CITY’S FIRST TWO HUMAN CASES OF ‘08 REPORTED
by Conor Greene
Two New York residents, including a Queens woman, have tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the first two human cases reported this year, announced city health officials.
A 73-year-old Queens woman was hospitalized last Friday after she was infected by the virus while in the city, according to the city Department of Health. A 60-year-old Bronx man was released from a hospital last week after also becoming infected.
Both individuals became ill in July and were hospitalized in August, according to the DOH. The Queens woman developed encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, and is now recovering in a local hospital, according to the department. The Bronx man developed an inflammation of the brain and spinal tissue (meningitis) as a result of the virus, but has since fully recovered.
DOH officials said the man had recently traveled outside the city, making it difficult to determine where he was infected, but it is believed that the woman was infected while in the city. Citing privacy issues, a DOH spokeswoman this week refused to say where in Queens the woman lives or is believed to have contracted the virus.
“A case of West Nile virus provides an urgent reminder to protect ourselves,” said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the city’s health commissioner. “Wearing mosquito repellent whenever you are outdoors, and long sleeves and pants in the morning and evening will reduce your risk of contracting the virus. Older New Yorkers need to be especially careful; they are more likely to become seriously ill and die if they are infected.”
Last year, 18 city residents contracted the virus and three died. The DOH warns that each year, the first infections usually don’t occur until August, meaning residents should continue to protect themselves against the threat of infection over the coming weeks.
According to the DOH, a greater number of mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus this year compared with 2007. The majority of positive tests were in Queens, where 62 mosquito pools have tested positive for the virus so far this year, compared with 53 all of last year.
In many cases, a West Nile virus infection causes mild or moderate flu-like symptoms, according to the DOH. However, in some cases, particularly in people 50 and older, it can cause serious infection in the brain and spinal cord that can be fatal. The most common symptoms are headache, fever and extreme fatigue.
Residents are reminded to eliminate any standing water from their property and make sure that roof gutters are clean and draining properly. Allowing standing water to accumulate is a violation of the city’s health code.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Myrtle Avenue Resurfacing Underway
Maurice Avenue Upgrades Slated for Fall by Conor Greene
Several road improvement projects in the area are underway or planned, including the repaving of Myrtle Avenue and a major construction of Maurice and 54th Avenues.
Night work crews began this week resurfacing Myrtle Avenue, which is being improved from Fresh Pond Road to Woodhaven Boulevard. As of Wednesday morning, a new surface had been laid from Fresh Pond Road to 69th Street. The project is being performed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Work on Myrtle Avenue was expected to continue overnight through the week, according to Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5. If they are not finished by the end of the week, they will complete the job Sunday night into Monday morning, he said.
Giordano said the community board has been “really advocating this year” to have the road repaired. “The last time Myrtle was resurfaced was at least eight years ago, and it has taken a beating,” he said. “Eight years ago it was only Wyckoff to Cooper, so resurfacing from Cooper to Woodhaven has been a real long time.”
He said problems along the stretch of busy road included pot holes and deterioration, as well as “utility cuts that were never resorted perfectly.” In addition, “a long stretch on the eastbound side from 72nd to close to 80th was fairly bumpy,” he added.
“There is a certain amount of resurfacing money available, and I think I just got fortunate based on the timing of the request,” said Giordano of Myrtle Avenue’s inclusion in the city’s projects. “Two things I really believe add to the neighborhood, at least visually, are tree plantings and roadway resurfacing. Those are things people see right away.”
The city Department of Design and Construction recently issued a community advisory notice regarding reconstruction of Maurice Avenue and 54th Avenue in Maspeth. According to Giordano, that work will include the length of 54th Avenue from Maurice Avenue to 58th Street, which is located within the confines of Community Board 2.
“That road is in really poor condition, so it’s a full capital project,” he said. “They’re going to rip up the road, put in new sewer lines, water mains and sidewalks. It is a long time coming.”
The project will also include Maurice Avenue between 54th and 56th avenue. “Maurice was added to that project in order to alleviate some of the flooding conditions in that area of Maspeth,” said Giordano. “I think they saw an opportunity to do something there and are putting in a ten foot by six foot box sewer.”
Giordano said that he hasn’t received a specific date for when the work will begin. Work on Maurice Avenue will take place at night, and 54th Avenue will be reconstructed during the day. “Both we and board two pushed for night for the same reason as on Myrtle – minimal traffic disruptions and loses for businesses,” he said.
“I’m very, very hopeful that the installation of that box sewer will help the flooding over there – there’s a lot of flooding where Maurice meets the LIE,” said Giordano.
Slowing Down the Pace: A Leisurely Look at Queens
A couple of summers ago, I was on the phone with one of my more caustic, jaded and cynical friends, and I mentioned that I had just come back from a very long walk. “A walk?” he said, incredulous. “How old are you, [age deleted so as not to offend readers who may be over that age]?”
I immediately found myself getting incredulous right back. Who doesn't like a good walk? Sure, walking might not be as awesome as jogging—or “running,” as joggers are now required by international law to call it—but there's no better way to gain a sense of place and experience than meandering around at your own pace, slowing down to look at whatever catches your fancy in greater detail. I walk all the time, and though I may not be burning off too many big cookies, at least I won't be suffering from chronic knee problems for the next 20 years or so.
With Labor Day firmly in sight, the days of great walks are growing short—this is that depressing time of year when it's 90 degrees out but you just know you'll be holed up inside before you know it, making frantic calls to the office to see if telecommuting is an option this winter. Only you know what your perfect walk is, but in the absence of clairvoyant powers, I thought I'd share some of mine. They're rather long and so not for the faint of heart, but you can cut yourself off at any time.
Yellowstone Boulevard, Queens Boulevard to 62nd Avenue
Yellowstone is very possibly Forest Hills' prettiest public street, lined with the locally famous and much-desired Presidential buildings that people are talking about when they call the neighborhood “prestigious.” Not only is the classic architecture of Yellowstone lovely, but most of the buildings have beautifully landscaped lawns that make you feel happy you've chosen this borough as your home. Midway through this walk, the neighborhood gets a little less, er, prestigious, but it's still worth continuing, as it quickly turns into a fascinating patchwork of immigrant cultures—and if you stop before you get to the Long Island Expressway and the Corona border, you might miss construction on NOVO 64, the much-talked-about luxury housing development wedged between 64th Road and 64th Avenue.
Metropolitan Avenue, Union Turnpike to 69th Street
I'm not going to lie to you—this one is a big challenge, two long miles that run largely through a sidewalk-free stretch of Saint John's Cemetery. But the cemetery is pretty in that eerie cemetery way, and even if that's a little morbid for you, it's still worth it for the great neighborhoods on either side: the southern edge of Forest Hills to the east and Middle Village to the west. This is the part of Queens that will make you forget you're in New York City: all quaint, privately owned storefront businesses, side streets full of cute narrow houses and the occasional island-in-a-parking-lot drugstore or fast-food outlet. Bonus: When you cross Cooper Avenue, right as you hit the cemetery, you're less than a block away from Archie Bunker's house. Turns out ol' Arch had a great view of the sea of tombstones from his living room. No wonder he was always in such a bad mood.
Park Lane, Union Turnpike to Myrtle Avenue
Not technically in the coverage area of this newspaper, this walk is nonetheless right next door, so what's stopping you? Kew Gardens flies under a lot of radars, but it can be a stunning neighborhood, with grand mansions on hills and a charming Old World feel. Think Forest Hills Gardens wealth, only more spread out. There's no better street to experience it than Park Lane, which, as the name suggests, runs along the edge of lush, green Forest Park. There's very little commerce in the immediate vicinity of this strip, but there are plenty of park benches, so bring some reading material and expect to find yourself darting in and out of the park whenever its call becomes too strong.
If you make it to the end, you'll be rewarded with a glimpse of a remarkable piece of public art: the Richmond Hill—yes, you're now in Richmond Hill—Doughboy, nearly unique among World War I memorials in that it shows a soldier at rest, in mourning over the loss of his comrade. It's a fitting reminder that a good walk can be moving in a lot of ways.
The writer, Steve Tiszenkel, is the host of the Website Queens Central. Log on to queenscentral.com to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.
I immediately found myself getting incredulous right back. Who doesn't like a good walk? Sure, walking might not be as awesome as jogging—or “running,” as joggers are now required by international law to call it—but there's no better way to gain a sense of place and experience than meandering around at your own pace, slowing down to look at whatever catches your fancy in greater detail. I walk all the time, and though I may not be burning off too many big cookies, at least I won't be suffering from chronic knee problems for the next 20 years or so.
With Labor Day firmly in sight, the days of great walks are growing short—this is that depressing time of year when it's 90 degrees out but you just know you'll be holed up inside before you know it, making frantic calls to the office to see if telecommuting is an option this winter. Only you know what your perfect walk is, but in the absence of clairvoyant powers, I thought I'd share some of mine. They're rather long and so not for the faint of heart, but you can cut yourself off at any time.
Yellowstone Boulevard, Queens Boulevard to 62nd Avenue
Yellowstone is very possibly Forest Hills' prettiest public street, lined with the locally famous and much-desired Presidential buildings that people are talking about when they call the neighborhood “prestigious.” Not only is the classic architecture of Yellowstone lovely, but most of the buildings have beautifully landscaped lawns that make you feel happy you've chosen this borough as your home. Midway through this walk, the neighborhood gets a little less, er, prestigious, but it's still worth continuing, as it quickly turns into a fascinating patchwork of immigrant cultures—and if you stop before you get to the Long Island Expressway and the Corona border, you might miss construction on NOVO 64, the much-talked-about luxury housing development wedged between 64th Road and 64th Avenue.
Metropolitan Avenue, Union Turnpike to 69th Street
I'm not going to lie to you—this one is a big challenge, two long miles that run largely through a sidewalk-free stretch of Saint John's Cemetery. But the cemetery is pretty in that eerie cemetery way, and even if that's a little morbid for you, it's still worth it for the great neighborhoods on either side: the southern edge of Forest Hills to the east and Middle Village to the west. This is the part of Queens that will make you forget you're in New York City: all quaint, privately owned storefront businesses, side streets full of cute narrow houses and the occasional island-in-a-parking-lot drugstore or fast-food outlet. Bonus: When you cross Cooper Avenue, right as you hit the cemetery, you're less than a block away from Archie Bunker's house. Turns out ol' Arch had a great view of the sea of tombstones from his living room. No wonder he was always in such a bad mood.
Park Lane, Union Turnpike to Myrtle Avenue
Not technically in the coverage area of this newspaper, this walk is nonetheless right next door, so what's stopping you? Kew Gardens flies under a lot of radars, but it can be a stunning neighborhood, with grand mansions on hills and a charming Old World feel. Think Forest Hills Gardens wealth, only more spread out. There's no better street to experience it than Park Lane, which, as the name suggests, runs along the edge of lush, green Forest Park. There's very little commerce in the immediate vicinity of this strip, but there are plenty of park benches, so bring some reading material and expect to find yourself darting in and out of the park whenever its call becomes too strong.
If you make it to the end, you'll be rewarded with a glimpse of a remarkable piece of public art: the Richmond Hill—yes, you're now in Richmond Hill—Doughboy, nearly unique among World War I memorials in that it shows a soldier at rest, in mourning over the loss of his comrade. It's a fitting reminder that a good walk can be moving in a lot of ways.
