Volume 15 Issue No. 27 July 4-10, 2014
QUIET TIME
Councilman Donovan Richards kicks off his second Summer Noise Task Force, which seeks to create peaceful nights in his district. By Jordan Gibbons ‌ Page 3.
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Page 2 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
News Briefs More Oversight Proposed For Bank Branch Closures
Last Friday, State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) joined Hollis residents at a press conference to announce new State legislation he introduced to provide stricter oversight of federally-chartered banks by the State Dept. of Financial Services. The bill is in response to the Capital One branch closure last year in Hollis on Hillside Avenue, which occurred without any input from local residents or statistics on the economical impact it would cause. Currently, federally-chartered banks are only required to provide a 90-day notice to its customers, without much oversight from the State DFS. The DFS plays a larger role in the planned closures of state-chartered bank branches by obtaining comprehensive information, including alternative availability, economic impact and input from local community groups where a branch closing is planned. Avella’s legislation would allow the DFS to maintain the same amount of authority over federally-chartered banks to minimize the negative effects that branch closures impose on the local community. The bill currently sits in the Senate’s Banks Committee. “If any bank settles into a com-
munity, establishes relationships and takes their money, there should be more accountability when that branch decides to close,” Avella said. “Prior to closing, the federally-chartered banks would have to provide much more notice to the State, which in turn would have to perform a complete review of why the banks wants to leave, what the financial impact will be on their customers, and also what is the financial impact on the neighborhood.” Asim Deen originally brought this issue to Avella’s attention last year and has worked with residents of the neighborhood to obtain more than 200 signatures urging Capital One to remain open. “There is no convenience anymore, especially for senior citizens or those who do not drive,” Deen said. “We need to hold these banks accountable.”
Crowd-funding For Jamaica Photo Program
This week, A Better Jamaica launched a week-long crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo to fund the purchase of camera equipment for its newest program, Jamaica Shoots. The program will put highend digital cameras in the hands of young people to photograph others
engaged in positive activity. The first round of the program will focus on training the participants to become sports and action photographers. The subjects will include other young people participating in local youth sports and dance programs. “There is an abundance of programs here in Southeast Queens that do a great job of keeping kids off the street and engaged in positive behavior,” Greg Mays, founder of A Better Jamaica, said. “The problem is that many people don’t even know about all that is available. How many people know that we have a top-notch wrestling program in the Southeast Queens Kids Wrestling Association? Our goal is to bubble this positive activity to the surface and celebrate it to a point that it crowds out much of the negative behavior.” The photographs will be posted on an expanded Jamaica311.com website, a site that presently features events taking place in Jamaica. Ultimately, they plan to convince local supermarkets to feature some of the work in their windows. Jimmy Fonsville, a member of the Southeast Queens Camera Club, will serve as the lead photography instructor for six 14- to 16-year-old Summer Youth Employment Program workers, who will serve as ap-
prentice photographers for a total of 96 hours in six weeks. A Better Jamaica is partnering with the SUNY Queens Educational Opportunity Center, who will provide space for the program. “It is extraordinarily difficult for a nonprofit to raise money for new programs, so we’re turning to the community, via Indigogo, to get the ball rolling,” Mays said. “I am confident that my people will come through for us.” If they meet their goal of $5,000 by Monday, July 7, the money will go to six digital single lens reflex cameras with long lenses. The apprenticeship starts that Monday. A $25 donation will give the perk of real-time access to the portfolio of photographs taken by the apprentices. A $50 contributor will get a digital version of an autographed group photograph of the apprentices and their instructor. A $75 contributor will get a framed version of the autographed photo and a $100 contributor will get invited to the culminating exhibit to meet the apprentice photographers and their families, and hear what the Jamaica Shoots experience meant to them. To help donate for the Jamaica Shoots program, visit www.indiegogo.com/projects/jamaica-shoots or call A Better Jamaica at (718) 6572605 for more information.
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July 4-10, 2014 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 3
Presstime
Richards Kicks Off Noise Task Force Monday afternoon, Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) held a press conference to announce the launch of his Summer Noise Task Force, which he started last summer to reduce the increased levels of noise and public disturbances from summer house parties. Richards’ office worked with local civic associations and the 105th Precinct to come together to report excessively loud parties in the neighborhood to 311 with the help of residents in the community. The task force was created in response to the murder of Kendrick Ali Morrow, who was shot during a 2010 house party in Springfield Gardens. It also helps with the amount of calls 311 gets related to excessive noise. “The whole thing stemmed out of the violence,” Lieutenant Lauterborn of the 105th Precinct, said before the press conference. “The number one 311 call is related to noise complaints.” Richards said that residents
Photo by Jordan Gibbons
BY JORDAN GIBBONS
violations warning them to keep the noise down or they could be served with a summons, the party could be broken up and the police can even confiscate the sound systems. “If you’re creating a quality of life issue, they’ll issue a summons,” Richards said. “We really had a successful summer. Communication is important and timing is important.” The police department Bess DeBethem, a Community Board 13 member, spoke about the need for the Task Force at has a decibel meter to determine how loud each the press conference. party is before issuing a should call 311 if they hear a loud summons. party, see big speakers being rolled Richards and members of the into a house or find party promotion- community said they are not discoural flyers around the neighborhood. aging having parties, just the parties They should also call his office, lo- with excessive amounts of people cal community boards and local civic and loud music that is not considerassociations. After the police receive ate to their neighbors. five calls about the same residence, “We need to keep the noise down they begin to look into it. because the party that killed that Letters have already been sent young man in front of my neighbor’s out to chronic offenders of noise house four years ago was over 400
people,” Fay Hill of the Friends of Springfield Park organization said. Barbara Brown of the Eastern Queens Alliance said that they want people to have a good time, but not when you can hear the music blocks away. “Neighbors need to be respectful of each other,” she said. “We’re not opposed to parties, but we are against the parties that you can hear three or five blocks away, even if you can hear the music two houses away, it’s too loud.” Richards said they are not going to shut down every party in the neighborhood but they want to avoid the parties with 400 to 500 people. He said to call before, during and after a party occurs so the complaints are on the books and everyone can keep an eye on chronic offenders. “Have a great summer; we want everyone to have a great time,” Richards said. “Respect your neighbor’s quality of life. Don’t bring mischief into our community.” Reach Reporter Jordan Gibbons at (718)357-7400 Ext. 123, jgibbons@ queenspress.com or @jgibbons2.
Probationary Youth Produce School Dropout Documentary BY JORDAN GIBBONS Once a young adult gets involved with the criminal justice system, it can be difficult to climb out. At Community Mediation Services in Jamaica, the goal of their Young Men’s Initiative is to be at the forefront of diverting children and their families away from the court system. Recently, the Young Men’s Initiative worked with the Dept. of Probation’s NeOn Arts program in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute to produce a 20minute documentary about troubled youth in South Jamaica who drop out of school. Ayanna M. Cole, a former A&E documentarian who now runs Life Light Street Productions, helped the young men and women from the Young Men’s Initiative to write the script, conduct the interviews, film the scenes and edit the footage on the subject that they chose. “The goal was for the local community to start to see these young people to change their perception of what they’re capable of,” Cole said. “To see them be able to work together as a team, support each other and work well together was exciting.” On June 20, Community Media-
tion Services held a screening but a good percentage of them of the documentary followed came from the Justice Scholars by a panel discussion with the that is managed by its program creators of the video and one of director Julie Defina. the subjects in the film. Now, “They didn’t see themselves they’re trying to get Mayor being able to succeed in someBill de Blasio to watch it and thing like that,” Defina said. are talking with the Dept. of “A lot of challenges these guys Education about playing it in face, the general population schools. doesn’t know anything about. “The local community was It served two purposes; it the focus, but it seems like it’s helped these clients and it gets going way beyond that,” Cole the message out to people.” said. “It was an incredible hon- The young adults in the Young Men’s Initiative Mark Kleiman, executive or to see them be proud of their produced the documentary under the guidance of director of Community Mework and be proud to show it to Ayanna M. Cole. diation Services, started the their family.” organization in 1983 with the The film features interviews with nal or family court cases and has a goal of helping to transform the lives a high school principal, a social jus- more intensive model based around of troubled young men and women, tice advocate, students who chose to mentors. rather than locking them up. dropout because of obstacles they exThe Archers program is for 16- to “Don’t write them off when perienced and students who chose to 24-year-olds who are on probation or they’re 16,” Kleiman said. “It’s a culstay in school. parole, either as an alternative or to ture that’s horribly sad. They need to Funding was provided by the transition out of the justice system. believe that there are better ways and Open Society Foundation through The Justice Scholars program is that’s what we’re here for.” a grant to the Mayor’s Fund to Ad- also for 16- to 24-year-olds who are The organization does use a few vance New York City. dealing with recent or current court interns but are always looking for The Young Men’s Initiative has involvement and is primarily based volunteers. For information about three programs that are aimed at dif- on lawyer referrals but can be volun- volunteering or signing up for the ferent young men and women who tarily applied to. It focuses on TASC Justice Scholars program, call John are in different stages with criminal training to get high school equivalen- Harrison at (718) 523-6868 x261. or family court. cy diplomas and move on to college. Reach Reporter Jordan Gibbons at The AIM program is for younger The documentary production had (718)357-7400 Ext. 123, jgibbons@ adults who are diverted from crimi- several participants from each group, queenspress.com or @jgibbons2.
