Fire Company Cuts on Hold Pending State Budget

By Conor Greene

Residents will have to wait a little longer to find out if fire companies in their neighborhood will be forced to close as part of the city’s effort to close its budget gap.

Mayor Bloomberg has proposed closing 20 companies across the five boroughs in order to save $5.6 million to help reduce the $1.5 billion budget gap in the upcoming city budget. The closures were set to coincide with start of the new fiscal year on July 1. Since the law requires 45 days notice before any closures, the mayor was set to release the list of companies on the chopping block this past Monday.

However, he instead announced that he is waiting until the state completes its budget, which is already seven weeks late. “We don’t have a budget yet, and until then, there’s no reason to do anything,” he said. “There is a requirement of 45 days notice before you close a company or firehouse and we will comply with the last.”

Mayor Bloomberg is hopeful that the financial situation will improve over the coming weeks, reducing the need for budget cuts. “I’d like to have another five or six weeks of tax revenues information, see how tax revenues are coming in,” he said. Still, he warned that some drastic cuts are inevitable. “The economy is doing somewhat better, but nobody thinks it’s going better fast enough to bail us out. We’re going to have to make some serious cuts.”

Last year, the mayor proposed closing 16 fire companies, but the cuts were avoided when City Council members used discretionary funds to restore the funding. Over the past few months, local officials led by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) - who chairs the Fire and Public Safety Committee – have rallied against the cuts at fire companies believed to be on the chopping block, including Engine 271on Himrod Street and Engine 294 in Richmond Hill.

Following the mayor’s postponement on Monday, Crowley expressed hope that the cuts will be avoided again this year. “We cannot relax until our fire protection is secured. Our city’s taxpayers have spoken and they want our fire companies to remain open,” the councilwoman said. “We need to keep up the pressure and continue to let Mayor Bloomberg know that we have no room to compromise our safety.”

The mayor said the decisions will be based on the budgets crafted in City Hall and Albany. “We have to come and negotiate a budget with the City Council, which we will do. I’m confident that we will have an on time budget, and based on what that allows us to do, we will do and comply with the laws we have to comply with in order to do that.”

Three-Alarm Blaze Guts Church in Richmond Hill

By Patricia Adams

A fast-moving fire spread through the Deeper Life Christian Fellowship Church on Thursday afternoon at 91-44 111th Street in Richmond Hill, destroying the church and severely damaging two neighboring homes.

More than 135 firefighters were called to the scene, where it took over six hours to put down the three-alarm blaze. Fire officials said the fire started at the around 2:24 p.m. after crews were called out to investigate downed wires from an electrical pole across the street.

Witnesses at the scene say that a large tree splintered in the strong wind, crashing into the pole and sending a tangled mass of wire down into the street. Firemen investigating the fallen tree and wires noticed smoke com- ing from the church and immediately sprung into action. But a short along the electrical lines in the wooden church led to a rapidly spreading blaze and firemen were forced to evacuate.

Rev. Charles Sadaphal, whose father is the founder of the People Life Christian Fellowship Church, was at the scene as the fire raged. “I think it’s the grace of God that this happened at a time when there was no activity in the church,” he said. Sadaphal told reportersthat the Pentecostal church was home to more than 500 congregants.

Dep. Asst. Chief John Sudnik explained the dangerous conditions at the scene, “Fires in churches are very difficult to fight because of all the concealed spaces. “We had to pull all the units out of the building due to the fire conditions. It got too dangerous to continue with an interior operation so we went to an exterior operation.” Five firefighters suffered minor injuries trying to bring the fire under control.

Representatives from the Department of Buildings (DOB) were on hand to examine all structures involved for stability while ConEd crews worked to sort out the downed lines and restore lost power to the area.


The Parks Department was at the scene and returned the next morning to remove the remainder of the downed tree and also to check other trees on the block for any stress weakness that may have been caused by recent strong pattern winds. Neighbors say they had previously complained to the Parks Department about the tree being dead but a spokesperson from the agency, Trish Bertuccio, told The Forum, “The tree was alive and was properly attended to by Parks.”

Fire marshals are investigating the fire but officials say it was likely the strong winds that caused the tree limbs to snap and spark the blaze.

Thousands Attend Job Fair Sponsored by Addabbo

By Patricia Adams

One of the larger crowds seen at Aqueduct in the recent past lined up on three floors of the raceway last Friday afternoon - none of them in attendance because of their racing interests.

Instead, more than 2,800 people were there for a job fair hosted and organized by Sen. Joe Addabbo. Thousands of people stood together in the ailing venue in hopes of finding a solution to their own struggles. The crowd, mixed among men and women, young and old, the experienced and the very willing to learn, all came together with the common goal of finding a job.

Vendors from more than 140 companies were on hand to screen the applicants, accept their resumes and discuss job potential. “I am delighted with the response that we got,” said Addabbo, “however the size of the crowd is indicative of just how serious the unemployment crisis we face is, and that is certainly quite upsetting.” In addition to the standard job fair offerings, attendees also had the opportunity to attend seminars offered by vendors and job counselors.

“We took this approach and included other components in the fair because such a diverse group of people does not have cut and dry needs,” the senator said. “What we are trying to do is to offer everyone a viable chance at finding work.”

And to the delight of those standing on long lines, it was well worth the wait. Kathy Vitello was born and raised in Richmond Hill and now lives in Kew Gardens. After working as a project manager in production and design for more than 23 years, the ad agency she worked for closed down last year.

“I have been searching since I am out of work but nothing has happened,” said Vitello. “What Joe Addabbo has done here today is amazing. I am both grateful and impressed.” Vitello said that her job hunting has proven to be fruitless and often frustrating, but she said, “today for some reason I feel hopeful. I am now willing to look at freelance opportunities to get something going.”

And many like Vitello were quick to offer praise and thanks for the senator and his staff. “This is a great opportunity,” said Jack Sampson. “I have had the chance to see companies here that would not even let me in their doors. We all owe this guy [Addabbo] big time for helping all these people like this.”

Another integral component to the job fair was the provisions made for one of the most rapidly growing unemployment faction’s today - seniors. “There is a tremendous need today for senior positions,” Addabbo stated. Because of the downturned economy and the rising cost of living, seniors find themselves faced with the unexpected—seeing their retirement funds run out long before the end of their lives. One group on hand to address the special needs of seniors was AARP.

There were also groups of professionals who were there to offer advice and the potential of jobs later down the line. Helmets to Hardhats, Dressing for Success and Vets Helping Vets, were just a few of the organizations present to discuss possibilities and plans of action for future employment opportunities. Candidates planning career changes also had many opportunities to discuss details with a variety of companies.

According to Sen. Addabbo, one of the most beneficial features of the fair is that the help available on Friday did not end with the close of the day. The senator’s office is in close contact with many of the vendors who maintain that they received a large quantity of quality resumes from the day. In addition, any candidates for employment that ran out of resumes or missed a particular vendor can still reach them through the senator’s office. “We will forward resumes for people that ran out of them or missed an employer that might have left for the day.

