DOT Inaction Delays Building Project
By Patricia Adams
For 103 years the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department (BCVFD) has served its immediate community and those surrounding it. Every year the department responds to an average of 550 calls for fire and ambulance emergencies. They average about 45 volunteers at any given time and for the last ten years they have been marching toward the future of their department– a new firehouse which will be constructed adjacent to the Broad Channel Athletic Club field on Cross Bay Boulevard.
Plans and action first taken to build this facility started ten years ago, and since, the Broad Channel volunteer corps and the entire community have done everything they can to ensure the success of the plan. The department acquired $2 million in support at the federal level from Congressman Anthony Weiner and Senator Hillary Clinton from a 2005 federal transportation bill. Although the BCVFD had their work cut out for them to raise 20 percent of the funds needed– $440,000- they put their noses to the grindstone and raised the funds.
“It’s sort of like applying for a mortgage,” organization President Ed O’Hare explained. “When we applied for the funding for the project we were told that we would need to raise 20 percent on our own. And we did.” In addition Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer and state Senator Shirley Huntley both kicked in $100,000 each.
“Every 't' has been crossed and every 'i' has been dotted and at this stage of the plan,” said O’Hare. But at the very last step — getting the city Department of Transportation(DOT) to sign off on the deal — the department has run into the toughest obstacle in their decade long path—the red tape of bureaucracy.
Call, letters and e-mails have gone unanswered for months. Further communications with the mayor’s office have also gone without reply. (Please see letters to the editor “BCVFD Calls on Bloomberg for Answers”) “All we want is an answer,” stated O’Hare, “as to what’s holding up the application. We have met every requirement and there is no reason to stall us like this. Instead our efforts to better serve this community are being stymied by a city agency.”
O’Hare said he would understand if this was a question of money, but that is not the case. “This project is not going to cost the city one dime.”
There are many important factors about the new building, BCVFD volunteers contend, that make it so much more than just a firehouse. The new firehouse does not only offer a modern and safe storage and operational center for the department, it is a multi-use building which could conceivably incorporate a meeting hall for seniors, youth groups and other community organizations.
In addition the building will be completely green following an ecofriendly design plan and following a proposal to use solar power to operate. The original design plans for the 10,000-square-foot building have been modified to raise the building by 3 ½ feet making it a qualifier for the 500-year floodplain FEMA designation.
This building could act as a triage center, OEM operational headquarters and an evacuation center for hundreds of people under catastrophic circumstances. If necessary a helicopter could be landed on the adjacent athletic field since it is a private field. But all the perks for the communities served by the BCVFD now hang in the balance as a total breakdown in communication between the department and the city seem to define the present situation.
The volleys say they will continue to pressure the city and solicit the help of local officials who they say, are also baffled by the city’s lack of response. “We need answers,” said Ed O’Hare, “we need them now and we plan to get them.”
Above is a rendering of the proposed 10,000-square-foot multi-purpose firehouse and community center. The facility will include four bays for emergency vehicles, an office, state of the art dispatch center directly tied to city emergency calling systems, and a large community meeting facility.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Ridgewood "Teen Bash" Canceled Due to Concerns
By Conor Greene
For the second time in as many months, a party aimed at attracting underage teenagers has been shut down following complaints from the community.
Postcards featuring a scantily-clad woman advertising a “Teen Bash” on Saturday, November 29 at Marsel Lounge, 618 Fairview Avenue in Ridgewood, were found littering the streets surrounding Grover Cleveland High School, according to the Juniper Park Civic Association.
The civic association alerted Community Board 5 of the party, which informed officers at the 104th Precinct and officials at the State Liquor Authority and Department of Consumer Affairs. While Marsel Lounge notified CB 5 earlier this year that it was applying for a license allowing it to serve wine only, police say the premise currently doesn’t have license to serve any alcohol.
Last Friday, Marsel Cullhaj, who runs Marsel Lounge, posted the following message online stating that the party at 618 Fairview Avenue was canceled: “This is Marcel. The party at my lounge is cancel!!! No whore party will happen here!!!! The one that rented the place come in 4 more info and get u deposit back!!! Take the fliers down!!!”
Cullhaj did not respond to a message sent to his e-mail address seeking additional comment on the situation. An officer from the 104th Precinct’s Community Affairs Unit met with the person who owns the property and rents it to Cullhaj, and warned him that the building would be padlocked under the city’s nuisance abatement law if parties attracting underage drinkers are held there in the future.
There have been no prior complaints field with the precinct regarding this particular establishment, but there were about a dozen complaints on file with the city’s 311 line, said police. “This concerned us because the community was getting nervous about it and doesn’t want it to turn into a problem location,” said Officer Tommy Bell. “The owner seemed reputable and said he would look into it.”
Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, said that officers from the 104th Precinct spoke with the owner, leading to the cancellation of the event. “Certainly it’s something we need to be concerned about,” said Giordano of these types of events aimed at local high school students. “When we know it is going to take place, we need to take whatever action we need to make sure either it doesn’t happen, or if it does, it’s controlled.”
A similar but apparently unrelated event was advertised in early October for a Metropolitan Avenue restaurant called Metronome. After one party there resulted in issues including scores of drunken partygoers spilling into local residential area, a second event was canceled due to pressure from local officials, police and civic groups.
“It’s more of a recent issue in my memory,” said Giordano of these types of events, which are often advertised online. “When you have a little place like Fairview Avenue and it is being advertised to the extent it is, you don’t know what you are going to get. It’s very easy for them to get out of control.”
Kathy Masi, a member of CB 5 and the Glendale Civic Association, was one of the local community leaders who contacted the precinct about the party. She credited Christina Wilkinson of the JPCA for bringing the issue to the foreground. “It was very wise of her to reach out to everyone. Not many people put everything else aside and step up to the plate like that,” said Masi.
She noted that these types of parties, including the one held at Metronome, are run by outside promoters who rent out different bars and lounges. “From what I understand, they kind of bounce around,” said Masi. “It is not that this particular location has this regularly.”
Wilkinson, secretary for the JPCA, said there types of events have no place in bedroom communities such as Ridgewood or Middle Village. “Allowing it to happen opens up the door to a host of other problems, so it’s best to nip this in the bud before if mushrooms out of control,” she said. “It’s sad that they thought they could brazenly advertise this event and that no one would notice or care.”
For the second time in as many months, a party aimed at attracting underage teenagers has been shut down following complaints from the community.
Postcards featuring a scantily-clad woman advertising a “Teen Bash” on Saturday, November 29 at Marsel Lounge, 618 Fairview Avenue in Ridgewood, were found littering the streets surrounding Grover Cleveland High School, according to the Juniper Park Civic Association.
The civic association alerted Community Board 5 of the party, which informed officers at the 104th Precinct and officials at the State Liquor Authority and Department of Consumer Affairs. While Marsel Lounge notified CB 5 earlier this year that it was applying for a license allowing it to serve wine only, police say the premise currently doesn’t have license to serve any alcohol.
Last Friday, Marsel Cullhaj, who runs Marsel Lounge, posted the following message online stating that the party at 618 Fairview Avenue was canceled: “This is Marcel. The party at my lounge is cancel!!! No whore party will happen here!!!! The one that rented the place come in 4 more info and get u deposit back!!! Take the fliers down!!!”
Cullhaj did not respond to a message sent to his e-mail address seeking additional comment on the situation. An officer from the 104th Precinct’s Community Affairs Unit met with the person who owns the property and rents it to Cullhaj, and warned him that the building would be padlocked under the city’s nuisance abatement law if parties attracting underage drinkers are held there in the future.
There have been no prior complaints field with the precinct regarding this particular establishment, but there were about a dozen complaints on file with the city’s 311 line, said police. “This concerned us because the community was getting nervous about it and doesn’t want it to turn into a problem location,” said Officer Tommy Bell. “The owner seemed reputable and said he would look into it.”
Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, said that officers from the 104th Precinct spoke with the owner, leading to the cancellation of the event. “Certainly it’s something we need to be concerned about,” said Giordano of these types of events aimed at local high school students. “When we know it is going to take place, we need to take whatever action we need to make sure either it doesn’t happen, or if it does, it’s controlled.”
A similar but apparently unrelated event was advertised in early October for a Metropolitan Avenue restaurant called Metronome. After one party there resulted in issues including scores of drunken partygoers spilling into local residential area, a second event was canceled due to pressure from local officials, police and civic groups.
“It’s more of a recent issue in my memory,” said Giordano of these types of events, which are often advertised online. “When you have a little place like Fairview Avenue and it is being advertised to the extent it is, you don’t know what you are going to get. It’s very easy for them to get out of control.”
Kathy Masi, a member of CB 5 and the Glendale Civic Association, was one of the local community leaders who contacted the precinct about the party. She credited Christina Wilkinson of the JPCA for bringing the issue to the foreground. “It was very wise of her to reach out to everyone. Not many people put everything else aside and step up to the plate like that,” said Masi.
She noted that these types of parties, including the one held at Metronome, are run by outside promoters who rent out different bars and lounges. “From what I understand, they kind of bounce around,” said Masi. “It is not that this particular location has this regularly.”
Wilkinson, secretary for the JPCA, said there types of events have no place in bedroom communities such as Ridgewood or Middle Village. “Allowing it to happen opens up the door to a host of other problems, so it’s best to nip this in the bud before if mushrooms out of control,” she said. “It’s sad that they thought they could brazenly advertise this event and that no one would notice or care.”
Conditions Worsening at Grand Ave Project
Juniper Civic Wants Truck Bypass Implemented
By Conor Greene
The dangerous conditions along Grand Avenue in Maspeth continue due to construction of a city project intended to make the area safer for pedestrians, including school children, according to the Juniper Park Civic Association.
As previously reported, the city Department of Transportation has begun a project under its Safe Routes to School Program to combine two triangles at Grand and Flushing avenues into one larger green area. However, construction has caused traffic to back up along the avenue, a situation the JPCA says is acerbated by the city’s refusal to first the Truck Bypass Plan. Under that plan, truck traffic would be rerouted to Rust Street.
This week, the civic association issued a press release detailing damage caused during construction, including a lamppost that was knocked over after being struck several times by passing vehicles. On December 2, a truck ran over the crushed lamppost, which way lying on the ground and apparently had exposed live wires. As a result, the traffic signal at the intersection lost power, causing a huge traffic backup.
“The DOT needs to divert trucks off Grand Avenue immediately before someone gets hurt or killed at that corner,” said JPCA Secretary Christina Wilkinson in the release. “The DOT and CB 5 were sent photos after each stage of the destruction of the lamppost, but no corrective action has been taken.”
On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the DOT said the project is expected to improve safety in the long run. “Safety measures around schools are a top priority and the construction is part of those efforts,” said Nicole Garcia. “Construction will end in the coming weeks, and we expect there to be an adjustment period as motorists get used to the new traffic pattern, which we believe will improve safety.” She added that variable message signs have been posted to alert trucks to the construction.
However, regarding the Truck Bypass Plan, Garcia said that the department continues “to make progress on the plans to implement a truck bypass plan at a later date.” Permanent signs redirecting trucks will not be installed until improvements are made to the Maurice Avenue interchange, which would be the new route. The DOT is currently assigning this interchange study to a designer.
Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, stressed that the group is not against the Safe Routes to School Program, but instead felt that the truck bypass plan should have first been implemented. “By not planning properly, DOT is turning what was a traffic headache into a nightmare,” he said.
By Conor Greene
The dangerous conditions along Grand Avenue in Maspeth continue due to construction of a city project intended to make the area safer for pedestrians, including school children, according to the Juniper Park Civic Association.
As previously reported, the city Department of Transportation has begun a project under its Safe Routes to School Program to combine two triangles at Grand and Flushing avenues into one larger green area. However, construction has caused traffic to back up along the avenue, a situation the JPCA says is acerbated by the city’s refusal to first the Truck Bypass Plan. Under that plan, truck traffic would be rerouted to Rust Street.
This week, the civic association issued a press release detailing damage caused during construction, including a lamppost that was knocked over after being struck several times by passing vehicles. On December 2, a truck ran over the crushed lamppost, which way lying on the ground and apparently had exposed live wires. As a result, the traffic signal at the intersection lost power, causing a huge traffic backup.
