MTA Set to Renovate Shabby Stations

By Eric Yun

One of Ridgewood’s worst train stations, along with several other stations in Queens, will be repaired over the next three years, according to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).

The Seneca Avenue stop on the M train was rated as the worst station in the city by MTA’s internal reports. In 2009, MTA engineers graded each station looking at the condition of interior and platform stairs, walls, floors and ceilings. These components were graded on a scale of 1-5 (five being the worst), and the Seneca Avenue stop scored a 3.5 in each category.

The station was included as part of the MTA’s 2010-2014 capital program for station renewal, MTA spokesperson Deirdre Parker con- firmed. According to Parker, the station renewal is in the design phase and construction is tentatively scheduled for October 2011.

According to the New York Daily News, other stations in line for repairs are Fresh Pond Road and Forest and Knickerbocker and Central Avenue on the M line. On the A line, the 80th, 88th, 104th, 111th, Rockaway and Lefferts boulevards stations will be renovated.

In all, the MTA’s station renewal project will repair 25 stations and cost $375 million dollars.

Arrest Made in Forest Hills Robbery Spree

By Eric Yun

Forest Hills and Kew Gardens residents were fearful when they learned a mugger was targeting women in the area, but police report an arrest has been made in the case.

Since the beginning of the year, police said a mugger targeted women and used physical force to steal their property. In all, ten rob- beries were reported—six cases occurred within the 112th Precinct.

A 48-year-old woman was robbed on January 9 at 64th Avenue and 102nd Street; a 52-year-old woman was robbed on January 10 around 64th Road and 99th Street; on the same night, a 31-year-old woman was robbed on the Grand Central Parkway service road; on January 12 a 22-year-old woman was robbed on 67th Avenue and Yellow- stone Boulevard; on January 13 a 28-year- old woman was robbed on 62nd Drive and 98th Street; and finally on January 15, a 62- year-old woman was robbed on Dieterle Cresent.

“I’m concerned,” Forest Hills resident Flor Angela Castro told the Daily News. “Now I’ll be more careful walking on Austin Street.”

Castro may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. On January 21, officers arrested Brian Rodriguez, 33, of Nassau County for the incident on 64th Avenue and 102nd Street and the incident on 62nd Drive and 98th Street. He has been charged with second-degree robbery in both cases. The investigation is ongoing, but residents hope this is a major break in the case.
Rodriguez was allegedly working with an accomplice during the crimes. Anyone with additional information in regards to these incidents is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1- 800-577-TIPS (8477). All calls are confidential.

This Week's Forum South and West

Be sure to check out our paper online at and read our special feature on Catholic Schools week.

Women Held Captive During Robberies

Police are seeking suspects in a series of armed robberies in Queens involving women in their late 50s and early 60s being held captive.

The most recent of three robberies linked to this group occurred near Marengo Street and McLaughlin Avenue in Jamaica Estates on January 14. At approximately 11:30 p.m. two men grabbed a 68-year-old woman and pushed her into her car. When she screamed, the two fled in a dark sedan.

The previous two robberies, occurring on April 14 and December 22, 2010, followed the same pattern, but the women, age 63 and 58 respectively, were held while two or three male suspects gathered their valuables and a female accomplice used their debit cards to withdraw cash at a nearby ATM.

The police said that while a firearm was either shown or threatened during each of the three incidences, no one has yet been injured.

The police released a sketch of one of the three male subjects and a video of their female accomplice as she entered a bank to withdraw money from the ATM as one victim was held in
her car. The other suspects were reportedly wearing masks.

The male suspect is described as a 5-foot 8-inch black man in his 20s, medium build, with a clear complexion. The female suspect, also in her 20s, is between 5 feet 3 inches and 5 feet 6 inches, 120 and 140 pounds, and has long curly black hair.

The police are requesting that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-8477, submit their tips on the Crime Stoppers' website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or text CRIMES
(274637), then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

Teachers Dress in Black to Protest School Closings

By Jason Barczy

Teachers for P.S. 30 Ruby S. Couche Elementary School showed up to an educational town hall meeting on January 13 dressed in black to protest a New York City Department of Education (DOE) proposal phasing out the Jamaica school.

Teachers and parents, along with some students debated the proposal, sometimes angrily, and asked DOE Director of Public Affairs Lenny Speiller about the future of the school.

Third-grader Demir Rogers-Barker stood with her mother, Deshanna Barker, and said, “Everyday I walk out of this school, I feel like a new person.”

The DOE is proposing that Jamaica’s students and staff of P.S.30 andP.S.40 along with Richmond Hill High School and August Martin High School, be phased out. The Panel of Educational Policy will vote on the proposal during a public meeting at 6 p.m. on February 1.

In the case of P.S. 30, a new school would open in the building as early as September and begin enrolling kindergarten, first grade and second grade students.

“This school is amazing,” said 5th grade teacher at P.S. 30 Jamaal Williams. “We cannot close this school and at the end of the day the children and the staff have the ability to suc- ceed. This is a place of learning.”

According to the DOE, P.S. 30 has struggled for years. Last year, only 27 percent of students were on grade level in English and only 31 percent were on grade level in math. P.S. 30 earned an overall D grade last year on its Progress Report with an F grade for School Performance and C grades in both Student Progress and School Environment sub-sections.

“Those stats are pretty telling,” Speiller said to Jamaica resident Elaine Jackson when asked for specifics on why the closure was being considered. “The school has struggled for a while.”

It’s the same story for P.S. 40, which earned an overall D grade on its 2009-10 Progress Report and at Richmond Hill and August Martin high schools the graduation rates have remained below 50 percent for more than five years.