Richmond Hill Man Arrested in NJ Double Homicide

Victims are from Howard Beach and Ozone Park

By Patricia Adams

A Queens bar owner was arrested on Saturday and charged with two counts of Murder, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose after a homicide investigation conducted by New Jersey law enforcement officials.

Nicholas D. Kiriakakis, 25, of Richmond Hill, was charged in the shooting deaths of two other men from Queens. Jonathan Beneduce of Howard Beach and Michael Mirasola from Ozone Park were shot and killed in their vehicle on Wednesday while parked on a residential street in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Police officials say Kiriakakis met with both victims in Queens and that the three men then drove to Teaneck in separate vehicles. The alleged killer drove his own vehicle, with the two friends driving a 2007 Ford Explorer.

Police are investigating the reasons that the three men travelled to the location. Multiple searches conducted at the Kiriakakis’ residence, his place of business at Pearl, a restaurant/bar on Bell Blvd, and his vehicle resulted in theseizure of two simulated handguns, a stun gun, and illegally obtained prescription drugs.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said the three men headed to New Jersey around 7:30 pm and that there is no evidence to show that anyone else was involved in the double murders. The prosecutor also said that law enforcement is investigating the possibility that the incident was tied to a drug transaction. Molinelli told reporters however, that no drugs were found on either or the victims or in their SUV.

The distraught father of one of the victims, Nick Beneduce, told The Forum that he was unable to comment on the case because of a request from police not to comment during the ongoing investigation.

Bail for Kiriakakis was set at $3 million. He was also charged by the NYPD with Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Possession of Prescription Ledger Drugs without a Prescription, and with being a Fugitive from Justice for the Bergen County charges. He is currently being held in the Queens Detention Center awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Ex-Assemblyman Seminerio Sentenced to Six Years for Accepting Illegal Payments

By Conor Greene

Disgraced former Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio has been sentenced to six years in prison for illegally accepting consulting fees from individuals and companies doing business with the state over the past decade.

Seminerio, 74, pleaded guilty last year to theft of honest services for accepting about $1 million from companies including Jamaica Hospital through a consulting firm he ran from his home. Last Thursday, he was sentenced to prison by a federal judge, despite pleas from his attorneys to grant him home confinement. He must repay $1 million.

“When you were elected, you were given a great privilege,” the Justice Naomi Reice Buchwald, told Seminerio while handing down his sentence. “You abused the trust placed in you... You decided to take a piece of the action.

Seminerio represented the 38th Assembly district for more than 30 years before resigning in disgrace last year after the consulting scheme came to light. When pleading guilty, Seminerio admitted to pulling strings in Albany for Jamaica Hospital while accepting more than $300,000 from the facility. In return, the hospital received state funding.

“I’ll be OK,” the fallen politician reportedly told friends and family as he exited the federal courtroom in Manhattan last week. When approached by reporters, he added: “I’m 74 years old. How much time have I left? I’ve been through enough, please. Be kind.”

Following Seminerio’s resignation last year, Democrat Mike Miller was victorious in a special election to represent the district, which includes Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Glendale and Ozone Park. “The criminal justice system has run its course, and as a result of his criminal conduct, Tony Seminerio now faces several years in prison and the forfeiture of $1 million,” said Miller in
a statement issued to The Forum.

Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D- Ozone Park), who has served in Albany for more than two decades, said the sentencing is the culmination of a long and painful investigation into the behavior of a former colleague. “I think he thought it wasa death sentence,” she said. “He is not young, and he’s not doing well, but the judge could have given him 14 years. The judge said it – he violated the public trust. It’s about integrity. People expect that we’re not doing anything illegal.”

The impact of Seminerio’s fall from power on the district includes problems with funding earmarked for various local non-profit and community groups that never material- ized, something both Miller and Pheffer touched on. “While the Seminerio case is closed, vital community groups continue to suffer as a result of his scandal,” said Miller. “The time has come for our community to move forward and focus on rebuilding these programs.”

Said Pheffer: “It seems that the district was upset about the delivery of member items and discretionary funding. There was money lost in the turnover. I think some groups were adversely affected by the loss of funding.”

State Labels Several Queens Schools as Underperforming

Grover Cleveland, Newtown, John Adams and Richmond Hill Included

By Conor Greene

Several local high schools, including Grover Cleveland, Newtown, John Adams and Richmond Hill, have been included on the state’s list of 57 “persistently lowest achieving” institutions due to low graduation rates.

A total of ten schools in Queens were named to the list, which occurs as a result of graduation rates below 60 percent or annually low scores on state English and math tests. According to the state Department of Education, they are “eligible for new funding and major intervention to turn them around, as part of New York’s School reform agenda.”

“We are entering a new era of reform in which we will build upon New York’s current initiatives to intervene in low performing schools and improve student outcomes as a result,” said Merryl H. Tisch, chancellor of the state Board of Regents. “New federal funding opportunities will allow us to work with districts to go beyond incremental improvements to create truly excellent models of education for our students, particularly in those high schools with the lowest graduation rates.”

Schools are eligible to receive up to $500,000 provided they come up with a viable turnaround plan. Options include redesigning or replacing the school, converting the facility to a charter school, transforming the school through a process that uses “a rigorous” evaluation system for teachers and principals or closing the school and transferring the students to higher achieving schools in the area.

“Districts are being given an opportunity to use federal funding to provide focused concentrated resources to help schools improve English language arts and mathematics performance and increase graduation rates,” said Education Commissioner David Steiner in a statement. “I expect districts to develop aggressive, innovative plans that… will make a profound difference in the outcomes for their students.”

Dmytro Fedkowskyj, the borough representative on the Panel on Educational Policy, noted that the state isn’t pushing to close any of the named schools, but is recommending the four courses of action to the city DOE. “There is much confusion on the report… Much of the report still has to be disseminated, but I strongly recommend that our school communities remain vigilant on the matter and continue to ask questions of the DOE,” he said in an e-mail.

Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) said the city must find ways to keep these schools open and improve them due to the overcrowding situation the borough faces, especially on the high school level. She noted that Forest Hills High School currently serves 4,000 students on split schedules, despite having just 2,700 seats.

“From early in the morning to late at night students are crammed in there and now they’re talking about closing another high school. It’s ridiculous,” said Koslowitz. “These schools were good for so many years and now all of a sudden they can’t be fixed? I really feel the schools should be fixed, not closed.”

In Ridgewood, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said it is “disappointing that the state wants to close Grover Cleveland.” She pointed out that the school’s English test scores and graduation rates are impacted by the fact that so many first generation immigrations who don’t necessarily speak the language well go there. In contrast, the school’s math and science programs are very strong, according to Crowley.

“The thing with Grover Cleveland and a lot of the larger schools is they serve students who are neediest as well, including new Americans who haven’t been in the country for very long” she said. “They might have different needs, and I don’t think the DOE has always given that extra service.”

Crowley said she plans to visit the school and meet with its principal along with Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan in the coming weeks. “We are going to advocate strongly to help bring in those services needed to prevent the school from closing,” she said.

The city DOE didn’t respond to several messages seeking comment. The state’s list, released on January 21, came just days before the city, in a separate action, voted to close 19 facilities, including Jamaica and Beach Channel high schools.

