Briefly...

• No subway service from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island this weekend (Friday midnight through 5:00 a.m. Monday), and no word on when Tram service might resume. RIOC is running $2 Red Bus service from Gristede’s on the hour, with returns from Manhattan on the half-hour. (Latest information available in the buses.) Subway service from the Island into Manhattan will be normal. In an exchange of correspondence, City Councilmember Jessica Lappin asked the MTA to postpone system work requiring a diversion of Roosevelt Island service until after the Tramway is back in service, but the MTA refused, citing work to protect the system from terrorism.
   

• A Duane Reade Drugstore is coming to Southtown, according to an announcement made Thursday night at the RIOC Board of Directors meeting.
   

• Verdant Power has finally received an Army Corps of Engineers permit for a test of its RITE (Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy) project in which it will place turbines in the East River to generate electrical power using the tides. In some quarters, it’s being called "lunar power," since the moon drives earthly tides. This summer, Verdant will deploy an initial six-pack of turbines for an 18-month test. Ultimately, 100 will be placed in the river near the Island shore north and south of the Roosevelt Island Bridge. The Corps permit completes the pre-test permitting phase.