The writer, Steve Tiszenkel, is the host of the Website Queens Central. Log on to queenscentral.com to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
This Week's Forum West and South
Officials Tour Reservoir and Push to Preserve
Unlicensed Teen Driver Admits to "Popping Pills" Before Wreck
New York Mets Recognize Local Residents for Outstanding Charity
Homeless Man Found Beaten to Death Outside Sikh Temple
Cell Tower Proposed for Maspeth House Scaled Back
Police Use DNA to Link Man to 1997 Rapes
Chicago: My Kind of Town?
Making the Walk to School Safer
Officials Tour Reservoir and Push to Preserve Wilderness
City Considers Converting 20 Acres into Ballfields
By Nicole Turso
A forgotten reservoir reclaimed by the wilderness has become a natural wildlife and flora preserve where residents, community groups and elected officials gathered on Tuesday for a tour and to petition for its integrity.
The Ridgewood Reservoir, on the Queens and Brooklyn border, was decommissioned in 1990 after serving as a back-up water supply from 1858 through 1959. Once the three basins were drained, decades of neglect allowed for natural forests, fields and wetlands to form—now home to at least 127 species of birds as well as mammals, reptiles and a variety of native plants.
In 2004, Mayor Michael Bloomberg transferred the 50 acres of wilderness to the city Parks Department and a $50 million “renovation” project was put into place, which would convert more than 20 acres of land into athletic fields and recreational facilities for the neighboring communities.
However, many community activists and government officials believe the reservoir would serve better as a nature preserve for environmental study in an urban area that does not have such natural luxuries. Some argue the money would be better spent renovating existing ballfields at adjacent Highland Park.
“We have a gem here in the reservoir that many people in the community, as evidence here, want to preserve,” said community activist David Quintana. Highland Park, located directly across from the reservoir, is equipped to provide the same recreation planned in the renovation project—with two baseball fields, several basketball and volleyball courts and picnic areas.
According to the Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance, the park is in desperate need of renovation and repair—an issue the alliance and activists have brought to the attention of city officials.
Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-Brooklyn), Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn/Queens), Queens Borough Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski and representatives of Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Queens), Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and State Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale) attended the reservoir tour on Tuesday to survey the basins in their current condition.
“This park here contains an ecosystem that we must protect, we must enhance and we must preserve,“said Rep. Velazquez, “We must come together to work to make sure that we do what is right on behalf of the community and behalf of the park.”
“There are a lot of parks here that can be upgraded [that] have been for too long neglected,” she explained. “I can tell you that if the city, the state and the federal government come together, we can assure you that we will fight to get the resources that we need to have the parks that we can all be proud of.”
The group set out to tour the reservoir and was informed that in order to reach basin three, one of three basins at the reservoir, the congressional representatives would have to rappel down the side of the basin on a long, rather thin rope.
“I hope that rope is strong,” Rep. Towns joked.
A flash of apprehension crossed Rep. Velazquez’s face before her descent, but she, along with nine other members of the party made it down safely and arrived back at the top of the basin, triumphant looks on their faces.
As the group toured the rest of the basins, which were drained in the 1960’s through the 1980’s, it was given an idea as to what renovations must be completed to make the reservoir into a useable facility. Both basins one and three have become natural forests, while basin two, though drained, fills with water as a natural marsh.
Broken lampposts—shattered—with shards of what used to be lighting fixtures, poison ivy coiling around trees and original wrought iron fences, and uninviting entry ways make the reservoir unappealing to onlookers—but a secret garden of sorts for those inside.
“You just cannot buy this—the experience,” said Rep. Velazquez. Renovation ideas tossed around between the elected officials and Parks Department personnel along the walk included taller lampposts less prone to damage and vandals and the use of solar energy as a more eco-conscious way of lighting paths at night.
Three design consultants created conceptual plans for the renovation and redesign of the reservoir based on preliminary analysis for the city. A contract with Mark K. Morrison Associates Ltd. (MMA) was submitted by the Parks Department as a project to help combat raising rates of childhood obesity and focused on developing athletic fields.
However, the contract was rejected by city Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. and returned to the Parks Department with concerns about the environmental impact, increased truck traffic and the vendor selection process. Parks is now reportedly working on a contract with a different firm, EDAW, which prides itself on balancing “aesthetic, environmental and social goals.”
Also supporting the preservation of the reservoir as a natural area are local community boards in both Brooklyn and Queens, the Queens Civic Congress and a number of community organizations.
Even with the overwhelming support to preserve the reservoir’s wilderness, Rep. Towns is still calling on the surrounding communities and their residents to continue their efforts, despite obstacles.
“It’s going to require working together, and it’s going to require a lot of talking and a lot of meetings, and of course it’s going to require some negotiating,” Towns explained, “I’m committed to working with you to make certain that we have the resources to do this, there’s no question about it.”
Towns summed up the feelings of many residents fighting for the preservation of the reservoir when he addressed the crowd. To a chorus of applause and laughter, representative Towns shared an anecdote: “I received a phone call asking me ‘Where are you? I’ll call you from the park.’ I said, ‘I live in Highland Park, I’m already there.’”
Photo: Congressman Edolphus Towns and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez discuss the future of the Ridgewood Reservoir during a recent tour.
The Forum Newsgroup/photos by NICOLE TURSO
Unlicensed Teen Driver Admits to "Popping Pills" Before Fatal Wreck
ATTORNEY WILL SEEK PLEA BARGAIN
By Conor Greene
The teenager arrested after a fatal car accident last week was “drugged out of his gourd” when he made incriminating statements to investigators in the hours after the wreck, said his lawyer after visiting him in the hospital.
Seventeen-year-old Jacob Chubalashvili is currently in the Rikers Island infirmary while awaiting his next appearance in Queens Criminal Court, scheduled for August 21. He is facing second-degree manslaughter charges after allegedly running a red light and slamming into a vehicle driven by a Kew Gardens husband and wife, who were killed instantly.
After the accident last Tuesday on the Grand Central Parkway service road, Chubalashvili told prosecutors that he smoked marijuana and was “speeding and popping pills” before running the red light and slamming into an Acura driven by Ki and Hyekung Kim, who were on their way to work.
“I just took the car, I didn’t have permission to take it,” the unlicensed teen told investigators, according to District Attorney Richard Brown. “I smoked some marijuana before I took the car... I remember taking the car, it’s a Mercedes and jetting down the road and the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.”
Later that evening, after being informed of the criminal charges, he allegedly said, “I was speeding and popping pills. I had about 12 pain pills. I was really f---ed up.”After being told that two people were dead, Chubalashvili said, “How is the Mercedes? That was supposed to be my car,” according to Brown.
On Tuesday, Chubalashvili attorney, Leonard Ressler questioned whether his client had actually made those statements. “I’m sure he made some of them, but he couldn’t have made the ‘how’s my car’ statements because it [didn’t belong to] a family member,” he said.
Ressler said his client was “drugged out of his gourd” and “severely injured” with a broken arm and head injuries. He is still awaiting reports regarding Chubalashvili, including the results of the toxicology tests taken after the accident and information regarding Chubalashvili medical history.
“Given his age, hopefully we’re going to be able to negotiate something,” said Ressler, adding that he doesn’t expect any movement on the case by the next court hearing. “We have to get the reports; apparently he has some issues.”
At the time of the accident, Chubalashvili had been sent to stay with a friend of his father’s because he was refusing to take his medication. He is accused of taking the family friend’s Mercedes without permission before driving around an SUV stopped at a red light and speeding through the intersection at 69th Road at more than 60 miles per hour.
Contrary to statements issued by the district attorney’s office, Ressler said Chubalashvili “acted shocked” when he told him two people were dead. “We’re talking about someone who had a head injury and was on drugs,” said Ressler. “I had trouble communicating with him, so I don’t know where they’re getting the whole issue of [lack of] remorse from. As far as I’m concerned, he has been medicated since the accident.”
Chubalashvili told his attorney he blacked out and “has no recollection of anything” before “waking up in the hospital,” said Ressler. He said the next step is to review the medical reports so that “the proper assessment [can be made] between someone who is a psycho driver and someone with other conditions.”
Ressler said the stretch of road where the accident occurred is especially dangerous. “Accord- ing to the neighbor, there is an accident a day there. They said they constantly hear the squealing of breaks. The foliage is overgrown, and in this case he went around an SUV so it was double blind.”
According to court papers, Chubalashvili was arrested twice in the three months before the accident. He was charged on March 18 along with Rabiyev Merikhay and Michael Sarikov with robbing two pre-teens of a cell phone at a Rego Park playground. The three friends then forced the youngsters to take them to their apartment and get $200 for them.
Following the robbery, Merikhay warned the victims, “If you do call the police, you are going to get a worse beating than you already got,” according to the criminal complaint. “Russians don’t cry, Russians get even,” added Sarkiov.
“The repercussions won’t end.” On July 16, Chubalashvili was arrested at the Roosevelt Avenue subway station after “doubling up through a turnstile with another person” instead of paying the fare.
While Ressler will likely seek a plea agreement with prosecutors in the manslaughter case, District Attorney Brown vowed in the days after the fatal accident that the case will be “vigorously prosecuted and should serve as a warning to those who would flout our traffic regulations and put others in danger.”
The district attorney’s office declined to comment on the chances the case will not go to trial.
By Conor Greene
The teenager arrested after a fatal car accident last week was “drugged out of his gourd” when he made incriminating statements to investigators in the hours after the wreck, said his lawyer after visiting him in the hospital.
Seventeen-year-old Jacob Chubalashvili is currently in the Rikers Island infirmary while awaiting his next appearance in Queens Criminal Court, scheduled for August 21. He is facing second-degree manslaughter charges after allegedly running a red light and slamming into a vehicle driven by a Kew Gardens husband and wife, who were killed instantly.
After the accident last Tuesday on the Grand Central Parkway service road, Chubalashvili told prosecutors that he smoked marijuana and was “speeding and popping pills” before running the red light and slamming into an Acura driven by Ki and Hyekung Kim, who were on their way to work. “I just took the car, I didn’t have permission to take it,” the unlicensed teen told investigators, according to District Attorney Richard Brown. “I smoked some marijuana before I took the car... I remember taking the car, it’s a Mercedes and jetting down the road and the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.”
Later that evening, after being informed of the criminal charges, he allegedly said, “I was speeding and popping pills. I had about 12 pain pills. I was really f---ed up.”After being told that two people were dead, Chubalashvili said, “How is the Mercedes? That was supposed to be my car,” according to Brown.
On Tuesday, Chubalashvili attorney, Leonard Ressler questioned whether his client had actually made those statements. “I’m sure he made some of them, but he couldn’t have made the ‘how’s my car’ statements because it [didn’t belong to] a family member,” he said.
Ressler said his client was “drugged out of his gourd” and “severely injured” with a broken arm and head injuries. He is still awaiting reports regarding Chubalashvili, including the results of the toxicology tests taken after the accident and information regarding Chubalashvili medical history.
“Given his age, hopefully we’re going to be able to negotiate something,” said Ressler, adding that he doesn’t expect any movement on the case by the next court hearing. “We have to get the reports; apparently he has some issues.”
