Howard Beach on Tuesday, the 4th of July, seemingly turned back the clock to the South Queens enclave’s legendary Independence Day celebrations, illuminating the clear night sky with a fireworks display outside Frank M. Charles Memo -
rial Park that rivaled any Grucci family performance.
While the hundreds on 165th Avenue were marveling at the sparkling show, others put the holiday in perspective.
“I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday, and while you are celebrating the birth of this nation, I ask that you all take just a few
moments to really think about the heroism and sel essness behind the festivities today,”
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said. “Never forget freedom isn’t free!”
State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven) added, “I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Independence Day, as we gather with our family and friends to
have barbecues, watch reworks, and engage in other community activities to celebrate the birth of our great nation. Our country has a long, rich history with many proud moments, and not-so proud moments. However, we continue to evolve, and I hope more positive change will occur with every passing year.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
An area pol, police, and the people worked together to help permanently shutter an illegal pot shop in Richmond Hill that was the site of a recent murder, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven) announced on Friday.
Addabbo noted that his district office received many complaints about the Plug Smoke Shop, located at 109-27 Jamaica Ave., which was selling unlicensed cannabis and marijuana-related products. Addabbo said he believes that by working with the 102nd Precinct and community leaders, the illegal business was closed by court order on June 7.
However, Addabbo learned from constituents at last month’s Richmond Hill Block Association meeting that the shop had illegally re-opened. Once again, the senator said his office worked with the 102nd Precinct to get
the Plug pulled permanently and its owner arrested.
Addabbo also noted that he has a sta member dedicated to addressing the scourge of illegal pot shops in the 15th District.
In March, Plug employee Daryus Clarke, 20, was shot and killed as three armed men robbed the business.
“These illegal pot sellers have no business in our community, and it takes a team effort to address this pervasive problem,” Addabbo added. “The Plug Smoke Shop was not only operating illegally, but a fatal shooting also took place there this year. It needed to go, and now thanks to our diligent efforts, hopefully it’s gone for good. I remain diligent and optimistic that with the credible efforts of the NYPD and community residents, other illegal pot shops can experience the same fate and be closed for
ever.”
Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced that Tex Ortiz pleaded guilty on Friday to kidnapping for his role in a November 2020 botched home invasion in South Richmond Hill that turned into a hostage stando .
Ortiz, 38, of Manhattan, pleaded guilty to kidnapping in the second degree. Justice Gia Morris indicated she will sentence Ortiz to a determinate term of 13
years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 31.
e case against Ortiz’s co-defendant, Wilbert Wilson, 53, of the Bronx, is pending.
According to the charges:
On Nov. 17, 2020, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Ortiz and Wilson used a crowbar to enter through a back door of a home on 125th Street in South Richmond Hill. Inside the residence were four women and a 9-monthold baby.
e defendants demanded money from one of the victims, while three other hostages were ziptied and held at gunpoint. Another woman was pistol-whipped on the head causing her to fall into furniture while holding her infant daughter.
One of the victims managed to call 911 and when police arrived on the scene the young mother ran from the home clutching her baby daughter in her arms.
e other victims were threatened by Ortiz and Wilson at gunpoint. e defen-
dants at one point used a victim as a human shield. e last hostage was forced to walk in front of them at gunpoint and yell to the police not to shoot.
Ortiz and Wilson surrendered to police a er releasing the last hostage.
“Fortunately, a highly volatile and dangerous stando ended safely,” Katz said. “For his role in terrorizing and threatening a defenseless family in their own home, a very dangerous man is going to prison for a long time.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Reginald Williams was sentenced on Friday to more than a decade in prison for his role in an armed robbery spree in November 2022. His two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced this month.
Williams, 23, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty on June 9 to two counts of robbery in the first degree before Justice Gia Morris, who sentenced him to 11 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision.
When sentenced July 10, co-defendants Calvin Scantlebury, 39, faces up to six years in prison and Dewkwan Cooper, 23, is expected to receive five years’ probation.
The three men were charged with taking part in the following robberies from Nov. 8, 2022, through Nov. 20, 2022. The dates, locations and items taken are as follows:
• Nov. 8, between 12:48 a.m. and 12:50 a.m., at 135-28 Rockaway Blvd., approximately $900-$1,000.
