THE FORUM NEWSGROUP | AUGUST 31, 2023

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Two DOE Employees Charged with Having Sexual Relationships with Students

By Michael V. Cusenza

Two City Department of Education employees have been charged with having sexual relationships with students, according to published reports and Queens District A orney Melinda Katz.

Jamall Russell, 29, a teaching assistant at PS 97 in Woodhaven, allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl at another school for a few months, according to Gothamist. She is now 15, police said.

Cops learned of the relationship from the alleged victim’s mother.

“ is alleged behavior is very troubling and completely unacceptable," DOE spokeswoman Jenna Lyle said in an email to Gothamist. " is employee is suspended pending the outcome of the arrest and if convicted, we will pursue their termination. ere is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our students.”

Melissa Rockensies, 32, has been charged with rape for an alleged sexual relationship with a 14-year-old male student.

Rockensies was arraigned on a complaint charging her with rape in the second and third degrees, criminal sexual act in the

second degree and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, Rockensies faces up to seven years in prison.

According to the charges:

Between July 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2022, Rockensies was the dean at Corona Arts & Science Academy and one of the victim’s summer school teachers and counselors.

Beginning in July 2022, Rockensies engaged the 14-year-old victim in sexually related conversations via social media.

In September 2022, Rockensies began to meet with the victim on a regular basis

inside her vehicle near the school, where she engaged him in sexual activity.

e investigation revealed social media messages between Rockensies and the victim that discussed the sexual relationship.

“These disturbing allegations represent an abuse of authority and a betrayal of the trust students and parents place in their schools,” Katz said. “On behalf of the victim and his family, and the overwhelming majority of teachers committed to the education and well-being of our children, we will seek to achieve justice in this case.”

Addabbo Set to Host Virtual Problem Gambling Session

By Forum Sta

Joe

next month will host a virtual discussion to educate people on problem gambling and connect those in need of services with organizations that can help, the senator announced on Friday.

is will be a discreet zoom meeting

(ID: 840 5365 7492; Passcode: 767130)

on Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., presented by the New York Council on Problem Gambling and co-sponsored by Resorts World NYC Casino. Participants can remain anonymous by turning o their video and microphone if they choose. ere will be an opportunity to ask questions verbally or type them into the chat box.

Addabbo noted that 2 million adults in the U.S. meet severe gambling criteria in a given year, according to the National Council on Problem Gaming and another 4 to 6 million American adults have mild or moderate problems; 4.3 percent of adult residents in New York State are experiencing problems related to their gambling activity (over 600,000 adults), according to the New York Council on Problem Gambling.

Gambling addiction is a real mental illness, according to the American Psychiatric Association, and has real consequences including accumulating debt, neglecting

friends and family and stealing to support the addiction. People who gamble compulsively o en have substance abuse problems, personality disorders, depression or anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“For some, gaming is a casual pastime, but for others it becomes all-consuming, and they need help,” Addabbo said. “As

the chairman of the Senate Commi ee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, I believe I have a responsibility to bring this event to the community for the public good. If we can help just one person from taking this preventable trip down the road to selfdestruction, then we have accomplished something really important.”

Photo Courtesy of Google Jamall Russell, 29, a teaching assistant at PS 97 in Woodhaven, allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

Photo Courtesy of Google

Melissa Rockensies, 32, has been charged with rape for an alleged sexual relationship with a 14-year-old male student while she was the dean at Corona Arts & Science Academy.

State Sen.

Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven)

Photo Courtesy of Sen. Addabbo

anonymous, Sen. Addabbo noted.

File Photo “If we can help just one person om taking this preventable trip down the road to self-destruction, then we have accomplished something really important,” Sen. Addabbo said.

NY COVID-19 Hospitalizations on Rise

By Forum Sta

Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced new steps the State of New York is taking to protect individuals from COVID-19 following reports of a new variant, BA.2.86. ese steps come a er COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York increased as the summer progressed. As a reminder, an updated COVID-19 vaccine tailored to guard against certain variants is expected to arrive in pharmacies and doctor’s ofces this fall.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration advised vaccine manufactures to develop a new COVID-19 vaccine to target Omicron variants. e new shot is expected to be released by the three major COVID-19 vaccine producers in September 2023. Governor Hochul encourages New Yorkers to monitor the Centers for Disease Control and the State Department of Health websites frequently for information on updated COVID-19 vaccine administration recommendations.

To protect all New Yorkers, DOH and the Wadsworth Center continue monitoring for and analyzing samples of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as reports emerge of new strains. The ongoing dual surveillance strategies of wastewater surveillance and laboratory clinical analysis, conducted with partners at Syracuse University and across the state, have proven vital to New York State's ability to understand variant spread and the potential impact on public health. In response to identifying the new BA.2.86 variant, the Wadsworth Center immediately enhanced early detection efforts in New York State. In conjunction with the collaborators at Syracuse University, analysts searched wastewater data from the last six months to confirm the new strain was not detected in New York. This process will continue to be used to help monitor for the variant in new wastewater samples. Additionally, Wadsworth Center is coordinating with numerous health care professionals across

the state and collaborating laboratories to expand the pool of clinical COVID samples submitted for analysis to increase the opportunity for detecting BA.2.86, should it enter the state.

