Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday announced the groundbreaking of the $150 million Jamaica Hospital Emergency Department expansion and modernization project. The project will build a new stateof-the-art emergency department, creating the only Level 1 trauma center in the area and adding two new critical care units with 22 new ICU beds. The funding was awarded through the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program IV. Hochul made the announcement at a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning alongside Jamaica Hospital leadership, elected officials and local community leaders.
The original Jamaica Hospital Emergency Department was designed to handle 60,000 patients annually, however currently serves closer to 120,000 patients per year, not factoring in the increased visits it experienced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. After almost a decade of planning, the expansion and modernization project was able to move forward after Jamaica Hospital was awarded $150 million through Statewide IV. The project will construct a new 48,534 square foot facility on an adjacent property now being used as a parking lot for physicians.
Among the 13 Level 1 Trauma Centers in New York City, this project will enable Jamaica Hospital to build an expanded and modernized emergency department to adequately meet the community's needs.
The Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program is aimed at supporting efforts to reduce health care costs and improve the health outcomes of New Yorkers by expanding access to inpatient, primary, preventative, and other ambu-
latory care services as part of regionally integrated health care delivery systems. These awards are also focused on projects which will help ensure the financial sustainability of safety net health care providers, and the preservation or expansion of essential health care services. Statewide IV was established in the FY2023 Budget and authorized up to $200 million for emergency department modernizations of regional significance.
To receive funding, hospitals needed to demonstrate how the proposed project will strengthen and protect continued ac-
cess to health care services in communities.
Only Level 1 Trauma Centers serving a high percentage of Medicaid patients were eligible to apply. Level 1 Trauma Centers provide the highest level of trauma care to critically ill or injured patients.
“Jamaica Hospital is a premier trauma center, and the only trauma center in the Southeast Queens area near JFK airport,” City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (ROzone Park). “Their emergency department has been steadily growing over-utilized – a problem made even worse by a
number of hospital closures in the area in recent years. The expansions and upgrades that this project will provide are desperately needed and will go a long way towards improving the quality of care that Queens residents receive. As someone who has worked very closely with Jamaica Hospital in the past, I have seen first-hand how hard the staff there works, and with these new amenities at their disposal I am confident that we will be seeing even greater things from these dedicated professionals – great things which will lead to a brighter future for everyone in the borough and beyond.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Reeaz Khan pleaded guilty on Tuesday to murder and other charges in the attack of a 92-year-old woman walking near her Richmond Hill home in January 2020.
Khan threw the elderly victim to the ground and sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene on foot.
Khan, 24, of Richmond Hill, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and attempted rape in the first degree. Justice Kenneth Holder indicated that he would sentence Khan on July 6 to 22 years to life on the murder charge and eight years in prison on the attempted rape charge.
According to the charges:
Khan was seen on video surveillance footage approaching Maria Fuertes, 92, from be-
hind as she walked on 127th Avenue on Jan. 6, 2020, at approximately 12:01 a.m. Video shows them both dropping to the ground.
Approximately five minutes later, Khan is seen on the video footage with his pants undone and running off.
At approximately 2:14 a.m., Fuertes was found by a passerby who called 911. The victim, whose dress was lifted to her chest, was barely conscious and incoherent when she was taken to a local hospital, where she later died. Doctors found that Fuertes had sustained two fractures to her spine, two rib fractures, bruising to her neck and chest and other injuries.
An autopsy determined Fuertes died from blunt force trauma and hypothermia.
“This defendant savagely attacked a defenseless, elderly woman and left her to die on the freezing pavement,” Katz said. “He rightly will be sentenced to a long prison term.”
Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday kicked off the Jewel Streets Neighborhood Plan, an effort to deliver much-needed quality of life improvements to the “Jewel Streets” neighborhood, also known as “the Hole,” on part of the Brooklyn/Queens border.
Backed by more than $75 million in initial funding, the Adams administration’s planning process aims to bring resiliency measures to this chronically flood-prone area, improve street infrastructure and pedestrian safety, and create new, affordable housing and economic opportunity for residents of this 12-block neighborhood that straddles East New York in Brooklyn and Lindenwood in Queens and has long suffered from flooding and been deprived of public investment.
Building on more than a year of engagement with elected officials, community members, and local organizations like the East New York Community Land Trust and the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other city agencies, will present ideas to the community for alleviating flooding, build stable and affordable housing on vacant cityowned land, and create economic opportunities.