“The DOT needs to divert trucks off Grand Avenue immediately before someone gets hurt or killed at that corner,” said JPCA Secretary Christina Wilkinson in the release. “The DOT and CB 5 were sent photos after each stage of the destruction of the lamppost, but no corrective action has been taken.”
On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the DOT said the project is expected to improve safety in the long run. “Safety measures around schools are a top priority and the construction is part of those efforts,” said Nicole Garcia. “Construction will end in the coming weeks, and we expect there to be an adjustment period as motorists get used to the new traffic pattern, which we believe will improve safety.” She added that variable message signs have been posted to alert trucks to the construction.
However, regarding the Truck Bypass Plan, Garcia said that the department continues “to make progress on the plans to implement a truck bypass plan at a later date.” Permanent signs redirecting trucks will not be installed until improvements are made to the Maurice Avenue interchange, which would be the new route. The DOT is currently assigning this interchange study to a designer.
Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, stressed that the group is not against the Safe Routes to School Program, but instead felt that the truck bypass plan should have first been implemented. “By not planning properly, DOT is turning what was a traffic headache into a nightmare,” he said.
City to Decide Soon on Maspeth Cell Tower
Proposal Calls for Antenna on House Roof
By Conor Greene
After more than a year of fighting, residents will soon find out if the city will allow a property owner to place a cellular antenna on top of a 72nd Place house in Maspeth.
The final public hearing on the proposal by Omnipoint Communications was held two weeks ago at the Board of Standards and Appeals, and the board, which votes on projects requiring variances from the existing building code, is expected to make its decision on December 16.
The proposal calls for placing a fifteen-and-a-half foot cellular tower on the roof of 53-20 72nd Place, which is owned and rented out by Joseph Wroblewski. In all, the structure would rise 45 feet above street level. It would be disguised as a flag pole with an American flag on top, and would have a diameter of 32 inches. The house is adjacent to Frank’s Deli, which the Wroblewski family has owned for nearly 60 years.
The original proposal called for a structure rising more than 54 feet above street level, but was met with a great deal of backlash from neighbors and local elected officials. Several months ago, Omnipoint unveiled a proposal that featured six foot high panels instead of the large antenna. However, Wroblewski, fearful of again alienating neighbors, reportedly refused to sign that contract. That plan wouldn’t have needed BSA approval.
Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, sent a letter to the BSA informing the agency that the local board had voted overwhelmingly against the proposal, even with the lower flagpole. He said it is “hard to say” what the likely outcome of the board’s vote will be. “I have T-Mobile service, and when I was standing outside [the proposed location] I used my cell phone and got good reception,” he said, echoing sentiment among residents that the new antenna isn’t really needed.
He noted that according to Omnipoint’s application, a key issue is improving cell reception inside homes and other buildings. However, some residents say that is not necessary because many Maspeth residents are property owners and have land lines.
Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth)has also argued that point as she has helped lead the fight against the plan. In testimony to the BSA, she claimed the Omnipoint hasn’t looked into using other locations in non-residential areas and noted that T-Mobile’s website claims that Maspeth already receives the company’s highest levels of reception.
Meanwhile, many nearby residents are left wondering about potential long term health impacts from living near so many towers. The company has argued that there are no known health dangers associated with cellular antennas, and the federal government has concluded they are safe.
By Conor Greene
After more than a year of fighting, residents will soon find out if the city will allow a property owner to place a cellular antenna on top of a 72nd Place house in Maspeth.
The final public hearing on the proposal by Omnipoint Communications was held two weeks ago at the Board of Standards and Appeals, and the board, which votes on projects requiring variances from the existing building code, is expected to make its decision on December 16.
The proposal calls for placing a fifteen-and-a-half foot cellular tower on the roof of 53-20 72nd Place, which is owned and rented out by Joseph Wroblewski. In all, the structure would rise 45 feet above street level. It would be disguised as a flag pole with an American flag on top, and would have a diameter of 32 inches. The house is adjacent to Frank’s Deli, which the Wroblewski family has owned for nearly 60 years.
The original proposal called for a structure rising more than 54 feet above street level, but was met with a great deal of backlash from neighbors and local elected officials. Several months ago, Omnipoint unveiled a proposal that featured six foot high panels instead of the large antenna. However, Wroblewski, fearful of again alienating neighbors, reportedly refused to sign that contract. That plan wouldn’t have needed BSA approval.
Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, sent a letter to the BSA informing the agency that the local board had voted overwhelmingly against the proposal, even with the lower flagpole. He said it is “hard to say” what the likely outcome of the board’s vote will be. “I have T-Mobile service, and when I was standing outside [the proposed location] I used my cell phone and got good reception,” he said, echoing sentiment among residents that the new antenna isn’t really needed.
He noted that according to Omnipoint’s application, a key issue is improving cell reception inside homes and other buildings. However, some residents say that is not necessary because many Maspeth residents are property owners and have land lines.
Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth)has also argued that point as she has helped lead the fight against the plan. In testimony to the BSA, she claimed the Omnipoint hasn’t looked into using other locations in non-residential areas and noted that T-Mobile’s website claims that Maspeth already receives the company’s highest levels of reception.
Meanwhile, many nearby residents are left wondering about potential long term health impacts from living near so many towers. The company has argued that there are no known health dangers associated with cellular antennas, and the federal government has concluded they are safe.
Teacher Fired Over Relationship Sues City
WAS 34 WHEN SHE BEGAN DATING MODEL, THEN 17
By Conor Greene
A 37-year-old city school teacher and her 19-year-old model boyfriend have suddenly been cast in the spotlight since the Ozone Park couple’s relationship was first reported last week by a daily newspaper.
The teacher, Gina Salamino, is suing the city, claiming she was improperly fired from her job as a second-grade teacher at Public School 121 in Richmond Hill. She argues in court papers that her boyfriend Joshua Walter, then 17-years-old, didn’t attend a single class during the 2006-07 school year because he was traveling the world as a model for Hugo Boss.
The pair first met in 2002, when Walter was 12, according to court records. They ran into each other again in 2006 at a party, and began attending movies together, exchanging hundreds of phone calls, and spending nights at her Howard Beach apartment, authorities say.
Officials began investigating the relationship in 2006 after receiving a tip that Salamino was seen kissing a much younger individual. The couple now lives together in Ozone Park with their young child.
A former neighbor in Howard Beach told the Daily News that she assumed Salamino’s house guest was a family member. “I thought it was a nephew or something,” the neighbor said. “He was young, and he looked like a kid.”
Despite his experience around the world as a model for Hugh Boss, Walter apparently didn’t appreciate the media attention brought upon the couple. Last week, after the story broke, Walter angrily confronted reporters and cameramen stationed on the public sidewalk across the street from the couple’s home.
“Leave me alone. Understand that? Leave me alone,” he yelled wildly while crossing the street to the cameras. “You want to see assault? You want to see assault?” he yelled at an Inside Edition reporter. “Get the f--- outta here! Find someplace else to take pictures.” As a result of the violent outburst, officers from the 106th Precinct were called to restore order. Officers left after speaking with Walter in front of the house, and no charges were filed.
According to the city Department of Education, the fact that Walter didn’t physically attend classes at Bryant High School in Long Island City is irrelevant, since he was enrolled there while Salamino was teaching within the city school system. “I’m tapping that a-- and there’s nothing you can do about it,” he reportedly told officials, according to a report by Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon.
On a video posted on YouTube, Walter said he is a “regular guy,” despite his high profile modeling career, which has landed him in the pages of magazines around the world. “I like to eat, I like to watch sports, play sports, know what I mean?” he said. “Chill with my girlfriend, know with I mean?”
In her lawsuit against the city, Salamino’s lawyers argue that her firing “was irrational and not based on adequate or substantial evidence in the record.” She reportedly told an investigator that claims she engaged in sexual misconduct are “ludicrous” even thought Walter’s name remained on the enrollment list for Bryant High School.
By Conor Greene
A 37-year-old city school teacher and her 19-year-old model boyfriend have suddenly been cast in the spotlight since the Ozone Park couple’s relationship was first reported last week by a daily newspaper.
The teacher, Gina Salamino, is suing the city, claiming she was improperly fired from her job as a second-grade teacher at Public School 121 in Richmond Hill. She argues in court papers that her boyfriend Joshua Walter, then 17-years-old, didn’t attend a single class during the 2006-07 school year because he was traveling the world as a model for Hugo Boss.
The pair first met in 2002, when Walter was 12, according to court records. They ran into each other again in 2006 at a party, and began attending movies together, exchanging hundreds of phone calls, and spending nights at her Howard Beach apartment, authorities say.
Officials began investigating the relationship in 2006 after receiving a tip that Salamino was seen kissing a much younger individual. The couple now lives together in Ozone Park with their young child.
A former neighbor in Howard Beach told the Daily News that she assumed Salamino’s house guest was a family member. “I thought it was a nephew or something,” the neighbor said. “He was young, and he looked like a kid.”
Despite his experience around the world as a model for Hugh Boss, Walter apparently didn’t appreciate the media attention brought upon the couple. Last week, after the story broke, Walter angrily confronted reporters and cameramen stationed on the public sidewalk across the street from the couple’s home.
“Leave me alone. Understand that? Leave me alone,” he yelled wildly while crossing the street to the cameras. “You want to see assault? You want to see assault?” he yelled at an Inside Edition reporter. “Get the f--- outta here! Find someplace else to take pictures.” As a result of the violent outburst, officers from the 106th Precinct were called to restore order. Officers left after speaking with Walter in front of the house, and no charges were filed.
According to the city Department of Education, the fact that Walter didn’t physically attend classes at Bryant High School in Long Island City is irrelevant, since he was enrolled there while Salamino was teaching within the city school system. “I’m tapping that a-- and there’s nothing you can do about it,” he reportedly told officials, according to a report by Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon.
On a video posted on YouTube, Walter said he is a “regular guy,” despite his high profile modeling career, which has landed him in the pages of magazines around the world. “I like to eat, I like to watch sports, play sports, know what I mean?” he said. “Chill with my girlfriend, know with I mean?”
In her lawsuit against the city, Salamino’s lawyers argue that her firing “was irrational and not based on adequate or substantial evidence in the record.” She reportedly told an investigator that claims she engaged in sexual misconduct are “ludicrous” even thought Walter’s name remained on the enrollment list for Bryant High School.
Sonny's Collision: First Eco-Friendly Auto Body Shop in NYS
By Patricia Adams
It used to be that “green” was the color of money and while that still holds true today, the concept of green has far more reaching implications than it’s association to cash. The term that is more familiar in today’s society is “going green”, and it’s a term of global consequence.
In virtually every industry, talk of “going green” is all the rage, considering the troubles with our planet’s environment that are so highly publicized. While many people still feel skeptical about global warming, it doesn’t take too much convincing that the huge population of the Earth is taking its toll on our planet.
In addition to the growing number of individuals who share these grave concerns, business owners in every industry have realized the importance of minimizing their contributions to pollution. They are consistently making the wise choice to become environmentally friendly while also serving the growing number of consumers who feel the responsibility to patronize businesses that are just as concerned as they are.
At Sonny’s Auto Collision in Richmond Hill, it was the “absolutely right move” to go green according to owner Frank Shiavone. Long known for their state of the art equipment and reliable service, Sonny’s is the first auto body repair shop in the state of New York to make the environmentally friendly transition by becoming a green shop.
Shiavone says that making the tremendous investment in converting his shop was a decision he reached fairly quickly after reviewing all the details. But going green wasn’t easy and came with a price tag of close to $100,000. “The basic premise of what “green” means in terms of this industry is the use of waterborne paints which contain less Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).”
But revamping the entire system involves much more than that. “Not only did we eliminate and dispose of all other paint,” says Shiavone, “we installed new air filtration systems, compressors compatible with the water based paints that also circulate clean air and then completed the other phases of the conversion.”