As students begin to return to school for the next academic year, Governor Hochul and DOH recommend that schools review current CDC school guidance for COVID-19 prevention and work with their local health department to implement e ective and feasible public health measures.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the CDC recommends schools:

Promote vaccination and testing; Encourage students, teachers, and faculty to stay home if they are sick and exhibiting symptoms;

Optimize ventilation and maintain improvements to indoor air quality to reduce the risk of germs and contaminants spreading through the air; and

Teach and reinforce proper handwashing and hygiene practices.

Schools that experience outbreaks should work with their local health department for timely outbreak response support.

All individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 should immediately get tested. If a test is positive, consult a health care provider about treatment, as it's important to begin treatment soon after the onset of symptoms to ensure the utmost effectiveness. Those with COVID-19 should follow CDC guidance to avoid transmitting it to others, including isolating for 5 days after the onset of symptoms, as well as masking and avoiding contact with those who may be at higher risk of negative outcomes.

At-home tests are available at many local pharmacies statewide, and New York continues to make high-quality N-95 masks and test kits available to state and county o cials by request.

“While New Yorkers might want to be done with COVID-19, COVID-19 isn’t done with us,” Hochul said.

Photo Courtesy of Darren McGee/O ce of the Governor

“While New Yorkers might want to be done with COVID-19, COVID-19 isn’t done with us,” Gov. Hochul said.

After Exhaustive Investigations, Queens DA Moves to Vacate Three Wrongful Convictions

By Forum Sta

Queens District A orney Melinda Katz led motions today with defense a orneys to vacate three wrongful convictions.

In each case, new evidence came to light:

• In the case of Earl Walters, ngerprint evidence implicates other men in the 1992 abductions and robberies of two women for which Walters served 20 years in prison.

• A review of the case of Armond McCloud and Reginald Cameron found that their confessions in the 1994 shooting death of Kei Sunada were unreliable because they were elicited by a detective connected to two cases involving false confessions –the “Central Park Five” rape case in 1989 and the murder in 1990 of a tourist in town to a end the U.S Open tennis tournament.

District A orney Katz said: “Fairness in the criminal justice system means we must re-evaluate cases when credible new evidence of actual innocence or wrongful conviction emerges. ose who have served prison time for crimes they demonstrably did not commit deserve to have the slate wiped clean.”

“I want to thank the New Jersey Innocence Project at Rutgers University, the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, the Exoneration Initiative and the Legal Aid Wrongful Conviction Unit for their work on these cases with our Conviction Integrity Unit,” District A orney Katz added.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Michelle A. Johnson granted the motions and dismissed the indictments.

Examples of Wrongful Convictions: People v. McCloud and People v. Cameron

Kei Sunada, 22, a Japanese national, returned to his home at the Columbia building in Lefrak City on August 4, 1994, at about 11:15 p.m. About ve minutes later, a tenant reported hearing shots red and Sunada was found by a LeFrak City peace ocer on the landing of a fourth- oor stairwell

with a gunshot wound to the head. He died three days later.

Initial NYPD paperwork contained signi cant errors. Detective Carlos Gonzalez inaccurately reported that Sunada was found lying face down in a pool of blood in a fourth- oor hallway, not the stairwell. Another o cer incorrectly noted that Sunada was shot twice, not once.

Armond McCloud, who was 20 years old at the time, and Reginald Cameron, who was 19, became suspects a er a 16-year-old

being questioned in an unrelated robbery told police that he overheard “people saying” that someone who t McCloud’s description killed Sunada.

McCloud and Cameron were arrested without probable cause at around 7:00 p.m. August 8. ey were interrogated for several hours without counsel by multiple detectives. At around 3:30 a.m. the next morning, some eight-and-a-half hours a er his arrest, Cameron signed a wri en confession while being interrogated by Detective Gonzalez.

Detective Gonzalez then took over questioning McCloud and obtained a confession at around 4:30 a.m. Both Cameron and McCloud gave video-taped statements later that day with Detective Gonzalez present. Both men’s confessions described a robbery in a fourth- oor hallway. McCloud’s said the gun accidentally discharged when Sunada struck his hand with a defensive karate kick. e confessions, however, did not match the facts of the crime and did not accurately describe the victim. e inaccuracies in the confessions mirrored errors in the police reports.

McCloud and Cameron both later recanted, arguing that their confessions were coerced. McCloud said he falsely confessed because he was hungry and thirsty and believed his innocence would come to light in court. Cameron described coercive interrogation techniques in pretrial hearing testimony.

File Photo

“ ose who have served prison time for crimes they demonstrably did not commit deserve to have the slate wiped clean,” DA Katz said.

Hochul Directs $8M towards Reducing OD’s

The Pharmacist’s Corner

Presented by Frank Pantina, R.Ph

ARE EXPIRED MEDICATIONS STILL SAFE?

By Forum Sta

Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the launch of further funding opportunities to develop harm reduction interventions for priority populations who are particularly vulnerable to overdose, as well as study fatalities connected to opioids statewide. e New York State Department of Health recently posted two new Requests for Applications and directed additional investments in several harm reduction programs nanced through the State’s Opioid Se lement Fund. ese investments represent one component of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive approach to addressing New York State's opioid crisis.

