Queens Press epaper

Volume 12 Issue No. 7 Feb. 18-24, 2011

PAGE 18

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PRESS Photo by Ira Cohen

Several residents of Mentone Avenue in Laurelton were left homeless this week after a Valentine’s Day blaze swept through a row of connected houses.

By Sasha Austrie…Page 3

Online at www.QueensPress.com

News Briefs CB Approves RKO Plan One must assume the RKO Keith’s theater in Flushing holds a special place in Community Board 7’s heart. Its members approved the landmark theater’s planned redevelopment on Valentine’s Day – twice.

On Monday night, the board approved developer Patrick Thompson’s new plans by a vote of 24-10. The proposal modifies a variance for the mixed commercial-residential building by including more residential units and parking spaces, among other changes form the plans approved six years ago.

The measure will move on to the Board of Standards and Appeals for final approval.

The derelict theater has been an eyesore in the community for two decades, squatting at the intersection of Main Street and Northern Boulevard, far removed from its glory days as a cultural hub.

“This is a very emotional topic, a very emotional site,” said CB 7 Vice Chair Chuck Apelian.

The BSA variance asks for the modification of the maximum number of apartments from 200 to 357, and adds 156 parking spaces, giving it a total of 385. It also increases the floor space for commercial spaces to 17,460 from 10,957.

The plan would create a 17-story structure with a mix of commercial, rental apartments and community space while also restoring the site’s landmark lobby and grand staircase.

Cops, DA Stop Theft Ring

GERI ALLEN – pianist Saturday, March 5, 2011

•

7:00PM

Page 2 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

$20.00 Adults / $10.00 Students & Seniors

Police busted an auto theft ring allegedly responsible for stealing 17 cars from around Queens in the last year and reselling them on Craigslist or to family and friends.

The bust came after a 16-month investigation, which DA Richard Brown described as a “tag team,” by the NYPD’s Auto Crime Division and the Queens DA’s Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau.

The defendants, ranging from age 18 to 34, have been indicted on multiple counts of, among other crimes, enterprise corruption under New York State’s Organized Crime Control Act. They are accused of stealing approximately 17 automobiles – including expensive models such as an Audi Q7, a BMW and a Subaru – mostly from Queens, but also elsewhere in the metropolitan area.

If convicted, the six defendants charged with enterprise corruption face up to 25 years in prison.

Pipeline Safety Bill

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More than a year has passed since 500 gallons of jet fuel spilled onto Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside, but the Buckeye Pipeline that delivers the caustic compound to our borough’s two airports is again on the mind of elected officials.

In light of recent dangerous pipeline ruptures in Pennsylvania, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) and Assemblywoman Cathie Nolan (DSunnyside) are introducing bills that would increase safety procedures surrounding the jet fuel and gas pipelines coursing beneath the borough.

“We have seen tragedies unfold all

across the country,” Van Bramer said as he stood next to a white and orange-capped pole designating the Buckeye Pipeline below. “We need to make sure these pipelines are not a danger.”

The Buckeye Pipeline, which distributes jet fuel from New Jersey, has been a particular point of contention, with activists calling it a sitting duck awaiting a terrorist attack. In fact, a misguided plan to blow up jet fuel stores at JFK that was diffused by local authorities two years ago used the Buckeye Pipeline as a key target.

Van Bramer’s legislation, and Nolan’s Assembly counterpart, would mandate notification of local emergency services of any work being done near pipelines, Buckeye or otherwise, while giving teeth to the Dig Safety Hotline by fining contractors that do not check in with the federal 811 service a minimum of $2,500.

Co-Ops Highly Valued Co-op owners looking to sell should perhaps consider offering their apartments to the City, which has valued their properties at well above what many think is market rate.

State Sens. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) and Tony Avella (D-Bayside) joined co-op residents last week to decry the City Dept. of Finance’s increased valuation of co-op and condo properties throughout the borough, despite actual market values stagnating or falling in recent years.

The increases, some to the tune of 60 to 100 percent, would lead to a property tax hike for the 2011 fiscal year, one which many contend property owners cannot afford.

“People are selling their co-ops for less than they sold for several years ago when prices were higher,” Stavisky said. “How can you justify assessment increases of greater than 50 percent when sale prices are down?”

The Dept. of Finance did not respond to requests for comments.

Most were at a loss as to how the City agency arrived at its figures. Stavisky said her request for an explanation remained unanswered after three weeks.

Avella speculated the higher valuations were an underhanded attempt at generating revenue during fiscally tough times.

“It’s a sad commentary when workingclass and the senior citizens in this City can’t afford to stay in their homes because of the skyrocketing property taxes caused by these assessed valuations, yet they cannot sell their homes either because of the low market value,” he said.

Both Senators decried the method of alleviation, which requires home owners to employ an attorney specializing in tax certiorari proceedings, which typically get paid on a contingency basis.

Stavisky proposed the City pay for the attorney expenses should the valuation be found too high.

Brief Us!

Mail your news brief items to: PRESS of Southeast Queens 150-50 14th Rd. Whitestone, NY 11357

Presstime

Laurelton Blaze Chars Four Homes

BY SASHA AUSTRIE The remnants of a fire were apparent, as the pungent smell of burnt wood lingered in the air Tuesday. The innards of one house were barely contained; the smashed-in front window and boarded-up door gave way to a charred interior. The refrigerator, television and other home furnishings were baked shells of their former selves.

The scene was the result of a threealarm fire that tore through several homes in Laurelton on Monday afternoon, injuring a dozen firefighters.

“I really feel for them,” said Laura Brown of her neighbors affected by the blaze.

A man who identified himself as Williams said he lost more than $20,000 in the fire.

“Everything gone,” he said. “All me have is the clothes on me back, God and friends.”

His clothes included paint- and dirtstreaked jeans, a black coat and heavy boots.

A friend alerted Williams to the fire while he was at work. Williams had no idea what happened at his home, 225-08 Mentone Ave. Williams’s fiancée’s son, Terrance Moore, said his mom lived there for 10 to 15 years. He said seven people, including himself, will not be able to return home.

“It’s going to be challenging,” he said of rebuilding their lives, adding the home was a place for family gatherings and holidays.

“It’s like coming into the world again,” Brown said of the rebuilding process.

Councilman James Sanders (DLaurelton) said his heart went out to the victims.

“As the world celebrated Valentine’s Day, the Laurelton community watched in horror as fire swept through the homes of our families and neighbors,” he said.

“It is only by the grace of God that no one was seriously hurt, though several of New York’s Bravest were injured protecting our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with those members of the FDNY who were injured in last night’s inferno and with those who lost everything in the blaze. Our community stands shoulder to shoulder with you, and we will support you through the difficult days ahead as we work to sort out this mess.”

Before the quiet of Mentone Avenue dissolved into a bevy of activity and screams of approaching fire truck engines, a burnt smell permeated neighbors’ homes.

“I was inside with my wife and I asked her if she was burning something,” said Stafford Elliott, a resident a few homes down from where the fire started.

Elliott ventured to the back of the

DA Takes A Bite Out Of CB12 Crime

BY SASHA AUSTRIE

property and saw black soot and smoke escaping the building. He called 911, but the trucks were already on their way.

He said the fire started at 225-08 Mentone Ave. “It was like a fireball,” he said. At one point, he heard an explosion.

Elliott’s anxiety grew as the flames spread to the homes on either side. He wondered if the blaze would devour his home. The fire was contained at the neighboring house. Though his neighbor had a broken window, Elliott’s house was spared the inferno by tireless firemen.

Brown had visitors when the fire disrupted in the late afternoon hours. After the smell of smoke wafted into their home, her husband opened the front door and a black grey cloud hung in the air. Like Elliott, she watched the fire, fearing that it would engulf her home.

Though the fire displaced at least three families, it unearthed the body of a man some neighbors said have not been seen

for at least three months.

Elliott said he cleaned the sidewalk and walkway of 225-02 Mentone Ave. on Jan. 29, but had not seen any footprints.

He questioned whether or not Ernest Stabar had died in the home, but Elliott said because Stabar was a loner, he dismissed those thoughts.

“It is shocking but not surprising,” Elliot said of Stabar’s death. Elliot said he saw a steady decline in Stabar’s health and attitude after the owner of the house, his relative, died about 12 years ago. “She kept him alive.”

George Mackenzie, a neighbor across the street, is adamant that Stabar has been dead for six months. He pointed to a bench and three legged table facing 225th Street that has been empty since before mid-November. He said that was Stabar’s usual spot.

Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at saustrie@queenspress.com, or (718) 3577400, Ext. 123.

Vallone Takes Stand Against Koch Bridge

BY DOMENICK RAFTER Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (DAstoria) is not feelin’ groovy about renaming the Queensboro Bridge after former Mayor Ed Koch.

“I think Mayor Koch is a great mayor and a personal friend of mine, which makes it so tough, but the Queensboro Bridge is named for the borough of Queens,” Vallone said. “You wouldn’t rename the Brooklyn Bridge the BrooklynKoch Bridge; the Queensboro Bridge should be owed the same respect.”

Mayor Mike Bloomberg put forward the idea of naming the bridge for the former mayor late last year. Many politicians, including Borough President Helen Marshall, spoke in favor of the idea, but there has been a growing whisper of discontent with the idea.

Vallone said he came out against the renaming when it became clear a vote on

it would be imminent. He is the first member of the City Council to speak publicly against the renaming, but said many of his constituents and other members of the Council have also quietly expressed opposition.

“I think a lot of people in Queens took it as a slight against them,” he said.

Despite his opposition to the renaming, Vallone praised Koch as a mayor and said Koch, who was mayor of New York City from 1978-1989 and a Congressman representing Manhattan from 1969-1977, should have a City site renamed in his honor, just not the bridge.

“I do think he’s deserving of an honor like this,” Vallone said, suggesting Gracie Mansion, where Koch lived during his mayoralty, as a better venue for such an honor.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 125.

Feb. 11-17, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 3

Queens DA Richard Brown visited Community Board 12’s monthly meeting to provide an update on the inner workings of his office.

On Feb. 16, in conjunction with the NYPD, 61 people were arrested in the Baisley Park Houses and Rochdale Village on drug charges. Seven guns were recovered in the bust. Investigators bought various drugs 220 times over a six month span.