Already sporting the most highly-rated spraying booths in the industry, USI Italia, Sonny’s now uses ultraviolet curing body fillers and primers to reduce the use of solvents, energy efficient sodium lights, has installed multi-stage dust filters and ceiling filters to trap particles that would normally escape through the roof into the air and also uses only biodegradable soap to wash the cars. Also incorporated into the shop is a high-pressure wash system that uses minimal amounts of water and is filtered before running off in drains.
Typically, the consumer won’t notice much of a visible difference as the auto industry has been using water based paint for new vehicles for over twenty years. The new “green” paints can deliver the same perfect matched color systems to repaired autos.
If you have any doubt about the benefits of the green conversion, stop in at Sonny’s and ask Frank if you can see his spray booths. What you’ll find there is a virtually immaculate setup, free from dust and filler residue. The most obviously absent component however---the smell of paint. There simply isn’t one.
“I am not at all surprised to see the positive reactions of our customers when they learn about the steps we have taken,” said Shiavone. “They are a lot more concerned with the environment than many people realize.”
If you would like to learn more about the shop and the services they offer you can stop located at 106-12 Atlantic Avenue or call (718) 738-6721.
It used to be that “green” was the color of money and while that still holds true today, the concept of green has far more reaching implications than it’s association to cash. The term that is more familiar in today’s society is “going green”, and it’s a term of global consequence.
In virtually every industry, talk of “going green” is all the rage, considering the troubles with our planet’s environment that are so highly publicized. While many people still feel skeptical about global warming, it doesn’t take too much convincing that the huge population of the Earth is taking its toll on our planet.
In addition to the growing number of individuals who share these grave concerns, business owners in every industry have realized the importance of minimizing their contributions to pollution. They are consistently making the wise choice to become environmentally friendly while also serving the growing number of consumers who feel the responsibility to patronize businesses that are just as concerned as they are.
At Sonny’s Auto Collision in Richmond Hill, it was the “absolutely right move” to go green according to owner Frank Shiavone. Long known for their state of the art equipment and reliable service, Sonny’s is the first auto body repair shop in the state of New York to make the environmentally friendly transition by becoming a green shop.
Shiavone says that making the tremendous investment in converting his shop was a decision he reached fairly quickly after reviewing all the details. But going green wasn’t easy and came with a price tag of close to $100,000. “The basic premise of what “green” means in terms of this industry is the use of waterborne paints which contain less Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).”
But revamping the entire system involves much more than that. “Not only did we eliminate and dispose of all other paint,” says Shiavone, “we installed new air filtration systems, compressors compatible with the water based paints that also circulate clean air and then completed the other phases of the conversion.”
Already sporting the most highly-rated spraying booths in the industry, USI Italia, Sonny’s now uses ultraviolet curing body fillers and primers to reduce the use of solvents, energy efficient sodium lights, has installed multi-stage dust filters and ceiling filters to trap particles that would normally escape through the roof into the air and also uses only biodegradable soap to wash the cars. Also incorporated into the shop is a high-pressure wash system that uses minimal amounts of water and is filtered before running off in drains.
Typically, the consumer won’t notice much of a visible difference as the auto industry has been using water based paint for new vehicles for over twenty years. The new “green” paints can deliver the same perfect matched color systems to repaired autos.
If you have any doubt about the benefits of the green conversion, stop in at Sonny’s and ask Frank if you can see his spray booths. What you’ll find there is a virtually immaculate setup, free from dust and filler residue. The most obviously absent component however---the smell of paint. There simply isn’t one.
“I am not at all surprised to see the positive reactions of our customers when they learn about the steps we have taken,” said Shiavone. “They are a lot more concerned with the environment than many people realize.”
If you would like to learn more about the shop and the services they offer you can stop located at 106-12 Atlantic Avenue or call (718) 738-6721.
Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation Announces Christmas Plans
The Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation has gained much notoriety from the community for hosting the annual Columbus Day Parade and also for bringing holiday lighting to Crossbay Boulevard for the first time in the history of the commercial strip.
Beginning in 2006, the Foundation spent over $42,000 when it draped the boulevard in lights, erected a 30-foot tree at Starbucks and lit almost 50 trees along the center median. In 2007, for the Second Annual lighting the Foundation hoisted a 40 ft tree and lit the center median with 32 trees spending approximately $33,000. The tree was wrapped in close to 4,000 multicolored bulbs and dressed with jumbo assorted ornaments. The Foundation also hosted a Christmas Show both years, featuring entertainment that included performances by local talent.
But this year , President Mario Faulisi says the Foundation will be limited to lighting the trees along the center median but they will not erect a big tree or host a Christmas show. “Over the past couple of weeks, we have received many calls from people in the community asking about our plans to light this year’s tree. For that reason,” Faulisi continued, “it was a very difficult decision to go through this year without the big tree and the Christmas show, but it was the only decision our board could make.”
A total of 80 percent of money raised by the Foundation was committed to charitable institutions and scholarships this year as a result of the Foundation being awarded their 501c(3) not-for profit status. “This designation is the primary reason that we were unable to cover the costs of lighting this year,” said Faulisi. “We have grown tremendously since we started and we were very fortunate to achieve the not-for-profit status so quickly.”
Because of their new tax exempt status the Foundation will now be able to increase the number of individuals and groups they can help and greatly increase the amount of money they can raise. “Because of the 501c(3), all of our contributors can now write off their donations.”
Faulisi contends that out of nearly 180 merchants on the boulevard, only about 17 made contributions to the Foundation. “Unfortunately the community will have to do without the tree this year. It’s not what we wanted to see happen but hopefully now the merchants on Crossbay will realize how important their participation is to support the lighting program and the residents who patronize their establishments.”
The Foundation’s Board of Directors will spend the early part of 2009 designing a program specifically to cover the costs of the lighting for the holiday season. “We hope to find a way to get many more merchants involved,” said Foundation Treasurer Angelo Gurino. “If we can get everyone operating a business along the boulevard to make a small yearly contribution in support the tree, we can continue with the annual program.” Gurino said that if the expense is spread out over a couple of hundred people as opposed to less than two dozen, it’s a viable solution even in the tough economy.
Other possibilities to raise money specifically for the holiday season include residential participation and corporate sponsorship. “The bottom line here,” said Faulisi “is that the tree and the decorations are obviously very important to the neighborhood. The Board is going to put in whatever time it takes to try and work something out so that participation is greatly increased and we can all bring the community what it wants and needs.”
Beginning in 2006, the Foundation spent over $42,000 when it draped the boulevard in lights, erected a 30-foot tree at Starbucks and lit almost 50 trees along the center median. In 2007, for the Second Annual lighting the Foundation hoisted a 40 ft tree and lit the center median with 32 trees spending approximately $33,000. The tree was wrapped in close to 4,000 multicolored bulbs and dressed with jumbo assorted ornaments. The Foundation also hosted a Christmas Show both years, featuring entertainment that included performances by local talent.
But this year , President Mario Faulisi says the Foundation will be limited to lighting the trees along the center median but they will not erect a big tree or host a Christmas show. “Over the past couple of weeks, we have received many calls from people in the community asking about our plans to light this year’s tree. For that reason,” Faulisi continued, “it was a very difficult decision to go through this year without the big tree and the Christmas show, but it was the only decision our board could make.”
A total of 80 percent of money raised by the Foundation was committed to charitable institutions and scholarships this year as a result of the Foundation being awarded their 501c(3) not-for profit status. “This designation is the primary reason that we were unable to cover the costs of lighting this year,” said Faulisi. “We have grown tremendously since we started and we were very fortunate to achieve the not-for-profit status so quickly.”
Because of their new tax exempt status the Foundation will now be able to increase the number of individuals and groups they can help and greatly increase the amount of money they can raise. “Because of the 501c(3), all of our contributors can now write off their donations.”
Faulisi contends that out of nearly 180 merchants on the boulevard, only about 17 made contributions to the Foundation. “Unfortunately the community will have to do without the tree this year. It’s not what we wanted to see happen but hopefully now the merchants on Crossbay will realize how important their participation is to support the lighting program and the residents who patronize their establishments.”
The Foundation’s Board of Directors will spend the early part of 2009 designing a program specifically to cover the costs of the lighting for the holiday season. “We hope to find a way to get many more merchants involved,” said Foundation Treasurer Angelo Gurino. “If we can get everyone operating a business along the boulevard to make a small yearly contribution in support the tree, we can continue with the annual program.” Gurino said that if the expense is spread out over a couple of hundred people as opposed to less than two dozen, it’s a viable solution even in the tough economy.
Other possibilities to raise money specifically for the holiday season include residential participation and corporate sponsorship. “The bottom line here,” said Faulisi “is that the tree and the decorations are obviously very important to the neighborhood. The Board is going to put in whatever time it takes to try and work something out so that participation is greatly increased and we can all bring the community what it wants and needs.”
Thursday, November 20, 2008
This Week's Forum South and West
Girlfriend Charged in Fatal MV Fire
Beach Trashed During Religious Ceremony
Rego Park Teen Charged in Stabbing
Parks, Roads and City Planning at CB 5
City and State Open Traffic Management Center
Specialized Animal Hospital to Open
A Blessing in Disguise: One Woman's Quest to Beat the Odds
Nine Charged in Mortgage Fraud Scheme
Girlfriend Charged in Fatal Middle Village Father's Day Fire
FOUR DIED IN 69th STREET BLAZEBy Conor Greene
An enraged woman who poured carpet cleaner on her boyfriend before lighting him on fire has been charged in connection with the fatal Father’s Day fire in Middle Village that killed four people.
Agnes Bermudez, 48, of Newburgh has been arrested on charges including second-degree murder, arson, assault and reckless endangerment for starting the June 15 fire in an apartment building at the corner of Metropolitan Avenue and 69th Street. She has been hospitalized since the fire and was arraigned last Friday from her hospital bed at Jacobi Medical Center.
Police say the fire began in the early morning after Bermudez confronted her boyfriend, William Salazar, 31, in his second floor apartment at 66-76 69th Street after he returned home from a night out. She allegeldy doused him in carpet cleaner and set him ablaze, igniting herself in the process.
The fast-moving fire spread to the top floor of the three-story building, where Flor Sandoval, 48, lived with her husband, Heriberto Garcia-Vera, 68, and their twenty-year-old son, Felipe Garcia. All three died as a result of the fire, as well as Salazar, who passed away four days later.
Three other residents suffered various injuries in attempting to escape the fire, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. One victim suffered second-degree burns to nearly ten percent of his body, as well as a fractured ankle after jumping from a third-floor window. A second victim suffered back and leg injuries and the third suffered a fractured wrist.Although critically injured in the fire and engulfed in flames, Salazar and Bermudez were able to get outside the burning building. They ran inside Z-Star Deli, located on the building’s ground floor, where owner Mohammed Al-Matari doused the flames using jugs of water from his store.
“The two people from the apartment upstairs came into the store. They were on fire – their hair and their clothes,” said Al-Matari shortly after the fire. “We got them outside of the store and started to pour cold water on them. It was the only thing I could think to do.”
Bermudez, who faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted on the most serious charges, was ordered held without bail and is due back in court on January 7. Salazar’s father, Rene Salazar, told the Daily News that Bermudez “loved my son too much… She lost control.”
“The defendant is accused of turning a quiet summer morning into a terrifying ordeal for the residents of a Queens apartment building when, with a total disregard for human life, she is alleged to have intentionally started a fire in the occupied building by pouring a flammable liquid on her boyfriend,” said Brown.
“In the wake of the fast moving fire, four people lost their lives, four others – including the defendant – were injured, and others were left homeless and emotionally traumatized by the experience.”
Sandoval, a native of Columbia, was known in the movie industry as a makeup artist who worked on the Oscar-nominated film “Maria Full of Grace.”
Beach Trashed During Religous Ceremony
Congressman Pushes for Enforcement at Jamaica Bay
By Conor Greene
When a local congressman arrived at a beach at the foot of the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge, he expected to take part in a cleanup of the typical debris found along the waterfront. Instead, he was surprised to find the area littered with garbage left behind from religious ceremonies performed there on a regular basis.
Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn, Queens) organized the cleanup on the beach, which is along the Jamaica Bay and is part of Gateway National Park, last Friday. When he arrived, he found that the problem extends far beyond discourteous fishermen or beachgoers. Instead, the beach was littered with red and yellow flags, dozens of coconuts and other remnants from religious ceremonies performed by Hindus and other groups.
After hearing from local residents that such ceremonies take place on a regular basis, especially during certain times of year, and being told of headless goats being left beneath the bridge, Congressman Weiner decided that a combination of education and enforcement is needed to curtail this activity.“There has to be some sense that this is a national park. We want people to enjoy it, but there has to be a balance,” he said, adding that individuals who leave trash behind are “abusing their rights as visitors to the park.” He called upon park police to begin “regular enforcement,” including issuing tickets to offending visitors. “The people are not the issue,” he added, wondering aloud, “Is it legal to cut the head off a goat in a national park?”
Residents on hand for the cleanup, who say the activity has been going on for several years, suggested placing signs in the parking lot informing visitors of the rules. Edgardo Castillo, a park ranger with the National Parks Service, said there are plans to install gates across the parking lot enterance to prevent late night visitors at the beach area.
“We need a combination of education and enforcement,” said Weiner. “At the end of the day, enforcement needs to be done.” He admitted that prior to his visit, he “didn’t fully grasp that there are chronic offenders” who are leaving behind a “shrine of garbage… in the name of religion.”
For local residents, efforts to punish those who leave trash the on beach could not come soon enough, said Barbara Toborg, a Broad Channel resident and member of the American Littoral Society. She told Congressman Weiner that park police “are not interested” in issuing summonses to beachgoers, something the lawmaker now hopes to correct.Patti Reilly, acting superintendent for the Jamaica Bay section of the Gateway National Recreation Area, told the Daily News that crews have a difficult time keeping up with the amount of garbage left behind.
“We’ve been working with the communities, trying to have them better understand and educate them about the impact of leaving articles from their religious ceremonies,” she told the paper. “From time to time, we have seen animal carcasses and have removed them quickly… None of that is permitted,” she said.
While the religious followers believe they are making offerings to the sea, Congressman Weiner had a different view. “They are essentially throwing garbage into the water,” he said, holding up a handful of debris.
Rego Park Teen Charged in Stabbing
A Rego Park teenager was arrested for stabbing and punching a man during a street robbery along the south side of Queens Boulevard at 66th Avenue, but his accomplices remain at large.
Alexander Dediashvili, 16, of 99th Street was arrested shortly after stabbing and robbing 27-year-old Khaimov Ribikhay in front of 100-11 Queens Boulevard on November 8, according to Officer Christopher Kingsley of the 112th Precinct. Along with several other suspects who fled the scene, he approached the victim with a knife and began punching and kicking him in the face and body, said police.
During the attack, Dediashvili told the victim that he would stab, shoot and kill him, according to a criminal complaint. As his cohorts ripped the victim’s chain off his neck and grabbed his wallet, Dediashvili stabbed his hand and knocked several of his teeth out.
The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital for treatment for his injuries, which also included welts and bruises all over his body.
Dediashvili was arraigned two days later before Queens Criminal Court Judge Charles LoPresto. Bail was set at $7,500 and his next court date is January 15. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison on two counts each of second-degree and assault. Detectives from the 112th Precinct are continuing the search for his cohorts.
Alexander Dediashvili, 16, of 99th Street was arrested shortly after stabbing and robbing 27-year-old Khaimov Ribikhay in front of 100-11 Queens Boulevard on November 8, according to Officer Christopher Kingsley of the 112th Precinct. Along with several other suspects who fled the scene, he approached the victim with a knife and began punching and kicking him in the face and body, said police.
During the attack, Dediashvili told the victim that he would stab, shoot and kill him, according to a criminal complaint. As his cohorts ripped the victim’s chain off his neck and grabbed his wallet, Dediashvili stabbed his hand and knocked several of his teeth out.
The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital for treatment for his injuries, which also included welts and bruises all over his body.
Dediashvili was arraigned two days later before Queens Criminal Court Judge Charles LoPresto. Bail was set at $7,500 and his next court date is January 15. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison on two counts each of second-degree and assault. Detectives from the 112th Precinct are continuing the search for his cohorts.
Parks, Roads and City Planning Discussed at Board 5 Meeting
By Conor Greene
This month’s Community Board 5 meeting last Wednesday in Christ the King High School was dominated by discussions about projects in area parks, but also included updates on a major road project in Maspeth, the stalled rezoning effort, and greetings from two recently-elected public officials.
Parks Projects
Steven Fiedler, chair of the board’s parks committee, presented finalized plans from the city Parks Department for upgrades at the south playground in Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village and Grover Cleveland Park in Ridgewood. Both projects are “fully funded and ready to go,” he said.
The $750,000 projects at Juniper Valley will revamp the eastern portion of the playground along Juniper Boulevard South at 74th Street. It will feature separate areas for toddlers and for children ages two to five years old.
The board voted to approve the design with two minor modifications: an area featuring ornamental grass will be eliminated to create more play space, and a sandbox will not be installed due to board member’s concerns.
At Grover Cleveland, a $1.3 million renovation will include the conversion of an existing asphalt court to a synthetic turf field. Eventually, the park will feature a softball field, two soccer fields and two volleyball courts. Construction is expected to take about six months to finish, and the design is expected to be completed this fall.
One change the board requested is that the gates be made wider so that an emergency vehicle can access the sports fields in case of an injury. The board also has the option of having the park locked at night, said Fiedler.
Several other parks issues were raised that evening. Fiedler announced that the city is preparing to move forward with phase two of the Elmhurst Gas Tanks project. Parks Department representatives are slated to present those plans to the community board in December, he said.
At the beginning of the meeting, resident Joseph Pisano requested that the board look into the possibility of creating an area for dogs in Juniper Valley Park. He noted that the park currently includes almost every type of sports field. “There is everything for everybody except a dog park for dog owners,” he said. The board agreed to look into the request.
Maurice Avenue Construction
The community construction liaison for a major project along Maurice Avenue and 54th Avenue updated residents on the effort, which includes reconstruction of the roadway and sidewalks and installation of new water mains and catch basins.
Construction community liaison Marie Antoinette Nader told residents to call her at (718) 416-3537 if there are any questions or concerns during construction. Work will take place along 54th Avenue between Maurice Avenue and 58th Street from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and along Maurice Avenue from 54th Avenue to 56th Avenue from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Residents should be aware that water in the area may be shut off during construction, with written notice provided ahead of time. Also, anybody whose property is damaged during construction should file a claim with the city Comptroller’s office within 90 days.
Anybody who wants to receive e-mail updates during the course of construction should send a message to HWQP171RR_CCL@verizon.net. The field office is located at 55-60 60th Street in Maspeth.
City Planning Update
Tom Smith, the area’s new representative from the Department of City Planning, provided a brief update on several projects. He reminded the board that a yard text amendment was adopted in April, which makes it illegal to completely pave over a front yard. “That has been a major concern in this district,” he said. “This finally makes that illegal”
Smith also told the board that the department is working on requirements for bike parking. It will mainly apply to residential buildings with more than ten units or commercial buildings larger than 7,500-square-feet, he said.
However, Smith initially did not bring up the issue that is on the minds of many board members and residents – the stalled effort to downzone 350 blocks of Glendale, Middle Village and Maspeth. When asked by a reporter at the start of the meeting about that project’s status, he refused to provide any details. When later asked by board member Cathy Masi of Glendale, he assured her that “It’s coming.”
That was not enough for Masi, who told him that not having the new zoning is “killing” the neighborhood. “This has been going on for years… Do we have a timeline yet?” Smith responded that it “hopefully” is on track to be certified by the department in the spring, which triggers the city’s land use process.
Elected Officials Stop By
Senator Elect Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), who defeated Republican incumbent Senator Serf Maltese in this month’s elections, thanked those who supported him, and vowed to win the trust of those who didn’t vote for him. He told the board he served on his local community board for ten years before being elected to the City Council, which he served on for seven years.
“I know the work that needs to be done at this level,” he said. “Having information flowing from the elected officials to the residents is of utmost importance at this time.”
Addabbo touched briefly on the mayor’s plan to centralize services at senior centers and the delivery of meals. “We’re not going to balance the budget on the backs of our seniors,” he vowed. He promised to fight for “fresh meals daily” and against the closing of any local senior centers. “He’s going to have to be convinced it is the wrong way to go,” he said of Mayor Bloomberg.
Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale), who defeated Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) to represent the 30th District on City Council, said she is “honored to serve” the community.
She said that she is already “available to start the dialogue” and said she is still looking for office space. “I know it’s not going to be at its current location in Middle Village,” she said to some applause, referring to the office space currently used by Como and previously occupied by disgraced former Councilman Dennis Gallagher.
City and State Open New Traffic Monitoring Center
Will Allow DOT, NYPD to Coordinate Response
By Conor Greene
A new state-of-the-art traffic management center – a joint venture between the state and city transportation departments – has opened in Long Island City and will allow officials to immediately react to accidents and other incidents on roads throughout the five boroughs.
The facility brings together under one roof the various agencies responsible for monitoring roadway conditions and responding to incidents, including the state and city Departments of Transportation and the NYPD. Using cameras and speed detection equipment placed on city highways and streets, officials from the different agencies can all observe the same camera feeds around-the-clock, allowing them to share information on incidents and coordinate the appropriate response.
The new center includes three large video walls and 24 smaller monitors that can cycle through feeds from nearly 500 closed-circuit television cameras monitoring traffic flow on major city roadways. It was unveiled last Thursday during a ceremony attended by city and state transportation, police and highway officials.
“Effective communication is critical to efficient traffic management, and the JTMC is a giant step forward in improved communication that will immediately help reduce congestion and smooth traffic flow for the traveling public,” said state DOT Commissioner Astrid Glynn.
“The roads of New York City are the circulatory system for the movement of people, goods and service in and around the metropolitan area. When incidents occur, delays can be extensive, affecting large portions of the whole system.”
Jeffery Kolb, New York division administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, called the facility a “life-saving investment in road safety” that is “crucial to easing congestion, keeping motorists safe and to the longterm health of the American roadway.”
The center takes advantage of Intelligent Transportation Systems technology, which was first implemented in 1998. At that time, it was limited to cameras and other detectors on roads in order to monitor traffic and convey incident information to a central facility.
While information flow and response times improved greatly as a result, each agency was still housed in separate offices. Traffic monitoring was performed by the city and state DOT, which then provided the NYPD with a verbal description of those agencies. Physical separation limited the coordination of response.
“The demands being made on our transportation network require that we use technology to better manage the capacity that we do have,” said city DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “Equipped with the latest technology, this new, state-of-the-art JTMC can improve the ways we monitor traffic conditions throughout the city.”
Other ways the center will help manage traffic flow include acting as a source for public notification of incidents in the metro area as a nexus of information on roadwork in the city. Staff can activate the nearly 100 electronic variable message signs along roadways and provide radio announcements to notify travelers of delays.
The public can register at users.nyalert.gov to receive e-mail alerts from the state Emergency Management Officers. In addition, the city and state DOT will provide weekly updates on lane closures, which will be posted for the public on Websites including trips123.com and travelinfony.com.
During large-scale events that affect traffic around the city, such as the New York City Marathon and the opening session of the United Nations, the various agencies can work together to map out logistics and develop public information plans.
The state and city are so proud of their new center that it will be showcased during the upcoming Intelligent Transportation Systems World Congress, said Sadik-Khan. Construction of the $16 million facility was primarily funded the federal government, and the city DOT is responsible for its daily operations.
Specialized Animal Hospital to Open in Forest Hills
Manhattan’s NYC Veterinary Specialists has announced it is expanding into Queens with the completion of a new 24-hour hospital facility on 71st Road in Forest Hills.
Like its Manhattan counterpart, NYCVS Queens will offer an extensive range of specialized and advanced treatments, by referral, and 24 hour emergency service as needed. It is expected to open its doors by the end of the month.
