Crime News: Drug Raid and Subway Robbery

Austin Street Home Raided in Drug Investigation

Four individuals were arrested after police executed a search warrant at an Austin Street home, according to police.

Following an investigation by the 104th Precinct’s Street Narcotics Enforcement Team, an apartment at 75-02 Austin Street in Forest Hills was raided at about 6 a.m. last Saturday. While the home is within the confines of the 112th Precinct, the investigation and arrests were conducted by the 104th Precinct.

Inside the home, officers found a “substantial amount” of drugs including marijuana, heroin and an assortment of prescription pills. In addition, an undisclosed amount of cash and drug paraphernalia was also recovered at the scene.

Arrested were: David Evan, who police say lived in the apartment, and Alexis Afflick of Manhattan, Robert Kane of East Brunswick, N.J., and Michael Caccavale of Baldwin. All were charged with felony possession of controlled substances, according to police.

Man Robbed Outside Subway Station

A man was robbed by armed gunmen while entering a Ridgewood subway station last week, police reported.

The victim was about to enter the subway station at Halsey Street and Wyckoff Avenue at about 10:30 a.m. on April 22 when he was approached by two black males, according to the 104th Precinct. One of the perps flashed a gun at the victim and forcibly removed his phone and money before fleeing the scene.

A search of the area was conducted by officers from the precinct and transit division, but the suspects were not located. The investigation is continuing.

DOT Plans Meeting on Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan

The city Department of Transportation is holding a public meeting on Tuesday regarding the long-awaited Maspeth Bypass Plan, which would reroute truck traffic from Grand Avenue.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Martin Luther High School, located at 60-02 Maspeth Avenue. The scope and schedule of the upcoming study for the plan will be presented, and the community will have the chance to provide input.

According to the DOT, the two-phase study, formally known as the Maspeth Bypass and Intersection Normalization Study, is exploring alternative travel routs for trucks, identifying problematic intersections and roadway configurations and assessing signs to reduce the impact of truck traffic on the local street network.

The study areas is bounded by Grand Avenue, the Long Island Expressway and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

For additional information or to relay special needs such as interpretation and other accessibility requests, call (718) 286-0886.

MTA Reportedly Considering Nixing M Train Line

V Line Would be Rerouted to Metropolitan Avenue

By Conor Greene

Western Queens residents and officials are anxiously awaiting official word from the MTA on the future of the M train following reports the agency is considering eliminating the line and rerouting the V train to Middle Village.

The MTA is not commenting on the rumors, which were reported this week in amNY and various transit blogs. A spokesman said Wednesday that MTA officials are “reviewing the package of service reductions that was adopted by our board in December, but I cannot speak to any individual cuts or restorations to services on any of the lines individually as the process is going.”

According to the reports, the MTA would eliminate the M line, which currently terminates at Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village. The service reduction package contained within the MTA’s doomsday budget adopted in December already includes cutting M service to Brooklyn. The M line would be replaced by the V line in northern Brooklyn through Ridgewood and Middle Village.

In response to the rumors, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said she hopes the service reductions don’t unfairly impact Queens commuters. “Clearly, the MTA needs to be reminded that the people of Western Queens need transit too,” she said in a statement to The Forum. “While the MTA brainstorms a makeover for its doomsday cuts, I hope they will consider sharing the burden with Manhattan riders rather than continually eliminating options for the Queens riders.”

Vincent Arcuri, chairman of Community Board 5, said his Transportation Committee is looking into the situation. He noted that the V line currently provides greater overnight and rush hour service than the M train. “During rush hour you can wait for three trains from lower Manhattan before you get an M,” said Arcuri. “We’ll have to analyze it. I would hope they wouldn’t adjust the schedule down if it went that way.”

According to the MTA, a series of public hearings would be held once any official decisions are made regarding service changes. “We’re a few steps out before anything takes place,” added the spokesman, Aaron Donovan. “Now that we have a little more time to evaluate the cuts, we’re taking a closer look at them.”

Bus Overturns After Collision with Car

Residents Say Intersection Needs Safety Measures

By Conor Greene

Nine students from a Middle Village preschool were taken to a local hospital after the bus they were riding in was struck by a car and flipped onto its side on Tuesday afternoon.

The bus, carrying nine students from the Positive Beginnings school and two adults, was headed eastbound on 69th Road at about 1:10 p.m. when it collided with a car traveling northbound on 75th Street, according to reports and witnesses. The impact caused the bus to spin around before flipping onto its left side, striking parked vehicles in the process.

The children had exited the bus by the time emergency workers arrived at the scene. They were treated for minor injuries and taken to Jamaica Hospital for observation. A woman who answered the phone at the school on Wednesday said none of the children suffered serious injuries and all were discharged from the hospital later that day. They were on the way home from school when the accident occurred, said the woman, who asked not to be identified.

The bus was operated by a private company and is assigned to the school through the city Office of Pupil Transportation, according to the school. While a police report on the accident was not immediately available, several witnesses said the car might have ran a stop sign before colliding with the school bus.

“We’re very grateful because the children not hurt and were all strapped into seats and wearing safety belts,” the school staffer added. “It certainly looked frightening and we’re very grateful everyone is fine.”


Local residents and officials say the area near where the accident occurred is dangerous due to speeding drivers. Several approached Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) with their concerns over the past year, which prompted her to write at least four letters to Department of Transportation Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy requesting that safety measures be implemented.