At the time of the accident, Chubalashvili had been sent to stay with a friend of his father’s because he was refusing to take his medication. He is accused of taking the family friend’s Mercedes without permission before driving around an SUV stopped at a red light and speeding through the intersection at 69th Road at more than 60 miles per hour.
Contrary to statements issued by the district attorney’s office, Ressler said Chubalashvili “acted shocked” when he told him two people were dead. “We’re talking about someone who had a head injury and was on drugs,” said Ressler. “I had trouble communicating with him, so I don’t know where they’re getting the whole issue of [lack of] remorse from. As far as I’m concerned, he has been medicated since the accident.”
Chubalashvili told his attorney he blacked out and “has no recollection of anything” before “waking up in the hospital,” said Ressler. He said the next step is to review the medical reports so that “the proper assessment [can be made] between someone who is a psycho driver and someone with other conditions.”
Ressler said the stretch of road where the accident occurred is especially dangerous. “Accord- ing to the neighbor, there is an accident a day there. They said they constantly hear the squealing of breaks. The foliage is overgrown, and in this case he went around an SUV so it was double blind.”
According to court papers, Chubalashvili was arrested twice in the three months before the accident. He was charged on March 18 along with Rabiyev Merikhay and Michael Sarikov with robbing two pre-teens of a cell phone at a Rego Park playground. The three friends then forced the youngsters to take them to their apartment and get $200 for them.
Following the robbery, Merikhay warned the victims, “If you do call the police, you are going to get a worse beating than you already got,” according to the criminal complaint. “Russians don’t cry, Russians get even,” added Sarkiov.
“The repercussions won’t end.” On July 16, Chubalashvili was arrested at the Roosevelt Avenue subway station after “doubling up through a turnstile with another person” instead of paying the fare.
While Ressler will likely seek a plea agreement with prosecutors in the manslaughter case, District Attorney Brown vowed in the days after the fatal accident that the case will be “vigorously prosecuted and should serve as a warning to those who would flout our traffic regulations and put others in danger.”
The district attorney’s office declined to comment on the chances the case will not go to trial.
NY Mets Recognize Local Residents for Outstanding Charity
GOLF TOURNEY RAISES OVER $200,000 FOR BURN CENTER
By Patricia Adams
On Monday August 11th The New York Mets held their Spirit Awards presentations and this year honored two men for their outstanding efforts and selfless dedication.
Retired FDNY FF Bobby McGuire of Howard Beach and Gene McCauley of Woodhaven were both recognized for their continuous charitable work on behalf of The New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation. Kenny Schmidt, formerly of Ozone Park, was awarded for his work on behalf of St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital.
A little more than 15 years ago, Gene McCauley, of Woodhaven Galleries, suggested that a charitable golf tournament be started in order to raise money for the Firefighters Burn Center. Bobby McGuire, boxing manager and coach of the FDNY boxing team took the ball and ran with it to start up the tournament.
“We started out 15 years ago and it’s been amazing ever since,” McGuire said. “About 12 years ago we decided to change the name of the tournament to the John Ciorciari Golf Tournament.” McGuire explained that the tournament was renamed and dedicated to the memory of Firefighter John Ciorciari who was shot and killed while off-duty at a Howard Beach eatery in 1996 over the Fourth of July weekend.
“This year was the 12th annual one for John,” said McGuire who was a close friend and brother firefighter to Ciorciari. “What’s unbelievable is that this event is held on the first Monday after Father’s Day each year and has been sold out every year since it started.”
The event is always held at Forest Park and is comprised of 36 foursomes each year. “Out of 144 golfers every year, we have a return rate of about 120 of the same golfers every year. That’s pretty unbelievable.” Among the golfers who have come back to play in the event every year is John Ciorciari Sr, also a retired firefighter.
Since the tournament began, it has raised more than $200,000 in donations which have been presented yearly to the Burn Center at New York Cornell. “Their care is outstanding and probably the best burn care in the world,” said Bobby McGuire. “They treat civilians and firefighters alike, and we are really glad to have the opportunity to help them out.”
The NY Firefighters Burn Center Foundation is a non-profit organization of firefighters founded in 1975 and is dedicated to the advancement of burn care, research, prevention and education. The goal of The New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation is to make quality burn care available to all who are seriously burned regardless of age, race, creed or economic status.
It proudly supports The Burn Center at NY Presbyterian Hospital. The Center admits more than 1,000 patients annually and is the busiest in the nation. It is headed up by Dr. Roger Yurt who was responsible for the care of 9/11 survivors at the unit and who describes the work at the hospital in this way, “If you can learn to take care of a patient who has been badly burned," he notes, "you'll be able to treat any kind of severe acute illness.”
When asked how much longer he expects the event to go on, Bobby McGuire looked up and laughed. “When we first started, it was for one year. Then we decided to go for $50,000. After that the new benchmark became $100,000. Now that we’re at a milestone of $200,000, I guess we’ll just keep going until we get to half-a-million.”
The Forum Newsgroup/photo courtesy of TOM CROCCKER
By Patricia Adams
On Monday August 11th The New York Mets held their Spirit Awards presentations and this year honored two men for their outstanding efforts and selfless dedication.
Retired FDNY FF Bobby McGuire of Howard Beach and Gene McCauley of Woodhaven were both recognized for their continuous charitable work on behalf of The New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation. Kenny Schmidt, formerly of Ozone Park, was awarded for his work on behalf of St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital.
A little more than 15 years ago, Gene McCauley, of Woodhaven Galleries, suggested that a charitable golf tournament be started in order to raise money for the Firefighters Burn Center. Bobby McGuire, boxing manager and coach of the FDNY boxing team took the ball and ran with it to start up the tournament.
“We started out 15 years ago and it’s been amazing ever since,” McGuire said. “About 12 years ago we decided to change the name of the tournament to the John Ciorciari Golf Tournament.” McGuire explained that the tournament was renamed and dedicated to the memory of Firefighter John Ciorciari who was shot and killed while off-duty at a Howard Beach eatery in 1996 over the Fourth of July weekend.
“This year was the 12th annual one for John,” said McGuire who was a close friend and brother firefighter to Ciorciari. “What’s unbelievable is that this event is held on the first Monday after Father’s Day each year and has been sold out every year since it started.”
The event is always held at Forest Park and is comprised of 36 foursomes each year. “Out of 144 golfers every year, we have a return rate of about 120 of the same golfers every year. That’s pretty unbelievable.” Among the golfers who have come back to play in the event every year is John Ciorciari Sr, also a retired firefighter.
Since the tournament began, it has raised more than $200,000 in donations which have been presented yearly to the Burn Center at New York Cornell. “Their care is outstanding and probably the best burn care in the world,” said Bobby McGuire. “They treat civilians and firefighters alike, and we are really glad to have the opportunity to help them out.”
The NY Firefighters Burn Center Foundation is a non-profit organization of firefighters founded in 1975 and is dedicated to the advancement of burn care, research, prevention and education. The goal of The New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation is to make quality burn care available to all who are seriously burned regardless of age, race, creed or economic status.
It proudly supports The Burn Center at NY Presbyterian Hospital. The Center admits more than 1,000 patients annually and is the busiest in the nation. It is headed up by Dr. Roger Yurt who was responsible for the care of 9/11 survivors at the unit and who describes the work at the hospital in this way, “If you can learn to take care of a patient who has been badly burned," he notes, "you'll be able to treat any kind of severe acute illness.”
When asked how much longer he expects the event to go on, Bobby McGuire looked up and laughed. “When we first started, it was for one year. Then we decided to go for $50,000. After that the new benchmark became $100,000. Now that we’re at a milestone of $200,000, I guess we’ll just keep going until we get to half-a-million.”
The Forum Newsgroup/photo courtesy of TOM CROCCKER
Homeless Man Found Beaten to Death Outside Sikh Temple
By Conor Greene
Police have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the murder of a homeless man found dead last week outside a Sikh temple in Richmond Hill.
Worshippers at the Sikh Cultural Society on 118th Street were shocked last Thursday when they discovered the body of a homeless man who was beaten to death. A broomstick, presumed to be the murder weapon was found near the man’s body and police removed a slab of concrete that contained a bloody footprint (below).
Witnesses described the man’s face as being so badly beaten that his features were distorted. He was repeatedly hit on the face, neck, back and shoulders, according to sources. Several members of the temple reported seeing a group of neighborhood teenagers harassing the man in the days before his death, but police have not said whether they have any suspects. The man was a non-practicing Sikh who had reportedly fallen onto hard times after he began drinking heavily. He often slept near the temple because its members sometimes feed local homeless people. “I feel very, very bad because he comes from our community, Bhupinder Singh, the lead president of the Cultural Society, told the Daily News. “Anybody who dies, anybody in the world, we feel badly.”
The Forum Newsgroup/photos by ROBERT STRIDIRON
Cell Tower Proposed for Maspeth House Scaled Back
Panels Now Planned Instead of Tower
By Conor Greene
A proposal to place a 25-foot cellular tower on top of a 72nd Place house has been replaced by a plan calling for several smaller panels, according to the building owner.
A hearing before the city Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled as Omnipoint Communications and Joseph Wroblewski work out a revised contract for the smaller project. “It’s not happening – there is no cell tower,” said Wroblewski, who owns the house at 53-20 72nd Place, next door to Frank’s Deli.
The plan originally called for a 25-foot tower placed on top of a one-story high platform on top of the roof. The 36-inch wide pole would be disguised as a flagpole with an American flag at the top, capped by a gold ball. The entire structure would have risen 56-feet above street level, which many residents felt would not fit into the neighborhood.
Immediately after Wroblewski entered into the contract last year, which would have paid him an undisclosed rental fee each month, residents and local officials began fighting the proposal. The first BSA hearing in January was attended by local elected officials including Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth), along with members of the Juniper Park Civic Association and other groups.
The proposal was voted down by Community Board 5 and has been opposed by Borough President Helen Marshall. Several Maspeth residents also submitted a petition with more than 1,300 signatures from neighborhoods against allowing a cell tower in a residential area.
“We’re really devastated over this,” said resident Hope Stancati told the Forum West in November as the fight was heating up. “We never thought we would have something like that on a two-story house.”
Since the initial hearing in January, several scheduled BSA hearings have been postponed at the request of Omnipoint. This week, it was announced that this month’s hearing was also delayed and that a new plan was in the works. However, unlike the first plan calling for a tower, the new proposal likely won’t need approval from the BSA since a variance isn’t required.
On Tuesday, Wroblewski said that Omnipoint has agreed to replace the 25-foot tower with three panels after realizing how much opposition there is to the plan. Two of the panels would be two feet by one foot, and the third would be six feet by one foot, according to Wroblewski. “I understand that the neighbors very much want nothing, but I don’t think that’s happening,” he said. “I’m not allowed to back out [or] they [Omnipoint]would go ahead with the cell tower... What they propose now is very simple, very easy.
To me, this was huge [to go] from a massive structure down to basically nothing.” One of the big concerns for neighbors was potential for longterm health effects due to the tower. According to Wroblewski, Omnipoint told him there would be “zero health issues” and has offered to meet with neighbors to “prove that your average household items are doing more harm” than the panels would.
Councilman Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) met last week with several Maspeth residents who are fighting the proposal and remains committed to assisting them, according to his spokesman, James McClelland.