Richmond Hill saw modest improvement in the school’s graduation rate. It rose to 48 percent in 2009, but it remains well below the 63 percent citywide average. The New York State Education Department named Richmond Hill as one of the “Persistently Lowest Achieving” schools in the entire state.

At this point, the DOE has no specific plans for Richmond Hill but is developing an action plan that may include phasing the school out or simply replacing staff, changing leadership and introducing a new program.

“Closing schools should not be an alternative,” said state Senator Joseph Addabbo (D- Howard Beach). “These are tough fiscal times for both the city and state and we have to make cuts because we can’t afford certain services anymore but we need to collectively do a better job to minimize cuts to education."

The DOE has scheduled a joint public hearing at P.S. 30 at 6 p.m. on January 27 where it hopes to hear an action plan put together by teachers, parents and school administrators on how to move P.S. 30 from a D to an A grade on its Progress Report.

“At one time this was an excellent school,” said State Senator Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica). “We’re going to do everything we can to make this right.”

Putting the Brakes on Rogue Cyclists

Ulrich Proposes Bike Registration

By Eric Yun

New York City is undeniably going to great lengths to promote biking. The city Department of Transportation (DOT) said cycling has doubled since 2005. But, many, including Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), worry that cyclists may be too prone to abusing the rules of the road.
Ulrich believes a simple way to curtail reckless cyclists is bicycle registration. Under his tentative proposal, adult bicycle owners would be required to register their bicycles and display some form of identification.

“[The proposal] came as a result with several meetings with constituents—many who are senior citizens—concerned about public safety,” Ulrich said. “I want to protect the well-being of people who share the road.”

Ulrich said his constituents are concerned about their safety because they feel most cyclists don’t follow traffic laws. “Traffic laws are broken every day in the city, and the person keeps on pedaling,” Ulrich said. “Every day across the city, bikes are directly or indirectly involved in an accident, and there is no way to identify them.”

“The city bends over backwards to accommodate bicycle riders, but yet we don’t accommodate the needs of everyone else on the road,” Ulrich continued.

Since Ulrich unveiled his plans to the New York Post last Thursday, the criticism has been swift.

Transportation Alternatives, New York City’s biggest advocacy group for public transit and bicycles, is already gearing up for a fight.

In an e-mail sent to Transportation Alternatives members, Paul Steely White, executive director of the group, blasted the “draconian” plan and wrote: “This misguided proposal is a waste of city’s resources and does nothing to improve safety, cycling or the city.”

Transportation Alternatives started a campaign against the proposal and is urging concerned cyclists to let Ulrich know how they feel about bicycle registration.

“Practically speaking, bicycle registration would criminalize bicycling, waste valuable city resources and erect yet another obstacle for those seeking to ride a bike,” White wrote in the e-mail campaign. “It would do nothing to improve safety or enforcement. … There are sufficient traffic laws on the books, covering drivers, cyclists and commercial cyclists. What’s missing from the equation isn’t an ID tag, it’s the NYPD’s participation in enforcement.”

Transportation Alternatives also noted that the most dangerous vehicles are still cars.

“According to the DMV, in 2009 there were 75,539 automobile crashes in New York City, less than 4 percent of those crashes involved a bicycle,” White wrote.

Caroline Samponaro, director of bicycle advocacy for Transportation Alternatives, said requiring bicycle registration would actually decrease safety.

“Studies have shown as more cyclists ride bikes, it becomes safer to ride. We want to encourage people to ride bikes. Don’t create unnecessary red tape,” Samponaro said. “We feel strongly that the solution to [reckless riders] is NYPD enforcement. Cyclists already need to produce a proof of ID when they’re stopped and ticketed.”

If Ulrich really wanted to stop lawless bikers, he should be in contact with the local police precincts to step up enforcement, Samponaro said.

Local community groups acknowledge there are problems with the city’s current bicycle rules and riders, but are mixed in their support of bike registration.

One possible local ally for bike registration is Mary Ann Carey, district manager of Community Board 9. In the past, she has proposed regulations charging cyclists for parking on city bike racks. Carey could not comment specifically on Ulrich’s proposal because it hasn’t been presented to the board, but on a personal level, she said she agreed something should be done.

“[Cyclists] endanger people on the sidewalk, people on the street and drivers of automobiles. There needs to be some guidelines,” Carey said.

Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said he hasn’t had many problems with bikers in Middle Village, but he has heard occasional complaints about people riding on sidewalks and riding through Juniper Valley Park harassing pedestrians. “Obviously the problem in Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn is much worse,” he said. “In principal, something needs to be done as long as it doesn’t become a bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.”

Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, feels bike riding is useful for the community. “Generally speaking, most of us think [biking] is a good activity health wise. If they’re riding bicycles, they’re not driving cars, reducing pollution and congestion,” Giordano said.

Giordano’s biggest problem with bicycles is that narrow streets such as Myrtle or Central avenues make it nearly impossible to install bike lanes, and passing cars must cross the double yellow line into oncoming traffic. “It’s not easy [to bike] here. We don’t want them on the sidewalk, but very often, that’s the only place they feel safe.”

Ulrich, however, said many of the criticisms are unfounded. No bill has been formally been introduced or drafted because his office is still trying to feedback and perspective from various groups including Transportation Alternatives, he said. A meeting has been planned between Ulrich and Transportation Alternatives, and Ulrich said he wants to hear every side before proposing legislation to the Council.

Bicycle registration won’t waste city resources either, Ulrich said. “When the bill is drafted, it’s not going to cost a dime. It will be a one-time, free registration.”

He envisions a proposal where the existing DOT bicycles unit handles the costs and riders can go to NYC.gov and download applications for free. “It’s not going to tax people for riding a bicycle,” Ulrich said.