• Nov. 8, between 10:53 p.m. and 10:56 p.m., at 79-09 Rockaway Blvd., approximately $600 and a quantity of checks.
• Nov. 9, between 1:30 a.m. and 1:55 a.m., at 66-10 Grand Ave., approximately $3,900.
• Nov. 11, between 1:10 a.m. and 1:15 a.m., at 87-74 168th St., approximately $2,000 and a chain from a victim’s neck.
• Nov. 11, between 1:45 a.m. and 1:55 a.m., at 793 Wyckoff Ave., approximately $2,000, the cell phone of a security guard, a sum of money from the wallet of one employee, lottery tickets and 10 packs of Newport cigarettes.
• Nov. 15, between 1:55 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., at 66-20 Fresh Pond Road, approximately $1,000 from the cash register, multiple cigarette packs and a customer’s cellphone.
• Nov. 16, between 11:53 p.m. and 11:55 p.m., at 44-33 Kissena Blvd. The defendants fled empty handed.
• Nov. 17, between 12:50 a.m. and 12:55 a.m., at 17-55 Francis Lewis Blvd., approximately $2,400 and eight MetroCards.
• On Nov. 20, between 12:20 a.m. and 12:30 a.m., at 92-22 Astoria Blvd, approximately $3,000 and rolling papers.
• On Nov. 20, between 12:57 a.m. and 1:00 a.m., at 39-04 Skillman Ave., approximately $1,700 and multiple packs of Newport cigarettes.
The defendants were arrested after the robberies on Nov. 20, when police received a description of the trio fleeing in a Nissan Maxima. A cop who saw the car and suspects, pulled them over for a traffic violation and observed multiple packs of Newport cigarettes in the vehicle. The defendants were identified by the victims in both Nov. 20 incidents. A search warrant was executed on the vehicle and a loaded .40-caliber pistol was recovered from the trunk.
Each incident was captured on video surveillance and showed the three perpetrators wearing distinctive clothing and face masks. Williams was arrested wearing clothing from some of the robberies.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We will prosecute anyone trying to take advantage of their hard-working proprietors and employees, or their customers. We can never lose sight of the fact that communities thrive when local businesses thrive,” Katz said.
Pharmacists share the same responsibility as doctors who need to keep reading and studying to keep up with medical advances for the good of their patients.
On of the most prominent diseases that face a majority of our patients is diabetes.
e monitoring of glucose is a critical component for these patients and as diabetes technology continues to advance, more and more tools are becoming available to patients to help them manage their disease. Glucose monitors, insulin pens or pumps are all available on the market and advances in these devices are helping patients deal with the stresses of keeping diabetes under control.
One such device introduced by Abbo in 2017 was the FreeStyle Libre Glucose Monitoring System, a cu ing edge device that uses a sensor placed on the upper arm allowing patients to trace their blood glucose levels throughout the day. Market executives expect that more patch pumps will hit the shelves over the next few years as well.
Another innovative technology is the ability to electronically track patient data. Patients and health professionals can keep diaries and logs for insulin, diet, activity and blood glucose levels through the use of wireless glucose meters which are compatible with their Smartphone’s.
Patients will be able to keep be er records through the use of smart insulin pens that track time, date and insulin doses delivered.
e role of pharmacists is expected to increase with the advent of these new technologies, helping patients navigate their way through a bevy of treatment options that can make their lives much more livable while providing safe, e ective and cost conscious options for living with diabetes.
In the future medical experts expect that their industry will advance toward what are known as closed loop systems or arti cial pancreas systems whose goal is to copy the activity of a normal, healthy body.
Technologists are working on non invasive ways to monitor glucose and Apple is included in the industry giants said to be working on this type of device, although no plans have been disclosed as of yet.
If you have questions on any of these technologies and would like to nd out how one or more of them may t into your lifestyle, you are welcome to bring your questions to us. Counting on your local pharmacist for management of your diabetes is something you should not be afraid to take advantage of.
Until next week...
For your family’s prescription needs, please call CROSS BAY CHEMIST at 718-659-9500 or 718-880-1644
You will know them by their ashing hazard lights.
One of South Queens most incessant issues—a thorn in the side of several law enforcement agencies for decades—is the endless line of private cars and for-hire autos idling roadside along a stretch of the eastbound Nassau Expressway between Howard Beach and John F. Kennedy International Airport at all hours of the day and night.
