This Week's Forum West and South

Is this the American Dream?

Two Planes Nearly Collide Over JFK

Video of Boxing Match in JVP Draws Parks Ire

Local Residents Busted for Illegal Dumping

Lawn Litter Enforcement Begins in August

MTA Raises Fare Beating Fine

Metro Ave Warehouse Raided

Kosciuszko Replacement Delayed Again

Officer Dies in Afghanistan

Is This the American Dream?

By Steve Tiszenkel

Sometimes it seems like nobody wants to talk about the hot potato of Forest Hills life. Your typical FoHi local will go on and on about restaurants, shopping, public works, crime, government, you name it. And sure enough, the Forest Hills residential construction boom is often a hot topic—who doesn't have an opinion on the monstrous, ornate houses with paved-over yards that have been sprouting in the neighborhood for years, towering over the modest ranches they're increasingly replacing?

But who's building those houses? Everybody knows the answer, but few can discuss it without raising their voices above a whisper. But this under-the-radar issue exploded into Forest Hills' collective consciousness last week. And in this day and age, when people who have never met can become the closest of friends by connecting through blogs and message boards and social-networking sites, it took the oldest of old media institutions—The New York Times—to do it.

“To the Bukharian Jews of Central Asia,” the Gray Lady announced in Saturday's local edition, “a big house is an essential tradition ... Nowhere has their love of big homes been on more opulent display than in a section of Forest Hills known as Cord Meyer, an upper middle class neighborhood long cherished by its residents for its tranquility and architectural charm.”

Consider the powder keg officially blown. The Times' take on the Bukharian McMansion situation, rightfully deemed a “must-read” by the comprehensive blog Splitting Hairs in Forest Hills, was chock full of great quotes that offered some rare, valuable insight into the thought process that goes into building the controversial houses. Forest Hills is a heterogeneous community, and I continue to firmly believe that relations between its divergent groups are some of the best you'll find in New York, possibly some of the best in any major American city.
But pan-ethnic harmony is a lofty goal, and the fact that we're doing better than others doesn't mean that we couldn't be doing a lot better. Truth be told, those old-line Queens types don't make many attempts at communication with the Bukharians whose enormous houses they deplore, and vice versa.

Fortunately, The Times has done the heavy lifting. For Bukharian community leaders, the age-old American dream narrative predictably comes into play: “We're dreaming of this freedom! We were dreaming to build big house,” the president of the Bukharian Jewish Congress of the U.S.A. and Canada told the paper. Certainly, many an immigrant group has wanted to stake a claim in its new home.

But others interviewed by The Times made comments suggesting a troubling, fundamental disconnect in values between themselves and their neighbors. One Bukharian rabbi, born in Uzbekistan and raised in Kew Gardens Hills, called front yards “useless” and a “waste of time,” seeming almost disgusted as he observed the very thing many in the neighborhood would fight to save.

I have no doubt there's a strong thread of xenophobia running through many protests against the Bukharian houses. Newcomers' arrival and old timers' visceral reaction against them and their traditions is the story of America, of New York in particular, and of Queens even more specifically. Nobody hates immigrants more than the children of immigrants. But when two sets of beliefs are so radically different, it's easy to see some validity, maybe even a whole lot of validity, in the incumbents' complaints.


So. What do I think about the McMansions when I force myself down from my moralizing pedestal? Well, you want the honest truth? I think they're a blight on the neighborhood and need to be stopped by any legal means possible. I think they're both ostentatious and generic.

I think that they're in horrible taste and that no serious architectural critic anywhere in the world would find any value in them whatsoever. I think that despite the protestations of their builders, they are, in fact, a deliberate display of wealth by people who don't understand that the most effective and tasteful way to convey success is to go the understated route.

I think the concept of stone lions standing guard at a private home is ridiculous, and I think that just because something is shiny, doesn't make it look good. But then, I grew up more than 6,000 miles from Uzbekistan, here on an island where a different generation of immigrants once aspired to get away from all the concrete and own a little green plot of their very own.

Steve Tiszenkel is also the author of queenscentral.com. Log on to read more about Forest Hills and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Two Planes Nearly Collide Over JFK

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS SAY PLANES CAME VERY CLOSE

By Patricia Adams

Air traffic controllers at both JFK Tower and New York Tracon used the word 'ugly' to describe the near miss of two planes over JFK on Saturday night. A spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controller’s Association (NATCA) New York-JFK tower facility, Barrett Byrnes, said in a statement Monday, “One Tracon controller said it was the ugliest go-around they had seen in 24 years on the job."

The events have still not been confirmed and a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board is expected by the end of this week or early next week. But air traffic controllers insist that there was a near midair collision at JFK. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a Cayman Airlines flight was landing at the airport as another plane was preparing to leave. Cayman Airlines flight 792, a Boeing 737-300, needed to circle back around after a missed approach, as it was about 300 feet off the ground, but just as that was happening, a Linea Aeroea Navional de Chile flight 533, Boeing 767-300, was beginning to take off on a perpendicular runway.

The FAA reported that when air traffic controllers realized that the two flights were heading toward each other, orders were given for them to turn in opposite directions. The NATCA says the orders to turn came “too late,” and as a result “the paths of both jets crossed.”

Preliminary FAA radar data has put the two planes no more than a half mile apart horizontally and 300 feet vertically at their closest proximity, however, air traffic controllers maintain it was closer than that. NATCA claimed the two planes were approximately 100 feet apart. Controllers say that using perpendicular runways simultaneously is common at Kennedy and a number of other airports nationwide, and this near miss shows why the practice should be prohibited.

Despite the fact that most air traffic experts agree on the fact that perpendicular runway use is a problem, experts are also quick to identify other issues at the core of near miss incidents, such as Saturday’s. According to reports released by the Department of the Transportation Inspector-General, inexperienced air traffic controllers are a growing problem due to the rising number of retiring controllers and the scramble by the FAA to train and hire new ones. In fact, the FAA expects to replace nearly its entire workforce over the next decade.

Reports say that although the FAA caps the number of controllers who can be in training at a given site to 35 percent, 22 percent of the coutry's facilities do not adhere to that limit, and the Inspector-General’s office has questioned whether the limit is too high to begin with. The NATCA is insistent that the turnovers mean too many inexperienced employees will be directing traffic, perhaps dangerously, across the skies. The union said the FAA job openings illustrate just how dire the situation is to appeal to those with more experience.

"It's a sign of desperation that staffing is so bad at these facilities that the FAA has to offer such an outrageously high sum of money instead of negotiating a reasonable and logical solution to the mess it has created," said Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controller's Association, in a statement on Wednesday. Evidence of the push for hiring in New York, the FAA in January, was offering air traffic controllers $27,000 for relocation. In addition, those willing to commit to a three year assignment would get a bonus of up to $25,000. Seven months down the line, however, the bonuses have gotten even better, further supporting the theory that the FAA is desperate to recruit experienced workers. For those signing on by July 8 there would still be the $27,000 for relocating, but a four-year commitment would yield a $75,000 incentive bonus.

