By Conor Greene
It has been an up and down week for the Christ the King High School basketball program, as former longtime head coach Bob Oliva was indicted in Massachusetts on sex abuse charges, four days before both the boys and girls programs captured a state title.
Authorities in Suffolk County announced last Thursday that Oliva, 65, has been accused in a three-count indictment of molesting a young player and showing him pornography during a trip to Boston in 1976. Oliva, who resigned last year after 27 years at the helm of the school’s basketball program, is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on April 12. If convicted, Oliva could spend the rest of his life in prison.
The Suffolk County District Attorney didn’t identify the alleged victim, but in 2008 Oliva notified the Middle Village school’s board of directors that he had been accused of abusing longtime family friend Jimmy Carlino. In May 2008, a Florida attorney sent Oliva a letter informing him that Carlino would drop the matter in exchange for a $750,000 payment and Oliva’s resignation by the end of that school year.
At the time, Oliva denied the charges before stepping down in January 2009 as head coach, citing heart problems caused by the stress of the allegations. He compiled a record of 549-181 and won four city championships while coaching several future NBA stars including Lamar Odom and Jayson Williams.
While the statute of limitations has expired in New York for any alleged incidents that took place between Oliva and Carlino in the 1970s, the Suffolk County DA is able to pursue the charges because time a suspect spends outside of Massachusetts is not counted against the statue of limitations. Prosecutors allege that the abuse took place at the Boston Sheraton during a trip Oliva and Carlino, then 14, took to see a Yankee-Red Sox doubleheader at Fenway Park.
“Cases of child sexual abuse are some of the most painful we see as prosecutors,” said Suffolk County DA Daniel F. Conley in a statement. “The victims can carry feelings of shame and guilt for decades before they’re ready to tell what happened to them. Oftentimes, it’s only in adulthood that they realize the abuse was not their fault.”
Suffolk prosecutors say the victim disclosed the abuse to Boston police last year. An extensive grand jury investigation was then launched, with “numerous witnesses” called to testify. According to the Daily News, Carlino and others connected to Christ the King, including former major league baseball pitcher Allen Watson, testified before the grand jury in February. Two other men told that newspaper they testified before the panel and had also been abused by Oliva. Additional charges could be levied against Oliva as a result.
Oliva met Carlino, who attended Archbishop Malloy High School, when the coach owned an Ozone Park bar called the Short Porch, where the youngster’s father bartended.
In a bright spot for the school’s basketball program, the Royal’s defeated Boys & Girls, 52-49 in the state Federation Class AA game on Sunday in Glen Falls. It was the first championship for the boy’s program since Oliva led the 1989 team to the title. In addition, the school became the first in tournament history to win both the boys’ and girls’ titles, after the lady Royals defeated Sachem East earlier Sunday.
Showing posts with label christ the king high school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christ the king high school. Show all posts
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
State Unveils Designs for New Kosciuszko Bridge
By Conor Greene
The state has unveiled four potential design options for the new Kosciuszko Bridge, which will replace the crumbling structure that currently carries vehicles on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway over the Newtown Creek.
At a public session last Thursday in Christ the King High School, state Department of Transportation officials presented residents with four renderings for the new bridge, which is expected to cost at least $1 billion. While the four designs are all similar in terms of cost and how they function, they ranged from a simple box girder option to a more elaborate cable-stayed version.
The existing Kosciusko Bridge opened in 1939 and was ranked last by the General Contractors Association of American among bridges throughout the city. Named for a Polish Revolutionary War general, it carries 160,000 vehicles per day. The new bridge is expected to have a 75-year service life and will include nine total lanes of traffic between Greenpoint and Maspeth. Construction is expected to begin in 2014 and take about five years, according to the state.
“Safety is a top priority... and these four designs offer a glimpse of a signature bridge that, in a few years, will provide safe and reliable travel for generations to come,” said acting state DOT Commissioner Stan Gee in a statement. “All four conceptual designs will improve mobility and long-term safety for all who live and work in Queens and Brooklyn.”
At Thursday’s session, DOT project manager Robert Adams stressed that construction is planned so as to have as little impact as possible, with six lanes of travel open for drivers throughout the project. “The department has been committed since the very beginning to maintain all six lanes throughout construction with no detours,” said Adams.
To accomplish this, the new bridge will be built next to the existing structure, and all six lanes of traffic will be shifted onto what will eventually be the eastbound structure. The existing bridge will be demolished, and a new structure for westbound traffic will then be built in its place.
The current bridge carries three lanes of traffic in each direction. The final product will include five lanes into Queens and four into Brooklyn, along with a pathway for bicyclists and pedestrians that promises to provide a “terrific view of the Manhattan skyline,” according to Adams. The new bridge will also feature standard-width lanes, shoulders for disabled vehicles and better sight lines for drivers, according to Adams. “This will have significant improvements on the merging problems that exist today,” he said.
The state is continuing to negotiate with property owners within the 1.1 mile construction zone to acquire easements and land needed for the project. That is expected to be completed by 2013. The state is also working with the city Parks Department on a new greenspace that is planned for beneath the approach to the bridge on the Queens side, but Parks was unable to provide details about that.
The project will be paid for with 80 percent federal funding and 20 percent from the state. While state officials are hesitant to put an exact price on the project, the DOT’s five-year capital plan includes $400 million for it. “We have money to build this worked into our five-year program,” said Adams.
The new design is expected to be chosen later this year, after the DOT finishes gathering public input and comments.
The state has unveiled four potential design options for the new Kosciuszko Bridge, which will replace the crumbling structure that currently carries vehicles on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway over the Newtown Creek.
At a public session last Thursday in Christ the King High School, state Department of Transportation officials presented residents with four renderings for the new bridge, which is expected to cost at least $1 billion. While the four designs are all similar in terms of cost and how they function, they ranged from a simple box girder option to a more elaborate cable-stayed version.
The existing Kosciusko Bridge opened in 1939 and was ranked last by the General Contractors Association of American among bridges throughout the city. Named for a Polish Revolutionary War general, it carries 160,000 vehicles per day. The new bridge is expected to have a 75-year service life and will include nine total lanes of traffic between Greenpoint and Maspeth. Construction is expected to begin in 2014 and take about five years, according to the state.
“Safety is a top priority... and these four designs offer a glimpse of a signature bridge that, in a few years, will provide safe and reliable travel for generations to come,” said acting state DOT Commissioner Stan Gee in a statement. “All four conceptual designs will improve mobility and long-term safety for all who live and work in Queens and Brooklyn.”
At Thursday’s session, DOT project manager Robert Adams stressed that construction is planned so as to have as little impact as possible, with six lanes of travel open for drivers throughout the project. “The department has been committed since the very beginning to maintain all six lanes throughout construction with no detours,” said Adams.
To accomplish this, the new bridge will be built next to the existing structure, and all six lanes of traffic will be shifted onto what will eventually be the eastbound structure. The existing bridge will be demolished, and a new structure for westbound traffic will then be built in its place.
The current bridge carries three lanes of traffic in each direction. The final product will include five lanes into Queens and four into Brooklyn, along with a pathway for bicyclists and pedestrians that promises to provide a “terrific view of the Manhattan skyline,” according to Adams. The new bridge will also feature standard-width lanes, shoulders for disabled vehicles and better sight lines for drivers, according to Adams. “This will have significant improvements on the merging problems that exist today,” he said.
The state is continuing to negotiate with property owners within the 1.1 mile construction zone to acquire easements and land needed for the project. That is expected to be completed by 2013. The state is also working with the city Parks Department on a new greenspace that is planned for beneath the approach to the bridge on the Queens side, but Parks was unable to provide details about that.
The project will be paid for with 80 percent federal funding and 20 percent from the state. While state officials are hesitant to put an exact price on the project, the DOT’s five-year capital plan includes $400 million for it. “We have money to build this worked into our five-year program,” said Adams.
