As OTB Parlors Close Gamblers and Workers Cry Foul

By Jason Barczy

A dark, gloomy cloud not only washed over New York City on Monday but also the faces of bettors, horse racing enthusiasts and employees as the last of the NYC Off-Track Betting (OTB) sites closed.

The bankrupt NYC OTB closed its doors on December 8 after state Senate Democrats failed to gather enough votes to pass through legislation that would have rescued the nearly 40-year-old operation.

Joe Fazz, a 53-year-old court officer from Rego Park said it was a very sad day. He gathered all his betting slips from the past year and cashed them in at the NYC OTB parlor at 107-40 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills.

“This was an irresponsible decision,” Fazz said. “Employees are out of jobs two weeks before Christmas. I understand the money changers don’t care about that but it’s something that’s not lost upon the people.”

The Forest Hills location was one of the last three betting parlors that remained open. There were 54 in the city–including 17 in Queens–that provided customers a chance to cash in any winnings and close accounts.

Fazz and others came in to cash out for the last time. The parlor in Forest Hills was all but empty Monday afternoon with a couple senior citizens lounging at the site.

“A lot of senior citizens come out to these places to sit and relax just to get out of the house,” Whitestone resident and NYC OTB employee Arthur Kaplan said. “Now, those
people aren’t going to the track. People like that have no way of getting to the track; they came here because it’s local and in that sense it’s a shame. These people are going to suffer.”

The shutdown puts nearly 1,000 employees like Kaplan out of work and, according to Kaplan, could have a bigger effect on surrounding businesses.

“There’s a residual effect too because customers here would go to restaurants so they’ll lose business too,” Kaplan said. “Stores will lose business from people that come into this place.
NYC OTB was $228 million in debt when it filed for bankruptcy in 2009."

The Senate voted 29-21 on the rescue plan, falling three votes short of the 32 needed to
pass the measure and the closure could cost the state upwards of $500 million in revenue. The failed rescue bill included concessions from NYC OTB, its unions and creditors along with cuts in statutory payments to state racetracks, which have long been cited as a main reason OTB was losing money.

Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), who sits on the Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, voted in favor of the bill because he was concerned about the loss of jobs.

“It is truly unfortunate that there was not enough bipartisan support to save the approximately 1,000 jobs of the NYC OTB workers with a plan that would have cost the state nothing and actually would have resulted in cost savings and additional revenues,” Addabbo said in a statement released after the vote on December 7.

“As a result, we must now focus on dealing with the lost jobs, financial cost to the state upwards of $500 million, the negative impact on the thoroughbred and horse racing industry, and any detrimental effects this may have on Aqueduct’s racing future,” he said.

OTB’s were responsible for taking in 40 percent of New York’s racing handle, amounting to nearly $1 billion a year in bets on harness and thoroughbred horse racing.

OTB board Chairman Lawrence Schwartz said NYC OTB provided $700 million to the state and the racing industry from 2004 to 2009.

In an interview with WOR radio on December 8 Schwartz said, “NYC OTB is shut down and there is no plan to reopen it. You can’t switch it on and off. There have not been negotiations. The future is bleak if not finished.”

The New York Racing Association is working on a number of plans to make up for the shortfall of revenue it received from NYC OTB including opening up its own betting parlor at Belmont Park.

NYRA is offering free bus rides to the Aqueduct Racetrack from select NYC OTB locations across the city. The bus rides started on December 4 and will run until further notice. NYRA president and CEO Charlie Hayward also asked the state to consider allowing video streaming of its races online.

Local Shelter Expands Reach to Pets

By Jason Barczy

More and more pet owners in Queens are facing the difficult challenge of feeding and taking care of their furry loved ones during tough economic times.

Faced with average annual costs of more than $800 for owning a dog or a cat, according to Business Week. Owners are dropping off pets at overcrowded animal shelters and in some cases just abandoning them on the street.

However, one local food pantry in Richmond Hill is fighting to help pet owners alleviate some of the costs of owning a pet and prevent owners from abandoning their four-legged friends.

Elohim Community Development, at 87-47 111th Street in Richmond Hill, primarily provides food for hungry, low-income people. In response to an overwhelming need, it started offering food for dogs and cats a little over a year ago.

“When we started the program we had 12 or 13 seniors we were supplying and then the word got out,” said Anthony Miranda, executive director of ECD. “Soon it was phone call after phone call. There was a tremendous need.”

ECD, in its 11th year of existence, now feeds 75 to 90 cats and dogs on an average day as many of the pet owners who come to the pantry are senior citizens living on a fixed income.

Miranda said giving up pets due to economic constraints is a tragic occurrence and pet owners should look into any possible assistance first.

“When I was a kid all you had to do was call the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and they would come pick your pet up,” Miranda said. “Now they don’t do that.”

ECD is open Thursday, Friday and Sunday and supplies food on an emergency basis through a 24/7 hotline. It is one of the largest multi-service food pantries in Queens.

The pantry relies solely on donations from companies, organizations and individuals to contribute much of the food it provides. More than 30 volunteers help out with its efforts.
But with many people and companies struggling in this economic climate, the pantry is seeing a decrease in monetary donations and volunteers, affecting its ability to provide food.

The Animal Relief Fund provides ECD with much of its pet food and delivers pet food to 61 pantries across New York City including 16 in Queens.

ARF is a non-profit corporation founded by New York attorney Susan Kaufman to help pet owners who are experiencing financial difficulties. It partners with the Food Bank For New York City and is supported by 20 pet stores and eight PETCO stores citywide.

“When the economic crisis hit New York I realized just how many people were unemployed and forced to make a choice between feeding themselves or their pets,” Kaufman
said. “I read about increased abandonment of pets and I made some phone calls and realized pet food wasn’t being distributed by anybody.”

In her second year of operation, Kaufman estimates she has distributed 300,000 to 350,000 pounds of pet food.

Anyone wanting to make a donation to ARF can send a check or money order to ARF Inc. at P.O. Box 1530 New York, NY 10028 or by email to susan@arf-ny.org.

A donation of $25 can buy two cases of cat food and $50 will pay for three cases of dog food. A $75 contribution will provide 120 pounds of dry dog food and $100 can buy 120 pounds of dry cat food.

Donors can make financial contributions to the ECD through PayPal by going to elohimfoodpantry.org. To sponsor a canned food drive, they can call 917-418-7906 or e-mail ElohimCDC@aol.com.

Mitchell Epstein contributed to this story

Blood Drive for Teen to be Held at CTKHS

A Middle Village teen is asking for the community’s help this holiday season to donate blood and give the gift of life at a blood drive held in her honor on Saturday, December 18, at Christ the King Regional High School.

Fourteen-year-old Carly Nieves was first diagnosed with leukemia in July 2003, at the age of seven. She was treated with two years of intensive chemotherapy at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park.

Unfortunately, after three years in remission, Carly suffered a relapse and was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells that normally fight infections.

The new diagnosis placed Carly in a high-risk category, which required an additional three years of intensive, high-dose chemotherapy.

Cancer patients like Carly require frequent blood transfusions because aggressive treatment often destroys healthy blood cells along with diseased ones. Red blood cell transfusions to fight anemia and platelet transfusions to control bleeding are often needed.