“We’re behind the residents,” said McClelland on Tuesday. “Just because they would be smaller antennas doesn’t mean it changes the resident’s concerns. We’re going to work with the DOB [city Department of Buildings] to find out all the information and assist the residents in their fight.”
As of press time, McClelland was trying to find out from the DOB what type of approvals or variances, if any, the new proposal would need.
On Tuesday, Markey suggested that they company is delaying the project due to the community backlash. She noted that it is the fourth time the hearing has been delayed and said that Omnipoint stated that this is the final three-month adjournment they will seek.
“I think this new postponement means that Omnipoint is getting the message about our vigorous opposition to their proposal,” she said in a statement. “I will continue to stand with property owners, community leaders and residents... to speak out in the strongest terms against a plan that is totally inappropriate for a residential area. Markey added that Omnipoint “is seeking to redesign alternatives that might be more acceptable to the community and we are waiting to hear the details.”
By Conor Greene
A proposal to place a 25-foot cellular tower on top of a 72nd Place house has been replaced by a plan calling for several smaller panels, according to the building owner.
A hearing before the city Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled as Omnipoint Communications and Joseph Wroblewski work out a revised contract for the smaller project. “It’s not happening – there is no cell tower,” said Wroblewski, who owns the house at 53-20 72nd Place, next door to Frank’s Deli.
The plan originally called for a 25-foot tower placed on top of a one-story high platform on top of the roof. The 36-inch wide pole would be disguised as a flagpole with an American flag at the top, capped by a gold ball. The entire structure would have risen 56-feet above street level, which many residents felt would not fit into the neighborhood.
Immediately after Wroblewski entered into the contract last year, which would have paid him an undisclosed rental fee each month, residents and local officials began fighting the proposal. The first BSA hearing in January was attended by local elected officials including Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth), along with members of the Juniper Park Civic Association and other groups.
The proposal was voted down by Community Board 5 and has been opposed by Borough President Helen Marshall. Several Maspeth residents also submitted a petition with more than 1,300 signatures from neighborhoods against allowing a cell tower in a residential area.
“We’re really devastated over this,” said resident Hope Stancati told the Forum West in November as the fight was heating up. “We never thought we would have something like that on a two-story house.”
Since the initial hearing in January, several scheduled BSA hearings have been postponed at the request of Omnipoint. This week, it was announced that this month’s hearing was also delayed and that a new plan was in the works. However, unlike the first plan calling for a tower, the new proposal likely won’t need approval from the BSA since a variance isn’t required.
On Tuesday, Wroblewski said that Omnipoint has agreed to replace the 25-foot tower with three panels after realizing how much opposition there is to the plan. Two of the panels would be two feet by one foot, and the third would be six feet by one foot, according to Wroblewski. “I understand that the neighbors very much want nothing, but I don’t think that’s happening,” he said. “I’m not allowed to back out [or] they [Omnipoint]would go ahead with the cell tower... What they propose now is very simple, very easy.
To me, this was huge [to go] from a massive structure down to basically nothing.” One of the big concerns for neighbors was potential for longterm health effects due to the tower. According to Wroblewski, Omnipoint told him there would be “zero health issues” and has offered to meet with neighbors to “prove that your average household items are doing more harm” than the panels would.
Councilman Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) met last week with several Maspeth residents who are fighting the proposal and remains committed to assisting them, according to his spokesman, James McClelland.
“We’re behind the residents,” said McClelland on Tuesday. “Just because they would be smaller antennas doesn’t mean it changes the resident’s concerns. We’re going to work with the DOB [city Department of Buildings] to find out all the information and assist the residents in their fight.”
As of press time, McClelland was trying to find out from the DOB what type of approvals or variances, if any, the new proposal would need.
On Tuesday, Markey suggested that they company is delaying the project due to the community backlash. She noted that it is the fourth time the hearing has been delayed and said that Omnipoint stated that this is the final three-month adjournment they will seek.
“I think this new postponement means that Omnipoint is getting the message about our vigorous opposition to their proposal,” she said in a statement. “I will continue to stand with property owners, community leaders and residents... to speak out in the strongest terms against a plan that is totally inappropriate for a residential area. Markey added that Omnipoint “is seeking to redesign alternatives that might be more acceptable to the community and we are waiting to hear the details.”
Police Use DNA to Link Man to 1997 Rapes
By Conor Greene
A Queens man was charged with two rapes that occurred in 1997 after his DNA was recently matched to evidence collected at the time, authorities announced.
Peter Grebinger, 41, of 87th Street in Richmond Hill, has been charged with two counts of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree sodomy, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. He was arraigned last Thursday in Queens Criminal Court and is being held without bail until his next court appearance on September 2.
Grebinger was linked to the two rapes after police searched his house at 85-87 87th Street in April on an unrelated investigation. The search turned up two loaded semi-automatic guns – a 9mm and a .25 caliber pistol – along with cocaine and marijuana. The guns were tested for DNA, and investigators were able to recover a profile from one, according to Brown.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner linked the DNA found on the gun to two cold rape cases from 1997. A DNA sample was then taken from Grebinger and matched to the profile found on the gun, leading to the charges, said Brown. “This case underscores yet again the crucial importance of DNA evidence which is irrefutable proof of guilt or innocence,” the district attorney said in a statement. “After nearly ten years of avoiding arrest in the two cases, the defendant ultimately was done in by his own genes.”
According to the charges, a 33-year-old woman was walking to the subway on her way to work at 7:30 a.m. on January 3, 1997 when Grebinger approached her near 87-18 101st Avenue and told her that he had a gun and not to scream. He allegedly demanded money from her and then forced her into a nearby building where he raped and sodomized her before again demanding money. After she handed over the cash, he told her to count to one hundred and fled.
In the second case, a 22-year-old woman was on her way to work at 6:20 a.m. on December 28, 1997 when she flagged down Grebinger, who was driving a dollar cab, near 179th Street and Jamaica Avenue. Grebinger allegedly told her that the back rear seat was full and that she should sit up front. Once the woman was inside the car, he allegedly locked the doors and told the woman to keep quiet and do what he said.
According to Brown, a struggle then ensued, during which Grebinger slammed her head into the dashboard and told her to get on the floor. After driving a short distance, he parked the car and took the woman’s jewelry before ordering her into the backseat, where he raped her. He then drove from the scene before ordering the woman out of the car.
In each case, the victim was taken to a localhospital where a sexual assault kit was prepared. However, the cases went cold for more than a decade until Grebinger was arrested on the unrelated weapons and drug charges, said Brown.
After police searched the house, Grebinger and his father, also named Peter Grebinger, were charged with third-and-fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-and-third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to Brown. Bail was set at $15,000 in that case for Grebinger and $5,000 for his 62-year-old father. Both are due back in court on September 8 to face those charges.
According to Brown, this case highlights the need to collect a DNA sample from “everyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor” to help solve other cold cases. “The cost of omitting many crimes from the DNA databank - as is the case under the existing law – is that those who commit brutal acts of violence may escape identification and remain free to leave more victims in their wake,” he said.
A Queens man was charged with two rapes that occurred in 1997 after his DNA was recently matched to evidence collected at the time, authorities announced.
Peter Grebinger, 41, of 87th Street in Richmond Hill, has been charged with two counts of first-degree rape and one count of first-degree sodomy, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. He was arraigned last Thursday in Queens Criminal Court and is being held without bail until his next court appearance on September 2.
Grebinger was linked to the two rapes after police searched his house at 85-87 87th Street in April on an unrelated investigation. The search turned up two loaded semi-automatic guns – a 9mm and a .25 caliber pistol – along with cocaine and marijuana. The guns were tested for DNA, and investigators were able to recover a profile from one, according to Brown.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner linked the DNA found on the gun to two cold rape cases from 1997. A DNA sample was then taken from Grebinger and matched to the profile found on the gun, leading to the charges, said Brown. “This case underscores yet again the crucial importance of DNA evidence which is irrefutable proof of guilt or innocence,” the district attorney said in a statement. “After nearly ten years of avoiding arrest in the two cases, the defendant ultimately was done in by his own genes.”
According to the charges, a 33-year-old woman was walking to the subway on her way to work at 7:30 a.m. on January 3, 1997 when Grebinger approached her near 87-18 101st Avenue and told her that he had a gun and not to scream. He allegedly demanded money from her and then forced her into a nearby building where he raped and sodomized her before again demanding money. After she handed over the cash, he told her to count to one hundred and fled.
In the second case, a 22-year-old woman was on her way to work at 6:20 a.m. on December 28, 1997 when she flagged down Grebinger, who was driving a dollar cab, near 179th Street and Jamaica Avenue. Grebinger allegedly told her that the back rear seat was full and that she should sit up front. Once the woman was inside the car, he allegedly locked the doors and told the woman to keep quiet and do what he said.
According to Brown, a struggle then ensued, during which Grebinger slammed her head into the dashboard and told her to get on the floor. After driving a short distance, he parked the car and took the woman’s jewelry before ordering her into the backseat, where he raped her. He then drove from the scene before ordering the woman out of the car.
In each case, the victim was taken to a localhospital where a sexual assault kit was prepared. However, the cases went cold for more than a decade until Grebinger was arrested on the unrelated weapons and drug charges, said Brown.
After police searched the house, Grebinger and his father, also named Peter Grebinger, were charged with third-and-fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-and-third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to Brown. Bail was set at $15,000 in that case for Grebinger and $5,000 for his 62-year-old father. Both are due back in court on September 8 to face those charges.
According to Brown, this case highlights the need to collect a DNA sample from “everyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor” to help solve other cold cases. “The cost of omitting many crimes from the DNA databank - as is the case under the existing law – is that those who commit brutal acts of violence may escape identification and remain free to leave more victims in their wake,” he said.
Chicago: My Kind of Town?
By Steve Tiszenkel You'll excuse me if I haven't been thinking much about Queens lately. See, I've been thinking about leaving. No, not to Manhattan or Brooklyn or so-uncool-it's-cool Staten Island nor even the cutting-edge South Bronx. True, I've been contemplating a move west—but I was thinking more like 800 miles west. My wife and I could be packing up and heading to Chicago.
This didn't just come out of nowhere. It would be a move of circumstance, a reaction to something that's suddenly changed in our lives. The details aren't really important, but moving to Chicago would make things easier in a few important ways. Still, a move is technically optional, so I've been spending much of my free time doing repeated cost-benefit analysis.
Oh, stop, you New York snobs—I already know what you're thinking. Seriously, Chicago? Isn't that in one of those square states? Didn't it burn down because of some cow, and then the corrupt police bashed all those hippies over the head? You can put your preconceived notions to rest right now.
Chicago is an enormous metropolis that recently had a starring role as Gotham City in a little movie you and 40 million of your closest friends might have seen. As the Second City, it is indeed second to New York in many ways—though not in population; Los Angeles passed it back in 1990. It's got the second-best art museum, the second-best opera, the second-best symphony. It's No. 2 in finance, in theater and in food. None of this is a knock on the city—second place isn't too shabby, as the French Olympic swim team might grudgingly admit.