The new design is expected to be chosen later this year, after the DOT finishes gathering public input and comments.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Board Rejects Maspeth Antenna Plan
Proposal Moves to Boro Prez Before BSA Eventually Rules
As expected, Community Board 5 unanimously voted against a proposal to place six cellular antennas on top of a Maspeth apartment building. The proposal will move on to the borough president for review before the city ultimately rules on it.
At its meeting last Wednesday in Christ the King High School, Land Use Chairman Walter Sanchez reported to the full board that the committee felt that a “saturated condition” already exists on the roof at 53- 00 65th Place. Companies generally don’t need special approval for cellular antennas, but a variance is needed in this case because the roof already contains antennas for Sprint, Verizon and the 911 system.
Sanchez noted that the new antenna would result in the building exceeding the amount of square footage allowed to be used for cell antennas and said the roof is already damaged from a 2008 fire. There are also concerns over light, noise and long term health impacts that the antennas would have on the residential neighborhood. Finally, the company made no effort to find space on a nearby commercially-zoned building, said Sanchez.
After hearing the Land Use Committee’s recommendation, the full board voted 33-0 to reject the application. A hearing is scheduled before Borough President Helen Marshall on December 3 before the matter is eventually referred to the city Board of Standards and Appeals, which has final say in matters regarding zoning variances.
As expected, Community Board 5 unanimously voted against a proposal to place six cellular antennas on top of a Maspeth apartment building. The proposal will move on to the borough president for review before the city ultimately rules on it.
At its meeting last Wednesday in Christ the King High School, Land Use Chairman Walter Sanchez reported to the full board that the committee felt that a “saturated condition” already exists on the roof at 53- 00 65th Place. Companies generally don’t need special approval for cellular antennas, but a variance is needed in this case because the roof already contains antennas for Sprint, Verizon and the 911 system.
Sanchez noted that the new antenna would result in the building exceeding the amount of square footage allowed to be used for cell antennas and said the roof is already damaged from a 2008 fire. There are also concerns over light, noise and long term health impacts that the antennas would have on the residential neighborhood. Finally, the company made no effort to find space on a nearby commercially-zoned building, said Sanchez.
After hearing the Land Use Committee’s recommendation, the full board voted 33-0 to reject the application. A hearing is scheduled before Borough President Helen Marshall on December 3 before the matter is eventually referred to the city Board of Standards and Appeals, which has final say in matters regarding zoning variances.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Board Concerned Over Restaurant Depot Demolition
City Prepares to Move Forward with Maspeth School ProjectBy Conor Greene
Members of the local community board are concerned about the imminent demolition of the former Restaurant Depot building due to the presence of toxic materials found on the 74th Street property, where the city plans to build a new 1,100-seat high school.
At last week’s Community Board 5 meeting Chairman Vincent Arcuri noted that the building, located at 74th Street and 57th Avenue in Maspeth, appeared on that month’s list of buildings to be demolished in the near future. Due to the level of toxins, including carcinogens, found on the site, the board sent a letter to city School Construction Authority President Sharon Greenberger to ensure proper precautions will be taken to avoid any risks to the community.
“Considering the contamination found at this planned Maspeth High School site previously, it is critical that maximum protection against contaminants escaping into the environment be employed during demolition, excavation and removal of the existing building, the foundation, the footings and the soil,” wrote Arcuri, who also requested a meeting with the construction company hired by the city and SCA officials “responsible for oversight of this controversial project.”
Earlier this year, CB 5 members voted against the city’s proposal to build an $80 million high school on the 54,000-square-foot property adjacent to the Long Island Expressway. Despite objections from Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), the City Council voted 38 to 10 in April to approve the Department of Education’s plan. In May, the city purchased the property for $16,250,000, according to public records.
Arcuri told his fellow board members and the audience at Christ the King High School that he is “a little concerned” due to the presence of toxins on the site. “Not knowing anything about the contaminants, we’re bringing that question back up,” he said of the board’s letter to the SCA.
In response, a city DOE spokesman told the Forum that no exact demolition date has been set, but it’s expected to take place “within the next few weeks.” The spokesman said the site is safe for construction and that safety precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of the property’s neighbors and future occupants.
“As to the concerns raised by CB5 in regards to toxins found at the site, it's important that I express as unequivocally as possible that this site is absolutely safe for the construction of a new school building. Like all urban soil, the soil at the Restaurant Depot site does contain some mild contaminants,” said DOE spokesman Will Havemann.
Approximately ten feet of dirty soil will be removed from across the site before construction begins. In addition, building will be equipped with a “barrier system to ensure that no soil contaminants can ever enter the building,” said Havemann. “These controls far exceed the standards observed by private developers, and are precautionary measures taken to make double-sure the school building will be a safe and excellent place to learn.”
Earlier this summer, former City Councilman Thomas Ognibene filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Juniper Park Civic Association and Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together claiming that the SCA withheld information about high levels of toxic substances on the property.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Board Rejects Company's Trash Disposal Plan
Maspeth Truck Traffic Would Increase
By Conor Greene
Waste Management’s plan to transport trash from a new facility on Review Avenue to the Maspeth rail yard for transportation to out-of-state landfills was resoundingly rejected by Community Board 5 members because it will result in more truck traffic in Maspeth.
At its meeting last Wednesday at Christ the King High School, the advisory board unanimously voted in favor of a Sanitation Committee resolution rejecting Waste Management’s current plan. Instead, the resolution suggests that the company use the adjacent Newtown Creek to barge the containerized trash out of the area, build a rail spur at its Review Avenue property or purchase part of the former Phelps Dodge property or another site where a rail spur can be accessed or built.
Waste Management has applied to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for permission to replace its existing truck-based solid waste transfer operation at 38-22 Review Avenue in Long Island City with a new rail-based transfer facility that would accept trash from neighborhoods within community boards 1-6 in Queens. However, the plan would require the company to transport the trash one-and-a-half miles from Review Avenue to the Maspeth rail yard at Rust Street.
It is this aspect of the plan, which would result in 85 round-trip truck trips daily between the two sites, that didn’t sit well with board members. “This whole plan – pardon the pun – stinks,” said Robert Holden before the vote.
“We all know how congested that area is now.” Sanitation Committee Chairman Paul Kerzner noted that the area was already backed up with traffic at 9:30 on a recent morning. “This is just going to add to it,” he said.
Holden also noted that the containerized trash will be loaded onto trains near the Clinton Diner at Rust Street and Maspeth Avenue. The transfer will take place in the open, near the former St. Saviour’s property and homes. He questioned whether the plan meets requirements that this type of facility be located at least 400 feet from homes and parks.
The resolution notes “there was significant opposition” to the plan during a public information session the company held last month at Martin Luther High School. In addition, “there was unanimous agreement that for several important reasons, a better waste transport plan needs to be found.”
The “major reasons” for the board’s objection to the plan include that it “would mean additional handling of garbage” in order to get it loaded onto trains; that “the Maspeth community would have dozens of additional movements by tractor trailers daily” between Review Avenue and Rust Street; that the additional traffic “would mean significant increased air pollution hazards to Maspeth and adjacent communities,” and because the truck traffic would cause hazards, especially navigating tight turns such as from Rust Street onto Maspeth Avenue and after leaving the rail yard.
The resolution instead urges Waste Management to barge the trash directly from its facility, build a rail support at its 38-22 Review Avenue property - which is adjacent to LIRR tracks that are only used by two passenger trains daily - or investigate other nearby properties such as the former Phelps Dodge sites.
“Part of this former Phelps Dodge site would be further from residents than the Maspeth rail yard, where there is a residential area across the street,” the resolution notes. “By reducing the handling steps associated with transporting residential garbage… barging of garbage or establishing a rail spur may prove less expensive over time.”