In June, McCarthy responded with a letter informing Crowley that an analysis that considered factors such as vehicle and pedestrian volume, accident history, vehicle speeds, visibility and sign spacing was completed by her office. Based upon that study, McCarthy determined that all-way stop signs were not needed at 69th Road and 76th Street, but agreed to install a “stop ahead” sign along that stretch.

Following Tuesday’s accident, Crowley wrote yet another letter pushing for a stop sign at 69th Road and 75th Street. She notes there was a fatal motorcycle accident there in 2008, and a child recently had his foot run over by a turning car while he was standing on the sidewalk. “We can no longer wait; given today’s accident… we must take immediate action and at minimum install a “stop” sign, or speed hump,” wrote Crowley.

In her letter to the DOT, Crowley attached a petition from residents, a 2008 letter written by former state Senator Serf Maltese (R-Middle Village) and photographs showing the aftermath of accidents at the intersection, including one incident where a car drove into the bedroom of a nearby home.

Residents Annoyed Over Parking Meter Installation

DOT Offers No Reasoning Behind Sudden Action on Eliot Avenue

By Conor Greene

A group of Middle Village residents living on streets off Eliot Avenue are frustrated over the city’s recent decision to install parking meters in an area they previously relied on as a safe, reliable option for parking.

According to residents of 75th Street, the city Department of Transportation suddenly installed the meters along Eliot Avenue between 74th Street and Lutheran Avenue about two weeks ago. Since there are no businesses along that stretch, the parking spaces now sit empty the majority of the time during the week. The spots are now virtually useless to 75th Street residents, who used to park there when their dead-end block was full.

Adding insult to the situation is the fact that the DOT installed the meters with no advance warning to the residents, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley or Community Board 5. Even worse, several residents who parked there before the meters were installed returned to their cars to find tickets on their windshields, according to residents.

The issue was raised at last week’s CB 5 meeting by Dmytro Fedkowskyj of the 75th Street Block Association, who said it is “appalling that members of the community are subjected to impacting and neighborhood change without notification from the city.” He adds that he can “only assume that the genius behind this project never surveyed the area before installing these useless meters,” which go unused from Sunday night to Saturday night “while the rest of Eliot Avenue looks like a parking lot.”

After residents contacted her office, Crowley wrote to the DOT asking who had requested that the meters be installed. She was told she had to submit a letter under the Freedom of Information Law to find out who made the request and is still awaiting a response. In her letter, she noted that the meters “are not needed in this residential area as they provide nothing positive for the community” since there are no stores nearby “where parking meters would be beneficial.”

The DOT press office was unable to provide information to The Forum by press time on Tuesday, including regarding who requested the meters. While the problem has impacted 75th Street residents who used to park there, it has also led to frustration along 74th Street as drivers have begun to head there in search of free parking.

A group of residents gathered along Eliot Avenue on Saturday, at which point the entire stretch of parking was predictably empty. Several drivers pulled up but then drove away when they realized that meters had been installed. “It’s one hundred percent uncalled for – it’s a residential area,” said 75th Street Block Association member Mike White.

“We don’t know why these meters are there,” added Dennis White, president of the block association. “It a burden on the residential areas.”

Mayor Signs Robert Ogle Bill into Law

Spurred by Tragedies in Middle Village and Chinatown

The penalty for leaving a vehicle running and unattended has been increased now that a bill sponsored by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley in the wake of several tragedies earlier this year has been signed into law by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Crowley introduced the bill after 16-year-old Middle Village resident Robert Ogle and his friend, Alex Paul, 20, of Cypress Hills, were struck and killed by a drunk driver who had just stolen a running vehicle left unattended outside a local deli. A month prior, an unoccupied van was left in reverse and mounted a sidewalk in Chinatown, ramming into a group of preschool students, killing two and injuring at least 11 others.

“Leaving your car running and unattended seems like a minor, careless mistake but all New Yorkers must understand that it is irresponsible, dangerous and potentially deadly,” said Crowley, who noted that the current fine for leaving your car ignition on and unattended is just five dollars. Under the new law, the fine has been raised to $250 “to deter anyone from being careless with their vehicles,” she added.

The bill was introduced at the March 24 City Council meeting and was the subject of testimony at a transportation committee hearing last month. Robert’s parents, Brendan and Mei Ogle, testified at each hearing in favor of the new law. “I know too well that an unattended and running car can become a deadly weapon,” said Brendan Ogle. “It is necessary to increase the awareness and penalties for people who are careless with their personal property because money talks.”

In partnership with the new law, Crowley and the Ogle family, along with Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) are launching a public awareness campaign to prevent people from leaving their cars running while unattended.

Public Meeting Set on Woodhaven Blvd Traffic Safety Study

On Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) invites residents, business owners, and others to attend a public input session about improving Woodhaven Boulevard between Queens Boulevard and Liberty Avenue. The meeting will be at the Emanuel UCC Church, Woodhaven Boulevard at 91st Avenue.

Those in attendance will be asked to share their ideas with DOT representatives about the upcoming Woodhaven Corridor project. Under consideration are a number of measures that address concerns over traffic congestion and pedestrian safety. The DOT is seeking input on the reconfiguration of intersections, connecting service roads and the possible dedication of one lane for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Additionally, discussion is open for signal timing modification, turn restrictions, refuge islands and high visibility crosswalks.