But believe it or not, there are things Chicago does better than New York. It invented the skyscraper, and its skyline, though more compact than New York's, is sleeker, prettier and taller. New York may be a city of islands, but continental Chicago, on the shores of enormous, beautiful Lake Michigan and straddling the Chicago River, is oriented toward the water in a way that New York simply isn't. And while New York is a city where urban improvements seem to just sort of happen—or not, as evidenced by the repeated hiccups at Ground Zero—Chicago's controversial-but-effective Mayor-for-Life Richard M. Daley has used his considerable power to push an aggressive development agenda that's seen his city become an international model for modern architecture, public spaces and public art. But when I thought about what I personally liked best about Chicago, to my surprise, what I ended up with were many of the same things I like best about Queens. There's an energy that Chicago and Queens share that Manhattan in 2008 doesn't have, a palpable sense of change, that things are happening. With the gentrification of nearly all of Manhattan complete, there's really nowhere to go but down. In low-rise Queens, the sky's the limit. Long-forgotten neighborhoods are reaching their potential in both places. Nobody quite knows what Queens will look like 10 years from now, and you can say the same of Chicago. Manhattan? I've got a pretty good idea.
Chicago is slower-paced and more personal, both qualities it shares with Queens. Outside of its bustling downtown, its blocks of residences broken up with the occasional commercial strip have much more in common with Queens than they do with, say, the West Village. Even the red-brick-and-ornate-entryway architecture is similar. I remember the very first time I ever wandered around Forest Hills, I thought, Hey, this looks like Chicago.
My wife wouldn't cry if we were gone tomorrow. She's never been a huge fan of New York. She ended up here by accident, met me and found herself stuck. She thinks it's too mean, too fast, too ruthless. Chicago, meanwhile, is her kind of town. The other day, she told me that if we do leave, she wouldn't miss Manhattan at all. She wouldn't feel bad about missing out on Central Park or Union Square or any of the great New York things her hypothetical new home wouldn't be able to provide. The only reason she hesitates to go, she said, is Forest Hills.
The writer, Steve Tiszenkel is the host of the Website, Queens Central. Log on to www.queenscentral.com to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.
Making the Walk to School Safer
CITY ANNOUNCES SECOND PHASE OF DOT PROJECT By Conor Greene
The walk to school will become safer for thousands of students at public and private schools around the city under the second round of the Safe Routes to Schools program. The city Department of Transportation recently announced that 135 schools will be included in the second round of the program, which aims to make the streets surrounding schools safer for students walking there.
“Safe Routes to Schools takes a comprehensive view of the streets surrounding schools and tailors our bets measures to reduce pedestrian accidents,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. The program, combined with a similar effort for seniors, “comprises the largest traffic-calming campaign of its kind in the nation, and it’s fitting we are targeting our most vulnerable New Yorkers,” she said.
As with the first phase, the new study will identify traffic and pedestrian safety issue and propose short-term improvements and recommendations for long-term capital projects to improve safety, according to the DOT. The city has already completed short-term improvements at the first set of schools across the five boroughs, including improved crosswalks, new traffic medians and other traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps, new traffic signals and improved signage around 135 schools.
Schools chosen for the project’s second phase include P.S 88 and P.S 239 in Ridgewood, M.S 137 in Ozone Park and P.S 100 in South Ozone Park. Also included is P.S 161 in South Richmond Hill, P.S 97 in Woodhaven and P.S 62 in Richmond Hill. Many of these schools are located near busy roads such as Fresh Pond Road or Rockaway Boulevard, meaning students have to cross dangerous intersections to reach the classroom.
In all, the second phase includes 33 schools in Queens, 46 in Brooklyn, 23 in Manhattan, 25 in the Bronx and eight in Staten Island. They were chosen after the DOT studied accident data around 1,436 public, private and parochial elementary and middle schools. “We must calm traffic in areas near our children’s schools,” said Congressman Anthony Weiner. “Better signs, clearer crosswalks and better enforcement will be needed to be implemented.”
Traffic accidents are the leading cause of child injury-fatalities in New York City, with half of child pedestrian injury-deaths occurring within 700 feet of a school, according to Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “We can protect these children and prevent fatalities with a few common-sense safety measures,” he said.
Earlier this year, the DOT launched the Safe Streets for Seniors program, which identified 25 areas citywide that combine a high density of senior citizens and a high number of pedestrian accidents or injuries.
Safety improvements have already been made in two of that program’s five pilot study areas, including installation of refuge islands, vehicle turning bays, painted medians, extended sidewalk curbs and improved signal phasing to increase pedestrian crossing times.
Photo: Traffic speeds through the intersection of Fresh Pond Road and Catalpa Avenue near P.S. 88.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
This Week's Forum South and West
Howard Beach Says Good-Bye to Favorite Son
Man Charged with Murder in Middle Village Apartment
Three Killed in Traffic Accidents
Night Out Against Crime at the 106th Precinct
St. Saviour's Relocation Moving Ahead
Gallagher Spent Leftover Campaign Cash During Final Months in Office
Maltese and Como Host Town Hall Meeting
Why Forest Hills is Lucky to Have Avoided the Corcoran Curse
NYPD Detective Sentenced to Prison in Child Prostitution Case
New ADA Elevators Unveiled at Union Turnpike Station
M Line Stations Closed Next Three Weekends
Howard Beach Says Good-Bye to Favorite Son
Community Mourns the Loss of 9/11 Hero
by Patricia Adams
A big strapping guy he was. And as big of a heart went with the bulk of the man named “Buck” by his firefighter brothers for his cooking ability, and “The Rock” by his family for the dedication and strength he had for them.
Kevin Delano passed away on Wednesday July 30th after a battle with leukemia; the disease most believe was brought on due to the time he spent at the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Delano was one of the first to arrive at the scene after the buildings collapsed and worked for 40 hours; continuously searching the rubble for any survivors. He wore very little protective gear and never gave a second thought to the potential health risks he was taking by being there amidst the toxic rubble. But that was Kevin Delano—concerned with saving lives not with his own safety.
The career he was so devoted to began in 1971, as soon as he was eligible to join the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department. He worked his way up and was later named Chief of the department. While serving in his volunteer role at West Hamilton, Kevin worked as a member of the US Coast Guard. After four years with the Coast Guard, Kevin became a federal firefighter and was stationed at Governors Island. There he stayed for the next eleven years when the opportunity came to become an officer for the New York City Transit Police. It was from that position that Kevin Delano waited for the job he had always wanted—to be one of New York’s Bravest.
It was not quite two years later when Kevin Delano’s dream came true. Kevin was “on the job”, starting in Brooklyn at Ladder 146 and then transferred to Ladder 142 in Ozone Park, where he was closer to home. In 1980, Kevin married sweetheart Roseann Panhurst on August 16 at Our Lady of Grace in Howard Beach.
Four years later the couple welcomed their son Kevin Michael Jr. into the world. Of course Kevin took the same type of an active and dedicated role in raising his son as he did with his job and his family. He went on to coach his son at the Ozone Howard Little League. Always an avid sports fan, he spent much of his spare time teaching his son and nephews how to play ball.
Kevin Delano was retired by the New York City Fire Department and moved with his family from Hamilton Beach to the Poconos in Pennsylvania. It was a frustrating time for the fireman who could no longer do what he wanted to do. He was a firefighter who while assigned to the 142 in Ozone Park also put in 40 to 60 hours a week volunteering. Volunteering, he once said, was all about the “feeling you get when you know you have helped someone”.
Delano was an avid golfer and found his enjoyment in the Poconos by golfing regularly, spending time in his pool and sport fishing. But his relaxation and peace was to meet with an unexpected obstacle—after being rushed to a hospital, Delano was diagnosed with leukemia. He battled the disease, experienced a successful remission but was struck again when it returned.
Approximately seven months ago, doctors told Kevin Delano his only hope was a bone marrow transplant. One of his sisters, Patti Fogarty, was a perfect match and acted as a donor. His sister’s stem cells gave Kevin Delano seven more months to live but two weeks ago he was airlifted to Penn State Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Kevin Delano spent his last two weeks surrounded by family and friends. He was 54 years old and is survived by his wife Roseann; his son Kevin Michael, Jr. (Half-A-Buck); his mother-in-law, brothers: Raymond and Ger- ard and his sisters: Barbara Jean, Loretta, Patti, Cathy, Maureen, Jeananne and Vicky and more than 35 nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, August 4th in Our Lady of Grace Church in Howard Beach. The ceremonial farewell to a beloved brother and friend to the community was marked by the presence of a full honor guard, bagpipes and fire department funeral procession. The procession drove past the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department before heading out for the burial at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
The city of New York has refused to acknowledge the link to Kevin’s death as a result of his heroic actions on 9/11. As a result the family has incurred the tremendous financial burden of medical expenses during Kevin’s battle.
The West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department will be accepting donations which can be made to Roseann Delano and sent to the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps at Post Office Box 77, Howard Beach, New York 11414.
Above: Hundreds of firefighters, family members and community residents bid farewell to retired Firefighter Kevin Delano who lost his battle with leukemia last week. At left: Kevin Delano stands proud in his dress uniform.
The Forum Newsgroup/top photo by PATRICIA ADAMS. Left photo courtesy of NICK BENEDUCE
Man Charged with Murder in Middle Village Apartment
Two Men Shot and Dismembered After Drug Deal Gone Bad
by Conor Greene
A Middle Village man has been charged with the murder of two men who went missing from Long Island last month after a drug deal gone bad, said police.
Darren Lynch, 28, is accused of shooting two men inside his 68th Avenue apartment and cutting up their bodies after buying $20,000 worth of fake cocaine, according to police. The men’s dismembered bodies were found last week near Lynch’s parents’ house on Long Island.
He was arrested late last Wednesday by Suffolk County Police Department detectives and members of the NYPD and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Police say he admitted the following day to shooting both men inside his apartment and later dumping their bodies in a shallow grave behind his parent’s Coram house and in a nearby sump.
During the raid of Lynch’s apartment, police found a large quantity of drugs and weapons, including a loaded AK-47, Tec-9 machine pistol, several handguns and rifles and a bulletproof vest, according to police. They also found several books about serial killers on the kitchen table, next to a collection of pornography.
Lynch’s girlfriend, Leah Reynolds, who shared the apartment at 79-42 68th Avenue, has been charged with helping transport the bodies to Coram, Suffolk County, and hiding the murder weapons at her mother’s house in Holtsville, said police. The investigation began several days after the July 16 disappearance of Joseph Odierno, 35, of Miller Place and Jairo Santos, 22, of Washington Heights, who was a student at the C.W Post campus of Long Island University in Old Brookville.
The two men were last seen that day on the campus and were believed to be heading to Coram in Odierno’s Cadillac Escalade to meet an unidentified person. Initially, police deemed the men had disappeared under “suspicious circumstances” and launched a joint investigation between authorities from Suffolk County, who were looking into Odierno’s disappearance, and Old Brookville, which was handling Santos’ case.
Days after Odierno was reported missing, his wife activated the OnStar tracking system on her husband’s Cadillac, which was found by the NYPD on Gates Avenue in Middle Village. The break in the case came on July 23, when police located the third man, who told them that Lynch had kidnapped Odierno and Santos.
Based on the witness’s statement, police determined that Odierno, Santos, Lynch and the unidentified man traveled to a location in Coram, where Lynch paid another group of men $20,000 for what he thought was a kilogram of cocaine. After the sellers left, Lynch realized the bag contained sugar and baking powder, at which point he pulled a gun on the Odierno, Santos and the third man.