The other Queens high schools named on the state’s list are: Queens Vocational Technical, Flushing, August Martin, Beach Channel, Jamaica, and Long Island City.

Koslowitz Begins Second Stint on City Council

By Conor Greene

A month into her second tenure serving Forest Hills, Rego Park and parts of Richmond Hill and Elmhurst on the City Council, Karen Koslowitz says she has hit the ground running and is looking forward to tacking key issues that affect her district.

Koslowitz succeeds Melinda Katz in serving the 29th Council District, after defeating a crowded field in the September primaries and cruising to victory in the November general election. This marks the second stint on the City Council for Koslowitz, who previously represented the area before term limits forced her from office. In between, she served as Deputy Borough President under Helen Marshall.

“Things are going very well – the office is up-and-coming, and we’re settling in,” Koslowitz told The Forum this week. She says she has put together an experienced staff comprised of “people who are familiar with the community.” Aside from her full-time office staff, Koslowitz arranged for a lawyer to come to the office on certain nights to answer questions constituents have about tenant-landlord issues, she noted.

Koslowitz was recently named chair of the consumer affairs committee and will also serve on the Council’s education, aging and finance committees, among others. She says these committees will allow her to work on “issues that absolutely affect my community.” For example, she plans on establishing a parent advisory council consisting of the PTA presidents from schools throughout the district. “That way I can hear their concerns and bring their concerns back to City Hall,” she said. “The legislators are kept out of the loop, so I wanted to create my own panel where you actually hear the concerns of the constituents.”

Issues impacting senior citizens are also a priority for Koslowitz, who served on the aging and education committees during her first Council stint. “We have an aging populationin my community from Elmhurst all the way to East Richmond Hill,” she said. “Changes in what is going on with the meals on wheels program, the access-a-ride, what they’re planning on doing is absurd as far as I’m concerned.”

Another ongoing concern is the state of the area’s main shopping districts including Austin Street, Queens Boulevard and Metropolitan Avenue. “I think they’re hurting from the economy just like everybody else,” said Koslowitz, adding that the constant ticket blitzing by traffic agents needs to be addressed. “There are often two or three meter maids on a block. We all have to work together, every department. If a customer gets a ticket, they’re not coming back and will go somewhere else to shop.”

While there are limited options in terms of constructing a municipal parking garage along Austin Street, Koslowitz plans to revisit an idea she came up with a decade ago – allowing shoppers to park in the lot behind Borough Hall on Queens Boulevard and offering shuttle bus service to Austin Street. “Especially on weekends, if someone is eating, watching a movie or shopping and spends a few hours [on Austin Street] that would be an ideal parking place,” she said. “However, at the time [she first proposed it] the city said it was going out of the municipal parking business.”

Another major concern for Koslowitz is the state of healthcare in Queens, where three hospitals containing more than 600 beds have closed in the past two years. “It’s a big problem… with a population of 2.3 million, to lose that many beds, when we could have used more to begin with,” she said. “I’m looking into seeing if we can get smaller [facilities].”

She plans on discussing the future of the former Parkway Hospital property with its owner to see if part of that building could be used for medical purposes. “The facility needs to be used for something. There are two things the area needs that we don’t have: hospital beds and senior housing,” said Koslowitz. “Throughout the district, that needs to be revisited and I intend to do that.”

Koslowitz’s office is located at 118-35 Queens Boulevard, 17th Floor and can be reached at (718) 544-8800.

102nd Precinct Welcomes DA Brown

Robbery Pattern Also Discussed at Monthly Meeting

By Patricia Adams

District Attorney Richard Brown paid a visit to the 102nd Police Community Council meeting on Tuesday night as part of his yearly plan to visit each of the Queens police precincts. The DA was given a warm welcome and began by informing those in attendance that violent crime was down by 10% in Queens.

Brown went on to say that the 80 homicides in Queens in 2009 represent a tremendous reduction over the last 15 years—in 1991 there were 361. He also cited large drops in stolen cars. “This doesn’t happen by accident. A lion’s share of the credit goes to the men and women of the NYPD,” Brown said. “Last year we processed 78,000 cases put on our doorstep.” Brown informed his audience that Queens was way ahead of the rest of the city in moving cases through the court swiftly.

Before leaving he invited anyone to visit the DA’s office of operations at the court house. “We will be happy to see any of you for a visit. Just don’t come in handcuffs,” he joked.

Increase in Pattern Robberies

Capt. Armando DeLeon says that despite a plunge in crime in his precinct—it’s down about 41% over the last two years—there has been a recent spike in pattern robberies. The captain reported that there have been 8 robberies of late, 6 of which targeted women.

“We are looking for an individual who is approximately 5’4-5’5 tall, who carries a silver firearm.” The bandit approaches his victims with the handgun demanding their money and credit cards. Before leaving, the bandit demands his victims to surrender their PIN numbers for any ATM cards he steals. Most of the occurrences have taken place in the southern and western parts of the precinct, near the Brooklyn border.

A burglary pattern that police believe originated in the Bronx is also being perpetrated upon residents living in the 102. “We have individuals who are working in tandem, posing as utility employees in these incidents,” DeLeon explained. “They are ringing bells and representing themselves as workers from the gas company, ConEd or a cable company. You let the pair of them in and as one is looking at the boiler, a meter or the cable box, his associate is taking personal belongings in the house.”

The captain advised residents not to open the door under any circumstances. “If someone comes to your home, immediately call the company they say they are representing. Do not trust the fact that they have ID,” DeLeon warned, “there’s plenty of phony credentials circulating around.”

Residents can be relieved that there is increased police presence on their
streets from Monday through Friday 12 Noon to 7 PM. The police officers have been reassigned from other precincts and placed along Jamaica Avenue from 80th street to 118th street. The assignment of these officers has been very helpful according to DeLeon. “We have already seen major results from their presence,” commenting on a recent altercation among students from Richmond Hill High School that was quickly put to an end and a cell phone thief who was apprehended by the additional officers.

Before concluding, Capt. DeLeon suggested that residents should wear whistles and blow them as hard and loud as they can if they are accosted or face any danger. “It may sound corny,” said DeLeon, “but it will get everyone’s attention and it could save you.”

Robbery Victim Thanks 102 for Swift Action

On January 4, resident Harpreet Singh was walking to his home on 123rd Street off 97th Avenue with a friend when the two were accosted by three men who jumped out of a waiting car. The men brandished guns, holding one to Singh’s head and demanding his money and wallet. “They put a gun to my head,” said Singh, “and took everything I had in my pockets. I was very, very scared.” But Singh said the only thing that made him feel better about the situation was that almost immediately after he called 911, Captain

DeLeon and Officer McCoy of the 102 Pct were by his side. “These guys are great and I know they will get whoever did this.” Singh said that the thieves used his credit card to purchase gasoline in a nearby station minutes after robbing him. Luckily, Singh suffered no injuries.

General Business

President of the community council, Maria Thomson also informed residents that the 102nd Precinct is offering free NYPD Security Surveys for homeowners within the precinct. To arrange for the survey call the precinct at 718.805.3217 and speak to Detective Ronald Agunzo.