Because the neighborhood is a low-lying area without comprehensive stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure, residents experience yearround flooding, even on sunny days. Most streets in the neighborhood today contain open industrial uses or overgrown, vacant lots, including a 17-acre City-owned site. And though wild plants grow tall along street edges, industrial uses and septic tank leaks have contaminated the land and groundwater. Pedestrian safety has also been an ongoing challenge, with few sidewalks or crosswalks available for pedestrians and tractor trailers, recreational vehicles, and other abandoned vehicles frequently stored on the street.
Beginning this month, the Adams administration will kick off a community planning proposal
where residents will be able to weigh in on a series of tools to address flooding, including a bluebelt and a drainage pond to divert rainwater from sewers; green infrastructure, like rain gardens to provide additional capacity to absorb rainwater; upgraded sewers with expanded capacity to serve as the first line of defense against flooding from rain events; and additional supportive tools such as raised streets. Community members will also have an opportunity to share perspectives on ways the city can make streetscape upgrades to improve safety and connectivity to nearby neighborhoods, create affordable housing on city-owned land, stimulate the creation of good jobs and community amenities, and develop a long-term land use and zoning plan.
In partnership with the community, the administration will develop targeted resiliency strategies for the respective areas north and south of Linden Boulevard. The city has received $2.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds that will go towards planning work around resiliency measures and affordable housing creation. For the northern area, the administration is investing $72.8 million in new and upgraded resiliency infrastructure. In the southern area, community engagement will inform efforts to redirect water to Jamaica Bay and reduce current and future flood risk, explore green infrastructure to further reduce flooding, build new affordable housing, and create retail space and goodpaying jobs.
The planning process, which will cover both sides of Linden Boulevard, is organized around five core goals:
• Build resilient, green infrastructure and improve community resilience.
• Outline a community-supported vision for city-owned land, including a 17-acre vacant lot.
• Improve street infrastructure, pedestrian safety, and connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods.
• Facilitate the creation of jobs, community services, and amenities.
• Develop a long-term land use plan for the Jewel Streets.
Following a three-week trial in Brooklyn, a jury has convicted three defendants—including a Queens resident and a retired NYPD sergeant—of multiple counts of a superseding indictment charging them with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as illegal agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without prior notification to the attorney general, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace announced Tuesday.
Michael McMahon was convicted of acting as an illegal agent of the PRC, conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and interstate stalking. Borough resident Zhu Yong, 66, also known as “Jason Zhu,” was convicted of conspiracy to act as an illegal agent of the PRC, acting as an illegal agent of the PRC, conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and interstate stalking. Zheng Congying was convicted of conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and interstate stalking.
McMahon and Zhu knowingly acted at the direction of PRC government officials to conduct surveillance and engage in a campaign to harass, stalk, and coerce certain residents of the U.S. to return to the PRC as part of a global and extralegal repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.” Zheng engaged in interstate stalking of the same victims, leaving a threatening note at their residence.
As proven at trial, between approximately 2016 and 2019, the defendants participated in an international campaign with members of the PRC government as part of “Operation Fox Hunt” to threaten, harass, surveil, and intimidate John Doe #1 and his family, to force John Doe #1 and his wife, Jane Doe #1, to return to the PRC. In or around 2015, the PRC government caused the International Criminal Police Organization (also known as “Interpol”),
an inter-governmental law enforcement organization, to issue “Red Notices” for John Doe #1 and Jane Doe #1, alleging that both persons were wanted by the PRC government on corruption-related charges.
Zhu hired McMahon, 55, a retired NYPD sergeant working as a private investigator, who obtained detailed information about John Doe #1, his wife, and his daughter from a law enforcement database and other government databases, then re-
ported back to Zhu and others, including a PRC police officer, what he had learned.
McMahon also conducted surveillance outside the New Jersey home of John Doe #1’s sister-in-law and provided Zhu and PRC officials with detailed reports of what he had observed. The operation was supervised and directed by several PRC officials, including co-conspirators Hu Ji, a PRC police officer with the Wuhan Public Security Bureau, and Tu Lan, a PRC prosecutor with the Wuhan Procuratorate.