The FAA job posting makes it clear; the salary for air traffic controller specialists in the New York area who are responsible for ensuring "the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic" ranges from $98,814 to $137,732 per year. The NATCA union claims that the New York facility has lost 13 percent of its certified controllers in the past two years and has not brought on any certified controllers since September 2006. As a consequence of the shortage in air traffic control personnel, passengers will also feel the crunch. Fewer people in control towers will bring on the slowing down of traffic overall and lead to delays on the runways.

To check the preliminary findings of the National Transportation Safety Board in this investigation, go to their website at ntsb.gov.

Officer Dies in Afghanistan

An NYPD lieutenant assigned to the 112th Precinct died on July 4 from injuries suffered in Afghanistan while serving with the National Guard.

The Department of Defense on Monday announced that Lt. Daniel Farkas, 42, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn died from injuries suffered from a non-hostile incident in Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan. He was a 20-year veteran of the NYPD assigned to the Forest Hills-based precinct.

The incident is currently under investigation, according to the DOD. He joined the National Guard in 1992 and was assigned to the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team based out of Syracuse.

He is reportedly survived by his mother, who he lived with along with two sisters and two nieces. His family declined to speak with reporters, but an officer with the 112th Precinct described Farkas as an “extraordinary” person who was “very-well liked by his peers and his subordinates,” according to the Daily News.

Farkas was honored several times during his law enforcement career, including for helping arrest an Elmhurst man charged with setting a series of fires in Middle Village, Maspeth and Rego Park and for helping a federal marshal subduing a rowdy airline passenger in 2003.

The announcement comes just weeks after the death of another local National Guardsman, Sgt. Andrew Seabrooks of South Ozone Park, who was killed in Kandahar City, Afghanistan from wounds suffered when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb.

The deaths come at a time when casualties of American troops in Afghanistan have increased as forces battle the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Video of Juniper Park Boxing Match Draws Ire of Parks Department

Above: The YouTube video of a boxing match in Juniper Valley Park.

By Conor Greene

MIDDLE VILLAGE – A video of an amateur boxing match apparently held in Juniper Valley Park – complete with a makeshift ring and several dozen spectators – was recently posted on YouTube and has gained the attention of residents and city officials.

The nearly eight-minute video has garnered nearly 1,000 hits since it was posted by user mikereka on June 23. It features a three-round fight between “Little Mark the Spark from Juniper Park” and “Brian the Abductor.” It opens with interviews of each conducted at the park by the referee, “Billy Bottles” using a beer bottle instead of a microphone.

The video then cuts to “The Ring,” which appears to be set up, complete with ropes, in the upper portion of Juniper Park. With a large group of spectators surrounding the ring, the two fighters exchanged words before squaring off. The interview videos appear to have been shot at the park during the day, while the match seems to take place at dusk, as the park lights can been seen in the background.

Round one begins with the two men, wearing boxing gloves, exchanging jabs and punches.

The crowd can be heard yelling things such as, “Fight each other” and “Jab him right in the mouth, Mark.” About one minute into the round, Little Mark connects with a right hand to the side of Brian’s face, knocking him to the ground. The crowd whistles and yells “Get up, get up!” as Brian sat on the ground for about five seconds, appearing slightly dazed before getting up, with some help.

The fight eventually ends in round three after Mark connected with several shots to Brian’s face. Even thought Brian was able to stay on his feet, the ref ended the bout, a decision disappointed at least one spectator.

“That ain’t the right, no way, somebody’s gotta get knocked out,” someone is heard yelling.

As of Wednesday morning, the video had been viewed 946 times on YouTube. A second video, just showing the first round knockdown punch, has been viewed 344 times. It features several slow motion replays of Mark punching Brian’s face, with the caption, “Strong effort but game over kid.”

The videos, which can be viewed at youtube.com/mikereka, caught the attention of the Juniper Park Civic Association, which represents 1,700 families in the neighborhood.

Its president, Robert Holden, called it “disturbing” and said it “demonstrates the need for regular police patrols” in the park. “The park attracts thousands of people a day during the summer months and it is imperative we get police coverage for Juniper,” Holden said.

The Parks Department also was not pleased that a video depicting a boxing match in a public park has been created. “This violent behavior will not be tolerated in New York City parks, because of the potential for serious injuries and disruption of the peace in the surroundings neighborhoods,” a spokeswoman said in a statement. “The Parks Department is working with NYPD to stop similar incidents from happening in any city parks.”

According to the person who posted the video, mikereka, the attention being paid to the video is not warranted. In an e-mail message, he said he is “unaware of a boxing match taking place at JVP.” He said, “If you look closely you can see the fights are not ‘real.’ These videos have been enhanced using software such as Final Cut Pro… No crime has been committed by any persons seen in these videos. I cannot say I’m sorry, but it’s unfortunate that a lot of residents and local officials are upset by these videos.”

Mikereka argues that he doubts “such a large group of people could actually get away with having a boxing match in a NYC park” without the NYPD responding “immediately to shut it down.”

A follow-up message was sent to mikereka seeking clarification as to whether the activities took place in Juniper Valley Park and whether the fight was staged. “The short answer is yes the footage seen on my page was staged for a lack of an in depth explanation,” he wrote. “It was not a fight. No fighting occurred in a public place.”

He adds, “The intent of the video is/was not to receive negative press/publicity. However, I guess it’s not bad that it’s been recognized by The Forum West… Again, the intent of the video on youtube/mikereka was not to anger residents & local officials. To set the record straight Billy “Bottles” & Reka “The Saint” just make funny videos.”

At least one local resident who viewed the video and has experience using Final Cut Pro software doubts that the fight was staged. “After Effects is really just a compositing program and can’t fake punches to the face,” said Rob Jett.

“Creative editing could make some things look more convincing, but not in that video.”

Local Residents Busted for Illegal Dumping

Sanitation Reports Ridgewood, Middle Village Violators

By Conor Greene

Nine vehicles used to illegally dump garbage have been seized from owners around the city, including from a Middle Village man and two Ridgewood residents, announced the Department of Sanitation.

Throughout June, the department’s Citywide Illegal Dumping Task Force seized and impounded nine vehicles allegedly used to illegally dump items at sites in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. The task force, comprised of plainclothes Sanitation Police Officers, monitors known dumping site across the city and seizes vehicles of owners caught in the act.