Lynch told the men to drive him to Washington Heights in hopes of finding the sellers. The unidentified man was able to flee after Lynch told him to go inside an apartment building and get the dealers.
Lynch then forced Odierno and Santos to drive to his Middle Village apartment, where he tied the men up and shot them several times in the kitchen, according to police. He then placed the bodies in the bathtub and cut them up using a power saw before transporting them to Long Island, said police.
Reynolds, who followed Lynch’s instruction to go into another room in the apartment while he shot the men, has been charged with first-degree hindering apprehension. She went with Lynch when he transported the bodies, and told police she hid three handguns used in the murder in her mother’s house, said police.
Lynch was arraigned last Friday in First District Court in Central Islip and ordered held without bail. He has a prior jail record for crimes involving drugs and firearms, according to police. Suffolk County Chief of Detectives told the New York Post that Lynch “admitted to us that he survived on a diet of steroids, cocaine and health food.” His sister, Erin Lynch, told Newsday that the family is “embarrassed and hurting” due to the charges.
On 68th Avenue in Middle Village, neighbors described Lynch as “troubled” according to a report in the Daily News. “We knew he was a troubled young man who was in and out of jail,” said Jenn Kohen, a family friend who lives across the street. “But one thing is to be in trouble with the law and another to kill people and cut them to pieces.”
On Tuesday, police announced the arrest of a second man in connection with the double murder, James Wall, 28, of Coram. He was allegedly in involved in the kidnapping, and under New York State law, a participant in an abduction that leads to a murder can be charged with murder. Police refused to reveal the extent of his involvement or say whether he was present when Odierno and Santos were shot.
by Conor Greene
A Middle Village man has been charged with the murder of two men who went missing from Long Island last month after a drug deal gone bad, said police.
Darren Lynch, 28, is accused of shooting two men inside his 68th Avenue apartment and cutting up their bodies after buying $20,000 worth of fake cocaine, according to police. The men’s dismembered bodies were found last week near Lynch’s parents’ house on Long Island.
He was arrested late last Wednesday by Suffolk County Police Department detectives and members of the NYPD and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Police say he admitted the following day to shooting both men inside his apartment and later dumping their bodies in a shallow grave behind his parent’s Coram house and in a nearby sump. During the raid of Lynch’s apartment, police found a large quantity of drugs and weapons, including a loaded AK-47, Tec-9 machine pistol, several handguns and rifles and a bulletproof vest, according to police. They also found several books about serial killers on the kitchen table, next to a collection of pornography.
Lynch’s girlfriend, Leah Reynolds, who shared the apartment at 79-42 68th Avenue, has been charged with helping transport the bodies to Coram, Suffolk County, and hiding the murder weapons at her mother’s house in Holtsville, said police. The investigation began several days after the July 16 disappearance of Joseph Odierno, 35, of Miller Place and Jairo Santos, 22, of Washington Heights, who was a student at the C.W Post campus of Long Island University in Old Brookville.
The two men were last seen that day on the campus and were believed to be heading to Coram in Odierno’s Cadillac Escalade to meet an unidentified person. Initially, police deemed the men had disappeared under “suspicious circumstances” and launched a joint investigation between authorities from Suffolk County, who were looking into Odierno’s disappearance, and Old Brookville, which was handling Santos’ case. Days after Odierno was reported missing, his wife activated the OnStar tracking system on her husband’s Cadillac, which was found by the NYPD on Gates Avenue in Middle Village. The break in the case came on July 23, when police located the third man, who told them that Lynch had kidnapped Odierno and Santos.
Based on the witness’s statement, police determined that Odierno, Santos, Lynch and the unidentified man traveled to a location in Coram, where Lynch paid another group of men $20,000 for what he thought was a kilogram of cocaine. After the sellers left, Lynch realized the bag contained sugar and baking powder, at which point he pulled a gun on the Odierno, Santos and the third man.
Lynch told the men to drive him to Washington Heights in hopes of finding the sellers. The unidentified man was able to flee after Lynch told him to go inside an apartment building and get the dealers.
Lynch then forced Odierno and Santos to drive to his Middle Village apartment, where he tied the men up and shot them several times in the kitchen, according to police. He then placed the bodies in the bathtub and cut them up using a power saw before transporting them to Long Island, said police.
Reynolds, who followed Lynch’s instruction to go into another room in the apartment while he shot the men, has been charged with first-degree hindering apprehension. She went with Lynch when he transported the bodies, and told police she hid three handguns used in the murder in her mother’s house, said police.
Lynch was arraigned last Friday in First District Court in Central Islip and ordered held without bail. He has a prior jail record for crimes involving drugs and firearms, according to police. Suffolk County Chief of Detectives told the New York Post that Lynch “admitted to us that he survived on a diet of steroids, cocaine and health food.” His sister, Erin Lynch, told Newsday that the family is “embarrassed and hurting” due to the charges.
On 68th Avenue in Middle Village, neighbors described Lynch as “troubled” according to a report in the Daily News. “We knew he was a troubled young man who was in and out of jail,” said Jenn Kohen, a family friend who lives across the street. “But one thing is to be in trouble with the law and another to kill people and cut them to pieces.”
On Tuesday, police announced the arrest of a second man in connection with the double murder, James Wall, 28, of Coram. He was allegedly in involved in the kidnapping, and under New York State law, a participant in an abduction that leads to a murder can be charged with murder. Police refused to reveal the extent of his involvement or say whether he was present when Odierno and Santos were shot.
Three Killed in Traffic Accidents
Teen Charged in Forest Hills Wreck, Man Killed on LIE in Maspeth
by Conor Greene
In a deadly 24-hour period for Queens drivers, fatal accidents in Forest Hills and Maspeth claimed three lives in two separate incidents. An unlicensed teenage driver who admitted he was high on marijuana has been arrested in connection with one of the wrecks.
Teen Runs Red Light on Service Road
The carnage began Tuesday morning, when a 17-year-old Forest Hills resident sped through a red light along the Grand Central Parkway service road and slammed into another car, instantly killing a married couple, according to police.
Jacob Chubashvili, 17, slowed as he was approaching the red 5:40 a.m. He then stepped on the gas of the Mercedes-Benz he was driving and swerved around an SUV stopped at the light before colliding with a 2004 Acura. Police said he was going 60 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone and later admitted to having smoked marijuana before getting behind the wheel. The collision pushed the Acura into a light pole, which split apart the car.
A Kew Gardens couple, Ki Kim, 55, and his wife, Hyekyung Kim, 53, were killed instantly. Later that day, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced that Chubashvili has been charged with two counts of manslaughter, unauthorized use of a vehicle, driving without a license, speeding and running a red light.
The teen provided police with a blood sample at the accident scene before being taken to a local hospital with neck and back pain, and the charges could be upgraded based on the results of the blood test. Chubashvili, of 108-50 62nd Drive, has a previous arrest record for robbery and fare evasion, according to reports. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges stemming from Tuesday’s accident.
Hyekyung Kim was a supervisor at the city Administration for Children’s Services and the couple was on their way to work at the time of the wreck, according to reports. “This case will be vigorously prosecuted and should serve as a warning to those who would flout our traffic regulations and put others in danger,” said Brown in a statement.
Minor Fender Bender Leads to Fatal Accident
Less than 24 hours later, a 61-year-old man who exited his car following a minor accident on the Long Island Expressway was struck and killed by a tractor trailer, according to police.
The man, whose name has been withheld pending notification of his family, got in a minor fender bender involving several vehicles at about 3 a.m. near the 69th Street exit in Maspeth, said police. After exchanging information with the other driver, the man pulled into traffic in front of a tractor-trailer, which was unable to stop before slamming into the car.
As of Wednesday morning, police were attempting to reach the man’s next of kin, who they say live in the area. Reports that an ambulance carrying two EMS workers was also involved in the accident were not able to be immediately confirmed.
Note: The online version of this story has been updated.
by Conor Greene
In a deadly 24-hour period for Queens drivers, fatal accidents in Forest Hills and Maspeth claimed three lives in two separate incidents. An unlicensed teenage driver who admitted he was high on marijuana has been arrested in connection with one of the wrecks.
Teen Runs Red Light on Service Road
The carnage began Tuesday morning, when a 17-year-old Forest Hills resident sped through a red light along the Grand Central Parkway service road and slammed into another car, instantly killing a married couple, according to police.
Jacob Chubashvili, 17, slowed as he was approaching the red 5:40 a.m. He then stepped on the gas of the Mercedes-Benz he was driving and swerved around an SUV stopped at the light before colliding with a 2004 Acura. Police said he was going 60 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone and later admitted to having smoked marijuana before getting behind the wheel. The collision pushed the Acura into a light pole, which split apart the car.
A Kew Gardens couple, Ki Kim, 55, and his wife, Hyekyung Kim, 53, were killed instantly. Later that day, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced that Chubashvili has been charged with two counts of manslaughter, unauthorized use of a vehicle, driving without a license, speeding and running a red light.
The teen provided police with a blood sample at the accident scene before being taken to a local hospital with neck and back pain, and the charges could be upgraded based on the results of the blood test. Chubashvili, of 108-50 62nd Drive, has a previous arrest record for robbery and fare evasion, according to reports. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges stemming from Tuesday’s accident.
Hyekyung Kim was a supervisor at the city Administration for Children’s Services and the couple was on their way to work at the time of the wreck, according to reports. “This case will be vigorously prosecuted and should serve as a warning to those who would flout our traffic regulations and put others in danger,” said Brown in a statement.
Minor Fender Bender Leads to Fatal Accident
Less than 24 hours later, a 61-year-old man who exited his car following a minor accident on the Long Island Expressway was struck and killed by a tractor trailer, according to police.
The man, whose name has been withheld pending notification of his family, got in a minor fender bender involving several vehicles at about 3 a.m. near the 69th Street exit in Maspeth, said police. After exchanging information with the other driver, the man pulled into traffic in front of a tractor-trailer, which was unable to stop before slamming into the car.
As of Wednesday morning, police were attempting to reach the man’s next of kin, who they say live in the area. Reports that an ambulance carrying two EMS workers was also involved in the accident were not able to be immediately confirmed.
Note: The online version of this story has been updated.
Night Out Against Crime at the 106th Pct
by Nicole Turso The 106th Precinct in South Queens held their annual “Night Out Against Crime” Tuesday evening, as part of the 25th anniversary of the National crime prevention event.
Night Out 2008, which was supported by local citizens, merchants, and neighborhood organizations, was held at Police Officer Edward Byrne Park in South Ozone Park on North Conduit Avenue, between 131st and 134th streets.
Community Affairs Officer Kenneth Zorn of the 106th Precinct said that the location change of the event from its former site in front of the precinct at Police Officer Nicholas Demutiis Playground, did not affect the turn out—with several hundred attendees including residents of Howard Beach, Ozone Park and South Richmond Hill.
“This is the most diverse precinct in the city,” Zorn said, “We have an additional charge to include everyone from all of the neighborhoods in the events.”
Among the sponsors of this year’s event were the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department, the Queens Public Library, as well as a number of civic associations, including Tudor Village, Richmond Hill South, Locust Grove, the South Ozone Park Community Development Corporation and South Ozone Park West. Sponsorship of the event rose this year according to Zorn, with businesses throughout the precinct’s neighborhoods participating.