Behind the wheels of these cars are motorists waiting to pick up passengers arriving at nearby JFK. Over the years, witnesses have reported some drivers abruptly pulling their vehicles out of the makeshi parking spots and into tra c, endangering commuters traveling along the busy thoroughfare.
And if last week is any indication, the idling and dangerous driving is not slowing down. e accompanying image was captured last Wednesday a ernoon, a mere four-car snapshot of the dozens of others waiting in line roadside.
e City Police Department’s 106th Precinct and Highway Unit 3, and the Taxi and Limousine Commission have addressed the problem in the past with enforcement initiatives. But the cars eventually return.
Cops continue to remind drivers that if they’re waiting to pick up plane passengers, use the free cell phone lot, not the dangerous shoulder or roadside of an active expressway.
Mayor Eric Adams, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan, and members of the council on Thursday announced an agreement for an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible approximately $107 billion Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024.
The agreement on the $107 billion budget includes increased funding for youth jobs and apprenticeships and innovative educational programming for public school students. As part of the budget agreement, the City is expanding access to Fair Fares discounted MetroCards, providing more meals for seniors and low-income New Yorkers, and extending the hours for many vacant early childhood education seats, so working families can more easily enroll their children. Additionally, the budget takes advantage of higher-than-anticipated revenues to restore and provide additional funding for libraries and cultural institutions, which will both be funded at a higher level in FY24 than they were a year ago in the FY23 Adopted Budget, even before including City Council discretionary additions. Further, no New York City Department of Education public school will have an initial budget lower than their initial budget last year, even if their student population has declined.
The Adopted Budget was crafted in the midst of an ongoing asylum seeker crisis that is currently projected to cost the city $4.35 billion over Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 –– with $2.9 billion in estimated spending over FY24 alone. Though New York City continues the longstanding tradition of helping immigrants, the city has –– virtually on its own –– cared for more than 81,000 migrants since last spring, and has, thus far, received inadequate federal and state assistance. For this reason, at adoption, the city must add $465 million in FY24 to make up for less-than-expected federal asylum seeker aid.
The administration was able to balance the budget in adoption despite substantial challenges by controlling new agency spending and through a higher-than-anticipated increase in the city’s revenue of $2.1 billion in FY23, driven by continued strength in the local economy –– though tax revenue growth is still expected to slow in coming years. These additional resources were used to pay for agency needs, meet increased asylum seeker costs, and fund City Council discretionary spending and shared Adams administration/council priorities.
Since last June, the Adams administration has achieved gap-closing savings of more than $4.7 billion over Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, which include less-thananticipated agency spending of $72 mil-
lion in FY23 and debt service saving of $137 million in FY23 and FY24 recognized in this plan. These savings were achieved without reducing funding to programs or services, laying off a single employee, or cutting school or classrooms budgets.
The FY24 Adopted Budget maintains a near-record $8.0 billion in reserves, which includes $1.2 billion in the General Reserve, $2.0 billion in the Rainy Day Fund, $4.58 billion in the Retiree Health Benefits Trust, and $250 million in the Capital Stabilization Reserve.
Highlights of the FY24 Adopted Budget Include:
Supporting Libraries and Cultural Institutions:
Providing funding for Cultural Institutions Group and Cultural Development Fund recipients ($40 million).
Adding funding for the public library systems ($36 million).
Lifting Youth and Working Families:
Providing workforce enhancement to support wage increases for contracted human services providers ($40 million, growing to $90 million in FY25).
Increasing annual funding for the Right to Counsel program ($36.6 million in FY24 and $30.6 million annually thereafter).
Providing free MetroCards for SYEP participants this summer ($11 million).
Adding 400 slots to New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s year-round youth workforce programs for out of school, out of work youth — bringing total capacity to 1,739 slots ($6.6 million).
Continuing funding for DOE’s Immigrant Family Engagement program, which helps parents, who either do not speak English or are outside the nine standard translated languages, communicate with schools about their children’s education ($4 million).
Providing New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity with access to an online marketplace for local grocery stores through the “Groceries to Go” program ($5.6 million).
Increasing the reimbursement rate for home-delivered meals for seniors ($4.5 million).
Funding for existing CUNY programs, like “College Now,” “CUNY Explorers,” and “Career Launch” ($5 million).
Providing funding for K-12 arts education ($4 million).