Under the current plan, Waste Management will build a new, fully enclosed transfer facility at the Review Avenue site. The current facility is permitted to receive up to 958 tons of garbage per day. Under the new plan, the site will be able to handle up to 2,100 tons per day and will typically receive about 1,150 tons per day, according to the company. The facility would receive 134 deliveries daily from garbage trucks, in addition to the tractor trailer trips to Maspeth. The company claims that each train will carry between 60 and 68 containers, which is the equivalent of 51 to 58 tractor trailer loads.
In response to CB 5’s vote, a Waste Management spokeswoman said the company met with the community board “and other stakeholders several times” to discuss the project and obtain input. “We are committed to continuing this dialogue with the community and to working with the city to address the issues that have been raised,” wrote Rachel Amar.
Amar noted that the city Department of Sanitation identified Waste Management’s Review Avenue property as a site for handling residential waste under the city’s Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). “The plan was developed over several years with input from environmental groups and other stakeholders and was approved by the City Council in 2006,” she wrote. “The SWMP is designed to manage the city’s municipal solid waste in a more sustainable, efficient manner over the next 20 years, by shifting NYC’s waste exports from a truck based system to a rail and barge based system, reducing truck traffic and vehicle emissions.”
Still, some residents aren’t accepting the additional truck traffic without a fight. Maspeth activist Christina Wilkinson has organized a rally at the Clinton Diner at 11 a.m. Saturday to call on the city to prevent additional truck traffic and instead preserve the former St. Saviour’s property, which is being offered for sale for $8.5 million. In addition to members of local civic groups, Councilmembers Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Tony Avella (D-Bayside) are expected to attend, along with other elected officials’ representatives.
By Conor Greene
Waste Management’s plan to transport trash from a new facility on Review Avenue to the Maspeth rail yard for transportation to out-of-state landfills was resoundingly rejected by Community Board 5 members because it will result in more truck traffic in Maspeth.
At its meeting last Wednesday at Christ the King High School, the advisory board unanimously voted in favor of a Sanitation Committee resolution rejecting Waste Management’s current plan. Instead, the resolution suggests that the company use the adjacent Newtown Creek to barge the containerized trash out of the area, build a rail spur at its Review Avenue property or purchase part of the former Phelps Dodge property or another site where a rail spur can be accessed or built.
Waste Management has applied to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for permission to replace its existing truck-based solid waste transfer operation at 38-22 Review Avenue in Long Island City with a new rail-based transfer facility that would accept trash from neighborhoods within community boards 1-6 in Queens. However, the plan would require the company to transport the trash one-and-a-half miles from Review Avenue to the Maspeth rail yard at Rust Street.
It is this aspect of the plan, which would result in 85 round-trip truck trips daily between the two sites, that didn’t sit well with board members. “This whole plan – pardon the pun – stinks,” said Robert Holden before the vote.
“We all know how congested that area is now.” Sanitation Committee Chairman Paul Kerzner noted that the area was already backed up with traffic at 9:30 on a recent morning. “This is just going to add to it,” he said.
Holden also noted that the containerized trash will be loaded onto trains near the Clinton Diner at Rust Street and Maspeth Avenue. The transfer will take place in the open, near the former St. Saviour’s property and homes. He questioned whether the plan meets requirements that this type of facility be located at least 400 feet from homes and parks.
The resolution notes “there was significant opposition” to the plan during a public information session the company held last month at Martin Luther High School. In addition, “there was unanimous agreement that for several important reasons, a better waste transport plan needs to be found.”
The “major reasons” for the board’s objection to the plan include that it “would mean additional handling of garbage” in order to get it loaded onto trains; that “the Maspeth community would have dozens of additional movements by tractor trailers daily” between Review Avenue and Rust Street; that the additional traffic “would mean significant increased air pollution hazards to Maspeth and adjacent communities,” and because the truck traffic would cause hazards, especially navigating tight turns such as from Rust Street onto Maspeth Avenue and after leaving the rail yard.
The resolution instead urges Waste Management to barge the trash directly from its facility, build a rail support at its 38-22 Review Avenue property - which is adjacent to LIRR tracks that are only used by two passenger trains daily - or investigate other nearby properties such as the former Phelps Dodge sites.
“Part of this former Phelps Dodge site would be further from residents than the Maspeth rail yard, where there is a residential area across the street,” the resolution notes. “By reducing the handling steps associated with transporting residential garbage… barging of garbage or establishing a rail spur may prove less expensive over time.”
Under the current plan, Waste Management will build a new, fully enclosed transfer facility at the Review Avenue site. The current facility is permitted to receive up to 958 tons of garbage per day. Under the new plan, the site will be able to handle up to 2,100 tons per day and will typically receive about 1,150 tons per day, according to the company. The facility would receive 134 deliveries daily from garbage trucks, in addition to the tractor trailer trips to Maspeth. The company claims that each train will carry between 60 and 68 containers, which is the equivalent of 51 to 58 tractor trailer loads.
In response to CB 5’s vote, a Waste Management spokeswoman said the company met with the community board “and other stakeholders several times” to discuss the project and obtain input. “We are committed to continuing this dialogue with the community and to working with the city to address the issues that have been raised,” wrote Rachel Amar.
Amar noted that the city Department of Sanitation identified Waste Management’s Review Avenue property as a site for handling residential waste under the city’s Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). “The plan was developed over several years with input from environmental groups and other stakeholders and was approved by the City Council in 2006,” she wrote. “The SWMP is designed to manage the city’s municipal solid waste in a more sustainable, efficient manner over the next 20 years, by shifting NYC’s waste exports from a truck based system to a rail and barge based system, reducing truck traffic and vehicle emissions.”
Still, some residents aren’t accepting the additional truck traffic without a fight. Maspeth activist Christina Wilkinson has organized a rally at the Clinton Diner at 11 a.m. Saturday to call on the city to prevent additional truck traffic and instead preserve the former St. Saviour’s property, which is being offered for sale for $8.5 million. In addition to members of local civic groups, Councilmembers Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Tony Avella (D-Bayside) are expected to attend, along with other elected officials’ representatives.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Garbage Trains, School Lawsuit and Maspeth Trucks at JPCA Meeting
By Conor GreeneThis month’s Juniper Park Civic Association Meeting included news that a settlement has been reached to prevent trains hauling garbage from idling in residential areas and an update on the battle against the city’s plan to build a high school in Maspeth.
In addition, the civic group held a moment of silence for a longtime member who recently passed away, and honored another resident who is still going strong at 107 years old during the session last Thursday. Reports on other items discussed at the meeting can be found elsewhere in this issue, including funding for the reconstruction of St. Saviour’s Church, an update on crime and a ceremony honoring the neighborhood’s outgoing monsignor.
Garbage Trains and Truck Traffic
Civic President Robert Holden informed the large crowd at Our Lady of Hope about a new problem the civic is dealing with: a plan by Waste Management to haul trash by truck from its transfer station on Review Avenue in Long Island City to the rail yard in West Maspeth. While this is part of the city’s plan to reduce the amount of trucks making long-distance trips to out-of-state dumps, it will lead to an increase in local traffic.
The garbage will be loaded onto rail cars near the intersection of Maspeth Avenue and Rust Street, near the former St. Saviour’s property. This has led Holden to surmise that the reason Mayor Michael Bloomberg refused to fund a purchase of the land for a public park is because this plan was in the works.
“The real reason the mayor didn’t want a park there was because he had a bigger plan,” said Holden. The city’s solid waste plan “is being forced upon us here in this district.” Under the plan, all trash from neighborhoods in community boards one through six would be trucked to the Review Avenue transfer station, which Waste Management will expand to accommodate the increase. While that facility is located along the Newtown Creek, it doesn’t have barge or rail access, meaning the trash must be driven a mile and a half to Maspeth before it is shipped by rail to dump sites in Virginia.