Page 4 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
Chapin Home Celebrates 13 Centenarians Last year, Mary Nuccio was concerned she was not going to see her 100th birthday, so she had her brother write President Barack Obama to get her centenarian letter a year early. She received that letter and is now waiting for another one to celebrate reaching 100, along with 12 other residents at Chapin Home for the Aging in Jamaica. The nursing home, which opened in 1869, celebrated 13 residents on June 27 who are already 100 or will be reaching triple digits this year. Jennifer McManaman, Chapin’s assistant administrator, said she credits Nuccio’s persistence for helping the home realize how many centenarians they had. “I’m the first in my family to live to 100,” Nuccio said. “I don’t know the secret.” One of her daughters had an idea about what may have helped Nuccio reach the centennial mark. “She walks everywhere,” Marylyn Fidler said. “She likes cake and stuff like that but she eats a Mediterranean diet mostly.” Kate Kuhle, a current employee and former volunteer at Chapin, called Nuccio “the mayor of Chapin.” Denzil Cendrecourt of Cambria Heights attended the celebration with his family to spend the day with his father, Ivo, who also turned 100 in January. Ivo has lived at Chapin for two years, along with several friends.
“I think it’s a pleasure having him here. It’s a beautiful place,” Denzil said. “Since I’ve come here, I’ve made more friends.” Ivo has trouble hearing, but he proudly held onto his plaque from the President throughout the celebration. The residents and their guests were treated to a series of prayers, songs and performances. They were sent certificates from Councilman Paul Vallone’s (D-Bayside) office and were handed State Senate resolutions by State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) honoring their 100 years. Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) and Councilman Rory Lancman (DHillcrest) also attended the event and congratulated the centenarians. The most difficult part of living past 100 seemed to be keeping track of the years beyond the landmark. Eight of the residents being honored had passed 100, including Mildred Gent, who brought 107 years of experience to the party. Former New Jersey resident Annette Funghini, 102, had some sound advice for people of any age, despite the fact that she did not care to pay attention to her own age. “I don’t even know myself; the age goes by but I don’t keep track,” Funghini said. “Just try to be gentle and kind to everyone. Live a good normal life and don’t overdo yourself.” Reach Reporter Jordan Gibbons at (718)357-7400 Ext. 123, jgibbons@ queenspress.com or @jgibbons2
Joanne Valentine visited her mother Mary Nuccio with her sister Marylyn Fidler to celebrate Mary’s 100th birthday.
Photos by Jordan Gibbons
BY JORDAN GIBBONS
Jamaica resident James Kee will be celebrating his 101st birthday in October.
Independence Day Events Coming To Queens With flags waving everywhere and the red, white and blue colors being shown all around, July 4 is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. For Queens, another reason to celebrate this Independence Day is that Macy’s fireworks will once again be viewed in various locations in Queens. But before the fireworks began, there are several events to commemorate the day. The Fourth of July celebration kicks off on July 3 with Our Valued Commodity’s second annual Independence Day Carnival Explosion for four nights; July 3-6. Each night, the carnival will begin at 5 p.m. and end at midnight. On July 5, there will be a free firework show at 9 p.m. The carnival will be held at Padavan-Preller Field, located at 236-02 Hillside Ave., Bellerose. For
information, call (718) 465-2225 or visit www.ovcnyc.org. On July 4-5, the Forest Park Carousel has a Magic and Circus Show with non-stop excitement and entertainment as Zabo the Clown works his juggling, unicycling and prop balancing skills. Act 1 of Zabo the Clown will be shown on July 4 and Act 2 will follow on July 5. On July 5, Champu the Magician will engage guests in a magical and hilarious experience. Both events are free and located at Forest Park Drive off Woodhaven Boulevard, Woodhaven. The shows will begin at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. For information, call (718) 7882676, email info@nycarousel.com or visit www.nycgovparks.org. The Fantasy Forest at Flushing Meadows Corona Park will hold two events on Friday and Sunday. On Friday, be amazed by Omar’s 4th of
July Spectacular and on Sunday, be entranced by The Sammie & Tudie Show. Both shows are free and will be held at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on both days. Both events will be at Fantasy Forest at Flushing Meadows Carousel, located at 111th Street and 55th Avenue. For information, call (718) 788-2676. LIC Landing in Hunters Point Park will host its first annual July 4 BBQ from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. A local DJ will have guests dancing all night. The ticket for this event is $100 for the unlimited food and drinks. There is no charge for children under 10. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Hunters Point Park Conservancy. For information, call Frank at (917) 403-7664 or visit LICLanding.com. The restaurant is located at 52-10 Center Blvd., Long Island City.
For those wishing to spend Independence Day watching fireworks, Resorts World Casino will hold a 4th of July fireworks viewing event at Bar360 and on their 6th floor parking lot at 74-110 Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica, Queens. The view will begin at 7 p.m. For information, call (718) 215-2828 or visit www.rwnewyork.com. The New York Mets will also host a fireworks display at Citi Field in celebration of Independence Day following the game vs. the Texas Rangers. Fireworks will be launched from Citi Field’s roof and the centerfield grass, providing a 360 degree experience for fans throughout the ballpark. Fireworks Night will be presented by Citi. Tickets for the game are on sale at Mets.com and (718) 507TIXX.
July 4-10, 2014 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 5
Editorial OF SOUTHEAST QUEENS 150-50 14th Road Whitestone, NY 11357 (voice) (718) 357-7400 fax (718) 357-9417 email news@queenspress.com The PRESS of Southeast Queens
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Regina Vogel Reporters: Jordan Gibbons Joe Marvilli Luis Gronda Jackie Strawbridge Art Dept:
Rhonda Leefoon Lianne Procanyn Karissa Tirbeni Barbara Townsend Maureen Coppola Advertising Director Howard Swengler Major Accounts Manager Shanie Persaud Director Corporate Accounts/Events Advertising Executives Shari Strongin
A Queens Tribune Publication © Copyright 2014 Tribco, LLC
Michael Nussbaum Publisher Ria McPherson Comptroller
Keeping Homeowners Afloat Last week, the City Council and the Mutual Housing Association of New York issued a report at City Hall that revealed around 60,000 homeowner families are in danger of losing their homes. More than 24,000 of these underwater mortgages are privatelabel securitized mortgages in African American and Latino neighborhoods. Seven of the top 10 zip codes with the highest number of PLS mortgages are more than 90 percent African American or Latino. These homeowners owe more money than the value of the home itself. The City Council called the City to act by using a method it has in the past to take thousands of homes away, eminent domain. Since the mortgage crisis in 2008, many cities across the country have considered using eminent domain to seize the mortgages, rather than the homes, and allow homeowners to pay a lower monthly rate to give them a fighting chance. It is a bold move for sure, as mortgage lenders have threatened to refuse mortgages in cities that use this practice. But what is New York City if not bold? There are far too many foreclosed homes in this City already and homeless shelters are at capacity. Where will these families go? The City would have to build more shelters, but most neighborhoods have a “not in my backyard” mentality and it could cost the City more money to provide shelter, schooling and food for them if they are evicted. If the City has the ability to help keep families in their homes, it is worth it to put up a fight for the sake of our communities.