“When you’re told there’s no blood for her, it’s just devastating,” said Lisa Horner, Carly’s mother. “It’s not like you can just come back tomorrow.”

Despite the emotional, physical and psychological affects of her cancer, Carly has persevered and kept an optimistic outlook on life. She successfully completed her academic studies with honors.

Carly wants to bring attention to the plight of children with cancer and the need for blood and bone marrow donors. She and her family will also donate cash proceeds collecting at the blood drive to Friends of Karen, a nonprofit organization that helps the families of critically-ill children cope with the financial and emotional stresses of life-threatening illnesses.

The blood drive is hosted by the New York Blood Center and will be held at Christ the King’s cafeteria between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The school is at 68-02 Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village.

Ridgewood Theatre Sold to Associated Supermarkets: Preservationists Want Interior of Theatre Saved

There are many architectural treasures that

deserved to be saved such as this angelic

cameo and muse on the ceiling of the

theatre's lobby, said Michael Perlman

By Eric Yun

The historic Ridgewood Theatre is on its way to becoming an Associated Supermarket, but preservationists and community activists are hoping to devise a plan to protect the theatre’s historic interior.

Preservationists won a major victory in January when the city Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the outside façade as a landmark. Afterwards, there has been a strong lobbying effort by groups including Friends of Ridgewood Theatre to hold public hearings and designate the interior of the theatre.

The hearings never came to fruition, and the theatre, which has been closed since 2008, was sold to Associated Supermarkets franchisee Tony Guzman. According to published reports, the president of Associated Supermarkets Harry Laufer expects the store to open in approximately six months.

Now, preservationists want to work with Guzman to creatively adapt and preserve the architectural treasures inside.

“In many cases country wide historic theatres were creatively reused, and in many cases, working with the architectural remnants instead of demolishing them were more feasible and saved the owner money,” said Michael Perlman, chair of Friends of Ridgewood.

The three-story, 53,238-square-foot Ridgewood Theatre was opened in December 1916 during World War I and was one of the nation’s longest operating theatres. Designed by famed theatre architect Thomas W. Lamb, the interior of the building entails Greek mythology and features angelic muses and original detailing designed by Lamb on the balconies.

There were also several historic movies shown at the theatre. When it opened, the theatre played vaudeville shows, and the first all-talking movie, the 1928 film Lights of New York, was among the first theatres to show the movie.

While Perlman would have loved to kept the theatre completely intact and show movies, he thinks there are several ways Guzman can preserve the theatre’s history and build a successful supermarket.

“Its history should not be abandoned,” said Perlman. “It should be built upon as a marketing incentive.”

It might sound easier to demolish the interior of the theatre to build the supermarket, but Perlman notes that there are several grants and low-interest loans that are available to Guzman if he decides to restore the building. Perlman also hopes the upper floors of the theatre can be used for community and performance arts groups. Allowing others to use the theatre has the potential for supplementary income from rent and community goodwill that would be better than any advertising campaign.

Perlman wants to secure a meeting with Guzman to discuss his ideas. He noted that if Guzman had any plans to change the exterior façade, he would have to meet with preservationists and get city approval. Therefore, it could be beneficial to develop a plan to restore the theatre from the project’s outset.

“I can’t imagine anyone taking a jackhammer and gutting the interior [of the theatre]. It would tear the heart out of many preservationists and residents borough wide,” Perlman said.

Conspiracy Plot Foiled

A wrongfully imprisoned Rockaway woman was cleared of armed robbery charges after an investigation lead to charges of perjury against her ex-boyfriend.

Seemona Sumasar, 35, called authorities last year and claimed her ex-boyfriend, Jerry Ramrattan, raped her. To escape the charge and discredit Sumasar, authorities said Ramrattan created an elaborate ploy to frame her for an armed robbery.

Ultimately, her ex-boyfriend’s alleged deceit cost Sumasar six months in a Nassau County jail.

According to the criminal complaint, Ramrattan solicited Rajive Mohanlal, under threats to his family members, to call police and claim Sumasar and another individual robbed him at gunpoint.
Mohanlal complied and called police in September last year, authorities said. He told police that Sumasar and another individual, later identified as Vishwanaut Bandhu, robbed him. He further told police that Sumasar “racked” a black gun during the robbery, causing a bullet to fall to the ground.

When police officers investigated the scene of the alleged crime, they recovered one live round.

Mohanlal also gave false testimony to a Queens County grand jury on October 20 and testified that Sumasar and Bandhu committed the alleged robbery, according to the criminal complaint.

On December 2, Mohanlal allegedly informed a detective that his grand jury testimony was false and Ramrattan had threatened his family. He was arraigned and charged the following day with first-degree perjury, fifth-degree conspir- acy, fourth-degree tampering with a witness and third-degree falsely reporting an incident. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

Ramrattan, the alleged mastermind of the plot, was apprehended and charged this past Monday with the same charges.

Sumasar, a single mother, told WABC reporter Sarah Wallace that her time in jail caused her to lose the restaurant she owned in Richmond Hill.

“The defendant is accused of hatching an intricate and sinister plot to extract vengeance against the woman claiming that he had raped her by framing her and having her falsely charged with armed robbery....” said District Attorney Richard Brown. “The defendant’s brazen attempt to seek retribution was not without consequences. She has suffered serious fi- nancial hardships, as well as emotional distress.”

Man Convicted of Rape of Ex-Girlfriend

Luis German Yunga

An Elmhurst man accused of savagely raping and disfiguring an ex-girlfriend was convicted Friday in Queens Criminal Court.

Luis German Yunga, 43, invited the victim, whose name was witheld by police, to his house in May 2008 to discuss financial issues, according to trial testimony. When she arrived, Yunga asked to resume their relationship, and when rebuffed, took a knife and slashed her face. Yunga then forced her to remain at his apartment for several hours and said that if she contacted police he would kill her daughters, aged eight and four.

Three months later, Yunga went to the victim’s three-family residence. Although initially refused access inside the building, a neighbor unwittingly let him enter.

Yunga forced himself into the family’s apartment and stomped on his ex-girlfriend’s head and back until she lost consciousness. He then proceeded to rape his victim in the presence of her eight-year-old daughter.

When officers from the 110th Precinct responded to the daughter’s frantic 911 call, Yunga jumped out of the apartment’s window, but was quickly apprehended in front of the house.

The jury, after eight hours of deliberation, convicted Yunga of first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, first- and second-degree assault, first-degree unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

“The defendant changed his ex-girlfriend’s life and that of her young children forever two years ago,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, “and while the physical scars of what occurred will be with her for the rest of her life, hopefully this conviction will provide her with some small measure of help in overcoming the trauma she and her daughters experienced during the assault on her.”

Sentencing has been scheduled for December 23, 2010.

This Week's Forum South and West

Suspect Sought in Shooting of Livery Cab Driver

A livery car driver was critically wounded Friday night after his passenger shot him multiple times at the end of a $12 ride in South Ozone Park.

According to reports, Trevor Bell, 53, picked up the passenger at the headquarters of Big D Car Service on Merrick Boulevard, where he had worked for the last eight months. After driving him to his destination at 122^nd Street and Sutter Avenue, Bell’s passenger fired multiple shots, one which hit Bell’s neck critically wounding him.