Of the 61 arrests, 14 were charged with selling drugs in a school zone.

Though Gregory Paulides, Economic Environmental Crime Bureau chief, prosecutes a host of cases, such as identity theft, money laundering and elder fraud, his focus is combating mortgage fraud.

In 2004, the department received 40 complaints; by 2005 the grievances had doubled. Paulides said they are now receiving 200 to 300 accusations of mortgage fraud.

“We are working hard to try to prosecute many mortgage fraud cases,” he said.

A mortgage fraud investigation can last from six to 12 months and there are 15 ADA’s, two forensic accounts and a slew of analysts and detectives working on the case. He said there was a learning curve for the DA’s office when it came to tackling mortgage fraud.

James Heyliger II, a board member,

asked Brown to support a moratorium on foreclosure.

“We need your support to hold off on foreclosures,” he said. Heyliger asked Brown to speak to local elected officials and possibly the governor to staunch foreclosures for a 24-month period. The DA promised to talk to Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) about the issue.

Brown said his office has more than 600 employees – 300 being assistant district attorneys of which 57 percent are women. His staff is comprised of a counterterrorism unit, NYPD Detective Squad, economic environmental crime bureau and other entities.

Brown touted his office’s stats. His agency has drafted 1,000 search warrants within the last year, and has the highest felony conviction rates and best arraignment time in the City.

This November will mark Brown’s 20th year as district attorney. He said when he took his post in 1991, there were 361 homicides and 52,000 car thefts in Queens, but in 2010, murders were under 100 and there was less than 3,000 cars stolen.

Brown quipped that he intends to hold his position as long as former Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau, who was the DA for 35 years.

Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at saustrie@queenspress.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 123.

Firefighters gather outside the burnt homes the night of the fire.

Legal Fight Stalls Divisive Hotel

BY SASHA AUSTRIE

Page 4 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

The long-running saga between the Springfield Gardens’ community and developers of a proposed hotel has morphed into a legal odyssey.

Since 2005, Airport Hotels and Springfield Hotel have faced opposition in the development of 219-05 North Conduit Ave., an empty lot across the street from the Springfield Gardens Educational Complex.

Community leaders insist that the hotel, which they have dubbed a “hot sheet motel,” will bring nothing but strife to the neighborhood.

“I’m afraid of prostitution and dope,” said Eleanor Mattux, a resident of the area.

She also worries students of the nearby high school will be tempted by any illegal activity she believes will happen at the hotel.

Jordan Most, the developers’ attorney, said he would not advocate for an hourly rate hotel to be on the site. He said a Board of Standards and Appeals inquiry dealt with total expenditures in money and time.

On Wednesday, Feb. 2, a State Supreme Court judge issued a temporary restraining order.

“I think we have a strong case,” said Michael Duncan, an opponent of the hotel.

Isa Rahman, Duncan’s attorney, has a court date on Feb. 23, when he will argue for a preliminary injunction, which would

bar the developers from going forward until there is a resolution to the case.

Other than the fight between the developers and community, there seems to be a divide between Duncan and Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton).

Duncan, a former City Council candidate and Sanders’ one-time chief of staff, said he was told the councilman “has washed his hands of the issue.”

Julia Ryles, a neighbor to the site, said when she spoke to Donovan Richards, Sanders’ current chief of staff, she got the impression the councilman would not do anything to stop the “hot sheet motel.”

“We just want to make sure that [Sanders] is standing with the community on this,” Duncan said. “The people who have been fighting from the beginning are still here and we are hoping that our elected officials are fighting for the community.”

Sanders said the claim that he has washed his hands of the issue is “ridiculous.”

“Several years ago, we encouraged community leaders to compromise on this issue,” he said. Sanders claims he told Duncan and others that they were running out of legal options and he asked to come to a “worthy compromise.”

Previous negotiations included a reputable chain hotel, a job creation and training program, and scholarships for high school students and a community room,

according to Sanders.

The councilman inferred that Duncan and others refused to accept the compromise and led the crowd into believing that they could stop the hotel.

“All of you guys that said you know how to stop this, it is time for all of you to stop this,” Sanders said, adding he is willing to work with the community to find a solution.

To rally the community, Duncan is hosting a meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 143-10 Springfield Blvd.

The case involving the proposed hotel escalated into a court battle when the Board of Standards and Appeals grandfathered in the developer’s plans, though the area was rezoned. The BSA’s ruling gave developers six months from April 2009 to finish the foundation.

As of Feb. 18, the foundation remains unfinished and Most blames a lawsuit filed soon after the BSA’s ruling. He said though the lawsuit did not prohibit his clients from continuing, they were being cautious.

“The rights of the developer were delayed until litigation was resolved,” Most said. “No work was done in that time period.”

The case was resolved last summer and Most said from the time of the resolution to early December the developers were again assembling their crew of architects and construction workers, and garnering permits from the Dept. of Buildings.

“There is a characterization that we didn’t do anything in 16 months,” he said.

The question that Duncan and community members are asking is how the developers were allowed to obtain permits to continue work on the site when they missed their six-month deadline.

Jeff Mulligan, executive director of the BSA, said the developers never filed for an additional extension with the agency.

The DOB admitted that the permits issued in October were by mistake.

“The permits were renewed in error, and as a result, the department notified the developer that we intend to revoke the permits because the developer failed to complete the hotel in the allowed timeframe,” said Ryan Fitzgibbons, DOB spokesman, in a written statement.

The developers and the community are at an impasse.

“They don’t want a hotel and we want to build a hotel,” Most said.

Duncan said he has done research on other hotels owned by one of the stakeholders of the site. He said unscrupulous activities such as murder, drugs, prostitution and police raids are a common occurrence.

“The only compromise is don’t build there,” he said. “Just put another business there; be creative.”

Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at saustrie@queenspress.com, or (718) 3577400, Ext. 123.

Sex Assault Charges Shock League

BY SASHA AUSTRIE Days after a former “Coach of the Year” was arrested on a series of child molestation charges, his neighborhood has returned to normal.

The only evidence left of the sordid tale that took place at 170-10 144th Ave. is the police officer posted outside the gate on Friday, Feb. 11.

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, David Hartshorn, a Rochdale Little League coach, was arrested and charged with having sexual contact with three boys ages 13 and 14 at his home from July 2009 to Jan. 2011.

“The defendant is accused of taking advantage of his position as a Little League baseball coach to sexually abuse innocent young boys,” said Queens DA Richard Brown. “The consequences of his alleged actions for the victims are profound and can well result in emotional trauma from which they may never recover.”

A statement from Brown’s office alleged that not only did Hartshorn, 52, have sexual contact with the boys, but he also coerced them into watching child pornography and perform sex acts on each other, which he filmed.

The accusations came to light when one of the boys told his mother about the alleged abuse. Hartshorn was arraigned and charged with first- and second-degree criminal sexual act, use of a child in a sexual performance, second-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

Hartshorn, who faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, was ordered held without bail and to return to court on Feb. 28.

A passerby outside his home said she had not heard about the accusations against Hartshorn, but hoped he received his punishment in prison.

“I hope he sees what’s it like in jail,” she said. “It’s so hard to keep your kids safe. It is so sad what happened. I feel bad for the kids that it happened too.”

Though the Rochdale Little League has yet to offer an official response to the allegations, Cecily Simmons, a team parent, spoke about the incident.

“This community needs to focus on healing our children and rallying behind our league for what they give to this community,” Simmons said. “You can screen anyone and they come up clean and they are indeed a pedophile.”

Bernie Brown, Rosedale Little League president, said the charges can be a detriment to the organization.

As soon as the allegations surfaced, parents called her and she allayed their fears.

Though Brown would not comment on the allegations against Hartshorn, she said the Rochdale Little League was neglectful. She said the organization should have conducted a background check on any and everyone who is in direct contact with children.

“Your responsibility is to protect the parents and children,” she said. “I don’t know what they did in that league.”

A call was not returned by the Rochdale

Little League or Lisa Saltzman, Hartshorn’s attorney.

“Rochdale Little League does not get off by saying nothing,” local attorney and author Cathleen Williams said. “They need to be taken to task.”

Brown said background checks are league-mandated.

“When you are in an organization and you don’t do background checks, you affect your organization in a huge way,” she said.

Brown said she conducts background checks every year from the coaches down to the groundskeepers.

“The league makes it so easy,” she said.

“It is free.”

Simmons cautioned against blaming the league for Hartshorn’s actions.

“Our community must remember one thing, these incidents took place in his home and not on our fields or at our games,” she said. “We must understand the League itself had no control over parents allowing their children to go to the homes of coaches either in the off season or not. That is the decision of the parent.”

Williams said she has seen the blind trust parents, particularly single mothers, have in male figures.

“Sometimes we are looking for a man, any man, especially in the church or “athletics,” she said. “At least two out of the three if not all, were single mothers.”

Williams said parents cannot completely trust anyone with their children.

She implored parents to do their research, interview people who will be spending time with their children and set rules and boundaries. Williams also advised parents to teach their children about sex and what is considered inappropriate touching.

“This guy was strategic,” she alleged.

“He positioned himself where he would be among children.”

Like Williams, Simmons stressed education and protection from molestation for both parents and children.

Williams does not put the onus on only the parents to ensure that children are protected, but on the community. She said in her heyday, if neighbors saw a man with an influx of teens hanging around, they would have asked questions.

“People knew he was creepy and no one said anything,” she said. “Neighbors need to investigate.”

Simmons said Hartshorn was “strange,” but not necessarily creepy. She dubbed him “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” as he calmed her when she expressed concerns for another parent who Simmons thought was a pervert.

She asked that the community not abandon the victims nor the league.

“As a community, we must also support the families of the affected children, by going to the trial if possible and continuing to support our Little League,” she said. “One man does not define an organization.”

Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at saustrie@queenspress.com, or (718) 3577400, Ext. 123.

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In Our Opinion: Arnold Thibou Executive Editor:

Editorial Hands Off Our Bridge Mayor Ed Koch worked wonders for New York City and for Queens. He is a dedicated public servant, often on the right side of whichever fight he chooses. We specifically applaud his current effort to try to push the State Legislature to get its act together on a slew of reform issues – not the least of which is the effort to enact non-partisan, sensible redistricting when New York State gets its updated Census numbers.