In April 2017, Tu Lan and Hu Ji transported John Doe #1’s then-82-year-old father from the PRC to the New Jersey home of John Doe #1’s sister-in-law to attempt to convince John Doe #1 to return to the PRC. The testimony established that John Doe #1’s father was brought by a PRC doctor and charged co-conspirator, Li Minjun, and that while John Doe #1’s father was in the country, his daughter was threatened with jailing in the PRC. A co-conspirator conducted surveillance of the home during the visit, wearing night-vision goggles provided by the PRC doctor and PRC prosecutor. McMahon tailed John Doe #1 from the meeting with his elderly father, back to his home, and provided John Doe #1’s address—which was previously unknown— to the PRC operatives.
When sentenced, McMahon faces up to 20 years in prison; Zhu faces up to 25 years in prison; and Zheng faces up to 10 years in prison.
Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a major American health concern. It is responsible for 1 out of every 3 deaths in this country. There are over 2 million strokes and heart attacks reported every year. Hypertension (high blood pressure) and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) are primary contributing CV health risks. These conditions affect more than 80 million Americans each year. Along with the huge loss of life comes the tremendous financial burden resulting from cardiovascular disease.
Because of the crush imposed by cardiac diseases on the economy, Medicare, Medicaid and private payers, have really applied the push for health-care teams to manage disease collectively and efficiently.
is an essential piece in saving the lives of patients.
At your local pharmacy there exists a real opportunity to learn about your meds. Not only what they do for your conditions, and safeguarding that you always have the ample supply you need, but whether you’re on the right one, at the appropriate dose. Another component monitored by your pharmacist is the possibility of any potential drug interactions between your particular medications.
By Forum StaffMayor Eric Adams, City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David Banks, and The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix Matos Rodriguez on Wednesday announced a historic expansion of technology-career pipelines for city students, including through major commitments from tech giant Google.
DOE and CUNY will partner with Google as the first tech-anchor employer partner for the FutureReadyNYC initiative, providing career-connected learning opportunities, including career discovery programming, paid work-based learning experiences, and mentorship from tech professionals, Adams noted.
FutureReadyNYC is part of the DOE’s larger Student Pathways Initiative that works with employer partners to connect students to high-growth careers, with a goal of ensuring students have access to work experience and an early college credit or credential that sets them up for economically secure futures.
The announcement comes alongside a new $19 million investment for 100 FutureReadyNYC high schools. Google will also serve as an inaugural partner for the CUNY Tech Equity initiative, which will expand tech-focused career awareness from the first day on campus, advance curriculum innovation, increase the number of paid internships, and grow employer engagement with campuses, Adams administration officials said.
Google is offering its Data Analytics Certificate program to help students prepare for jobs in one of the nation's fastest growing fields, and will provide teacher training for the 2023-2024 school year. Google will also serve as an inaugural partner for the CUNY Tech Equity initiative, which will expand tech-focused career awareness from the first day on campus, advance curriculum innovation, increase the number of paid internships, and grow employer engagement with
campuses. Google’s leadership will serve on the industry advisory commission to ensure that curriculum meets industry standards.
“There is tremendous talent in our public schools, and this vital work allows us to mold the next generation of professional leaders that will revolutionize not just our city, but our country as well,” Banks said.
FutureReadyNYC is an example of the Adams administration’s “Pathways to an Inclusive Economy,” blueprint in action. The blueprint — also released on Wednesday — aims at enhancing talent development, job training, and employment services in the city. The blueprint, developed by the Future of Workers Task Force — and established by Adams in Executive Order 22 last summer — focuses on five core strategies to advance an employer-driven workforce training system, prepare New Yorkers for long-term career success, and ensure that city employers can tap the talent they need. One of the core strategies, reflected in Wednesday’s announcement, involves expanding the public and private partnerships needed to achieve citywide talent and workforce objectives through an empowered and reconstituted New York City Workforce Development Board. The blueprint also emphasizes increasing the access and availability of apprenticeships, launching a public/private talent investment fund, defining shared impact metrics to monitor performance, and improving the user experience for employers engaging with public workforce services.
Adams noted that his administration has already made investments in career readiness and employment programs since taking office, including expanding the Summer Youth Employment Program; providing $33 million to support career pathways in public schools; and launching initiatives to promote workplace accessibility, tech careers, and nursing education.
Interested employers that want to participate in FutureReadyNYC can find out more by contacting FutureReadyNYC@schools. nyc.gov and TechEquity@cuny.edu.
The role of the pharmacist here is very clear: ensuring cardiac patients are compliant with their meds thereby preventing hospital readmissions.
Cardiac medications include many types of drugs including Lipid-Lowering Therapies like statins and cholesterol absorption inhibitors, Blood Pressure Meds like Beta Blockers, Diuretics and ACE inhibitors and Thyroid meds like Levothyroxine. These are just a few of the myriad of meds that a cardiac patient can face.