Enforcement and responsible cycling would increase with registration, Ulrich said. By holding cyclists accountable, bikers would be more responsible and “think twice before blowing the stop sign or a red light,” he said.

Ulrich also argued that people hit by bicycles could actually identify the offending cyclist and file a complaint report with police.

“This is not a punitive measure, and I’m not against bicycles,” Ulrich said. “I applaud people who ride bicycles; it’s good exercise and good for the environment.”

But Ulrich believes bicycle registration is necessary to keep everyone safe and accountable. “This is the right thing to do. There is a totally unfair, double standard enforcing traffic laws. And nobody is above the law.”

Jewish Monument Planned on Chaplains Hill

By Jason Barczy

Last Thursday, at the Kew Forest Jewish War Veteran Post, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) announced legislation calls for the construction of a memorial honoring the 13 Jewish chaplains who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The memorial would be installed on Chaplains Hill in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, which honors men and women who gave their lives in combat. Currently, Chaplains Hill has three monuments saluting the Christian religious men in the military, but none that recognize Jewish chaplains.

“These chaplains who served their country so honorably deserve this memorial, just like those of other faiths,” Weiner said. “I believe there will be strong support for this resolution in Con- gress, and I look forward to the day when I can stand with my colleagues and see this memorial unveiled at Arlington National Cemetery.”

Weiner was joined by representatives of various Jewish War Veterans groups from throughout Queens, including Seymour Weber, a member of Kew Forest Post 250 and a World War II veteran.

“I think it’s very, very important that we not be forgotten. It is so important we’re there as much as anybody else,” Weber said. “We served the best we could do for the United States of America.”

Jewish chaplains have served in the Armed Forces since 1862, and there are currently 32 rabbis on active duty. According to the U.S. Army, about 1,800 soldiers identified themselves as Jewish in 2009.

“The service of these chaplains goes beyond just providing religious service in the field,” said Jason Katz, a member of the Jewish Chaplains Queens County Council and a Vietnam War veteran. “They serve as a means for the troops to sit down and talk with people in uniform who understand their way of life and are very, very helpful.”

Weiner sent a letter to his colleagues last year to introduce the resolution and within two months, 23 members of Congress signed on as co-sponsors.

Weiner said that sometimes the recognition of creates controversy, “but in the case of the Jewish chaplains in the military, for literally generations, they have been providing service and in many cases dying in action and there has been no recognition as best as we can tell be- cause no one thought of it until relatively recently.”

The memorial to honor Jewish chaplains would join a 1926 monument honoring 23 World War I chaplains, a 1981 memorial dedicated to 134 Protestant chaplains and a 1989 memorial for 83 Catholic chaplains. All memorials erected in Arlington National Cemetery require a joint concurrent resolution by Congress, and the Jewish Chaplains Council said they have raised all the funds needed to construct the memorial.

Mayor Bloomberg Delivers State of the City Address

Announces Plan to Increase Taxi Service in Outer Boroughs

By Eric Yun

Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivered the annual State of the City address at St. George Theater on Staten Island on Wednesday.

Bloomberg outlined his agenda for 2011, and said the city needed to continue reviving the economy, balancing the budget and modernizing the government. The mayor pledged to not raise taxes, despite pressures on next year’s budget that will be greater than ever.

“We can look back, and continue funding a government operating system that was built for another era,” said Bloomberg. “Or we can look forward and continue rebounding, continue growing, continue forging ahead and leading the nation. But we cannot do both.”

Bloomberg wants to revitalize many areas in the city including Queens, as the city cannot survive if New Yorkers move. “In Queens, shovels will go into the ground at Hunters Point South, where we’ll begin to transform long vacant land into a new middle-class development fueled by $2 billion in private investments that will create 4,600 jobs,” he said.

Cultural centers like the Queens Museum of Art will also receive funding to build new facilities. Bloomberg said that although money is tight, it is important to invest in the city’s cultural infrastructure.

Attracting people to New York is also a big priority. Bloomberg said he is pushing for federal immigration reform that would allow the next generation of entrepreneurs into the city. He also intends to enhance the city’s academic institutions to attract leaders in education and medicine.

Bloomberg also announced a proposal to allow livery cab drivers to make on-street pick- ups outside of Manhattan.

“Why shouldn’t someone in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or Staten Island be able to hail a legal cab on the street? Ninety-seven percent of yellow cab pick-ups happen in Manhattan or at the airports – even though 80 percent of New Yorkers live outside of Manhattan,” Bloomberg said.

A new category of livery cars would be created under Bloomberg’s proposal that would provide all city residents a safe, reliable and convenient way to hail cabs. “Because whether you’re standing on 42nd Street in Manhattan or 42nd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn or 42nd Street in Sunnyside, Queens, you ought to be able to hail a cab,” he said.

The city is facing tough times, Bloomberg conceded, but he is confident the city will bounce back as it has always done. He described the state of the city as “strong, united, determined and ready to meet any challenge. Today, tomorrow and forever.”

Railroad Eyesore Cleaned

By Eric Yun

The New York and Atlantic Railway tracks above Otto Street and Ridgewood along Joseph Mafera Park have blighted Glendale with years of litter and graffiti-covered rail trestles.

After numerous complaints, Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) teamed up with the Long Island Rail Road to clean the railway.

“People should not have to live with gang graffiti in their neighborhood and I am proud to announce that the graffiti along the rail trestles has been painted over,” Miller said.

Community groups like Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions have organized similar clean-ups in the neighborhood. At the most recent clean-up, Crowley commended the community for past efforts.

“Sometimes small changes make big differences and I am pleased that the LIRR, New York and Atlantic Railway and the [Department of Sanitation] are stepping up their efforts to join local residents in cleaning up our community,” she said.

According to Miller, Painting over the graffiti is just the first step.