He is credited for saving New York from its financial morass of the 1970s; that alone ought to ensure that he is memorialized with the name of a bridge or some other honor.

But what honor and which bridge has become a point of contention raised by Astoria Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., and rightfully so. Vallone opined this week that to rename the Queensboro Bridge after Hizzoner would be a slap in the face to our borough. It is an identifying icon for Queens, despite the Manhattan-centric nickname as the 59th Street Bridge. Would anybody dare consider renaming the Brooklyn Bridge, he asked.

We think not.

We support whole-heartedly giving our long-time Queens Tribune movie reviewer and larger-than-life ex-mayor the honors he deserves, but don’t do it by selling our borough short, taking away one of the few icons that is not just ours in spirit, but in name as well.

We urge the Queens members of the Council – and all other members as well – to reject the renaming of the Queensboro Bridge, and to find a more suitable site for Koch’s name to endure.

Brian Rafferty

Letters

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Tenure-Based To The Editor: I think Mayor Mike Bloomberg is right and if a teacher is to be laid off, their job should not be saved

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how well they perform and how they get the student to be the best they can be. We should not lay off those teachers who are truly concerned with a student’s progress

and not just holding on to a job. The children of this great city of ours represent the future.

Frederick Bedell, Jr., Glen Oaks

The Unsung Heroes Of Black History A Personal Perspective

By MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE

Reporters: Harley Benson Sasha Austrie Joseph Orovic Domenick Rafter Jessica Ablamsky Editorial Intern: Angy Altamirano Jason Banrey

based on tenure but based on merit and achievement.

Our New York City teachers have a duty to the children they teach. It is not how long one is teaching but

Every February we celebrate the accomplishments of famous African Americans who have contributed to the survival and success of Blacks in America. But what of those who never became famous for engineering, medical, civil rights and other feats?

The unsung success stories are important as well. The kids who survived the painful odds and grew up to be productive citizens contributing to their cities and nation are also worthy of celebration.

A friend who is one of those very people shared a letter with me earlier this week. The Laurelton resident wrote it to a newspaper in his old hometown in Virginia. I share it here with his permission; but I had to cut it drastically for space so many of the people he celebrates are not mentioned in this version.

Suffolk News Herald Suffolk, Virginia Dear Mr. Spears: The information in this letter is being sent in follow-up to our conversation of last Thursday to assist you in determining the newsworthiness of the “Breakfast of the NCTS Class of 1953.”

Periodically, the living male members of the 1953 senior class of the now-defunct Nansemond County Training School in Holland, Va. come together from across the country for breakfast in a local Suffolk restaurant. In those days, all Black public schools in the South were named “Training Schools.”

Our class consisted of 22 members, who were, with one exception, all classmates in the same school building since beginning

grammar school in 1942. Fifteen of the class members were boys and seven girls, a ratio that was an extraordinary anomaly in itself.

All of the class members came from stable, hard-working farm families, some of whom were tenant farmers, sharecroppers or day laborers who struggled just to feed and clothe their children, let alone ensuring that they stayed in school.

We all lived within probably a fivemile radius of each other and all were active members of three of the churches in the Holland community. We have remained a close knit group throughout the years.

This year we plan to have our breakfast 9 a.m. Feb. 25 at the Station 1 Restaurant in the Hunterdale section of Franklin.

This year’s breakfast will be especially eventful for us, as during this year each of us will celebrate our 75th birthday. This breakfast will again give us the opportunity to fellowship and reflect on our many life experiences, the good and the bad, that enabled us to successfully reach this point in our lives.

We all feel that we are a remarkable group of people who, despite economic hardships, societal drawbacks and the harsh racial inequalities of that time, were able to complete our high school education and, without exception, go on to live quite successful, productive and contributory lives. We all still marvel at what we have been able to achieve, despite all of the impediments in our paths.

At the beginning of our educational experiences in 1942 and for many years thereafter, the government did not provide bus transportation for black students and some of us had to walk more than five miles each way on unpaved roads to attend school in a building which had no electricity, run-

ning water or indoor plumbing.

We would be remiss if, in addition to our parents, we did not give due credit to our renowned principal, H. E. Howell, and the seven teachers whose dedication and commitment guided us along the “stony roads” and prepared us for the “bitter chastening rods” that we faced constantly.

Two statistics from our class continue to astound us: not one class member had any kind of a criminal record then, nor since.

Not one class member, boy or girl, was a teenage parent during those years in high school. All members of the class married and raised stable families. We feel that this group of successful black men should be revealed to the current generation of young black men, especially, what commitment, hard work and perseverance can achieve.

The following are brief statements about [some] of the classmates: HERMAN BAKER enlisted in the United States Air Force. After his active service, he remained in the Air Force Reserves, retiring after 26 years at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9). He was a police officer in New York City for 20 years. While working for the NYPD Herman earned a B. S. Degree from the New York Institute of Technology.

ALEXANDER BLIZZARD made a career in the U.S. Army, retiring as a Sergeant First Class (E7). After retiring, he relocated back to Holland and was employed by Virginia Power Co. Alexander has earned B. S. Degree in Technology from Norfolk State University.

EDWARD BOONE retired from the United States Navy at the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E-7).

ENOCH COPELAND received

a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Union University and a Master of Science from Hampton University and did Advanced Studies at Old Dominion University.

He retired as a Principal in the Suffolk school system. He was elected to the Suffolk City Council, served as Vice-Mayor and is now a member of the Suffolk School Board. Enoch served a two-year enlistment in the U. S. Army. He is married, has two children and lives in the Holland area.

LEMUEL COPELAND received a B. S. Degree from Virginia State College, a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and studied at Columbia University. He retired as an administrator in the New York City Human Resources Administration and as a Social Service Consultant after more than 40 years of service. Lemuel served a three-year enlistment in the U. S. Army. He is married, has one son and resides in New York City.

LINWOOD DILLARD retired from the United States Air Force at the rank of Master Sgt. (E-7).

JAMES DILLARD (deceased) enlisted in the U. S. Navy. He’s retired from AT&T/Lucent Technologies and the United States Department of Defense.

THELMA PICOTT (WARDER) graduated from the Dixie Hospital School of Nursing in Hampton before relocating to Long Island, NY where she began her nursing career.

Sincerely, Lemuel Copeland, on behalf of the Class of 1953 (Editor’s Note: This letter was not originally intended for publication by the Suffolk News Herald, but was a request to provide coverage of the event, which Editor Res Spears confirmed this week would happen.)

Tea Party Dogs, Hosni Mubarak & Same Sex Marriage

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

TEA PARTY ANIMALS I may be wrong – it happens occasionally – or far from thorough in trying to understand the dynamics of the Republican Party, but it seems to me that the Tea Party folks seem to be the tail wagging the dog.

Now to avoid the let ters of complaint, I like dogs, the tail-wagging analogy is not intended as offensive and if I was looking to make a metaphorical point, the Tea Party would have been the dog

stuff the Republicans stepped in.

To clarify – and I admit to being no expert — the Tea Party is a grassroots movement whose members share core principles supporting the United States Constitution as they believe the Founders intended, specifically: limited federal government; individual freedoms; personal responsibility; free markets; returning political power to the states and the people. Now I always viewed them as a rather vocal group of Conservative Republicans who felt demonstrating loudly in front of opponents would drive them from office or to change their position. Sarah Palin typified their manner, style and charm to me. Read t hat line any way you want; even if we don’t agree on Palin or the Tea Party, we likely agree on mutualities. As I read of the Congressional Republicans caucusing, it appears to me that the Tea Partiers are driving the bus or wagging the dog. Clearly, they are

fiscally to the right of traditional Republicans and are looking to cut spending to such an extreme, reducing the size of the federal government to a point where the traditional GOP may not be able to find it. But as I watch and read, it looks like the Tea Party is aggressively dragging the GOP to the right and it’s not quite clear which side of the dog the head is really on. And sadly, I don’t think Democratic donkeys play well with twoheaded dogs.

SNOW JOB So far, New York Cit y has gone through almost $39 million this winter clearing snow from the streets. The entire budget is gone prematurely, and all we can do is dream of spring.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE If one million Egyptian people taking to the streets can drive Hosni Mubarak from Cairo and out

of office after 30 years, I wonder what it will take to drive the members of the New York State Legislature out of office and Albany, which has been mired with their ever-increasing dysfunction for perhaps 30 years.

Oppressed people throughout the world should take heart at the almost bloodless revolution which just occurred in Egypt.

Such human efforts expressing freedom are infectious and there’s no telling where it may spread.

SAME SEX MARRIAGE Last week, speaking at Hofstra, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he intends to ask the New York State Legislature to take up the legalization of samesex marriage. The measure, which he will be working ver y hard to pass, has and will pass the overwhelmingly Democratic Assembly, but went down in the State Sen-

ate by a vote of 38-24 just a little over a year ago. At that time, the Dems controlled the Senate – or at least had a majority. Now, with a majority of Republicans, the task could prove impossible even with a popular Governor.

The Republican Senate Majorit y Leader, Long Island’s Dean Skelos, opposes the measure but has indicated he will allow a vote.

With a significant majority of New Yorkers in favor of the measure, cer tain Assembly approval, can Cuomo work magic in the Senate, which failed on the measure so pitifully way back when the Dems were in control – last year?

And finally, should we be surprised that the Governor would add such a controversial test for himself with so many legislative hurdles ahead: budget, ethics, reapportionment and more?

Watching Albany is going to be fun this year.

MSchenkler@QueensPress.com

Crime Down Over the Years; Ignorance Holds Steady broken families, unemployment, gang warfare, terrorism and violence resulting from mental illness. New Yorkers, however, have seen massive efforts by law enforcement in the last twenty years which have reduced the fear of crime and the limitations on cit izens’ dai ly live s Stern wh ich re sulted from their legitimate fears of physical da nger. Commissioner s Bi l l Bratton (under Mayor Giuliani) and Ray Kelly (under Mayors Dinkins and Bloomberg) were particularly effective.

A TOUGHER NUT TO CRACK The city’s success in dealing w it h cr ime has not, howe ver, been matched by progress in education. One reason is that crime statistics are relatively reliable. To number murders, you count bodies. Other crime data is based on witnesses’ and victims’ accounts, precinct repor ts, and court convictions. In the schools, although there are now frequent tests to evaluate student performance, serious doubts remain about the value of the tests, the method by which they are scored, the alteration of te st re sult s, t he sta ndar ds required for passing the test, and the effect of testing and the consequent ‘teaching to the test’ on ot her par ts of t he cur riculum.