With new drugs constantly turning up, physicians are realizing the value of pharmacists'' expertise in medications– it
The role of the pharmacist as a member of your cardiac health-care team is recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) which both recommend a team-based approach, which includes pharmacists, in the treatment of hypertension.
Community pharmacists are making a huge difference by provide services like blood pressure screenings, as well as offering advice to patients on many lifestyle issues, such as diet and exercise. You can turn to us with any difficulty you’re experiencing, even when trying to stop smoking.
The bottom line is that your pharmacist is in an ideal position to help manage blood pressure and cholesterol medication therapy. Talk to us and take the opportunity to get heart healthy!
For your family’s prescription needs, please call CROSS BAY CHEMIST at 718-659-9500 or 718-880-1644
The City Department of Transportation this week began work on safety improvements on the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge.
According to DOT, this work will: upgrade corridor markings, improve safety, reduce speeding, and upgrade bike lanes.
Specifically, the project will: upgrade the southbound bike line to a two-way protected bike lane; upgrade northbound bike lane to a protected bike lane; and add painted pedestrian islands.
Straphangers will soon be able to give the Metropolitan Transportation Authority a piece of their minds—online.
The MTA on Monday reminded the public that comments on proposed changes to fares and tolls can be submitted online, as outlined at the MTA Board Finance Committee in May. In addition, a series of four hybrid public fare hearings will be held next week between Thursday, June 22 and Monday, June 26. All hearings will take place in person at MTA Headquarters located at 2 Broadway, New York, on the 20th Floor in the William J. Ronan Board Room and will be streamed live via Zoom and YouTube. Members of the public who wish to speak can provide comments either in person or via Zoom. The MTA Board will vote on the fare and toll changes in July 2023 with changes expected to go into effect no later than Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.
After a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, the MTA is resuming its practice of adopting fare and toll increases every other year – a modest and predictable increase that helps to keep up with inflation. The planned 2023 fare change is in line with the standard biennial 4-percent increase in fare revenue, rather than 5.5 percent thanks to the $65 million secured by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature in the State budget.
Members of the public who wish to only view the hearings online may access the event live at the respective links below.
There will be four hybrid public hearings, each lasting three to four hours, to receive comments on the proposed changes to MTA fares at the dates and times below.
Thursday, June 22, 2023, 10:00 a.m. –2:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 22, 2023, 6:00 p.m. –9:00 p.m.
Friday, June 23, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Monday, June 26, 2023, 6:00 p.m. –9:00 p.m.
The MTA will make accommodations for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people who are blind or have low vision, and people who require language assistance or other accommodations.
Those who wish to speak in person or virtually must pre-register online or call the
Public Hearing Hotline at 646-252- 6777. All speakers will have two minutes to provide comments.
Registration for each public hearing opened Saturday, June 3 and will close at the start of the hearing.
If you register to speak online, you may join the scheduled hearing either online or by phone. See here for more details. In addition to providing verbal comments at the hearings, comments may be submitted online, by email, mail, and phone.
Online: Customers can submit a written or video comment here: https://contact.mta.info/s/forms/public-hearingform?Id=a0g8z0000001yUA
Mail: MTA Government & Community Relations
Attn: Fare Hearings, 2 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10004
Phone: (646) 252-6777, telephone agents are available from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
All comments will be made part of the public record and shared with the MTA Board for review.
New York City Transit Proposals
The base fare for subway, local buses and paratransit would increase 15 cents, from $2.75 to $2.90 and the Express Bus base fare would increase from $6.75 to $7.
Unlimited Ride Passes
• 7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard: Increase from $33 to $34
• 7-Day Express Bus Plus Unlimited Bus
Plus Pass: Increase from $62 to $64
• 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard: Increase from $127 to $132
Senior Citizen, Disabled, Student Reduced Fare, and Paratransit Zero Fare discount policies remain unchanged.
The MTA is considering modifying the fare capping pilot with OMNY to make taking mass transit more flexible.
The proposed change would allow the best fare to be guaranteed over a rolling 7-day period instead of the current fixed Monday through Sunday period. With this change, customers would be guaranteed never to pay more than the cost of a Weekly Unlimited Ride MetroCard no matter what day of the week they begin tapping – and without the burden of pre-paying.
monthly transit fares. One-way tickets for MTA-managed connecting services would also change.