Letters Rest In Peace Phil Ragusa
To The Editor: I have just read the news with much sadness of the passing of Queens Republican Party Chairman Phil Ragusa. I have met him on many occasions during a number of political campaigns I was involved with. I found Phil Ragusa most personable, honest and a man of integrity. I also found him to be concerned for the community and its residents and wanted to make things better with his ideas and goals for the betterment of all concerned. Now for that I say Phil Ragusa will be truly missed for he was the voice of all we hold most dear. God bless you Phil for all that you stood for and let me also offer my heartfelt prayers for your family who will be missing and grieving at this sad time of mourning. Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks Village
Open Closed Polling Places
To The Editor: NYC’s Board of Elections cited a low voter turnout for the June primary and a declining participation rate over the last few years. There’s a good reason why. The BOE closed a number of polling sites because they were deemed inaccessible to handicapped voters under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Sending absentee ballots to disabled voters instead of closing polling sites for everyone makes more sense. Closing polling sites disenfranchises thousands of voters for the sake of a few. Kew Gardens Hills voters lost their chance to cast ballots at a conveniently located site when the BOE abandoned PS 164 over two years ago. Unless the BOE corrects this situtation, its initials really stand for Barrel Of Errors. Richard Reif, Flushing
Tragedy Recalled By A Similar One A World Away A Personal Perspective BY MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE It was 50 years ago last week that three young adult male Civil Rights workers were murdered and buried in a ditch in Mississippi while registering Black voters in Neshoba County. They were not the only ones. Nine other bodies were also dredged from swamps during the search for Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner in the summer of 1964. The other nine were not on any national radars. It was par for the course for Blacks – especially Black males – to be murdered and dumped without national uproar. The difference this time was that there were two non-Blacks missing too. Goodman, a 20year-old Queens College student; and Schwerner, a 24-yearold New York City teacher, were Jewish and were among the many northern youth who wanted to be part of “Freedom Summer.” James Chaney, a Mississippian and a brand new
father at the age of 22, was assigned as their guide. The unspeakable tragedy that befell those three young men at the hands of the KKK became the subject of the 1988 film, “Mississippi Burning.” Hollywood has taken liberties with some of the facts, but enough of it – certainly the main point -- is true to make it worth seeing. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fond of saying “All it takes for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.” And so the Civil Rights Movement he led was a great opportunity for good people of all walks of life to unite and fight for the cause of civil rights in this country. Certainly Goodman and Schwerner could have stayed in the comfort and safety of their New York City middle class lives. But they did what they felt compelled to do. They signed on with the Congress of Racial Equality. Each time I set foot on the Queens College campus, I feel a sense of sadness and gratitude toward Andrew Goodman’s memory and think as well of
his companions in that tragedy. We must never forget those who sacrificed fighting for the freedom of all people and we should always be grateful for their lives and their willingness to take a stand. Certainly as Jews, Goodman and Schwerner understood this very well. So here we are 50 years later and three young men – two of them children, really, and one not even 20 yet – were kidnapped and murdered a world away in the West Bank. But it has been brought home more vividly to New York City because one of the boys has roots in Brooklyn. The conflict between Israel and Palestine is one that has been ongoing and will continue until the end of the world as we know it. There are no winners in this epic conflict. But the killing of these three young people is a visceral reminder that civil rights, human rights and territorial rights go on. These three kids were killed and buried just like the Civil Rights three in Mississippi. The world is in chaos and we need not even look
beyond our five boroughs to see this. Two 14-year-olds in a Bronx school get into a fight and now one is dead and the other is to stand trial. These are two little boys who fell out of friendship reportedly because the killer stole from the deceased and was bullied mercilessly in retaliation. The bullied kid almost killed himself but decided instead to kill his alleged tormenter. Apparently there were no adults at the school who gave enough of a damn to put a stop to the conflict before it turned into death. All of these incidents are connected in one way: bullying. Anyone who violates your right to safety, peace of mind and freedom to choose your own destiny, is bullying you. I thank all the freedom fighters in our country who sacrificed for my rights and I remember Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner on the anniversary of their ultimate sacrifice. May their souls rest in peace and may we remember to stand up against injustice wherever we see it as well.
Page 6 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
Police Blotter 102nd Precinct
grand Larceny
The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating two suspects wanted in connection with Grand Larcenies. At approximately 2:30 p.m. on June 10, the suspects entered the Placid Wireless store located at 74-10 101st Ave., and removed an Apple iPhone 4, Apple iPhone 4S and a Samsung Galaxy phone. At approximately 3:42 p.m. on June 20, suspects entered the Boost Mobile store, located at 80-10 Jamaica Ave., opened a closed shelf and removed an Apple iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy phone. The first suspect is described as a Black male, 5’6”, with dark complexion. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 5’6”, with black hair and light complexion. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-tips, visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637(CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls are confidential.
105th Precinct
Homicide
At 10:19 p.m. on June 28, police responded to a 911 call of an aided male in front of 120-47 219th St.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Jason Bragg, 33, of the Bronx, unconscious and unresponsive, with head trauma, lying in the street. EMS also responded and pronounced the male dead. Further investigation revealed that Bragg sustained a gunshot wound to the head. The case has been classified as a Homicide.
106th Precinct
assault
The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating three 18-25-yearold males wanted in connection with an assault. At 6:20 p.m. on June 10, the suspects entered the Aladdin Hookah Bar, located at 109-08 Liberty Ave., approached the 17-year-old victim and began to repeatedly punch and kick him before striking him in the head with an unknown metal object before fleeing. The victim sustained a laceration to his head as a result of the incident and was treated at Jamaica Hospital.
108th Precinct
assault
The NYPD is asking for the public’s assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of an individual wanted for questioning in connection to an assault. At approximately 12:10 a.m. on
June 21, the victim, Roberto Martires, 56, was punched in the face by an unknown person in front of 69-04 Roosevelt Ave. The victim was taken to Elmhurst General Hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead on June 24. The individual wanted for questioning is a Hispanic male, early to mid-twenties, with facial hair. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-tips, visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637(CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls are confidential.
109th Precinct
investigation
At approximately 10:10 p.m. on June 29, police responded to a 911 call of an emotionally disturbed person inside 169-17 Underhill Ave. Upon arrival, police observed a 41-year-old male on the floor with injuries to both wrists and an eightyear-old male unconscious in a bed. EMS responded, transported the man to Queens General Hospital in stable condition and pronounced the eightyear-old victim dead on the scene. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending family notification. The investigation is ongoing.
robbery
At 2:33 p.m. on April 23, police responded to a 911 call of a robbery inside of 212-03 15th Ave. Upon arrival, police determined that two Hispanic males claiming to be maintenance workers forced their way into the location and assaulted a female, 85, and a male, 86. The female sustained bruising to the face and body, while the male sustained head injuries. Both were taken to New York Hospital Queens in stable condition. Police arrested Christopher Ramirez, 24, of Queens, and charged him with robbery, burglary and assault in regards to the incident.
114th Precinct
Burglaries
The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance in locating suspects wanted in connection with two burglaries. At approximately 7:40 a.m. on June 17, the suspects entered a residential building located in the vicinity of 35th Avenue and 30th Street, gained access to an underground parking garage and removed a blue Cannondale mountain bike that was chained to a bicycle rack. At approximately 8:35 p.m. on June 26, the suspects entered a residential building, located in the vicinity of 30th Avenue and 37th Street, forced open a door leading to a basement storage area and removed a Trek mountain bicycle.