Form letters were also available for anyone whishing to contact Douglas Sussman, MTA Director of Community Affairs to protest the proposed elimination of the Q56 bus line and the Z train from the elevated J line.

The 102 Precinct Community Council meets at 8 PM on the third Tuesday of every month at the Moose lodge located on 118th Street off Jamaica Avenue, across the street from the 102nd Precinct stationhouse.

Ridgewood Theater and PS 66 Approved for Landmark Status

By Conor Greene

Two distinctive buildings in Ridgewood and Richmond Hill were approved for landmark status by the city on Tuesday, paving the way for the historic structures to be protected from future redevelopment.

The city Landmarks Preservation Commission voted on Tuesday in favor of granting landmarking designation to both the Ridgewood Theater on Myrtle Avenue and PS 66 on 102nd Street in Richmond Hill. The vote marks the last major hurdle for both applications, which now need approval from the City Planning Department and City Council.

The Ridgewood Theater, designed by noted architect Thomas Lamb, was hailed as the longest continuous operating movie house in the nation until it was suddenly closed in 2008. Before then, it had provided entertainment for nine decades since opening in 1916.

Michael Perlman, who spearheaded the effort to have the theater landmarked, said Tuesday’s vote was the result of several years of lobbying by a number of volunteers. “This is another chapter for this gem’s long and distinctive history,” he said. “These theaters are few and far between, so we have to retain the best of the past for a more promising and thought-provoking future.”

The building’s current owners plan on using the ground floor for retail space with several movie screens on the second floor, according to Perlman. They have also indicated a willingness to preserve the theater’s distinctive lobby and as many of the historic details as possible.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley testified in support of both applications at Tuesday’s hearing. “Preserving the history of our neighborhoods is a key component to taking pride in it,” she said. “It is important for future generations to understand their history, and take pride in it and preserving this innovative and striking structure will do just that.”

She added that the theater landmarking “goes hand in hand” with the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s recent approval of the Ridgewood North Historic District, which features turn-of-the-century homes known as the Gustave Mathews flats.

Public School 66, also known as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, is a three-story, red brick building built in 1899. Built when much of Richmond Hill was still farmland, it was expanded seven years later and still features arched windows and a six-story tower. It was one of three identical schools constructed in anticipation of an influx of residents to the area as a result of transportation improvements, the subdivision of farmland into lots for residential development and the consolidation of Queens with New York City.

“The school is a remarkable survivor from a time when Richmond Hill was transitioning from a farming community into a residential neighborhood,” said LPC Commissioner Robert Tierney. “It remains one of the most distinctive school structures in Queens.”

Crowley, who has made historic designations one of her priorities, said the school “has been a staple of Richmond Hill for over a century.” Last October, she led the effort to have 109th Street in Richmond Hill as “Nancy Cataldi Way” after the outspoken preservationist who launched an unrelenting campaign to save the area’s Victorian homes before her untimely death in 2008.

Designed in the Victorian Eclectic style, the PS 66 stand out thanks to its tower, which used to contain a bell used to call children to school from neighboring farms and properties. It also features gabled dormers and large entablatures featuring floral ornament. Its design is attributed to Harry S. Chambers, the school’s superintendent and architect for the Town of Jamaica.

The school was renamed the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in 2003 in honor of the former First Lady’s passion for literacy and historic preservation, and continues to serve as a grammar school.

Residents Warned to be Alert Following Burglaries

Following a rash of residential burglaries over the past month, Assemblyman Mike Miller is urging residents to take steps to ensure their homes aren’t easy targets for criminals.

Miller (D-Woodhaven) is reminding his constituents to take simple but important precautions such as leaving a light on when you’re not home, having your key ready as you approach your door, covering and locking windows and using a chain bolt when opening the door to strangers. While on vacation, residents should set automatic light timers and have mail and deliveries stopped.

“These tips are essential to protect you and your family,” said Miller. “By staying alert and implementing these simple suggestions, we can work together to make our community safer.”

The reminder comes after a number of home invasions were reported in December within the confines of the 106th Precinct, specifically in Ozone Park, South Ozone Park and South Richmond Hill. Officers of the Community Affairs Units of the 104th Precinct and 102nd Precinct, parts of which are within Miller’s district, say their areas have not seen a similar spike in homes invasions over the past month.

Among the reported burglaries were five incidents in the area stretching from Aqueduct Race Track to 130th Street and from Rockaway Boulevard to the North Conduit. In one case, a 123rd Street homeowner awoke to find two burglars inside his house. One fled the scene, but the other was arrested after the homeowner confronted him.

Later last month, it was reported that police have arrested nine individuals in connection with the burglaries. Arrests were made throughout the neighborhoods that were hit hardest by the burglaries.

Residents can have a crime prevention survey of their home conducted for free by contacting the precinct at (718) 845-2223.

Officials Vow to Again Fight Proposed MTA Cuts

W, Z Trains, Q56 Bus Among Threatened Lines

By Conor Greene

With a sense of déjà vu, elected officials and community leaders again find themselves fighting against proposed service cuts that are included in the budget plan recently approved by the MTA.

The MTA’s budget plan, unanimously approved last Wednesday, was forced to address a $383 million gap that developed over the past two weeks as a result of state budget cuts and lower than expected tax revenues. To close this gap, the MTA’s budget plan includes elimination of student discount, cuts to the Access-A-Ride program, elimination of the Cross Bay Bridge toll rebate program and service cuts along some bus and subway lines.

Among the proposed service cuts are elimination of the W and Z trains and more than a dozen borough bus lines, including the Q56, which runs along Jamaica Avenue. While this results in a redundancy of services in some ways, residents and officials say having both a bus and train option along Jamaica Avenue is essential for senior citizens, the handicapped, families and customers.

In addition to elimination of the W and Z trains and the Q56 bus, frequency of the J train would be reduced, and the following bus lines would be eliminated: Q24, Q30, Q31, Q41, Q42, Q84, Q74, Q75, Q76, Q110, QM4, Q21 and X28.

To draw attention to the cuts, officials including Assemblyman Mike Miller, Councilman Eric Ulrich, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and Assemblyman Rory Lancman gathered on Tuesday and urged the MTA to reconsider. “It is going to have a major impact on Woodhaven and Richmond Hill,” said Miller. “It doesn’t make sense – why would you cut the mode of transportation the majority of the community uses?”

For many seniors, the bus is essential because it is difficult for many to climb the several dozen stairs leading to the elevated train stations along the J line. “We know that cuts have to be made. Let’s start at the top and work our way down,” added Miller.

Lancman noted that his district is being threatened with elimination of the Q74 bus, which brings students to Queens College. He recalled that during the last round of budget negotiations and threatened service cuts, legislators agreed to implement a payroll tax to fund the authority. “That was a bitter pill for our economy to swallow… but we were assured by that MTA that was what as needed to prevent the cuts we’re talking about today,” he said, calling the authority a “very sloppily run organization.”

“The MTA needs to start at the top and make itself a well-run organization,” added Lancman. “Then maybe we can talk about the need for sensible service cuts. The focus of this conversation has to be about how the MTA is going to reform itself.”