“Illegal dumping is against the law,” said Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty. “If you do it, you will get caught. The Illegal Dumping Task Force is the city’s front line defense against illegal dumpers who shamefully use our streets and lots as their personal dumping grounds.”

The June impoundments included three vehicles seized in connection with dumping at locations Queens, including Maspeth, along with five in Brooklyn and one on Staten Island. In addition, George Strang, of 66th Drive in Middle Village, was caught using his 1998 Peterbilt dump truck to leave approximately 15 cubic yards of dirt and rocks on an Ingram Street lot.

The first incident of illegal dumping in Queens last month came on June 3, when a Washington state man was seen dumping five cubic yards of trash from a 2003 GMC truck in front of 131-02 40th Road in Flushing. On the 19th, three individuals –from Jamaica, Hollis and Mt. Vernon – were seen dumping three cubic yards of trash from a 1996 Ford Econoline at 95-10 Tuckerton Street in Jamaica.

The following day, Michal Mosur of 66th Place and Patryk Laszckowski of 68th Road, both in Ridgewood, were caught dumping one cubic yard of stones at 54th Road and Laurel Hill Boulevard in Maspeth.

The Department of Sanitation has two programs that include public participation in stopping illegal dumping. Under the Illegal Dumping Award Program, a person who sees illegal dumping and completes and affidavit leading to the conviction of the violator is eligible to receive up to 50% of the fine collected by the city. The individual must appear at a hearing if the accused appears before the Environmental Control Board to challenge the summons.

Under the Illegal Dumping Tip Program, residents can remain anonymous, but must provide information that helps the department catch the dumper red-handed. The tipster’s identity remains confidential, and they don’t have to appear at a hearing, but are only compensated if the department subsequently catches the person.

The city urges residents to follow these guidelines if they observe somebody illegally dumping materials on a sidewalk, street or property:



Observe the vehicle
•Do not make your presence known;
•Do not touch the discarded material
•Report the vehicles, not the individuals.


Record vital information
•License plate number
•Vehicle description
•Nature and quantity of material dumped
•Time, date and location of occurrence

File a citizen complaint with the Sanitation Police. Check nyc.gov/sanitation or call 311 for details on these programs.

Lawn Litter Enforcement Begins in August

RESIDENTS CAN FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST BUSINESSES

By Conor Greene

Residents tired of having unwanted circulars, restaurant menus and other fliers dumped on their lawn can fight back starting next month, when the city begins enforcing a new law intended to reduce the amount of “lawn litter” left on private property.

The city Department of Sanitation will begin enforcing the new law on August 2, according to Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D -Little Neck), who co-authored the bill with Senator Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose). Fines will range from $250 for first time offenders to $1,000 for repeat offenders. The law was passed in January, but enforcement was put on hold until the Department of Sanitation finalized its procedures for assessing fines to violators.

Under the adopted rules, homeowners can place a sign stating: “Do Not Place Unsolicited Advertising Materials On This Property.” To report violators, residents can submit a signed complaint form (available online or by calling 311) and the unsolicited materials to the Department of Sanitation. Weprin called it a “great example of government responding directly to constituents’ concerns.” He was motivated to take action against this quality of life issue after “people around the city complained for years about receiving unsolicited advertisements on their property.”

Aside from the quality of life issues, the law was also motivated by safety, said Weprin. “Plastic bags become slippery when wet, elderly and disabled residents sometimes have difficulty bending down to pick up paper from the ground, and a pile of uncollected advertisements can be a signal to burglars that homeowners are away,” he said.

The final version of the enforcement rules were tweaked after civic organizations and elected officials complained that too much of the onus was placed on the resident. Under the proposed rules released earlier this year, residents would be required to have the form notarized before sending it back to the Sanitation Department’s enforcement unit.

That aspect of the law prompted Weprin and Padavan to write a joint letter to the Sanitation Department arguing, “It may be difficult for one reason or another for people to get to a notary.” The representatives expressed concerned that the requirement of a notarized complaint… may well discourage citizens [from submitting] complaints.”

While the notary requirement was considered to prevent false complaints against businesses and to add credence to resident’s complaints, it was deleted from the final requirements. Instead, residents submitting complaints “must certify that the information is truthful and accurate, and acknowledge that false statements in the complaint form are punishable” under state law. If necessary, they must also be available to testify before the Environmental Control Board.

In their letter to Sanitation, Weprin and Padavan noted that there appears to be widespread support for the initiative, which they compared to the “Do Not Call” registry. “From our personal observations, to complaints from community boards, civic organizations and our neighbors, unwanted literature, advertisements and fliers left on private property is not only a blight throughout Queens but a safety issue as well.”

MTA Raises Fine for Fare Beating

HIKED FROM $60 TO $100 THIS WEEK

Jumping turnstiles with hopes of a free subway or bus ride has gotten a lot more expensive, with the MTA raising the penalty to $100 starting this week. It is the first such increase in nearly a quarter century.

The MTA board unanimously approved the hike last month, and it went into effect this past Monday (July 7). Since 1984, the penalty for slipping past a bus driver without paying or jumping over a subway turnstile has been $60.

A memo sent to MTA officials last month as the increase was being considered reportedly argued that “virtually every other form of civil fine in the region has increased, in many cases quite substantially.” NYC Transit President Howard Roberts told the New York Post that the authority is “looking across the board to see how to raise [fines].”

Through July 6, transit police issued 41,090 tickets for fare evasion and made an additional 8,437 arrests, the New York Times reported, citing police data. That equals 263 tickets or arrests out of more than five million riders each weekday around the city. That is in stark contract to 1990, when an estimated 200,000 people hopped the turnstiles each day. By 1997, that number had dropped to about 35,000 a day, the paper reported.

“Clearly, we believe that a deterrent such as a higher fine will get the attention of some people who would contemplate evading the fare,” a New York City Transit spokesman told the paper. “It’s not going to stop everybody, but the fact of the matter is, when they’re hit with that fine, that will give them a pause the next time they’re thinking about doing it.”

On its website, the Times presented a primer explaining “what exactly constitutes fare beating,” including situations where a turnstile machine refuses to accept a valid MetroCard. It warns that entering a station without swiping the card will lead to a ticket, even if you are in possession of a valid card.

The Times piece garnered dozens of comments from readers, including one who said she received a ticket for entering through the open emergency exit, even though she had a 30-day unlimited card. Once inside the gate, she was issued the fine. “Feeling that I was unjustly penalized for a minor infraction, I went to the Transit Adjudication Bureau to fight it,” wrote Emily S. Reub. “I explained the scenario to the officer, and although she seemed sympathetic with the situation, I was still slapped with the fine because I didn’t physically swipe my card before I entered. Who is right?”

Another reader met the move with cynicism. “How typical – focus on the low level misappropriation of service and ignore the brazen thievery and special privileged treatment at the top,” wrote Karen. “Have they given back all the free EZpasses yet?”