Borough Beat
city council approves Municipal ids By Jackie StrawBridge All New Yorkers, regardless of citizenship, are now eligible for City identification cards. The City Council voted last Thursday to approve the creation of municipal IDs, which would allow undocumented New Yorkers to open bank accounts, obtain a driver’s license, enroll in a public school and access other City services. Information on the card will include the cardholder’s name, date of birth, address and photograph, as well as an expiration date. Cardholders may also opt to list a self-determined gender, which will allow for cardholders such as transgender and intersex individuals to define their gender. No permanent address is required to obtain the card – acceptable proof of residence documents include written verification from a City-funded homeless shelter or from a City hospital,
health clinic or social services agency. Councilman Daniel Dromm (DJackson Heights) co-sponsored the legislation with Councilman Carlos Menchaca (D-Brooklyn). According to Dromm, the City Council worked with the NYPD regarding the safety of these cards. Dromm said negotiations determined that a to-be-chosen City agency other than the NYPD will keep municipal ID documents for two years. “With this two-year agreement, I think that if there will be any cases of fraud, we have a way to go back and trace it,” Dromm said. “I’m not worried about the potential for fraud, especially because the NYPD is not worried about it now.” Daniel Coates of Make the Road New York, a nonprofit that advocates for Latino and working class communities, said he believes the card’s potential for wide appeal will work against any stigma that may become attached to it.
“That’s our challenge ahead,” Coates said. “The ability to choose your own gender [and] the fact that the card will be accepted by all agencies, including the NYPD, will both go a long way to making it broadly attractive, but also really useful for people across the City through all sorts of walks of life.” “By virtue of a lot of people having it, it gets rid of any stigma attached to it,” Coates added. Dromm similarly said he hopes the City ID will attract a wide range of cardholders. “This is a municipal ID for all and everybody in the City can get this card,” Dromm said, adding that the City Council will work with the Mayor’s office to attach certain perks to the card, such as discounts to cultural institutions or partnerships with banks. “I’d like to say that this will be the must-have accessory for all New Yorkers,” Dromm added.
Bianey Garcia is a transgender woman and the LGBT organizer at Make the Road New York. She said she intends to get the municipal ID “as soon as possible.” “For my community, it’s very important, because they can choose their gender and they can show that ID to the police,” Garcia said. “Before this, my community, being stopped by the police and sometimes they don’t have any type of ID, and they get arrested for it.” “We were fighting for this for many years,” Garcia added. A handful of other cities, including New Haven, Asbury Park, San Francisco and Oakland, have instated or will soon instate municipal IDs. New York City’s municipal ID program will be the largest in the country. Reach Reporter Jackie Strawbridge at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, jstrawbridge@queenstribune.com or @JNStrawbridge.
Grant Presentation Photo by Jackie Strawbridge
pix
July 4-10, 2014 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 7
Summer Music Festival
Photos by Walter Karling
Greater Jamaica Development Corp. staffers Charlene Joseph, Mary Reda and Vignike Anderson gather during the GJDC’s Summer Music Festival late last month in Downtown Jamaica.
Terpsichoreans Lush Variety strut their stuff for the audience during the Summer Music Festival.
Members of the Jewish Community Relations Council’s Queens Fellowship grant making committee presented a $5,000 grant to the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance at the fellowship’s closing ceremony last Tuesday night.
Home Ownership
Sisters Susan and Cynthia Morris had their dream of home ownership come true, thanks to the Neighborhood Housing Services Development Corporation (NHSDC). They are shown cutting the ribbon in front of their new energy-efficient, green-construction, affordable home with NHSDC Director Helen Maxwell (5th L Front) and Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica Exec. Director Cathy Mickens (2nd L). They are surrounded by all the people who made this project possible and Fred Simmons, representing Sen. Malcolm Smith, and Hayden Horsham representing Sen. James Sanders.
Page 8 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
The City Budget’s Effect On Southeast Queens By JOrdan GiBBOnS The City completed the budget for the 2015 fiscal year last week, which should have a large impact on the community of Southeast Queens. Councilmen I. Daneek Miller (DSt. Albans) and Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) supported the funding coming into their respective districts and have positive outlooks on the direction the City is moving under Mayor Bill de Blasio. As the chair of the Committee on Civil Service and Labor, Miller highlighted the funding of several programs focused on the civil service and labor community. The Teacher’s Choice Program received a $1.5 million increase in funding on top of the $4.5 million from last year to reimburse teachers and other school staff for purchases of supplies used for student instruction. There will also be a multimillion dollar expansion in funding for programs that benefit workers and small businesses, such as the Consortium for Worker Education, Jobs to Build and the Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Leadership Association. For the residents of Southeast Queens, there are a number of programs aimed at young adults, seniors, poverty and the arts. The budget allotted more than $11 million for a merit-based higher education scholarship program targeted at college-bound City high school seniors. There will also be an expansion in funding for the Summer Youth Employment Project that will allow for 10,640 additional slots along with an expansion to out-ofschool time program slots. “The Summer Youth Employment Project helps give our young people their first real job experience, giving them a foundation for their future working careers,” Miller said. “CUNY is a valuable asset to our community, providing affordable higher education and helping our youth build their careers. I am proud that we will support both CUNY students and CUNY institutions in this budget.” To help keep 56 New York City Housing Authority community and senior centers open, $17 million will be dedicated to those facilities. There will also be council funding for the Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica as part of an initiative to address poverty and for aging groups such as the Queens Interagency Council for Aging. “Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica, particularly through
Councilman donovan richards
Councilman i. daneek Miller
Queens Chamber of Commerce to help strengthen local small businesses. “If our boulevards don’t reflect the beauty of our community, those passing through won’t utilize our businesses,” Richards said. “The only way to get local people hired and get our young people off the streets is to support our local businesses.” One final highlight Richards is looking forward to is $1 million in participatory budgeting that gives local residents a choice on how to spend the direct capital discretionary funds. Seminars will be held soon to group residents into committees to decide how they want to use the funds. The community will then vote on those ideas. “We’ll listen to what they have to say,” Richards said. “It’s really a democratic process” Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Councilman Mark Weprin (DOakland Gardens) handled funding in District 28 due to the revoked powers of Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica), who is currently under investigation by the Attorney General for corruption charges. “District 28 was funded at the same level as other council districts across the City,” Weprin said. “The capital funds were allocated to various public institutions in the district and all the groups that received expense funding in this year’s budget have been vetted and cleared in the past.” Reach Reporter Jordan Gibbons at (718)357-7400 Ext. 123, jgibbons@ queenspress.com or @jgibbons2.