“We are still working on fixing many more issues with sanitation to increase the frequency of trash pick up and vermin eradication under the trestles,” he said. “We have begun working with organizations for the homeless that have agreed to house any indigents who are living in the area.”

Anyone witnessing trash dumping, graffiti spraying or any crime related to the train trestles is asked to notify Miller’s office at 718-805-0950. If a crime is in progress, call 911.

Relief From Diesel Soot in Glendale

By Eric Yun

Local residents surrounded by the Jackie Robinson Parkway, the Long Island Expressway and Fresh Pond Rail Yard breathe in toxic air emissions daily. The cocktail of fumes increase residents’ risk for cancer and respiratory problems including asthma and emphysema. The number of children hospi- talized for asthma in Queens is more than triple the national average, according to the city’s Health Department.

Now, at least one form of emissions—diesel soot—could be decreased significantly.

The city’s Department of Small Business Services and Economic Development Corporation (EDC) submitted two grant applications to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would replace antiquated diesel engines on trains operated by CSX, New York and Atlantic Railway and the Long Island Railroad with more efficient models.

Glendale resident Mary Parisen has been fighting to improve rail traffic and emissions for several years. She and Laura Zimmer started Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES) to lobby for changes in how rail companies operate locally and have been in constant contact with EDC and rail companies. They were both thrilled about the progress the grants showed.

“This is a significant step in the right direct,” said Parisen. “We have dreamed of and advocated for a US EPA grant application for new locomotives that will replace old, polluting 1978 LIRR equipment and reduce harmful diesel emissions in our neighborhood. Today we see this dream becoming reality.”

According to the submitted grant applications, repowering the locomotive fleet will reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by 76 percent annually and particulate matter emissions by 62 percent annually.

All the major rail companies operating through Fresh Pond Rail Yard have come together to reduce emissions. CSX offered their support and matching funds of $750,000 to complete the project. Waste Management, which transports trash through the station, has pledged $1.4 million in support. New York and Atlantic also promised funding to help the project.

The grants also have strong political support. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Councilman James Vacca, who chairs the Transportation Committee, and Councilman James Gennaro, who chairs the Environmental Protection Committee, sent a letter to the EPA support the grant.

“The repowered locomotives will leverage advanced and proven technologies to provide significant air quality improvements for the individuals who live and work in and around rail facilities in Kings, Queens and Bronx Counties,” the statement said.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler also wrote to support the program.

The unified approach displayed in this grant process was always a major goal of CURES. “In an era of scarcer resources, everyone has to work together on practical, focused planning and action that create a better life today and a sustainable future for the city, business and residents,” said Zimmer.

“CURES’ leaders have been advocating for public-private partnerships that pool their resources to make freight rail improvements and develop freight transportation alternatives,” Parisen said.

If the EPA approves the grant, the repowering would begin in May and take approximately two years to complete.

Community Angered by Rezoning Proposal

By Eric Yun

Angry parents joined together at IS 119 in Glendale to protest the city Department of Education (DOE) proposal to rezone the school, a move they say would force children to cross busy streets and destroy the character of local neighborhoods.

The DOE’s Division of Portfolio and Plan- ning intends to redraw the schools’ enrollment boundaries after changing the facility to a K-8 school. IS 119 will begin expanding next year, and a new zone for kindergarten stu- dents must be created.

While creating the zone, Portfolio said it wanted to rezone the southern portion of the district to alleviate overcrowding and balance enrollment across the district. This means the current zones, especially for PS 113, 91, 68, 88, 239, 71, 81 and 305, would shift slightly. Students already in the school are not affected, and students with an older sibling attending a rezoned school will be given preference to keep the family together.

But generally, the parents who attended the meeting voiced their displeasure with the proposal.

“Kids should not have to cross a busy block to go to school,” said Kathy Masi, president of the Glendale Civic Association. “Don’t split up a community just because Portfolio says you have to.”

Under the proposal, many kids who could have walked a few blocks to nearby PS 88 would now have to walk over 10 blocks to PS 91. Along the way, they would have to cross busy streets like Central Avenue.

Patricia Crowley, a member of Community Board 5’s Education Committee, agreed rezoning would destroy close-knit communities. “It’s wrong to come into a neighborhood and split it.” Patricia Crowley also argued parents were not given proper notice about the changes.

Portfolio officials at the meeting said they were following proper protocol, and the public meeting was designed to get community input. However, Marge Kolb, president of the District 24 Presidents’ Council asked why only one meeting was being held. All schools affected by the rezoning should have a public community meeting, Kolb said in a statement read by Jo Ann Berger at the meeting.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D- Middle Village) also joined parents protesting the proposal. “Far too many school zones are being affected. It’s hard for the community to really understand the impact of these changes,” she said.

Councilwoman Crowley and others pleaded for patience. Two additional schools, including one planned for the former Rite Aid site on Metropolitan Avenue, are scheduled to open within the next two years, and additional rezoning would have to occur.

“Why not zone PS/IS 119 as proposed and leave other schools’ zones intact for the next year to see what way things shake out?” said Kolb. “PS/IS 119 could also be used next year for overflow kindergarteners for a number of area schools while the impact of the Rite Aid school is worked out and demographic numbers are looked at more closely.”

Nick Comaianni, president of Community Education Council 24 (CEC 24), said reaching a compromise on rezoning might be better than rejecting the proposal outright. Comaianni said the DOE could simply cap kindergarten admission rates, and force stu- dents zoned for a school attend the school of the department’s choice.

CEC 24 will vote on the proposal at their next meeting on January 25 at 7 p.m. at IS 73, 70-02 54th Avenue, in Maspeth.