Police responded to the 911 call, and EMS rushed Bell to Jamaica Hospital where he is in critical condition.

“I came out and saw the guy bleeding,” Wilson Ramones told the New York Daily News. “I got closer, I could hear him screaming, he was saying ‘help.’”

The investigation on the shooting is still ongoing, and the police have released a surveillance video taken from the cab moments before the shooting.

From the surveillance tape, the suspect has been identified as 22-year-old Shawn Peace. Police warn that Peace is considered armed and dangerous.

Bell ended his shift at 7 p.m. on Friday night, but with the Christmas season approaching, he stayed late to gain some overtime, his boss said.

Working as a cab driver can be very dangerous. “It’s one man against the world. Every person that enters your car is a stranger,” said Fernando Mateo, head of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, according to the Daily News.

Mateo made further headlines at a press conference on Saturday in front of Jamaica Hospital.

“Profile your passengers. It’s very important,” he said. Mateo claimed the vast majority of crimes against cab drivers are committed by black and Hispanic. As a Hispanic man with a black father, Mateo told the New York Post his remarks were not racist.

Still, his remarks were met with resistance from leaders like City Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn) and the Reverend Al Sharpton.

Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to call Detective Balfe at the 106^th Precinct Detective Squad at 718-845-2260.

PS/MS 207 Says Merry Christmas to Troops

Keeping in the holiday spirit and remembering our troops abroad, PS/MS 207 teamed up with Operation Ho-Ho-Ho from out of Point Breeze’s Volunteer Fire Department in Breezy Point. The school collected over 2000 travel sized toiletries items to be shipped to American troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Pictured l to r: Ms. Deidre Roberts, PS/MS 207 paraprofessional and committee member for Operation Ho-Ho- Ho. She is pictured with some of students who devoted their time to the project, Luca, Thomas, Vittorio and Kayla

Taking Out the Trash: Ulrich Funds New Litter Baskets

By Eric Yun

Tired of overflowing trash and illegal dumping in Ozone Park, residents have been clamoring for the city to help clean the area.

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) allocated over $18,000 in this year’s fiscal budget to install 35 new trashcans along 101^st Avenue. On Tuesday morning, Ulrich was joined by Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty to unveil the new black litter baskets.

The new bins will discourage illegal dumping of household and business trash and improve the quality of life for residents and business owners along the avenue.

“We are doing everything we can to keep Ozone Park clean. These new trash cans will raise the profile of one of the district’s main shopping strips,” said Ulrich.

Ulrich and Doherty said the new design of the baskets, which has a lid with a narrow opening, are designed to prevent large bags to be illegally dumped. These baskets, they stressed, are for litter—not household or business waste.

“The trash cans will improve the environment here and make it a better to come live and work in this community,” said Doherty.

Along with the new bins, Doherty promised a zero tolerance policy and improved enforcement from Sanitation Police.

“We need to educate people, and the education will be a summons,” Doherty said.

Breakfast with Santa

The DiCandia Family hosted the 25th Annual Christmas Breakfast for the International Society of Sts. Cosma and Damiano on Sunday morning at Roma View Catering. Every year, the Society celebrates the Holiday season by holding the traditional breakfast for its members and their children.

In addition, the Society provides toys for less fortunate families in the area and also provides many toy donations at hospitals for children.

Pictured from L to R: Doreen, Jacob, Santa, Joseph, Joseph Sr., and Juliet DiCandia and Annabell the Clown.

Celebrating Christmas

The Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation sponsored their annual Christmas tree lighting on Saturday at St. Helen’s. Hundreds of visitors stopped by for pictures with Santa and shopping selections from a wide variety of Christmas items, fresh baked goods and other holiday novelties.

City Unveils Plans to Rezone Woodhaven, Richmond Hill

By Eric Yun

Neighborhoods throughout Woodhaven and Richmond Hill are attractive for developers seeking to build out of character apartment buildings and condos that loom over the block. Residents, however, have been pushing for City to rezone the neighborhood to prevent these behemoth structures, and they may soon get their wish.

The two neighborhoods are popular destinations for new families. Public transportation is plentiful with the J/Z train running above Jamaica Avenue and 18 bus routes serving the neighborhoods. Also, with three major commercial strips—Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue and 101^st Avenue—many residents don’t need to travel far for their shopping needs.

Zoning resolutions for the area have remained unchanged since the original rules were passed in 1961. The city originally made the zoning for the neighborhood extremely flexible because it anticipated a much larger population for the city.

As Woodhaven and Richmond Hill grew, the majority of the neighborhood was characterized by one- and two-family houses, which the residents now are seeking to protect. The Department of City Planning rezoned 140 blocks in Kew Gardens and Richmond Hill in 2005, and since, Community Board 9 has been lobbying for the department to rezone the southern portion of Richmond Hill and Woodhaven.

City Planning has listened, and for the last year, officials have been studying rezoning the neighborhoods. The preliminary study conducted by the department was presented to the community last Wednesday night at Emmanuel Church of Christ in Woodhaven. Another meeting will be held on December 15 at Royal Indian Palace in Richmond Hill at 118-06 Atlantic Avenue.

There are three major goals for the 248-block rezoning of the community, according to John Young, Queens Director of City Planning: protecting the neighborhood’s character, promoting higher density residential and mixed-use development along wide streets and near mass transit and reinforcing commercial districts to support economic development.

“The existing zoning does not reflect the character of the neighborhood,” said Brendan Pillar, City Planner. “We saw opportunities to refine the zoning there to closely reflect what’s there and ensure future developments are in line with the existing character.”

Woodhaven and Richmond Hill currently only have two zones: R3-1 and R5. Under the proposal, R3A, R3X, R4, R4A, R4-1, R4-B, R5D and R6A zones would be added.

The existing R3-1 zone allows for one- or two-family detached and semi-detached homes with a maximum building height of 35 feet. All building types are allowed on R5 zones with a maximum height of 40 feet.

Zones R3A, R3X, R4A, and R4-1 similarly called for one- or two-family detached and semi-detached homes with various differences in maximum and minimum lot widths and heights. Zones R4B, R4, R5D and R6A allows for all housing types.

The majority of the changes in Woodhaven occur north of Jamaica Avenue to Park Lane South from Dexter Court to 101^st Street. In Richmond Hill, the changes will occur mostly south of Atlantic Avenue to 103^rd Avenue from 102^nd Street to the Van Wyck Expressway.

There was some contention that the city is acting too late. One resident complained that by waiting too long, the character of South Richmond Hill has already been destroyed. Out of character buildings already erected will be allowed to remain due to a grandfather clause in the resolution.

However, most residents were happy the process was starting. “This is a great step forward,” said Maria Thomson, Executive Director of the Woodhaven Greater Development Corporation. “We are in jeopardy of losing the character of our community. We need to save what we have.”

The next steps for the proposal include the second public meeting at Richmond Hill on December 15. Afterwards, City Planning will refine the recommendations and finalize the zone proposal. Then, under the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure outlined in the City Charter, environmental reviews, Community Board approval, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall approval, City Planning approval and City Council approval must be met. This process will take approximately one year.