Brooklyn DA Raids Metro Ave Warehouse

COUPLE ARRESTED FOR MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RING

By Conor Greene

RIDGEWOOD – An investigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office into whether baseball caps are being marketed to street gang members led to the discovery a warehouse filled with counterfeit goods worth millions of dollars.

Jianfeng Guo, 29, owner of Eastern Trading, Inc, is accused of running the substantial counterfeiting operation of out a warehouse at 50-03 Metropolitan Avenue, several blocks from the Brooklyn boundary. He was arrested after authorities seized two truckloads of bogus goods last week.

Authorities estimate the value of genuine merchandise at about $4 million, but the knock-off versions were worth about $600,000. Receipts seized during Guo’s arrest indicated that the illegal business brought in about $16 million so far this year alone. Since 2005, Guo is believed to have netted $61 million from the business, costing the city and state $7.6 million in lost tax revenues.

Also charged with Guo’s girlfriend, Saile Gao, 27, who is also described as his employee, according to Kings County District Attorney Richard Hynes. Both are charged with third–degree trademark counterfeiting and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

“This type of counterfeiting and black-market dealing affects everybody’s bottom line,” said Hynes. “Merchants operating in this underground economy are able to sell their goods at lower prices than legitimate shopkeepers and deprive the city millions of dollars in lost tax revenue.”

The investigation began after Hynes’ office received complaints from Mothers Against Gangs that companies were designing and marketing baseball hats to appeal to gang members. With assistance of Major League Baseball, detectives from the district attorney’s office began making purchases from local stores to see if any were selling counterfeit items. That investigation eventually led authorities to the warehouse used by Guo’s business.

According to authorities, Guo ran his company, Eastern Trading Company, out of the Metropolitan Avenue warehouse, which was filed with three floors worth of counterfeit baseball caps, high-end clothing, razors, sunglasses, toys, cell phone cases and other items. Among the counterfeited brands were Major League Baseball, the Yankees, the National Football League, Duracell, Gillette, Dove, Chanel, Nike and Northface. The goods removed from the warehouse filled one 40-foot trailer and a 20-foot box truck, according to Hynes.

The items were to be sold at locations around the city, including by sidewalk vendors and in discount stores. Guo’s inventory was manufactured in China and shipped by boat through the Panama Canal to New Jersey’s Port Elizabeth. They were then trucked to the Queens warehouse, said authorities.

DA Hynes stressed to the public that counterfeit goods can be dangerous, as knockoff batteries often contain mercury, counterfeit clothing is unlikely to conform to American fire safety regulations and painted items may contain lead. Samples of the seized items are now being tested for the presence of heavy metals or other dangerous compounds.

Guo pled not guilty to the charges in criminal court last week, with bail set at $500,000.

Kosciuszko Replacement Delayed Again

Business Owners Left in Limbo

By Conor Greene

MASPETH -- The state has decided to replace the aging Kosciuszko Bridge with two parallel structures, but the effort has once again been delayed, to the frustration of property owners being forced out for the project.

Businesses and homeowners that will be displaced were informed that the project has been delayed for about two months so that the federal government can review the project’s timeline and costs, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The latest bad news for property owners comes after the project was already delayed for six months by the Historic Preservation Department, which had argued that the aging span carrying the Brooklyn Queens Expressway over the Newtown Creek between Maspeth and Greenpoint should be saved.

When breaking the news of the delay to business owners, state DOT officials were able to inform them that a decision has been made regarding the new structure’s design. It is expected to cost $630 million to demolish the existing structure and replace it with two parallel bridges. The construction phase is expected to begin in 2011 and take about five years to complete.

The plan is to build a four lane span, demolish the existing bridge, and then complete the second span. For the several dozen businesses and three homeowners that must move to make way for the project, the latest delay is beyond frustrating. George Kosser, vice president of Karp Associates, said the news is “very difficult on us and upsetting” because it has prevented them from purchasing a new piece of land elsewhere. “For the past 18 months we have been looking for buildings,” he said. “We recently found one that is a good fit, but we can’t move on it.”

According to the state DOT, the current delay is due to federal regulations requiring that state projects costing at least $500 million must under go a “risk assessment.” The federal review is expected to take place by the end of this week, in hopes that DOT can submit its formal plans to highway officials in Washington.

"It was unexpected," said state DOT spokesman Adam Levine. "We had spoken with the New York division office of the Federal Highway Administration, which said it wouldn't be a requirement, but the Washington office stepped in and said we have to."

The feds first told the state DOT that the study couldn't take place until October, but then agreed to perform it immediately, according to Levine. "We told them, and the division office told them that it is unacceptable because we are so close to completing the environmental study. It could have been worse, but it still is not anything we're pleased with."

With 100 employees, Karp Associates, which has been in Maspeth for 52 years, is the largest of the companies being forced to move. Before the project was announced, the company purchased additional land near its current location at the foot of the bridge so that it could expand its operations. “We had already hired an architect over four years ago, and then heard about the potential for the project and put everything on hold,” said Kosser. “We’re overcrowded beyond belief internally, and it’s hurting us.”

The problem now is that Karp can’t move ahead with a purchase of new land until it is assured that the project is moving forward, otherwise the funds currently earmarked to relocate businesses won’t be available. “Any risk that we take prior to the formal commitment from the DOT to us is strictly at our risk,” Kosser said. “If I go and buy a building and they don’t [move ahead with the project], I don’t have any recourse.”

Kosser indicated that any further delays might force Karp’s hand and force ownership to move ahead with the expansion project. That in turn would cost DOT money, as the amount they must compensate Karp for taking the land would increase. “I can’t stop forever,” he said. “We cannot continue down the path we have taken up until this point if the DOT can’t give us a firm date we can hold.”

The DOT says it sympathizes with the property owners and understands that “delay and uncertainty make it difficult to move forward with new leases.”

For Kosser and business owner Adam Gold, one positive of the whole ordeal has been the support it has received from the community. “We are overwhelmed,” said Kosser. “The residents and people from the community board literally stood up at meetings and told the DOT it was unfair what they are doing to Karp and other businesses. When [the process started], we thought for whatever reason that the community would never care about that happened to businesses. The community has been unbelievably supportive of our position, I can’t say that strongly enough.”

This Week's Forum West and South:

Comptroller Rejects Ridgewood Reservoir Contract

Residents Frustrated by Stalled Downzoning Effort

Truck Overturns on Grand Avenue in Maspeth

Neighborhood Crime Discussed at COP 104 Meeting

Mayor, Council Agree on $59 Billion City Budget

Comptroller Rejects Reservoir Contract

Parks Wants to Clear Basin and Build Sports Fields on 50-Acre Nature Site

By Conor Greene
The city’s push to develop a portion of the Ridgewood Reservoir into sports fields took a major hit last week when Comptroller William Thompson’s office rejected a contract the Parks Department offered a landscape design consultant.