“This brand new, state of the art, emergency and specialty hospital is opening to provide the greater Queens area veterinary community an increased local presence to support their most critical needs,” said NYCVS founder and medical director Dr. Neil Shaw. “The hospital will remain open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and cases will be seen by referral from a family’s primary veterinarian.”
Located at 107-24 71st Road, NYCVS Queens will house a uniquely-skilled team of veterinary specialists whose areas of expertise include emergency and critical care, ophthalmology, neurology, internal medicine, oncology, orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, dermatology, neurosurgery, cardiology and behavior medicine.
The clinic’s veterinary specialists act as an extension of area general veterinarians and their practices, explained Dr. Shaw. “The patients we see are referred to us, either for after-hour emergency care when their family veterinarian’s office is closed or for specialized care,” explains Dr. Shaw. “So almost everything we do, including where we locate our offices and which service we provide, are the result of the suggestions of our colleagues.”
He added, “Expanding into Queens will allow us to continue providing the same high level of care we currently provide, but now, more conveniently to an ever larger portion of New York’s veterinary community.”
Dr. Shaw is also the co-founder of Florida Veterinary Specialists in Tampa, which was founded in 1996 and is the largest private veterinary practice in the southeast.
NYC Veteran Specialists opened in fall of 2006 and was founded with the concept of providing a superior level of patient and client care through close cooperation with the family practitioner. It serves as an extension of the general practice, along with offering its specialized services.
For details about the clinic, check nycvs.com.
Like its Manhattan counterpart, NYCVS Queens will offer an extensive range of specialized and advanced treatments, by referral, and 24 hour emergency service as needed. It is expected to open its doors by the end of the month.
“This brand new, state of the art, emergency and specialty hospital is opening to provide the greater Queens area veterinary community an increased local presence to support their most critical needs,” said NYCVS founder and medical director Dr. Neil Shaw. “The hospital will remain open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and cases will be seen by referral from a family’s primary veterinarian.”
Located at 107-24 71st Road, NYCVS Queens will house a uniquely-skilled team of veterinary specialists whose areas of expertise include emergency and critical care, ophthalmology, neurology, internal medicine, oncology, orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, dermatology, neurosurgery, cardiology and behavior medicine.
The clinic’s veterinary specialists act as an extension of area general veterinarians and their practices, explained Dr. Shaw. “The patients we see are referred to us, either for after-hour emergency care when their family veterinarian’s office is closed or for specialized care,” explains Dr. Shaw. “So almost everything we do, including where we locate our offices and which service we provide, are the result of the suggestions of our colleagues.”
He added, “Expanding into Queens will allow us to continue providing the same high level of care we currently provide, but now, more conveniently to an ever larger portion of New York’s veterinary community.”
Dr. Shaw is also the co-founder of Florida Veterinary Specialists in Tampa, which was founded in 1996 and is the largest private veterinary practice in the southeast.
NYC Veteran Specialists opened in fall of 2006 and was founded with the concept of providing a superior level of patient and client care through close cooperation with the family practitioner. It serves as an extension of the general practice, along with offering its specialized services.
For details about the clinic, check nycvs.com.
A Blessing in Disguise
ONE WOMAN’S QUEST TO BEAT THE ODDS
By Patricia Adams
Champions are defined in many ways and fall into many categories. Many of them are famous--Michael Phelps is an Olympic champion, Mohammed Ali a boxing champion, Secretariat a thoroughbred racing champion. The word champion can also be assigned to Bono and other celebrities who champion causes to fight disease and world hunger.
But the word champion does not always have to be equated with celebrity. You don’t have to be famous to be a champion; for what defines a true champion is not by how well they are known; instead it is the content of their heart, the tenacity of their spirit and their willingness to fight against all odds.
On Monday night in Howard Beach more than 500 guests turned out to honor a champion of the truest measure. Not marked by any stellar achievements that will go down in the history books, this champion is loved, respected and revered for the courage, strength and determination she has displayed over the past several years in a struggle against an all too familiar enemy — cancer.
Mary Napolitano is so many things. She is a wife to John, a mother to Dawn-Marie, Dana and Christopher, a sister to Nancy, a member of a family which she now knows stretches far beyond those related just by blood, and a friend of many and to many.
But she is also a beacon of hope for all those who would ever think about giving up the fight. And at Russo’s on the Bay on Monday evening there was an outpouring of support and love demonstrating just how much everyone recognizes what a champion Mary truly is.
The beautiful words spoken at the event by Mary’s sister and also by her daughter Dawn-Marie told of her unbelievable endurance against cancer, but it also told of a woman with enough love and compassion for others to fill a room far bigger than the one they spoke before on Monday night.
On each table was a letter addressed to family and friends, it was signed by Mary Napolitano and every truly wise journalist knows that sometimes there is no way to better express how extraordinary an individual is than to let them say it themselves.
So here is, in its entirety a letter from Mary Napolitano:
Dear Family and Friends,
I am at a loss for the “perfect” way to put my gratitude into words. So, I will just speak from the heart. I never understood it when cancer patients would claim that their diagnosis was actually a “blessing.” Of course, I did not feel this way at the beginning or even for the first year while I went through my surgeries, chemo and radiation. It wasn’t until I finally started to feel better that I could see what was going on around me.
Cancer brings out the best in the people around you. Needless to say, my entire family, and especially my husband John, were my strength. But, it was all the other people in my life that showed me in so many different ways that they were there for me, from thoughtful cards and gift baskets to picking up my kids at school, to cooking for us. I have the best circle of friends that I could ever ask for. And, now my friends and family have taken it a step further by throwing this party for me, and in doing so, it has opened up the door for so many more of you to show how generous you are.
As I write this letter to you, I still have not been made privy of all the details of this event. I don’t know how many people will be there or how many people will be attending, but what I do know is that anyone who is reading this letter right now cares for me and wants to help me and it is almost too much for me to handle. So, now I too can say that my cancer has been a “blessing” in that I can now see how blessed I really am in having a family and friends like you.
During this time of financial stress, I know a lot of people are cutting back. That is another reason why I am so grateful for all of you who came to this event. I also realize how difficult it is to get out on a school/work night. I truly hope that you enjoyed yourself, had a nice meal, danced a little bit and maybe had a chance to socialize with people that you haven’t seen in a while.
I will never forget this night and every single one of you who came to show me you support. I will keep all of you in my prayers as I hope you will keep me and my family in yours. With all my love and gratitude, Mary
We also received a letter from a dear friend of Mary’s, written to the editor, but because of the eloquence and heartfelt tones of the letter, we thought it more appropriate to print it here, as it is one whose words also help to best explain the essence of Mary Napolitano.
Dear Editor,
As proud Howard Beach residents for the past 45 years, my wife and I have seen our neighborhood bashed by the press for several years now. Outsiders hear the name Howard Beach and it conjures up horrific images of “bad people” doing horrible things. The press preys over our neighborhood like vultures waiting to report on any incident that sheds a negative light on our community.
I believe that the true spirit of our fine community is not reflected by past events, but rather by a very recent one. This past Monday evening, November 17th my family and I attended a fundraising event at Russo’s on the Bay for a young, beautiful woman, Mary Napolitano.
The event was filled to capacity by over 500 people – all Howard Beach residents – all gathered together with love and compassion to help raise funds for the medications that this young woman so desperately needs. The room was consumed with love and prayers and as I looked around the room, I could not help but feel proud of how my community rallied together to help Mary and her family. Mary’s spirit shines like a beacon of light and instead of seeing her weakness; we see her and her family as a source of strength and inspiration.
In my opinion, she has the essence of Mother Teresa dwelling in her heart and based on the huge turnout at her fundraiser, I am not alone. Mary gives of herself both heart and soul and she continues to spread the goodness and compassion that only she can offer. This past summer she voyaged to Lourdes, but not to pray for herself. That is not who Mary is. Instead, she volunteered to work as a missionary amongst the world’s most despaired. She prayed with them and for them and as she witnessed the desperation around her, her prayers and determination grew stronger.
She returned from Lourdes with a new and enriched sense of purpose and strength. Judging by the love that overwhelmed Russo’s on the Bay this past Monday evening, I believe that we are all truly blessed by knowing Mary and her family. We will all continue to remember her in our prayers. Not only shall we pray for her, but also to her; for she has shown us how to embrace life and the importance of cherishing each day as the blessing that it truly is.
Sincerely,
Nicholas F. LoPrinzi
Howard Beach
Nine Charged in Mortgage Fraud Scheme
VICTIMS INCLUDE 74-YEAR-OLD WIDOW
Nine people, including a high-level court employee, have been charged in a $1.4 million mortgage fraud scheme which used stolen identities to buy and sell properties - and cheat a 74-year-old widow out of the home she owned outright.
An investigation by Queens District Attorney Richard Brown’s Elder Fraud Unit uncovered a group of individuals who allegedly took out mortgages on houses located on 107th Avenue in Richmond Hill, Union Hall Street in Jamaica, and Schaeffer Street in Brooklyn. All nine are accused of conspiring to defraud the lending banks – J.P Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo – and falsifying mortgage records.
The probe began when 74-year-old Dorothy Thomas reported that her home had been sold two months earlier without her knowledge and that she was now facing foreclosure. She learned of the sale after receiving mail in the name of “Tolessi Enyonam” regarding both the recent purchase of the home and the pending foreclosure.
In that case, the defendants are accused of recruiting someone to pose at the closing as her deceased husband, Eugene Thomas, who died in 1986 and in whose name the house remained. The house was allegedly sold to a straw buyer with a $490,500 mortgage issued by Wells Fargo. In the other two cases it is alleged the homes were sold by legitimate owners, but were purchased by straw buyers using the stolen identity of a New Jersey woman and a resident alien who no longer lives in the country.
Those properties included a $533,850 mortgage on the Richmond Hill home and a $417,000 mortgage on the Brooklyn home. The defendants were expected to be arraigned earlier this week in Queens Criminal Court. They are variously charged with grand larceny, possession of stolen property, falsifying business records, conspiracy, scheme to defraud and money laundering.
“This complicated and devious scheme allegedly involved defendants who were so greedy that they bought and sold three properties – totaling more than $1.4 million in fraudulent transactions – over just eight days,” said Brown. “Their alleged actions left a Jamaica woman – whose house was owned free and clear – facing foreclosure and a New Jersey woman – whose identity was stolen – fighting off banks seeking payment of mortgages fraudulently taken out in her name.”
Among the defendants is John D’Emic, 59, of 72nd Street in Brooklyn, who was an attorney in private practice at the time of the alleged crime. In January, he was appointed Chief Deputy County Clerk in Kings County. He allegedly acted as an attorney for the “buyer” or “seller” on each transaction, received money from the closing, gave a portion back to another defendant and prepared false letters providing instructions for disbursement of the mortgage proceeds.
Also charged in the scheme was: Norma Barabash, 63, of Bellerose, a certified public accountant who allegedly was paid for issuing a letter in the name of a straw buyer regarding his tax returns; Shamim Choudhury, 35, of Jamaica, who allegedly recruited the straw buyer who posed as Dorothy Thomas’ late husband; Gulam Choudhury, 22, of Laurence, who is accused of being involved in the Richmond Hill sale; Daisy Guzman- Saavedra, 38, of Yorktown Heights, who allegedly served as a fake employment and residence reference for the straw buyers; Nazrul Islam, 23, of Jamaica, who provided false references for the loan applications; Alan Morris, 58, of New Hyde Park, who was disbarred as an attorney in 1992 and allegedly handled all of the closings; Boris Nektalov, 23, of Flushing, who prepared and submitted false loan applications through the Rego Park mortgage company he worked at; and Rajendar Persaud, 35, of Verbank, who is accused of providing stolen identification information and laundered proceeds.
Nine people, including a high-level court employee, have been charged in a $1.4 million mortgage fraud scheme which used stolen identities to buy and sell properties - and cheat a 74-year-old widow out of the home she owned outright.
An investigation by Queens District Attorney Richard Brown’s Elder Fraud Unit uncovered a group of individuals who allegedly took out mortgages on houses located on 107th Avenue in Richmond Hill, Union Hall Street in Jamaica, and Schaeffer Street in Brooklyn. All nine are accused of conspiring to defraud the lending banks – J.P Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo – and falsifying mortgage records.