Crowley said that Councilman James Vacca has devised a plan to avoid the cuts by instead reallocating $140 million of capital funds to temporarily close the budget gap. The funds would come from two sources: more than $90 million in unspent federal stimulus aid that may be allocated towards operating expenses, and about $50 million in MTA operating funds that are currently being used to supplement the capital budget.

Ulrich called the service cuts “a slap in the face of the working men and women of this city” and said they target the “most vulnerable” including students and seniors. “They are telling us they don’t care about Woodhaven, and to me that is the biggest disgrace,” he said.

Maria Thomson of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp. reminded those in attendance at Tuesday’s press conference that the same fight was waged just last year. Since Jamaica Avenue’s Business Improvement District stretches for 25 blocks, Thomson argued that having bus service along the shopping corridor is essential. “We’re going to make the MTA care [about Woodhaven] because we’re going to fight for this,” she vowed.

In a statement announcing the budget decision, MTA Chairman and CEO Jay Walder said that it is impossible not to have service cuts that impact people when $400 million is taken from the budget overnight, but recognized the need to restore the public’s confidence in the beleaguered authority.

“We have a responsibility to assure our customers and taxpayers that every dollar they sent to the MTA is used as effectively as possible,” he said. “We can’t say that today, and that is why we have to fundamentally change the way that we do business. In short, we must take this place apart to find the efficiencies that will make it stronger. We can’t do it fast enough to take off the table the things we’re taking about today, but this effort is our best chance to restore the MTA’s credibility and protect the critical services we provide.”

Miller Opens Woodhaven Assembly District Office

Democratic Assemblyman Mike Miller recently announced the opening of his new district office on Woodhaven Boulevard, replacing his old temporary location on Myrtle Avenue.

The new office address is 83-91 Woodhaven Boulevard, which is located in a newly-constructed building on the northbound side near Park Lane South. Since his election in September, the assemblyman had been operating out of the same building used by his predecessor, Anthony Seminerio.

Miller took office after winning a special election to replace Seminerio, who resigned after pleading guilty to influence peddling in connection. Seminerio was accused of forming a consulting company in order to shake down area hospitals in return for political favors.

Miller’s spokeswoman, Sierra Perez-Sparks, said that the assemblyman began using Seminerio’s old Myrtle Avenue office because it allowed him to immediately begin serving constituents of the 38th District, which includes Glendale, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill and Ozone Park. Now that his operations are up and running, his staff has made the move to their new office in Woodhaven, she said, which is more central to the entire district.

The new office can be reached by phone at (718) 805-0950 or fax at (718) 805-0953. It will be open seven days a week.

Liberty Avenue Cleanup Funding Turns Political

Gulluscio, Ulrich Trade Barbs as Council Election Nears

By Conor Greene

City Council candidate Frank Gulluscio is ripping incumbent Eric Ulrich for not pro- viding money for the Doe Fund, which pays for cleanup along Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill. The program started under former councilman and current State Senator Joseph Addabbo but ended in July when the fiscal year expired.

Ulrich responded by calling the attack politically motivated and said he had to make decisions regarding community funding after taking office in February. He added that it isn’t his responsibility to ensure that all of Addabbo’s projects continue and faulted the senator for allowing the funding to dry up.

At a press conference Tuesday in front of Moblegott Hardware, Gulluscio and Addabbo criticized Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) for chopping the local Doe Fund from $74,000 to $38,000. That means there is only enough money to continue the program in the Rockaways, and local business owners and civic leaders say South Richmond Hill’s main shopping district has been hurt by the lack of cleanup crews over the past few months.

“This is a serious situation,” said Gulluscio (D- Howard Beach), surrounding by merchants and residents. “This community needs more respect, not less.” He said he is “very disappointed that Ulrich didn’t continue fundingthe program, which provided a valuable service along the avenue from 104th Street to Lefferts Boulevard - a “tax base” Gulluscio said the community “cannot afford to lose.”

In response, Ulrich later said he has his “own agenda and own priorities” and had to make decisions regarding discretionary funding after taking office following his victory over Gulluscio and several other candidates in last year’s special election to replace Addabbo. “This was Joe Addabbo’s project, and if he dropped the ball on it, I’m not going to assume responsibility,” he said.

Addabbo (D-Ozone Park) announced that he is providing a $47,000 state Senate grant to continue the program starting next month. While he had always intended to continue funding the program after winning election to the Senate last year, he said he discussed his council funding with Ulrich after moving on to the Senate and was under the impression that his predecessor would also provide funds, allowing the program to be expanded.

“We’ve seen the success of this program year after year,” said Addabbo. “The community asked for it, and it’s the job of elected officials to respond to the needs of the community - not to cut funding.”He called elimination othe program “absolutely wrong” and said “there is no reason it should have been cut... Unfortunately I don’t believe the current councilman hears the people,” he added.

Ulrich criticized Addabbo for allowing the program’s funding to run out and said he decided in some cases to use his share of the council discretionary funding - which totaled just less than $100,000 as a new council member - for other initiatives. “I assumed Joe Addabbo was going to continue funding something that’s still in his district that he started... I’m not responsible to fund Joe Addabbo’s pet projects. If Frank Gulluscio gets on the City Council, he can do that.”

Gulluscio promised during the press conference that, if he is elected, restoring Doe Funds in the City Council budget would be a top priority.

According to Ulrich, he and Addabbo never had discussions regarding the funding. “Joe Addabbo never picked up the phone to discuss with me Doe Funds. I wish that he had because if I had known he was going to drop the ball on this I could have made other arrangements.” He noted that Addabbo redirected funding from a number of community groups throughout his senate district after defeating longtime Republican incumbent Serf Maltese (R-Middle Village).

Gulluscio claimed during the press conference that his criticism isn’t politically motivated. “There are no politics here. This is about keeping the economic climate strong along Liberty Avenue,” he said. However, Ulrich said the timing shows it clearly is political, considering the cleanups ended months ago. “If this came out on July 1, I wouldn’t complain. They hold this until two weeks before the election and now they want to make an issue out of it. To me this demonstrates a dereliction of duty on the part of Joe Addabbo for not funding something he had previously funded and dumped on my lap.”

Ulrich said that, if he were to move up to higher office, he wouldn’t assume the newcomer would continue funding all his projects. “If I moved up the ladder and he stopped my graffiti removal program, nobody could point a finger at Frank. But somehow this applies to me. It’s an unfortunate circumstance and I was just as disappointed as everyone else, but Joe Addabbo dropped the ball on this and I’m not going to take the flak. The fact that he’s trying to use it for political gain is disgraceful.”

Local groups and programs being funded include the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp., a number of local volunteer fire and EMT organizations and an aggressive graffiti removal program along Rockaway Boulevard, Woodhaven/Cross Bay Boulevard and 101st Avenue. He said the majority of groups funded during Addabbo’s Council tenure are still receiving money from Ulrich.

Politics aside, business owners and residents including members of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association say the program went a long way towards keeping the area inviting for shoppers. “This is not about politics. I fight for what I believe in,” said the group’s president, Margaret Finnerty.“I cannot stand by and listen to, ‘Somebody else is going to fund it.’”