Nickel and Diming Continues: City to Hike Meter Rates

The city’s proposal to raise rates at parking meters throughout the city, the second time in the last two years, has residents and elected officials voicing their displeasure.

The City Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin making changes in January as part of the city’s plans to close the budget gap. Meters that used to cost 75 cents per hour will rise to one dollar per hour, and parking spaces that cost $2.50 per hour will become $3.00 per hour.

Queens has more than 17,000 parking meters.

Many community activists are worried these changes will hurt small businesses around commercial strips.

“This appears to be déjà vu all over again,” said Maria Thomson, executive director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District. “This will really hurt small mom-and-pop stores on Jamaica Avenue and deal a painful blow to local commercial strips across New York City.

Residents who depend on their cars can expect to pay more for parking and, as the plan is being implemented, get more tickets.

“This is a petty decision that will hurt average New Yorkers, like Woodhaven residents, who have to park on the street in order to go about their daily lives,” said Edward Wendell, President of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association (WRBA).

For more than 17 years, city parking meters were 50 cents per hour. In the spring of 2009, the city changed to the current 75 cents per hour with little fanfare or notice, causing many confused residents to receive parking tickets.

“I hope the DOT at least has the decency this time to post signs informing everyone of the change,” Wendell said.

Politicians are not pleased with these new changes. James Vacca (D-Bronx), Chair of the City Council’s Transportation Committee, promised to fight parking rate increases.

“Once again, the city is digging into the pockets of the little guy to balance its budget, with nor regard for the middle-class communities that are fighting to stay afloat,” Vacca said.

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), also a member of the Transportation Committee agreed. “Talk about a lousy Christmas gift! People won’t even be able to go shopping without the city nickel and diming them at every turn.”

Residents in Woodhaven are gearing up for a fight. WRBA officials are planning to work with local elected officials and community organizations to oppose the plans. Last year, when rates were raised, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens and Brooklyn), State Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), Thomson and local business owners held a press conference on Jamaica Avenue.

Renewed Hope for Park at Former St. Saviour's Site

By Eric Yun

Community activists have been fighting endlessly to get the former St. Saviour’s church site in Maspeth converted into public parkland, and they are seeing some positive signs as the city has entered into negotiations with the property owner to purchase the site.

Bob Holden, President of the Juniper Park Civic Association, sent a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a “last ditch effort” to persuade the city to acquire the site for parkland.

Adrian Benepe, New York City Parks Commissioner, wrote in a response that “the Parks Department is actively engaged with area elected officials including Borough President Helen Marshall and Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley in an effort to secure funding for the purchase of all or a portion of the St. Saviour’s site.”

Benepe also said that the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has contacted the developer about the site.

Owner Maspeth Development LLC, led by Scott Kushnik, has made several efforts to recoup its investment by developing or selling the property. Kushnik, recently received approval from the city Department of Buildings to construct warehouses on the site, located at 57^th Road and 58^th Street in industrial West Maspeth.

Kushnik did not respond to a request to comment, but this week he told the New York Daily News, “Even if we develop the site, the door is open, this isn’t a lost cause.”

The new developments have made the park’s supporters dig in to save the site. Crowley’s office contacted the owner and started the process to open negotiations with Parks and DCAS.

“We’re trying to accumulate funding while at the same time making sure the city process is moving forward,” said Lydon Sleeper, Chief of Staff for Crowley (D-Middle Village).

Politicians have acquired more than $2 million to convert St. Saviour’s to parkland. Borough President Marshall has pitched in more than $1 million, and Crowley allocated $500,000 in last year’s budget. The money, however, is likely not enough to buy the site, but there are some revenue streams that could be coming. In 2008, the city and state reached an agreement to bring the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment plant to federal compliance. In the agreement, $10 million was allocated to fund environmental benefit programs.

A public vote was held by the City Parks Foundation to determine what residents around Newtown Creek desired. One of the final projects considered was converting the St. Saviour’s site into parkland. A vote was held on December 1 and 2, when more than 700 participants expressed their preferences. Activists in Queens are hoping enough people supported the St. Saviour’s project.

Community activists are hopeful that something can be done to save the site, and in a perfect world, re-erect the church that members of the Juniper Park Civic Association negotiated to be dismantled and saved. The church that stood at the site was minutes away from demolition before the group was allowed to dismantle and store the building until a new location could be acquired.

“We are counting on our elected representatives to secure this historic site as public parkland and restore it as a green oasis,” said Christina Wilkinson, President of the Newtown Historical Society, “Maspeth needs more open space, not more warehouses.”

“[The site] is one of the most historic locations in Queens County because it was where the first settlers landed,” said Holden. “It’s a very historic property, to put a warehouse there would be a crime.”

Maspeth Federal Holds Annual Tree Lighting

Maspeth residents kicked off the holiday season with the annual tree lighting event at Maspeth Federal Savings Bank on Friday night.

The long-standing tradition provided plenty of entertainment for children in the neighborhood. Entertainment was provided by the Song and Dance Group and free raffles were held. Prizes included a bicycle.

“The bank is happy to hold this yearly event for the community. The kids get to meet Santa who gives them presents,” said David Daraio, Assistant Vice President of Maspeth Federal Savings.

Santa Comes to Woodhaven

By Eric Yun

On most Saturday afternoons closing half of Jamaica Avenue would be an annoyance for drivers, customers and small business owners. But exceptions are made when Santa comes to town, and it becomes a fun event for the entire community.

Organized by the Woodhaven Business Improvement District (BID), the annual “Welcome Santa to Woodhaven” parade was held on Saturday afternoon. Maria Thomson, Executive Director of the Woodhaven BID, has helped organize the event for more than 20 years.

“We write to the North Pole and get Santa to come, and it’s a fun, fun event for the kids,” Thomson said.

Participants started at 96^th Street and marched west on Jamaica Avenue to Dexter Street. Afterwards, children had the opportunity to take pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause.

“The parade was very fun. My daughter loved it,” said resident John Hernandez. “It’s good to participate in community events.”

The festive event brought out people from their businesses and homes with smiles. “It’s very nice. So beautiful,” said one resident who took a break from shopping to watch Santa and the children march by.

Judge Orders City to Restore School Bus Service

A state Supreme Court judge ruled on Monday that the city must restore yellow school bus service to more than 3,000 seventh and eighth grade students in Staten Island and parts of Queens.

The city and the Department of Education (DOE) cut school bus vouchers for certain seventh and eighth graders in an effort to save money. Parents, joined by Staten Island Council Members and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), sued the city to restore service for their children.

Most seventh and eighth graders receive student MetroCards for bus service, but certain variances were made for communities where there were no adequate modes of public transportation. The city decided to eliminate these variances for this fiscal year.

Supreme Court Justice John Fusco ruled that the city was wrong in cutting bus service.

“This court is aware of the painstaking work involved in reaching the decisions that affect the citizens of this city, whether those decisions are received with applause or anger," Fusco wrote in his ruling. "However, not all decisions are given the deliberation the State of New York require, and that is what occurred herein. Budgetary decisions that affect pupil education cannot be made on assumptions without a factual basis to support those assumptions.”