In a June 23 letter, Thompson’s office informed the Parks Department that the $3.3 million contract with Mark K. Morrison Associates is being returned “to allow additional time for your agency to respond to our concerns.”

It goes on to say that Parks “should not have solicited proposals without a full understanding of all the issues pertaining to any new development of the park.”

Due to the “sensitive ecological nature of the location,” the project’s environmental review process is of heightened importance and “must have maximum transparency.” As a result, the comptroller’s office is concerned that under the proposed contract, the vendor responsible for the environmental study would be a subcontractor working for the architect, “who has a vested interest in pursuing construction of a $38 million project.”

The 50-acre site of the defunct reservoir is next to Highland Park at the Queens-Brooklyn boundary and was turned over from the city Department of Environmental Protection to the Parks Department in 2004. The department has since presented several proposals for the site, including clearing one basin of shrubs and growth to make way for ballfields.

Since then, a number of local activists and elected officials have fought any proposals that would require clearing the site. Last month, Thompson, a likely mayoral candidate last year, co-wrote an op-ed article in The New York Times with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The column, which laments the fact that Parks “could wind up destroying” the property, describes it as an “accidental wilderness.”

In a press release coinciding with his office’s letter to Parks, Thompson notes he has “consistently urged the city to rethink its plans to develop the 50-acre site.” He points out that Mark K. Morrison’s proposal would require that between 11,700 and 27,500 large truckloads of fill are transported through local streets.

“Either of these options would have significant negative impacts to the areas surrounding the park, which will have to bear the brunt of the noise, emissions and traffic disruptions for many years,” the letter stated. “For comparison purposes, it took six years to bring 1.7 million cubic yards of fill to Ferry Point Park in the Bronx.”

In a statement reportedly released last week, the Parks Department appears ready to continue with the project. “We plan to review the comptroller’s concerns and meet with the comptroller so that the design contract and the planning can move ahead on this great park,” the agency wrote.

On June 19, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall told the City Council Committee on Parks and Recreation during a hearing on the future of Ridgewood Reservoir and Highland Park that she is opposed to “plans to convert the historic landmark into ballfields.”

Instead, she is a “strong advocate to preserve the unique and important ecosystems that have developed in the Ridgewood Reservoir,” according to a transcript of her comments posted on ridgewoodreservoir.blogspot.com. She called the reservoir an “important area for resident, migratory and nesting birds” and a great place for residents to “enjoy the wonderful fruits that mother nature has to offer.”

Noting that the reservoir was named one of the eight “Underdeveloped Destination Parks” to be targeted by Mayor Bloomberg, Marshall instead proposed a plan that calls for retaining its “historic natural areas and ensuring that they receive the same treatment as historical landmarks.” She suggested that a ecology research center and museum be created and that existing sports facilities in Highland Park be maintained.

Residents Frustrated Over Stalled Downzoning Effort

Members of a local civic group are ready to take to the streets and force action after waiting years for the city to downzone 350 blocks of Middle Village, Maspeth and Glendale.

During its monthly meeting at Our Lady of Hope auditorium in Middle Village last Thursday, the group’s president, Robert Holden, and other residents ripped into the Department of City Planning for dragging its feet on the effort, which is intended to protect the area characterized by one-and-two-family houses from out of scale development.

The effort started four years ago, when volunteers from Maspeth and Middle Village went door-to-door, surveying thousands of properties. This process was finished in October 2005, at which point Queens Director of City Planning John Young asked Holden to wait for city certification until Glendale volunteers completed that area’s survey. “He said it would speed things up,” said Holden. “Here we are, in the summer of 2008, and nothing has happened.”

The rezoning now includes a total of 350 blocks, including Maspeth south of the Long Island Expressway, Middle Village south of Juniper Park and parts of Glendale. Much of the resident’s frustration was directed at Joy Chen, who represented the Department of City Planning at the meeting.

“The mayor is not giving the department enough staff members,” said Holden. “There should be 20 Joy Chens in Queens… This man [Mayor Bloomberg] says to hold off because he is trying to create one million units he needs for his sanctuary city, and Middle Village is on his list. He said in ’04 that he supports the downzoning, but after he was reelected, he stalled the whole taskforce.”

Chen was unable to tell residents when the rezoning might finally receive city certification and be put in place. “Zoning is a very complicated issue,” she said. “We are aware of the over-development issues… Yes, it has been two years. Things always take longer than you wish… Planning is a long process and there are many steps.” Including three different neighborhoods in the study has complicated the process because “each has challenges and specific conditions unique to that area,” she said.

The next step, according to Chen, is for an environmental assessment to be completed, and for City Planning Chairwoman Amanda Burden to tour the area and sign off on the downzoning. She told residents she could provide a “better timeframe” in September. In the meantime, she invited residents to call her office at (718) 286-3170 to complain that the process is moving too slowly.

Civic Vice President Lorraine Sciulli asked Chen if the delay is due to inaction on the part of Burden. Said Chen, “I think that is one of the many bureaucratic processes that have to happen before the next step is taken.” In response, Sciulli said, “While she is delaying the walk, developers are raping every street.”

Michael Cohen, a former state assemblyman and current candidate to represent Rego Park and Forest Hills on City Council, questioned the need for an environmental assessment. “We’re talking about downzoning – making things smaller,” he pointed out. “The environmental impact is going to be less. It escapes me, if we’re doing less, why we’re delayed by an environmental study.”

Chen responded that the study is “required for all” re-zonings, and is less involved than a “full blown [environmental] impact statement. It sounds ominous, but it’s a very targeted environmental statement,” she said. “It’s standard for each and every one of our re-zonings.”

Holden wondered if this effort got “bumped” after “months and months of going door-to- door” while upzoning efforts in areas such as Jamaica were given top priority. “Your boss’s priority is to up-zone, not downzone,” he told Chen. “We’re the backbone of this city. If we move out, the city is going to be trash.” He noted that any projects begun before the new zoning is approved are grandfathered under the old laws. “Everyday, another construction fence goes up. The mayor has said ‘To hell with Queens.’”

Chen said that the city has determined that the downzoning is needed and that the process has been slowed in part because “there’s a lot of re-zonings going on” around the city. “We’re all in agreement that there is a strong consensus in this community for the downzoning,” she said. “We’re on the same page in terms of trying to protect this.”

However, Holden vowed to do “whatever it takes” to get the process moving forward, and suggested the residents will have to “take to the streets” in order to be heard. “We’ll block the streets, we’ll block their entrances,” he said. “We did all the work, and we were lied to. John Young said one thing, and we got another thing.”