“It would be a decent plan if they would barge the garbage out or rail the garbage out,” said Holden. “This was their master plan – who would want a park near this transfer station?” He noted that the trains, filled with garbage, will then travel through Middle Village and Glendale before leaving the region. Last year, there was a problem with foul odors emanating from trains idling in one location, especially near Christ the King High School on Metropolitan Avenue. “Now they’re going to add more,” he said. “They city didn’t insist they barge it or do it by rail the right way.”
Holden reminded the large crowd that the civic can no longer even get a response to letters sent to Mayor Bloomberg about this issue, a far cry from when the mayor stopped by JPCA meetings on several occasions before his reelection. “We couldn’t keep this guy away. Now we can’t get answers to our letters anymore.”
While West Maspeth will likely bear the brunt of increased truck traffic, Middle Village attorney and City Council candidate Thomas Ognibene had some good news regarding the issue of odors from the trains stinking up the neighborhood. He said that the fumes caused issues last year at Christ the King, including making a pregnant teacher ill. After negotiations between the school and railways proved futile, Ognibene revealed publicly for the first that a lawsuit against New York and Atlantic Railway and CSX was needed to resolve the problem.
The outcome, according to Ognibene, is a settlement in federal court that allows CSX to take possession of idling trains sooner. The agreement, which was effective as of Wednesday, should eliminate the need for trains to sit in residential areas. Instead, trains will be picked up by CSX in the morning and stored at a rail yard away from residential areas untilthey’re ready to leave the area.
“We believe that starting July 1, we’ve solved the problem with the existing trains,” said Ognibene. “Hopefully that’s going to help… but it took a lawsuit. There may be glitches but at least we got something going in that direction because we’ve suffered long enough.”
Maspeth School Lawsuit
Ognibene also updated residents on a lawsuit the JPCA and Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET) have jointly filed against the city regarding the proposed Maspeth high school.
The issue, according to Holden and Ognibene, is that information regarding toxic materials found on the site was withheld before the City Council voted earlier this year to approve the Department of Education’s plan to build the 1,100-seat school on the former Restaurant Depot site at 74th Street and 57th Avenue. Despite objections from the area’s local member, Elizabeth Crowley, the City Council voted 38-10 in April in favor of the plan.
“We feel it is going to overburden the neighborhood,” said Holden. “The city really didn’t tell the elected officials or us how toxic it is… Information was withheld and the School Construction Authority rushed this through.”
Ognibene noted that one problem is that the city “is not diligent as an ordinary buyer would be” in terms of investigating the site. He added that 19 schools around the city were built on toxic sites, which has forced the city to go back and remediate the property after construction was completed. “Obviously it’s going to be very expensive” to remediate after construction.
“Unfortunately, the City Council I believe didn’t get the full information,” said Ognibene. “This is a dangerous location to build a school… It presents significant problems for the community.”
The civics are named plaintiffs in the lawsuit because they have legal standing to file the lawsuit. Ognibene is now waiting to for a return date and hopes a judge will issue a restraining order preventing the city from moving ahead with work at the site until a phase three environmental impact statement is conducted to show exactly what remediation is needed. In May, the city paid $16,250,000 for the 54,000-square foot property. The current plan is to install a protective barrier between the contaminated soil and the building foundation.
“We feel we have a strong case,” said Ognibene. “Certainly the health, safety and welfare of our children in schools should be paramount. I think it’s important that the city in this type of situation steps up and does the right thing.
Civic Members Honored
At the beginning of the meeting, Holden asked for a moment of silence in honor of civic member Ed Nubel, who recently passed away.
“We lost him too soon,” said Holden, recalling that that the long time volunteer always made sure there was coffee at every meeting. “He really exemplified the spirit of this neighborhood… I know Ed is looking down on us. If you have a cup of coffee, toast Ed tonight.”
Next, another longtime civic member – 107-year-old Carl Berner – was presented the volunteer of the year award for his continued dedication to the neighborhood. “How many people see this man in the neighborhood?” asked Holden, noting that Berner walks several miles a day in the area of Caldwell Avenue and chalks his longevity up to oatmeal.
Berner is still recovering from two hip operations and a short nursing home stay, but is eager to return to civic matters such as cleaning up along the railroad tracks, said Holden. “Don’t be surprised if you see him over there in a couple months with a rake. We’re never surprised by Carl Berner.”
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Hearing Monday on Long-Awaited Rezoning
By Conor Greene
Residents will have a chance to voice their opinions on the city’s plan to rezone about 300 blocks of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale at a public hearing on Monday.
Community Board 5 will hold its hearing on the Department of City Planning proposal, which is intended to preserve the neighborhoods’ character and prevent out-of-context development, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Christ the King High School. The board will then likely vote on the rezoning at its regular meeting on Wednesday.
The effort began more than three years ago when community volunteers went door to door to survey the area’s existing housing stock. However, the rezoning was delayed several times until the department finally certified it late last month. Once it is reviewed by CB 5, it will go to Borough President Helen Marshall, the City Planning Commission and finally to the full City Council for a final vote.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) recently said she hopes to have the new zoning laws in place by the end of the summer. “Since day one in office, I have made rezoning a priority because it is necessary for limiting overdevelopment and to protect the character of our community. I look forward to attending the upcoming hearing and I will continue pushing the Department of City Planning and work… to ensure the rezoning plan is implemented as soon as possible,” she said.
The rezoning area is roughly bounded by the Long Island Expressway to the north, Woodhaven Boulevard to the east, Forest Park and the adjoining cemeteries to the south and Fresh Pond Road and 59th Street to the west.
The proposal’s goal, according to DCP, is to replace the existing, out-of-date zoning “with newer, lower density and contextual zoning districts to more closely reflect the existing built form of the neighborhoods” to ensure that future development “will be more consistent with its surroundings.”
The proposal includes two types of zoning changes: lower density zoning changes to better reflect the existing development and commercial overlay changes to “prevent commercial intrusion on residential blocks.”
On Wednesday, the board will hold its full meeting, also starting at 7:30 p.m. in Christ the King High School cafeteria. Aside from the likely vote on the rezoning, the meeting agenda includes a presentation for the respite center of the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and a review of current alcoholic beverage license applications.
For more information or to register to speak in advance, call the board at (718) 366-1834. Details on the rezoning proposal can be found on DCP’s Webpage at nyc.gov.
Residents will have a chance to voice their opinions on the city’s plan to rezone about 300 blocks of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale at a public hearing on Monday.
Community Board 5 will hold its hearing on the Department of City Planning proposal, which is intended to preserve the neighborhoods’ character and prevent out-of-context development, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Christ the King High School. The board will then likely vote on the rezoning at its regular meeting on Wednesday.
The effort began more than three years ago when community volunteers went door to door to survey the area’s existing housing stock. However, the rezoning was delayed several times until the department finally certified it late last month. Once it is reviewed by CB 5, it will go to Borough President Helen Marshall, the City Planning Commission and finally to the full City Council for a final vote.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) recently said she hopes to have the new zoning laws in place by the end of the summer. “Since day one in office, I have made rezoning a priority because it is necessary for limiting overdevelopment and to protect the character of our community. I look forward to attending the upcoming hearing and I will continue pushing the Department of City Planning and work… to ensure the rezoning plan is implemented as soon as possible,” she said.
The rezoning area is roughly bounded by the Long Island Expressway to the north, Woodhaven Boulevard to the east, Forest Park and the adjoining cemeteries to the south and Fresh Pond Road and 59th Street to the west.
The proposal’s goal, according to DCP, is to replace the existing, out-of-date zoning “with newer, lower density and contextual zoning districts to more closely reflect the existing built form of the neighborhoods” to ensure that future development “will be more consistent with its surroundings.”
The proposal includes two types of zoning changes: lower density zoning changes to better reflect the existing development and commercial overlay changes to “prevent commercial intrusion on residential blocks.”