their homeowners program, helps act as after-school programs and sekeep people in their homes, revital- niors can go there to learn how to use ize properties and allows us to re- computers and other new technolotain the fabric and integrity of our gies. We have to prepare our young community,” Miller said. “Aging people to compete globally and not priorities, like NYCHA centers and just locally.” Richards plans to address some the Queens Interagency Council on Aging, will remain open for seniors quality of life issues out of his own under this budget, helping to provide budget, such as cleanliness in the the quality of life they deserve. We neighborhood, by adding more garbage cans on the boulevards and havfought very hard for these.” The Coalition of Theaters of Col- ing more garbage pickups. He will also be funding the Wildor will also see an increase in fundcat organization, which focuses on ing from $700,000 to $1 million. Richards, chair of the Environ- cleaning up foreclosed properties mental Protection Committee, was that are unkempt. The organization integral in getting a large bulk of the also helps with workforce training by Dept. of Environmental Protection hiring local residents. budget focused on Southeast Queens. Funding was also given to the The DEP has budgeted $426 million in capital investment in the community to restore groundwater, upgrade sewers and restore and expand waterways. “It’s a step in the right direction,” Richards said. “I’m happy to have a mayor and a commissioner who make Southeast Queens a priority.” Richards also received additional funding to upgrade libraries and schools in District 31. The Laurelton library will get a $750,000 expansion along with the current renovations to the Rosedale library. There will also be $2.5 million dedicated to local schools to improve available technology, infrastructure and additional lighting for schools. The Queens Library Laurelton branch will get an additional $750,000 expansion in this “That was a huge priority year’s budget. for me,” he said. “Libraries
July 4-10, 2014 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 9
A&E
Jodi Long: From Queens To The Screen BY JOE MARVILLI If you turn on the television or head to the movies this year, you will have a chance to watch one of Queens’ finest in action. From the beginning of the 20th century to today, many stars have come out of Queens to leave their mark on the world of culture, a tradition that actress Jodi Long is continuing with a hit TV show, a new film and decades of memorable performances. Long may originally be from Woodside, but nowadays, she is most known for her new home in Pittsburgh on the TBS series, “Sullivan and Son.” In the show, she plays Ok Cha, the Korean immigrant mother of Steve, the main character who takes over his parents’ bar. Ok Cha uses tough love to get her point across, often proving herself to be right in the end. “I thought it was a really funny script and I recognized this woman,” Long said. “They’re willing to work with me and write to my strengths and ask what it is I like to do. They asked me and I said I like to do physical comedy. So they started writing towards that. What a gift.” “Sullivan and Son” just started its third season on June 24, with an episode featuring Ken Jeong from “The Hangover” and “Community.” Although it moved from Thursday nights to Tuesday nights, the show
Actress Jodi Long, who grew up in woodside, is starring in the TBS series, “Sullivan and Son,” which just started its third season. will not be slowing down any time soon. This season will include special guests like Kunal Nayyar from “The Big Bang Theory” and comedian Margaret Cho. Around the same time that “Sullivan and Son” resumed, Long’s latest film also hit theaters. Titled “A Picture Of You,” this heartfelt dramedy
is about a brother and sister whose mother passed away. While they are closing up her house, they discover something about her that throws everything into a tailspin. Long said her manager believed the film offered something different for the actress and she enjoyed the script. She added that she was happy to see the film meet some success. “We just opened last Friday at the AMC Loews 7 on 10th Street and 3rd Avenue and they just expanded us by another week to July 3. That means that the box office for the weekend was good,” Long said. “I’m so thrilled because it’s just a little movie and it got a little exposure in New York.” Long’s love for acting came from growing up with the craft, thanks to her parents, who were vaudevillian entertainers. Long said she grew up backstage and did her first Broadway show when she was 7. While she was attending the High School for Performing Arts, Long was given a scene from the Natalie Wood film, “Splendor In The Grass.” From then, she was hooked. The actress also spent some time behind the camera for “Long Story Short,” a documentary she wrote about her parents, who appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1950 as the singing, dancing, comedy act, Larry and Trudie Leung. “I went about trying to find the
footage of it, which I did and I showed it to my parents, who had never seen themselves,” she said. “In those days, Ed Sullivan was live and no one had a VCR. It was really quite a gift to them, to be able to see themselves 50 years later.” Although she learned a lot from the process of making a film, Long said that it was also a major undertaking that required a large amount of time and commitment to see it through to completion. The documentary also gave Long another perspective to her craft. “I love acting but what I really am is a storyteller,” she said. “How do you tell a story? How do you convey it in the first 30 seconds or one minute of a film, that it’s going to compel people to not change the channel? That’s the challenge. And that to me is really interesting.” Long said that perseverance and perfecting your craft are necessary to make it as an actor, particularly to deal with rejection and other challenges that come in the world of show business. “If you really believe in yourself and you believe what you have to say is unique, go for it. You have to have that unrelenting drive underneath,” she said. Reach Reporter Joe Marvilli at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 125, jmarvilli@queenstribune.com, or @JoeMarvilli.
dutch kills Artist documents Shifting Surroundings BY JAckIE STRAwBRIdgE Dutch Kills is the subject of Salvador Espinoza’s photography, and it refuses to sit still for a portrait. Espinoza, a Dutch Kills resident for more than 30 years, is a fine arts photographer, photojournalist and member of Long Island City Artists. His project, “We Will Be Here,” documents the changing landscape of Dutch Kills, photo by photo. For Espinoza, “We Will Be Here” is somewhat personal, constituting in part his slipping grasp on the Dutch Kills he knew growing up. “Every time I would come [after moving away], I’d see a different building being knocked down or a new one being built, the landscape changing week to week,” Espinoza said. “All the places I’d known growing up were just disappearing, and I kept thinking to myself that someone should document what was going on.” He also remembered seeing a photography book published by the Greater Astoria Historical Society of
the area at the turn of the century. “That got me thinking about documenting Dutch Kills and what it was to people before this rezoning,” he said. In 2008, Dutch Kills was approved for rezoning that removed restrictions on residential development and conversations. Espinoza moved back to Dutch Kills from Sunnyside in 2010. He said, “[this project has] also made me reflect and come to terms with the fact that I cannot afford a home here and that unfortunately, I’ll have to look elsewhere.” Richard Mazda is a Long Island City artist and owner of the Secret Theatre. He told the PRESS of Southeast Queens in May that he has found an “amazingly diverse and talented group of artists that clustered around western Queens.” However, he added, “the possibility of the real estate boom is some of those artists might be moved out from higher rent.” “I’m not fundamentally opposed to development in Dutch Kills; as with all things evolution and change is vi-
tal,” Espinoza said. “I do think that going forward, when this kind of rezoning takes place, it’s important to consider the effect it has on working class neighborhoods.” Espinoza is constructing this project at a time when the transformation of Long Island City dominates the community consciousness. In late June, Community Board 1 voted to deny Alma Realty’s proposed development at Astoria Cove, unless a number of conditions – including increasing affordable housing units and promising to use local labor in construction – are met by developers. “I hope people could see that Dutch Kills, even with all the rezoning and development that has happened, was and still is a neighborhood made up of people who have strong ties to their community,” Espinoza said. “These weren’t people who decided to come here because it was trendy or to start businesses to make money off of tourists. They were here because of circumstance or they genuinely loved the area,” Espinoza added. “They
Salvador Espinoza’s “we will Be Here” documents the changing face of dutch kills. made the most out of what they could and in doing so they created a community that to me is really special.” According to Espinoza, the project is still growing and evolving. He is accepting photo submissions from the community and is interested in taking portraits of area residents. Interested parties should visit facebook.com/ dutchkillswewillbehere. Reach Reporter Jackie Strawbridge at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, jstrawbridge@queenstribune.com or @JNStrawbridge.
Page 10 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
QUEENS TODAY
THURSDAY 7/3
“ATTACK THE BLOCK”
Bayside Library will host a free screening of British sci-fi comedy, “Attack The Block,” starting at 11:15 a.m. This R-rated film is about a teenage street gang that fights off predatory alien invaders. Bayside Library is located at 214-20 Northern Blvd.
POETRY, FREEDOM AND YOU
At Flushing Library, poets and aesthetic realism consultants Margot Carpenter and Karen Van Outreyve explain the true poetry in “The Star-Spangled Banner,” as well as poems from Mother Goose, Edward Lear, Robert Louis Stevenson and more. The free event starts at 3 p.m.
FRIDAY 7/4
FOURTH OF JULY
For a listing of Fourth of July events, see page 4.
EMILY ASHER’S GARDEN PARTY
The Louis Armstrong House Museum will present an afternoon of jazz in Louis’ Garden at 2 p.m. Emily Asher’s Garden Party, a versatile musical ensemble led by Asher’s tenacious trombone and sweet vocals, will perform at the event. Tickets cost $18 per person and can be bought at www. louisarmstronghouse.org.
Call (718) 478-8274 for more information.
SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK
LORD, REVIVE THIS LAND
WEDNESDAY 7/9
Queens College will hold a three-day conference, starting on July 4, focused on the restoration of God and renewal in the Holy Spirit. Pastor Jeff Taguchi and Minister Tony Hsu from New Life Christian Center, Irvine, CA, will speak about connecting churches, sharing ministry experiences, equipping Christians and providing renewal in the Holy Spirit to build a radiant church. The event is free and takes place at the Goldstein Theatre.