Woodhaven Blvd Safety Study Continues

Due for Release by Mid 2010, Public Meeting This Fall

By Conor Greene

City Department of Transportation officials met with community leaders last week to discuss the ongoing study of Woodhaven Boulevard, which is intended to prevent traffic backups and accidents along a 3.2 mile stretch of the congested roadway.

The meeting, held last Tuesday, was not open to the media or public. However, a DOT spokesman said a public session will be announced for later this fall, at which point specific details and proposals will be unveiled. Long term improvements being considered by the city include reconfiguring intersections, connecting discontinuous service roads and dedicating lanes exclusively for rapid bus service.

Several local officials who attended the meeting are urging the DOT to move ahead with immediate steps to increase safety along the study area, which stretches from Queens Boulevard to Liberty Avenue. According to the DOT, the study has been delayed because the department needed to obtain approval to expand the scope of the study to include additional intersections at the southern end in Ozone Park.

“The people living and working around Woodhaven Boulevard have waited too long,” said Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park). “Traffic along this corridor is an absolute nightmare. The DOT needs to take immediate action to implement some of the recommendations we discussed.”

Frank Gulluscio, district manager of Community Board 6, agreed that it is “taking too long” for the city to implement at least some of the safety measures. “There are things that can be done immediately and don’t have to wait for another capital plan. I’m talking about simple things such as looking at the bottlenecks, the traffic islands, signage that doesn’t cost too much.”

One thing Gulluscio would like to see added to the study is an increased emphasis on making the area “greener” to help offset the increases in pollution. “If there is going to be more traffic, what about the emissions?” he said. “There should be something in that plan regarding the environmental impact and the medians should be looked at.”

In a statement, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), who was represented at the meeting by her chief of staff, also called on the DOT to enact immediate reforms along Woodhaven Boulevard. “I understand the need to conduct the proper investigation and now that the study is complete, it’s time to start implementing the changes to alleviate traffic delays, especially around rush hour, and to protect people,” she said.

A DOT spokesman said that other “preliminary ideas being discussed” include signal timing modification, turn restrictions, refuge islands and high-visibility crosswalks. The DOT’s final report is expected to be released in mid-2010 with implementation of safety measures to follow.

One aspect of the plan that is likely going to be a hot topic of debate is the idea of replacing a parking lane along the boulevard with a lane dedicated for Bus Rapid Transit service. “Some people might be up for that, but to take out a lane on Woodhaven Boulevard concerns me,” said Gulluscio.

According to the DOT, there were a total of 495 accidents along the 3.2 mile stretch from 2004 to 2006, the latest figures the city used in the study. Still, despite the delays in implementing safety measures, and the increase in traffic, Gulluscio maintains that making the boulevard safer for motorists and pedestrians is achievable. “I don’t believe it is a lost cause by any means. We have a goal to make it better and we have to improve the quality of life,” he said. “I’m by no means giving this up.”

Officials Demand Repairs to Jamaica Ave. Elevated Tracks

Say Eyesore is Hurting Businesses, Accident Waiting to Happen

By Conor Greene

Area elected officials and community leaders are pushing the MTA to repair the elevated subway tracks above Jamaica Avenue, arguing that years of neglect has produced a dangerous eyesore that is stifling economic development in the area.

State Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Maria Thomson of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp. gathered with residents near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard on Monday to draw attention to the need for immediate structural repairs.

“For far too long, the Jamaica Avenue elevated train has been neglected,” said Crowley. “This is an accident waiting to happen… It is a serious situation that has to be addressed.” She noted that the structure was included in the MTA’s five-year capital plan that just expired but was eliminated due to lack of funding. Now, Addabbo and Crowley are pressuring the MTA to ensure that the work is included in the upcoming capital plan.

“I’ve been coming along Jamaica Avenue since I was a kid… and it hasn’t changed since I was five years old,” said Addabbo. “It looks the same, and that’s a sad story. I’m hopeful to bring this project to the forefront.”

Thomson, who has been involved with the GWDC for more than two decades and is a thirty-plus year resident of the neighborhood, said “it’s time for Woodhaven to get some attention from the MTA” after being ignored for years. “For far too long, Woodhaven has suffered with this monstrosity,” she said, adding that the GWDC has been pushing to have the tracks repainted and repaired for the last 15 years.

Crowley and Addabbo made the case for repairs in a letter to Senate Conference Majority Leader Senator John Sampson, urging him to immediately move the project forward.

“Jamaica Avenue is lined with businesses and we believe it is on the cusp of turning into a thriving economic engine for the borough… Unfortunately, the most prominent feature is the rusty and deteriorating overhead J-line subway,” they wrote. “The condition of the elevated train not only deters visitors but is, most importantly, an accident waiting to happen.”

While the project has yet to go out to bid, Crowley said the repairs would likely require a multi-million dollar contract. “That’s what happens when you neglect steel for far too long,” she said. “I’m not sure why they haven’t [solicited bids] and that’s why we’re here today… People like to shop in a beautiful business district… It’s a tough economic time and painting the elevated train would definitely help businesses in the area.”

In response, MTA NYC Transit spokeswoman Deirdre Parker said agency officials “realize the importance of regular painting of the steel elevated subway structures to protect against corrosion, extend the life of the structure and improve neighborhood aesthetics.”