The probe began when 74-year-old Dorothy Thomas reported that her home had been sold two months earlier without her knowledge and that she was now facing foreclosure. She learned of the sale after receiving mail in the name of “Tolessi Enyonam” regarding both the recent purchase of the home and the pending foreclosure.
In that case, the defendants are accused of recruiting someone to pose at the closing as her deceased husband, Eugene Thomas, who died in 1986 and in whose name the house remained. The house was allegedly sold to a straw buyer with a $490,500 mortgage issued by Wells Fargo. In the other two cases it is alleged the homes were sold by legitimate owners, but were purchased by straw buyers using the stolen identity of a New Jersey woman and a resident alien who no longer lives in the country.
Those properties included a $533,850 mortgage on the Richmond Hill home and a $417,000 mortgage on the Brooklyn home. The defendants were expected to be arraigned earlier this week in Queens Criminal Court. They are variously charged with grand larceny, possession of stolen property, falsifying business records, conspiracy, scheme to defraud and money laundering.
“This complicated and devious scheme allegedly involved defendants who were so greedy that they bought and sold three properties – totaling more than $1.4 million in fraudulent transactions – over just eight days,” said Brown. “Their alleged actions left a Jamaica woman – whose house was owned free and clear – facing foreclosure and a New Jersey woman – whose identity was stolen – fighting off banks seeking payment of mortgages fraudulently taken out in her name.”
Among the defendants is John D’Emic, 59, of 72nd Street in Brooklyn, who was an attorney in private practice at the time of the alleged crime. In January, he was appointed Chief Deputy County Clerk in Kings County. He allegedly acted as an attorney for the “buyer” or “seller” on each transaction, received money from the closing, gave a portion back to another defendant and prepared false letters providing instructions for disbursement of the mortgage proceeds.
Also charged in the scheme was: Norma Barabash, 63, of Bellerose, a certified public accountant who allegedly was paid for issuing a letter in the name of a straw buyer regarding his tax returns; Shamim Choudhury, 35, of Jamaica, who allegedly recruited the straw buyer who posed as Dorothy Thomas’ late husband; Gulam Choudhury, 22, of Laurence, who is accused of being involved in the Richmond Hill sale; Daisy Guzman- Saavedra, 38, of Yorktown Heights, who allegedly served as a fake employment and residence reference for the straw buyers; Nazrul Islam, 23, of Jamaica, who provided false references for the loan applications; Alan Morris, 58, of New Hyde Park, who was disbarred as an attorney in 1992 and allegedly handled all of the closings; Boris Nektalov, 23, of Flushing, who prepared and submitted false loan applications through the Rego Park mortgage company he worked at; and Rajendar Persaud, 35, of Verbank, who is accused of providing stolen identification information and laundered proceeds.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Addabbo Topples Maltese; Helps Democrats Take Control in Senate
By Patricia Adams
Joe Addabbo’s victory over Serf Maltese in the 15th Senate District was a key component in propelling the Democrats to majority control of the New York State Senate. The long, hard fought race, laced with negative campaigning attributed to the Maltese campaign, ended with Addabbo unseating the 20-year Republican incumbent by 10,447 votes for a percentage victory of 58 % to Maltese’s 42%.
With the results in, Senator-elect Addabbo made his way through a crowd who chanted “Joe! Joe! Joe!” at a victory celebration held at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach At the podium, Joe Addabbo spoke to his supporters. “Just a moment ago I got a phone call from Serf Maltese—and no it wasn’t a robo call,” Addabbo quipped. “Although he said he thought the numbers would be different tonight they were not and then he offered me congratulations on my victory.”
The crowd erupted wildly before allowing Addabbo to continue. “I have always said that I could not do it alone and I could not have. First I have to thank my family. Everyone thought I had the hard job,” said Addabbo, “but my wife was home with two kids making sure everything was ok. My first thanks goes to my wife.”
“And then there’s that army of people called volunteers,” he continued, “who I could definitely never have done without. Every day 40, 50, 100 or 200 people. Today I understand we had 1,000 volunteers out there.” Addabbo also thanked labor leaders, advocacy groups and the people, he said, “who just believe in good government... To all of you, I say thanks to you. We have proved that positive campaigning beats negative campaigning."
Both candidates in the race agreed that from the onset they knew it would be a tight race. “We knew it was going to be a hard fight,” said Maltese at the joint campaign headquarters in Glendale he shared with Councilmember Anthony Como. “But make no mistake about it, this was a presidential defeat.”
Addabbo, on the other hand, while acknowledging that he and his campaign staff knew they had a big fight on their hands, attributed his victory to something quite different. In addressing hundreds of cheering supporters, Joe Addabbo said, “We all knew it was an uphill battle, but tonight we won. The bottom line is this: you believed in something like I believed in something. You believed that these people out here, outside of these walls deserved better. You believed that when we spoke about issues it was the right thing to do and not go negative. You believed that going out there hour after hour, making phone calls and knocking on doors was the right thing to do. But you people believed in something more; you believed in me and that I appreciate more than I can say.”
Maltese said the results of the election were “somewhat surprising”, noting that he received "such a good reception" over the course of the campaign. Maltese was quick to make the point that there are twice as many registered Democrats than Republicans in the district, adding, "It always was a difficult district to hold on to."
But staunch Addabbo supporters, many Republicans themselves, were quick to insist that Addabbo would have won the election despite Democratic enrollment and without the “coattail” effect.
“Senator Maltese can say whatever he likes about why he didn’t win”, said Howard Beach resident Marie Atwell, “but his loss is a combination of abandoning many parts of his district. The way he campaigned was an embarrassment to me as a Republican. Obviously I am not alone because the same people who have voted for him time and time again realized that we needed a change.”
When asked what his future plans were now, Serf Maltese said, “I'm 75 - I'm retiring, just a little earlier than I plan to," adding that he will spend more time with his grandchildren.
But change appeared to be the message Addabbo wanted to talk about. “We have a lot of work to do. Today is just the first step. It’s time for me to roll up my sleeves and get to work as we move forward toward January. I cannot do it alone. I look forward to working with everyone that wants to work with me for the betterment of my people. They deserve better and after today, will get better.”
Crowley Beats Como for City Council Seat
WINS BY 12% IN 30th DISTRICT
By Conor Greene
In a rematch of the summer’s special election, Elizabeth Crowley rode the wave of Democratic support on Tuesday night to a victory over freshman City Councilman Anthony Como.
Crowley, of Glendale defeated Como (R-Middle Village) 18,592 to 14,603 this week after narrowly losing to him in the June special election. The win allows Democrats to reclaim one of three City Council seats currently held by Republicans. It also marks the first time a Democrat has represented the 30th Council district since it was created in 1991.
At her campaign celebration Tuesday night in the Woodhaven House, Crowley chalked the win up to more than just the success of Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, given her 12 percent margin of victory. “This was a true representation of the district,” she said, referring to the more than 30,000 residents from Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood who cast votes.
In a reversal from the special election, when she hired The Parkside Group to run her campaign, Crowley focused more this time around on direct contact with voters. While her campaign advisors minimized her contact with the media over the summer, she made herself much more visible and accessible to reporters and residents during this campaign.
“I think the campaign in June was very rushed,” she said. “With this one, I had more time during the summer to contact voters, and think I was able to get my message across to more people.”
An educator who holds a master’s degree in urban planning, Crowley made supporting local schools and addressing quality of life issues, such as traffic concerns, the focus of her campaign. When asked what her City Council agenda will include, Crowley responded simply, “overdevelopment, education and making sure our district is well funded and doesn’t get cut when the mayor bridges the budget gap.”
Crowley credited support she received from the Juniper Park Civic Association with helping her stay even with Como in conservative areas such as Middle Village, where he was counting on a large advantage. “It was good that I went to their meeting before the election, where there were over 200 people I was able to communicate with,” she said, referring to a candidates night last week that Como didn’t attend.
While the civic didn’t formally endorse a candidate, its president, Robert Holden and some members threw their support behind Crowley. “It definitely helped [in that I was able to come close to Como in such a conservative area,” she said of that support. “In Middle Village we nearly had the same amount of votes, and that was probably due to the help of the civic. That should be his base, but it wasn’t.”
In stark contrast to the atmosphere at Woodhaven House, the mood was somber in Como’s Myrtle Avenue campaign headquarters, which he shared with Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale). Maltese lost on Tuesday to Councilman Joseph Addabbo after nearly twenty years in Albany (see related story) in a highly contested race.
As results came trickling in from individual polling places, supporters of the Republican ticket appeared resigned that the GOP’s rough night would trickle down to the local level. Maltese and Como arrived at the headquarters after 10 p.m. to deliver the bad news. “Anthony and I have been partners for a long time,” Maltese told the crowd. “Unfortunately, this time we weren’t partners in victory.”
Maltese and Como both blamed their defeats on the huge surge in Democratic voters who went to the polls this year, many for the first time. In council and senate districts that have about twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans, the political climate was simply too much to overcome, said Maltese.
“The circumstances were such that, despite our best efforts, it was not something we could achieve and accomplish,” he said, adding that he felt that this was the “best campaign” he and his staff had ever run. “Nothing was going to be easy in this campaign because of the presidential race.”
Como’s comments mirrored those of Maltese, whom he calls his political mentor. He noted that there were a number of paper ballots to be counted, but conceded that they generally go the same way as the machine votes. “We worked very hard and I had a great staff,” he said.
In the wake of the election, Como was not ready to say what he will do moving forward. After running two campaigns over the past five months, he is now looking forward to “getting his life back in order” and said practicing law again is an option. Prior to running for election, he served as an aide to Maltese, a Board of Elections commissioner and in the district attorney’s office. “I look forward to what the future may hold for me,” he said.
The council seat was held by Thomas Ognibene from 1991 to 2001 and by Dennis Gallagher from 2001 until this summer, when he resigned after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 52-year-old woman. It was those circumstances, combined with the political climate, that opened up the seat to Democrats. This marked Crowley’s third run at City Council, having lost to Gallagher in her 2001 bid to succeed Ognibene.
For Crowley, the hard work now begins, with her main focus on making sure the district receives its fair share of city funding. “The people spoke and need somebody who is going to work hard and bring back the resources,” she said. “The truth of the matter is, he [Como] did not bring back to the district what Councilman Gallagher was able to bring back, the funding was substantially lower, and we can’t have that.”
Civic Concerned about Traffic on Grand Ave
WANTS TRUCK BYPASS PLAN IMPLEMENTED
By Conor Greene
A project to combine two triangles on Grand Avenue into a larger green space has caused traffic nightmares because the city refused to first implement a plan to reduce the amount of truck traffic along the busy stretch, according to a local civic group.
As part of the city’s Safe Streets to School program, two small triangles at the intersection of Grand and Flushing avenues at 64th Street are being combined. The project is intended to provide local school children heading to St. Stanislaus Kostka elementary school with safer crossings and create additional buffers between pedestrians and vehicles.
While the Juniper Park Civic Association doesn’t object with that effort, its executive board is not happy that this project is underway while the Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan has remained stalled for several years. Under that proposal, trucks heading towards Brooklyn would be routed through west Maspeth to reach the expressway, instead of using Grand Avenue.
On October 19, the civic organization sent a letter to the city Department of Transportation expressing concerns about the triangle reconfiguration moving forward before the Truck Bypass Plan is finalized. “We believe that this will cause the traffic backup to become more of a problem down Grand Avenue,” the civic wrote. “Sr. Rose, the principal of St. Stan’s, is opposed to this reconfiguration because the trucks are already spewing toxic air into the windows of the school.”
Several days later, the group Transportation Alternatives wrote to DOT’s Queens Commissioner Maura McCarthy asking the department to reroute trucks off Grand Avenue so as to not “significantly impair the benefits of the Safe Streets to School program for St. Stanislaus… We want every Safe Streets to School project to succeed in every community and it would be a shame if it didn’t in Maspeth because of the through truck route,” wrote the group’s executive director, Paul Steely White.