SATURDAY 7/5
COOL HAND SEWING
Stop by the Maker Space on July 5 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for a chance to sew your own sunglasses case. You will learn how to measure and cut fabric, sew a few different hand stitches, and how to attach buttons, straps and other trimmings. If you already have a case for your sunglasses, you can learn how to sew a cool beach bag or hip pouch. Workshops are recommended for ages 6 and older and cost $5 per adult/child pair. Email rbingham@nysci.org or call (718) 699-0005.
SPACE ODYSSEY WEEKEND
The See It Big! sci-fi series at the Museum of the Moving Image concludes in spectacular fashion with ultrarare 70mm screenings of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey,” this Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for non-members and include access to the museum’s galleries and other same-day screenings. For information, call (718) 777-6800.
SUNDAY 7/6 THE BEAUTY OF KUNQU
Dezhang Wu and Ling Yang, resident artists of the Kunqu Society and students of its workshop, will present
“THE WIZARD OF OZ” Enjoy a night at Flushing Meadows Corona Park watching a 1939 classic. “The Wizard of Oz” will air in a free screening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the 111th Street Parking Lot in the park. Relive the magic of watching Dorothy travel to a magical land in a tornado and embark on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home.
highlights from Kunqu classics and introduce the art and beauty of Kunqu at the Flushing Library. This concert will take place in the lower level auditorium, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (718) 661-1200.
For more information, call (718) 235-4100.
WEDNESDAY 7/9
OUTDOOR CINEMA
COMMUNITY DAY AT NOGUCHI MUSEUM
Friends and neighbors are invited to visit the Noguchi Museum for free admission and a variety of programs. “Open Studio” will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A free public tour is offered at 2 p.m., and from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a special “Center of Attention” conversation focusing on a single work of art. For more information, call (718) 204-7088.
TOUR DE QUEENS
The 2014 Tour de Queens, presented by Jamis, offers New Yorkers the ultimate staycation. This year’s ride will start in iconic Flushing Meadows Corona Park, in the plaza between the Unisphere and the Queens Museum of Art. The tour will be approximately 20 miles, and will visit the great northeastern Queens neighborhoods of Flushing, East Flushing, Murray Hill, Auburndale, Bayside, Bay Terrace, Beechurst and Whitestone. The rest stop this year will be at Little Bay Park. More information is available at tourdequeens.org.
MONDAY 7/7
“LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL”
Whitestone Library will present a screening of the 1997 Italian tragicomedy, “Life Is Beautiful.” In
this WWII film, a carefree Jewish-Italian man named Guido (Roberto Benigni) moves to Arezzo, marries and has a son. Life is beautiful until his family is sent to a concentration camp, where, separated from his wife, Guido devises a game to help his son survive. The film will start at 3 p.m.
SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE
Starting Monday and running until July 13, Dance Entropy holds its annual Summer Dance Intensive at Green Space in Long Island City. The intensive is open to all dancers, actors and movement lovers of every type, and incorporates dance technique, choreography, nutrition and Pilates. $50 off early registration (before June 30). For more information, call (718) 9563037.
DANCING UNDER THE STARS FINALE
From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., celebrate the closing of Forest Park’s season of free ballroom dance lessons. A live performance by the Nick Russo Latin Jazz quintet will accompany the dancing. Admission is free.
Socrates Sculpture Park will show an outdoor screening of Moussa Touré’s “La Pirogue” on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The drama tells of 30 men and one woman who set out on an illegal, seven-day voyage from the coast of Senegal to Spain. The film begins at sundown and runs for 90 minutes. For more information, call (718) 956-1819.
THURSDAY 7/10 SUMMER RECITAL
The Metropolitan Opera’s popular Summer Recital Series returns with a free concert in Socrates Sculpture Park at 7 p.m. No tickets are required for the performance, which will feature arias and duets from a variety of operas, along with selections from the American Songbook sung by rising opera stars; soprano MaryJane Lee, mezzo-soprano Ginger Costa-Jackson, and baritone Yunpeng Wang, joined by pianist Dan Saunders. The performance will run approximately one hour. For additional information, please call (212) 362-6000 or visit the Met website at www.metopera. org/parks.
July 4-10, 2014 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 11
Profile
New Book Focuses On Power Of Love Jamaica author Okechukwu Okugo’s new book “Goliath and the Ant” proves that love can break all barriers including the barriers of the mind. “Goliath and the Ant” is about the developing love between Prince Odike and cocoyam farmer and peasant, Ngwamma. Being a prince, Odike has confidence in his abilities to change the world. He believes that no one should leave the world without making an impact. Ngwamma has a different view of herself and the world. She believes since she is small in stature and skew-eyed, she is the ugliest woman in the world. She does not see how her efforts influence her surroundings. When Odike falls in love with Ngwamma, he has a hard time convincing her of his love because of Ngwamma’s low self-esteem. He finds that he must change her orientation and mental attitude before their love can grow to become what it is meant to be. At the end of the day, Ngwamma begins to understand her self-worth and declares to Odike that love is stronger than anything because true love can
never die, but every other thing can die. The book reflects some of Okugo’s life philosophy. “What inspired me to write [‘Goliath and the Ant’] is I have always yearned to use drama to address some societal issues like constantly decaying morality and principled living and also to let everyone get ready for change because that is a constant reality of life,” he said. “I also wanted to revive Africans because they have always believed their problem is colonization whereas it is lack of technology.” He channels this by making the character of Odike someone who believes that the real value of education is to use the knowledge acquired to solve a problem for humanity through innovations and the constant application of new ideas. Okugo believes that ideas rule the world and those who cannot adapt in this rapidly changing world would soon be forced out of operation in whatever they do by being obsolete because in this new age, information is updated all the time.
Through the character of Ngwamma, Okugo emphasizes that when people have low self-esteem, they are not able to present themselves in the best way possible. Through the book, he shows that the mind is a powerful thing. The book also touches on the history of Japanese and Korean civilization through the impact of United States naval officer Matthew Perry in 1853 and how a reform in education played a major role in consolidating their development. Some pages in the book describes what Africa, US,
Japan and UK are known for, portraying that advancement is continuous and that those in both the countryside and the city need technology. “Goliath and the Ant” is Okugo’s fourth book. He has also written “The Blind Maiden,” “Poems from Africa to the World” and “Atanfe.” When he is not writing books that revolutionized modern African Literature, he works as a repairs and maintenance professional in communication devices. He studied Computer Electronics Engineering at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, and also had a Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, Afikpo and Ebonyi State. He is currently working on a compilation of 61 poems. Of “Goliath and the Ant” and how it will help Africans realize that technology is their problem, he said, “the main thing is to have a message and the more important is to devise a means to propagate the message then to let he who has ears hear.” — Esther Shittu
People and Nicole Mohan of South Richmond Hill were named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester at SUNY Geneseo.
