The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 16, NUMBER 10 OCTOBER 2020 $2.00 Corey Johnson Drops Mayoral Bid By George Capsis aunt from Boston who wanted to plea for him: “He’s a nice boy and deserves the job.” (Later, The always smiling and articulate City Corey would remind me of this visit and smile). Council Speaker (who I thought was next Corey had been a football player in a Bos- in line to become the mayor) announced on ton suburb. In the last game against their Thursday, September 24th, that he would arch rivals, his team won and stormed into drop his run for mayor. the dressing room shouting with elation. This came as a surprise to me because Corey climbed on a bench and shouted for whenever I offered his name in an article silence. He disclosed that because his family I would suggest with complete conviction was poor, he, unlike the others, would not be that he was most likely going to be the next going to college. He further explained that mayor; and then the reason for his quitting as this was perhaps the last time he would was a real shocker—the ever-smiling, ever- see them he wanted there to be no secrets; articulate Corey was a victim of depression. and then he announced he was gay. When Corey first attempted to run for Corey has confessed easily to all the vices, the city council he rang my doorbell and alcohol, and drugs. But when seeing him on asked if WestView would endorse him. I TV speaking before the City Council, I’ve explained we didn’t endorse politicians as been struck by his knowledge and easy, effec- we might have to criticize them later. tive delivery—as if he were born to the job— The morning after Corey’s unannounced so I was sure he would be our next mayor. But visit, the doorbell rang again. My wife, Maggie, COREY JOHNSON CITES DEPRESSION FOR QUITTING BID FOR MAYOR. Corey Johnson, yesterday he announced that he was suffering went to the front door and then escorted two now City Council Speaker, in a surprise statement cited depression for quitting the race to from a “loss of joy,” from depression. He quit. slight elderly women dressed in matching black become the next mayor of New York. Seen here with George Capsis, publisher of West- I only wish that WestView could afford to the garden. They were Corey’s mother and View, shortly after winning his seat on the council. Photo by Maggie Berkvist. him—he would make a good editor. Crowdfunding Campaign Update: "ONE OF THE We Need You THINGS I think—I A Reward Greater Than Cash hope—we learned By Stanley Wlodyka Jiménez from the AIDS pan- A Message from George Capsis for many months until it naturally abated Hello WestView readers! Local papers have demic, which after all continues in some The pandemic became real to me when or a vaccine was discovered and adminis- long been charged with championing com- countries to this day, the Northwell medical complex on Seventh tered to a good part of the planet’s popu- munity first and foremost. As one of the lation—which, obviously, is many, many, is that we are all Avenue attached a truck to their building last few, truly independent local news- intimately connected, to discreetly remove the bodies of virus vic- months away. It was apparent that giving papers in the country, WestView News is away twelve thousand copies of a very and connected to every other life form, and tims. How it would financially impact the proud to back this effort to preserve the we are here to support each other, and love expensive 36-page color-replete newspa- paper became very real when a leading real first AIDS memorial in NYC and the only one another, and learn from one another." estate firm sent a polite letter backing out per for free each month, when the former one in a church anywhere in the world. —Dame Emma Thompson of a contract to advertise on the back page three cents per copy New York Times now Please consider becoming a Caretaker of for the Village AIDS Memorial of the paper because they were not allowed costs $3.00, could not go on very much the Village AIDS Memorial by signing longer and something had to give. to conduct clients to their rental and sales this open letter addressed to Pope Francis, West Village community for the past 130 offerings; and a restaurant does not adver- the head of the Roman Catholic Church. WHY IS WESTVIEW NEWS FREE ANYWAY? years. This case was brought before them tise if they can’t open the front door. The Supreme Council of Apostolic Sig- by former parishioners of Saint Veronica’s The paper was costing way more than we Not only is WestView News free, but it is natura, the highest judicial authority in who have had generations of baptisms, were bringing in from rapidly eroding ad- delivered to the lobbies of many apartment the Vatican, is currently hearing the case marriages and funerals performed at this vertising or subscription sales, and a realis- buildings each month; and every once in of whether or not to reopen the Church historic Christopher Street church. The tic appraisal was that the virus would go on continued on page 20 of Saint Veronica, an essential part of the continued on page 31 Tamara Lashchyk Voting 2020 Halloween In an attempt to inform our readers, WestView offers practical WestView tried to arrange a debate advice to facilitate making your Surprises between Assembly candidates. vote count in a very compli- Only one answered. cated 2020 environment. SEE PAGE 8 SEE PAGE 3 SEE PAGE 17 2 WestView News October 2020 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections West Village. Advertorial Issues employees, at the trough we were below 10. ber. We learned a lot about the goodness of Publisher Dear Editors, We are currently rebounding, and next week our community and customers. Maybe the Executive Editor I would like to respond to the four-page our 6th and final store at Chelsea Market best way to end this essay is by saying a very George Capsis untitled “Advertorial” which was placed by will be allowed to reopen. It will be a long simple but heartfelt THANK YOU. Managing Editor and Art Director Barbara Honegger’s “Lawyers’ Committee” road before we can rehire all 70 members —Chris Taylor, [email protected] Kim Plosia in the September issue of WestView, which of our team, but we are very grateful we Advertising Manager and Designer sorely needs the $4000 advertising income have now embarked upon the journey. Most Can Bleecker Street Stephanie Phelan (as much as 2000 monthly subscribers, employees were able to get generous un- Make a Come Back? Traffic Manager which we don’t have). employment benefits, but sadly a few fell Liza Whiting The committee is desperately striving to through the cracks. We are blessed none of Coming back from Trader Joe’s via Photo Editor have our readers believe that over 3000 lives our employees were infected by the virus it- Bleecker Street, I noticed several an- Darielle Smolian plus the entire World Trade Center were self, but sadly many of our customers were. gry announcements on some storefronts Four of our 5 Manhattan landlords made Photographers destroyed, not by two hijacked passenger blaming the Governor and the Mayor Maggie Berkvist air liners, but by government agents in black very generous concessions to help keep us for the permanent closing of their respec- Chris Manis, Bob Cooley suits scurrying around secretly at night plant- alive. In particular, Chelsea Market and Hud- tive stores. I agree with them. Bleecker Associate Editors ing little bombs in three or more of the build- son Yards were incredibly supportive. We Street is famous. But will it stay that way? Justin Matthews, Anne Olshansky ings 1-7. They refuse to believe that build- usually love to complain about our landlords, What with the political situation, I believe Comptroller ings 1 and 2, the North and South Towers, this is New York after all. But their support that things are only likely to get worse Jolanta Meckauskaite were struck so violently as to cause them to has played a key role in our survival. With our mere days after the upcoming elec- Architecture Editor collapse and cause fires that spread through- 5th Manhattan landlord, Senator Hoylman is tion. After all, which candidate is more Brian Pape out the entire World Trade Center site. Vir- leading an effort to persuade the MTA to help likely to keep big cities, including ours, Business Editor tually, every standing building on the entire keep their tenants alive. I think that points to safe? Will Bleecker Street be boarded Caroline Benveniste site burned or collapsed to the ground. Since something else that makes our community so up permanently? Some readers have an- Fashion Director World War II, there have been no attacks of cohesive. We are very fortunate in our politi- other or second homes to go to. And then Karilyn Prisco this magnitude. cal leaders. In this neighborhood we love to ar- there are the others, including people like Music and Eldercare Editor In the current case of fires in Oregon, there gue about anything and everything. But when myself. Do I sound somewhat concerned? Hannah Reimann are also conspiracy theorists that those fires the crunch hits, we all pull together and find —John F.