Neighborhood Chatter

St. Paul's "Bell of Hope" Tolls for Colorado Victims Dr. James H. Cooper rang the St. Paul's Chapel "Bell of Hope" last Thursday afternoon to commemorate the 12 moviegoers lost and 58 injured during the horrific shooting in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater on Friday, July 20. This isn't the first time the bell has been rung as a remembrance for victims. The bell, located in the churchyard of the chapel, was a gift to New York City from London and was presented by the Lord Mayor on the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The bell has been rung after the Virginia Tech Massacre, on 9/11 anniversaries and for the victims of the bombings in London. In keeping with the tradition of New York City firefighters saluting the fallen, attendees heard the bell ring in four sets of five rings. The historic St Paul's Chapel, part of the Parish of Trinity Wall Street, is directly across the World Trade Center site. Manhattan Borough President Endorses Hoylman After State Sen. Tom Duane announced his retirement in early June, many have been speculating about who will replace him. If you don't have a clue, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer does. Last Tuesday, Stringer announced his full endorsement and support for Greenwich Village-based candidate Brad Hoylman. Hoylman was previously the chair of Community Board 2. In addition, he is serving his fourth term as the District Leader of the 66th Assembly District. Hoylman also works as a trustee of the Community Services Society of New York, an anti-poverty organization. "We have worked together to preserve Lower Manhattan's open spaces and schools," said Stringer of Hoylman's time on CB2. "Brad has been involved in the fights to preserve the historic nature of Greenwich Village and the surrounding neighborhoods for his entire professional life. I am confident he is the right choice to represent our neighborhoods in Albany." "It is great to see that this campaign is receiving overwhelming support from elected officials from across the city and especially that of our borough president," said Hoylman. Motorcycle Theft Ring Busted After 17-Month Investigation Those who have had their bike stolen or worry for their motorcycles stationed on New York City streets can ease up just a little, as police have caught the people responsible for more than half of the motorcycle thefts in the city last year. The daring bike theft ring would steal motorcycles in areas around Lower Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn during the night, place the bikes in stolen vans, take them apart and ship the parts in boxes labeled "household goods" to countries in the Caribbean and Africa. The 17-month investigation led by the NYPD and the Manhattan district attorney's office began after a Yamaha motorcycle was stolen from Tribeca last spring. Investigators say they soon realized a large organized group of criminals were behind the theft. According to Deputy Inspector Edward Winski, Lower Manhattan was primarily targeted mainly due to the abundance of bridges and tunnels that serve as good escape routes. Some of the robbers also sold guns and a few bikes to undercover cops. Additionally, they bought pricey electronics with stolen credit cards. Three People Rescued from Capsized Boat Near Liberty Island A sailboat flipped over near Liberty Island last Tuesday morning while three people were inside it. According to the NYPD and witnesses, the boat flipped at 11:50 a.m. The cause is unknown. The passenger swam out of the boat and were rescued by emergency crews from the National Park Service; reportedly, none of them suffered any sever injuries. Local Soccer Games for Charity Held in Lower Manhattan There's no need to wait for the London Olympics to see a soccer game when residents of the Lower East Side can take a front row seat at a local one in the neighborhood. Street Soccer USA, an organization that aims to keep the homeless off the streets in 20 cities, held a charity soccer game in the Lower East Side's Sara D. Roosevelt Park last Thursday afternoon. Compiled by Adel Manoukian