In a statement, a DCP spokeswoman insisted that the Bloomberg administration’s “commitment to preserving neighborhood character is underway throughout Queens.” Since April, the department has begun public review on four re-zoning proposals totaling more than 580 blocks “to curb overdevelopment in the borough,” according to Jennifer Torres. She noted that the current proposal to rezone 350 blocks comes after the rezoning of parts of Middle Village and Glendale was approved in 2006.

“The current and larger 350 block phase two study of Middle Village, Maspeth and Glendale started in 2006 at the conclusion of earlier efforts and we are making expected progress with our block-by-block analysis to ensure a close match between our zoning recommendations and the built character.”

The department expects to “resume consensus building on this extensive rezoning in the fall, when the community board resumes it regular meeting schedule,” said Torres. “From there the department will need to finalize the proposal and environmental review.” She said that Burden “examines every rezoning area with careful scrutiny and thorough site visits.”

Truck Overturns on Grand Ave in Maspeth

SPILLS SAND ON AVENUE & EXPRESSWAY

By Conor Greene

MASPETH – In light of an accident last week that could have turned deadly, local officials are renewing their demands that the city take steps to reduce the amount of truck traffic along Grand Avenue.

A truck hauling sand overturned as it was turning from the westbound Long Island Expressway service road onto Grand Avenue at about 8 a.m. last Thursday, according to witnesses. The truck overturned on the Grand Avenue bridge, spilling sand onto the expressway below. The accident forced the closure of the highway’s westbound lanes and caused major traffic backups on local roads.

The truck was removed from the roadway by and the driver was taken to a local hospital and is believed to be the only person injured in the accident. Firefighters used long poles to search through the sand, which was piled six feet high on the sidewalk, to make sure nobody was trapped.

“If somebody had been walking [on the sidewalk], they would have been killed,” said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. “Every day, we have trucks barreling through Grand Avenue.”

For years, residents and local groups including the JPCA have urged the city Department of Transportation to reduce the amount of truck drivers cutting through the neighborhood’s main commercial area as they head east to the Long Island Expressway. In 2004, Tony Nunziato, then chairman of Community Board 5’s Environmental Committee, and the late Frank Principe, then CB 5’s chairman, devised the Grand Avenue Truck Bypass Plan.

The plan called for rerouting tens of thousands of trucks away from the heart of Maspeth and through the neighborhood’s industrial sections. Trucks traveling east from Brooklyn would be forced to turn onto Rust Street from Grand Avenue and drive north,entering the eastbound Long Island Expressway at Maurice and Borden avenues. Trucks traveling west on the LIE to Brooklyn would not be allowed to exit the highway at 69th Street and Grand Avenue, expect for local deliveries. Those vehicles would instead exit at Maurice Avenue.

The plan was approved in 2005 by then DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall, but has yet to be put in place because the DOT determined that the intersection of Maurice and Maspeth avenues must first be reconfigured. “We did all the homework, and the city just had to give the nod,” said Nunziato, who owns a business along Grand Avenue.

Nunziato and others are now calling for the DOT to take immediate action. “They need to get moving and make this a priority before something devastating occurs,” he said. “If the Grand Avenue Truck Bypass Plan had been in place, this accident very likely would not have happened. This could have been very tragic [and] should serve as a wakeup

Local civic leaders are not the only ones calling for the city to address the issue of trucks on Grand Avenue. In a May 12 letter to Community Board 5, Sister Rose Torma, principal of St. Stanislaus Kosta School argued that “truck traffic moving both east and west on Grand Avenue between 64th and 61st streets must be rerouted.”

Her letter, which was in response to a separate DOT initiative designed to make the walk to school safer for students, said that “trucks and buses starting up after the light turns green causes an increase of both noise and air pollution, which goes into the opened classroom windows located directly opposite the traffic.”

On Wednesday, a DOT spokesman said that the department is currently “pursuing an engineering study to determine what kind of work would be necessary to support redirecting trucks of Grand Avenue.” The spokesman declined to provide a timeline for the project. “We’re looking at where else the trucks would go, and what type of infrastructure work would be need on those streets,” the spokesman said.

Neighborhood Crime Discussed at COP 104 Meeting

By Conor Greene

The 104th Precinct’s newest lieutenant led this month’s meeting, which took place at Our Lady of Hope Auditorium as part of last Thursday’s Juniper Park Civic Association.

Lt. Jerry Lester told the audience that he recently joined the Ridgewood-based precinct after serving for years in various Brooklyn neighborhoods. He was raised in Woodside and spent lots of time as a child hanging out around 83rd Street and Eliot Avenue in Middle Village, where his mother lived. “I still have memories of hanging out in the common driveways,” he said. “It’s a great neighborhood and is a special part of my heart.”

Monthly Crime Report
The lieutenant reported that 19 major crimes occurred in the sector covering Juniper Park and the surrounding area between May 26 and June 26. Those incidents included eight reports of grand larceny, mainly involving credit card theft, which he called a “major problem” that is “increasing every year.” There were also three reports of auto thefts. Lt. Lester noted that Dodge Caravans and Plymouth Voyagers have become common targets. There were also three homicides during that time stemming from the Father’s Day fire in a Metropolitan Avenue apartment, said Lt. Lester.

Between May 26 and June 26, there were 52 arrests within the area surrounding the park, according to Lt. Lester. “They’re doing a great job out there and a lot of good work,” he said of the precinct’s beat officers.

Don’t Become a Target
Lt. Lester reminded residents to double check that all windows and doors are locked when leaving the house. “You won’t believe the amount of people who forget to lock everything up, go away, and then come back to find their house ransacked,” he said. He also urged parents to remind teenagers to be careful when talking on their cell phones on the streets, as it can make them an easy target. “They’re not paying attention to their surroundings, and the perps come up and steal the phones,” he said. Six suspects from Brooklyn were recently arrested for stealing a cell phone in Ridgewood, he added.

There have also been several recent incidents of car break-ins, especially vehicles that have marks on the windshield from suction cups, which tells the perps that there might be a GPS system or radar detector inside. “The suction cups on the window show the perps it’s inside,” said Lt. Lester. “Take it in and lock it up.”

Cop of the Month
Two of the precinct’s officers were honored by the civic association for helping take into custody a suspect in a home invasion in Middle Village last month. At 11:05 p.m. on June 17 police received a 911 call reporting a robbery in progress at 84-42 63rd Road. Two black men pulled out a gun, forced three family members into the house and ordered the victims to hand over their valuables, according to police.