“ e opioid crisis is not just a public health issue - it is a crisis of humanity that touches every corner of the state,” Governor Hochul said. " is funding underscores our commitment to holding manufactures and distributors accountable while ensuring affected communities have the resources and compassion needed to end this epidemic.”

New York will receive more than $2 billion through se lement agreements with opioid manufacturers. A portion of these se lements are going directly to municipalities statewide, with the remainder dedicated to supporting prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and education e orts to address the ongoing opioid epidemic.

e two new funding opportunities through the Opioid Se lement Fund total nearly $8 million, and include:

• Expanding Harm Reduction Services for Priority Populations Who Use Drugs, with applications due October 3, 2023 ($7.5 million over two years).

• Development of a Comprehensive Coroner Training Program in New York State, with applications due October 5, 2023 ($400,000 over two years).

Other programs allocated funding by the Department through the Opioid Settlement Fund include expansion of harm reduction programs ($12.5 million) and New York Medication Assisted Treatment

& Emergency Referrals (NY-MA ERS) in partnership with University of Bu alo Medical Department ($8 million), collectively totaling $28 million in allocated funding.

Additionally, to date, the New York State Department of Health has spent more than $13.5 million to provide naloxone to Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs between April 2022 and March 2023. More than 35,000 instances of naloxone administrations have been reported since 2006. Of this, over 20,000 administrations have been reported by community members, with over 11,000 coming from the department’s syringe exchange programs. e agency’s Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program (N-CAP) covers up to a $40 co-payment for naloxone at pharmacies, and has processed 9,683 claims from July 2022 through June 2023, with an average co-pay of $16.

New York State Health Department Commissioner James McDonald said, “Opioid use disorder and other drug dependencies can be challenging chronic diseases, yet are treatable and long-term recovery is possible. In order to combat the overdose epidemic, New York State has implemented a multifaceted strategy under the direction of Governor Hochul. is funding aims to increase access to harm reduction services, including medications to treat addiction, supportive counseling, and other preventive health care services. It also includes a comprehensive training program for coroners who serve an important role in public health.”

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found using the O ce of Addiction Services and Supports’ (OASAS)

Treatment Availability Dashboard or on the agency’s website. New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can nd help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

It’s 2 a.m. -the cough and stu y nose you have been ba ling is still keeping you up. You reach for the nigh ime cold relief medicine only to nd it expired a few months ago. If you take a dose to ease your symptoms, will you be pu ing yourself at risk? is situation is a relatively common occurrence. Many medicine cabinets are stocked with over the-counter drugs as well as prescription medications that may be past their expiration dates. It’s a good idea to routinely discard expired medicines, but if you happen to take a drug that has passed its expiration date, you will most likely su er no ill e ects. According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, the expiration date on a medicine is not the dates when a drug becomes hazardous. Rather, it marks the period a er which a drug company can no longer guarantee the e cacy of the medication. Since 1979, drug manufacturers selling medications in the United States have been required by the Food and Drug Administration to stamp an expiration date on their products. is is the date until which the manufacturer can still guarantee full potency of the drug. Expiration dates also may be a marketing ploy. Some experts say drug manufacturers put expiration dates on products for marketing purposes rather than scienti c reasons. It

doesn’t make nancial sense to a company to have products on the shelves for years. erefore, most drug manufacturers will not do long-term testing on products to con rm if they will be e ective 10 to 15 years a er manufacture. e U.S. military has conducted studies with the help of the FDA. FDA researchers tested more than 100 over the counter and prescription drugs. Around 90 percent were proven to still be e ective long past the expiration date -- some for more than 10 years. Drugs that are stored in cool, dark places have a be er chance of lasting because the llers used in the product will not separate or start to break down as they might in a warm, humid environment. Storing medicines in the refrigerator can prolong their shelf life. Although a pharmacist cannot legally advise consumers to use medication past an expiration date, most overthe-counter pain relievers and drugs in pill form should still be ne. Certain liquid antibiotics and drugs made up of organic materials can expire faster than others. For those who still want to err on the safe side, routinely clean out medications from cabinets once they expire. However, if an expired medication is taken by mistake, there's li le need to worry about potentially adverse e ects.

Until next week…

For your family’s prescription needs, please call CROSS BAY CHEMIST at 718-659-9500 or 718-880-1644

in Howard Beach: Mon-Fri 9am-9pm. Sat-Sun 9am-7pm. or

Addabbo Honors Howard Beach Postal Worker

State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (DWoodhaven) recently presented Vinny Zecca of the Station B Old Howard Beach Post O ce branch with a Senate citation acknowledging his 50 years’ working for the US Postal Service.

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia/Doc James

To date, the New York State Department of Health has spent more than $13.5 million to provide naloxone to Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs between April 2022 and March 2023.