Fusco was sympathetic to the DOE, but ruled they did not adequately investigate all the factors when making its decision.

Ulrich was pleased with the court’s ruling. “Some people say you can’t fight City Hall and win, but they're wrong,” he said. “Yesterday’s ruling was a tremendous victory for the parents and children of Rockaway. The judge’s decision concluded what we already knew—that the City made this cut without regard for the safety and welfare of the children.”

“I am eager to see if the incoming Schools Chancellor will use her business acumen to prevent misguided cuts like these in the future,” Ulrich added.

The city is filing an appeal to the court’s ruling. “In determining that these students must be provided yellow bus transportation, while 7th and 8th graders throughout the rest of the City are not, the Court ignored both the law, the record and equity,” the city Law Department said in a statement, according to NY1.

The city is seeking a stay in the ruling, which would mean buses still could not transport seventh and eighth graders, until the appeal is heard. A decision on the motion is expected in the next few days. 

Beach Channel, Jamaica High Schools on DOE Chopping Block

Fourteen schools are in danger of closing, as the city Department of Education (DOE) has released its proposal of school closures this week.

In Queens, P.S. 30 in Jamaica, I.S. 231 in Springfield Gardens, Beach Channel High School in Rockaway and Jamaica High School are slated for closure.

The schools, consistently on the city’s list of persistently failing schools, would likely slowly phase out students by restricting incoming classes.

Public hearings must be held for each of the proposed schools and the DOE has said it will do everything possible to disseminate all necessary information to teachers and parents. The Panel for Education Policy (PEP) will make a final decision in February.

Last year, without holding hearings, the DOE closed 19 schools and was sued by the teachers’ union and NAACP. The groups won the lawsuit, keeping the schools open for another year.

"At least they're answering questions this time and going to the schools to try to figure things out ahead of time,” said United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, according to NY1. “That is not what they did last year. And they are doing that because we filed a lawsuit and won last year."

Two schools in the area that were in danger of being closed last year were John Adams High School in Ozone Park and Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood. For now, both schools will remain open and will receive extra funds, along with thirty other schools on the city’s persistently failing list, to improve student performance.

These schools, explains Dmytro Fedkowskj, Queens Appointee for the Panel For Education Policy, will undergo a “transformation” or a “turnaround” process funded by federal grant money to implement systemic education interventions within the school.

“I’m confident that these interventions, along with the schools’ dedicated staff, will improve the learning environment for our students,” Fedkowskj said.

This Week's Forum South and West

Auto Vandalism on the Rise: Multiple Tire Slashing in Lindenwood

These four vehicles were vandalized while parked at the Lindenwood Gardens Co-op’s parking lot.

By Patricia Adams

Problems with auto vandalism continue to plague Lindenwood residents, with three more incidents of slashed tires on Tuesday morning.

One resident from the Lindenwood Gardens Cooperative at 155-31 79th Street called 911 on Tuesday morning to report that their front right tire had been slashed. When police from the 106th Precinct arrived to take the complaint, they found that three other cars parked in the small lot also had their tires slashed.
According to police, the resident who reported the original incident stated that they had no idea of who might have slashed the tires.

An upcoming meeting of the newly formed Lindenwood Alliance will address such issues according to the group’s co-founder, Christina Gold. “This is exactly the type of situation we hope to deter by forming the alliance,” Gold says. “We hope not only to get increased police presence in Lindenwood but we are also investigating the possibility of beefing up a neighborhood watch program.”

The first meeting of the Lindenwood Alliance will be held on December 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rockwood Park Jewish Center. Anyone interested in membership is urged to attend the meeting.

Women in Coma After Freak Accident

Police investigate the scene after a women is struck by a couch (circled in photo) that fell off the back of a truck that was hit by another vehicle.

Tragedy struck in Lindenwood last week as Howard Beach resident Donna Como and her sister Nancy were on their way to Waldbaum’s around 2:15 on Wednesday afternoon to finish food shopping for Thanksgiving.

According to police an SUV struck an open delivery truck that was loaded with furniture at the intersection on 81st Street between 151st and 153rd avenues. Witnesses at the scene say a black love seat became dislodged during the collision and went sailing through the air with a section of the truck’s tailgate and hit 44-year-old Como in the head.

She was rushed to Jamaica Hospital and according to hospital spokesperson Dr. Andrew Rubin is in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) and remains in critical condition.

Como has been a teacher’s assistant at the HeartShare School in Lindenwood for the last eight years. Carol Verdi, Vice-President of Educational Services says the staff is devastated by the freak accident.

“This is very tragic. We are all part of the HeartShare family and so upset by this accident,” said Verdi. “Our prayers are with Donna and her family and we are hoping to hear good news about her recovery.”

Speed Blamed in Fatal Crash

By Eric Yun

A week after civic leaders and politicians warned against the dangers of drag racing at a press conference Western Queens, two fatal crashes where racing is suspected illustrated how deadly reckless driving and racing can be.

On Monday morning, a car speeding on North Conduit Avenue in Ozone Park crashed just before Sutter Avenue killing the driver. Later that night, a suspected drunken drag racer struck and killed a man after swerving into oncoming traffic in Brooklyn.

The first incident occurred when Geraud Gray, 24, of Brooklyn lost control of his Nissan Maxima and crashed into a utility pole, police said. Gray was pronounced dead at the scene, while his passenger, an 18-year-old male, survived the crash and is in stable condition. The pole shattered into multiple pieces, leaving wires dangling on the street, and the car was flipped and split in two.

Residents have complained that North Conduit Avenue has long been a hot spot for drag races and excessive speeding, especially the stretch from Cohancy Street to Sutter Avenue.

“People want to drive like maniacs. They speed race here every day. And every year, someone gets killed,” said Latoya Medford to the New York Post.

For years, civic leaders have been working with police to reduce speeding on North Conduit Avenue. “You can build up so much speed from Cohancy and there are people getting off the Belt Parkway at high speeds and merging onto North Conduit,” said Frank Dardani, President of the 106th Precinct Community Council.

Dardani explained that for several years there was a radar gun display showing driver’s speeds, which helped prevent some of the excessive speeds, however, when the batteries ran out, the city Department of Transportation never replaced it. He also said he has worked with the police to see if traffic lights could be installed along the stretch.

Witnesses at the scene said that Gray was racing with at least two other cars, which sped away as the crash occurred. The cars were travelling in excess of 75 miles per hour, one eyewitness said.

“The cars were flying down the street. It’s terrible what happened,” one witness at the scene told the Forum.

According to police sources, the accident is still being investigated, and although speed was definitely a contributing factor, there is no official determination yet as to whether drag racing was a contributing cause.

Police also reported another accident at the intersection of 79th Street and North Conduit Avenue on Wednesday morning.

Gray worked for FedEx and was the father of a two-year-old.

In a separate incident in Brooklyn, a car that was possibly drag racing fatally struck yeshiva teacher Moishe Berkowitz, 25. Berkowitz was driving home Monday night when a Volkswagen that crossed the double yellow lines struck him. An eyewitness told the New York Daily News that prior to the accident, the driver and his friends talked about drag racing, and the driver who hit Berkowitz reeked of alcohol.

