MTA holiday schedule
Forum on small businesses
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has established schedules for city bus and subway service as well as the Long Island Rail Road for the Christmas weekend. The Long Island Rail Road is offering extra, early-afternoon service on Friday, Dec. 23, for those customers looking for an early start to the weekend. On Monday, Dec. 26, New York City subways and buses will operate on a Sunday schedule and the LIRR will operate on a regular weekday schedule. New York City subways and buses will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Friday, Dec. 23, while the
LIRR will provide its customers with 14 extra trains in the early afternoon. Buses and subways will run on regular Saturday-Sunday schedules for Dec. 24 and Christmas, while the LIRR will run its regular weekend/holiday schedule. To ease travel for holiday drivers, the MTA will suspend all routine maintenance and temporary construction work at all bridges and tunnels beginning at noon on Friday, Dec. 23. It will remain in effect until after the morning rush hour on Tuesday, Dec. 27. Further information on holiday schedules is available on the agency’s Q website at mta.info.
PS 140 illness
the year, the parent said her son, who is asthmatic, has gotten better. This turnaround occurred, she said, after he was moved around to different classrooms. “I hope they fix it,” the mother said. “If there’s something that’s going on, why aren’t they fixing it? I’m scared. I’m ready to keep my son home from school.” As for Forbes, she said she’s relieved to no longer be in the building. “For two years, this stuff really messed me up,” she said. “All I did was come home and go to bed. I’d try to eat, but I couldn’t. My chest hurt, my mouth tasted like plastic. I’d start cooking food but forget that it was on the stove, and I’d burn my dinner. My grandchildren would say, ‘Grandma, why don’t you remember Q you’re cooking?’”
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given oxygen because they were complaining of breathing problems, the teacher was so light-headed that she was swaying,” Adams said. A parent of a fifth-grade student who wanted to remain nameless said her son became “very sick” after the renovation work. “I would drop him off at school and by the time I’d get home, the school would call me and say he was sick and I’d go pick him up,” the parent said. “I’d pick him up and he’d be throwing up or have headaches. He’d be very thirsty.” After being very ill in the beginning of
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happen. We need to make huge changes in how we deal with restaurants.” Calling south Queens’ small businesses the “bread and butter that keeps this city moving forward,” Ulrich said it’s imperative for the city to forge a better relationship with owners. “When it comes to jobs, there’s no Democratic or Republican way — there’s only a right or wrong way,” Ulrich said of his collaboration with Quinn. “We want to make doing business in New York City a little easier.” Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (DOzone Park), who also attended the forum, said he hopes a law signed by Gov. Cuomo last week, which eliminates MTA payroll taxes for some small businesses and self-employed residents, will create a more “businessfriendly climate here in Queens.” George Russo, an attorney who owns Villa Russo, a catering hall, in Richmond Hill, said the number of tedious regulations business owners are up against are choking them. “Our country was built on entrepreneurial spirit,” Russo said. “There’s the idea that if you have a passion, you can follow your dream and make it your own. I don’t think people realize how difficult that is once you actually open a business.” Russo said he has had to hire a former inspector for the city Health Department to work with him in his catering hall.
“He has to come in and give me an inspection like the Health Department would,” Russo said. “There’s 10,000 rules in the health code, so there’s always something you won’t be aware of.” “It’s such a labyrinth of agencies, rules and regulations that are not easy to follow,” Russo continued. “I’m an attorney, I went to law school, I have secretaries and administrative assistants — and it’s still hard for me to stay on top of the rules.” Essentially, Russo said, it seems as though the number of agencies businesses have to deal with seem less about public health or safety than generating money for the city’s coffers. Mark Weidler, publisher of the Queens Chronicle, also attended Quinn’s meeting, and noted that businesses could fare better, and attract more customers, if the city reverted to its former parking meter policy. Residents, he said, should be able to pay 25 cents for 20 minutes instead of a quarter for 15 minutes. “It’s very anti-business that they put this into effect,” said Weidler. He also noted that his business, along with shops along his block on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, were fined thousands of dollars after Fire Department officials hit them with summonses for having rooftop air conditioners without permits — which neither the merchants nor landlords were Q aware were needed.
Old World Elegance & Style at
25-22 Astoria Blvd., Astoria, NY 11102
New Year’s Eve Party at The Astoria World Manor
S t a r t Th e y l e ! t S n i r a e Y w Ne E MUSIC TO B Y PROVIDED B
D.J.
8:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M. MENU
OPEN BAR All Premium Liquor, Beer, Wine and Soda
Ma ke Your s Reser vation Today For Our Ga la ing
Hot and Cold International Buffet Featuring 20 Varieties to Enhance Your Appetite! Tri-color Salad –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ENTRÉE –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
90
$
$
per person
140 at the door
50
per child under 12
(Chicken Fingers & French Fries
$
850 Per Table
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
(For Ten People)
Will be served at Midnight with Hats, Horns, Masks, Noisemakers
TICKETS ON SALE UNTIL DEC. 30th
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DESSERT
at (Lim ited Se Avai lable)
For Reservations & Information Call
$
DELUXE COCKTAIL HOUR
Prime Rib of Beef au jus with Shrimp Scampi served with Mixed Vegetables and Potato
©2011 M1P • ASTW-056376
QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, December 22, 2011 Page 34
SQ page 34
Tickets are non-refundable
Tray of Cookies per table
25-22 Astoria Blvd., Astoria, NY 11102 Tel:
718-278-7766 • Fax: 718-278-3428 www.awm-ny.com
Major Credit Cards Accepted FREE PARKING