Officers arrived at the scene as the two men were fleeing the scene, one on foot and other in a white Jeep. A patrol car spotted the vehicle on Dry Harbor Road near Juniper Valley Park a short while later, just as the suspect lost control and crashed into a utility pole at 64th Road. The suspect ran from the vehicle as officers Collin Wynter and Robert Sowden gave chase, and was eventually arrested after officers found him hiding in a common driveway at 79th Street and Furmanville Avenue.

In recognition of their efforts, Wynter and Sowden received the JPCA’s Community Recognition Award. “We don’t give many of these out,” said Robert Holden, civic president. “Home invasions rarely happen, but when they do it is nice to know that the precinct responds. They weren’t thinking of themselves.”

“It was a great response, and they put their life in danger,” added Lt. Lester. “It’s a tough job, but it’s a great job.”

The incident marked the second home invasion to occur in Middle Village in the past two months, prompting some questions from concerned residents. In April, a man renting an apartment on 70th Street shot and killed a man who robbed him at gun-point. The tenant was arrested and is still in jail because the gun used in the shooting is illegal, according to police, who found a small amount of drugs inside the apartment.

Lt. Lester told the residents that the most recent incident appears to be random, while the victims April home invasion were likely targeted. “The so-called victim and the guy shot were both up to no good,” he said. The precinct’s detective squad is still investigating both incidents, as two men got away after the April robbery, and one is still at large from last month’s incident.

Unanswered Phone Calls
Resident Augie Trinchese said he has encountered several incidents of phone calls to the precinct going unanswered. “There are a lot of thing that happen that are not 911 situations that you call the precinct for,” he said. “My personal experience is that the phone doesn’t get answered. I know you’re busy, but my recent experience is that no one is there to answer.” Lt. Lester responded that there is somebody on duty around the clock to answer the phone. There are times when that person gets tied up on another call, but he agreed that “endless ringing is ridiculous.”


The JPCA honors Officers Robert Sowden and Collin Wynter for arresting a suspect in a June 17 home invasion. At right is Lt. Jerry Lester and in the background (center) is Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell.

Mayor, Council Agree on $59 Billion City Budget

MONEY INCLUDED FOR LOCAL GROUPS

By Conor Greene

After taking office two weeks before budgetary decisions were finalized, Councilman Anthony Como has included money in the city’s $59 billion budget to support a number of district-based organizations.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council agreed on the budget last Thursday, just in time for the 2009 fiscal year, which began on Tuesday. The spending plan maintains the seven percent property tax rate cut for the second year and continues the $400 property tax rebate program for homeowners for the fifth year.

For Como (R-Middle Village), the days after being sworn into office last month were hectic, given the timing in relation to the city budget. However, a number of local civic groups, senior centers and youth organizations have received funding they rely on to operate.

During the two-months of campaigning for the special election, in which he narrowly defeated Glendale Democrat Elizabeth Crowley, Como made funding senior centers and programs a top priority. Throughout the budget process, many residents and community leaders were worried that senior centers would bear the brunt of the reductions. The final budget features a 39 percent reduction in discretionary spending, from $352 million last year to $232 million this year, and the city’s Housing Authority, which helps fund senior centers, is receiving $18 million, much less than the $30 million it requested.

The budget includes the following amounts for local senior organizations: $8,750 for the Forest Park Senior Center; $36,000 for Glendridge Senior Citizen Center; $21,000 for the Middle Village Senior Citizens Center; $32,000 for the Peter Cardella Senior Citizen Center; $25,000 for the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council; $14,000 for the Ridgewood Older Adult Center and $12,000 for Selfhelp Community Services.

Among youth programs, Maspeth Town Hall will receive $28,705; the Federazione Italo-Americana di Brooklyn and Queens will get $20,500; the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp. will receive $16,500; the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council will get $26,500 and the Ridgewood/ Glendale/ Middle Village /Maspeth Little League will get $9,009.

Other general discretionary funding includes $2,500 for the Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together, which will also received an additional $8,000 from other Council members. The Glendale Civic Association gets $3,000 from Como and $3,500 from the Queens Delegation, the Glendale Civilian Observation Patrol will receive $2,500, the Glendale Volunteer Ambulance Corps. gets $2,500 and the Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association will receive $2,500.

Overall, the city’s spending remained virtually flat for 2009 compared with last year, with the budget’s spending increase of 1.6 percent remaining below the 2.7 percent annual rate of inflation. City schools will receive $129 million more than was proposed in last month’s Executive Budget presented by the mayor, which was a huge source of concern to many officials and residents.

“The news about the economy, and its effects on the city’s finances, continues to be very sobering, and this budget reflects the uncertain economic outlook we face,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “I want to thank Speaker [Christine] Quinn and the Council members for working with us to create a budget that is fiscally responsible and balanced. And in the weeks and months ahead, we will take whatever steps are necessary to keep our budget in balance and keep our city moving forward.”

This Week's Forum West and South

Father's Day Fire Claims Fourth Victim

Brooklyn Man Charged in Apartment Building Burglaries

Murdered Dentist's Daughter to Visit Jailed Mother

Katz Swears in 112th Pct Community Council Members

Father's Day Fire Claims Fourth Victim

aSuspicious Fire Still Under Investigation

By Conor Greene

The fatal fire at a 69th Street apartment has now killed four people, and investigators are looking into whether it started after a woman doused her ex-boyfriend with a flammable liquid.

Three members of one family were killed in the fire, which broke out in the early morning hours on Sunday in the three-story apartment building at 69th Street and Metropolitan Avenue. Last Thursday, a fourth person, 31-year-old William Salazar was pronounced dead at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Four other, including Agnes Bermudez, 48, who is described as Salazar’s ex-boyfriend, were injured in the fire.

It was deemed suspicious by arson investigators almost immediately after it was brought under control, based up on a liquid pattern found near the second floor apartment’s door. Witnesses reported hearing Bermudez yelling, “Just kill me!” before the fire broke out, a claim that investigators are still looking into.

Investigators have been unable to speak with Bermudez, a former stock trader, due to her condition at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. As the fire engulfed the building, which houses a deli on the ground floor, Bermudez and Salazar came running out engulfed in flames, according to witnesses who helped douse them with bottles of water.

Killed in the fire were family members who lived in the third-floor apartment above Salazar: Heriberto Garcia-Vera, 68, his wife, Flor Sandoval, 48, and their son Felipe Garcia Vera, 20. All three died of smoke inhalation and burns; Sandoval and her son were pronounced dead at Elmhurst Hospital Center, while Garcia-Vera died at the scene. Another of the couple’s sons, 22-year-old Daniel Garcia, survived the blaze.

Authorities on Monday determined the cause of the fire to be arson, meaning the deaths are now classified as homicides. Sandoval, a native of Colombia, was a makeup artist who boasted an impressive list of film and television credits, including work on the critically-acclaimed 2004 movie Maria Full of Grace, which told the story of a young woman’s trip to New York as a drug mule.