Photo Courtesy of Sen. Addabbo

Two Jamaica Men Charged with Possessing Arsenal of Illegal Weapons

According to the charges:

Members of the Queens District A orney’s o ce conducted a long-term investigation into the defendants’ purchase of polymer-based, unserialized rearm components, which are easily assembled into operable rearms without serial numbers, making the weapons, commonly referred to as ghost guns, untraceable.

munition

• 56 caliber assault pistol with a threaded barrel and a 30-round detachable box magazine loaded with 30 rounds of 5.56 caliber ammunition

• Glock 19 9-millimitier semiautomatic pistol rearm.

• Taurus 9-millimeter semiautomatic rearm

By Forum Sta

Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced on Tuesday that Christopher Lall and Steve Salamalay have been charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon a er search warrants executed at their homes, a storage unit, and Salamalay’s workplace uncovered a dozen illegal rearms, including ghost guns, as well as high-capacity magazines, ammunition and gun manufacturing tools.

Lall, 32, of Jamaica, was arraigned on a 57-count complaint charging him with 14 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, 18 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree,

seven counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, six counts of criminal sale of a rearm in the third degree, six counts of criminal possession of a rearm and six counts of criminal possession of ammunition.

Salamalay, 30, also a Jamaica resident, was arraigned on a 40-count complaint charging him with seven counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, 15 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, six counts of criminal sale of a rearm in the third degree, eight counts of criminal possession of a rearm, three counts of criminal possession of ammunition, and failure to obtain rearms certi cates of registration.

On August 23, o cers from the New York Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit and Major Case Field Intelligence Team, and the Queens District A orney’s Detective Bureau executed a court-authorized search warrant of Lall’s residence and storage unit, both located on Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, as well as Salamalay’s home in Queens and his workplace in Manha an. e following were recovered during the searches:

• 9-millimeter semiautomatic ghost gun pistol, loaded with six rounds of 9-millimeter caliber ammunition

• Two P80 Glock-style 9-millimeter semiautomatic ghost gun rearms

• .38 Special revolver, loaded with six rounds of .38 Special caliber ammunition

• .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with 10 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition

• .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with nine rounds of .40 caliber ammunition

• .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with seven rounds of .380 caliber am-

• Llama 9-millimeter semiautomatic rearm

• Revolver rearm

• Double barrel 12-gauge shotgun

• 18 high-capacity ammunition feeding devices capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition

• 26 ammunition feeding devices capable of holding less than 10 rounds of ammunition.

• 34 rearm magazines capable of holding 10 or fewer rounds of ammunition

• Approximately 1,380 rounds of various caliber ammunition, including 9-millimeter, .38 Special, .45, .40, .380., 5.56 caliber ammunition, and 12-gauge shotgun shells

• Two handheld drill press devices and a sight pusher, used to manufacture or assemble ghost guns

A check conducted of the License and Permit Systems database revealed that neither Lall nor Salamalay hold a license to possess or own rearms in New York City.

If convicted, Lall and Salamalay each face up to 15 years in prison.

More Than 3,000 Guns Turned in Throughout State in Historic Buyback Effort

By Forum Sta

More than 3,000 guns were turned in at nine simultaneous buyback events across New York on Tuesday, State A orney General Tish James said.

Monday’s statewide gun buyback resulted in the collection of more than 3,000 guns, including 185 assault ri es, 1,656 handguns, and 823 long guns. ese gures include the 751 guns collected from the Syracuse buyback event, which included 36 assault ri es, 447 handguns, and 215 long guns.

Altogether, A orney General James has removed more than 7,000 guns from New York communities since taking o ce in 2019.

“Gun violence has caused so many avoidable tragedies and robbed us of so many innocent New Yorkers,” James said. “ rough our partnership with local law enforcement and public o cials, we were able to organize this historic, singleday gun buyback event in nine locations throughout New York state. Every gun that we removed out of Syracuse homes and o the streets is a potential tragedy averted and another step in protecting communities throughout New York state.”

“We applaud A orney General Letitia James for continuing to take proactive steps to keep our communities safe,” said Shari Maurer, Volunteer, New York Chapter of Moms Demand Action. “New York is demonstrating its ongoing commitment to a multi-faceted approach to saving lives and we look forward to continuing to partner with her o ce and lawmakers to keep New York a national leader in the gun safety movement.”

“New York continues to be a national leader in smart, e ective gun laws. And as a result, it has one of the lowest gun death rates in the country — 63 percent below the national average,” said David Pucino, deputy chief counsel, Gi ords Law Center.

“A orney General James's leadership has been critical to New York's success in ghting gun violence, but there is more work to do. is weekend’s buyback will get more potentially dangerous guns o the streets. And while we can never know whose lives will be saved by this initiative, we know fewer families will be victimized by gun violence. ank you to everyone who made this happen.”

“I am proud to stand with the A orney General to reduce gun violence in our streets. While today's gun buyback

captured what was voluntarily brought in, that’s less rearms in circulation for bad actors to purchase or otherwise acquire,” said Assemblymember Pamela Hunter. “Unwanted and unmonitored guns can also lead to accidental shootings within households. I am thankful to everyone who participated today and made use of this program to potentially save lives.”