On Wednesday, the board will hold its full meeting, also starting at 7:30 p.m. in Christ the King High School cafeteria. Aside from the likely vote on the rezoning, the meeting agenda includes a presentation for the respite center of the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and a review of current alcoholic beverage license applications.
For more information or to register to speak in advance, call the board at (718) 366-1834. Details on the rezoning proposal can be found on DCP’s Webpage at nyc.gov.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Oliva Steps Down as CTK Coach
ACCUSED LAST YEAR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
By Conor Greene
Nine months after he revealed he was accused of sexually abusing a family friend, Christ the King High School head boys’ basketball coach Bob Oliva has announced his retirement.
After 27 years at the Middle Village parochial school – a perennial city basketball powerhouse – Oliva officially retired this week. He had not coached a game since March, when his squad lost to Holy Cross in the city Catholic High School Athletic Association championship game.
In April, Oliva informed Christ the King’s board of directors that he received a letter accusing him of sexually abusing longtime family friend Jimmy Carlino starting when the boy was 13 years old. On May 1, a Florida attorney sent Oliva a follow-up letter informing him that Carlino would drop the matter in exchange for a $750,000 payment and the coach’s resignation from CTK by the end of the 2008 school year.
While the school’s board of trustees stood by Oliva, the coach has been on a leave of absence since the team began practicing in November due to a heart ailment. According to published reports, Oliva believes the heart condition was aggravated by the allegations.
“I’m finished,” the 64-year-old coach recently told the Daily News. “I’m going to walk away from the program. It is a terrible way to go out.” Oliva finishes his career with a record of 549-181 and five city championships. Dozens of former players went on to play high-level college ball, and eight players eventually reached the NBA, including Lamar Odom – currently a star with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The school’s athletic director, Joe Arbitello, has been named the permanent coach after guiding the squad to a 9-1 record to start this season.
When the allegations first became public, attorney Thomas Ognibene, a member of the school’s board of trustees and former City Councilman, said he doubts the claims, given Oliva’s track record overseeing thousands of children over several decades coaching.
“It’s a lot of nonsense, but unfortunately he has to be subjected to this,” said Ognibene. “He used to be like a godfather to the kid, he met him when he was eight and basically took care of this kid for a number of years. The kid had gambling and drug problems, and Bob stood with him.”
Late in 2007, Oliva decided to drop Carlino from his will, which Ognibene speculated led to the accusations. “He [Oliva] said, ‘I can’t help you anymore and I’m taking you out of my will,’ which I understand was a pretty substantial sum,” said Ognibene. “As soon as that happened, he had an epiphany and said ‘Bob Oliva molested me when I was a kid.’”
Oliva met Carlino, who attended Archbishop Malloy High School, when the coach owned a bar in Ozone Park called the Short Porch. Carlino’s father was a bartender there, and Oliva sometimes paid the boy to clean the bar, according to reports.
He also coached Carlino in the Catholic Youth Organization athletic league. “It’s about time that he did the right thing,” Carlino told the Daily News. “I’m glad he won’t cause any more problems for any more children.” That paper reported that two former players have recently claimed that Oliva abused them. CTK President Michael Michel said that the school didn’t force Oliva to resign, and isn’t aware of any other allegations against the coach.
By Conor Greene
Nine months after he revealed he was accused of sexually abusing a family friend, Christ the King High School head boys’ basketball coach Bob Oliva has announced his retirement.
After 27 years at the Middle Village parochial school – a perennial city basketball powerhouse – Oliva officially retired this week. He had not coached a game since March, when his squad lost to Holy Cross in the city Catholic High School Athletic Association championship game.
In April, Oliva informed Christ the King’s board of directors that he received a letter accusing him of sexually abusing longtime family friend Jimmy Carlino starting when the boy was 13 years old. On May 1, a Florida attorney sent Oliva a follow-up letter informing him that Carlino would drop the matter in exchange for a $750,000 payment and the coach’s resignation from CTK by the end of the 2008 school year.
While the school’s board of trustees stood by Oliva, the coach has been on a leave of absence since the team began practicing in November due to a heart ailment. According to published reports, Oliva believes the heart condition was aggravated by the allegations.
“I’m finished,” the 64-year-old coach recently told the Daily News. “I’m going to walk away from the program. It is a terrible way to go out.” Oliva finishes his career with a record of 549-181 and five city championships. Dozens of former players went on to play high-level college ball, and eight players eventually reached the NBA, including Lamar Odom – currently a star with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The school’s athletic director, Joe Arbitello, has been named the permanent coach after guiding the squad to a 9-1 record to start this season.
When the allegations first became public, attorney Thomas Ognibene, a member of the school’s board of trustees and former City Councilman, said he doubts the claims, given Oliva’s track record overseeing thousands of children over several decades coaching.
“It’s a lot of nonsense, but unfortunately he has to be subjected to this,” said Ognibene. “He used to be like a godfather to the kid, he met him when he was eight and basically took care of this kid for a number of years. The kid had gambling and drug problems, and Bob stood with him.”
Late in 2007, Oliva decided to drop Carlino from his will, which Ognibene speculated led to the accusations. “He [Oliva] said, ‘I can’t help you anymore and I’m taking you out of my will,’ which I understand was a pretty substantial sum,” said Ognibene. “As soon as that happened, he had an epiphany and said ‘Bob Oliva molested me when I was a kid.’”
Oliva met Carlino, who attended Archbishop Malloy High School, when the coach owned a bar in Ozone Park called the Short Porch. Carlino’s father was a bartender there, and Oliva sometimes paid the boy to clean the bar, according to reports.
He also coached Carlino in the Catholic Youth Organization athletic league. “It’s about time that he did the right thing,” Carlino told the Daily News. “I’m glad he won’t cause any more problems for any more children.” That paper reported that two former players have recently claimed that Oliva abused them. CTK President Michael Michel said that the school didn’t force Oliva to resign, and isn’t aware of any other allegations against the coach.
Revised Maspeth School Plans to be Unveiled
Update on Proposal at Next Week's CB 5 Meeting
By Conor Greene
The School Construction Authority is expected to provide residents and community leaders with a look at its revised plans for a school being proposed for Maspeth at next week’s Community Board 5 meeting.
The SCA is also expected to give updates on several other construction projects going on elsewhere in the area at the meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Christ the King High School in Middle Village. Details will be provided regarding additions underway at PS 49 and PS 113 and a new building going up next to PS 128, according to CB 5 District Manager Gary Giordano.
The city initially proposed building a 1,650-seat school at the site of the former Restaurant Depot warehouse at 74th Street and 57th Avenue to serve students in grades 6-12. The plan was met with opposition from residents who say the area, which already has two schools, is oversaturated with schoolchildren. While many board members concede the area needs a high school, CB 5 overwhelmingly rejected the plan in May.
At the November Community Education Council 24 meeting, Lorraine Grillo, executive director and chief of staff of the SCA said that the project has been scaled back due to “concerns we heard voiced very loudly from the community board.” It now calls for a 1,000-seat building that the SCA hopes is “both useful for the district and palatable for the community,” said Grillo.
The Department of Education did not provide information about the new proposal by deadline. However, Giordano said that according to his most recent information, the new plan calls for either one 1,000-seat building or two 500-seat buildings, both of which would only serve high school students.
“I don’t think they plan to put an intermediate school there,” said Giordano. “I think there was some concern [from board members] about having sixth and seventh graders in the same facility as juniors and seniors in high school.”
Giordano said that most of the concerns centered on the amount of children pouring onto neighborhood streets, especially after dismissal time, and increased traffic in the already congested area. “I think it’s going to be a problem because it is going to add congestion to the area,” he said. “The upside of it is that it would provide high school opportunities in a much less crowded setting.”
The board has advised the SCA to look at alternate sites, including the former St. Saviour’s property on Rust Street in West Maspeth, said Giordano.