Authorities are now looking into whether Bermudez, who suffered burns over half her body, accidentally also doused herself with the flammable liquid, which may have been used by Salazar in his work as a carpet cleaner. Investigators are trying to determine if she instead meant to commit a murder-suicide. The two had reportedly broken up after dating for several years and were still on good terms.

It is unclear whether investigators were able to discuss the events leading up fire with Salazar before he passed away last week. While one published report stated that Salazar revealed to investigators as he was dying that Bermudez had doused him with the flammable liquid, another quoted the NYPD’s chief spokesman as saying that investigators never got the chance to interview him.

After the fire began, witnesses watched in horror as several people jumped from apartment windows in a desperate effort to escape the flames. Under New York City building codes, the apartment house was not required to have fire escapes or sprinkler systems, leaving some residents unable to get out due to where the fire began.

The Forum Newsgroup/photo by PATRICIA ADAMS

Brooklyn Man Charged in Apartment Building Burglaries

By Conor Greene

A Brooklyn man has been charged in a string of residential break-ins around Forest Hills and Rego Park that had left many neighborhood residents nervous, especially those living in ground floor apartments.

Jamal Williams, 25, of East New York was arrested Friday night by detectives from the 112th Precinct and arraigned the following morning on charges he broke into four apartment buildings in the neighborhood between Queens Boulevard and the Grand Central Parkway, announced authorities.

Williams, of 584 Logan Street, was ordered held on $175,000 bail by Queens Criminal Court Judge Barry Kron. He is due back in court on July 3 and faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted. He is being held on four separate complaints charging him with multiple counts of burglary, larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

“The defendant is accused of being a one man crime wave and brazenly climbing through first floor apartment windows sometimes even when the homeowners were sleeping,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. “One inside the apartments, he would allegedly steal whatever he could fine and then flee.” Williams’ “ultimate undoing,” according to Brown, “was when he was caught by surveillance cameras at one apartment house and at an ATM machine [at the Washington Mutual Bank] where he was trying to use a debit card” stolen in one of the burglaries.

The criminal complaint accuses him of climbing through a first floor apartment window at 67-12 Yellowstone Boulevard just after midnight on May 25 and stealing a flat-screen television, a Bulova watch and North Face jacket. Two days later, he allegedly entered a first floor apartment at 65-10 108th Street while its occupant was sleeping and made off with a purse containing credit and debit cards and five dollars.

A third criminal complaint charges Williams with entering the first-floor apartment window at 66-40 108th Street on June 2 and stealing a Toshiba laptop computer. On the evening of June 18, he allegedly climbed through the ground floor apartment at 102-30 67th Avenue and fleeing with a Rolex watch, diamond engagement ring, an I-Pod, cellular phone, a gold necklace and several credit and debit cards.

All four buildings are within several blocks of each other, in a neighborhood characterized by mid-level apartment buildings near Yellowstone Boulevard. The alleged burglar was taken into custody after the doorman at the first building targeted realized he saw Williams in the lobby earlier that day, said Brown. That suspicion was confirmed by a review of the building’s surveillance footage, and photographs taken at a Washington Mutual Bank ATM several blocks from the second burglary shows Williams attempting to use a bank debit card taken from that break in, according to the charges.

At the time of his arrest, Williams allegedly admitted that he had entered the apartments thorough the windows and told detectives he sold the television taken from the first burglary to a Jamaica pawnshop for $150 and the laptop for $200. He also admitted to selling the Rolex watch taken in the fourth burglary to an individual in Brooklyn. Brown noted that other break-ins in the area are being investigated to see if there are any links to the ones already connected to Williams. Police originally suspected two men were working together, but now have said Williams acted alone. Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested

The arrest of Williams was not the 112th Precinct’s only high-profile collar in the past few weeks. At last Wednesday’s meeting of the precinct’s Community Council, Captain Christopher Tamola announced that his daytime Anti-Crime Unit arrested a suspect in connection with the robbery of a local Commerce Bank. The suspect entered the bank at about and passed a note to a teller demanding money, according to the captain. An employee was able to hit the alarm, and a witness got a description of the perpetrator and his getaway vehicle.

As officers canvassed the area, they learned that the car was registered to a neighborhood in south Queens. They arrested the suspect after tracking him down to the address listed for the vehicle, said Tamola. “It was great work by the sergeant and his troops,” said Captain Tamola, commanding officer of the 112th Precinct. “The Commerce is a very wide open bank, and we see this happening more and more often.” He added that the suspect still had an ink stain still on him when officers tracked him down from a dye pack that exploded in the bag of money. “That made it pretty easy to catch him,” said Tamola, who noted that branch has been held up three times in the past three months.

Murdered Dentist's Daughter to Visit Jailed Mother

Mother Held in Rikers Since Being Charged

By Conor Greene

The woman accused of having her ex-husband murdered will be allowed to have her daughter, who witnessed the shooting, visit her while she sits in jail awaiting trial, a judge decided last week.

Michelle Malakov, whose father Daniel was shot in broad daylight at Annadale Playground last October, will reportedly be allowed to visit her mother, Mazoltuv Borukhova, who sits in a cell in Rikers Island waiting for her trial to begin this fall.

Queens Family Court Judge Linda Tally had denied a similar request after Borukhova was arrested in February in connection with the shooting, instead allowing weekly 15-minute phone calls between the mother and daughter. The judge will now allow the girl to visit her mother, but it is not known how often the visits will take place. Michelle was initially placed in foster care after her father was murdered, and has been living with her paternal uncle, Gavril Malakov, for the past three months.

Borukhova was charged with paying her uncle by marriage, Mikhail Mallayev, $19,800 to shoot her ex-husband, who had just won custody of then four-year-old Michelle. Daniel Malakov was shot three times in the chest on a Sunday morning as he was dropping the girl off to visit her mother. Police arrested Mallayev after matching his fingerprints to a homemade silencer found at the scene.

The murder came after a bitter custody battle, and Borukhova insisted to investigators that she did not see the gunman. Police connected her to the murder after discovering that she had exchanged nearly 100 telephone calls with Mallayev, 50, of Georgia, in the weeks leading up to the shooting. Authorities alleged that Mallayev deposited the money into several different accounts in his name at banks throughout the city the day after murdering Malakov.

Both suspects have been held without bail since their arrests and are due back in Queens Criminal Court on September 3, when their attorneys are expected to argue various motions regarding evidence investigators have collected. Among that evidence is wiretapped conversations the defense will likely seek to have suppressed.

Throughout the process, members of both families have attended most of the court hearings, sitting on either side of the courtroom, separated by court officers. The two sides have exchanged stares, threatening hand motions and insults spoken in Russian.