“I want to thank A orney General Letitia James and the Syracuse Police Department for co-sponsoring another successful gun buyback program here in Syracuse,” said Assemblymember William Magnarel-

li. “Ge ing guns o the streets will help to keep our community safe. I urge members of our community to take advantage of this program.”

“I am pleased that we are able to continue partnering with A orney General James’ O ce to host some of the most successful gun buyback programs across the state, acquiring a total of 582 guns in the last two years,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “I urge members of our community take advantage of this opportunity as we work to reduce gun violence in Syracuse through consistent and multifaceted response.”

Photo Courtesy of DA Katz

Just a small sample of the massive illegal arsenal and stockpile of ammunition that law enforcement o cers discovered.

Photo Courtesy of AG James Guns recovered om Syracuse Gun Buyback on Statewide Gun Buyback Day.

MTA Reminds Straphangers Track Reconstruction Work Requiring M Line Shutdown to Start Aug. 30

By Forum Sta

e Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday reminded customers that track reconstruction work along the M line that will require a shutdown of the line is scheduled to start Wednesday, Aug. 30. Beginning at 9:45 p.m. on Aug. 30 there will be no M train service. Service will resume at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Crews will remove and replace the switches just south of the Middle VillageMetropolitan Av station.

Service Alternative from Middle VillageMetropolitan Av to Manha an M train riders between the Middle Village-Metropolitan Av terminal and Myrtle Av station in Brooklyn will be accommodated by free M90 shu le buses.

Buses will make all station stops from Middle Village-Metropolitan Av to Myrtle Av, where riders can connect to J service through Brooklyn, to Delancey St-Essex St.

Riders can also transfer from the M90 to the L at Myrtle-Wycko Avs for service to Manha an.

J, Z “skip-stop” service will be suspended; J trains will make local stops between Myrtle Av and Marcy Av to replace M service.

Additional J service will operate rush hours between Broadway Junction and Chambers St.

Service Alternative from Manha an to Forest Hills-71 Av

Riders can transfer from J to the F train at Delancey St-Essex St for service through Manha an to Forest Hills-71 Av in Queens.

Riders can also transfer from the M90 to the L at Myrtle-Wycko Avs to the F train at 6 Av-14 St.

R trains will provide local service between Manha an and Forest Hills-71 Av in Queens. M riders taking the F will have the option to transfer from the F to the R at 34 St-Herald Sq or Queens Plaza. Overnight, the E and F trains will provide local service from Queens Plaza to Forest Hills-71 Av.

To learn more about weekend service changes, please subscribe to the MTA Weekender, a newsle er sent on Fridays that tracks planned weekend service changes on the subways, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.

e MTA o ers customers a variety of ways to receive real-time and planned service change information, as well as 24/7 customer support in their multiple languages.

Customers can also sign up for MTA service alerts via email or text at h ps://new. mta.info/guides/service-alerts, call 511, or visit MTA Planned Service Changes for service-related information and customer service.

e MTA o ers customers a variety of ways to receive real-time and planned ser-

vice change information, as well as 24/7 customer support in their native language. mta.info – e de nitive source for realtime arrival information and service change information for each line or route in the MTA system. Customers can nd current statuses on new.mta.info and upcoming planned service changes using our lookup tool at new.mta.info/alerts.

MYmta app – Customers who use the comprehensive MYmta smartphone app will see real-time train and bus arrival times and other travel information for all MTA services all in one place. e app is available in the Apple Store and in Google Play.

Email & Text Alerts – Customers can sign up for email and SMS alerts tailored to their

speci c commutes and travel times. ey can also sign up for MTA newsle ers like e Weekender, a weekly newsle er that covers major weekend planned service changes. Customers can sign up at h ps://cloud.info. mta.org/create-mta-service-alerts.

WhatsApp – Riders can chat with NYC Transit via WhatsApp for 24/7 customer assistance. With the help of Google Translate, NYC Transit sta o er real-time customer support in up to 108 languages.

511 – For those who prefer to contact the MTA by telephone, information is available by dialing 511. ose who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the MTA at 511.

Photo Courtesy of Patrick Cashin/MTA

Beginning at 9:45 p.m. on Aug. 30 there will be no M train service. Service will resume at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for 2011 Ridgewood Murder

By Forum Sta

Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced that Gerald Gri n was sentenced on ursday to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of a 31-year-old man found naked and bludgeoned in 2011 in his Ridgewood home.

Gri n, 46, was convicted in May of three counts of murder in the second degree, two counts of burglary in the rst degree, two counts of robbery in the rst degree, rob-

bery in the second degree, intimidating a witness in the third degree, a empted tampering with physical evidence, criminal possession of stolen property in the h degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant imposed the indeterminate sentence of 25 years to life.

According to the charges and trial testimony:

On Sept. 14, 2011, at approximately 5

p.m., Peter Polizzi, was found inside his apartment at 57-06 Clover Place in Ridgewood by his brother, who discovered him underneath a couch, naked and badly beaten. e apartment had been ransacked and various items were missing. Polizzi died three days later.