These accidents are what politicians and civic leaders from Western Queens have been working to prevent. Last week, Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) and Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) joined concerned residents to call for an end to drag racing in Maurice Avenue in Maspeth.

Maurice Avenue, like North Conduit Avenue and other similar streets, is a popular hot spot for drag racers because of its straight stretch of road from Tyler Avenue to 54th Avenue. Residents want the city Department of Transportation to install speed bumps on the street to end the races.

“Drag racing is a public safety issue that can potentially be dangerous,” Crowley said. “It’s not welcome here in Maspeth or anywhere in the city of New York.”

Pols Push Senate to Pass 9/11 Health Bill

When the dust settled after 9/11, and the grieving process began, New York City started to notice that there were serious health risks for first responders, volunteers and area residents because of the airborne particles released when the towers fell.

In light of these health risks, the U.S. government has been trying to provide money for the rescue workers suffering from health complications. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which remains stalled in Washington, would provide money to help evaluate and treat the rescue workers.

The bill passed the House in September 29, and now is awaiting a vote from the Senate. If the bill does not pass the Senate by the end of this year, the entire process would have to be restarted with the newly elected Congress.

This deadline has caused supporters of the bill to rally and urge the Senate to at least bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

On November 17, the City Council passed a resolution calling on the Senate to vote for and pass the bill. The Council resolution was heavily supported and sponsored by 22 Council Members including Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and Karen Koslowitz (D-Kew Gardens).

“First responders didn’t hesitate to answer the call during and after the September 11th attacks. It is now time for the federal government to put politics aside and do the right thing for the people who are still suffering as a result of the toxic environment at Ground Zero,” said Ulrich after the Council Resolution passed. “Congress needs to pass this bill, and they need to do it now.”

Now, New York’s federal legislators are making a final push for the passage of the bill. On Monday, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly unveiled a special exhibit of 29 police badges at the Russell Senate Office Buildings next to the U.S. Capitol. These badges belonged to the brave police officers who died responding to the 9/11 attacks.

“These badges are much more than a symbol of the men and women we’ve lost. These shields should serve as a call to action—a call for us to do what’s right and pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act now,” Gillibrand said. “The men and women who lived through 9/11 and came to our rescue on that day were not Democrats or Re- publicans or Independents—they were Americans. Now we have a duty to provide them the health care and compensation they and their family need.”

Gillibrand was joined by fellow lawmakers including Senator Charles Schumer and Representatives Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) and Peter King (R-Long Island) and police labor groups.

“I fear this is the last chance to pass this bill,” Weiner said. “The heroes who rushed to help their neighbors on 9/11 have waited far too long.How many more badges do we need to see before we give these men and women the care they deserve?”

According to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), there were 4,798 enrolled patients at the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, which through various grants provides free health coverage for rescue workers and residents of the area suffering from 9/11 related problems. By 2011, the HHC projects the number of enrolled patients to rise to 5,902.

It is this rising number of illnesses related to 9/11 that are being reported that has many worried and pushing to pass the bill.

“In the past two weeks I’ve attended funeral services for two New York City police officers who died from toxic exposure while responding to the nation’s call on 9/11,” said Patrick Lynch, President of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. “More NYC police officers have now died since the attack than were killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D- Nevada) invoked Senate Rule 14 to bypass the committee process and bring the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act straight to the floor for consideration.

Additional Seats Unveiled in DOE's Five Year Capital Plan

Mary Leas discusses the SCA’s plans for District 24. CEC 24 President Nick Comaianni looks on.

By Eric Yun

In a district burdened with overcrowded schools, parents were eager to review the city Department of Education’s (DOE) five-year capital plan for the local area. Parents of District 24 were assured by Mary Leas from the School Construction Authority (SCA) that the DOE is doing what it can to expand seats at last Tuesday’s Community Education Council (CEC) 24 meeting.

“This district has the honor of being the most overcrowded district,” Leas said. In addition to overcrowding, there are many old buildings that must be maintained, issues that are addressed in the capital plan.

In the SCA’s Capacity Programs, which aims to build extensions or new schools, District 24 is slated to gain 7,000 seats over the next five years. Looking at rising enrollment data, the SCA is recommending an amendment to add an additional 2,794 seats to the plan.

There are two projects in District 24 that are planned but have no site or location secured yet: project four would add 939 seats in Elmhurst, and project five would add an additional 233 seats in Maspeth.

There are also several new building projects and extensions that have sites, and the SCA is moving forward with those plans. This includes P.S. 290 at the former Rite Aid site at 55-20 Metropolitan Avenue, the new high school in Maspeth at the former Restaurant Depot site and the highly publicized extension for Middle Village’s P.S. 87.

Besides new buildings and extensions, many schools in the district will receive beautification through the Capital Investment Program. These projects look to maintain schools to prevent water leaks or other structural damages.

Some parents, including CEC 24 board member Brian Rafferty, questioned if the large sum of money—approximately $20 million—that is being spent on these beautification programs could be directed elsewhere. However, Leas responded that these projects are a necessity to keep the building operational.

“These are not beautification projects,” Lease said, “but the schools are beautiful when the project is finished.”

The final portion of money included in the capital plan is Resolution A money. This is discretionary funding given to City Council Members that is distributed to their schools of choice. The funds are generally used to upgrade the school’s technology offerings.

Crime and Rail Issues Continue

Arturo Gejon recives a “Good Neighbor Award” for the help he provides to the community and the civic group.

Local residents discussed crime and ongoing rail issues at this month’s Citizens for a Better Ridgewood meeting on Monday.

Detective Kevin Weber of the 104th Precinct’s Community Affair’s unit relayed the crime statistics. The 104th Precinct has been fighting a seven to eight percent increase in crime through the year, but Weber was happy to report that the police have worked hard and reduced those numbers over the past month.

Responding to last month’s concerns from Ridgewood residents about traffic, particularly along Troutman Street, Weber said the department beefed up traffic and highway patrols and issued 123 summonses. He noted, however, that because of Troutman Street’s location and the stop and start nature of the traffic, it is difficult to enforce speeding, which was a concern among residents.

Another issue that has been a constant battle for Ridgewood residents is prostitution. Weber reported that police continue to address the issue, and twelve “johns” were recently arrested.

Weber warned residents to be careful during the holiday season. Leaving bags of gifts from holiday shopping in an unattended car is never a good idea. “It’s a very easy crime to just break a window and grab the bags,” Weber said. He also warned residents about the danger of identity theft and the importance of keeping wallets and other personal items safely secured.

Michael Hetzer, Vice-President of Citizens for a Better Ridgewood, said that residents should also be wary of men posing as utility companies or other cons. One scam the Forum reported last week involved a man who asked for money to buy prescription drugs for his mother. Weber reported that officers from the 108th Precinct apprehended this man.

Rail and truck traffic has plagued Queens for years, and Mary Parisen and Laura Zimmer, co-chairs of Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES), gave a presentation outlining how Ridgewood is impacted.