A segment of the avenue between the two triangles was first closed to traffic two weeks ago, according to the JPCA. Since then, traffic jams have occurred, causing trucks to sit idling in front of the school. At times, traffic has backed up as far as the entrance to Mount Olivet Cemetery, nearly three blocks to the east.
Tony Nunziato, a JPCA executive member and chairman of the Maspeth-Middle Village Task Force has been one of the community members working for several years to have the Truck Bypass Plan implemented. “I have been stating since I first learned about the triangle reconfiguration several months ago that if the Bypass Plan wasn’t implemented before this construction, traffic would get worse and not better,” he said. “Unfortunately, I was right.”
Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, stressed that the group is “definitely in favor of the reconfiguration of this intersection,” but not without the bypass plan. “By not planning properly, DOT is turning what was a traffic headache into a nightmare,” he said.
The city DOT did not respond to several messages seeking comment on the civic organization’s concerns and the status of the Truck Bypass Plan. McCarthy said previously that there still are additional studies that must be completed before the bypass plan is implemented.
By Conor Greene
A project to combine two triangles on Grand Avenue into a larger green space has caused traffic nightmares because the city refused to first implement a plan to reduce the amount of truck traffic along the busy stretch, according to a local civic group.
As part of the city’s Safe Streets to School program, two small triangles at the intersection of Grand and Flushing avenues at 64th Street are being combined. The project is intended to provide local school children heading to St. Stanislaus Kostka elementary school with safer crossings and create additional buffers between pedestrians and vehicles.
While the Juniper Park Civic Association doesn’t object with that effort, its executive board is not happy that this project is underway while the Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan has remained stalled for several years. Under that proposal, trucks heading towards Brooklyn would be routed through west Maspeth to reach the expressway, instead of using Grand Avenue.
On October 19, the civic organization sent a letter to the city Department of Transportation expressing concerns about the triangle reconfiguration moving forward before the Truck Bypass Plan is finalized. “We believe that this will cause the traffic backup to become more of a problem down Grand Avenue,” the civic wrote. “Sr. Rose, the principal of St. Stan’s, is opposed to this reconfiguration because the trucks are already spewing toxic air into the windows of the school.”
Several days later, the group Transportation Alternatives wrote to DOT’s Queens Commissioner Maura McCarthy asking the department to reroute trucks off Grand Avenue so as to not “significantly impair the benefits of the Safe Streets to School program for St. Stanislaus… We want every Safe Streets to School project to succeed in every community and it would be a shame if it didn’t in Maspeth because of the through truck route,” wrote the group’s executive director, Paul Steely White.
A segment of the avenue between the two triangles was first closed to traffic two weeks ago, according to the JPCA. Since then, traffic jams have occurred, causing trucks to sit idling in front of the school. At times, traffic has backed up as far as the entrance to Mount Olivet Cemetery, nearly three blocks to the east.
Tony Nunziato, a JPCA executive member and chairman of the Maspeth-Middle Village Task Force has been one of the community members working for several years to have the Truck Bypass Plan implemented. “I have been stating since I first learned about the triangle reconfiguration several months ago that if the Bypass Plan wasn’t implemented before this construction, traffic would get worse and not better,” he said. “Unfortunately, I was right.”
Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, stressed that the group is “definitely in favor of the reconfiguration of this intersection,” but not without the bypass plan. “By not planning properly, DOT is turning what was a traffic headache into a nightmare,” he said.
The city DOT did not respond to several messages seeking comment on the civic organization’s concerns and the status of the Truck Bypass Plan. McCarthy said previously that there still are additional studies that must be completed before the bypass plan is implemented.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Parks Eyes Upgrades at Juniper Valley, Grover Cleveland
UPDATE PROVIDED AT MONTHLY MEETING
By Conor Greene
Parents and children can look forward to revamped playgrounds and sports fields in Middle Village and Ridgewood, the Parks Department informed members of Community Board 5 at its meeting last week.
Officials from the city’s Parks Department and a landscape architect firm unveiled plans to reconstruct a portion of the south playground at Juniper Valley Park, at 74th Street and Juniper Valley Boulevard in Middle Village and to install a turf field in Grover Cleveland Park in Ridgewood.
The presentations were part of Community Board 5’s monthly meeting in Christ the King High School last Wednesday. Board members did not express any major concerns with the proposed projects.
Turf Field at Grover Cleveland
The work at Grover Cleveland Park will include the conversion of an existing asphalt court to a synthetic turf field, according to landscape architect Thomas Atela of the Manhattan-based firm Abel Bainnson Butz, LLP. When the $1.3 million renovation is complete, the park will feature a softball field, two soccer fields and two volleyball courts.
The project’s design will be completed this fall, according to a Parks Department spokeswoman. Construction will begin shortly after and is expected to take about six months to finish. The project is part of the mayor’s PlaNYC initiative, which among other things, aims to convert asphalt courts into turf fields at 25 city parks.
Grover Cleveland is among five sites that were included in the project’s first phase, according to Atela. In addition to the fields, the project also includes new fences and perimeter tree plantings and an upgraded water drainage system. “We’re trying to be as green and environmentally-friendly as possible,” he said.
New Playground at JVP
Next, the department’s landscape architect, Lee Ann Beauchamp and the design supervisor for Queens, Nancy Prince, presented plans for the new playground at Juniper Valley Park. The reconstruction, funded by a $750,000 City Council earmark, will provide new play equipment at the eastern portion of the playground along Juniper Boulevard South at 74th Street. Separate areas will be established for toddlers and for children ages two to five and will also accommodate handicapped children.
The new design will incorporate the neighborhood’s past history as swampland. In 1915, the Juniper Swamp was filled in, becoming Juniper Valley Park and allowing for development of the surrounding area, according to the Parks Department. The new playground will feature wetland plants and animals, along with a spray shower and lily pad design in the concrete pavement area.
The existing basketball court at the western end of the playground will not be affected by the renovation project. In addition, as a result of meetings with local parents, gates will be installed at each entrance.
Turf and Sand Concerns
While board members were generally supportive of the projects, two aspects did concern some board members: the use of artificial turf at Grover Cleveland and the inclusion of a sandbox at Juniper Valley.
Responding to questions from board members, Atela explained that the “in-fill style” turf is made from a thermal plastic material, instead of rubber pellets used previously in city parks. “It is a fairly new product that performs well,” said Atela, adding that several different types and makes of turf will be used among the 25 field conversion projects planned around the city.
The turf being used at Grover Cleveland comes with an eight year warranty and can be peeled up and replaced. It will be inspected yearly by the manufacturer and will be maintained on a regular basis by Parks Department employees.
The second concern came from Lorraine Sciulli and other board members, who questioned whether the Juniper Valley Park project should include a sandbox. Sciulli argued that it could lead to hygiene issues, and others noted it could be used by stray cats.
The Parks representatives explained that the sandboxes are included at the direction of Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and said they are only installed in parks that include a field office. However, as a result of the board member’s concerns, the sandbox proposed for this project will be eliminated, according to the department.
These two parks efforts are part of the “largest expansion and improvement” of city parks since the 1930s, according to the department. “Thanks to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s vision for a greater, greener New York, the Parks Department has the funding to renovate numerous parks and to provide city residents with more opportunities for enjoying the outdoors all over the five boroughs,” a spokeswoman wrote in a statement.
Photo:Landscape architect Thomas Atela shows plans for Grover Cleveland park at last week’s Community Board 5 meeting.
Board Discusses Grand Ave, Budget and Roads
Issuess discussed at this month's Community Board 5 meeting included traffic concerns on Grand Avenue, local roads projects and the board’s capital budget.
Grand Ave Traffic Concerns
Tony Nunziato, who is challenging Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) in next month’s elections, spoke out against the city’s plan to combine two traffic triangles in Maspeth into a single, larger green space.
While Nunziato said he supports the park project in general, he says it doesn’t make sense to essentially eliminate a lane of Grand Avenue without first implementing the Maspeth Truck Bypass plan, referring to the stalled effort to prevent trucks from cutting through the heart of the neighborhood’s shopping district on their way to the expressway.
According to Nunziato, DOT crews have been prepping the area where Maspeth, Grand and Flushing avenues meet, meaning the project will likely move forward in the coming weeks. “Here we are at holiday time, with the economy in the dumpster, we need all the parking we can get, and they’re doing this,” he said. “The idea of a park is wonderful, and will bring this back to a walking community, but only if you take the trucks off the avenue first.”
Under the DOT’s project, the two existing traffic islands at that intersection will be combined into one larger space. To do so, a lane of Maspeth Avenue between Grand and Flushing avenues must be eliminated.
Capital Project Budget Vote
Board members voted on the capital and expense budgets for fiscal year 2010. The proposed projects are ranked and submitted to the city to help determine which initiatives move forward and receive funding.
The following list was approved by the board, with three members voting against it:
• Redesign and reconstruct sewer system in portions of areas having worst flooding
• Study of sewer system in CB 5 and Queens considering flooding problems and anticipated future growth
• Reconstruct Cooper Avenue underpass and construct a new pedestrian crosswalk
• Provide new catch basins and reconstruct deteriorated catch basins
• Reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park, phase two
• Renovate deteriorated schools and construct new school space where needed.
• Rehabilitate Glendale library branch
• Reconstruct ball fields, jogging path and add lights at Francis J. Principe Park
• Reconstruct south Middle Village streets
• Provide traffic improvements and rehabilitation at Fresh Pond Road
• Rehabilitate Ridgewood branch library, phase two
• Improve pedestrian and vehicle safety at Grand Avenue and 69th Street
• Reconstruct Dry Harbor playground, phase two.
• Provide new street tree plantings
• Establish a community/cultural/recreation center in Maspeth
• Flushing Avenue and Grand Avenue sewer projects
• Improve Myrtle Avenue commercial strip from Fresh Pond Road to 80th Street
• Rehabilitate Ridgewood Reservoir and portions of adjacent Highland Park
•Provide funding for historic restoration of St. Saviour’s church
•Reconstruct and widen sidewalk along the 80th Street bridge over the LIRR tracks
•Build a 104th Precinct parking facility
•Reconstruct 75th Street from Eliot Avenue to Juniper Boulevard North
•Provide lighting and restore curbing along Fred Haller’s Union Turnpike mall from Myrtle Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard
•Improve Myrtle/Wyckoff transit hub, including painting the M Train station
•Rehabilitate interior of 104th Precinct stationhouse
• Extend roadway widening along Metropolitan Avenue from Aubrey Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard
• Rehabilitate Evergreen Park playground
• Reconstruct streets that are along bus routes
• Reconstruct DeKalb Avenue, Halsey Street and Jefferson Street train stations
• Reconstruct Prokop Square at Fresh Pond Road and Cypress Hills Street
The board voted to approve the list with the exception of three members: Robert Holden, Lorraine Sciulli and Steve Fielder. Holden later said that he wanted the reconstruction of St. Saviour’s church to be included in the top ten.
“We [the Juniper Park Civic Association] fought so hard to save St. Saviour’s that all we ask is the board put it in the top ten so this can become a reality,” said Holden, who is also president of the JPCA. “The board did nothing to save the church and now they can’t even support the effort by putting it in the top ten.”
He also criticized the board’s practice of including items that have already been funded. “The board has a long history of including projects in their capital list that have already been funded,” said Holden. “Didn’t we listen to a design presentation for phase two reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park that evening? In order for design to start, the project must be funded, yet the board has Grover Cleveland as number five.”
Road Projects Updates
Board District Manager Gary Giordano provided an update on local road improvement projects.
Maspeth Avenue has been completed from 61st Street to Maurice Avenue, which he called a “big get for use” since that project had been refused several times previously. Forest Avenue between Metropolitan and Myrtle avenues has been completed, but a portion needs to be redone due to a batch of bad asphalt, said Giordano. In addition, Myrtle Avenue from Fresh Pond Road to Woodhaven Boulevard is complete, as is Central Avenue.
Next year, the board will focus on roads in Middle Village, including Juniper Boulevard North and South. “They are tentatively on the list for next year,” said Giordano.
VFW Liquor License Application
Giordano reported that the Haspel Staab VFW post in Middle Village has now filed an application with the state Liquor Authority to expand the use of its liquor license to apply to the building’s side yard.