Policies regarding the calculation of onboard fares and refunds would remain unchanged.
CityTicket Pilot Options
CityTicket currently offers railroad customers a $5 flat-fare ticket to travel within New York City, but it is limited to weekends and during weekday off-peak periods. The proposed change would introduce a Peak CityTicket for travel during commute times for $7, a significant discount from the current peak fares for city travel, which are as high as $10.75. The new CityTicket would be valid for travel between all 23 LIRR stations or 15 Metro-North stations located within New York City. The Peak CityTicket would be the first discounted CityTicket option that is valid to Manhattan terminals during commute hours, a significant expansion from the Atlantic Ticket, which limits discounted peak travel only for trips between Atlantic Terminal and select stations in Southeast Queens and Brooklyn.
The benefit of the Atlantic Ticket would effectively be folded and expanded into the new CityTicket. As such, both the $5 OneWay Atlantic Ticket and $62 Weekly Atlantic Ticket may be discontinued. Additionally, the commuter railroad fare structure would be standardized and simplified for all customers traveling within city limits.
The MTA is also developing a special CityTicket for customers traveling to/from Far Rockaway on the LIRR at the same price as the CityTicket.
Island
Monthly and weekly tickets, which are priced based on distance traveled, would increase around 4 percent on both railroads. Monthly ticket fares would not exceed $500. Thanks to the additional 10 percent discount the MTA implemented in March 2022, monthly and weekly fares would remain lower than they were preCOVID.
The discount for traveling off-peak would be standardized to a 26 percent discount from the peak fare across both railroads. Until now, Metro-North’s discount was 25 percent and LIRR’s 27.5 percent.
Other ticket types would increase over a wide range; however, any ticket increase greater than 6 percent would be held to a maximum increase of 50 cents per trip.
LIRR and Metro-North would continue to offer UniTicket fares to travel on both commuter rail and connecting bus and ferry services. Changes in those fares would be based in part on changes to weekly and
The 20-Trip Peak ticket, introduced in 2022 to encourage infrequent customers to commute more regularly, may be maintained, modified to a lower discount percentage, or discontinued as post-COVID travel patterns continue to return to normal.
MTA is considering two options for changes to tolls.
• Option 1 would increase all toll rates by 7 percent.
• Option 2 would increase toll rates 6 percent for customers using an E-ZPass issued by the New York Customer Service Center, which serves MTA Bridges and Tunnels, the New York State Thruway Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. For customers paying with an out-of-state E-ZPass or who choose to be tolled by mail, toll rates would increase 10 percent.
The existing toll discount programs for Rockaways/Broad Channel residents using the Cross Bay Bridge and Staten Island residents using the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge would remain in effect.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the Asylum Application Help Center, which will offer thousands of asylum seekers assistance completing and filing asylum applications.
While the tens of thousands of migrants that have arrived in the five boroughs over the last year seeking shelter have already been paroled into the country by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, many have not officially filled out their asylum applications, delaying their eligibility for work authorization.
Opening in the coming weeks — in consultation with immigration legal service providers and with the initial pro-bono support of the law firms Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP; and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP — the Asylum Application Help Center will help thousands of asylum seekers currently in New York City apply for asylum, bringing them one step closer to being eligible for work authorization. Interested asylum seekers will schedule a one-on-one appointment at the application help center, where trained application assistants will work with the applicant to answer questions. Experienced immigration lawyers will be on site to supervise application assistants and provide guidance, and interpreters will be on site to provide in-person language assistance.
Adams also encouraged New Yorkers interested in working at the Asylum Application Help Center to apply immediately.
“We must act swiftly to ensure the well-being of the
thousands of migrants whose deadline to submit an asylum application is fast approaching, and this center will help us do that,” Adams said.
According to the administration, the Asylum Application Help Center will operate Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the American Red Cross Greater New York
headquarters in Midtown Manhattan by appointment only. The city continues to expand access to immigration assistance for recently arrived immigrants through ongoing and increased investments in its network of contracted immigration legal services providers. In addition to the Asylum Application Help Center, the city will invest $5 million to continue supporting a range of legal providers, including Lutheran Social Services, African Services Committee, Catholic Charities Community Services, and the Pro Se Plus Project (comprised of the New York Legal Assistance Group, Central American Legal Assistance, UnLocal, African Communities Together, Masa, and Catholic Migration Services) operating pro se clinics and hosting information sessions at the American Red Cross Greater New York headquarters.
