down the streets”
like the cops of his father’s generation did, in
order to be familiar to residents and help fight
crime. But, unlike those cops, he prefers not
to twirl his nightstick when walking his beat,
although, as he says, he’s “quite good at it.”
Different times call for different law enforcement
imagery.
The meeting also welcomed Captain Ellen
Chang as its new Executive Officer. Chang,
who grew up on Montgomery St. and attended
school in Chinatown, says she is “privileged to
police the area where [she] grew up” and that
she “knows the concerns of the area.”
Captain Dwyer reported that although crime
is down four percent for the year, 16 crimes
had been committed during his first week at
the precinct. The 24 hours preceding the meeting
had been especially busy, as five men held
up the Plaza Gourmet Deli at 527 Grand St.
and were chased to a nearby park; and, at a
separate incident, a housing officer in Baruch
Houses elicited patrolmen’s assistance in chasing
a local resident who had pointed a weapon
at him.
Dwyer said the precinct needs residents to
be on guard to help prevent grand larceny and
robbery. He reported walking on Henry St.
at night and finding it disturbingly dark. He
promised to try to find a way to improve street
lighting there.
According to the new chief, the local
Business Improvement District has offered to
put up security cameras in the shopping area
between Essex and Chrystie Streets, which
Dwyer hopes would “not just catch criminals,”
but discourage crime altogether.
Officer of the Month Award went to Officer
Mike Perez - whom the precinct welcomed as
one of the new Community Affairs Officers
- for arresting an individual who sexually
abused local minor females.
On a separate note: Last month, in a packed
auditorium at NYC Police Headquarters,
Morris M. Faitelewicz, Auxiliary Deputy
Inspector and Citywide Commanding Offcer,
received a 30-Year Longevity Plaque from
Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.
CB 3 Receives Grant Empowering Citizens to Fight Future Traffic Fiascos
 n a public appearance on Park Row last
month, Community Board 3 announced that it
had been awarded a $100,000 Red Cross 9/11
Recovery Grant to promote Chinatown and
Lower East Side participation in local transportation
issues and public processes.
Collaborators on the project include the
Civic Center Residents Coalition, University
Settlement (which will be the fiscal manager
for the grant), and Cooper Union, which is currently
looking for two student interns to work
on the project.
CB3 Chair David McWater said this was
the first time the Board had ever applied for
any grant. “This financial support will have a
tremendous impact on allowing the Board to
reach out to the community and involve residents
in community planning,” McWater said.
The grant will help improve CB3’s efforts
to increase residents’ participation in decision-
making processes. These efforts will include
a monthly newsletter, a website, public
forums, and recruiting student interns to work
on evaluating open source traffic simulation
programs.
The city often uses statistics and simulations
to justify various city projects, such as
road closures and construction of new buildings,
and the research will help “empower
residents with similar tools,” says CCRC cofounder
and project manager Danny Chen,
who serves as a Community Board 3 public
member.
“Our communities continue to bear the burden
of the City’s post 9/11 policies – policies
which our residents have had limited input
into,” says Jeanie Chin, a CCRC co-founder
who is also a public member and co-editor of
the project newsletter. “This project will help
residents to better understand the transportation
issues facing Chinatown and the Lower
East Side and encourage greater civic participation.”
“This is an unprecedented opportunity for
Chinatown and we plan to take full advantage,”
says Jan Lee, a CCRC member and
Chinatown business owner who is working on
the project as a public member of Community
Board 3. “Hopefully, this will inspire change
to take place for a neighborhood whose safety
has been greatly compromised with the closing
of Park Row and illegally parked NYPD
and Government-owned vehicles.”
The Chinatown Local Development
Corporation and Citizens NYC, which also
received grants, share an “intersection of interests
in the projects,” with CB 3, says Chen. CB
3 hopes to collaborate with them and establish
working relationships for the future.
Gouverneur Celebrates 120th Anniversary
 ore than a thousand guests attended
the Gouverneur Health Center’s 120th
Anniversary Dinner a month ago, at the Jing
Fong Restaurant on Elizabeth Street. Sponsors,
public officials, residents of the nursing facility,
Gouverneur staff, and community members
attended the 6th annual dinner, which helped
raise money for the center’s medical services
benefiting the uninsured.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver made a
brief appearance and praised Gouverneur’s
service to the community and its impressive
modernization in recent years. Councilman
Alan Gerson thanked Gouverneur for “keeping
the community healthy,” and for its strong
partnership with the city, calling it a “model
for medical care” that’s “on the cutting edge
of medicine.”