Knock Out Pest Control Inc. supplied information for residents about guarding their homes from unwanted critters, the 106th Community Council sponsored the hot dogs and sausage and Millennium Realty Corp. lent a hand with snow cones for the kids. Area children were given horse rides from the Federation of Black Cowboys, enjoyed a variety of treats including ice cream and pizza, received gym bags giveaways just in time for the new school year, and learned about how they could get involved with the local precinct to continue keeping their neighborhoods safe.
Representatives from the two corporations vying to become Franchise Holder for Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) operations at Aqueduct Race- track, came out in support of the event and the community surrounding the amusement facility. Chief Financial Officer Leo Chutask attended on behalf of Capital Play and the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, and SL Green Realty Corp’s Senior Vice President Lawrence Thompson, represented the Hard Rock company, which sponsored the ice cream truck. The New York Racing Association also provided giveaways, including hats and T-shirts.
Councilman Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who has throw his hat into the Senate race this November, was also on hand to show his support. “We want everyone to feel that we aren’t just policing the community, we are involved in the community,” Zorn explained. “We are giving different ways for the youth of the community to interact with the police—whether it be this event or a pick-up basketball game with PAL, a positive reaction is a positive reaction.”
Frank Dardani, President of the 106th Precinct Community Council, believes the event not only strengthens police department and community rapport, but also raises awareness of the council to residents, and the assistance it provides.
“We hope that more people will be aware that there is a place for them to go to lodge complaints,” Dardani said. “They can come to a meeting at a precinct and get help there. When they speak to a commanding officer one on one, they have direct contact with the department. For us as an organization, they gain confidence in the police department and what they do.”
National Night Out Against Crime, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, promotes crime and drug prevention awareness as well as community support and participation with local police departments across the country.
The 106th Precinct Community Council meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 8:00 p.m. at the 106th Precinct station house.
Photo: Robert Stridiron
St. Saviour's Relocation Moving Ahead
Cemetery Gets State Agency’s Approval
by Conor Greene
The process of rebuilding the historic St. Saviour’s church at a local cemetery is moving forward now that a state agency has approved using part of the property for the project.
The state Division of Cemeteries reviewed the proposal to move the 160-year-old church from its former home on Rust Street in Maspeth to a plot of land owned by All Faiths Cemetery at 69th Street and Juniper Valley Road in Middle Village. In a June 24 letter, the division ruled that permission has been granted because “the location within the cemetery is not usable as burial grounds.”
The historic structure, designed by noted architect Richard Upjohn, was threatened after the city issued a demolition permit to Maspeth Development, LLC, which owns the Rust Street property. The Richmond Hill-based developer agreed to allow the Juniper Park Civic Association to remove the church from the property after the civic association had struck a deal with All Faiths Cemetery to house the structure there.
Dan Austin Jr., president of All Faith’s Beautification and Restoration Program, which is handling the church project, said Tuesday that Montrose Surveying Company recently completed a survey of the property free of charge. An architect specializing in historic preservation projects is in the midst of a feasibility study to determine exactly where on the site the church should be placed.
It cost the civic association about $140,000 to dismantle the church, which is currently being stored in several trailers in Maspeth. It is expected to cost about five million dollars to rebuild the structure on the cemetery property. State Senator Serf Maltese was able to secure $100,000 through the Empire State Development Corp grant program, and Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi provided an additional $50,000. That means the cemetery is relying on obtaining donations from individuals and private businesses to eventually complete the project, said Austin, Jr.
“We’re taking it one step at a time,” he said. “This thing is going to be a very intricate and in-depth study on how to restore an old building, which is roughly seventy percent all there. “I think it’s going to be an outstanding project, but it’s going to take a while and is going to be an ongoing thing.”
He said that “the key to success is seeing some action come springtime” in terms of beginning to rebuild the structure on the cemetery property. The next step is an August 20 meeting with the architect. “By then we will hopefully have different studies for the juxtaposition of the church on the land,” he said.
Christina Wilkinson, a member of the JPCA who led the fight to save the church, noted that the land is still for sale, despite the fact that the civic was given little time to move the church since the owner claimed to have a buyer lined up. She said that she will continue to fight to have the land turned into a park, which is needed in that part of Maspeth.
Gallagher Spent Leftover Campaign Money During Final Months in Office
By Conor Greene
While former City Councilman Dennis Gallagher’s final few months in office were relatively quiet, the Middle Village Republican was busy spending money left in his campaign fund on donations to local groups and pricey meals at a local restaurant.
Although Gallagher’s legal troubles began last summer, he continued to raise money with a committee formed with the state Board of Elections for a potential run at higher office, even though his political career was essentially already sunk by the criminal charges.
After being charged with rape last August, Gallagher pled guilty in March to sexually assaulting a 52-year-old woman in his campaign office last summer. He resigned from his position on the City Council on April 18. As part of the plea agreement, Gallagher admitted he had “forcibly touched” the woman without her consent in his Metropolitan Avenue campaign office. The guilty plea spared him from registering as a sex offender and serving jail time. During the final four months of his tenure representing the 30th Council District, Gallagher kept a low profile. However, he was busy spending $22,000 that was left in his “Gallagher New York” account on file with the state Board of Elections. A review of his campaign finance disclosure filed with the state for the for January to July shows him doling out money to some of his favorite groups, including two donations totaling $6,000 to the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council.
The disclosure also shows that Gallagher shelled out nearly $3,000 for five meals at O’Neill’s bar and restaurant on 53rd Drive in Maspeth. Those totals included $435 for dinner on March 3, a $382 dinner on March 28 and a $359 lunch on April 4. Finally, on April 18 – his last day on the City Council – Gallagher spent $200 for lunch and $1,512 for dinner.
A spokesperson at the state Board of Elections said that under election laws, the money is not allowed “to be converted for personal use” but can be spent at restaurants if it comes in the course of performing duties as a public official
or candidate.
Gallagher continued to raise money through the end of 2007 under a committee formed on the state level, but hasn’t filed any paperwork with the city regarding a future run for office, according to the city Campaign Finance Board. An audit of his campaign spending from his last run for City Council was completed this year and resulted in no penalties.
Gallagher was unable to be reached for comment regarding the expense report.
Maltese and Como Host Town Hall Meeting
Issues Include Truck Traffic, Reservoir, Crime and Flooding
by Conor Greene
Providing residents with a chance to air grievances about a host of city agencies and issues, Senator Serf Maltese and Councilman Anthony Como hosted a town hall meeting last week in Middle Village.
The session last Thursday in Our Lady of Hope auditorium attracted several hundred residents and touched on a wide variety of issues, including crime, overdevelopment, traffic woes and a school construction project being considered in Maspeth.
The meeting included representatives from many city agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the 104th Precinct, the FDNY, Sanitation Department, Finance and the Department of Environmental Protection.
“It will let you put a face to some of the people you talk to when you call the office or 311,” said Maltese (R-Glendale). “We want to hear what you have to say and direct it to the right person.”
Como (R-Middle Village) thanked the large crowd for coming out on a warm evening. “I know there are a lot more pleasurable things you could be doing right now,” he said. “You care about making sure this community goes in the right direction.”
After the city officials were introduced, the senator and councilman allowed residents the chance to express any complaints or issues they have.
Maspeth School Proposal
First up was Jerry Matacotta, founder of the civic group Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together. He expressed concern about the city Department of Education’s proposal to build a 1,650-seat school at 74th Street and 57th Avenue in Maspeth.
While agreeing that “the school is necessary,” Matacotta said he “has some trepidation” about the students it will likely serve, including children from outside the area. “This is going to be a giant problem for us,” he said. “It is going to bring in a lot of things from other areas… It will be the end of this community, mark my words.” He said that the school should be “a special
high school for top students” only.
Como noted that Community Board 5 voted down the proposal. “We agree that a school of that magnitude will destroy the community,” he said. “We are on board with that.” He said that he is meeting in the coming weeks with officials from the Department of Education and School Construction Authority. “We’ve been unhappy with what they’ve told us,” he said.
Added Maltese: “It is absolutely unacceptable to us and we will not tolerate [a school that large] going into the community.”
Air Traffic Overhead
A resident who said she lives near Maltese asked what can be done about low-flying planes that pass over the neighborhood many times each day as they head towards LaGuardia Airport.
“Planes are flying very low over our houses every few minutes,” she said. “”We can’t sit in our yards anymore and read a book.” She expressed frustration that a phone call to Congressman Anthony Weiner proved fruitless. “He’s [too busy] running around on Larry King,” she said, referring to his mayoral campaign.
Maltese explained that “the problem is a federal problem” and the state and city officials “don’t have the authority to deal with the Federal Aviation Administration.” He noted that the same problem occurs in other neighborhoods around LaGuardia and JFK airports. “It’s definitely a problem, but I can’t promise we can address it with legislation or communications… but we will try,” said Maltese.
Juniper Boulevard Speeding
Resident Helen Steinhauer voiced what has become a common complaint from Middle Village residents: speeding along Juniper Boulevard North, especially between Lutheran Avenue and 80th Street.
“It’s unbearable to sit on my own stoop,” said Steinhauer, adding that the long flat stretch of road doesn’t have speed bumps or traffic lights and is used for drag racing. “I’ve come out to meetings every year and get no satisfaction.”
Maura McCarthy, Queens Borough Commissioner of the city Department of Transportation, said her agency will conduct a speed study along the boulevard to determine if traffic calming measures are warranted.
“We will analyze if we physically can put in [speed] bumps in this section of roadway,” she said, adding that it sounds like Community Board 5 would support that type of project. A traffic light and speed bumps were previously installed on Juniper Boulevard South, helping to cut down on speeding drivers there.
Local Crime Patterns
Crime is up so far this year within the confines of the 104th Precinct compared to the same time last year, with major incidents rising nearly 8 percent so far, according to statistics released recently.
A resident who said she has rented in Middle Village for the past few years expressed concern about several incidents that have taken place within a block of her home. She told Maltese and Como that she is now in position to buy a home, but is afraid to commit to the neighborhood due to increasing crime.
“It just seems like in the last two months, in a one-block radius, I’ve watched the crime go through the roof,” the woman said, adding that there has been a “deterioration of the neighborhood as whole. “Middle Village right now is the last place I’m looking,” she continued. “I’m afraid to purchase a home here due to criminal activity.”
She listed a home invasion shooting death and a large seizure of fireworks as two examples of recent incidents. An officer from the precinct said that crime is up a total of 65 incidents compared to the same time last year. The largest increases have been in robberies and burglaries, and the largest jump has been in grand larcenies.
The precinct recently had 14 additional officers assigned to the Ridgewood station house to help combat the rising numbers.
Street Fair Summonses
James O’ Kane, president of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, complained that 128 summonses were recently issued to the chamber, the Lions Club and the Kiwanis Club for advertisements for a street fair. He explained that Boy Scout volunteers had placed the filers on light poles around the neighborhood, not realizing that it is illegal to do so.
“They’re all volunteers who are dedicated and deeply involved,” he said. “To be issued this many summonses… I feel like they could cut us a break [since] we’re a not-for-profit.” He said that the fines ranged from $75 to $200, and tickets for each offense were given to all three organizations.