Helping to connect New Yorkers to apprenticeships, improve the city’s workforce development system, and establish a new community hiring program as authorized by recently passed state legislation ($2.7 million).
Increasing funding for housing navigators to connect runaway and homeless youth to safe housing ($1.6 million).
Improving Health and Safety:
Funding to expand Supervised Release services and pilot an “Intensive Case Management” model to provide stronger support for recidivists ($36.8 million).
Continuing the increased frequency of litter basket pickups citywide ($22 million).
Funding the New York City Department of Sanitation’s highway cleaning program, which includes a focus on cleaning highways, medians, and road shoulders citywide ($9.6 million).
Increasing funding for the CleaNYC program, which cleans streets and sidewalks in targeted corridors ($3 million).
Expanding neighborhood-based community navigators in Gun Violence Prevention Task Force districts ($1.9 million).
Investing in technology to conduct a community sentiment analysis that will reach residents in an equitable and inclusive manner in order to evaluate the effectiveness of gun violence prevention interventions and deliver inclusive community-informed solutions to gun violence ($850,000).
Adding 5,000 slots to “Work, Learn & Grow” to provide Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) participants with school year employment ($22.5 million).
Increasing baseline funding for Fair Fares to expand eligibility ($20 million, bringing baselined funding to $95 million).
Funding 600 PromiseNYC child care slots for undocumented children and their families ($16 million).
Converting almost 1,900 vacant, standard early childhood education seats into extended day seats, so they can be more effectively utilized by working families ($15 million).
Helping City University of New York (CUNY) students overcome barriers and complete their degrees by adding funding for the Accelerate, Complete, Engage and Accelerated Study in Associate Programs ($14.1 million).
Continuing support for Community Schools, a vital resource that supports the whole child in and out of the classroom, including providing school-based health services, and the child’s family with adult education classes and access to social services ($14 million).
Supporting swimming education in neighborhoods without access to public pools by funding 70 full- and part-time aquatic specialists, ve recreation supervisors, 30 lifeguards, equipment, pool rentals, and access to DOE pools ($5.3 million).
Continuing the investment in the Mental Health Continuum as part of the Adams administration’s Mental Health Agenda ($5 million).
Investing in trauma recovery centers to support the recovery of underserved crime victims and stop cycles of violence ($2.4 million).
“The council’s focus in this budget has been to protect the essential services that the people of this city rely on to be healthy, safe, and successful,” Council Speaker Adams said. “We took seriously our task to negotiate the best possible outcomes and deliver results for the people of our city. Through difficult negotiations, the council worked to bridge the distance between us and the administration, fighting to restore investments in essential services and funding many programs that we know our families, communities, and city need. Though we have come to a budget agreement today, the council knows we must continue to push forward in our year-long budgetary, legislative, and oversight efforts to secure the investments that New Yorkers deserve.”
By Forum Sta
Mayor Eric Adams, the City Department of Sanitation, and the Sanitation Foundation (DSNY’s o cial nonpro t) announced a major new philanthropic undertaking focused on cleaning high-tra c commercial corridors across the city in a video released Friday.
Beginning on Nostrand Avenue, from Myrtle Avenue to Eastern Parkway, and Utica Avenue, from Fulton Street to East New York Avenue, in Brooklyn, this new initiative — dubbed the “Clean City Alliance” — will provide sidewalk cleaning to some of the busiest areas that do not have Business Improvement Districts (BID) to help organize cleanliness e orts in all ve boroughs. Property owners are legally responsible for the cleanliness of the sidewalk in front of their property, as well as 18 inches into the street. In many neighborhoods, businesses pay to form BIDs, which then contract with outside groups for sidewalk cleaning, making a noticeable di erence in sidewalk cleanliness and pedestrian experience. e “Clean City Alliance” will bring philanthropy and the private sector together and will begin by servicing sidewalks in parts of Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy — a neighborhood that does not have a BID — and will expand to other busy commercial corridors without BIDs across the city. e “Clean City Alliance” will also
be a source of employment opportunity, hiring locally across the ve boroughs.