CURES is a coalition of 14 different civic groups including Citizens for a Better Ridgewood. All trains travelling into or out of Brooklyn and Long Island must pass through the Fresh Pond Rail Terminal, which severely impacts the surrounding community. The trains emit dangerous pollutants into the air, and when transporting waste, the stench of the trains is unbearable.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is currently conducting studies on the Cross Harbor Freight Program. Parisen and Zimmer gave Port Authority officials a tour of the Fresh Pond facility to illustrate the problems the community has.
“We’re not opposed to increased rail traffic,” Zimmer said. “But take a look at the environmental impacts, and take a look at the marine network.” Without closely examining these issues, CURES believes increasing rail traffic is inadvisable.

Two Wanted in Robberies

The NYPD is seeking the public's assistance in locating two suspects wanted in connection with four robberies that occurred throughout Queens.

On Thursday, November 18, at 9:30 p.m., the two men entered a McDonald's restaurant located at 221-28 Horace Harding Expressway and demanded money from a store employee while armed with a firearm. The employee then removed an unknown amount of money from a safe inside of the location and gave it to the suspects before they fled. There were no injuries sustained.

The following day at 8:19 a.m., the suspects demanded money from a store employee at a Burger King restaurant at 92-02 Atlantic Avenue. The suspects then walked behind the front counter and removed an unknown amount of money from a cash register before fleeing.

On Sunday, November 21, at 6:03 a.m., the two men robbed another McDonald's at 166-05 Rockaway Boulevard with two other black males.

Finally, on Monday at 6:05 a.m., the suspects entered a Shell gas station at 185-25 North Conduit Avenue and demanded money from a store employee. The suspects then walked behind the front counter and punched the employee in the face before removing an unknown amount of money from a cash register. The suspect sustained minor injuries but did not require medical attention.

The first suspect is described as a black male, between 25 to 30 years old, 5'9" to 6" and between 185 to 200 pounds. He is armed with a silver firearm in all of the above incidents.

The second suspect is described as a black male, between 25 to 30 years old, 5'7" to 5'9" and 160 to 170 pounds.

Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Left Hanging

Community activists have been fighting to get dangerous hanging limbs removed from streets for months. Three months after a tornado and microburst knocked over numerous trees in Middle Village and surrounding areas, there are still potentially dangerous hanging limbs from trees.

Bob Holden, Chairman of Public Safety for Community Board 5 and President of the Juniper Park Civic Association, asked Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski in an e-mail how the situation could be handled.

Since the storm, Holden has been asking local politicians and the Parks Department to address hanging limbs. He said he has witnessed limbs big enough to crush a car fall on Cooper Avenue.

Over the weekend, Holden documented several trees along Cooper Avenue between Woodhaven Boulevard and 80th Street. “I’ve been fighting since the storm to get the limbs removed,” Holden said. “Many areas like Cooper Avenue were left with nothing done.”

Lewandowski said the department identified 11 trees on Cooper Avenue along St. John’s Cemetery and will take care of the problem. She reiterated that the best way for the community to alert the Parks Department of concerns over trees is through 311.

Residents should provide as much detailed information as possible, Lewandowski said.
In Holden’s opinion, however, finding dangerous trees is not residents’ jobs. Besides hanging limbs, many trees were left unbalanced and visibly leaning.

“I’m not an arborist,” Holden said, “I don’t really know if the trees are stable. Plus, most people don’t walk around looking up at trees. We need someone to go and comprehensively evaluate the state of the trees.”

Many of the limbs hang over popular parking spots and busy pedestrian sidewalk. “They have been there since the microburst,” resident Michael O'Kane told the Daily News. “I park between the trees. People walk their dogs over there all time and I don't think they are aware of the risk. It might be a remote risk, but it's still a risk.”

While there have not been any reported injuries from falling limbs in the area since the September storm, branches can pose serious risks. Earlier this summer, a six-month-old child was killed by a falling limb at the Central Park Zoo. Last year, a 100-pound limb hit Google engineer Sasha Blair-Goldensohn at Central Park, leaving him in a coma. Locally, in the summer of 2008, a New York City Corrections Officer was critically injured when a limb fell on her at the Myrtle Avenue Street Fair.

This Week's Forum South and West

Search Continues for Missing Howard Beach Man

By Patricia Adams

Rescuers continuing the extensive three-week search for Joseph Russo found a body in Howard Beach on Sunday night—but it wasn’t that of the missing 72-year-old Alzheimer’s patient.

According to sources from the NYPD and the Medical Examiners Office, the skeleton found in the weeded area off 165th Avenue was completely decomposed and, according to the time frame, could not be that of Russo.

A forensic anthropologist will examine the skeleton to make a positive determination that the remains are human and then go on to estimate age at death, racial affiliation, sex, and stature of the deceased. The bones were found in a search of the deep brush that began on Saturday morning and continued throughout the evening on Sunday.

The weekend search was a cooperative effort between the NYPD and the Eagle Valley Dogs, a New York-based search and rescue team. The K-9 team searches for lost and missing persons and is based in the Catskills and Upper Delaware River Valley.

According to Vice President Kate Danzig, the team “develops resources and trains its members to complement--not duplicate--the ca- pabilities of law enforcement and fire-rescue agencies in an area.”

Danzig who split her 20 years in the NYPD between patrol and narcotics, says the team is also available to assist during disasters or other emergencies.

Russo’s daughter Maria Ingrassia says that a friend working on the search effort to find her father came across the team while doing re- search on the Internet. “We are so grateful to Eagle Valley for coming down here and giving us some peace, knowing my father is not lying dead in these weeds,” she told The Forum.

The search went on through the weekend using a team of volunteers from Eagle Valley and foot searchers, aviation and the K-9 Unit of the NYPD. “We are so appreciative of everything that everyone is doing,” said Ingrassia, who also stressed how important it is to let people know that the remains found were not her father.

“While the weather is still with us we have to keep looking,” pleaded Ingrassia, who says that the cocentric search must expand way out beyond the Howard Beach area— quickly. According to the family, they are beefing up efforts in re-establishing contact with hospitals, shelters and bus terminals.

Detective Frank Rodriguez of the Missing Persons Bureau has been assigned the Russo’s case. “As of right now we have done three hospital canvasses and are submitting the fourth.” According to Det. Rodriguez, there is still a good chance that Russo is alive. “Cases with Alzheimer’s patients can be very tricky. We’ve had people turn up all over the United States.” Rodriguez told The Forum one of the patients he was involved in finding turned up in Europe. “You just never know. These people go all the way back in their minds and go where they have something fa- miliar.” At some point he says they are usually encountered by law enforcement officers who perform a background check and start to put the pieces together.

In addition to the search of hospital records, homeless shelters and a complete computer sweep, Rodriguez says he will begin an exhaustive investigation of all the bus routes running through Howard Beach and sur- rounding communities. “We will be handing out more description flyers and talking directly with drivers and people along these routes. We’re going to keep looking,” said Rodriguez. “I just have a good feeling about this one.”

Quality of Life Concerns in Lindenwood

A rise in auto theft and vandalism are just two of many quality of life issues prompting the formation of the new Lindenwood Alliance.

Residents to Form Alliance with NYPD, Local Elected Officials


By Patricia Adams

Concern over the recent spike in thefts and vandalism throughout Lindenwood has prompted some residents to take steps to safeguard their community.