A representative from the city’s Department of Sanitation explained that anybody violating that law is given a ticket, regardless of whether it’s an individual, a business or a non-profit group. “We give everyone tickets, plain and simple,” he said. “We don’t give anyone slack – it’s against the law. Nobody gets exempt from that law.”
At that point, Jerry Matacotta of COMET interrupted, shouting at the sanitation representative about the lack of enforcement against illegal residents. “Meanwhile, you do nothing about illegals throwing trash everywhere,” he yelled.
Como, who closed his personal law practice when he took office, jumped in and said that he is representing the organizations pro bono and is hoping to have all three groups in court at the same time. He said that fining all three for the same offense “is wrong on its face” and promised that he “will get it straightened out.”
Ridgewood Reservoir Future
Ridgewood resident Tom Dowd asked about the future of the Ridgewood Reservoir, noting that city Comptroller William Thompson recently rejected a $3 million contract the Parks Department presented to a consultant as part of the plan to convert one of three basins into athletic fields.
“We don’t want a million yards of debris coming through the streets of Ridgewood for the next four or five years,” he told the officials, referring to the process of trucking materials to the park to fill in the basin.
Como called the property “the most amazing nature preserve in this district” and said it would make more sense to fix up existing ball fields in nearby Highland Park while leaving the reservoir “the way it is.”
Maltese had stronger words, calling the city’s plan to convert the natural area into ballfields a “complete waste of money... almost bordering on malfeasance.” He said the city “can’t afford to spend money paving over a reservoir that is a bird refuge.
“We have told the mayor and Parks Department in the strongest terms that we don’t want money wasted… We have a nature preserve in our backyard and we’re going to keep it,” he said, urging residents unfamiliar with the reservoir to visit it.
Flooding and Downzoning
Complaints that the city is taking way too long to downzone parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale have become commonplace at neighborhood meetings, as the effort has been delayed for several years. “It’s been promised to us, and [the delay] is destroying the neighborhood,” said Patrick Trinchese.
The issue of the stalled downzoning couldn’t be directly addressed because there were no representatives from the Department of City Planning on hand. However, an official from the Department of Environmental Protection tried to reassure residents that the agency is “keenly aware” of the flooding problems that hit Middle Village last August.
The DEP official explained that storms of that magnitude statistically “are only supposed to happen every 100 years,” and the city sewer system “is not equipped to handle that.” The city “would have to tear up every single street in the city” in order to install sewer lines that can “handle a storm of the magnitude that came down last year.”
However, the mayor has created a Flood Mitigation Task Force that is piloting new strategies in neighborhoods around the city that were most effected by flooding, including Middle Village.
Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan
Another stalled effort, a plan to force trucks off busy Grand Avenue, was raised by a resident. She noted that Anthony Nunziato had help devise the plan years ago, which would require trucks heading to Brooklyn to exit the Long Island Expressway at Maurice Avenue and use Rust Street instead of traveling through the heart of the neighborhood.
“There is no reason why trucks to Brooklyn are going down Grand Avenue,” she said, reminding the officials that a large dump truck recently overturned there, spilling piles of sand onto the avenue and expressway. “Does someone have to get killed before the DOT says okay?”
McCarthy, of the DOT, acknowledged that the project has been delayed, but said it is moving forward, with the help of $500,000 provided by Congressman Anthony Weiner. “I guess it’s going to sound like I’m making excuses, and maybe I am, but it has taken a very long time,” she said. “I know it’s not as quick as you would like, but we are moving forward.”
Parking Woes
Another familiar complaint was raised towards the end of the evening by Thomas Murawski of the Liberty Park Homeowners Association – vehicles left on the street for weeks or months, making the neighborhood’s parking situation tough. “We have cars parked in the neighborhood for days, weeks, months, even years, taking up the same spot.”
He said that in one case, a burnt out car was left on the street for several weeks. Despite calls to the precinct, it was not removed until the day a letter to the editor about it was published in a daily newspaper, he said. “I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but that was the day it got towed.”
Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell of the 104th Precinct said the vehicle was towed after the precinct received the complaint. “It had nothing to do with the Daily News,” he said.
Avoiding the Corcoran Curse
Why Forest Hills is Lucky Barbara Kept Her Hands Off
by Steve Tiszenkel
When Barbara Corcoran speaks, the real estate world listens. Though no longer involved with her eponymous company, the Corcoran Group—she sold it in 2001 for $70 million—Corcoran is still the go-to girl for the latest forecasts and trends of New York real estate. After all, this isn't just someone who's sold a few luxury condos. This lady has played an active and very real role in changing the face of New York neighborhoods.
Back in the '90s, when Barbara moved into a neighborhood that time forgot—from Morningside Heights down to Park Slope—you could bet that it would be the next big thing. In a 2003 talk reported by The New York Observer, Corcoran spilled the recipe to her secret sauce: She would ask poor, hip kids—often gay—where they were forced by economic circumstances to live. Then she would go to work making sure they couldn't afford to live there anymore.
Queens is sort of hot right now, thanks in part to Corcoran running the ethnic and low-salaried out of places like Carroll Gardens, but the grande dame of realtors got out of the rat race before she really got a chance to flex her formidable muscles in the city's third-coolest borough. To this day her company's website declines to list any Queens neighborhoods, not even long-established Brooklyn alternative Astoria, opting instead to showcase such not-quite-there-yet areas as Gravesend.
Humiliatingly, hyper-yuppified Long Island City makes an appearance in corcoran.com's Brooklyn menu. With this in mind, it comes as a bit of a surprise to learn that hey, Barbara Corcoran likes Forest Hills. These days Barbara, donning her journalist hat, pens a regular column for the Daily News, where she employs her sage wisdom in answering letters from the peons. A couple of weeks ago, one inquired as to the wisdom of buying in the neighborhood. After having denied us her seal of approval for years, Corcoran couldn't gush strongly enough.
“Forest Hills ... is an idyllic New York neighborhood of Tudor mansions, adorable little condominiums, and a handful of two-and three-family homes that fetch very good rental rates,” she informed us. “The best news of all is that its proximity to midtown Manhattan(less than a 30-minute commute)makes it attractive to sophisticated Manhattanites who are looking to move into the boroughs. Forest Hills also has great shopping,with a nice mix of big stores, interesting boutiques,bookstores and some of the best bagel shops this side of the Mississippi.”
Though I'd contend that Forest Hills has exactly one of the best bagel shops this side of the Mississippi—the awesomely retro, Thai-owned Hot Bialys on Queens Boulevard near the Kew Gardens border—and the only local bookstore I can think of is the formidable Austin Street Barnes & Noble, isn't this what many of us have been saying all along?
But beyond going a long way to alleviate the standard-issue Queens inferiority complex, what exactly would Corcoran have done to Forest Hills or Rego Park or Elmhurst if she hadn't been so late to the game? Sure, she might have brought in some twee restaurants with names that are nouns—“Garden,” say, or maybe “Townhouse”—and I could have hit Court Street in Brooklyn to brag about it over Sangiovese at the bar of some impossibly charming Italian restaurant, but I fear her influence might have done more than a little to destroy the communities' character.
That's not just a hunch, either, because in another Daily News column way back in November, a homeowner in an unnamed Queens neighborhood wrote in to express concern that his neighbors were all paving their front yards, leaving him noticeably concrete-deficient. Barb, as always, knew just what to do.
“Hey, a flower garden might look pretty and keep your wife happy,” she lectured, “but the space in front of your house is worth a hell of a lot more as a driveway. You should know that the city council of Queens has just proposed a zoning change that would prohibit residents from paving their yards in some areas. So ... get a cement truck over there fast.”
Maybe it's better that Barbara doesn't have her hands in Forest Hills after all.
The writer, Steve Tiszenkel is the host of the Website, Queens Central. Log on to queenscentral.com to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.
by Steve Tiszenkel
When Barbara Corcoran speaks, the real estate world listens. Though no longer involved with her eponymous company, the Corcoran Group—she sold it in 2001 for $70 million—Corcoran is still the go-to girl for the latest forecasts and trends of New York real estate. After all, this isn't just someone who's sold a few luxury condos. This lady has played an active and very real role in changing the face of New York neighborhoods.
Back in the '90s, when Barbara moved into a neighborhood that time forgot—from Morningside Heights down to Park Slope—you could bet that it would be the next big thing. In a 2003 talk reported by The New York Observer, Corcoran spilled the recipe to her secret sauce: She would ask poor, hip kids—often gay—where they were forced by economic circumstances to live. Then she would go to work making sure they couldn't afford to live there anymore.
Queens is sort of hot right now, thanks in part to Corcoran running the ethnic and low-salaried out of places like Carroll Gardens, but the grande dame of realtors got out of the rat race before she really got a chance to flex her formidable muscles in the city's third-coolest borough. To this day her company's website declines to list any Queens neighborhoods, not even long-established Brooklyn alternative Astoria, opting instead to showcase such not-quite-there-yet areas as Gravesend.
Humiliatingly, hyper-yuppified Long Island City makes an appearance in corcoran.com's Brooklyn menu. With this in mind, it comes as a bit of a surprise to learn that hey, Barbara Corcoran likes Forest Hills. These days Barbara, donning her journalist hat, pens a regular column for the Daily News, where she employs her sage wisdom in answering letters from the peons. A couple of weeks ago, one inquired as to the wisdom of buying in the neighborhood. After having denied us her seal of approval for years, Corcoran couldn't gush strongly enough.
“Forest Hills ... is an idyllic New York neighborhood of Tudor mansions, adorable little condominiums, and a handful of two-and three-family homes that fetch very good rental rates,” she informed us. “The best news of all is that its proximity to midtown Manhattan(less than a 30-minute commute)makes it attractive to sophisticated Manhattanites who are looking to move into the boroughs. Forest Hills also has great shopping,with a nice mix of big stores, interesting boutiques,bookstores and some of the best bagel shops this side of the Mississippi.”
Though I'd contend that Forest Hills has exactly one of the best bagel shops this side of the Mississippi—the awesomely retro, Thai-owned Hot Bialys on Queens Boulevard near the Kew Gardens border—and the only local bookstore I can think of is the formidable Austin Street Barnes & Noble, isn't this what many of us have been saying all along?
But beyond going a long way to alleviate the standard-issue Queens inferiority complex, what exactly would Corcoran have done to Forest Hills or Rego Park or Elmhurst if she hadn't been so late to the game? Sure, she might have brought in some twee restaurants with names that are nouns—“Garden,” say, or maybe “Townhouse”—and I could have hit Court Street in Brooklyn to brag about it over Sangiovese at the bar of some impossibly charming Italian restaurant, but I fear her influence might have done more than a little to destroy the communities' character.
That's not just a hunch, either, because in another Daily News column way back in November, a homeowner in an unnamed Queens neighborhood wrote in to express concern that his neighbors were all paving their front yards, leaving him noticeably concrete-deficient. Barb, as always, knew just what to do.
“Hey, a flower garden might look pretty and keep your wife happy,” she lectured, “but the space in front of your house is worth a hell of a lot more as a driveway. You should know that the city council of Queens has just proposed a zoning change that would prohibit residents from paving their yards in some areas. So ... get a cement truck over there fast.”
Maybe it's better that Barbara doesn't have her hands in Forest Hills after all.
The writer, Steve Tiszenkel is the host of the Website, Queens Central. Log on to queenscentral.com to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.
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