O cers responding to the location recovered a used wine glass and a bloody baseball bat. Detectives investigating the incident obtained information from a friend of the family who saw two men leaving the location at approximately 11:15 a.m. on Sept. 14, one of them wearing a T-shirt that read, “Irving Scrap Metal.”

e NYPD’s Cold Case Squad received the case in 2015. Working with Polizzi’s phone records, the squad found a woman who revealed she was inside the apartment at the time of the murder.

e woman said she had been taken to the address by Gri n, who was her pimp at

the time, and another man. Gri n a acked Polizzi with a baseball bat and the other man beat him. A er the a ack, the men ransacked the apartment and removed two cell phones, money, a unique watch with a diamond-encrusted face and a box containing a white powdery substance.

DNA taken from the wine glass matched the woman’s DNA pro le. In 2017, she identied Gri n in a photograph as the perpetrator with the bat. Gri n’s Facebook account included a photograph of him wearing the stolen watch. Additionally, business records from Irving Scrap Metal identi ed Gri n as a customer of the company at the time of the murder.

Gri n was indicted in 2018.

“We will pursue justice, no ma er how much time has passed. A murderer is going to prison and the victim’s family nally will have a measure of closure,” Katz said.

Every New York Student Has the Right to a Free Public Education: AG, State Education Commissioner

By Forum Sta

State A orney General Tish James and State Education Department Commissioner Rosa on Monday released “Know Your Rights” guidance a rming that every student between the ages of 5 and 21 has the right to a free public education in New York, regardless of the student's nationality or immigration status.

e guidance details schools’ responsibilities in accepting new students and warns against the implementation of policies or requirements that would prevent noncitizens,

undocumented students, and families without a lease from registering for school.

Under New York law, students between the ages of 5 and 21 have the right to a free public school education. Any policies that prevent students from enrolling in their local public school violate that lawful right. Federal and state laws require public schools to accept and enroll school-age migrants and other students experiencing homelessness, or living in shelters or other temporary housing, even if those students cannot provide proof of residency, school records, or other documents

usually required for enrollment.

In order to a end a school district’s schools for free, students must live in that district. While schools can ask families to submit documentation proving residence, they must accept many di erent kinds of proof, including but not limited to:

• Le er or a davit from the student’s landlord;

• Le er or a davit from a social worker, teacher, lawyer, religious leader, or other individual with personal knowledge of the student’s residence;

• Pay stub that shows the student’s address;

• Bill for a utility or service, including cell phone, that shows the student’s address;

• Membership documents based on residency, such as library cards, whether or not they show the student’s address;

• Government-issued identi cation that shows the student’s address; and

• Documents issued by a government agency, such as a local social services agency or the federal O ce of Refugee Rese lement, among others.

When a student requests enrollment, the school must allow the student to begin a ending classes the next school day, or as soon as possible. e student then has three business days to prove residency. If the school decides

the student is not a resident and therefore not eligible to a end, the school must provide a wri en notice explaining the decision and how the student can appeal.

New York schools should not impose residency requirements for students that would make it di cult for noncitizens, undocumented students, and students who live in rented homes without a lease to register for school. Such policies include:

• Requiring proofs of residency be less than 30 days old;

• Requiring students to present proof of residency more than once if residency has not changed;

• Making home visits to investigate every student who does not have a lease or deed;

• Denying enrollment if a student or their family cannot provide a voter registration card or driver’s license;

• Requiring a social security number or any details about a student’s immigration status as a condition of enrollment; and

• Reporting or threatening to report information about a student’s living situation to local code-enforcement authorities.

“With the rst day of school just around the corner, we must ensure that all students are welcomed to a end without delay or difculty,” James said.

Photo Courtesy of DA Katz

“We will pursue justice, no ma er how much time has passed,” DA Katz said.

Photo Courtesy of Google

e victim was found naked and bludgeoned in his Ridgewood home.

Photo Courtesy of Google

Under New York law, students between the ages of 5 and 21 have the right to a ee public school education.

Jamaica Man Charged with Attempted Murder and Rape in Rooftop Attack on Woman

93rd Avenue in Jamaica and directed her to the roof of the location.

Vasquez gave the woman $150, which she put in her purse.

e woman undressed and began to have intercourse with Vasquez, who grabbed her from behind, put his arms around her neck, choked her and slammed her head into a concrete wall. He demanded his money back.

Vasquez punched the woman in the face and took back the $150 he had given her. He then sat on top of the woman and repeatedly slammed her head onto the rooftop and put his hands around her neck and applied pressure to her throat. He penetrated her for a second time.

By Forum Sta

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Tuesday that Jerson Vasquez has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly arranging to meet a woman for paid sex and then beating her and taking back the money he paid along with her cell phone.

Vasquez, 23, of Jamaica, was arraigned on a empted murder in the second degree, rape in the rst degree, robbery in the sec-

ond degree, a empted assault in the rst degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, strangulation in the second degree, a empted assault in the second degree, sexual abuse in the rst degree and patronizing a person for prostitution in the third degree.

According to the charges:

On Aug. 13, Vasquez responded to an ad on Facebook Marketplace for prostitutionrelated services. He asked the woman who placed the ad to meet him at an address on

In addition to the $150, Vasquez took the woman’s cellphone and ed. Video surveillance footage shows Vasquez leave the location at approximately 5:51 p.m. with what looked like blood on his neck and hand.

e woman was taken to a local hospital and admi ed for treatment for a laceration to the back of her head which required staples to close, bleeding, substantial pain, and bruising and swelling to large portions of her head, face and neck.