The proposed 2010-2014 MTA capital program contains $521 million for line structure rehabilitation, painting and enhancements including overcoat painting of 18.5 miles of elevated structure on the Brighton, Broadway-7th Avenue, Canarsie, Culver, Jamaica, Rockaway and White Plains Road lines. In addition, repairs are planned for 7.3 route miles of elevated structure on the Jamaica line and the Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park viaducts, added Parker

City Tackles Traffic 'Nightmare' at Middle Village Intersection

By Conor Greene

The city Department of Transportation has taken several minor steps to help alleviate traffic nightmares local drivers experience daily in the area of Dry Harbor Road and 80th Street in Middle Village after receiving complaints about the area.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) wrote several letters to the city DOT over the past few months after several constituents informed her of unsafe conditions at Furmanville Avenue and 80th Street and at 80th Street near Cooper Avenue.

In response, the DOT conducted an investigation of “the complex intersection of Dry Harbor Road, 80th Street and Furmanville Avenue” and has changed the timing of traffic lights to help improve traffic flow, according to a department spokesman. The light for traffic headed north on 80th Street will remain green for 11 seconds longer in the morning and six seconds longer in the afternoon, and the green light for westbound Furmanville Avenue traffic has been increased by six seconds in the afternoon.

The DOT will continue to monitor the area to determine if additional changes are warranted, according to spokesman Montgomery Dean.

In her letter to DOT Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy, Crowley noted that an 84th Street resident “is concerned for the safety of the neighborhood” especially due to two schools in close proximity to the intersection. “Drivers are unable to make a left turn westbound onto 80th Street from Furmanville before the light turns red due to the large amount of cross traffic.”

In response to complaints from John Hegener of 67th Road, Crowley wrote that “something must be done to alleviate the excessive traffic conditions on 80th Street,” where “vehicles are at a stand still for blocks.” She suggested looking into solutions including adjusting the light sequence or altering the traffic pattern.

In an interview, Hegener, who has lived on the block for 54 years, said the problem isn’t as bad during the summer, “but once school starts again, 80th Street becomes a nightmare.” He also said the problem became much worse after the Shops at Atlas Park’s former owners, the Hemmerdinger family, convinced the MTA to reroute two bus lines past the Glendale shopping mall.

“It’s happened mainly since the mall [opened] and since the buses,” said Hegener. “It’s just discouraging because it all has to do with the mall, and there is nobody going to it now. Once they put in stores that people actually start going to, it’s going to be a real nightmare… It gets so bad on the side streets that feed Metropolitan Avenue that you have to sit there for three or four lights.”

Hegener said the one thing he doesn’t want to see the city do is eliminate on-street parking spaces so that traffic patterns could be altered. “The city will probably alleviate the problem by taking away parking, which will lead to more problems for the residents.”

In a press release, Crowley thanked the DOT for investigating the issue, which she said must be resolved to get drivers moving again on local streets.

“I am glad the [DOT] began looking into ways to alleviate traffic issues for drivers on 80th Street,” said Crowley after the department studied the area. “The people who rely on 80th Street on a daily basis are all too aware that during rush hour 80th Street is like a parking lot because cars aren’t moving. It is imperative that we fix this situation for the motorists, the students of PS/IS 87 and the residents of 80th Street.”

Transit Cop Sentenced for Public Lewdness

Keeps Pension Despite Incident in Kew Gardens Subway

A former NYPD captain will keep his pension despite pleading guilty to public lewdness after he was charged with exposing himself to a man inside a subway station last year.

Transit Bureau Captain Jeffery Klimas pleaded guilty last October to public lewdness and disorderly conduct after a 20-year-old man accused him of exposing himself inside a bathroom in the Union Turnpike subway station while on-duty in May 2008.

On Monday, he was sentenced to a conditional discharge after completing a court-ordered psychotherapy and resigning from the NYPD, according to a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

The victim told police that he was involved in a romantic relationship with Captain Klimas, 52, who is married and has been on the NYPD since 1983. Under the agreement with the district attorney’s office, he is allowed to keep his full pension but lost 11 vacation days he had accrued before his suspension from the force following his arrest.

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.

Fake Bomb at LGA Leads to Three Hour Evacuation

A Greenwich Village man brought before Queens Criminal Judge Lenora Gerald for arraignment Saturday evening has been ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.

Scott McGann, 32, is accused of causing a bomb scare at LaGuardia Airport early on Saturday morning resulting in the evacuation of thousands of early morning travelers for more than three hours. Flights were disrupted and car and pedestrian traffic at the airport built up and clogged all access roads. Would-be fliers used their cell phones to contact friends and family, advising of delays. Others just resigned themselves to the wait, stretching out on grass beds or sidewalks.

Concourse C which serves United, United Express and American Eagle, stayed closed while investigators opened a criminal investigation at the scene.

An outline of charges state that when McGann appeared at a security checkpoint at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B around 4:50 a.m. on Saturday morning, a United Airlines ticket agent noticed he was wearing a back pack and sweating profusely. Law enforcement officials say that he also appeared to be intoxicated.

When McGann was asked for identification, but he refused to answer questions. While talking, the agent was made aware that a suspicious package was attached to the bottom of McGann’s backpack.

Realizing what was happening, McGann allegedly reached for and grabbed what appeared to be a trigger device with a red button attached to a wire. He pressed the red button until a Port Authority police officer grabbed his hand and tackled him, removing the trigger device and grabbing the package attached to the backpack. According to published reports, the officer felt what he believed to be sticks of dynamite.

The NYPD bomb squad arrived at the scene and searched McGann’s bag with Port Authority Police. The device was actually a mock bomb made from cylinders and batteries wrapped together and taped up.