In the coming weeks, the other support services offered at the Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center — currently operating at the American Red Cross Greater New York headquarters — will transition to the City’s Asylum Seeker Arrival Center based out of The Roosevelt Hotel. These services include City Department of Education school enrollment, Fair Fares enrollment, IDNYC, health insurance enrollment, and access to mental health counseling.
Helping asylum seekers to file asylum applications was first raised in Adams’ “The Road Forward: A Blueprint to Address New York City’s Response to the Asylum Seeker Crisis,” released this spring.
Since this humanitarian crisis began, the City has opened a total of 175 emergency sites to provide shelter to asylum seekers, including 11 additional large-scale relief centers.
By Michael V. Cusenza
PS/MS 146 students, family, faculty, administrators and staff joined area elected officials and community leaders earlier this month for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting to unveil The Howard Beach School’s sparkling new Outdoor Learning Center and Gratitude Garden.
“We are so proud of this beautiful outdoor space that we created for our school community,” School Sustainability Coordinator Jodi Tucci said. “Our amazing Principal Danielle Cross had a vision and a wish. And we helped make this wish come true with a lot of hard work and donations from friends and family. We worked before school and after school we called on our friends to lend a helping hand.
“We know that our Mayor Eric Adams has a citywide initiative to focus on sustainability in the NYC public school system,” Tucci continued. “We hope we inspire other teachers at their schools to create this type of outdoor learning space for their schools. With a little love and a lot of hard work they can do it.”
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (ROzone Park) added, “The Outdoor Learning Center and Gratitude Garden at PS 146 is a beautiful addition to one of our community schools. Cheers to the garden team and Principal Cross on a job well done. It is my honor to be able to allocate $10,000 for the next school year to maintain and add to this amazing project.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Friday that James Fraley has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempted murder and drug and weapons possession charges in the 2021 shooting of a deli owner in Briarwood and the subsequent discovery of a large quantity of heroin in his home.
Fraley was on lifetime parole for a 1989 murder conviction.
Fraley, 73, of St. Albans, was convicted last month by a jury of attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second
degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Gary Miret imposed Friday’s determinate sentence of 25 years in prison to be followed by five years’ post-release supervision.
According to the charges and trial testimony:
On Aug. 12, 2021, at approximately 2 p.m., Fraley entered the Rojas Deli on Hillside Avenue, ordered a sandwich and then shot the owner, Rufino Rojas-Flores, in the chest. He then turned the gun on the owner’s daughter, who was working behind the counter, and demanded the money in
the register.
The daughter gave him between $100 and $200 cash and Fraley fled. A deli worker chased him on Hillside Avenue toward the Parsons Boulevard subway stop.
Surveillance video footage showed the worker running after an older man and also captured Fraley in the subway stop. The NYPD created a wanted poster from the video.
On Aug. 17, an officer recognized Fraley from the wanted poster as he got into a car. The officer pulled Fraley over for a traffic violation and arrested him.
When detectives went to Fraley’s home, they found a.357-caliber revolver, a.380-
caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with six rounds of ammunition, and a safe containing more than 12 ounces of heroin. Drug paraphernalia, including hundreds of glassine envelopes, were also discovered in the home.
Rojas-Flores was treated at the hospital for injuries to his liver from the gunshot wound.
“A violent predator very nearly shot a small business owner to death for less than $200, and the guns and drugs found in his home pointed to more bloodshed and devastation ahead,” Katz said. “The debt he will have to pay to society is a long prison sentence.”
We do need police reform and reform of the entire justice system.
• One: we need to change the culture and premise of policing. Our basic police system was designed in the mid-1800s — a different time and place. Today, it’s estimated that less than 10 percent of police officers’ time is actually fighting violent crime. We need a different vision, we need to rethink how we police — 911 calls signal an emergency, and we need more specialized and better trained emergency responders for different needs: domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health, homeless issues, gang problems as well as violent crime in progress.
• Second: We need dangerous guns off the streets and all guns away from dangerous and mentally ill people. By far, most gun crimes are committed in urban areas with handguns.
We need to reduce not increase concealed weapons in our cities.
We need to keep guns out of the hands of anyone under 21.
We need to fill gaps in the background check system so it’s universal and nationwide.
And we need to bring back the assault weapons ban because weapons of war have no place on our streets or in our communities. Assault weapons enable the horrific mass shootings that continue to plague our country.
• Third: We need to reduce recidivism. The vast majority of violent crimes are repeated by a small number of people who keep hurting others over and over.