Betty Braton, chairwoman of Community Board 10, said that talk of fixing the economy must be met with real action. “It’s one thing to talk about economic development, but it’s another to fund the programs that help the local shopping strips,” she said.

Along with helping keep the area trash free, the program provides snow removal and helps business owners avoid Sanitation Department fines for litter in front of their stores - as has been happening lately. It also helps keep the storm drains from filling with trash, which is a major cause of flooding, noted Addabbo. In addition, it provides employment opportunities for ex-convicts and other having difficulty finding permanent work.

Romeo Hitlall, owner of Avenue Lounge, said the Doe Fund has been “very helpful” for businesses like his that typically open later in the day, often times to a ticket for litter. “For the Councilman to cut the funds and take it somewhere else, I don’t think he has respect for this community.” He agreed there has been a huge difference since July.

“The complaints have been out of control,” added Finnerty.

Man Charged in Immigration and Real Estate Fraud

Posed as ICE Agent; Stole $1 Million from Nearly a Dozen Victims

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by Port Authority Police Superintendent Michael A. Fedorko, held a press conference on Tuesday to announce that a Queens resident posing as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal government agent has been charged with defrauding nearly a dozen members of Queens County’s West Indian community out of more than $1 million. The defendant allegedly promised to assist them in obtaining “federally seized” properties at cheap prices or to help them get legal status in this country.

The defendant has been identified as Shane Ramsundar, 49, of 101-35A 120th Street in Richmond Hill, He is presently awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens, and is charged in two criminal complaints involving eleven alleged victims with the crimes of second-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud and first-degree criminal impersonation of a public servant. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

“Our immigrant community can be especially vulnerable to deception and fraud,” said District Attorney Brown, “when someone promises to help them navigate the process of obtaining the necessary documents to work and remain in the United States or get ahead by dealing in real estate.”

The DA explained that immigrants are often in a situation where they are earning very little money, having to work at more than one job. People put their faith and their finances in the hands of Ramsundar. According to DA Brown he “turned their American Dream into the American nightmare by ripping them off. They now face an uncertain future.”

Port Authority Police Superintendent Fedorko commented on the effectiveness of the investigation. “This is a classic case of good police work begetting good police work. Earlier this year, Detective Dewan Maharaj worked a great case involving an immigration scam. The hard work and integrity he brought to that investigation led victims in this case to come forward and seek his aid. The Port Authority Police Department responded with a careful and thorough investigation and I congratulate all of our PAPD officers on an excellent arrest.”

According to one of the complainants, Pete Baldeo, the owner of a tattoo parlor located at 127- 03 101st Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens, met Ramsundar in May 2008 after employing his teenage daughter at the store, which is a neighborhood gathering place for West Indian nationals.

At the time, Ramsundar allegedly identified himself as an agent for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) who was on loan to the FBI and Homeland Security as an undercover agent. Ramsundar allegedly showed Baldeo a Homeland Security badge and a black automatic handgun which he wore on his hip. It is alleged that Ramsundar told Baldeo and others in Baldeo’s presence, that he could use his insider access to get people green cards, have them removed from deportation lists and even get them off “terrorist watch lists” in exchange for sums of money.

For example, it is alleged that Samih Zabib, who is in the United States legally under the country’s amnesty program, met with Ramsundar in February 2008. Zabib allegedly hadreceived notice that his work authorization was not being renewed and he was petrified at being deported after raising his family and operating a business here for 22 years.

Ramsundar allegedly told Zabib that he could get him, a friend and a relative permanent legal status in the form of resident alien cards, though it would cost $42,000 and a one-time money order “processing fee” for $1,010 made out to U.S. Immigration and Customs. It is alleged that the money order was never cashed but merely requested so that it would appear that Ramsundar was legitimately processing the applications.

Ramsundar allegedly told Zabib he should act fast because he was from Lebanon and was now on the top of the terrorist watch list to be deported. It is alleged that due to Ramsundar’s threats of imminent deportation, Zabib decided not to go to court but instead provide Ramsundar with his actual immigration documents, his identifying and immigration paperwork and a total of $43,010 in cash in order for him to stop their deportation and enhance their immigration statuses.

When Zabib questioned Ramsundar why he had not received any official communications from the U.S. government, Ramsundar allegedly provided him with a phony case number that he could use to log onto the Immigration website. Zabib and the two others have never received any change in status from the U.S. government.

The complaint further alleges that Ramsundar repeatedly claimed to be able to help other victims with various immigration problems, including fixing expired tourist and student visas and, in one instance, offering to help a man who feared deportation following a divorce from his wife who was an American citizen. He allegedly told all of his victims he could obtain permanent resident status for them in exchange for large sums of money. In total, Ramsundar allegedly received a total of $237,030 from eight victims.

In a second complaint, Ramsundar is alleged to have stolen a total of $855,000 from four individuals – including one he allegedly defrauded in the immigration scam – through two real estate deals. In his guise as an ICE agent, Ramsundar allegedly informed Baldeo and Zabib that he could gain access to federally seized real estate properties in Florida, which they could purchase for minimal fees and then sell for large profits. Further allegations state that he showed Baldeo photographs of several houses and even planned a trip so they could view the properties and attend the closings but cancelled the trip at the last minute. It is alleged that Baldeo and Zabib paid Ramsundar $445,000 and $210,000, respectively, in cash and checks and never received title or ownership documents for the promised real estate.

The complaint further alleges that, in March 2007, Kowlessar Mahadeo and Ramish Ramcharran met with Ramsundar, who claimed he worked for the FBI. Ramsundar allegedly drove them around Queens and showed them residential properties that purportedly had been seized by the federal government. Having agreed to purchase the Queens properties and one in Florida, it is alleged that Mahadeo and Ramcharran signed three actual contractual agreements entitled “co-purchasing agreements” and “confidential agreement,” which had been provided by the defendant and listed the amounts they had to pay Ramsundar. In total, Ramsundar allegedly received $92,000from Mahadeo purportedly for the properties and a government-seized Mercedes Benz, and $108,000 from Ramcharran for the properties. Neither man received any title to, or ownership or possession of the properties or car.

District Attorney Brown said that today’s case was initiated when its alleged victims read press reports last month about the sentencing of Port Authority janitorial worker Nazim (“Tony”) Hosein who had defrauded five members of the West Indian community by promising to expedite and produce legitimate green cards and other U.S. documents after collecting a total of nearly $100,000 from them. As a result of that unrelated case, the alleged victims in the instant case contacted the Port Authority Police with information about Ramsundar.

Ognibene Launches City Council Campaign

Challenging Crowley for 30th District Seat

By Conor Greene

Middle Village attorney Thomas Ognibene kicked off his City Council campaign last week with a fundraiser featuring Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and wasted little time in recent days criticizing his opponent’s performance during her first nine months in office.

Ognibene, who represented the 30th District from 1991 until term limits forced him from office in 2001, is challenging Democrat incumbent Elizabeth Crowley this November for a four-year term representing parts of Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Glendale, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven. Crowley won the right to serve the final year of former Councilman Dennis Gallagher’s term when she defeated Anthony Como last year.