Purposefully designed to be a replicable model, the “Clean City Alliance” will provide sidewalk cleaning and li er removal services to a given neighborhood for a set period of time, during which the Sanitation Foundation and DSNY will work closely with local stakeholders to ensure the neighborhood continues to remain clean.
e launch of the “Clean City Alliance” comes as part of a massive overhaul of cleanliness across the Big Apple, including:
• e return of full street sweeping and Alternate Side Parking;
• e highest level of li er basket service in history;
• Streamlining responsibilities in an e ort to ensure long-ignored areas — like medians, step streets, and greenways — are cleaned;
• A universal curbside composting program — being rolled out over the next year and a half — which will remove rat food from trash bags;
• e city’s rst anti-li ering marketing campaign in 15 years; and
• New enforcement against the scourge of illegal dumping, including $4,000 summonses and vehicle impounds.
New Yorkers who wish to support the work of the “Clean City Alliance” can contribute via sanitationfoundation.org.
“New Yorkers deserve to have safe, clean streets,” City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said. “ is new ‘Clean City Alliance’ will bring us that much closer to bringing clean streets and sidewalks to everyone in the ve boroughs and will hopefully spread throughout the city to ensure a high quality of life for everyone.”
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (DWoodhaven) added, “ e ‘Clean City Alliance’ is an innovative partnership between
city government and the private sector to keep our sidewalks clean. is philanthropic initiative will li a huge burden o the shoulders of working-class and small business owners, who o en cannot a ord to participate in BIDs shown to keep busy commercial corridors clean. In fact, 98 percent of the city lacks the bene t of BIDs. e ‘Clean City Alliance’ will step in to ll the gap and free us from the vermin and health hazards that li er precipitates.”
Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced on ursday that James Villarruel has been arrested a er allegedly paying a 14-year-old girl to perform a sex act and take lewd photos and videos of him, and trying to pay a 12-year-old girl to take photos of him.
Villarruel, 32, of Glen Oaks, was arraigned last Wednesday night on an 11-count complaint charging him with promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child, promoting a sexual performance by a child, felony luring a child, patronizing a person for prostitution in the second degree, forcible touching, public lewdness in the rst degree, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, stalking in the fourth degree, sexual abuse in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.
According to the charges:
On June 15, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Villarruel followed a 12-year-old girl walking home from her middle school on Colden Street in Flushing, approached her and asked, “What are you going to get your dad for Father’s Day?” and, “Do you have any money?” He gave the child approximately $90 and told her she was pre y and that
he wanted to do a photo shoot with her in nearby Kissena Park.
As they walked toward the park, Villarruel placed his thumb on the girl’s face. e victim secretively took a photo of Villarruel with her phone and told him she needed to call her mother. e girl held her phone
near her chest and Villarruel slapped it out of her hand and told her to swipe through her apps so he could see the phone’s contents. e frightened girl gave the money back to Villarruel, who again told her she was pre y and said, “I’ll see you next time.”
About 20 minutes later, at 2:50 p.m., Vil-
larruel approached another girl in the same area. He told the 14-year-old his name was John and asked her to take photos of him with his cell phone in exchange for $40.
Villarruel said he wanted to take more photos in a nature se ing and walked with her to Kissena Park, where they went to an isolated grassy area. Villarruel exposed his penis and touched himself and asked the girl to take a photo. He also asked her to lay on top of him with her head facing down on his chest while he took a sel e. He then exposed his penis, placed the girl’s hand on it and instructed her to perform a sexual act as she recorded it with his phone. Villarruel also touched the girl’s breast over her clothing. Villarruel gave her $60 for taking the photos in the park.
Video surveillance from the area showed Villarruel walking with both victims, who reported the incidents to family members.
“ e actions alleged here are any parent’s worst nightmare. Fortunately, the children bravely told family members what happened, enabling us to hold the defendant accountable for the disturbing charges against him,” Katz said.
If convicted, Villarruel faces up to eight years in prison.
By Forum Staff
City Department of Transportation
Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday announced that the agency will launch LockerNYC, a pilot program this summer to cut down on package thefts and reduce delivery truck trips. The LockerNYC pilot program, which will run for one year, will allow New Yorkers to conveniently receive and send packages using secure lockers on public sidewalks. The pilot will include 15 locations and offer customers free 24/7 access. The program will be available to anyone who is interested and, unlike other delivery lockers, the LockerNYC program will be available across multiple delivery carriers, including UPS, DHL, and PitneyBowes.