In addition, many board members have suggested that they would support the project if the city zones the new school to ensure that it primarily serves children from the neighborhood.“If the school is not a specialized high school, I would think logically that a good measure of zoning is going to apply,” said Giordano.However, the SCA has said that decisions over zoning are made by the city DOE, which has refused to make any guarantees to the community about the matter.
In other school construction news, the SCA is expected to update the board on the three other projects underway in the district. Giordano noted that all three schools currently only serve students up to fifth grade, but will be expanded through eighth grade when the projects are completed.
Earlier this year, the Glendale Property Owners Association reported to CB 5 that neighbors had complained that work was taking place at PS 113 after hours, sometimes as late as 11:30 p.m. In response, the civic group and community board filed complaints with the city Department of Building and SCA. That project includes an addition to the existing building and asbestos abatement.
At the time, the board said it hadn’t received complaints regarding the projects at PS 49 and PS 128, both in Middle Village.
By Conor Greene
The School Construction Authority is expected to provide residents and community leaders with a look at its revised plans for a school being proposed for Maspeth at next week’s Community Board 5 meeting.
The SCA is also expected to give updates on several other construction projects going on elsewhere in the area at the meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Christ the King High School in Middle Village. Details will be provided regarding additions underway at PS 49 and PS 113 and a new building going up next to PS 128, according to CB 5 District Manager Gary Giordano.
The city initially proposed building a 1,650-seat school at the site of the former Restaurant Depot warehouse at 74th Street and 57th Avenue to serve students in grades 6-12. The plan was met with opposition from residents who say the area, which already has two schools, is oversaturated with schoolchildren. While many board members concede the area needs a high school, CB 5 overwhelmingly rejected the plan in May.
At the November Community Education Council 24 meeting, Lorraine Grillo, executive director and chief of staff of the SCA said that the project has been scaled back due to “concerns we heard voiced very loudly from the community board.” It now calls for a 1,000-seat building that the SCA hopes is “both useful for the district and palatable for the community,” said Grillo.
The Department of Education did not provide information about the new proposal by deadline. However, Giordano said that according to his most recent information, the new plan calls for either one 1,000-seat building or two 500-seat buildings, both of which would only serve high school students.
“I don’t think they plan to put an intermediate school there,” said Giordano. “I think there was some concern [from board members] about having sixth and seventh graders in the same facility as juniors and seniors in high school.”
Giordano said that most of the concerns centered on the amount of children pouring onto neighborhood streets, especially after dismissal time, and increased traffic in the already congested area. “I think it’s going to be a problem because it is going to add congestion to the area,” he said. “The upside of it is that it would provide high school opportunities in a much less crowded setting.”
The board has advised the SCA to look at alternate sites, including the former St. Saviour’s property on Rust Street in West Maspeth, said Giordano.
In addition, many board members have suggested that they would support the project if the city zones the new school to ensure that it primarily serves children from the neighborhood.“If the school is not a specialized high school, I would think logically that a good measure of zoning is going to apply,” said Giordano.However, the SCA has said that decisions over zoning are made by the city DOE, which has refused to make any guarantees to the community about the matter.
In other school construction news, the SCA is expected to update the board on the three other projects underway in the district. Giordano noted that all three schools currently only serve students up to fifth grade, but will be expanded through eighth grade when the projects are completed.
Earlier this year, the Glendale Property Owners Association reported to CB 5 that neighbors had complained that work was taking place at PS 113 after hours, sometimes as late as 11:30 p.m. In response, the civic group and community board filed complaints with the city Department of Building and SCA. That project includes an addition to the existing building and asbestos abatement.
At the time, the board said it hadn’t received complaints regarding the projects at PS 49 and PS 128, both in Middle Village.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Civic: More Pedestrian Upgrades Needed Six Years After Tragic Accident
By Conor Greene
Six years ago this past week, a 17-year-old girl was struck and killed by an out-of-control driver who lost control of his vehicle at the dangerous intersection where 69th Street meets the Long Island Expressway service road at Grand Avenue in Maspeth.
The tragic death of Middle Village resident Daniela D’Angelo – who was killed while walking home from Christ the King High School – spurred a traffic study at the intersection, but local leaders say more still needs to be done to make the area safer.
“Unfortunately, little was done except adding bollards to the intersection,” said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. He noted that the civic association, through a $30,000 grant from Transportation Alternatives, completed a study and produced a plan to make intersections in the area safer. “They city did nothing. The area, with heavier truck traffic, is actually more dangerous today,” said Holden.
The December 6, 2002 accident occurred when Dennis Fiechter, 30, lost control of his Mazda while driving north on 69th Street, causing it to crash into several vehicles before hitting D’Angelo and a 50-year-old man who was also standing on the sidewalk at the time. Fiechter told investigators that he suffered a seizure before losing control, but police later determined that the seizure occurred after the accident.
Fiechter eventually pleaded guilty to aggravated unlicensed operation of a car in exchange for a 1 1/3-to-4-year prison sentence. Prior to the accident, Fiechter’s license had been suspended 28 times. In addition, he was subsequently sentenced to prison time for an attempted robbery in Queens and a burglary in New Jersey.
In Holden’s opinion, the safety improvements are vital, but an even bigger issue is why Fiechter was still free to get behind the wheel of a car. “This guy should have been in jail years ago if the government did its job and protected the public from career criminals like Fiechter,” he said.
The traffic study completed by the JPCA and Transportation Alternatives produced a number of recommendations to improve safety at that and other intersections. Among the suggestions were: installing bollards at the traffic island at 69th Street and Grand Avenue; posting a “No Left Turn” sign at northbound 69th Street and Grand Avenue; upgrading pedestrian crosswalks to make them more visible; and repositioning several traffic signals to make them easier to see and reduce confusion for drivers.
According to a DOT spokeswoman, “all of the proposed improvements were implemented in October 2003.”
However, Holden and other community leaders including Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano say the intersection warrants additional attention from the city. Giordano noted that the board still has a capital budget request filed with the city “for them to accomplish the physical portions of these safety improvements.”
He said the intersection is especially dangerous because two busy streets – both truck routes - and the expressway meet there. In addition, many drivers rely on 69th Street because there are not many parallel routes in the area, he noted. “That area could always use attention,” said Giordano. “There is much going on there between pedestrians and motorists.”
Photos: A memorial was placed at the intersection of Grand Avenue and 69th Street in Maspeth six years ago after Christ the King High School student Daniela D'Angelo was killed by an out-of-control driver. While some safety improvements were made to the intersection, local community leaders say the area is still unsafe for pedestrians.
Six years ago this past week, a 17-year-old girl was struck and killed by an out-of-control driver who lost control of his vehicle at the dangerous intersection where 69th Street meets the Long Island Expressway service road at Grand Avenue in Maspeth.
The tragic death of Middle Village resident Daniela D’Angelo – who was killed while walking home from Christ the King High School – spurred a traffic study at the intersection, but local leaders say more still needs to be done to make the area safer.
“Unfortunately, little was done except adding bollards to the intersection,” said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. He noted that the civic association, through a $30,000 grant from Transportation Alternatives, completed a study and produced a plan to make intersections in the area safer. “They city did nothing. The area, with heavier truck traffic, is actually more dangerous today,” said Holden.
The December 6, 2002 accident occurred when Dennis Fiechter, 30, lost control of his Mazda while driving north on 69th Street, causing it to crash into several vehicles before hitting D’Angelo and a 50-year-old man who was also standing on the sidewalk at the time. Fiechter told investigators that he suffered a seizure before losing control, but police later determined that the seizure occurred after the accident.
Fiechter eventually pleaded guilty to aggravated unlicensed operation of a car in exchange for a 1 1/3-to-4-year prison sentence. Prior to the accident, Fiechter’s license had been suspended 28 times. In addition, he was subsequently sentenced to prison time for an attempted robbery in Queens and a burglary in New Jersey.
