Wednesday, March 23, 6-8pm via Zoom: The Council of Chelsea Block Associations presents a Forum for Democratic Candidates in the Assembly District 75 Race | An opportunity to become the New York State Assemblymember representing Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Murray Hill, Midtown, and part of the Lincoln Center area only comes around once every 51 years or so and we’re in that sweet spot right now. Since December 13, 2021’s announcement of Gottfried’s impending retirement, candidates in the running for his job have come and gone. There are currently five Democratic candidates in the Assembly District 75 race, all of whom are confirmed to participate in this forum. (Those candidates are Lowell Kern, Layla Law-Gisiko, Chris LeBron, Harrison Marks, and Tony Simone.) The March 23 forum is moderated by CCBA member and London Terrace Tenants Association president Inga Ivchenko, who will be asking questions culled from the CCBA membership. For the Zoom link, click here. To attend by phone, dial 929- 205-6099 ID:842 7162 2531 Code:002004. On April 13, at 6:30pm, the LTTA will host its own Democratic Candidate Forum, with the five above mentioned Dem candidates in attendance, Ivchenko will again serve as moderator, and there’s a casting coup for the “opening act”—none other than retiring NYS Assemblymember Richard Gottfried. Please go to LTTA’s website (click here), where you can sign up for their newsletter. To attend their candidate forum, click here. The Meeting ID is 867 0779 5226, and the Passcode is 253745. One-tap mobile: +16465588656.

Wednesday, March 23, 7pm: The Eagle NYC Presents Continuum | Chelsea’s stalwart, sexy, spiked leather bar (with one of the best rooftops in town) offers on site and online, the latest installment of their intergenerational social series that speaks equally to the contemporary crowd and the men who were cutting their teeth back when their younger counterparts were teething. Rising: Emerging Voices in Queer Art is the theme, explored through performances, screenings, and discussion. Moderating that discussion and molding the evening’s mood is your host, Witti Repartee. The guest performers a palest are filmmaker Adam Baran, visual artist Ernesto Renda, and dancer/choreographer Fadi J. Khoury. The Eagle NYC is located at 554 W. 28th St. (btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Continuum takes place live at The Eagle and streams on Facebook, accessible via their website (to visit the website, click here). For more info (or the same info, only presented in a more visually appealing manner), see the below flyer.

Thursday, March 24, 5:3opm: Virtual Town Hall: Net Steps in the Pandemic | New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher, whose area of coverage includes Chelsea, presents this interactive, pandemic-themed discussion “about the path forward in our recovery  from the Coronavirus.” Joining Bottcher in the discussion will be newly installed Manhattan Borough President Mark Levin and Dr. Jay Varma, former Senior Advisor for Public Heath in the Office of the Mayor. To register,  click here–and see he below flyer for more further info.

Participatory Budgeting Returns to New York City Council District 3 | Sure, he recently handed out COVID tests, and spoke passionately on TV about the joys of Chelsea street corners bereft of huge piles of garbage… but what has Councilmember Erik Bottcher done for you lately? How about set aside a cool million, to be distributed among projects created by District 3 residents? Known as Participatory Budgeting (PB), the popular Cheddar/Lettuce Distribution program, which in its first year was responsible for creating West 20th Street’s beloved Chelsea Green pocket park, is set to return once again–End Date, April 22, 2022.  Area residents (think Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Greenwich Village, West SoHo, Hudson Square, Times Square, Garment District, Flatiron, Upper West Side) vote on a variety of proposals. The winning entry is fully funded, and what’s left after that gets distributed to the second, third, etc. winners until the money has been spent. To visit Bottcher’s Councilmember web page, click here. To visit the District 3 PB page, click here. There, among other nuggets, you’ll find this dandy: That $1 million, culled from the Councilmember’s budget allocation, “can be used for physical infrastructure projects that benefit the public, cost at least $50,000, and have a lifespan of at least 5 years. For example, projects such as local improvements to schools, parks, libraries, housing, and other public spaces can be funded. Ideas are then evaluated and voted on by residents of the district.