According to the boarding pass in his possession, McGann was slated to fly to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport before connecting to flights that would eventually take him to Oakland, California.

Although the main terminal was reopened shortly before 9 a.m. delays continued throughout the day. Travelers tried to get back to their terminals, many forced to carry their own bags, but were met with extended flight delays; some were rescheduled for next day flights or left to deal with stand-by status.

Two months ago, McGann was arrested following a bizarre incident. He entered the criminal courthouse at 346 Broadway in lower Manhattan and grabbed a stack of papers from a lawyer, attempting then to run from the building. He also has a 1992 arrest for bringing a gun into a high school. He moved to New York in 2006 and has been arrested several times for quality of life crimes including unauthorized vending.

DA Richard Brown said, “The defendant is clearly a very troubled young man. As a result, the Court has directed that he be examined to determine whether he has the capacity to understand the proceedings against him and assist in his defense. Pending the results of said examination, the defendant is being held without bail. His next court date is August 6, 2009.”

If convicted, McGann could face up to seven years in prison.

The Forum Newsgroup/photos by CHARLES ECKERT

Airport Runway Project Promises Fewer Delays, More Jobs

By Patricia Adams

A $376.3 million runway reconstruction project for John F. Kennedy International Airport was announced on Tuesday when Gov. David Paterson was joined at JFK by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Director Christopher Ward, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), local elected officials and members from the labor community.

The Bay Runway will undergo significant rehabilitation to reduce delays and improve airport operations, supporting an estimated 2,500 jobs. “Since it first opened in 1948, John F. Kennedy Airport, and very often the Bay Runway itself, has been New York’s gateway to the world, serving millions of passengers each year, providing tens of thousands of jobs and generating billions in economic activity,” Governor Paterson said.

“If Kennedy Airport is to remain a portal to and from this city and our country, we must continue to invest in it through necessary infrastructure upgrades. The runway expansion, addition of taxiways and other improvements will save passengers time, reduce delays and costs associated with congestion and provide considerable economic development to this region,” the governor added.

PANYNJ Executive Director Chris Ward said: “I want to thank Governor Paterson for supporting this major project at a time when infrastructure investment nationally is being cut back. This project will not only reduce delays and save money at JFK in the long run, but will create thousands of local jobs.”

JetBlue President and CEO Dave Barger stated that, "Improvements to runways and taxiways at JFK are essential to reducing flight delays and increasing the airport's capacity and efficiency. As the largest airline at JFK as determined by the number of customers served and an airline dedicated to providing quality customer service, we at JetBlue look forward to working closely with the port authority throughout the duration of these improvements, which will ultimately benefit all customers traveling through the gateway airport."

Construction on the Bay Runway or Runway 13-31, will begin immediately as part of the second phase of the JFK Delay Reduction Program. The project will widen the runway from 150 to 200 feet and will include a new drainage system, new electrical infrastructure, the addition of delay reduction taxiways and accommodations for future navigational aids. The project will support 1,000 direct and 1,500 ancillary jobs, including direct construction work, asphalt and concrete production, running of aeronautical lighting and food services.

The improvements are expected to reduce flight delays overall by an estimated 10,500 hours per year. Accommodations to taxiways – including high-speed exits for landing aircraft and holding pads where departing aircraft can literally pull off – will enable planes to bypass those held on the tarmac so that others may proceed.

The project is funded through two sources: PANYNJ will provide $292.4 million, and the FAA will provide $83.9 million. Of the FAA’s funds, $53 million will be used for work associated with the Delay Reduction Program and the remaining $15 million is allocated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Runways at major commercial airports typically require major maintenance work every 5to 10 years. This investment in the Bay Runway takes advantage of an opportunity to make longer-lasting improvements to the Bay Runway – foregoing old-model asphalt for an 18-inch concrete overlay instead. The lifespan of concrete nearly five times more than asphalt and will provide an estimated long-term savings of $500 million while reducing the need for ongoing maintenance.

Through extensive cooperation and coordination with the FAA and the airlines, the PANYNJ expects to minimize the impact on airport operations during the 120 days that the runway will be closed for construction in 2010. Airlines are adjusting schedules and operations to mitigate delays, and the airport’s three remaining runways will be utilized to their full capabilities during the Bay Runway’s closure.

The Forum Newsgroup/photo courtesy of GOVERNOR PATERSON’S OFFICE

Bloomberg Indicates Possible Support for Cross Harbor Tunnel Project

By Conor Greene

Speaking at a press conference in Brooklyn this week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg indicated he might support for the Cross Harbor Tunnel project, which would bring thousands of trucks to Maspeth.

The comments, made Monday in Sunset Park alongside Rep. Jerrold Nadler, represent another change in Bloomberg’s view of the project, which would connect Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island with the national railroad freight network in New Jersey. The plan has come under considerable fire from the Juniper Park Civic Association and other local groups because of the impact the increased truck traffic would have locally.

At a JPCA meeting in 2005, Bloomberg said the project “really would destroy neighborhoods here in this area and we just can’t do that.” However, on Monday he called the tunnel “a good long-term solution” provided “we find a ways to make sure it is economically sustainable and that its damage, or its impact is a better word, on neighborhoods where you go in and out is something we manage without destroying those neighborhoods.”

Rep. Nadler, who represents parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, has spearheaded the cross harbor tunnel plan for years. He noted that the Port Authority is currently creating an Environmental Impact Statement to gauge the impact the project would have on local areas. “There is not going to be tremendous impact on any neighborhoods because they can design it in such a way with multiple terminals and so forth so no particular neighborhood has unmitigated consequences as were feared a number of years ago.”