In Holden’s opinion, the safety improvements are vital, but an even bigger issue is why Fiechter was still free to get behind the wheel of a car. “This guy should have been in jail years ago if the government did its job and protected the public from career criminals like Fiechter,” he said.
The traffic study completed by the JPCA and Transportation Alternatives produced a number of recommendations to improve safety at that and other intersections. Among the suggestions were: installing bollards at the traffic island at 69th Street and Grand Avenue; posting a “No Left Turn” sign at northbound 69th Street and Grand Avenue; upgrading pedestrian crosswalks to make them more visible; and repositioning several traffic signals to make them easier to see and reduce confusion for drivers.
According to a DOT spokeswoman, “all of the proposed improvements were implemented in October 2003.”
However, Holden and other community leaders including Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano say the intersection warrants additional attention from the city. Giordano noted that the board still has a capital budget request filed with the city “for them to accomplish the physical portions of these safety improvements.”
He said the intersection is especially dangerous because two busy streets – both truck routes - and the expressway meet there. In addition, many drivers rely on 69th Street because there are not many parallel routes in the area, he noted. “That area could always use attention,” said Giordano. “There is much going on there between pedestrians and motorists.”
Photos: A memorial was placed at the intersection of Grand Avenue and 69th Street in Maspeth six years ago after Christ the King High School student Daniela D'Angelo was killed by an out-of-control driver. While some safety improvements were made to the intersection, local community leaders say the area is still unsafe for pedestrians.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Board Holds Hearing on VFW Liquor License Request
Neighbors Opposed to MV Hall’s Use of Yard By Conor Greene
Members of a local VFW hall are seeking permission to extend its liquor license to allow drinking in an outside alley next to their Middle Village building, a proposal that has upset some neighbors.
A hearing on the request was held at last week’s Community Board 5 meeting. The proposal will now be discussed at the committee level before coming back to the full board for a vote at next month’s meeting.
However, Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said his group is meeting with both sides in hopes of reaching a compromise.
Members of Haspel Staab Post 551 on 60th Avenue are preparing to apply to the State Liquor Authority to extend the terms of their license so that alcohol can be consumed in a small paved yard next to their building, which separates the post from a house owned by Ralph DeSanto. He opposes the request because of disruptions to his quality of life he says parties at the VFW Hall have caused.
The hearing last Wednesday in Christ the King High School began with comments from attorney Thomas Monaghan, who is representing the VFW Hall in its request. He explained that the license would simply be extended to include the outdoor area, and that all existing rules governing drinking at the hall would continue to apply.
“All rules would apply to the outside, however no alcohol or activity will take place outside after 10 p.m. if they are against noise codes,” he said.
Holden, also a CB 5 member, asked why the group wasn’t going to keep the drinking inside, as has been done for decades. “As everybody in society knows, when people drink, they get louder – it is just the nature of the beast.” He noted the area is largely residential.
Monaghan responded that the members are only seeking to do what is allowed under state law. “The club respects the law – that’s why were here tonight,” he said, adding that the members have not yet filed the request with the state. “Ample statutes cover that problem,” he said of resident’s complaints that the members are loud late at night.
This response didn’t sit well with board member Lorraine Sciulli, who is also a JPCA member. “To say that after 10 p.m. it reverts to the noise code is a little disingenuous,” she said, since it is unlikely the city would send somebody immediately to investigate a noise complaint. “To bring drinking outside means to turn the whole neighborhood upside down.”
Michael Brown, post commander, spoke next and accused DeSanto and the JPCA of providing a “misleading account” of the member’s activities and intentions. “This is an affront to all veterans,” he said. “We have been relegated to second class citizens... not afforded the chance to defend ourselves.” He said that the post asked for a list of complaints that the JPCA received, but never heard back.
Longtime post member Tom Lynch called DeSanto’s opposition “a crusade against us” and said he has “lost sight of the noise problem and is now consumed with one object – destroying the lives and ideals of the very men and women who defended the country in wars.”
Neighbor Linda Mullins, who has lived across the street for 17 years, accused DeSanto of misleading neighbors who signed a petition against the VFW’s request. “Ralph DeSanto had a personal dispute on Memorial Day and in retaliation is going around slandering the VFW,” she said. Some neighbors who signed the petition “didn’t understand the circumstances and were not given all the facts,” she alleged. “This is not a community issue, but a personal issue.”
However, DeSanto, the next speaker, argued that it is in fact a “quality of life” issue. “Why should we be allowing the post to serve alcohol in the alley?” he said. “It is only going to increase the noise in the neighborhood. This is a residential area. We can’t sleep in our homes whenever they have these parties. It’s not twenty to thirty people – they fill the alley.”
He said that one event held last year featured a $20 admission that provided an open bar and was advertised online. He said it was “extremely noisy.”
His mother, Josephine DeSanto, 85, said she has lived in the house next to the hall for the past 46 years. “Mike Brown is lying,” she said, drawing a reaction from the post members and supporters in the crowd. “I’m glad they’re happy, but it bothers us... I support them, but there is no reason to drink in the alley.”
The final speaker was Victor DeSanto, whose window faces the alley. DeSanto is a former honorary member of the post, and some have claimed the backlash against the members is due at a falling out several years ago. “It’s only us [affected by the noise] which makes it so hard to understand,” he said. “We want peace. All I’m asking is for cooperation on both sides so we can resolve this.”
While the community board’s eventual vote regarding the proposal is simply advisory, Holden hopes the civic association can help both sides reach an agreeable solution in the coming weeks.
CB5 MEETING ROUNDUP
Other issues discussed at the board’s monthly session included problems along train tracks used by the Long Island Railroad and a freight company, road resurfacing, the Maurice Avenue sewer project and a request by the Woodhaven House for a sidewalk cafe.
Train Track Growth and Smelly Garbage
District Manager Gary Giordano reported that he is trying to get the LIRR and New York and Atlantic Railway to clear overgrown trees and shrubs from along areas near roads and sidewalks. He said that Donna Rypkema, who was struck by a falling tree while walking along Myrtle Avenue near Fresh Pond Road three weeks ago, is slowly improving.
“There is a lot of growth along the line,” said Giordano, adding that the LIRR officials say that NY and Atlantic is responsible for removing it. “If it is along a line they share, [it’s not clear] whose responsibility it is,” he said on Tuesday. “If it is along the freight line, I certainly get the impression that it’s Atlantic’s responsibility to maintain that.”
Giordano said he is also trying to get verification from LIRR that the agency has been testing the structural integrity of trestles that cross over roads. “We want to make sure they’re in good condition,” he said. He said bridges of concern include ones at Myrtle Avenue and Fresh Pond Road, Cypress Hills Street between Central and Shaler avenues and 65th Street near Shaler Avenue.
“I’m reasonably confident those bridges are inspected with regularity and are structurally sound, but I want to hear it from LIRR,” said Giordano. “There is a lot of back and forth movement [of trains at those locations].”
Another big issue for residents is trains carrying garbage through the area from Long Island. They are supposed to be covered and sealed, but the community board had received several complaints about strong odors coming from the train.
Giordano urged residents to call with any additional complaints. “It does get trucks off the street” but creates a new problem with smell, he said. “It is an ongoing issue and I need all the help I can get,” he told the board and residents.
On Tuesday, he said he hadn’t received any additional complaints. “I’m hoping that whoever their customer out east is has gotten newer containers that are sealed for the storage of this solid waste, or that the seals were replaced.”
Area Road Projects
A number of local roads are being resurfaced, with most of the milling work complete, according to Giordano. Projects include Forest Avenue between Metropolitan and Myrtle avenues, Maspeth Avenue from Maurice Avenue to 61st Street, Cypress Hills Street from Fresh Pond Road to the Jackie Robinson Parkway and Central Avenue from Myrtle Avenue to 73rd Place.