Colin M. Nurse Jr. Air Force Airman 1st Class Colin M. Nurse Jr. graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles and skills. Nurse is the son of Colin Nurse Sr. of Queens Village. Brianna Allison of Queens Village
Local students received degrees during spring 2014 commencement ceremonies at Hofstra University. They include: Cambria Heights: Stephanie Canal. Jamaica: Sophia Behrmann, Maxine Legall, Javonne Morrison, Adriana Myles, Christina Sewell. Queens Village: Samuel Jenkins, Melissa Kempadoo, Gaitre Sackichand, Richard Stuart. St. Albans: Vanessa Vaughn. South Ozone Park: Valentine Francois, Aliya Hussain, Sasha Ramlal. South Richmond Hill: Ronald Sanchez. Springfield Gardens: Jameson Seymour. Asia Ewart of Queens Village and Steven McKenzie of Jamaica were named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester at The College of Saint Rose in Albany. Local students received degrees during spring 2014 commencement
ceremonies at SUNY New Paltz. They include: Jamaica: Elizabeth Colon, Gabriela Minueza, Farzana Rahman. Queens Village: Olutayo Oni. The New York Army National Guard has announced the promotion of members. Reisha Armstrong of Jamaica has been promoted to specialist. Tyker Ashley of Jamaica has been promoted to specialist. Chres Ayube of Jamaica has been promoted to staff sergeant. Ryan Bhoorasingh of Jamaica has been promoted to sergeant first class. Alex Chiqui of Queens Village has been promoted to private first class. Neketa Clarke of Laurelton has been promoted to staff sergeant. Shaun Clarke of Queens Village has been promoted to specialist. Travis Clarke of Queens Village has been promoted to specialist. Gregory Coty of Queens Village has been promoted to private first class. Christopher Dunn of Queens Village has been promoted to private first class. Shomari Ellis of Jamaica has been
promoted to private. Jeyson Garcia of Jamaica has been promoted to private first class. Devin Johnson of Rosedale has been promoted to specialist. Brandon Lomax of Jamaica has been promoted to sergeant. Tevin McLeary of South Ozone Park has been promoted to specialist. Devonte Morris of Jamaica has been promoted to private first class. Joel Reyes of South Ozone Park has been promoted to sergeant. Juan Rodriguez of Queens Village has been promoted to specialist. Orchain Salmon of Rosedale has been promoted to staff sergeant. Rachel Sharples of Rosedale has been promoted to private. Nazim Yusaf of Queens Village has been promoted to specialist. Adrienne A. Gordon has joined the United States Air Force under the Delayed Entry Program. The program gives young men and women the opportunity to enlist and delay going into basic military training for up to one year. Gordon is the daughter of Helena D. and Wenick A, Gordon of Jamaica.
Page 12 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
Faith
Pantry Warriors Provide Food To Community Deidre Sabai, a member of Hollis Presbyterian Church, is the driving force behind the Hollis Presbyterian Church Pantry WARRIORS. The WARRIORS, which stands for Warriors Against Recurring Results of Ineffective Outreach Resulting in Starvation, opened on Feb. 3 and provides food for the community each Monday. Sabai said she thought of the food pantry last year and decided that it was a good idea. “I thought it would be a good thing to do for people in community,” Sabai said. She did her research and contacted the New York Food Bank, who informed her that in order for the church to have a food pantry supplied from the New York Food Bank, they must first run the pantry by themselves for three months, partake in a food drive and assign board members to serve on the pantry. Once she received the informa-
tion, Sabai took her idea to her Pastor, Mark Chapman, who in turn approved the idea. “I approved it because of the need,” Chapman said. “We have a number of churches in our neighborhood with long lines. This indicated to me that the need was great. Our church also is striving to be more involved in the community.” According to Sabai, the church began the food drive around October 2012. The food drive was done in the church. “The food that we have comes from people from Church,” Sabai said. “We did the food drive in the church, sent out fliers and we started to do the food bank in October.” Sabai mentioned that there was a snowstorm on the day the pantry opened. She said that on that day, about 10 people showed up, which told her that if people are willing to come out in freezing weather, opening the Pantry was the right thing to do.
“Even if it had been one person, it was still the right thing to do,” Sabai said. “It’s a necessary thing that we do because people need food and if we close the pantry, then what are people going to do?” The Pantry Warriors consists of board members and volunteers who go to the church at 9 a.m. on Monday to bag the food handed to the community. According to Sabai, some of the people that work on the board go to different pantries located in different areas in Queens and they spread the word about the church pantry there. During the pantry, Sabai said that the board and volunteers get the names and numbers of household members from the people who come to partake in the pantry. “We get the number of people because that is the information the food bank requires, the statistic they want will help them to give us membership,” Sabai said. Once the Pantry Warriors receive
membership, they will get their food supply from the New York Food Bank. She also mentioned that Pantry Warriors recently just applied for membership. The Pantry Warriors do not only give out food. Sabai said that Pantry Warriors also has a thrift shop where they give out clothes that people have donated. During the pantry hours, Warriors also provide prayers to whoever asks for it. On July 12, Pantry Warriors are holding a food drive at the Pathmark on Merrick Boulevard and Springfield Bouelvard. Sabai encourages anyone who wishes to volunteer and be a part of Pantry Warriors, to come out and volunteer. The pantry takes place every Monday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Hollis Presbyterian Church, located at 100-50 196th St., Hollis. For more information about the Pantry, call Deidre Sabai at (718) 525-7399. —Esther Shittu
Notebook
Science Learning Center
Camp Teaches Kids About Plant, Animal Life The Eastern Queens Alliance will offer another session of the Idlewild Environmental Science Learning Center Half Day Environment Science (STEM) Camp for Youth, starting Monday, July 7. The program, according to project coordinator Tamara Mitchell, is an extension of the regular school workshops that Eastern Queens Alliance holds during its afterschool programs. This year, the Half Day Environment Science Camp theme is “Nature’s Balancing Act: How Plants and Animals Cycle through Life.” Each week, there will be different topics that fall under the umbrella theme. The topics that will be covered each week include ecosystems, plant life cycles, fish anatomy, fish metabolism, symbiosis and man’s impact on nature. “Every session that the kids attend camp is considered ‘workshops,’” Mitchell said. “Students are involved in a hands-on experience, which builds upon and is supplemental to their school’s curriculum. All workshops will utilize Idlewild Park Preserve as an outdoor laboratory.” She said that for the first half of
skills by designing and constructing their own wetland ecosystem and mini aquaponics system and many more experiments. Mitchell said the process of experiencing nature hands-on makes more Campers create PowerPoint presentations about nature and campers aware and exshare them with each other in the classroom. cited to tell their the day, students will be inside the parents what they learned. She said camp’s center, where they would that by the end of the program, all of learn about the basics of what they the students are interested in STEM would be doing. For the second half subjects, especially environmental of the day, the campers are taken out science, with their new found knowlto the field to do hands-on experi- edge. ments. “They are so enthused that they Campers will have the chance to never want to leave and enjoy exmeasure the water table of the wet- ploring the park with instructors lands, perform an analysis of the and everyday are excited to tell their different types of water found in parents about their adventures of the Idlewild’s Wetland Ecosystem (Salt- day,” Mitchell said. water vs. Freshwater), sample and The interest that the students gain compare soil, collect microbes in the in the environment goes beyond their saltmarsh and compare which water time at the camp. The camp and the characteristics are best for their sur- workshops help them in their everyvival, build upon their engineering day subjects at school as well.
“This program is designed to build children’s observation skills and their awareness of the environment while evolving their science, math, engineering and technology skills,” she said. “We’ve been told by parents of past participants that it helped their children to understand their school subject better and saw improvements in their willingness to learn and therefore grades.” The Idlewild Environmental Science Learning Center Half Day Environment Science (STEM) Camp for Youth will run from July 7 to August 15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each workshop will run for one week. The tuition for ages 9 to 12 is $32 per week, $90 for three weeks or $175 for the entire program. Camp will be in session for ages 9 to 12, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For ages 6 to 8, tuition is $24 per week, $68 for three weeks or $130 for the entire program and camp will be in session Tuesdays and Thursdays. Snacks are included in the tuition package. Preregistration is required for the camp and will be on a first come, first served basis. To register, call (347) 824-2301 or email idlewildESC@ easternqueensalliance.org.
July 4-10, 2014 PRESS of Southeast Queens Page 13
What’s Up
July 4 Independence Day Carnival Explosion
Jamaica. For more information, call (718) 634-1876.
The fourth of July celebration kicks off with Our Valued Commodity’s second annual Independence Day Carnival Explosion. The Carnival explosion will be held for four nights from July 3 to July 6. The carnival features numerous rides, games, food and live entertainment. Each night the carnival will begin at 5 p.m. and end at midnight. On July 5, there will be a free firework show at 9 p.m. The carnival will be held at Padavan-Preller Field, located at 23602 Hillside Ave., Bellerose. For more information, call (718) 465-2225 or visit www.ovcnyc.org.