• Fourth: We need to have more effective alternatives to incarceration, safer jails, but dangerous and repetitive violent people must be taken off the streets to protect all Americans, and in particular for the most vulnerable who are disproportionately victimized by violence and crime in Black and brown communities.
• Fifth: We have to stop over criminalizing petty, non-violent acts. 80 percent of crimes are for misdemeanors, and many are
petty non-violent acts. And some charges are deliberately vague and are subject to discretion that can be abused by police, like loitering, vagrancy, trespass, or failure to pay a fine. In fact, some of the most horrific examples of police abuse occurred when a minor crime arrest escalated: Eric Garner killed for selling loose cigarettes; Rodney King beaten within an inch of his life for speeding; George Floyd killed for a bad
$20 bill; Alton Sterling killed for selling CDs; Philando Castile killed for a broken taillight; and, Michael Brown killed for jaywalking.
We believe that the time to act is now. These specific categories of civil rights have been violated for too long and the time to make a difference is surely too short. As a nation we cannot afford to remain silent about extremists’ hatred, violence, crime, and the fear-filled deterioration of American cities and towns.
This is for us a sense of urgency and civic responsibility. We have decided to work and act together, and to speak out publicly with recommended commonsense solutions to crime, violence, guns, and police reform that we know the majority of the American people support.
Cuomo served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021.
Chavis, Jr. is president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. The above op-ed, which has been edited for space, first appeared in Black Press USA.
hours are negotiable. We are seeking a candidate who uses the app daily and understands what resonates. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest to doug@nynewspapers.com explaining their qualifications and expertise. Include the name of the college you attend, expected year of graduation, and the names of three references — at least one of whom is one of your professors or instructors. Attaching sample videos encouraged. Application deadline is April 1, 2023.
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Notice of formation of Charles Warner Digital LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York on March 07, 2018. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC. 98-25 Horace Harding Expressway #12G, Corona, NY 11368. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
FRESH ON TOP LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/14/23. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Karl Garcia 4317 220th St Queens NY 11361. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
HK KINGDOM LLC Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/10/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to HENRY FERRERAS, 13201 ROOSEVELT AVENUE, SUITE 818063, FLUSHING, NY, 11354, USA. General Purpose
Notice of formation of TASTEMAKER STUDIO LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York on 04/21/2023. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC TO: The Limited Liability Corporation 6933 218 th Street, Oakland Gardens, NY, 11364 USA.. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
ATCO MATT FOOTING LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/18/23. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ANGEL CARDENAS, 3728 100TH STREET FL1, CORONA, NY, 11368USA. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
JONADOSH BOXING PROMOTION LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/11/2023. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: JONATHAN OLUWASHEYI ODUSHOLA, 14838 236TH STREET, ROSEDALE, NY, 11422. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Notice of Qualification of CTC Triangle (USA) EC LLC. Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/13/23. Office location: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 03/22/22. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 103 Foulk Rd., Ste. 202, Wilmington, DE 19803 Attn: Pamela Jasinski, also the address to be maintained in DE. Arts of Org. filed with the DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activities.
PRESTIGE HOME CONTRACTORS LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/10/23. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 214-83 Jamaica Avenue, Queens Village, NY 11428. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
MOST DANGEROUS GAMES LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/30/23. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 4122 24TH ST APT 6E, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY, 11101, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
KALYMNOS TRANSPORTATION LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/26/2023. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Michael Angelidis, 13628 62nd Avenue, FL 2, Flushing, NY 11367. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Da Feng Enterprises LLC, Arts of Org filed with SSNY on 01/09/23. Off. Loc.: Queens County, SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 166-44 20th Rd, Whitestone NY 11357. Purpose: to engagein any lawful act.
Notice of Formation of COZY CABIN RENTALS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/31/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: MICHAEL LIPARI, 189-23 39TH AVE. APT 120, FLUSHING, NY, 11358, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of ACELAND VAULT LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/24/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: GASTON ACEVEDO, 6740 164TH ST, APT 5L, FRESH MEADOWS, NY, 11365, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of NEW FARRINGTON GARAGE LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/01/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: NEW FARRINGTON GARAGE LLC, 3366FARRINGTON STREET, SUITE 200, FLUSHING, NY, 11354, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of LIAISON BOOKKEEPING SERVICE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/25/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: ICI SHEED, 48-18 VERNON BLVD, LONG ISLAND CITY, 11101, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of CARSTEN LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/12/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: CHRISTOPHER LEJUEZ FRANKEN, 17505 115TH AVENUE, QUEENS, NY, 11434, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
MONEY MEAL CAPITAL Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/07/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: YU-HUA CHEN, 7363 BELL BLVD, APT 2K, OAKLAND GARDENS, NY, 11364, USA Purpose: any lawful activities.