The request had received backlash from some residents, who objected to allowing the post members to drink outside, especially during parties the neighbors say are noisy. The issue was discussed at the board’s land use committee meeting earlier this month, but post Commander Michael Brown was unable to attend that session due to the death of his father.
While the application is now in the hands of the state, Giordano expressed hope that a compromise between the members and neighbors can be worked out, “more than just whether to use it or not use it,” he said. However, the board will inform the state that it received “some objections” to expansion of the license.
Grand Ave Traffic Concerns
Tony Nunziato, who is challenging Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) in next month’s elections, spoke out against the city’s plan to combine two traffic triangles in Maspeth into a single, larger green space.
While Nunziato said he supports the park project in general, he says it doesn’t make sense to essentially eliminate a lane of Grand Avenue without first implementing the Maspeth Truck Bypass plan, referring to the stalled effort to prevent trucks from cutting through the heart of the neighborhood’s shopping district on their way to the expressway.
According to Nunziato, DOT crews have been prepping the area where Maspeth, Grand and Flushing avenues meet, meaning the project will likely move forward in the coming weeks. “Here we are at holiday time, with the economy in the dumpster, we need all the parking we can get, and they’re doing this,” he said. “The idea of a park is wonderful, and will bring this back to a walking community, but only if you take the trucks off the avenue first.”
Under the DOT’s project, the two existing traffic islands at that intersection will be combined into one larger space. To do so, a lane of Maspeth Avenue between Grand and Flushing avenues must be eliminated.
Capital Project Budget Vote
Board members voted on the capital and expense budgets for fiscal year 2010. The proposed projects are ranked and submitted to the city to help determine which initiatives move forward and receive funding.
The following list was approved by the board, with three members voting against it:
• Redesign and reconstruct sewer system in portions of areas having worst flooding
• Study of sewer system in CB 5 and Queens considering flooding problems and anticipated future growth
• Reconstruct Cooper Avenue underpass and construct a new pedestrian crosswalk
• Provide new catch basins and reconstruct deteriorated catch basins
• Reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park, phase two
• Renovate deteriorated schools and construct new school space where needed.
• Rehabilitate Glendale library branch
• Reconstruct ball fields, jogging path and add lights at Francis J. Principe Park
• Reconstruct south Middle Village streets
• Provide traffic improvements and rehabilitation at Fresh Pond Road
• Rehabilitate Ridgewood branch library, phase two
• Improve pedestrian and vehicle safety at Grand Avenue and 69th Street
• Reconstruct Dry Harbor playground, phase two.
• Provide new street tree plantings
• Establish a community/cultural/recreation center in Maspeth
• Flushing Avenue and Grand Avenue sewer projects
• Improve Myrtle Avenue commercial strip from Fresh Pond Road to 80th Street
• Rehabilitate Ridgewood Reservoir and portions of adjacent Highland Park
•Provide funding for historic restoration of St. Saviour’s church
•Reconstruct and widen sidewalk along the 80th Street bridge over the LIRR tracks
•Build a 104th Precinct parking facility
•Reconstruct 75th Street from Eliot Avenue to Juniper Boulevard North
•Provide lighting and restore curbing along Fred Haller’s Union Turnpike mall from Myrtle Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard
•Improve Myrtle/Wyckoff transit hub, including painting the M Train station
•Rehabilitate interior of 104th Precinct stationhouse
• Extend roadway widening along Metropolitan Avenue from Aubrey Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard
• Rehabilitate Evergreen Park playground
• Reconstruct streets that are along bus routes
• Reconstruct DeKalb Avenue, Halsey Street and Jefferson Street train stations
• Reconstruct Prokop Square at Fresh Pond Road and Cypress Hills Street
The board voted to approve the list with the exception of three members: Robert Holden, Lorraine Sciulli and Steve Fielder. Holden later said that he wanted the reconstruction of St. Saviour’s church to be included in the top ten.
“We [the Juniper Park Civic Association] fought so hard to save St. Saviour’s that all we ask is the board put it in the top ten so this can become a reality,” said Holden, who is also president of the JPCA. “The board did nothing to save the church and now they can’t even support the effort by putting it in the top ten.”
He also criticized the board’s practice of including items that have already been funded. “The board has a long history of including projects in their capital list that have already been funded,” said Holden. “Didn’t we listen to a design presentation for phase two reconstruction of Grover Cleveland Park that evening? In order for design to start, the project must be funded, yet the board has Grover Cleveland as number five.”
Road Projects Updates
Board District Manager Gary Giordano provided an update on local road improvement projects.
Maspeth Avenue has been completed from 61st Street to Maurice Avenue, which he called a “big get for use” since that project had been refused several times previously. Forest Avenue between Metropolitan and Myrtle avenues has been completed, but a portion needs to be redone due to a batch of bad asphalt, said Giordano. In addition, Myrtle Avenue from Fresh Pond Road to Woodhaven Boulevard is complete, as is Central Avenue.
Next year, the board will focus on roads in Middle Village, including Juniper Boulevard North and South. “They are tentatively on the list for next year,” said Giordano.
VFW Liquor License Application
Giordano reported that the Haspel Staab VFW post in Middle Village has now filed an application with the state Liquor Authority to expand the use of its liquor license to apply to the building’s side yard.
The request had received backlash from some residents, who objected to allowing the post members to drink outside, especially during parties the neighbors say are noisy. The issue was discussed at the board’s land use committee meeting earlier this month, but post Commander Michael Brown was unable to attend that session due to the death of his father.
While the application is now in the hands of the state, Giordano expressed hope that a compromise between the members and neighbors can be worked out, “more than just whether to use it or not use it,” he said. However, the board will inform the state that it received “some objections” to expansion of the license.
Crowley, Residents Push for DOT Action in Middle Village
By Conor Greene
City Council candidate Elizabeth Crowley and a group of Middle Village residents took to the street last week to call on the city to take steps to reduce the amount of drivers speeding through their neighborhood.
Crowley, a Glendale Democrat challenging incumbent Anthony Como for his spot on the City Council, gathered with about a dozen residents at the intersection of 73rd Place and 66th Drive, on Friday afternoon. According to the residents, drivers routinely speed through the intersection, which is a block north of Metropolitan Avenue, endangering the many young children who live nearby.
“It is a problem – lots of cars do speed down here,” said 71-year-old Tony Demeri, who has lived in the neighborhood for 41 years. “It is a hazard to everybody who lives here, especially children. It is not a healthy situation.”
The residents are asking that the city Department of Transportation conduct traffic studies at that location to determine whether a stop sign or other traffic calming measures, such as speed humps, can be installed. Crowley was joined at the event by the chief of staff for Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing), who is the chair of City Council’s Transportation Committee.
According to Crowley, officers from the 104th Precinct previously had a temporary speed trap setup on the block, with some cars clocked at more than 60 miles per hour. “We’re casting light on a situation that is very dangerous,” she said. “It is an accident wait- ing to happen and needs at least a stop sign.”
John Choe, who represented Councilman Liu at the event, vowed to push for DOT to conduct a “thorough study” of the intersection. “We will bring it to the attention of the DOT, which is a big agency that doesn’t always know what is going on in each community.”
However, neighbors have been reaching out to the DOT for help for at least two years, according to resident Jennifer Rup. She wrote to former Councilman Dennis Gallagher in 2006, who forwarded her concerns to Maura McCarthy, Queens Commissioner of the DOT. Rup said she received no response, and wrote a letter to current Councilman Anthony Como in July. He also wrote to McCarthy to alert her of the situation.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Rup, a mother of three-year-old twin girls, of the lack of response from DOT. “We’ve tried since 2006, and nobody has responded. They’re waiting for a fatality to happen.”
In addition, Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, wrote to the DOT’s Office of Signals and Intersection Control to request a stop sign at the intersection. “Seventy-third Place is too often used by speeding vehicles, who have little regard for the intersecting traffic going from Metropolitan Avenue north towards Juniper Valley Road,” he wrote in the letter, which was copied to McCarthy.
A message left with the DOT seeking a comment from McCarthy on the request was not returned as of press time.
“They know how many people are speeding,” said Crowley, referring to the DOT. “We’ve seen it ourselves in the past fifteen minutes, and this is not even the height of it.”
Update: A DOT spokesman said following press time that a previous study found a stop sign is not warranted at the location, but the department is still looking into whether speed bumps should be installed there.
Girl, 5, Recovering from Ridgewood Gang Shooting
Injured in Ridgewood While Walking Home
By Conor Greene
As a five-year-old girl shot earlier this week continues to recover in a Manhattan hospital, police continue the investigation, which has already resulted in three arrests.
W
hile the gunman in the incident on Himrod at about 9:30 p.m. on Monday remains at large, three reputed members of the Trinitarios gang have been arrested in connection with the shooting, and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly expects additional arrests.
The girl was shot while walking with her parents through their Ridgewood neighborhood on the way home from visiting nearby relatives, according to police sources. Her father noticed members of the Bloods gang following behind them. He then saw a man, later identified as a member of the Trinitarios, walking towards them holding a machete.
The family tried to flee along Himrod before realizing that the little girl had been struck by a bullet, said police. They took her on foot to nearby Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, where she was treated for a collapsed lung. She has since been moved to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell, where she is in critical but stable condition.
Doctors are still working to recover the bullet that pierced her lung, as family members keep a bedside vigil at the hospital. “It’s their only daughter, so they’re kind of distraught,” said a police source of the family.
Also injured in the shootout was 22-year-old Frances Dejesus of Stanhope Street. According to a police report, the victim was standing in front of 17-12 Himrod with a group of friends when five males approached from Seneca Avenue. A Hispanic male, about 22 to 25 years old and wearing a red bandana, pulled out a gun and shot Dejesus in the left leg.
Several minutes after responding to a report of a man shot, police were alerted that a child was also shot. A crime scene was established, but despite a search that included a helicopter flying overhead and officers on nearby rooftops, the shooter remains at large.
However, officers from the 104th Precinct used video footage from near the scene to identify a number of suspects who were interviewed. In addition, police identified other people of interest through summonses issued last week at a hooky party in a nearby apartment building.
So far, the only people arrested in the incident are Thomas Herro, 18, Antonio Rosario, 16, and Wilson Santana, 16, who police say are members of the Trinitarios.
By Conor Greene
As a five-year-old girl shot earlier this week continues to recover in a Manhattan hospital, police continue the investigation, which has already resulted in three arrests.
W
hile the gunman in the incident on Himrod at about 9:30 p.m. on Monday remains at large, three reputed members of the Trinitarios gang have been arrested in connection with the shooting, and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly expects additional arrests.
The girl was shot while walking with her parents through their Ridgewood neighborhood on the way home from visiting nearby relatives, according to police sources. Her father noticed members of the Bloods gang following behind them. He then saw a man, later identified as a member of the Trinitarios, walking towards them holding a machete.
The family tried to flee along Himrod before realizing that the little girl had been struck by a bullet, said police. They took her on foot to nearby Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, where she was treated for a collapsed lung. She has since been moved to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell, where she is in critical but stable condition.
Doctors are still working to recover the bullet that pierced her lung, as family members keep a bedside vigil at the hospital. “It’s their only daughter, so they’re kind of distraught,” said a police source of the family.
Also injured in the shootout was 22-year-old Frances Dejesus of Stanhope Street. According to a police report, the victim was standing in front of 17-12 Himrod with a group of friends when five males approached from Seneca Avenue. A Hispanic male, about 22 to 25 years old and wearing a red bandana, pulled out a gun and shot Dejesus in the left leg.
Several minutes after responding to a report of a man shot, police were alerted that a child was also shot. A crime scene was established, but despite a search that included a helicopter flying overhead and officers on nearby rooftops, the shooter remains at large.
However, officers from the 104th Precinct used video footage from near the scene to identify a number of suspects who were interviewed. In addition, police identified other people of interest through summonses issued last week at a hooky party in a nearby apartment building.
So far, the only people arrested in the incident are Thomas Herro, 18, Antonio Rosario, 16, and Wilson Santana, 16, who police say are members of the Trinitarios.
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