“ e defendant was indicted for at-

tempted murder to accurately re ect the brutality of the a ack,” Katz said. “We will seek justice for the victim of this vicious assault allegedly at the hands of a very dangerous, violent sexual predator.”

If convicted of the a empted murder and rape charges, Vasquez faces 25 years in prison for each.

Officials Secure $1.6 Million from Online Apartment Finder for Defrauding Renters

By Forum Sta

State Attorney General Tish James and the Federal Trade Commission on Monday secured $1.6 million from Roomster, an online apartment search platform, and its owners, John Shriber and Roman Zaks, for defrauding millions of renters nationwide by posting unverified apartment listings and fake reviews.

Monday’s consent order also prohibits Roomster and its executives from buying and posting fake reviews about their listings to lure customers.

Roomster, a Manhattan-based company, failed to verify apartments submitted to its website, posted non-existent apartment listings, and scammed consumers with fake positive reviews that it bought and posted online. James and the FTC coled a coalition of six attorneys general to stop Roomster’s practices and secure restitution for impacted individuals nationwide.

In August 2022, James and the FTC filed a lawsuit against Roomster for misleading consumers by posting fake reviews that were purchased through marketers, posting non-existent apartment listings, and failing to verify apartments listed on their website. An investigation found that Roomster did not actually verify listings posted on its platform by users or ensure that they were real or authentic. Undercover investigators were easily able to post

a listing with a U.S. Postal Office commercial facility address on the platform.

The listing provided by the undercover investigators had fake rental specifications and remained on the platform for several months. At no point did Roomster contact the undercover investigators to verify the address, the specifics of the apartment, the legitimacy of the email, or other personal information of the lister.

To lend credibility to its unverified listings, Roomster’s executives saturated the internet with tens of thousands of fake 4- and 5-star reviews. Roomster’s CEO Shriber and Chief Technology Officer Zaks, bought more than 20,000 fake reviews from Jonathan Martinez, who did business as AppWinn, to increase traffic to their platform. Martinez used more than

2,500 fake iTunes accounts, as well as fake Gmail accounts, to push out fake reviews on Roomster’s apps. Before Martinez became aware of this investigation, his website stated, “Buy app reviews & boost your app ranking.”

Some examples of the fake 5-star reviews that Roomster bought from Martinez and published include:

Wonderful!

“Roomster is be er then [sic] others. Very easy to use. Tons of listing. No scammers, all users are real. Easy to communicate with owners. In a single word FANTASTIC!

like!”

e sheer volume of positive fake reviews diluted 1-star reviews from real users, such as:

“Full of scammers”

“I highly highly suggest that you do not use this site! Because you will get scammed. is app is loaded with people trying to scam you! Out of every 10 post 8 [sic] are scammers DO NOT USE THIS APP!!”

“This app is garbage. I had higher hopes but it completely let me down. Every profile on here seems to be a fake profile and every message I got from people said almost exactly the same thing. Not worth it”.

Monday’s consent order includes a monetary judgment of $36.2 million and civil penalties totaling $10.9 million payable to the states.

Courtesy of Facebook Marketplace

On Aug. 13, Vasquez responded to an ad on Facebook Marketplace for prostitution-related services. He asked the woman who placed the ad to meet him at an address on 93rd Avenue in Jamaica and directed her to the roof of the location.

Photo Courtesy of DA Katz “We will seek justice for the victim of this vicious assault allegedly at the hands of a very dangerous, violent sexual predator,” DA Katz said.

Notice of Formation, LIFE’S LIGHT CORNERSTONE THE PY LCSW P.L.L.C. Art. of Org. were led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/27/2021 O ce Location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the PLLC, 109-08 201ST STREET, SAINT ALBANS, NY 11412, USA. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation, Excel Together Licensed Behavior Analysis PLLC Art. of Org. were led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/01/2023Ofce Location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 148-20 9th Avenue, Whitestone, NY 11357.Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation: 4232A LLC, Art. Of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/16/2023. O ce Loc.: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 42-32A 162nd Street, Flushing, NY11358 Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of formation of 69-11 64TH, LLC, Articles of Organization led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 07/03/2023 O ce in QUEENS Co. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to JOSEPH PANUNCIALMAN, 6911 64TH STREET, QUEENS, NY, 11385.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose

131-22 111TH AVENUE LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 02/22/23. Ofce: 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, c/o Shameer Khan, 111-12 132nd Street, South Ozone Park, NY 11420. Purpose: Anylawful purpose

AJDM Jackson Retail LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 6/28/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 261 5th Ave., New York, NY 10016. General Purpose

Aimstr LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 7/19/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 115-21 132 St., South Ozone Park, Queens, NY 11420. General Purpose

DA S ELECTRIC LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/05/23. O ce: 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 DZMITRY STSEPANIUK, 4 SAINT JOHNS RD., RIDGEWOOD, NY, 11385. Purpose: A lawful purpose.