Still, the mayor’s comments drew sharp rebuke from local civic and elected officials who have fought against the plan in the past. “It sounds like candidate Mike Bloomberg is trying to please everyone including Congressman Jerrold Nadler whose pastime seems to be wasting taxpayer money,” said JPCA President Robert Holden. “Nadler is beholden to construction unions and railroad interests who send him on lavish vacations and give him thousands of dollars in campaign contributions while he acts as their mouthpiece.”

Holden said the JPCA is prepared to hold Mayor Bloomberg to his prior statements regarding the plan. Aside from arguing at the 2005 JPCA meeting that the tunnel would “destroy neighborhoods,” Bloomberg told the civic group, “When you get done looking at all the pros and cons, the answer is we should not build this tunnel. We would destroy homes and we just can’t do that.” Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said she is against the current tunnel proposal and “any plan that would put a major truck depot in Maspeth.”

“While I understand that moving to rail is an important step to greening New York and reducing the total number of trucks on the street, the current plan calls for a truck depot to bare the full weight of influx of goods onto the Maspeth community,” continued Crowley. “If the mayor and Port Authority are going to take a serious look at this proposal they have to come up with a plan to share the burden with Brooklyn, Long Island and the other destinations for cross harbor freight. The current plan is bad for our community and only moves truck traffic from Manhattan to Queens and that is unacceptable.”

Bloomberg’s latest comments suggest the possibility that he is prepared to once again shift his position on the project, which he first supported before vowing his opposition to it at the JPCA meeting. Earlier this year, he noted that tunnels are problematic in terms of security and that the project would require “a lot of money” but added that “down the road, it’s not the world’s worst idea.”

City Studying Expanded Ferry Service in Queens

By Conor Greene

Ferry service could be expanded to locations around the borough under the city’s efforts to utilize the “blue highway” and provide residents with better commuting options to Manhattan.

The city Economic Development Corp and Department of Transportation are in the midst of a six-month Comprehensive Citywide Ferry Study to “support future decisions concerning waterborne passenger transportation.” The study is the final phase of a plan presented in May 2008 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to better take advantage of the city’s waterways.

Service was established between Rockaway and Wall Street under phase one last year. The second phase focused on expanding East River service, while phase three centers on analyzing potential additional landing locations. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall held a meeting on Tuesday with representatives from community boards around the borough to discuss these proposed sites, which include JFK Airport, Citi Field, Astoria and LaGuardia Airport.

“Now that we have it, we need to expand it,” said Marshall of the current service levels, which include just two trips each day from the Rockaways. A consulting firm working with the city is gathering input, with the study expected to take about six months to complete. It will be presented to community board and elected officials for review.

Much of the discussion centered on the Rockaways, where there is only one ferry stop along the entire peninsula. Representatives from that area said there is a need for faster boats and additional run times. “We have the technology and the ability to make it better… the potential is definitely there,” said Joanne Shapiro, chief of staff for Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Rockaway). “This really is a no-brainer.”

Michael O’Toole, secretary of the Rockaway Park Homeowners Association called the current service “basic” and echoed the need for more boats. He called the fishing vessel used now inappropriate and too slow for this type of travel. “We need fast boats, efficient boats and subsidized boats,” he said.

Rockaway resident Joe Hartigan suggested that Bus Rapid Transit service be used to get commuters to ferry landings. Instead of having one run each day into the city, he argued that several runs a day could be made to the waterfront.
Hartigan questioned where $15 million allotted several years ago by Rep. Anthony Weiner to purchase proper ferry boats is. A Weiner representative at the meeting said he wasn’t there to answer questions. Hartigan later said that the city EDC is holding onto the money. “It’s going to be gone and the mayor refuses to use it,” he said. While the boat currently used takes a full hour to reach Wall Street, proper vessels could make the trip in half that time, he noted.

There was also discussion about the JFK Airport location, which is one of the suggested sites. Betty Braton, chairwoman of Community Board 10, questioned whether the site was proposed in order to serve tourists arriving at the airport or to provide a better commute to Manhattan for local residents. “That is the purpose for which the AirTrain was constructed and is impacting on the community,” she said. “In terms of the community that surrounds JKF – unless it can be demonstrated that it is serving local residents, it would not have support from the local community.”

The consultant responded that both groups were considered but was unable to elaborate.

Braton later said in an interview that “the concept of expanding ferry service in Queens has merit” but questioned whether it would be more appropriate at this time “to spend our limited transportation dollars on projects that better move the greatest amount of people to the locations where they actually work.” She suggested improving service in the Rockaways before creating new ferry routes “in an area where improvements to bus and subway service are more needed.”

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) called the study “a good start,” adding that “at the end of the day, people in my district would benefit greatly from that.”

Donna Gilmartin of the Locust Grove Civic Association expressed concerns about parking, which is already in her South Ozone Park neighborhood due to airport employees. “Our area cannot be impacted by this,” she said. “This is going to be a drastic change and I’m very, very concerned about it.”

While his district is completely landlocked, Frank Gulluscio, district manager of Community Board 6 requested that all boards be advised of the study’s findings. “We all know that transportation is a horror. We’ll accept any transportation alternatives,” he said.

It was noted several times during the meeting that Staten Island receives about $100 million in subsidies that helps cover the cost of running the ferry there. “We certainly need that in Queens too,” said Marshall. “Our people are working class people. We have neglected the waterfront for too long… Absolutely I would like to see it for free.”