In an interview Wednesday morning with The Forum, Ognibene said his fundraiser last Thursday in Middle Village “was very successful.” He was particularly pleased that “even though there is some friction within the Republican party, both factions showed up to support me.” He has also been quick to tout the benefits his connections to Mayor Bloomberg would bring to the district.

Ognibene, who unsuccessfully ran in last summer’s special election won by Como to replace Gallagher, said he was prompted to give it another shot because of the direction the district is headed in. “When I pick up the newspaper now it seems that the problems are growing and are not being addressed. We do not have aggressive leadership in this community, especially from our elected officials,” he said, adding that Crowley is “content to just give lip service and send out press releases.”

In contrast, Ognibene said his philosophy when dealing with constituents was to “look at what the problem was, what the law was and what all our options politically and legally were” before deciding on a course of action. “It was a very proactive service. The current councilmember, I have to be honest, talks about a lot of things she did, but I don’t see it reflected in the council finance records or capital budget. I’m worried that what she says and what she does are two different things.”

One example of this, according to Ognibene, is when Crowley took credit for pushing through the downzoning of parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale. “She took credit for the whole thing, which is disgraceful,” he said. “When I confronted her on it, she said she sped it up by making a phone call. You and I know that’s nonsense and that people worked for four years to get this done but she wants to believe that as a councilmember elect she made a phone call and things happened.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone is doing anything aggressively,” added Ognibene. “The philosophy of my opponent is that if something good happens you take credit for it and if something bad happens you blame someone else, and you can’t lead that way.”

Ognibene acknowledged that his campaign’s relationship with the mayor has its benefits but could also turn off voters who aren’t supporting Bloomberg’s bid for a third term. “My feeling is, in the past I’ve argued with the mayor on issues I thought were of importance,” he said. “I think Michael Bloomberg and his record is head and shoulders above anything offered by the Democratic party. People can make the same value judgments as I have, but I hope that people go beyond just the mayoral race and look at my record, and whether they feel this community is going in the right direction.”

In Ognibene’s opinion, “ninety-eight percent of things that affect people’s everyday lives are in the control of the City Council, so you better have somebody that has the experience and willingness to defend the community. Otherwise, we will face some serious setbacks over the next four years. I live here, so I don’t want to see that happen.”

Councilman Vows to Wipe Out Graffiti

By Patricia Adams

The scourge of graffiti is the latest to jump on the “zero-tolerance bandwagon” - that is, at least, in the city council district that encompasses Howard Beach, Broad Channel and parts of Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway and Woodhaven.

Last Friday, Councilmember Eric Ulrich held a press conference announcing the decision to bring to his district what is being touted as “an aggressive and effective initiative” aimed at the total elimination of graffiti vandalism.

“I funded this program to tackle graffiti once and for all in this district,” Ulrich said standing in front of the MET Supermarket at 102rd Street and 101st Avenue. The store is an obvious backdrop choice--its outside walls littered with graffiti. The site typifies, according to the councilman, “the burden that graffiti imposes on local business owners and shoppers at the hands of vandals.”

The Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation has partnered with Ulrich in the initiative. “Our communities are strong and stable-- graffiti can make them look as though they are not,” stated Maria Thomson. Ulrich thanked GWDC as well as commending police at both the 106 and the 102 for all their efforts to eliminate graffiti.

The group acted as the administrator for the $30,000 in discretionary funding allotted by Ulrich who earmarked the money for the organization to use toward efforts to eliminate graffiti. The bidder was chosen after reviewing five respondents who replied to a Request for Proposal issued by GWDC. The selected bidder agreed to the initial clean-up, monthly maintenance schedule and constituent component of the program.

“For years the Mayor’s office and the police have attempted to eradicate this nuisance. But, we’re going to take a very different approach”, Ulrich explained. The approach he refers to is one taken by City Solve, a firm that concentrates solely on private graffiti removal.

The company that was awarded the bid for the project has a plan of action that began with a complete “graffiti inventory”. Specially equipped trucks were to begin attacking identified targets as early as the weekend, using a combination of pre-treatment, power washing and paint matching, to restore surfaces to look as though there had never been graffiti present.

City Solve’s owner, Bruce Pienky, acknowledges that the battle with graffiti takes time, but with his company’s approach, the war is being won. “In the beginning there usually is a lot of new graffiti.” Pienky’s comments are based on his experiences in more than a dozen different neighborhoods he provides similar services to. “There is still plenty of graffiti for us to clean, but … we have worn down their resolve.”

Effective immediately, Ulrich declared the areas of 101st Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard from 75th Street to 111th Street and along Woodhaven and Crossbay Boulevards from Atlantic Avenue to the south end of the Joseph P Addabbo bridge as “Graffiti-Free Zones.”

The three zones were chosen because they were ranked as the most adversely affected areas throughout the district. “That does not mean that residents outside of these areas will not be included in the plan,” explained Ulrich. In addition to the target zone automatically covered, resident and business owners can phone the councilman’s office to report complaints at any address in the district. Those calls will be handled as part of the constituent component of the plan which will dispatch trucks to these locations on a weekly basis.

Ulrich says his district has more than 127 instances for roll down gates just on 101st Avenue. In addition there are hundreds of more “pieces of inventory” that include garage doors, side walls and other commercial and residential property faces.

Business owners and private residents would be charged anywhere from $500 and upwards of $1,000 for the service if they had to hire a private company. Now the same service will be provided free.

Those in attendance at Friday’s conference were forced to agree that an on-site demonstration at the supermarket made a great first impression. Within three minutes after a technician started the job, the side walls of Met Food looked as if had never been vandalized. According to experts it would have taken more than an hour and a half to paint by hand. And it was Ulrich who volunteered to take the power washer from the technician, going on to wash away the graffiti. After rolling down his sleeves the he joked, “I have a new confidence in this equipment. It’s so easy even a councilman can do it."

Senators Help Reunite Family for Funeral

Following the tragic death of Queens resident Roopnarine Gopaul, 42, and his five-year-old son Christopher Gopaul, earlier this month in a jet ski accident, state Senator Joe Addabbo along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand helped expedite the visa process allowing close relatives abroad to arrive in New York in time for the funeral. Two sisters of Roopnarine Gopaul reunited with their Queens family hours before the somber ceremony.

State Senator Addabbo said, “In addressing this unfortunate family issue, I was grateful to successfully work with Sen. Gillibrand’s office to assist our constituents through their difficult time.”

“During these difficult moments, it's important for families to gather with their loved ones,” Senator Gillibrand said. “I am relieved that Lilouttie and Bhagmattie Gopaul are able to join their family and friends here at home as they grieve from the loss of their brother and nephew. Our deepest condolences go out to the Gopaul family. They are in our prayers.”

Lilouttie Gopaul, one of the two sisters traveling from Guyana to New York, said, “The entire family thanks Senator Gillibrand and State Senator Addabbo. It’s been more than a decade since I’ve visited my family and it means so much that I will be present for the funeral of my brother and nephew. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for making the impossible possible.”

Shortly after the accident, Mr. Gopaul’s sisters unsuccessfully tried to secure an interview with the U.S. Embassy in Guyana to return for the funeral but were met with bureaucratic red tape that would prevent them from arriving on time. Without an expedited interview, the sisters would have missed the ceremony. But thanks to Sandra Singh of Richmond Hill, another of Mr. Gopaul’s sisters who reached out for Senator Joe Addabbo, the family was able to attend.