Scary Shooting After CTK Basketball Game

By Eric Yun

Instead of celebrating Christ the King High School men’s basketball victory over Bishop Loughlin Memorial on Friday night, head coach Joe Arbitello feared for his life as gunfire erupted outside the Brooklyn school as he was walking to the team bus after the game. Ultimately, five teens were shot.

“I was scared. I didn’t know where [the gunfire] was coming from,” Arbitello told the New York Daily News.

Christ the King defeated Bishop Loughlin 69-57 Friday night, but after the game an argument broke out near the school. Police said five teens, ranging from 17 to 19 years old were shot. None sustained life-threatening injuries and were transported to Kings County Hospital in stable condition.

According to the Daily News, the argument was sparked by a $250 Louis Vitton hat.

Councilwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn) said this was a random act and no Bishop Loughlin or Christ the King students were involved. She is concerned about safety at future sporting events.

“I would like to hold a meeting with the leaders and basketball teams of both schools to discuss methods for security and protecting the students, as well as protecting the community and all visitors during and after basketball game nights,” she said.

The police released surveillance footage from Bishop Loghlin of four suspects. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or on nypdcrimestoppers.com

This Week's Forum South and West

Police Arrest Suspect in Livery Cab Shooting

The suspect in the shooting of a livery cab driver in South Ozone Park was arrested Tuesday in Buffalo and charged with second-degree attempted murder of a 53- year-old livery cab driver in December.

Shawn Peace, 22, of 161-18 118th Avenue in Jamaica, al- legedly shot Trevor Bell multiple times on the night of December 3 after Peace hailed Bell’s livery cab at 117- 02 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica.

Bell drove Peace to 117-60 122nd Street in South Ozone Park where a struggle ensued between the two men in the front seat of the cab. Peace allegedly shot Bell in his neck and limbs before fleeing.

“This shooting of a hardworking livery cab driver who is married and the father of six children will be vigorously prosecuted,” said Queen District Attorney Richard Brown in a statement. “The victim in this case is the sole breadwinner for his family and was trying to earn some extra cash for the holidays when he was shot during the course of an alleged robbery.”

Police responded to a 911 call on the corner of 122nd Street and Sutter Avenue and found Bell slumped over in the driver’s seat of the cab with four gunshot wounds — one to the right hand, one to the neck, one to the left leg and one to the right leg.

Bell was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where he remains hospitalized with a bullet lodged in his neck.

“It has been more than six weeks since the incident and the victim remains hospitalized,” Brown said. “Once again we are sadly reminded of the dangers faced by taxi and liv- ery drivers in the course of their work and the senseless gun violence that surrounds us.”

Peace was arrested by members of the New York City Police Department’s Queens Violent Felony Squad and local Buffalo police at an apartment at 507 Niagara Street in Buffalo. Published reports said the NYPD traced his cell phone to his location in Buffalo.

Bell’s son, Trevor Bell Jr., 25, was interviewed in the New York Times saying his dad will be happy knowing Peace is behind bars.

“He’s going to be happier about going home,” Trevor Bell Jr. said. “I want to thank the person who gave him up. Thank God they found him.”

Peace will be arraigned in Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens on charges of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and second-degree possession of a weapon and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

According to the New York Times, Peace was charged on Wednesday with six counts of first-degree robbery from last year where he targeted fast food restaurants throughout Queens.

On July 15, Peace allegedly robbed a McDonald’s on Union Turnpike in Floral Park, on August 8 he allegedly robbed a Wendy’s on Northern Boulevard in Bayside, on August 19 he allegedly held up a Popeye’s in Rosedale where he shot a manager in the right hand before escaping.

Three months later, police say Peace committed a crime similar to the attack on Bell. On November 18 he entered the Omega Car Service office on 232nd Street in Cambria Heights requesting a ride. Once he arrived at his destination he pulled out a gun and took cash and a cellphone from the driver and stole the car.

The next day, on November 19, Peace robbed a Burger King in Woodhaven and two days later on November 21 he held up another McDonald’s, this one in Brookville near John F. Kennedy International Airport, police said.

Sex Offender at School Sparks Outrage, Prompts Legislative Solutions

By Eric Yun

A volunteer instructor at St. Mel’s in Flushing was let go after he allegedly made inappropriate contact with students through Facebook. The parents’ shock intensified when the man, Joseph Denice, was revealed as a registered sex offender.

According to the District Attorney’s office, Denice, 24, was arrested on December 2, 2009. In the original criminal complaint, Denice was charged with entering a boy’s home and tricking the 12-year-old to submit to a “body scan.”

Denice told the victim that the scans were mandatory, and if he refused, the scans would occur at family court where the examiners would likely be incompetent. The boy agreed to the scans, and Denice inappropriately groped the boy. He pleaded guilty on June 1, 2010 and was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation. He is registered as a level one sex offender.

According to Senator Tony Avella’s office, Denice worked with St. Mel’s before his arrest, and upon his release, he resumed his duties at the school. NY1 reported that on December 31, a parent contacted school officials about alleged messages through Facebook. He was released from the school on Monday, January 3.

The District Attorney’s office said they were alerted to Denice’s situation and will investigate the charges.

The Brooklyn Dioceses said Denice worked at three schools: St. Mel’s, St. Luke’s in Whitestone and St. Kevin’s in Flushing. They will alert parents whose children may have had contact with Denice within the next two weeks.

The news has spurred lawmakers into action. Avella (D-Bayside) has contacted St. Mel’s, the Brooklyn Dioceses and the Department of Education (DOE) about the incident. He wants to organize a public meeting to discuss what occurred and ways to prevent future incidents. Avella also asked Facebook to delete Denice’s account under New York State’s Electronic Security and Targeting Online Predators (e-STOP) act.