Notice Of Formation of MTNS Brokerage LLC. Arts. of Org. filed w/SS of NY on 6/9/23, Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail a copy of process to principal business address: 3043 47 St., Ste 3, Astoria, NY 11103. Purpose: For any lawful act.
Notice Of Formation of SAKURA 6611 LLC Arts. of Org. filed w/SS of NY on 4/11/23, Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail a copy of process to principal business address: THE LLC, 140-03 58TH RD, FLUSHING, NY, 11355, USA. Purpose: For any lawful act.
OMNEEL, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/27/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The Company, 3 Dakota Dr., Ste. 300, Lake Success, NY 11042, C/O Abrams Fensterman, LLP. Purpose: any lawful activities.
Notice of formation of PINK BOULEVARD 2 LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 6/12/2023. Office located in QUEENS. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 4321 247TH ST, LITTLE NECK, NY 11363. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
NEW TO MARKET MINT CONDITION, LOBBY LEVEL ONE BEDROOM, ONE BATH COOP. BRAND NEW KITCHEN, UPDATED BATH. HARDWOOD FLOORING THROUGHOUT.
CO-OP
THE JAMES MONROE BUILDING
THIS WATERFRONT, TOTALLY RENOVATED, MINT CONDITION HOME IS A BOAT LOVERS DREAM! THE GROUND FLOOR LEVEL FEATURES 4 BEDROOMS AND 1.5 BATHS AND LAUNDRY ROOM WITH NEW WASHER AND DRYER; THE SECOND LEVEL FEATURES A LIVING ROOM, FORMAL DINING ROOM, LARGE, RENOVATED COUNTRY STYLE KITCHEN, AND DEN WHICH OPENS UP TO UPPER DECK AND GORGEOUS WATER VIEWS. THERE ARE HARDWOOD FLOORS THROUGHOUT. THERE IS AN UNFINISHED ATTIC WHICH OFFERS POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER BEDROOM AND BATH. THE LOWER DECK OFFERS PLENTY OF SPACE FOR ENTERTAINING, AND IF DESIRED, SPACE FOR A POOL. THE BOAT SLIP HAS TWO 40 FT. POLES. THERE IS A NEW HOT WATER TANK AND NEW BOILER. THIS HOME IS A DEFINITE MUST SEE!!!
2 FAMILY IN THE HEART OF TUDOR VILLAGE. FULL FINISHED BASEMENT, 3 BEDROOMS, 2 BATHS.
LOVELY TOP FLOOR 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH UNIT WITH TERRACE. THIS UNIT FEATURES DINING ROOM, KITCHEN, LARGE LIVING ROOM, BIG BEDROOM, FULL BATH, RECESSED LIGHTING, AND 4 NICE SIZED CLOSETS.
THIS IS AN OPEN-CONCEPT UNIT WITH IT'S OWN PRIVATE ENTRANCE AND PATIO! THERE ARE TWO SPACIOUS BEDROOMS, FORMAL DINING ROOM, LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN, A FULL-BATH, HARDWOOD FLOORING, AND LARGE CLOSETS THROUGHOUT! KITCHEN FEATURES QUARTZ COUNTER TOPS, DISHWASHER, GARBAGE DISPOSAL, PLENTIFUL CABINET SPACE, AND GREAT COUNTER SPACE!
BEAUTIFUL WATER FRONT COLONIAL FEATURING
4 BEDROOM, 1.5 BATHS, OPEN CONCEPT KITCHEN, DINING ROOM, LIVING ROOM WITH SLIDERS TO DECK & WATER FRONT WITH 2 BOAT SLIPS.
MINT 1 FAMILY HOME IN OZONE PARK. FIRST FLOOR FEATURES LR, DR, LARGE EIK AND A HALF BATH. SECOND FLOOR HAS 3 BEDROOMS& 1 FULL BATH. FULL/FINISHED BASEMENT. CLOSE TO TRANSPORTATION, SHOPS & SCHOOLS. LOVELY 2 BEDROOM, 1 BATH CO-OP ON 5TH FLOOR. MAINT: BASE IS $879.01, AC: $37.50 = $916.51. 195 SHARES.