Forest Hills: Now Boarding

By Steve Tiszenkel

One of the very best parts of living in Central Queens is leaving. Oh, don’t look so offended — regular readers of this column know very well that I love it here. It’s just that excellent access to a wide variety of transportation options makes our area a better place than most to vacate, whether by bus, car, subway or commuter train. And the best way to leave is by air.

Forest Hills and Kew Gardens have long been inviting to the aviation inclined purely by an accident of geography: We’re more or less halfway between LaGuardia and JFK. For those of us who take an occasional flight, this nearly makes up for our near-total inability to take advantage of anything flying in or out of Newark. (I’ve repeatedly sworn off that other airport after one too many taxi rides approaching $100, though cheap fares keep luring me back in.) It’s no wonder that this week flight attendant Heather Poole, who lives here, recommended Forest Hills to readers of the travel blog Gadling as a great destination for travelers forced to deal with a moderate layover in New York.

I’m still not sure how this happened, but the last time I flew into LaGuardia, about 25 minutes elapsed between the time the plane’s wheels hit the runway and the moment my cab pulled up to the front of my building. And that time includes the few minutes the driver took to miss a couple of turns despite my repeated instructions. This will likely remain one of the most awe-inspiring travel experiences of my life for years to come.

But I don’t fly very often. I’d do it every week if I could — Lisbon, here I come! — but I still have a job and tickets are still expensive, even if airlines finally have been able to lower prices by charging absurd amounts to check baggage. The real beneficiaries of our comfortable place nestled in the middle of the Borough of Airports are the pilots, flight attendants and airport personnel who have long made the area home and inspired one of the better nicknames for a New York neighborhood, Crew Gardens.

Don’t know many of them personally? Well, they’re not around much. But they’re an unmistakable presence, rushing down Queens Boulevard at a professional gait with their little rolling bags and kicking back at some of the divier bars around. And often they fly under the radar—Forest Hills and Kew Gardens crash pads are the stuff of legend. At a rotating series of addresses in a situation of questionable legality, flight attendants go to the mattresses between quick flights to Dover and Dubuque. In my own building, the story has it, a doctor on the ground floor used to rent his office to a group of them to use during off hours. You don’t know they’re there—you’re not supposed to — but there they are. What, would you rather walk by a crack den on your way to Key Food?

With all this history and convenience, the Forest Hills-Kew Gardens border was the perfect location for a headquarters for JetBlue, easily the neighborhood’s marquee corporation—though one that seems to be, as I complained in this space not long ago, in a big hurry to leave town. But maybe we don’t need them. If just a few readers take Poole’s online advice to do “what flight attendants do” and pay us a quick visit, more will surely follow, and business might pick up around here. It shouldn’t matter whether you work for an airline or are just passing through—Forest Hills is the only way to fly.

The writer is the host of the Website queenscentral.com. Log on to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.

MTA Bailout Plan Likely

Huge Cuts, Fare Hikes Would Be Avoided

By Conor Greene

The doomsday budget scenario faced by the MTA has likely been averted thanks to a last-minute bailout package reached on Tuesday night by Gov. David Paterson and legislators in Albany. Officials say it will help avoid huge service cuts and fare hikes that had been threatened in recent months.

As of Wednesday morning the plan still needed approval from the state Senate, where Democrats hold a 32-30 majority. Under the bailout, announced by the governor, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens), the cost of one-way subway and bus fare will likely increase from $2 to $2.50.

The MTA had proposed a doomsday budget that would have featured fare hikes of as much as 30% as a result of massive deficits the agency is facing. Under that scenario, the cost of a monthly unlimited MetroCard was to increase from $81 to $103. However, commuters are now facing fare and toll hikes of about 10%, and a monthly MetroCard will cost about $89.

In addition, the agreement includes a 50-cent taxi surcharge and a payroll tax. However, it will not require tolls on East and Harlem river bridges, though fares and toll will rise again by 7.5% in 2011 and 2013. The bailout provides enough funding to cover two years of the MTA’s five year capital plan, which starts next year and funds basic maintenance including upgrades to tracks and signals.

"Today's agreement will allow commuters to avoid the painful service reductions approved by the MTA Board earlier this year, and dramatically reduces the proposed fare and toll increases," said Gov. Paterson at a news conference. "This legislation will also allow the MTA's critical infrastructure rebuilding program to continue unimpeded at least through the end of 2011."

In a statement, MTA officials said the agreement allows the system to continuing operating without huge service cuts. “This resolution ensures that we can avoid the actions most painful to our customers and most detrimental to our ability to operate the transit system. We will begin working immediately to revise our budget and implement the reduced fare increase.”

State Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) said on Wednesday morning that the bailout plan is a “necessity” that must be acted on. “We have to do this. We cannot rely on the MTA to raise fares by 24%. There are positives and negative, but all in all it will avoid service cuts in the area and provide stability in the MTA,” he said.

As part of the agreement, the MTA is subject to additional oversight, including forensic audits – something Addabbo has long being calling for and said was a crucial aspect of the plan. “It requires the MTA to undergo financial scrutiny and audits, and creates a more transparent and accountable MTA to the people of the district,” he said. “We’re certainly not going to be back here a year from now doing this again.”