“Protecting our youth from dangerous predators should be paramount,” Avella said in a statement. “Our schools should be a haven where they can learn and grow under the trusted tutelage of their educators.”

Denice might never have worked at St. Mel’s if Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) had his way. In February 2010, he introduced a bill (A10010/S6998) that could have stopped Denice’s hire. The bill requires employers to ensure prospective employees who have “direct and unsupervised contact with children” are not registered sex offenders. Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) sponsored the bill in the State Senate.

“This is a matter of common sense,” said Miller. “The situation in Flushing highlights the need to pass a comprehensive overhaul of how we deal with sex offenders. My bills in the Assembly seeking to prevent sex offenders from working with our children are my highest priority. I will do everything I can to get immediate action on these bills so we can begin protecting our children. My sympathy goes out to the child, his family, and the families of this school.”

The sex offender bill passed the Senate 61-0 in June, but the legislative session closed before a floor vote in the Assembly. Miller said party leaders have told him the bill is a priority for the current legislative session and feels confident it will pass when it is brought to the floor.

“The whole goal is to protect our children. I don’t see any obstacles and hurdles,” Miller said, noting the support he has received from both Democrats and Republicans.

There are 1,194 registered sex offenders in Queens, and Miller’s legislation would help strengthen New York’s regulations of convicted sex offenders. Under current law, anyone who has been convicted of a sex offense after January 1996 must register with the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). Sex offenders convicted in other states must also register if they move to New York. How long someone remains on the registry depends on the person’s classification and designation.

There are three classifications for sex offenders. Level 1 offenders pose a low risk for repeat offenses, level 2 offenders pose a moderate risk for repeat offenses and level 3 offenders pose a high risk for repeat offenses and a threat to public safety exists.

Designations are given to sex offenders based on the type of crime committed. Those convicted of violent sexual offenses are designated sexually violent offenders. Sexually violent offenders diagnosed with mental abnormalities or personality disorders that make it likely they will repeat sexual offenses are designated sexual predators. Predicate sex offenders are those convicted of a sex offense after having been previously convicted of a sex crime.

Anyone who receives a designation as a sexual predator, sexually violent offender or predicate sex offender must register as a sex offender for life. Level 2 and 3 sex offenders are also registered for life. Level 1 offenders with no designation must register for 20 years.

The sex offender registry is available on the DCJS’s website. Level 2 and 3 sex offenders are listed, but by law, level 1 offenders are not publicly available. Miller sponsors another bill (A11008/S7992) that would allow local law enforcement access to level 1 offenders.

Giving police access to level 1 offenders allows them the opportunity to pick up and spot deviant behaviors from registered sex offenders, Miller said. Currently, police have no way to determine if a person is a level 1 offender and must investigate each suspect on a case by case basis.

Concerned residents have several ways to stay informed about sex offenders in their neighborhood. All level 2 and 3 sex offenders are searchable on DCJS’s website (criminaljustice.state.ny.us). Users can search by name, address or zip code.

Also, DCJS has partnered with NY-ALERTS to establish a “sex offender relocation alert.” New Yorkers can sign up for NY-ALERTS at users.nyalert.gov and select up to three zip codes or counties. NY-ALERTS will notify users whenever a registered sex offender moves in or out of those communities.

Construction Casualty Adds to Infamous Developer's Shoddy Record

By David J. Harvey and Eric Yun

A building collapsed Monday at a construction site in Elmhurst left one worker dead and three others injured.

Department of Building officials said a wall at 84-16 Queens Boulevard, approximately 18 feet high, was being reinforced with concrete when it collapsed, trapping four workers. FDNY and EMS responded to the scene.

The four injured workers were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where one man went into cardiac arrest and died, FDNY officials said. The other three men were reported to be in stable condition.

“It was absolutely terrible,” witness Jim Demetrio said to CBS. “The workers were trapped and other workers were trying to get them out.”

The New York Daily News reported that the victim was 27-year-old Humberto Sanchez, a father of three.

“He was a good man,” said brother Cornelius Sanchez to the Daily News. “He was a hard-working man.”

The Department of Buildings said it is still investigating the accident, and a stop work order has been issued, with additional violations expected.

However, the property owner is no stranger to DOB fines.

The department’s records show the family of notorious developer Tommy Huang owns the property. Tommy Huang and his son Henry have been cited numerous times throughout the years for improper development.

After he built his first five-family home in Flushing in 1979, Huang began a whirlwind rise to lead development in the area. In 1986, he spent $3.4 million on the RKO Keith’s Theater, announced plans for a shopping mall, hotel and movie house, then spent the next four years on a slow demolition. In 1990, the city revoked his permits when the theater’s landmark staircase was razed. Then a fire started in the locked building—an arson that was never solved.

Former State Senator Leonard P. Stavisky, who passed away in 1999, was an Assembly- man when he first locked his sight on Huang. Stavisky recalled a story about Huang to the New York Times in 1997. It was 1982, and Huang had showed up at his house with an architect to dispute Stavisky’s opposition to one of Huang’s construction projects.

According to the Times article, a Molotov cocktail burned down a restaurant and several other shops at Huang’s proposed site that same year. After the fire, Huang raised his offer and the bank sold him the property. Stavisky demanded response to an ''arson for profit'' ring, but no one was ever charged.

Huang was later charged for allowing 10,000 gallons of heating oil to leak into the building. He pled guilty in 1997, was fined $500,000, sentenced to 5 years probation and ordered to clean the spill.

The State Attorney General sued Huang in 1999 for irregularities at a Flushing housing complex and Huang was forbidden to sell condos and co-ops in New York.

In 2002, he sold the RKO for $12.1 million at a nearly 400 percent profit, and his building projects continued.