In an effort to organize a coordinated effort among NYPD, community residents and local elected officials to address quality of life and crime issues, organizers will hold their first meeting on December 13.

“Over the last year, things have gotten out of hand in Lindenwood,” explains Christina Gold, a Lindenwood resident who has serious concerns about the rash of crime within the community. Gold says there are large numbers of groups of preteens and teens from outside the area who have repeatedly travelled through Lindenwood causing havoc and leaving damage in their wake.

Gold says she has personally witnessed the destructive actions and the repeated vandalism attempts. “I have seen them go after the people who return their bottles to the supermarket on more than one occasion and I have witnessed them trying to set off house alarms by disrupting sprinkler systems.”

But she says what really set her off is the bottle that came crashing over her backyard fence at a birthday party. “It was a little after 9 p.m. We were having a family party. The shattered glass hit several guests at the party and the bottle landed just inches from where a sleeping child lay in her carriage. “It’s just ridiculous that we have to live in fear in our own backyard,” says Gold. “It’s time we all get together and do what we have to in order to stay safe.”

And the mother of three contends she and her husband are not alone in their concerns for their family, as is evidenced by the number of supporters lining up to join what is to be known as the Lindenwood Alliance.

Lindenwood residents and activists will join Gold in the formation of the Alliance, including lifelong Howard Beach resident Joann Ariola. “I believe the concept of forming an alliance within the community is something that will serve Lindenwood residents very well,” said Ariola. “It’s a novel approach to include the three key groups that will interact to address quality of life issues as opposed to forming a routine civic organization.” Ariola says she and many other residents are prepared to help in setting up the Alliance.

Gold says she has already been developing two key relationships, one with Councilmember Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and with the new Commanding Officer at the 106th Precinct, Capt. Thomas Pascale. “I feel that both the councilman and the precinct are going to cooperate with our group and really try to help us get things done.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Alliance is urged to attend the first meeting which will be held at the Rockwood Park Jewish Center on December 13th at 7:30 P.M.

Middle VIllage Residents Ask Con Ed for Underground Power Lines

By Eric Yun

On the night of September 16, a tornado and microburst swept through the area leaving a trail of trees and power lines scattered across Middle Village streets. The destruction created hazardous and unsafe condition and left thousands without power. Now, Middle Village residents, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Representative Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) are calling on Consolidated Edison to remove the dangerous overhead cables and place them underground.

On the night of the tornado, downed power lines sparked fires throughout Middle Village, and created a mess Con Ed and other utility companies had to untangle for weeks.

“The tornado and microburst highlighted the vulnerability in our power grid,” Crowley said. “It’s time to bring Middle Village into the 21st Century and remove the outdated overhead power lines.”

Crowley and concerned residents argue that they pay the same price for power from overhead lines as underground lines, but suffer from more outages and safety hazards. And while Crowley’s biggest concern was safety, she said removing the unsightly wires would help beautify the neighborhood and help local businesses.

Fallen wires possess serious risks, but thankfully, no one was injured or electrocuted following Sep- tember’s storms.

“We were very fortunate the day of those storms,” said Weiner. Now, he added, it’s time for Con Ed to modernize the community and ensure residents never again have to worry about live wires on the ground.

“When I see trees down I’m saddened,” said Middle Village resident John Debiase, “When I see lines down, I’m frightened.”

Crowley and Weiner both noted that unsafe, ugly power lines are not something residents of Manhattan’s Park Avenue have to deal with, and the same should be said of Middle Village.

Underground cabling is common in New York City and Queens. According to Con Ed, there are 24,795 miles of underground cables in the borough compared to 6,995 miles of overhead cables.
Weiner questioned why Con Ed has not already begun modernizing the area with un- derground power lines. “The simple answer is Con Ed is trying to do things on the cheap,” he said.

Con Ed does not intend to place Middle Village’s power lines underground, and money does play a factor.

According to Con Ed spokesman Chris Olert, the cost to move overhead lines underground is $6 million per mile, which would be passed onto all of their customers. Furthermore, residential customers would likely have to pay $7,500 more per year, and commercial customers would have to pay $20,000 more per year to pay for the upgrades. Olert also said underground lines are not without problems, as it takes three to four times longer to identify and fix problems with underground lines.

Illega Races a Drag for Maspeth Residents

By Eric Yun

“Stop your engines and get off our streets,” was the rallying cry from Maspeth residents who are fed up with drag races along Maurice Avenue. They are now calling on the city Department of Transportation (DOT) to step in and install speed bumps in the area.

“I can’t sleep,” said resident Armand Gapkowski, who has started a petition that has amassed more than 60 signatures asking the DOT to install a speed bump.

Residents explained that the racers go through painstaking measures to avoid capture from police and interference from other drivers. They frequently block side roads and intersections with their cars, which often leads to more noise as other drivers honk their horns attempting to get through.

And it’s not like the residents can politely go to the street and ask the drivers to stop. They fear the crowd is too big and too dan- gerous. Calls to 911, residents have found, are not answered quickly enough to disperse the large crowds on their street.

In addition to the serious safety hazards of drag races, residents of Maspeth are constantly bombarded with sound pollution from passing and idling trucks at night.    Nobody wants to add revving engines or squealing tires to the list of night-time annoyances.

“Never again. We cannot tolerate illegal drag racing on Maurice Avenue or anywhere in Maspeth,” said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside).

Van Bramer, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) and concerned citizens joined together on the corner of Maurice and Tyler avenues on Monday and demanded action to stop the illegal races.

Drag racing in the area has been a problem for at least 20 years. However, with the recent repaving of Maurice Avenue, the problem has intensified.

“Maurice Avenue was not repaved for idiots to drive 100 miles per hour,” Van Bramer
said.

Roe Daraio, president of Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET), said the DOT must do something before someone is seriously injured. “The DOT has to take the bull by the horn and come up with a solution,” she said.

The simplest solution is to have a speed bump or rumble strips on the street to stop the races. A DOT spokesperson said the department is reviewing a request to install two speed bumps on Maurice Avenue along Tyler Avenue that do not interfere with the MTA bus route.

Maurice Avenue serves as a boundary line for the 104th and 108th police precincts, which make it difficult to ascertain who is responsible for patrolling the area and who should respond when    someone calls police about drag racing. Van Bramer and Crowley said that both precincts have been made aware of the problem and have promised to be more responsive to complaints to catch those racing illegally.

Deputy Inspector Keith Green of the 104th Precinct also spoke about increased cooperation with the 108th Precinct at last week’s COP 104 meeting.

The politicians promised they would work together to make drag racing a relic of the past.

“Drag racing is not welcome here in Maspeth, or anywhere in the city of New York,” said Crowley. “It must stop.”

To illustrate the dangers of drag racing, Van Bramer’s office has reposted a YouTube video showing a drag race on Maurice Avenue. The two cars line up side by side, and after a count, both cars take off in discordant sound. But moments later, one of the cars spins out of control and slams into some parked cars. After taking a moment to recover, the driver flees the scene.

“What if the car had spun out of control into the people foolish enough to watch the race?” Van Bramer asked.

It’s time to put an end to the races, Van Bramer said, before someone ends up in adjacent Mt. Zion Cemetery.