Another major project is the installation of a sewer line and box sewer beneath Maurice Avenue. “We’re hoping that will alleviate some flooding in that neck of Maspeth,” said Giordano. “We’ve been lucky in the past year, but the real test will come when we get two or three inches of rain in an hour.”
He said that a consultant hired by the Department of Design and Construction recently told him that the $5 million project, which will extend between 54th to 56th avenues, will start in early October. “That’s a big concession we got, that they’ll do Maurice at night,” said Giordano.
The project also includes a major reconstruction of 54th Avenue between Maurice and 58th avenues, including new sewer lines, water mains, concrete base beneath the pavement and sidewalks. “It’s not a tremendously long stretch, but it is a lot of work,” he said. “Maurice is a flat out sewer job.” Work along 54th Avenue will take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The entire project is expected to take a year to complete, according to the DDC.
Woodhaven House Sidewalk Cafe
The board unanimously approved an application by the Woodhaven House restaurant in Rego Park for 28 outdoor tables along Woodhaven Boulevardand Fleet Court. There will be no amplified music, and the board requested that hours be limited to 11 p.m. during the week and until midnight on weekends. However, the application calls for keeping the tables open an hour later.
The tables will take up about half of the 15-foot-wide sidewalks, with 12 tables along the boulevard and 14 along Fleet Court. Board member Tom Rossi noted that the building was rundown until the restaurant opened and said it is “good for the community.”
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Christ the King Coach Accused of Sex Abuse
Bob Oliva Accused by Former Family Friend
by Conor Greene
The head basketball coach at city powerhouse Christ the King high school has been accused of sexually abusing a family friend who he took under his wing decades ago.
Bob Oliva, a longtime coach of the parochial school’s varsity boys basketball team and a member of its Hall of Fame, was accused of repeatedly molesting Jimmy Carlino starting when the boy was 13-years-old.
The allegations were first made in a letter sent to Oliva in April from a law firm in Florida, where Carlino lives. At that point, Oliva informed the Middle Village school’s board of trustees and administration of the allegations. On May 1, attorney David Ristoff sent Oliva a letter notifying him that Carlino will drop the matter in exchange for a payment of $750,000 and Oliva’s resignation from the school by the end of the 2008 school year.
“I have been retained by James Carlino regarding a matter of personal nature involving your prior contact to him,” wrote Ristoff in the letter, which was obtained by The Forum. “While it is best left to discretion not to elaborate on those personal issues at this juncture, it is the wishes of Mr. Carlino to resolve any and all matters with you on a personal and confidential basis.”
The letter instructs Oliva to forward “this demand” to his attorney. “If you our your counsel wish to accept this demand then you may forward a certified check in the amount of $750,000... and proof of your resignation,” wrote Ristoff. In exchange for the payment, Carlino would “execute a release and confidentiality agreement as to both the underlying factual basis of the dispute as well as an agreement to maintain the confidentially of the settlement amount.”
The letter notes that, “As you can imagine, Mr. Carlino has suffered significant psychological damage that has effected [sic] every aspect of his life and career.”
Thomas Ognibene, a member of the school’s board of trustees, said he doubts the claims given Oliva’s track record overseeing thousands of children over several decades coaching. “It’s a lot of nonsense, but unfortunately he has to be subjected to this,” said Ognibene. “He used to be like a godfather to the kid, he met him when he was eight and basically took care of this kid for a number of years. The kid had gambling and drug problems, and Bob stood with him.”
Late last year, Oliva decided to drop Carlino from his will, which Ognibene speculates led to the accusations. “He [Oliva] said, ‘I can’t help you anymore and I’m taking you out of my will,’ which I understand was a pretty substantial amount,” said Ognibene. “As soon as that happened, the kid had an epiphany and said Bob Oliva molested me when I was a kid.”
After Oliva received the letter, his response to Carlino was, “You are out of your mind, I never touched you, it’s a disgrace, do what you have to do,” said Ognibene. “This is simply a matter of extortion. I told him, this is a bridge you have to cross.”
Oliva met Carlino, who attended Archbishop Molloy High School, when the coach owned a bar in Ozone Park called the Short Porch. Carlino’s father was a bartender there, and Oliva sometimes paid the boy to clean the bar, according to the Daily News. He also coached Carlino in the Catholic Youth Organization athletic league.
Ognibene said that Oliva’s track record leads him to believe the accusations are false and Carlino is trying to shake down the coach. “For 29 years, I’ve known Bob Oliva, who has had access in locker rooms, on trips, in hotels, to thousands of kids over the years, and I never once hard a hit or rumor of this,” said Ognibene. “A person who had opportunity to deal with children on a close personal basis never had one complaint, and that tells me more than anything that comes out of a person’s mouth.”
by Conor Greene
The head basketball coach at city powerhouse Christ the King high school has been accused of sexually abusing a family friend who he took under his wing decades ago.
Bob Oliva, a longtime coach of the parochial school’s varsity boys basketball team and a member of its Hall of Fame, was accused of repeatedly molesting Jimmy Carlino starting when the boy was 13-years-old.
The allegations were first made in a letter sent to Oliva in April from a law firm in Florida, where Carlino lives. At that point, Oliva informed the Middle Village school’s board of trustees and administration of the allegations. On May 1, attorney David Ristoff sent Oliva a letter notifying him that Carlino will drop the matter in exchange for a payment of $750,000 and Oliva’s resignation from the school by the end of the 2008 school year.
“I have been retained by James Carlino regarding a matter of personal nature involving your prior contact to him,” wrote Ristoff in the letter, which was obtained by The Forum. “While it is best left to discretion not to elaborate on those personal issues at this juncture, it is the wishes of Mr. Carlino to resolve any and all matters with you on a personal and confidential basis.”
The letter instructs Oliva to forward “this demand” to his attorney. “If you our your counsel wish to accept this demand then you may forward a certified check in the amount of $750,000... and proof of your resignation,” wrote Ristoff. In exchange for the payment, Carlino would “execute a release and confidentiality agreement as to both the underlying factual basis of the dispute as well as an agreement to maintain the confidentially of the settlement amount.”
The letter notes that, “As you can imagine, Mr. Carlino has suffered significant psychological damage that has effected [sic] every aspect of his life and career.”
Thomas Ognibene, a member of the school’s board of trustees, said he doubts the claims given Oliva’s track record overseeing thousands of children over several decades coaching. “It’s a lot of nonsense, but unfortunately he has to be subjected to this,” said Ognibene. “He used to be like a godfather to the kid, he met him when he was eight and basically took care of this kid for a number of years. The kid had gambling and drug problems, and Bob stood with him.”
Late last year, Oliva decided to drop Carlino from his will, which Ognibene speculates led to the accusations. “He [Oliva] said, ‘I can’t help you anymore and I’m taking you out of my will,’ which I understand was a pretty substantial amount,” said Ognibene. “As soon as that happened, the kid had an epiphany and said Bob Oliva molested me when I was a kid.”
After Oliva received the letter, his response to Carlino was, “You are out of your mind, I never touched you, it’s a disgrace, do what you have to do,” said Ognibene. “This is simply a matter of extortion. I told him, this is a bridge you have to cross.”
Oliva met Carlino, who attended Archbishop Molloy High School, when the coach owned a bar in Ozone Park called the Short Porch. Carlino’s father was a bartender there, and Oliva sometimes paid the boy to clean the bar, according to the Daily News. He also coached Carlino in the Catholic Youth Organization athletic league.
Ognibene said that Oliva’s track record leads him to believe the accusations are false and Carlino is trying to shake down the coach. “For 29 years, I’ve known Bob Oliva, who has had access in locker rooms, on trips, in hotels, to thousands of kids over the years, and I never once hard a hit or rumor of this,” said Ognibene. “A person who had opportunity to deal with children on a close personal basis never had one complaint, and that tells me more than anything that comes out of a person’s mouth.”
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