An award for Community Service was
presented to the President of the Chinese
Consolidated Benevolent Association, Mr.
York K. Chan, the unofficial “Mayor of
Chinatown.” Chan thanked Gouverneur for
“accommodating the immigrant community,”
and for “not only honoring me but honoring
the entire Chinese community in NYC who are
all working hard to survive since 9/11.”
Dr. Andrew W. Brotman received the
Medical Leadership Award, for his role as
Vice Dean of Clinical and Hospital Affairs of
the NYU School of Medicine, and as Senior
Vice President for NYU Hospitals Center.
Dennis M. Walcott, Deputy Mayor for Policy,
received the Public Service Achievement Award
and expressed appreciation to Gouverneur’s
Dental Clinic for the good care they provide
him as a current patient.
The entertainment segment included a Kung
Fu Demonstration by the Shao Lin Temple,
and Ms. Shan Chen, Second Runner Up at the
2005 Miss New York Chinese Beauty Pageant,
who sang.
The Grand Street News was among the dinner
sponsors.
Bakery on Broome
 s if we didn’t have enough caloric temptations,
what with Donut Plant and all, now
Babycakes has opened at 248 Broome Street,
between Orchard and Ludlow. At least we
can feel righteously smug as we down the
delicious vegan cupcakes, muffins, cookies
and pound cakes. Owner Erin McKenna uses
no animal products in her baking. Instead of
eggs she uses fruit purees, agave nectar as
a substitute for sugar, fava beans for flour,
and only rice or soy milk. There’s coffee
and lemonade too. Erin likes “being down
here,” as she puts it. She chose her current
spot because she “just had a feeling about
the place.” Coming soon – allergy-free dog
biscuits.
Hours: Sun-Wed, 10-8, Thur, Fri, Sat, 10-10.
Carol Markel
New & Noteworthy
Betances Health Center November
Events • Planned Parenthood Workshop,
Wed 11/2, 5:30 – 7:00 PM, “It Takes More than Talk,” Interactive dialogue on
how to initiate honest talk about sex with your children, Contact: Christina
Ruiz x122 • La Leche
League Meetings, Tue 11/8, 10:30 AM, Saturday, 11/19 10:30 AM, Breastfeeding &
Beyond: Nutrition, Starting Solids, and Weaning, Contact: Annette Rodriguez, 917.482.5260 • Senior Breakfast, Wed 11/16,
9:00 – 10:30 AM, “Medicare Part D - What the Changes Mean,” Contact: Audrey C. Lanzo x109 or Christina Ruiz x122 • Diabetes Class, Spanish, Tue
11/29, 10:00 AM, English, 5:30 PM, Matching Meals with your Medications,
Contact: Moraima Mercado x147 BID Notes • Pickle day was a huge success.
The biggest one yet, tons of media coverage, and great feedback from attendees! • The LES Paint Out will take
place on 11/6 from 12 – 5 PM, Orchard bet. Houston and Stanton.
After-party with media sponsorship in the works. • Have you seen our Web site
redesign, www.LowerEastSideNY.com?
This is the time to have input. If you want to get involved, email: dlehon@lowereastsideny.com, call
212.226.9010 x11, L.E.S. Is More.
Explore! Community Board 3 Nov. 05 agenda Visit www.cb3manhattan.org for changes or call
212.533.5300 • Con Edison Advisory Committee,
Tue 11/ 1, 6:30 PM, CB 3 Of.ce, 59 E. 4th St. • Outreach Committee, Thu 11/3,
6:00 PM, CB 3 Office, 59 E. 4th St. • Cooper Square Urban Renewal
Area Task Force, Thu 11/10, 6:30 PM, CB 3 Office, 59 E. 4th St. • Human Services, Health,
Disability & Seniors / Youth & Education Committees, to be scheduled • Housing, Land Disposition,
Zoning, & NYC Housing Authority Committee, Tue 11/15, 6:30 PM, Project
Renewal, Kenton Hall, 333 Bowery • Parks, Recreation, Cultural Affairs, & Waterfront
Committee, Thu 11/17, 6:30 PM, 308 E. 8th St. (bet. B & C) • SLA
& Economic Development Committee, Mon 11/21, 6:30 PM, JASA/Green
Residence, 200 E. 5th St. • Public Safety, Sanitation /
Transportation Committees, Tue 11/22, 6:30 PM, CB 3 Office, 59 E. 4th St. • Executive Committee meeting,
Mon 11/28, 6:30 PM, CB 3 Office, 59 E. 4th St. • Board meeting, Tue 11/29 at
6:30 PM, PS 20, 166 Essex St. (at Houston). | ||||||||