Educat ional testing is more susceptible to manipulation than counting corpses.

New Yorkers have been subjected over the years to a barrage of misleading information about test outcomes, some, but by no means all, coming from the New

York Cit y Department of Educat ion. Recently, cit y te st scores were challenged by the New York State Depar tment of Education, which conducted its own study of test results at the request of the State Board of Regents. In the past, the State Education Department has been complicit in the misinterpretation of test results, because, to put it directly, they wanted as many people as possible to pass.

Years ago, we blamed school administrators for educational failures, and 110 Livingston St. became an address of ill repute. Although some public officials proposed in jest that the building be blown up, it was Mayor Bloomberg who sold it off for private condos and moved the educrats to the old Tweed Courthouse on Chambers Street, a symbol of corruption when it was built (over a century ago), and a symbol of futility as a new wave of bean counters rushed in to turn the old system inside out, and then undo what they had just done.

The mystery to us is how so many intelligent people could have been involved in a massive effort that has produced so little in the way of positive results. How many billions of ta x dollars have been spent on new construction, renovation and substantial salary increases with major pension consequences, but without a major effect on student outcomes?

The bottom line is that the people running the system really do not know what the best strategies are, and it is too late in the administration for them to admit it. It is understandable that the mayor wanted a new Chancellor — the two-term limit makes sense

there as well. Bloomberg put his money where his mouth was in providing amply for education over the years. Sadly, money was no panacea.

Today, the teachers have become scapegoats, as they were in Ocean Hill-Brownsville in 1968.

We know there are good ones and bad ones, and teachers should be dealt with on the merits as individuals, not as if they were all cut from t he same cloth. Teachers should not be fired by arbitrary formulas (LIFO) without regard to their abilities. But unless there is justifiable confidence in the executives who would make the decisions as to who shall go and who shall stay, there is little likelihood that they will be given absolute authority over others. But that is a long way from giving them no

authority, and protecting mediocrity and incompetence in the classroom.

Who thought that, over twenty years, crime would prove a far easier problem to deal with than education? But that is the way it has turned out to be.

Perhaps Mayor Bloomberg should appoint Ray Kelly as Schools Chancel lor. He has no background in education, but neither does Black. He has graduate degrees from St. John’s (J.D.), NYU (LL.M.) and Harvard (M.P.A.).

Kelly has been one of the mayor’s best appointees; he knows what to say and what not to say, how to lead a major organization, and how to get people to do their best.

His good example may encourage the children to do better.

StarQuest@NYCivic.org

Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

Feb. 18-24, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 7

By HENRY STERN Twenty year s ago, cr ime was Ne w York Cit y’s most ser ious problem. In the year 1990, the first year of the Dinkins mayoralt y, the number of homicides recorded in the five boroughs was 2,245, an historic high. The murder total declined by about 10 Henry percent during the remaining three years of the Dinkins administration, and fell sharply (about 50 percent) under the eight years that Giuliani was mayor. It fell slightly during Bloomberg’s first eight years, although there was a slight rise in year nine (2010). Statistics for other crime s over the past t wo decade s compi led by COMPSTAT show substantial decline s, par t icularly auto thef t, which fell from 187,591 in 1990 to 21,870 in 2009.

There is no doubt that people feel much safer in New York City tha n they did t went y or t hir t y years ago, and that many neighborhoods previously regarded as dangerous are now considered safe. While total crime, particularly street crime, has been substantially reduced, men still murder their girlfriends or exes despite orders of protection from the cour ts, and children are still hit by stray bullets. The general public, however, has le ss fear of family violence than of external assault, because they feel their own relatives are unlikely to injure them. Our public safety comes at a high price; the budget for the Police Department is $4.4 billion.

Crime will always be a problem, with contributing factors like poverty, addiction, abandonment,

‘Little Egypt’ Celebrates:

Dancing In Astoria’s Streets For Revolution A World Away

BY DOMENICK RAFTER

Page 8 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

Reaction on Steinway Street Immediately after news broke that Mubarak left Cairo for the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula and resigned the presidency, leaving the country in military hands, the dozens of Egyptian-Americans who spent the previous two weeks joining their brothers and sisters in Egypt took again to the streets of Astoria. A collective cheer erupted from the coffee shops and hookah lounges that line “Little Egypt.”

“1, 2, 3, 4, Mubarak is no more! 1, 2, 3, Egypt is Free!” shouted celebrators, easily numbering more than 100 on Steinway Street and 28th Avenue last Friday. They waved Egyptian flags, some with words in Arabic and English as they chanted and sang in both languages.

People carried posters showing caricatures of the former President.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said EgyptianAmerican Mohamed Abdelmejid. “I’m so proud of this.”

Celebrators, at times forcing the closure of Steinway Street, chanted President Barack Obama’s now-famous campaign slogan “Yes We Can.” Leaning on a bus shelter, one man wiped away his tears.

“I never thought I’d see this day,” he said.

Hoda, a mother of two, helped translate the chants in Arabic for English speaking spectators.

“They are saying ‘we are not Christian Egyptians and Muslim Egyptians, we

PRESS Photos by Ira Cohen

Since protestors took to the streets of Egyptian cities on Jan. 25, EgyptianAmericans in Astoria’s “Little Egypt” had joined them, expressing a range of emotions from anger to frustration, concern to fear.

On Feb. 11, when news broke that Hosni Mubarak would step down as President of Egypt after 30 years in office, leaving the military in charge of the country as it works to transition into a free democracy, the mood on Steinway Street was jubilant.

Some took their children to be a part of the celebration.

Demonstrators carried signs with photos and caricatures of the deposed Egyptian President. are just Egyptians,’” she explained. She said freedom of religion was one of the things protestors wanted to see in a new government. Though Egypt is mostly a Muslim country, it has a large population of Coptic Christians who co-exist with the Islamic majority.

“I am very happy to see this,” Hoda said of Mubarak’s fall as she joined in with the crowd, singing the Egyptian national anthem.

Beyond Cairo One man joined in with the protestors waving a Tunisian f lag. Another woman, a Moroccan, said she wanted to show solidarity with her “Egyptian cousins.” Other protestors arrived chanting “Gaza will be next.” Their appearance not only showed the unity among the diverse Arab population in “Little Egypt,” but also the reality that the revolution in Egypt didn’t start there, nor may it end there.

The revolution that took down Mubarak in the most populous Arab country was actually triggered by events a few

Egyptian-Americans and other demonstrators shut down Steinway Street in Astoria for a time on Feb. 11 when news broke that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had resigned.

hundred miles west in the tiny North African country of Tunisia, where a revolution in early January toppled the 24-year regime of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Some hope, and others even fear, Egypt’s revolution will do to the governments of the Arab world what the French Revolution did to the monarchies of Western Europe – force them to democratize, or take them down. Since Mubarak’s fall, protestors in Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, West Bank and Yemen have taken to the streets. The effect of the Egyptian revolution led Jordan’s King Abdullah to fire his entire government, the President of Yemen to announce his intention to step down in two years after more than 30 years in power and the Palestinian Authority to announce October elections in the West Bank and Gaza.

Algeria and Yemen called up their military to prepare to quash protestors they feared would shut down cities, inspired by the success of the Egyptians. Protests in Iran have been ramping up in recent days, leading some authorities to call for the execution of opposition leaders.

What’s Next?

Abdelmejid said he was confident democracy can come to Egypt and that he, and fellow Egyptians in America will be behind them.

“Egyptian people have spoken,” he said. “Egyptian people know what they want: freedom and democracy.”

Egypt’s military government dissolved parliament and suspended the country’s constitution over the weekend.

They announced elections would be held within six months.

Amendments to the country’s constitution that could allow more political parties to run in parliamentary and presidential elections will be proposed by a committee in the new few weeks.

Hoda said she’s not worried about the military being in charge because they sided with the people during the revolution.

“They want what we want,” she said, “Fair and free elections, and a free society. They’re on our side.”

Not all were convinced through. Smoking a cigarette outside a barber shop on Steinway Street, Alexandria-native Mohammed Reda was more worried than excited to see Mubarak leave.

“I hope people know how to use this revolution for the good of the country,” Reda said.

Admitting that Mubarak wasn’t necessarily a “good guy,” Reda said the toppled leader gave stability to Egypt and kept the country from suffering the same civil strife some of its neighbors have had to deal with. He said he is also concerned with the Muslim Brotherhood, the pro-Islamic political group that has said it will seek to form a political party and run candidates for parliament under a new constitution.

Reda said the Muslim Brotherhood has enough support to win enough seats in parliament to be part of a government.

“There are 25 million supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt,” Reda said.

“If they win enough votes, they could end up having a hand in governing.”

The Muslim Brotherhood opposes the country’s 32-year-old peace treaty with Israel, Egypt’s neighbor to the east.

“I don’t want my country to devolve into a civil war, or another war with Israel,” Reda said.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 125.

Police Blotter Compiled By DOMENICK RAFTER

106th Precinct Missing Teen

Dehaney, 45, of 131-10 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Rochdale, in the driver’s side of the vehicle, unresponsive. EMS took him to Jamaica Hospital where it was determined that he had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the head and was pronounced dead on arrival.

The investigation was ongoing.

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing Howard Beach woman.

Bianca Langone, 16, of 158-22 90th St., Howard Beach, was last seen on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at approximately 6:30 a.m. leaving her home to go to school.

She is approximately 5Hit By Car foot-3, 125 lbs with blue eyes On Monday, Feb. 14, at and brown hair. She was in approximately 9:03 p.m. pogood physical but poor menlice responded to a 911 call tal condition. reporting a pedestrian struck Anyone with information at Kissena Boulevard and the is asked to call Crime Stop- Police are looking for Long Island Expressway in pers at (80 0) 577-TIPS Bianca Langone, missFlushing. Upon arrival po(8477). The public can also ing since Jan. 18. lice determined that Fan submit their tips by logging Meng, 77, of 142-02 Horace onto the Crime Stoppers Harding Expy., Flushing, was crossing the Web site at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by Horace Harding Expressway from the texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) south side to the north side when he was then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly struck by a 1993 Toyota traveling eastconfidential. bound.