ORLOW FAMILY LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 07/11/23. O ce: 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, 5814 Seashell Terrace, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Legal Notices

Notice of formation of TNC EVENT RENTALS LLC Articles of Organization led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 03/21/2023 Ofce in QUEENS Co. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to TNC EVENT RENTALS 14415 123RD AVENUE, JAMAICA, NY, 11436, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose

Notice Of Formation of JEFFERSON GATEWAY LLC Arts. of Org. filed w/SS of NY on 6/26/23, 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 JEFFERSON GATEWAY LLC, c/o CB-EMMANUEL REALTY, LLC, 22110 JAMAICA AVENUE, LL1, QUEENS VILLAGE, NY 11428.. Purpose: For any lawful act.

RSA CLOUD LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 05/11/23. O ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ROHAN AMLADI, 9343 222ND STREET, APT 2E, QUEENS VILLAGE, NY, 11428, USA.. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of WON FINISHINGS & RESTO TIONS LLC Articles of Organization led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 07/10/2023 O ce in QUEENS Co. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to 4370 KISSENA BLVD UNIT 10H, FLUSHING NY,11355 USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose

Notice of formation of INTHECLOSETOF, LLC Articles of Organization led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 11/26/2023 O ce in QUEENS Co. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to DONA SLAY, 14227 130TH AVENUE, JAMAICA, NY,11436,USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose

Notice of formation of KELLE’S TUTORING LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 07/15/2023 Office in QUEENS Co. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to MIKELLE FLOURNOY, 100-05 92ND AVE, APT 102, RICHMOND HILL, NY, 11418, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose

Urban Estates Group LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 6/16/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 110-20 Jamaica Ave., Ste. 2E, Richmond, NY 11418. General Purpose

FOREVER TWO WORLDS LLC, Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 08/08/2023. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Patrick Butera, 118-12 Newport Ave, Rockaway Park, NY 11694. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Aprespace, LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/7/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Jessa Giarratano, 30-49 34th St., #2F, Astoria, NY 11103. General Purpose.

Notice of Quali cation of 319 West 38th Street LP. Fictitious Name in NY State: 319 West 38th Street L.P. App. for Auth. led Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/7/23. O loc: Queens County. LP formed in DE: 4/13/22. SSNY designated as agent of LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o e LeTap Group, 39-34 21st St, Long Island City, NY 11101, jpatel@ theletapgroup.com. DE address of LP: c/o National Registered Agents, Inc., 1209 Orange St, Wilmington, DE 19801. Name/address of each genl. ptr. available from SSNY. Cert. of LP led DE Secy of State, 401 Federal St, Ste 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice is hereby given that license #1366992 has been applied by the undersigned to sell beer, cider and wine in a restaurant under the alcoholic beverage control law at 97-12 101st Ave., Ozone Park, NY 11416 for on-premises consumption. Los Pollos Locos Inc. d/b/a El Viejo Yayo.

G & M Cooking LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 7/18/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Gasper Chimbay, 53-12 103rd St., Corona, NY 11368. General Purpose

TianaxGlam LLC. Art. of Org. led with the SSNY on 08/23/23. O ce: Queens County. SSNYdesignated as agent of the LLC upon whom process aga inst it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy to: 86-54 208 St, Queens Vlg, NY 11427. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

ALFONSO & FAMILY LLC, Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 07/28/2023. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: ALFONSO HERNANDEZ AGUILAR AND ALFONSO HERNANDEZ TORRES, 9720 VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY, APT. 5, SOUTH RICHMOND HILL, NY, 11414, USA. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

2260 AVE LLC Articles of Org. led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 7/5/23. O ce in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 172-14 89th Ave., Jamaica, NY 11432. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of 200 East 127th Street Developers LLC. Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/15/23. Ofce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 36-35 Bell Blvd, Ste 101, lower level, Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful activity.

N AND UP MARKETING LLC Articles of Org. led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 8/25/23. O ce in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 1N AND UP MARKETING LLC, 10909 113TH STREET, SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY, 11420-1120, USA..

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

HOWARD BEACH

WELCOME TO A STUNNING ROCKWOOD PARK HOME. THIS BEAUTIFUL CORNER HI RANCH HAS A SUNKEN LIVING ROOM WITH ALL CUSTOM DRAPERY. STATE OF THE ART KITCHEN WITH WOLF STOVE AND GRANITE COUNTER TOP WITH HALLWAY BATH. THE PRIMARY BEDROOM HAS EN SUITE BATH WITH 2 ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS. THE MAIN LEVEL HAS OPEN FLOOR PLAN WITH A DEN AND A CUSTOM KITCHEN WITH TOP END APPLIANCES WITH SLIDING DOORS TO A RESORT BACKYARD WITH OVERSIZED PROPERTY WHICH IS 49X100 WITH IN GROUND HEATED POOL WITH WATERFALL OUTDOOR BBQ KITCHEN WITH SINK REFRIGERATOR WITH GRANITE BAR AREA WITH A FULL BATH AND A LAUNDRY ROOM AND ACCESS TO GARAGE SOLAR PANELS 19 YRS LEFT AT $119.00 A MONTH.