Mr. Gopaul, who immigrated to the United States two decades ago, worked as a truckdriver and was an active member of his community.

Man Admits to Defrauding Immigrants Over Documents

An Ozone Park man faces up to four years in prison after admitting to defrauding five members of the local Trinidad community by promising to obtain expedited green cards.

Nazim (Tony) Hosein, 38, of 106-43 95th Street, was initially arrested in January as he arrived at JFK Airport on a flight from his native Trinidad. Last week, he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny and faces between 16 months and four years in prison when he is sentenced next Wednesday. He also must repay $91,800 to his five victims, who live in Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park.

“The victims in this case strove to become part of the American Dream. They worked hard and saved their money and gave it to this defendant in the hopes of gaining legal status in this country,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. “Instead, they were defrauded by this defendant who must be punished for taking advantage of these vulnerable victims.”

According to the criminal complaint, Hosein met with his victims at various locations around the borough between August 2007 and October 2008 and claimed to know someone who worked in the federal building in lower Manhattan. Hosein told the victims that his contact would help them obtain legitimate immigration documents including green cards, social security cards and work permits in exchange for a large sum of money, which he claimed also covered the cost of expenses such as bank statements, taxes, fingerprints and medical coverage.

The fees charged ranged from $5,000 to $20,000. In some cases Hosein provided his victims with forged documents, and in others he told them to meet him at 26 Federal Plaza on October 10, 2008 to receive their documents. That day, many of his victims waited more than five hours outside the federal building for him. However, Hosein had taken a flight from JFK Airport to Trinidad the day before, according to U.S Customs records.

In total, Hosein took $91,800 in exchange for promising U.S documentation for seven individuals from five families.

Bloomberg Talks Transit During Queens Campaign Stop

By Conor Greene

Borough residents would have greater public transportation options under a plan unveiled this week by Mayor Bloomberg, marking his first major proposal of this year’s campaign.

The mayor stopped at the Glendale Diner on Tuesday to discuss the transit plan and other issues with supporters. The plan, formally announced on Monday, includes reopening shuttered LIRR stations in Glendale, Richmond Hill and Elmhurst, expanding the CityTicket program, exploring the use of light rail or street cars in western Queens and expanding ferry and commuter van service to link residents to mass transit.

“None of these things are things that people don’t know about or haven’t talked about before or haven’t done elsewhere, its pulling them all together and actually doing something,” said Mayor Bloomberg during the half-hour stop at the Myrtle Avenue diner, where he was joined by supporters including City Council candidate Thomas Ognibene and Community Board 5 Chairman Vincent Arcuri.

“Building a superior mass transit system is critical to middle class New Yorkers and the future of our city. As our city grows, it becomes more and more important to have a system in place that is efficient, accessible and cost-effective,” said Bloomberg, adding that borough residents “deserve better and cheaper service.”

Other elements of the plan include electronic message boards alerting riders of the next arriving bus or train, gateless tolls at MTA bridges and tunnels, free crosstown buses on some Manhattan bus routes and reinstituting F train express service. “The whole economy is dependant on getting people where they need to go,” said Bloomberg. “We have to find ways to get people from Queens… to the central business district.”

For Queens, one of the biggest aspects of Bloomberg’s plan includes once again offering LIRR train service at three of the 10 stations shuttered in 1998. According to published reports at the time, the decision to discontinue use of the Glendale, Richmond Hill and Elmhurst stations, along with seven others, came because low passenger volumes didn’t warrant spending between $260,000 to $2.25 million needed to renovate each station.

When asked how projects requiring infrastructure upgrades would be funded at a time when ticket prices are rising and service is being reduced, Bloomberg indicated that increased fares would likely off set the costs. Conceding that “there’s always costs with everything,” he argued that the necessary infrastructure improvements would be “relatively little” since the tracks already are in place and trains already run through the area. “We would probably get enough extra revenues… to pay for operating costs.”


Ognibene, who has the mayor’s backing in his challenge to Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), said the plan “has some great ideas for the city, especially Queens.” He specially hailed the idea of reopening the Glendale LIRR station, calling it a “great, great idea” that should have little negative impact on the community.

In response to a question about possible backlash from residents near the tracks, Bloomberg argued that “nothing in this city goes without somebody having a problem with it.” He noted that commuters from the suburbs favor having less stations in Queens but said he doesn’t “think we can afford that ‘let’s favor one group over another’” attitude. “We all have to make sacrifices in tough times,” he added.

Arcuri expressed hope that renewed focus on LIRR service in Glendale might lead to safety improvements the community has been seeking for years at various rail crossings.

Following the unveiling of Bloomberg’s transit plan, city Comptroller Bill Thompson, the likely Democratic nominee to challenge the mayor in November, issued a statement ripping the MTA’s performance over the past eight years and accusing the mayor of stealing old ideas.

“Under Mike Bloomberg’s watch MTA fares have gone up 50 percent, New York straphangers pay the highest percentage of mass transit costs in the nation, and buses and subways continue to be both dirty and unreliable,” argued Thompson’s campaign. “This plan is full of empty promises and stolen ideas such as CityTicket which was proposed by Bill Thompson in 2006 and 2009. As mayor, Bill Thompson will not only offer concrete plans to address our city’s transit issues, unlike Mike Bloomberg, he’ll actually execute them.”

The Thompson campaign also argued that Bloomberg’s four appointees to the MTA board “have never stood up for riders” and recently signed off without objection on eliminating many station attendants, and approved extensive service cuts before the state stepped in and bailed out the struggling authority.

Conversely, in a press release touting his transit plan, Bloomberg’s campaign noted that the mayor has identified $247 million in savings by cutting MTA waste and bureaucracy.

Father and Son Die in Water Tragedy

A father and son who shared their mutual love for the water died over the weekend after the wave runner they wer aboard crashed into a dock in a Lawrence waterway.

Roopnarine Gopaul died at the scene on Saturday around 5:15 pm, his son Christopher passed away at the hospital early Sunday morning.

Gopaul was described by family members as a devoted father and not one to be careless. He came to New York 20 years ago from Guyana and settled with family members in Richmond Hill until 9 years ago.

The father of two lived with his wife Renuca, daughter Kayla and son Christopher in their home in South Jamaica.

Michelle Singh, a niece, said it was her family that Gopaul lived with when he first came to the states. “He was always careful.,especially about driving things. He didn’t even have so much as one ticket.”

Police say the accident happened after Gopaul apparently lost control of the watercraft. They are still investigating the accident but criminal charges do not seem likely.

Gopaul was the eldest son in a close-knit family of seven children and was remembered as a family member who “would always be there.”

According to state law operators of personal watercraft are required to hold a boating safety certificate, obtained after passing an eight-hour boating safety course. It’s also required that operators slow to no more than 5 mph if they are within 100 feet of a dock.

It is not yet known how fast he was going or whether Gopaul had a certificate. They have impounded the craft for a safety test.

Family members would not release information about services because of privacy concerns.