The car was operated by a 54-year-old Killed In Car man. EMS responded to the location and On Saturday, Feb.12, at approximately transported the victim to New York Hos11:22 p.m., at the corner of 120th Av- pital Queens where he was pronounced enue and 135th Street, in South Ozone dead on arrival. There was no criminality Park, police responded to a 911 call of an suspected, and the investigation was onunconscious man in a parked white Volvo. going.

Upon arrival, police found Anthony

107th Precinct

114th Precinct

Robber Sought

The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a man wanted in On Thursday, Feb. 10, at approxi- connection with a robbery in Woodside. mately 3:46 p.m., inside of Crescent On Thursday, Feb. 10, at approximately Chemists at 24-12 34th Ave., in Astoria, 3:30 p.m., inside of 30-81 54th St. in police responded to a 911 call of a Woodside, the suspect grabbed money woman shot. Upon arrival, responding from the hand of the victim, a 96-year-old officers discovered the vicwhite man, and pushed him to tim, Guimmia Villia, 32, of 67the ground. The victim was un11 Kissena Blvd. in Flushing, injured in this incident. The suspect fled in an unknown diunconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to rection. her head.

The suspect is described as a EMS also responded to the black man in his 40s or 50s, approx. 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-5, location and transported Villia to Mt. Sinai Hospital where wearing a black parka jacket, she was pronounced dead on black knitted ski cap, black arrival. A preliminary investigloves and black pants. gation determined that the vicAnyone with information tim and suspect, Alex is asked to call Crime StopFigueroa, 38, of 14-01 36th Police are looking for pers at (80 0) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also Ave., Ravenswood, were this elevator robber. known to each other and were submit their tips by logging involved in a conversation when the sus- onto the Crime Stoppers Web site at pect shot her and then fled the scene. nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting Figueroa was later found inside of his apart- their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enment with a gunshot to his head. The sus- tering TIP577. All calls are strictly confipect was pronounced dead on the scene. dential.

Murder Suicide

YOU DON'T HAVE TO REVEAL YOUR IDENTITY TO HELP SOLVE A CRIME.

Feb. 18-24, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 9

pix

Vet Valentines

Southeast Queens Events Edited By Harley Benson

Honoring Black History

State Sen. Malcolm Smith held his 11th Annual Send-A-Vet-A-Valentine event at the St. Albans Community Living Center and the New York State Veterans Home at St. Albans.

Young Democrats

Sen. Malcolm Smith talks with high school students about his start in politics at the newly formed Southeast Queens Young Democrats meeting.

Transportation Meeting

Page 10 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

Queens DA Richard Brown presents Queens Borough President Helen Marshall with the 10th annual William Tucker Garvin Public Service Award in celebration of Black History Month. Pictured l. to r.: the Borough President’s daughter, Agnes Marie Marshall, Borough President Marshall, DA Brown and the Borough President’s husband, Donald Marshall.

Last week, Councilman James Vacca, chair of the Committee on Transportation, joined Councilmen Ruben Wills and Leroy Comrie, along with business leaders from the Indo-Caribbean community and the Lefferts Boulevard neighborhood to discuss recent transportation issues affecting Southeast Queens.

Borough Beat

Seniors Decry Loss Of Botanical Home

BY JASON BANREY Seniors who enjoy the use of Queens Botanical Garden for planting vegetables and flowers believe they are being “financially extorted,” after being told they will now have to pay $150 for plots that were always free.

“This is financial extortion,” said Joseph Siegel, 71, of Forest Hills, who has been a member of the Senior Garden for a decade and helped construct the plots.

In January, QBG notified Senior Garden members of the introduction of the annual fee to use plots which were free to them for 45 years.

In addition to the new fee, seniors will also have to pay a membership fee which increased from $30 to $45 as well as $1 for parking each time they use the garden’s lot.

Siegel refuses to pay the combination of fees that he says will amount to over $200 a year just to utilize the garden’s facilities.

After finding out about the new costs, Siegel declined to extend his membership at the garden and called the QBG’s decision to increase fees “illegal.”

QBG Executive Director Susan Lacerte calls the introduction of an annual fee for plots and the increase in the cost of membership fair, especially dur-

apply for a scholarship esing a time when the gartablished by the garden to den has seen their budget help pay their annual fees. fall from $3.2 million to Although the Senior $2.9 million.

Garden will be phased out “We’ve been making over the next year, QBG salary cuts, imposing furDeputy Director Patty loughs on our own staff,” Kleinberg said seniors are said Lacerte. “Seniors more than welcome to join aren’t the only ones feelthe Family Garden, which ing the effects of our finanwill debut in 2012. cial woes.”

Ultimately, the Garden Lacerte has worked is not trying to get rid of with members of the Seseniors, added Kleinberg, nior Garden for 16 years, but rather is trying to exsubsidizing the private pand the use of the gargroup and, in collaboration den to a broader range of with seniors, trying to develop fundraisers to allevi- The Senior Garden is pricing out people in the community.

“Since QBG funding ate QBG’s financial woes. some of its members and is soon has been cut from 40 to Over the years the gar- to be permanently replaced.

50 percent since 2000, we den has not been able to keep up with city and state budget cuts have had to learn to survive on our own,” and began to charge visitors and mem- said Kleinberg. “We’ve been getting rebers under an agreement with the city, an quests about having access to the land authority they have as a non-profit group. from various community groups.”

Kleinberg also asserted that once Lacerte stressed that Senior Garden members still have options that will help QBG transitions the Senior Garden into them pay for the annual fees and urged the Family Garden, the non-profit group will be eligible for various additional fedthem to take advantage of them.

In exchange for volunteering four eral grants that will help it develop prohours a week from April 1 to June 30 as a grams for more members of the commugreeter, seniors will receive a reduced rate nity.

Despite the open invitation to be apart of $50 instead of $150. Seniors can also

of the Family Garden, many senior members says they will not be able to meet QBG financial demands.

“A lot of us come from modest financial backgrounds,” said Senior Garden Chairman Alfred Rosenblatt, 73. “This is their way of trying to get rid of us.”

On several occasions over the years, seniors have helped provide the garden with donations of money, time and equipment.

After last year’s tornado destroyed a substantial swath of the foliage in the garden, members pulled together more than $1,000 said Lola McLinden, 91, former chairwoman of the senior garden for almost 10 years.

“They’ve always put pressure on us to raise money,” said McLinden. “This is an act of desperation and they’re not going to get any more money out of us.”

McLinden will stay on at the Senior Garden for its final year and pay $195, the combination of the membership and fee for her plot, a luxury only a few seniors can afford.

“It’s insulting in a way,” said McLinden. “We use to be a program that was considered an asset to QBG now some of us will never be here again.”

Reach Intern Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 128.

Feb. 18-24, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 11

Profile

New Fundraising Boss At Jamaica Y Jamaica to help support the neighborhood YMCA. Bernard Warren’s roots are en“Your business would be better served trenched in New York City. if you gave to the commuBorn in Harlem and raised nity,” he said. in South Jamaica, he has Warren’s goal is to enmade it his mission to effect sure that no child will be change in his home base. turned away because of With his latest post as an inability to afford the Jamaica YMCA Strong membership. There will be Kids Campaign chairman of a kickoff event at 5:30 fund development, Warren p.m. on Feb. 24, at 89-29 is once again giving back to Parsons Blvd. a community that nurtured Warren’s years at the his success.

Jamaica YMCA are a “Jamaica was one of the bevy of fond memories. things that kept me off the Warren poignantly reBernard Warren streets,” said Warren, who members a visit to Puerto is also executive vice presiRico as a member of the dent of Webb & Bookerm, a firm special- Jamaica Chamber Commerce team. izing in real estate services.

“I’m very fortunate,” he said.

His family moved to South Jamaica It was there that Warren built the founwhen Warren was a third grader. His time dation for his life. at the YMCA was spent playing basketBefore accepting his new role as chairball and swimming the length of the pool. man of the fund, Warren has been a board In his role as fund developer, Warren member for the Jamaica YMCA for three said he hopes to raise $115,000. years. He said his involvement with the “We would like to exceed that if pos- YMCA came at the urgings of Cedric sible,” he said.

Dew, executive director of the Jamaica In previous years, the YMCA de- branch. pended on individual donors, but Warren Warren said for years his focus was on is relying on corporations. The idea is to Harlem and bringing affordable housing ask businesses with many locations in to the area. He said friends alerted him

Page 12 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

BY SASHA AUSTRIE

to the needs of Queens, and in essence, he came home. It was during that time he met Dew and a partnership between Warren and the Jamaica YMCA was forged.

Since joining the board about three years ago, Warren has made it his business to be involved in different facets of the organization. His emphasis is on the building and grounds, youth and family.

Though Warren already has a full slate, he participates in a Saturday seminar for troubled teens dubbed “Youth Empowerment.”

“It just reinforces what we should be doing,” he said.

Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at saustrie@queenspress.com, or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 123.

Warren hopes to find new funding sources for the Jamaica YMCA.

A&E

BY BARBARA ARNSTEIN

It’s the Year of the Rabbit, so in addition to the usual wagging dragons, flipping fans and confetti cascading into the crowds, the Flushing Lunar New Year Parade Feb. 12 included marchers in bunny suits.

Dozens of Korean drummers drummed, stylized lions danced, and the Francis Lewis High School and NYPD marching bands performed. One float featured figures (formed from balloons)

representing a couple in traditional Korean clothing, while another carried a Wells Fargo stagecoach.

Afterwards, the celebrating continued with performances and activities in two rooms at the Queens Crossing Mall. In the first room, technology met tradition, as people pressed a laptop screen to try their luck at winning yo-yos, purses or tote bags in the traditional good-fortune color of red. Another blend of the old and the new was the traditional zodiac rabbit… in the form of a blonde girl dressed in a Play-

Restaurant Review

Mizumi: Fresh, Fun

Mizumi has an array of rolls. My personal favorites were the fried tuna roll and the tuna lover’s roll, a spicy tuna roll topped with a piece of fresh tuna sushi. I would also recommend the Tai (snapper), Taki (octopus), and the Kani (crab meat). Don’t worry about the sushi’s quality: you’d be hard-pressed to find this quality in Tokyo.

