This Week in Chelsea: March 1-7, 2021

This Week’s “This Week in Chelsea”

In Order of Appearance:

13th Precinct and 1oth Precinct Build the Block Meetings   / Free Tax Prep /  A Hudson Guild Call for Talent   

Wednesday, March 3, 5pm at 13 E. 17th Street: The 13th Precinct’s Sector B Build the Block Meeting | The 13th Precinct is divided into four Sectors, each with their own NCOs. (Neighborhood Coordination Officers). NCOs, notes the NYPD, “are your local problem solvers. They spend all their working hours within the confines of their assigned sectors, actively engaging with local community members and residents. They get to know the neighborhood, its people, and its problems extremely well.” As hosts of Build the Block meetings , the NCOs bring to the table much of the same highly engaged attitude, informal manner, and attention to detail that they exhibit out in the neighborhood. The end result, it’s hoped, is that the community and the people tasked with protecting them can grow closer–while not actually being closer (until the vaccination rate is through the roof, the masks come off, and we’re no longer eyeballing a six-foot distance every time we walk into a room). Learn more about the 13th Precinct and find the email addresses of each Sector’s NCO by clicking here. Note: the below map charts the area of coverage for each Sector.

The 13th Precinct’s Sector coverage area. Image via nyc.gov

With Deputy Inspector Angel L. Figueroa Jr. as its Commanding Officer, the 13th Precinct serves a southern portion of Midtown, Manhattan, including a sliver of East Chelsea. The precinct features the Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town residential complex, Gramercy Park, the lower portion of Rosehill, Madison Square Park, and Union Square Park. See the below flyer for more information about the Sector B meeting.

Thursday, March 4, 7pm via Zoom, the The 10th Precinct’s Sector C Build the Block Meeting | Besides the sliver of territory referred to in the above listing, responsibility for the people, places, and things of Chelsea falls to the 10th Precinct, whose Sector A, B, and C Build the Block meetings have, along with their monthly Community Council meeting, made the move to Zoom. Pre-pandemic attendees will tell tales of crowding into the ground floor meeting room of the 10th Precinct for such occasions, their dewey recollections already taking on a patina made from the finest False Memories money can buy. Truth is, it was crowded–and getting there during the winter was never “half the fun of it.” Now, these meetings are available at the click of a mouse and require zero commute time. What’s more, from what we’ve seen of the Build the Block Zoom iterations, the combination of physical distance and split screen conversations actually makes for a more friendly exchange of ideas and information. Learn more about the 10th Precinct and get the email addresses for all of their NCOs by clicking here, and see the below flyer for info about the March 4 meeting.  .

 

The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs Announces NYC Free Tax Prep | If you earned $68,000 or less in 2020, you may be eligible to file your taxes for free. NYC Free Tax Prep offers trusted, professional service online and in-person to help you stay safe and avoid tax preparer fees. If you didn’t receive one or both Pandemic stimulus checks, NYC Free Tax Prep can assist with claiming the equivalent amounts as a “Recovery Rebate Credit.” Filers may also take advantage of a one-time look-back provision, allowing them to choose to use their 2019 or 2020 income for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. This service is offered online or in person. Click here for more information. The deadline to file 2020 tax returns is April 15, 2021.

 

Hudson Guild Theatre Company Seeks Talent for New Online Showcase | Live performances are on hold until their theatre can safely reopen–but that hasn’t stopped Hudson Guild from nurturing new talent. Set to broadcast monthly through June, Talent Jam! is a new virtual showcase presented on the Guild’s YouTube channel. Each episode will feature 2-3 short performances. People of all ages and levels of experience are encouraged to submit MP4 files for consideration. All forms of expression are welcome, including music, dance, monologues, and stand-up comedy. Only one rule: That thing you do must be no longer than 5 minutes. Send your MP4 file to jfurlong@hudsonguild.org any time between now and May 1. Need technical help? Send an email to Jim Furlong (see address in previous sentence), with a description of your act and what sort of assistance you need. Or, call Furlong at 212-760-9837. For more information, visit www.hudsonguilod.org.

–Compiled by Scott Stiffler

 

Chelsea Community News is made possible with the help of our awesome advertisers, and the support of our readers. If you like what you see, please consider taking part in our GoFundMe campaign (click here).To make a direct donation, give feedback, or send a Letter to the Editor, email scott@chelseacommunitynews.com.