In addition to huge fare hikes, the original doomsday budget floated by the MTA would have required the elimination of more than two dozen bus lines and several subway lines, longer wait times and overnight station closings. News that these drastic measures will likely be avoided was music to the ears of commuters who rely on routes such as the Q56 and Q74 bus lines and the elected officials who represent them.

“This is excellent news for all the constituents in my district, old and young, that rely on the Q74 bus to take them where they need to go,” said Assemblyman Rory Lancman. “The new agreement is very important for Queens, saving it from cuts to vital transit links like the Q74 and avoiding unfair and regressive bridge tolls.”

The bailout agreement doesn’t have support from any Republicans, but as of Wednesday morning Democrats were confident that they have enough party support to approve it. As of press time, the Senate was still “working out the final details” in preparation of a vote, according to Addabbo.

Woman Accused of Spray Painting Trains Across Queens

A Sunnyside woman faces up to seven years in prison after being charged with spray painting subway cars throughout Queens over a three-year period.

Danielle Bremner, 27, of 45-50 48th Street has been charged with second-and-third-degree criminal mischief, making graffiti and possession of graffiti instruments.

“According to the charges, the defendant is reportedly well known in the international graffiti community – and to New Yorkers who have had to put up with her ego-driven vandalism of public property, which has cost taxpayers thousands of dollars to clean up,” said District Attorney Richard Brown.

Bremner allegedly spray painted her tags “Erin” and “Dani” and other markings on six subway cars between September 30, 2005 and April 7, 2008, causing more than $6,000 in damages. Specifically, she is accused of twice tagging a number 7 subway car at 111th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, a 7 car at the Main Street station, an A line car at the Broad Channel station and an F line car at Parsons Boulevard.

While authorizing a court-authorized search warrant at the defendant’s residence in July 2008, police recovered more than 450 cans of spray paint, 50 latex gloves, 10 permanent markers, bottles of acid etch, grog ink, shoe polish, a bolt cutter and pair of pliers.

In addition, police found Polaroid photographs of the tag “Dani,” 52 pieces of paper with graffiti drawings, including the tags “Dani” and “Erin,” and several digital photographs from her e-mail account depicting her tags on trains, including one that shows her spray painting her tag on a non-New York City train.

“Graffiti is a symptom of crime and negatively affects the quality of life for all citizens through decreased property values, increased taxes and a financial burden on affected businesses and homes,” said Brown. “City officials and anti-graffiti activists have done a remarkable job over the years in cleaning up New York City’s image as a graffiti-scarred city. We will not allow one individual to mar the beauty of our city or threaten to return us to the days when our transit system and our highways and buildings were covered with graffiti.”

The investigation was conducted by detectives from the Special Investigations Unit of the NYPD’s Transit Division.

New Executive Officer for 106th Precinct

Will Focus on Reducing Traffic Accidents

By Patricia Adams

Capt. Jimmy Kimmel worked in the borough for the last year and a half, but before that he was stationed in the 101st Pct. where according to the Executive Officer there were less accidents in one month than in a day in the 106.

“One of the responsibilities I have as the Executive Officer is the traffic program within the command. I got here about the middle of January and traditionally the 106 - specifically Cross Bay Boulevard, has been a nightmare because of traffic accidents.”

Kimmel says that as part of the program to stave off the traffic accidents, electronic traffic information signs warning about accident-prone locations were installed. Two signs were placed in the confines of the 106, one at Crossbay Boulevard and 107th Avenue right before the troublesome spot at the Woodhaven/Liberty/Rockaway Blvd. Intersection. The other sign is placed at Crossbay Boulevard and the Conduit, also known as a dangerous intersection.

Feedback from the neighborhood has been positive thus far and preliminary accident figures have come in at a lower rate. “We’ve had a 48% in accident reductions this week, but at this point it is impossible to tell if the reduction is a direct result of the signs,” said Kimmel.

“I am hoping that if we can get the message out with regard to simple traffic safety tips that in the long run, are important factors in saving lives.”

Sitting down with the new Executive Officer Jimmy Kimmel was Police Officer Kenneth Zorn, 106 Community Affairs officer. Zorn was quick to point out that not only was the use of the electronic signage a key, the precinct was really looking into how to improve the traffic flow on Crossbay Boulevard which of course is contributing to the accidents. Everyone blames the light 149th Avenue, but the bottom line is pure volume,” confirmed Zorn. There really is nowhere else to go, especially to get to Brooklyn. Unless you know Cohancy Street you’re not going to get through without sitting in a mess.”

In addition, other measures are being taken by the 106 to implement as much traffic safety as possible. “People don’t like to get ticketed, but we are engaging in an initiative to target drivers for specific traffic infractions,” Kimmel said. Cell phone, seat belt and speeding violations are all on the hit parade of summons priority lists because statistics prove they are at the root of most vehicular accidents. According to Kimmel, a review of percentages shows that cell phone involvement is a contributing factor in almost 95% of accidents.

“The worst times for accidents in the 106 is between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and then from 4 p.m to 6 p.m.” said Kimmel. “We’re trying to put sector cars along the road in the hopes that the presence of marked cars will deter the incidence of traffic infractions.”

Capt. Kimmel maintains that he considers his responsibility for the traffic problems to be extremely high on the priority list of precinct problems. He reads and reviews every single traffic and accident report as a basis for establishing and understanding effective means to target the problems.

While the late night show host he shares his name with is busy cracking jokes through the late night hours, Jimmy Kimmel at the 106 is busy all day cracking down on motorists who don’t take their driving seriously enough.