Back at your table, your friendly and attentive wait staff will have your soy sauce and chopsticks ready when you return with your treats.

Mizumi offers a wide-variety of cuisine beyond raw fish. The raw bar is a delightful treat with raw clams, oysters and snow crab legs. Crackers are left at your table for the snow crab legs, which are filled to the brim with fresh crab meat.

The buffet also offers a choice of soups.

I recommend the miso, one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

The buffet seems endless. I went back for four different courses, my friend for five. I sampled the Chilean Sea Bass with Miso Glaze; a tender explosion of taste. I had quite a few servings of that.

Don’t pass up the pork gyoza, yakitori or shrimp shumai. For the daring, I suggest the grilled squid salad. For the dietconscious, try the Japanese Caesar salad for a unique treat full of flavor. You’ll wish you had gone for more.

Then of course there’s the dessert.

Be sure to leave room for it. The softserve ice cream is uniquely satisfying. My friend and I had the green tea variety, which tasted like freshly brewed tea when it melted on your tongue. Also, don’t forget Mizumi’s wide-array of fruits. Their selection of cakes is inviting. Each slice is cut into bite-sized pieces that simply won’t be enough to satisfy your taste buds, so take a few. My suggestion: go with the red velvet and the green-tea cake. Both are perfect endings to this epic meal.

For the price (the lunch buffet is $17.95 Mon-Fri, $21.95 on the weekend, while the dinner buffet is $28.95 during the week and $31.95 on the weekends), this is an excellent selection of food. As long as you come hungry and with a diverse palate, it is more than worth it. For more information and a list of the full menu, go to mizumi-ny.com.

—Domenick Rafter

Got Ballet Questions?

Get Answers Feb. 27

Queens Theatre in the Park presents The School of American Ballet: The Beauty of Ballet on Sunday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Tickets are free, but reservations are required and can be made by phone at (718) 760-0064.

How do ballerinas dance on their toes?

How do dancers spin in place without getting dizzy? Those questions and more will be answered when the world-famous School of American Ballet, the official academy of New York City Ballet, comes to Queens Theatre in the Park.

SAB faculty will introduce children to the beauty of ballet, and illustrate how talented students can develop into accomplished classical dancers. Class exercises are shown along with performance excerpts from ballets such as The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.

The School of American Ballet: The Beauty of Ballet is part of Queens Theatre in the Park's Kids' Corner series, sponsored by Queens Center.

Tickets are available online at queenstheatre.org, by phone at (718) 7600064, or in person at Queens Theatre in the Park.

The School of American Ballet will bring a lesson and performance to Queens Theatre in the Park Feb. 27.

Feb. 18-24, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 13

MIZUMI SUSHI & SEAFOOD BUFFET 231-10 Northern Blvd., Douglaston (718) 229-8686 HOURS: Lunch 11:30 am-3:30 pm; dinner 5:30-10 pm, 7 days PARKING: Lot RESERVATIONS: Accepted for large parties CREDIT CARDS: All major For the last decade or so, my best friend and I have been traveling the City, and the world, looking for good sushi, so when the Mizumi Sushi and Seafood Buffet opened its doors in Douglaston, it seemed like a logical stop, and one that did not disappoint.

Mizumi, located at the former site of P&B Seville Diner at 231-10 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston, right in the heart of Alley Pond Park, has only been opened for a couple of months, but owner Ken said the restaurant has been gaining a steady flow of customers for lunch and dinner seatings. There is only one rule when you come here: come hungry. So no snacking before; you’re going to need every last inch of your stomach.

When we arrived, we were promptly seated in one of the two dining rooms, separated from the buffet tables with Eastern-inspired fencing that seemed to rise from rock gardens outlining the dining area. The aura of the restaurant seemed to mesh Eastern culture with Western design. There are two dedicated dining areas: one facing Northern Boulevard, the other facing east into the parking lot. At the corner of the restaurant is a dedicated party area for large events.

Immediately after arriving at the table, our waitress took our drink orders.

All non-alcoholic beverages have free refills, so enjoy your never-ending cup of tea or Diet Coke.

Now it’s time for the piece de resistance, the buffet itself. Roughly a quarter of the entire buffet is sushi and sashimi.

Each piece of sashimi is served in a tiny bowl. The classics are all there: salmon, tuna, fluke and yellowtail. The fish is chilled and very fresh. Sushi chefs are constantly replenishing the supply with noticeably fresh cuts of fish. My personal favorite, unagi, or eel, melted in my mouth like butter. I went back for seconds.

boy Bunny-like oufit.

A man in a curly rainbow wig applied makeup to children’s faces with an artistic hand, transforming each child into one of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Mr. Met was watching as the artist drew dragon whiskers on a girl’s face, while a boy already transformed into a tiger said “Rowrrr!” to his mother and made her laugh. Also in that room, a man carefully brushed the characters of traditional New Year wishes onto posters, while another Traditional dancers helped mark the Year of the sold his papercuts of traditional sym- Rabbit inside Queens Crossing after the parade. bols.

In the adjoining room, decorated with meet and merge often at the mall. One of helium-filled rabbit balloons (one of them the items sold at the mall’s variety store Bugs Bunny), two men in traditional mon- is a kit with papers and instructions about key costumes performed entertainingly, how to use them and traditional paperfollowed by a group of elderly women folding techniques to make origami who danced and waved fans gracefully. cheeseburgers.

The exuberant emcee, who mostly spoke Just inside the entrance, where glass Chinese, commented in English about the figurines made using pop music. One lawomen that “they say their ages are be- dies’ room is adorned with elegant painttween 65 and 85 but that’s all they’ll say.” ings of white flowers with a small box on Following their performance, a young its door displaying a doll-sized traditional girl in a black dress sang two Chinese jacket. songs, and later raffle numbers were read.

A few blocks away, a store door disMost raffle winners won a container hold- played a decoration featuring a traditional ing a tasty little lunch, complete with a Lunar New Year prosperity figure with a juicebox. very modern difference: it was depicted Ancient tradition and modern times holding a bundle of $100 bills.

PRESS photo by Ira Cohen

Year Of The Rabbit Hops Into Queens

Faith

Inviting Harmonious Blood Donors

BY SASHA AUSTRIE On Feb.26, you will have a chance to save a life. In conjunction with Music Brings Life, New York Blood Center and Clergy United for Community Empowerment, the Presbyterian Church of St. Albans is hosting a blood drive.

“We are excited about this drive,” said the Rev. Edward Davis.

He said African Americans blood do-

nors are lacking.

“It is crucial that we start giving blood,” Davis said.

The community blood drive will begin at 1 p.m. at 190-04 119th Ave. The blood drive is not the first to be held at the church. Davis said in the last five years, the church has hosted five blood drives and recently honored 70 church and community members for their participation throughout the years.

Word “A person has no religion who has not slowly and painfully gathered one together, adding to it, shaping it, and one’s religion is never complete and final, it seems, but must always be undergoing modification.”

– D.H. Lawrence

Criteria for donations are people between the ages of 16 to 75, weighing at least 110 pounds.

Donors over 75 must have a doctor’s note. Also, donors must not have gotten a tattoo within the past year and contributors must have identification.

Keenan “Special” Bristol, founder of Music Brings Life, said he hopes to collect 400 pints of blood on Feb. 26, and his goal for 2011 is 3,000 pints. He said in a two-day drive he collected 86 pints. Since he began Music The Presbyterian Church of St. Albans will host a Brings Life, he has collected blood drive on Feb. 26.

1,269 participants for the Blood music,” he said. “I want to have an annual Center.

Of the 450,000 Blood Center donors, concert.”

Bristol started Music Brings Life with only 5 percent identify themselves as Asian, 8 percent as black and 11 percent the purpose of removing the barriers to blood donation. He said many people lack as Hispanic.

Bristol, a professional recording art- the education about the importance of ist, is working on an idea that would make blood donation, but with prodding from blood donation second nature. He said in their “heroes,” the idea would become the future, he is encouraging popular mu- their own.

Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at sic artists to donate their talents and all it saustrie@queenspress.com, or (718) 357will cost the audience is a pint of blood.

“I want to grab their attention with 7400, Ext. 123.

Notebook Op-Ed: Jamaica’s Closing

The Murder of Jamaica High School

Page 14 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

BY COUNCILMAN LEROY COMRIE I wanted to take the opportunity to voice my concerns about what has clearly been the systemic destruction of Jamaica High School by the New York City Dept. of Education. I speak not only as an elected official, but as the parent of two public-school students and a very proud alumnus of Jamaica High School.

I have many concerns regarding the recent decision by the Panel for Educational Policy in voting to close Jamaica High School. Before the DOE makes a decision to close down schools, many of which have deep and storied roots within the local communities that they serve, we must ensure that these schools have been given adequate resources to properly educate our children, and that DOE is using accurate and correct evaluation measures to determine a school closure.

The current system and criteria used by the DOE to determine whether a school should be closed is not clear, reliable or consistent. For example, one school that was scheduled to close last year received a ‘D’ on its Progress Report, yet still received a rating of “Proficient” on its Quality Review. This is not an appropriate method to assess academic need in our schools or accurately measure a school’s performance. It is not clear how other schools that receive near failing grades on both their Progress Reports and Quality Reviews are allowed to re-

main open while schools that are slowly getting better and receive “Proficient” marks on their progress report are forced to close by the DOE. The DOE is manipulating schools to fail so that they can clean out the staff and administration through the back door.

Take Jamaica High School for examplesince 2003, Jamaica has had a 63 percent reduction in school support staff, including secretaries, guidance counselors and paraprofessionals. Due to the lack of resources provided by the department, Jamaica has turned into an “over the counter” school. Jamaica has the most over-the-counter registrations of any school in the city, which has prevented administrators from developing a concise budget so they could properly request resources needed to deal with a transient student population.

Closing schools should be a last resort, not an automatic response when things are not going well. The DOE takes steps to install new leadership at failing schools, but doesn’t give them time to make lasting changes. At Jamaica, the recently-appointed principal, Walter Acham, has admirably reversed trends and has started to make progress, but has only been on the job for little more than two years – nowhere near an acceptable amount of time to make an assessment of a school team’s capabilities.

I stand by my conviction that the dissolution of Jamaica is not the change that

is needed. The overwhelming issue consistently raised by community and elected officials during this debate has been about the need for additional funding and resources. Jamaica has not been given the ability to f lourish nor given the resources that have been legislatively allocated.

