And the bedbug war of 2008-??? continues! This time the bastards reportedly showed up in a subway booth at the "Ninth Street station" on the F line in Park Slope 10 days ago, though the Post doesn't specify whether it's the Fourth Avenue or Seventh Avenue station. But apparently the station agents were so spooked they rang the emergency button and "immediately left" the station. Station agent Norman Pou said, "I lost my mind. Where there's one, there's two; when there's two, there's more. There's always a whole group of them." more ›

Tonight is the last chance until December 2010 to witness a total lunar eclipse. This is the third such eclipse in the past year. With any luck the weather will cooperate. It looks like there will be breaks in the clouds over the city, which should make for dramatic views. Break out the tripods and cameras! more ›

There are no "garage bands" in New York City. Unlike some of their suburban counterparts, musicians here have to pay the piper for their practice spaces, which can be hard to find in a city where every no-frills square-foot costs something. In fact, to really be a "garage band" in New York, one may end up paying $225K a year. more ›

Over the weekend we pointed to a death at the Knitting Factory that the cops were deeming "suspicious." Yesterday it was announced that the man was Nicholas Phillips, an East Village resident. The Post reports:An East Village man who died of an apparent drug overdose at a Manhattan rock club has been identified, sources said yesterday. Nicholas Phillips, of East Ninth Street, was found unconscious in the bathroom of the Knitting Factory on Leonard Street... more ›

In recent years, Third Avenue in Brooklyn has seen three children killed by vehicular traffic. Last year, 4-year-old James Rice was fatally struck by a Hummer at Third Avenue and Baltic Avenue, and in 2004, PS 124 Juan Estrada and Victor Flores were fatally struck by a vehicle as they crossed Third Avenue at Ninth Street, just blocks away. On Tuesday, arts organization Groundswell Community Mural Project unveiled a mural at Third and Butler: In the mural, the three children are represented, asking drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike to respect each other on the road and to prevent any more tragedy. more ›

As we mentioned yesterday in Extra, Extra, this week brought Manhattan preservationists some bad news and some bad news with a side of hope. more ›

Apparently bad behavior by real estate developers isn't limited to Brooklyn. On Tuesday, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission awarded protected status to the old PS64 building on Ninth Street. The building had been occupied for 20 years by CHARAS/El Bohio, a community organization, until it was bought by Gregg Singer. He announced plans to strip the building of its architectural details and turn it into a 19-story university dorm, outraging just about everyone in the neighborhood. Outraged by the Landmarks decision, Singer has announced his revenge on the neighborhood activists: stripping the building of its architectural details and turning the building into a homeless shelter! The Villager has a long report: more ›

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July 14: Bastille Day at Paris Commune more ›

Gothamist tried to see the eponymous Lillie of Lillie's in Red Hook this week to report on bar’s reopening. It didn’t quite work out for us (we tried going twice this week- they are reopening slowly). But she promises this weekend is a good time to check out the renovation and changes, and everytime we’ve visited we’ve had fun- either staring wistfully (read:tipsy) at the rest of Brooklyn through the garden or drinking shots of tequila from shot glasses in a waitress’s cleavage instead of off a bar and seeing the legendary bombshell Lady Ace perform strip teases for Valentine's day event. Lillie Haus is a bit of legend herself, bartending at Orchard Bar for ages and attracting all the misplaced and lonesome Southerners with her charm before owning her own place on a neglected corner a short bus or car ride from the Smith & Ninth Street F station. But she wasn’t there to make us her famous Red Hooker (ask for it, it’s too sweet and too vicious not to try). more ›