Eleven houses Huang built at 34th Ave. and Union St. in Flushing were approved by the DOB as three-family homes the same year he sold the RKO, but Huang built them so close together, the Fire Department was unable to gain access. The Board of Standards and Appeals pulled the certificates of occupancy in 2005, and eight buyers sued.

Huang has since faced charges that structural problems at an abandoned project on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst twice caused the evacuation of the adjacent Ladder Co. 136 firehouse in 2005 and 2006, and that his project manager at the site, Thomas Cottone, ignored a stop-work order and was in possession of a forged instrument for altering a building permit.

On Mazeau Street, Huang demolished a garage without a permit—he simply applied after the fact and his demolition application was approved. The DOB also issued permits to subdivide the lot, for a construction fence and for a new three-story building. Completely disregarding the zoning code, Huang nearly completed construction of a four-story building.

Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) joined concerned residents in December 2006 to protest Huang’s development on Mazeau Street, calling on the DOB to stop issuing permits to Huang. Avella cited numerous violations and Huang’s 1997 felony conviction.

In 2008, a stop work order on the Mazeau Street site was temporarily lifted so Huang could remove the building’s fourth floor.

After the latest incident, Avella is renewing his fight against the Huangs. “Mr. Huang’s unsafe construction practices date back almost twenty years,” Avella said, “and his projects continue to receive numerous violations ... which often have resulted in destruction of adjoining properties and danger to public safety. Yesterday, a young father of three paid the ultimate price for his dangerous practices.”

Another Dead Pit Bull Found in Ozone Park

By Jason Barczy

Concerns are rising among Ozone Park resident that a dog fighting ring is operating in the neighborhood. Three dead pit bulls have been found dumped in a garbage bag on the streets in the past six months.

Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 9 the third deceased dog was found near Acacia Cemetery by the intersection of 84th Street and 107th Avenue. The dog was wrapped in a trash bag and mostly frozen. Another was dumped at Pitkin Avenue and 84th Street a few weeks ago.

The woman who found the dog, who only wants to be identified as Tina R., said this was the third time since August a dead dog has been found within a five-block radius of that area of Ozone Park.

“This is what they do after a dog is done fighting or has lost a fight or was unwilling to fight,” said Tina R. “I was just driv- ing home and there [the dog] was and I was so sick after that.”

She said the most recent dog did not appear to be a victim of a fight. There was no evidence of bite or scratch marks, but she did notice the dog appeared to be unhealthy and under- weight.
Phyllis Taiano, founder of Four Paws Sake, Inc, went to the scene where the dog was found to help out and try to inden- tify the dog using a microchip scanner.

After an unsuccessful attempt to identify the animal, Taiano said she called 911 and 311 and was rebuffed by both agencies. After one final call to an emergency clinic, Taiano took the dog to the Sanitation Department.

“This situation was an awakening for me to see what exactly one is up against here in NYC,” Ta- iano said. “Had (the dog) been mutilated, mauled, had missing limbs, a crushed head or multiple bite wounds I would have driven him to the ASPCA [American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] for investigation reasons.”

Taiano estimates the dog was between 3 to 5-years-old and could see patches of hair missing which she says might be from mange or alopecia, two skin diseases common in household pets that cause hair loss.

“I don’t know how in the world someone can toss their pet on the side of the road in a garbage bag,” Taiano said. “The bag was not even tied. What if a child had seen the dog in a street? People are getting away with this because they can and the system is failing.”

Taiano is offering a $500 reward for any information on dogs being dumped in the street and can be contacted at phyltaiano@aol.com. Concerned residents can also contact the ASPCA's Humane Law Enforcement department at enforcement@aspca.org or (212) 876-7700, ext. 4450.

DA: Pimp Kidnapped, Raped Teen

A South Ozone Park man was recently indicted on charges of imprisoning, prostituting and raping a 15-year-old runaway.

According to the indictment, Michael Summerville, 32, befriended the then 14-year-old girl in January 2010. The two allegedly lived together in Brooklyn where they engaged in sexual activities. Eventually, Summerville began pimping the girl out, prosecutors said.

The girl ran away in October 2010, but she returned to the Brooklyn home to retrieve a cell phone and computer Summerville had taken, prosecutors said. Summerville then allegedly took the girl back to his South Ozone Park home where he continued to have sex with his victim. The girl is alleged to have begun prostituting daily and was forced to give all her earnings to Summerville.

Prosecutors also charged that Summerville gave the girl to another pimp in late October. The new pimp also had sex with her and forced her to engage in prostitution throughout Queens, prosecutors said.

The victim escaped and went to the police, which prompted the investigation.

Using information provided by the victim, undercover officers went to Summerville’s home on December 1. The officers were allegedly met by four females who offered to have sex for money. The police said they paid one girl $360 in pre-recorded buy money and was brought to a back room where they observed Summerville. Prosecutors said the $360 buy money was recovered from Summerville’s pants pockets.

“The defendant’s alleged behavior is despicable and he must be prosecuted for his actions to the fullest extent of the law,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Summerville was charged with kidnapping, sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, rape, criminal sexual acts and menacing and endangering the welfare of a child. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years if convicted.

The state legislature strengthened penalties against human trafficking in June 2007. The law created the sex trafficking felony for those who profit from prostitution by engaging in sex trafficking. Convicted felons are required to register as sex offenders and provide social service assistance to the victims.

Council Blasts Mayor on Blizzard Response

By Jason Barczy

Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration reversed course, admitting to and apologizing for a systematic failure of the city’s response to the blizzard two weeks ago.

The City Council held an oversight hearing on the city’s response on Monday, the first of seven, in which Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith called the city’s response unacceptable and said the city failed in declaring a snow emergency.

“We didn’t do the job you expected,” Goldsmith said. “We didn’t do the job that residents of New York City expected. There were a lot of mistakes made. We acknowledge those and we’re here to learn from those.”