It is my contention that the DOE has purposely employed a systematic deconstruction of Jamaica by co-locating three smaller schools within Jamaica’s premises. These smaller schools were then given incredible resources, such as laptops and smartboards, as well as priority classroom and office space. The original school sees its resources depleted and student-to-teacher ratios begin to decrease. The administration and staff are demoralized while the school is designated as low-performing. Ultimately, the school is phased out and replaced with another small school. One new school was given 90 new computers to start out with. Jamaica now has 1,200 students and is bursting at the seams with nearly fifty students per class utilizing outdated equipment. It literally is an outrageous case of separate-and-unequal that is being forced upon the students of Jamaica.

Three of these schools exist in the 21st century, while the largest exists as though left behind in the 19th century.

These 1,200 students represent the wanton neglect on the part of the Mayor and

the DOE. Student, who like so many thousands throughout this city, have been abandoned and left behind in the closed off shadows of their neglected classroomsthe unwitting pawns caught up in this grandstanding game of “Improving Our Schools.”

President Obama, in his recent State of the Union address, rightly talked about the education of our children truly being successful when “reform isn’t just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals; school boards and communities.” The New York City DOE has been absolutely tone-deaf to such advice. They have operated in a manner that has been dismissive of the concerns of educators and parents while dictating deplorable advice about population control. Repeated attempts to have reasonable discourse with this chancellor and her predecessor have been met with a dismissive attitude of annoyance. Even the successful lawsuit by the NAACP and United Federation of Teachers last year that halted the closing of Jamaica on procedural issues did little to sway the DOE from its course of action.

It is an untenable situation that has left me with this recourse – to tell the truth about Jamaica and shame the devil.

Councilman Leroy Comrie is a graduate of Jamaica High School and represents the 27th District in the NYC Council.

What’s Up SATURDAY, FEB. 19 Youth & Tennis The Youth and Tennis group meets every Saturday morning at Roy Wilkins Park Saturday. To learn more, call Bill Briggs at (718) 658-6728.

Black Family Health Awareness Day Come on out for the Harlem DowlingWest Side Center’s 3rd Annual Black Family Health Awareness Day. The Specialized Services Department of Harlem Dowling-West Side Center for Children and Family Services will provide free health screenings and testing. Harlem Dowling will be hosting a forum that includes other local organizations that will provide health information and services provided within the community. For additional information, contact Cherie Blae, Program Director, at (212) 749-3656, Ext 3104.

This free event will be held at the St. Albans Baptist Church, - 196-02 119th Ave. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Health & Wellness Workshop The Daughters of Isis Foundation is pleased to present a Holistic Health & Wellness Workshop. This workshop for young women will cover diet and nutrition and how it affects the mind, body and spirit.

For additional information, visit thedaughtersofisisfoundation.org, or contact Simone Williams, Founder/CEO, at (347) 731-1721 or isis1995@netzero.com.

This free event will be held at the Young Queens Loft, 148-14 Liberty Ave., 2nd Floor from noon to 2 p.m.

Hands-On History Help Rufus run for President, and hear what happened when he really did! Join the staff at the King Manor Museum for special stories and a very special presidential craft in honor of President’s Day! This free event will be held at the King Manor Museum in Rufus King Park, 153 Street at Jamaica Avenue, from noon to 3 p.m.

Bill Godwin’s Ink Spots

“Harlem on my Mind” The Queens Sickle Cell Advocacy Network is pleased to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the discovery of sickle cell and celebrate black history month with a dinner theater fundraiser. The show, “Harlem on my Mind”, will feature Julia Breanetta Simpson. For tickets, or for additional information, call Gloria Rochester at (718) 712-0873, or Bob DeSouza at (718) 341-2900. Tickets available online at qscan.org.

This event will be held at Black Spectrum Theatre, 177th Street and Baisley Boulevard at 7 p.m. Tickets are $55.

“The Meeting” is an engaging and intelligent play that presents a fictional account of a secret meeting between Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. following the bombing of Malcolm X’s home and shortly before he was assassinated. This riveting play set in a room inside the historic Theresa Hotel deals with issues that are still relevant today: war, poverty, racism and Black self empowerment. These were men of vision whose different ideologies, yet common understanding awakened the conscience of a nation. For additional information, contact Jacqueline Bailey at jbailey@york.cuny.edu or (718) 262-3750.

This event will be held at the York College Performing Arts Center, 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20.

Amazing Grace The Jamaica Performing Arts Center is proud to present Amazing Grace: Featuring The Vissi Dance Theater. A full-length dance drama, Amazing Grace covers the last slave auction, emancipation, Jim Crow, lynching, civil rights, and religion in black America in a spirited and uplifting historical journey. For additional information, visit jamaica-performingartscenter.org or call the box office at (718) 618-6170 or info@jamaica-performingartscenter.org.

This event will be held at Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave. at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $20.

SUNDAY, FEB. 20 Raw Food Demonstration Herbal Flavors Vegetarian Cafe invites you to a free one-hour raw food class demonstration. Learn how to prepare your favorite dishes that you love to eat. Call today, (718) 523-7704 to sign up. Spaces are limited.

This free event will be held at Herbal Remedies Vegetarian Café, 92-20 Union Hall St. between noon and 5 p.m.

MONDAY, FEB. 21 Adult Chess Club Practice your chess skills weekly, on Monday and Thursday evenings.

The event is held at 6 p.m. every Monday at Queens Village Library, 94-11 217 St., (718) 776-6800.

TUESDAY, FEB. 22 Job Club Every Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Jamaica Neighborhood Center offers a free service to assist people from Southeast Queens with job-readiness skill sets in writing a professional resume and cover letter; interviewing practices and techniques; applying on-line procedures; elevator pitch and Microsoft Suite 2007.

For additional information, contact Lenin Gross, Job Coach, at (718) 739-2060, Ext. 18 or lgrossjnc@yahoo.com.

This free event will be held at the Jamaica Neighborhood Center - 161-06 89th Ave.

Camera Club The Southeast Queens Camera Club welcomes photographers, beginners to advanced. Meetings are held the second,

third and fourth Tuesday every month at 7:30 p.m. at Roy Wilkins Family Life Center, 177-01 Baisley Blvd.

Google Tips In this single session workshop, customers will learn how to use Google Maps; create and share documents online; organize your medical records all in one place; design your home page with iGoogle; and much more. Pre-registration is required in person at Cyber Center Desk. Participants must possess basic mouse and keyboarding skills.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 22 - 6 p.m.

This free event will be held at the Queensborough Public Library’s Central Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 23 Lunch In Church Join us for lunch and get refueled, renewed and refilled. This free event is held every Wednesday at noon at the First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, 89-60 164th St. For more information, call (718) 526-4775, Ext. 10. Come just as you are.

Councilman Wills’ Listening Tour Councilman Ruben Wills wants to know what’s on your mind. If you’d like to let him know what’s on your mind, then come on out and participate in his listening tour.

When: Thursday, Feb. 24th - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

This free event will be held at the Rochdale Village Big Mall on Baisley Boulevard from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEB. 25 Senior Theatre Acting Repertory Calling all older adults: Join our galaxy of STARs to perform theatrical works at the library with a great group of people while brightening your life.

Rehearsals are held at 10:30 a.m. Fridays at Queens Village Library, 94-11 217 St., (718) 776-6800.

ONGOING Group Sessions

In this single-session workshop, customers will learn how manage their own email account; send and receive email messages. Pre-registration is required in person at the Cyber Center Desk. Participants must possess basic mouse and keyboarding skills.

This free event will be held at the Queensborough Public Library’s Central Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 10 a.m.

Clergy United for Community Empowerment, Inc. Group Sessions are located at 89-31 161st St., 10th Floor, Jamaica, for the community on various topics such as Domestic Violence, Mental Health, Substance Abuse intervention, Decision Making, Condom Use, High Risk Behaviors leading to HIV, and self – esteem awareness. All group sessions offer light snacks and beverages. Group sessions are open to the public.

Round-Trip Metro Card reimbursement is available at the end of each completed session. For further information call (718) 297-0720. All services are free. Please call for next group date.

CUNY Chancellor Visits York

Infant Mortality

During a one-hour meeting, Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor of the City University of New York, will first provide an update on current issues and talk about his vision for the University. He will then answer questions from the audience.

For additional information, contact Larese Miller at yorkspecialevents@york.cuny.edu or (718) 262-5285.

This free event will be held at York College Performing Arts Center, 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. at 10:30 a.m.

Clergy United for Community Empowerment’s Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative program provides the following services free of charge: case management services, parent skills building, crib care, breast feeding education, health education, nutritional information/education, referral for HIV testing, confidential one-on-one counseling, workshops, and women support groups. IMRI provides referrals for Food stamps, GED, GYN, Emergency Baby Formula (qualifications required) and more. Call (718) 297-0720. Located at 89-31 161st St., 10th floor, Jamaica. Services are available Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Intro to Email

THURSDAY, FEB. 24 Adult Chess Club Practice your chess skills weekly, on Monday and Thursday evenings.

The event is held at 6 p.m. every Thursday at Queens Village Library, 94-11 217 St., (718) 776-6800.

unFRAMED “unFRAMED: A Man in Progress” is a one-man play in poetry and prose about life as an outsider in America. The audience is invited into the studio of the artist as he reflects on his life while painting his self-portrait. We share his journey through the perils of adolescence, the pitfalls of racism and the struggles of finding identity and acceptance in his new country.

For additional information, contact Janice Cline at cline@york.cuny.edu or (718) 262-2497.

This free event will be held at York College Performing Arts Center, 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. from noon to 2 p.m.

HIV Awareness Clergy United for Community Empowerment provides intervention and curriculum-based prevention education sessions on HIV/AIDS, to reduce risk behaviors that lead to HIV transmission.

Services are located at 89-31 161st St., Jamaica. Call (718) 297-0720 ask about our presentation to adolescents and men/women of color. Services are available Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Laurelton Flea Market A flea market has opened at 221-02 Merrick Blvd. On sale are a wide range of items, including household items, jewelry and clothing.