Summer Reading Program
July 6 Sunday Concert
Meet with others living with metastatic cancer and exchange information, resources and experiences. This program will take place from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Queens Cancer Center of Queens Hospital, located at 82-68 164 St., Jamaica. For more information or to RSVP, call Carolina at 212-647-9700 x245.
Sunday Concerts at Central presents “The Traditions.” Watch Long Island’s Acapella group perform popular tunes from the 50s and 60s such as “Teardrops,” “(I’m on the) Outside Looking In” and more. The concert will be from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Queens Library-Central Branch, located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica. For more information, call (718) 990-0700.
July 7 Open lab Queens Library-Central Branch is holding an Open Lab between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. for job search, resume editing or computer practice. All participants are limited to three hours of lab time. Those wanting to use the computers must create a JobMap account at jobmap.queenslibrary.org. The Queens Library Central Branch is located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd.,
Teens are invited to explore the science behind art, music and the universe from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Summer fun includes sculpting, music lessons and trivia competitions. Preregistration is not required, but reading is! The fun will take place at the Queens Library Hollis Branch, located at 202-02 Hillside Ave., Hollis. For more information, call (718) 465-7355.
July 8 Metastatic Cancer Support Group
Small Business Workshop Do you have an idea for a business? Learn how to turn a business idea into a business plan in this workshop. Participants will learn to create a demand for a product or service, set goals and objectives, budget and schedule, identify resources and networks and get ready to open their own business. To register, visit jobmap.queenslibrary. org. The workshop is from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Queens LibraryCentral Branch, located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica. The class code is JR130. For more information, call 718-990-8625.
World Cup Fever
Q
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 14 PRESS of Southeast Queens July 4-10, 2014
poets oF QUeeNs
Angy Rivera
QConf is edited by: Steven J. Ferrari
In anticipation of the United States and Germany World Cup match last week, Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann wrote up a mock excuse note for employees to give to their managers to take the day off. The majority of us nineto-fivers laughed it off and wished our boss would accept an excuse like that. But, a couple of offices jumped on board and extended their lunchtime an hour to allow their workers to partake in the match. The Mayor’s Office tweeted out a picture of the entire staff breaking to enjoy the game and support the USA with the words, “We believe that we will win! Go Team #USA! #USAvsGER #OneNationOneTeam.” Gov. Andre w Cuomo tweeted out a letter to Coach
Klinsman that read: "I was pleased to read your letter providing American soccer fans with a form excuse to their boss requesting time off to watch the USA-Germany match today. "The State of New York stands strongly behind Team USA. Therefore, I am approving an extra hour of an extended lunch today for every New York State employee, beginning at 12 p.m., so they can root Team USA on to victory. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I wish you and the entire team the best of luck. New York believes that we will win. "Best regards, "Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo" Good thing the Governor’s and Mayor’s offices do not have important work to get done during the World Cup.
Mets Doc Needs Funding The wild adventure that was the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets could be coming to the big screen with your help. Heather Quinlan, a long time Mets fan, has started a Kickstarter campaign to fund a movie about the 1986 New York Mets run to its World Series championship. That year’s team featured a cast of characters, including Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling. Among the memorable moments that occurred that year include Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner letting a ground ball slip underneath his glove and out into right field. The Mets ended up winning the championship after that play and continuing the Red Sox’ infamous run of not winning the World Series, which they subsequently ended in 2004. Quinlan has reportedly
interviewed some members of the Mets that year, including Strawberry, Gooden and Mookie Wilson, but is looking for money to continue the project. According to the Kickstarter page for the film, she is looking for $50,000 for the film and has raised a little over $3,600 for the documentary as of press time. Quinlan has produced other movies such as “If These Knishes Could Talk,” which is about the New York accent. Let’s get some money raised so that Quinlan can tell the story of what is the most memorable team in Mets history!
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We Know How To Tip
If you’ve been ordering takeout here in the Borough, chances are you’ve got some good karma coming your way. According to data compiled by the online food delivery site GrubHub, Queens eaters are among the best delivery tippers in the City – especially generous neighborhoods include Sunnyside (ranking fourth in the City), Flushing (ranking eighth) and Astoria (fifteenth). Queens itself is the secondbest tipping borough, leaving an average 14.9 percent on the tab and beat out by Brooklyn by only one-tenth of a percent. When the food is as good as it is in our Borough, it only makes sense that hungry residents would want to show their appreciation to the intrepid deliverymen and women bringing it to their doorsteps. Some of the City’s wealthiest neighborhoods also turn out to be – perhaps not coincidentally – full of Scrooges. The richest portion of the Upper East Side doesn’t even rank in the top 20, to which we here at QConf can only say, “no soup for you!”
Angy Rivera (right) with her mother, Maria Yolanda Rivera.
There are many outlets available to deal with issues going on in one’s life. Angy Rivera, a Flushing resident, gets through her life experiences by turning them into poetry. The writing form allows her to speak her mind more freely than she can in other mediums. “It can be difficult for me to express myself otherwise. Poetry allows me to write out all my feelings in full or incomplete sentences, without any structure, research or bibliographies,” she said. Poetry became a large part of Rivera’s life when she was in high school. It was during this time that she learned how much her undocumented immigrant status would affect her life. Rivera immigrated from Colombia in 1994. Besides immigration, Rivera has also written about other subjects that matter to her, such as social justice, women’s rights and gentrification. Gentrification is the subject of one of her latest poems, “Community Not Condominiums.” Rivera said that she is frustrated and saddened by the shift towards wealthier residents. “Flushing is filled with immigrants and people like me who are just trying to make it by with their families. Their determination to make it is what I wish to capture through this poem,” she said. "Community Not Condominiums" Last stop last stop Stand clear of the closing doors Two blocks up from the last stop you can buy four dollar sushi roles Hot pot dinners Fried and steamed dumplings Buy 1 get 1 free taro, coconut, apple, chocolate, mango bubble teas milk tea, and green tea
Busy mall Chinese New Year Dim sum Moon festivals Red decorations Admiring the dragon racing up and down the streets It’s a tradition There are no strangers here This is community How will Doña MarÍa sell her tamales, arepas, café y chocolate When the streets become businesses she cannot pronounce Will her café con leche compete with Starbucks? These signs of a cleaner and safer Queens erase the resiliency already here We weren’t dirty to begin with Will her house stand untouched during gentrification? My childhood is splattered across the windows of houses and buildings in Queens Woodside, Corona, Elmhurst, Roosevelt and Flushing Home away from home The only communities that have nurtured my growth Where I met Mexican and Dominican food Where I learned to play dominoes and heard Bachata playing from the neighbor’s window Home away from home Where I was welcomed since I was 4 Español spoken on my block I never felt alone or scared Community not condominiums There are no strangers here Doña MarÍa packs up her truck Her casita awaits Tomorrow will be a new day Filled with hopes that these streets will always stay the same
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JULY 13TH A HEALTHIER YOU? IT’S AS EASY AS A WALK IN THE PARK. On your mark, get set, step! On July 13th, New Yorkers will be taking more than 1 million small steps toward healthier living during the EmblemHealth Any K. With plenty of free giveaways and music from your favorite local DJs, it’s the summer event you won’t want to miss! Join us at any of our official locations or anywhere else in the neighborhood – you decide. We’ll celebrate your start with a free t-shirt* and a chance to win a pair of Brooklyn Nets suite tickets. Sign up for free today!
REGISTER NOW smallsteps.emblemhealth.com/anyk
*T-Shirts will be given to the first 500 registrants to participate at an official location. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of New York State, 18+ as of the date of entry. Ends 7/13/14. Subject to Official Rules at www.smallsteps.emblemhealth.com. Sponsor: EmblemHealth, New York, NY.
Group Health Incorporated (GHI), HIP Health Plan of New York (HIP), HIP Insurance Company of New York and EmblemHealth Services Company, LLC are EmblemHealth companies. EmblemHealth Services Company, LLC provides administrative services to the EmblemHealth companies. Neighborhood Care is a division of EmblemHealth. ©EmblemHealth Inc. 2014, All Rights Reserved.