Goldsmith, along with Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Commissioner Joseph Bruno, Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano gave testimony and answered questions from City Council members during the four-hour long hearing.

Goldsmith said neither he nor Bloomberg were consulted by the commissioners about calling a snow emergency that would have gotten cars off main roads and cleared snow routes for plows and emergency vehicles.

“There was a clear lack of communication between different city agencies and a clear lack of response to the state of emergency that we had on our hands,” said City Council member Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “Even though it was a holiday weekend and maybe the commissioners and deputy mayors may have been in a ‘holi-daze’, our city doesn’t sleep, it always moves and keeps moving.”

Several mistakes were admitted at the hearing: Half the city’s snowplows had no radios to call for help when they became stuck; the city never activated the Parks Department, which had workers and gear available to clear snow; no official reached out to owners of private tow trucks and other equipment to strengthen the city’s own fleet until after the storm was out of control; New Yorkers volunteering for temporary snow clearing jobs were discouraged because the city couldn’t pay them for six to 12 weeks; and officials waited too long to address scores of ambulances stuck in the snow.

City Council member Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) asked Goldsmith how it was possible he was able to keep his job when Emergency Management Services Chief John Perrugia was demoted—the only one to be demoted, in fact.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn drilled into Bruno for not opening OEM headquarters until 4 p.m. on Dec. 26, an hour before the storm was set to hit the city.

Bruno responded that opening the offices earlier wouldn’t have made a significant difference but said, “The city’s response to the blizzard did not live up to the standards we set for ourselves and the standards the public expects and deserve.”

Queens saw between 16 and 20 inches of snowfall between December 26 and 27 and most streets weren’t plowed until Thursday, December 30. South Brooklyn and Staten Island were hit hardest, with some areas reporting up to 27 inches of snowfall.

Sanitation Department records show that by 4 a.m. Monday, December 27, all of Manhattan’s primary streets and 92 percent of its secondary streets were plowed. The same records show in western Queens all primary streets were plowed by 4 a.m. Tuesday, December 28, but just 47 percent of secondary streets were plowed.

“Our cleanup response was unacceptable,” Doherty said. “We recognize we did not perform up to the standard that met the publics (standards), which caused many hardships. We know the reputation as the best snow fighters has been called into question and we must work to prove we deserve this distinction.”

Allegations of a sanitation slowdown protesting lay-offs and budget cuts were not addressed. Quinn and Sanitation Committee Chairwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn) did not permit the discussion because a criminal investigation is pending. However, that did not stop Crowley from bringing up the budget concerns.

“Did budgetary concerns impact the way the city responded to this storm?” she asked Goldsmith. Crowley said residents thought sanitation workers were left home because the city did not want to pay double time during the holiday weekend.

Goldsmith said budgetary concerns were not a factor in the city’s blizzard cleanup, and in prepared testimony presented a 15-point plan to the City Council for improving the city’s response that included changes to how the city declares a snow emergency.

The plan included having all sanitation trucks outfitted with GPS devices with buttons for instant communication and ambulances equipped with sled-gurneys so patients can be transported over snowy grounds.

A hearing in Queens is scheduled for 12 p.m. Friday, January 21 at Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens.

Red Light for New Parking Rates

By David Harvey

Queens residents were spared increased parking fees after the Mayor and City Council reached an agreement dropping raised meter rates from the Mayor’s proposed mid-year budget.

Parking meter rates throughout the five boroughs and above 86th Street in Manhattan would have risen from 75 cents to $1 per hour. The Department of Transportation (DOT) was scheduled to begin retiming meters in Queens last week. While those rate increases were stalled by the agreement, rates in lower Manhattan will still change to $3, from $2.50 per hour.

According to DOT spokesman Montgomery Dean, some meters were retimed in Manhattan but are in the area where higher rates will remain. He said he was unsure if any meters were retimed in Queens.

Opposition to new meter rates increased in mid-December, when Council Members Diana Reyna (D-Bushwick) and James Vacca (D-Bronx) rallied against increased parking rates with business owners and residents on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood. After the rally, Reyna and Vacca worked with Council colleagues and Speaker Christine Quinn, finally convincing the mayor to remove the rate hikes from the budget last week.

“The parking meter hike was a Band-Aid approach to the budget that would have emptied the pockets of consumers and merchants while the economy is still recovering,” Reyna said.

The rate increase, which the DOT estimated would add $2.4 million to city revenue, was cut from the budget as part of a package of revisions. While the city still faces a $585 million squeeze—including cuts to homeless services and library funding—nearly $35 million was restored, keeping fire stations open, some child services operating and the current parking rates intact.

“Outer-borough motorists can breathe a big sigh of relief,” Vacca said. “For once the budget will not be balanced on their backs.”

Victory may be short lived. The Mayor is expected to reintroduce the rate hikes in his preliminary fiscal year 2012 budget. Before the budget is released, Vacca and Reyna plan to introduce legislation that will prevent the city from raising meter rates more than 25 percent over any five-year period.

According to Council Member Eric A. Ulrich (R-Queens), who serves on the transportation board with Vacca, increased parking fees have the potential to hurt small businesses and residents.

“While small increases in taxes and fees don’t seem like a big deal to some people at City Hall, they add up quickly for residents,” Ulrich said. “These types of fiscal gimmicks are short-sighted and do little to address the city’s budget woes in the long run.”

Theodore Renz of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District said the business community is concerned that raised rates, as well as more parking tickets, would drive customers away from the commercial district.

“It’s a good idea to have some bylaw that if something is going to be increased, they hear from the people it’s going to impact,” he said.

Vacca and Reyna are drafting the legislation, and plan to introduce it as early as February.