The market is open every Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Feb. 18-24, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 15

Celebrate Black History Month with the Ink Spots, a vocal group that has spanned the decades. Known for their close harmonies and hit recordings of “If I Didn’t Care,” “I Don’t Want To Set the World on Fire” and “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie” the tradition continues.

This free event will be held at the Queensborough Public Library’s Central Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 2 p.m.

The Meeting

People The New York Lottery announced the names of area Lottery players who claimed a winning instant game ticket from Jan. 9-15 and received a cash prize valued at $10,000 or more. The past week’s winners include: Cadein Davis of Springfield Garden who won $10,000 on the Cashword Doubler instant game. Davis’s winning ticket was purchased at the The Depot/New Smithhaven Smoke at 1131 Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream.

Euclides Salazar of East Elmhurst who won $25,000 on the My Money X 5 instant game. Salazar’s winning ticket was purchased at the Bliss Groceries at 46-22 Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside.

The home of the Queens County Bar Association (QCBA) in Jamaica was the setting for a “Foreclosure Update” presentation, the evening of Monday, Jan. 31. Speakers representing Queens County Supreme Court and legal service providers to low-income homeowners provided an update to the Association’s membership regarding the foreclosure crisis affecting our community.

The presentation was hosted by the Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project (QVLP), the pro bono program of QCBA. Free legal assistance has been provided to homeowners facing foreclosure through QVLP’s “Queens Foreclosure Conference Project” since that program’s inception in the fall of 2008. The program which works in partnership with the Legal Aid

Society, Queens Legal Services Corporation, Legal Services for the Elderly in Queens and in cooperation with the court system’s Office of Court Administration has represented hundreds of homeowners in foreclosure settlement conferences.

These court mandated conferences are designed to facilitate the homeowner being able to arrive at a modification of their mortgage which would allow them to stay in their home. One of the evening’s speakers, Tracy-Catapano Fox, Chief Clerk of Queens County Supreme Court stated that the goal of the settlement conference is to “get homeowners, banks and lawyers together to work out some reasonable solution to avoid foreclosure.” Although many of these conferences are still ongoing a significant number of these homeowners have received permanent loan modifications and the foreclosure process has been stopped.

The Queens Foreclosure Conference Project currently has a pro bono volunteer panel of over 300 lawyers. These volunteer lawyers are supported by project staff who provide mentoring and assistance every day for conference appearances in Queens Supreme Court.

Despite the size of this volunteer panel, QVLP is always seeking new volunteers and to that end periodically holds free training for lawyers who volunteer to assist homeowners in foreclosure. Such training was held the evening of Feb. 16 at the QCBA building in Jamaica. Lawyers who volunteered for this program

received continuing legal education (CLE) credits and also received CLE credits for their volunteer service hours.

For more information regarding QVLP or the Queens Foreclosure Conference Project contact Mark Weliky, Executive Director of QVLP at (718) 291-4500, Ext. 225 or at MWeliky@QCBA.org.

The New York Lottery announced the names of area Lottery players who claimed a winning ticket from one of the Lottery’s recent live drawings. The following winners each received a cash prize valued at $10,000 or more.

Christina Fraser of Rosedale who won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing of Dec. 31. Fraser’s winning ticket was purchased at the Ob’s Bakery at 165-76 Baisley Blvd. in Jamaica.

Gwendolyn Bent of Laurelton who won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing of Jan. 4. Bent’s winning ticket was purchased at the Hess Mart at 416 Rte. 28 in Kingston.

Stephanie Carter of Springfield Gd who won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing of Jan. 7. Carter’s winning ticket was purchased at the Luigi Super Deli at 228-01 147th Ave. in Sprngfld Gardens.

Hanson Daley of Springfield Gardens who won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing of Jan. 4. Daley’s winning ticket was purchased at the 7-Eleven at 87-16 Astoria Blvd. in East Elmhurst.

Vilma Profitt of Rosedale who won $10,010 on the Mega Millions drawing of Dec. 31. Profitt’s winning ticket was pur-

chased at the Pioneer Supermarket at 127-16 111th Ave. in South Ozone Park.

Tamara Demkoff of Rockaway who won $43,908 on the Take Five drawing of Jan. 7. Demkoff’s winning ticket was purchased at the Jasmine News at In Front Of 185 Madison Ave. in New York.

Major General Patrick A. Murphy, the Adjutant General, announces the recent reenlistment of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their continuing commitment to serve community, state and nation as part of the Army National Guard.

Specialist Jesus Aquino from Corona has reenlisted to continue service with the 53rd Army Forces Liaison Detachment.

Sergeant 1st Class Carl Robinson from Ridgewood has reenlisted to continue service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 369th Sustainment Brigade.

Specialist Kara Mcnaughton from Cambria Heights has reenlisted to continue service with the 133rd Quartermaster Supply Company.

Sergeant Marcos Rivera from Ozone Park has reenlisted to continue service with the 206th Military Police Company.

Specialist Pablo Rivera from South Ozone Park has reenlisted to continue service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-258th Field Artillery.

Sergeant 1st Class Junior Alexander from Rosedale has reenlisted to continue service with the Early Entry Element, 369 Sustainment Brigade.

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Feb. 18-24, 2011 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 17

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It's Fun & It's Art This gal may have been raised with Cali-

Chef Ramsay (l.) lights into Chef Eric shortly before giving him the ax.

Ramsay Grills Queens sponsibility for the place, and their smart-aleck “Chef” Eric giving the “It’s not me, it’s you” defense for his awful food.

Ramsay turned the place around – or at least tried – by canning Eric and transforming the place into PJ’s Grill.

But unlike most fairy tales in Queens, this one ended with Joe and Madalyn pulling out of the restaurant business and going back into construction.

We guess they took Ramsay’s kicker of a line to heart? But maybe he was right. PJ’s, it seems, did stand for “Pathetic Joke.”

Ice To See You When Brooklyn State Sen. Martin Malavé Dilan introduced legislation that would require New Yorkers to clean the snow, sleet and hail off the roof of their vehicles, we chuckled – until a giant chunk ice went flying off an SUV and turned one of our reporters’ windshields into a spider web of cracks.

A quick call to her insurance company (no waiting on hold, thanks GEICO – someone sell them an ad) revealed that someone forgot to check off the proverbial “full glass” box before purchasing the policy. Oops.

Luckily, other than her windshield, no one was hurt. But, to the

Guess Who? on the money.

The spider web of a windshield. guy in the silver SUV, next time you hit the road, please remove the ice from your roof.

New York State legislators, this hurts us more than it hurts you.

Let’s follow… sigh… New Jersey’s lead and pass a “clean the snow off your vehicle” bill.

If we told you a Queens-bornand-raised billionaire casino and real estate mogul who has filed for bankruptcy on a number of occasions, has two ex-wives and a serious comb over coif was thinking of running for president, who would come to mind?

If you thought our very own “Donald Trump,” you’d be right

Page 18 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 18-24, 2011

Cosmo Likes New Black Sitting down to peruse this month’s skin-tillating edition of “Cosmopolitan,” featuring such thought provoking fodder as The Sex Quiz and 25 Fun Ways to Go Nude, we were surprised to read a shout out to new Schools Chancellor Cathie Black.

Well, maybe not so surprised.

Cosmo is a proud publication of Hearst Magazines, and Black its former chairwoman. The effusive

Jon Stewart may have gone to William & Mary in Virginia, he may host a wildly successful talk/comedy show out of Manhattan’s West side, and he may have been a roommate of Queens Congressman Anthony Weiner, but despite his Manhattan birth and New Jersey upbringing, it’s pleasing to see that his heart is in the right place.

As he visited Zonko’s Joke

The Donald told Fox News, “For the first time in my life, I’m actually thinking about it.”

Trump is hoping to unseat Barack Obama in 2012. He said if there were impressive Republican candidates in the field, he would not consider a White house bid.

Well, Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney, you’re fired. Trump said he will make his decision in June.

Mr. President?

Confidentially, New York . . .

congratulation proves, if nothing else, the relationship between Hearst and Black is rosy as ever.

Perhaps Hearst is unaware of the protests and boos that follow Black wherever she goes in Queens.

Congratulate that, Cosmo.

(Right): Cathie Black may be admired by pols, but supporters of Queens schools being closed have let her know how they feel.

Muggles Mad For Mets

Jon Stewart loves the Mets.

Models Of Queens

Within the borough, we like to think our restaurateurs take pride.

But leave it to celebrity chef and food industry irritant Gordon Ramsay to find one of the more fatally flawed eateries in Queens.

In the most recent episode of “Kitchen Nightmares,” the British chef stopped by PJ’s Steakhouse in Forest Hills, which had been saddled by mismanagement, complaints and a ton of debt.

Inside, he found a decent decor with food not worth feeding to a cat. The restaurant, it turns out, was rotting from within, with owners Joe and Madalyn dodging re-

fornia dreams, but she’s found her New York state of mind right here in Queens, and can’t imagine her life in the U.S. anywhere else.

Growing up in Los Angeles, this Guyanese Indian gal always got grief for being “too skinny.”

“People tease you or put you down for being too skinny,” she said. “Modeling and acting are industries where if you’re skinny it’s good.”

This past May, Vanima finished her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University and has been looking for a job in her field ever since. She’s alVanima ready a nurse, and Home: Rego Park just does the modelAge: 27 ing for fun.

“It’s not about Height: 5’ 3" getting big,” she Weight: 110 lbs said. “It’s fun and it’s Stats: 32-25-35 art. I’ve developed a great relationship with some photographers, and you meet great people who work hard.”

“Something I like about both acting and modeling is the positive – these are people who seem to take care of themselves,” she said.

Having come to Queens at the age of 18 to attend Hofstra, Vanima has fallen in love with our borough and enjoys the diverse cultures – as well as the ones that remind her of her Guyanese and Indian roots.

“I love when I can connect with another Guyanese or Indian person,’ she said.

“There’s a bond.”

In her free time, especially in good weather, Vanima loves to bike around Forest Hills and take in the beauty of some of the neighborhood homes. “It’s gorgeous,” she said.

Shop, part of Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with his three sons, Stewart was sure to show all the other muggles (non-magic people) on hand which team he supports. Yes, we’re talking about baseball, not Quiddich.

And yes, we’re talking about the Mets, not their crosstown rivals.

So, a tip of our cap – and our wand – for you Mr. Stewart, from all us non-magic folk in Queens.