The number of at-home deliveries have surged in the five boroughs in recent years, with 80 percent of households receiving at least one delivery per week and 20 percent receiving four or more deliveries. The LockerNYC pilot program is designed to alleviate problems associated with this surge in deliveries, including a spike in truck traffic and the chronic challenge of package thefts. Each day, 90,000 packages are reported stolen or lost in transit in New York City, with many apartment buildings lacking secure areas for package deliveries. The lockers will centralize drop off points, allowing
carriers to make fewer truck trips. This is expected to reduce the amount of time delivery vehicles are on our roads, which will lessen safety risks and cut down on harmful vehicle emissions.
To ensure security, all locker locations will be equipped with two security cameras, LED lighting, and anti-theft mechanisms on locker compartments. The lockers will be operated and maintained
by GoLocker, the vendor selected by the city for this initiative, which will oversee customer support and overall management of the technology.
Locations will be selected for the program based on land use, concentration of buildings lacking mail/package rooms, and NYPD package theft data, among other criteria. Sites will be chosen to provide adequate circulation space, avoid
conflicts with street furniture, ensure smooth pedestrian flow, and avoid obstructing windows, fire escapes, or public art, among other considerations.
The pilot will be in place for a year, with the potential to extend the pilot upon evaluation, allowing DOT to test and evaluate the technology and delivery model. NYC DOT officials indicated that the agency welcomes additional program partners to foster a culture of best practices for safety and efficiency. NYC DOT will collect anonymized data on locker usage to assess the overall success of the pilot and the potential for expansion.
“As the number of at-home deliveries have surged in recent years, so have the number of large delivery trucks on our city streets,” Rodriguez said. “The LockerNYC initiative will help reduce the number of trips delivery trucks make each day while also providing a secure place for New Yorkers to receive packages.”
Rodriguez noted that shared use locker programs have proven successful in other cities, yielding significant reductions in delivery vehicles travel distances, dwell time, failed deliveries, emissions, and congestion. A delivery locker pilot in Seattle found that carrier lockers can reduce the amount of time delivery trucks dwell at the curb by as much as 33 percent and reduce delivery times by as much as 78 percent.
TADA! Youth eater announced on Friday that it will be presenting “Everything about Camp (almost)” from July 13 through July 29 at TADA! Youth eater at 15 West 28th Street, 2nd Floor, in Manhattan between Broadway and Fi h Avenue.
is one-hour comic musical revue chronicles a summer at camp—playing pranks, taking hikes, swimming, making new friends, and more, theater leaders noted.
Performed by members of the Resident Youth Ensemble of TADA! (RYET), Queens cast members featured in “Everything about Camp (almost)” include Lucas Soares, 11, from Astoria; Rebekah Summerville, 12, from Rego Park; Sherell Hubahib, 12, from South Ozone Park; and Story Handy, 13, from Jamaica. Story has participated in TADA! Youth eater for the past two years.
“It’s great to be in the cast and share my interests with the other members of the TADA! ensemble,” she said. “I’m really excited to be on stage and a bit nervous too,
especially since my friends and family will come to see the show and my character. In every rehearsal, I learn new steps in dance or new ways to make my scene more dramatic.
“My character is a prankster, and she is kind of a bossy person,” Story continued. “I can relate to my character, because I am a middle child with four sisters. I can be really bossy to my younger sisters whenever I’m in the mood, but my parents don’t like it. All I can say is, sometimes the bossiness works! TADA! is really interesting and helps in all sorts of ways for me to gain more con dence and improve my performances.”
According to the theater, “Everything about Camp (almost)” is a comic musical revue that chronicles a summer at camp. Happily campers spend their days playing pranks, taking hikes, swimming, making new friends and developing crushes. As the summer’s end approaches, it’s time to return to their siblings, parents and school friends back home. ere is one thing they certainly won’t long for and that is the slop
the cafeteria claims to be food! All the rest will be missed (except maybe the bugs!), until they come back again next year when the school year is done.
TADA! o cials said the theater is commi ed to making its productions accessible to all and o ers a limited number of Pay What You Can Tickets for each performance starting at $1, in addition to group sales for nonpro t organizations at $10.
“Everything about Camp (almost)” presents scenes by Michael Slade with music and lyrics by Jon Agee, Gary Bagley, James Belo , Jamie Bernstein, Mary Ehlinger, David Evans, Dan Feigelson, Faye Greenberg, David Lawrence, Robby Merkin, Mary Mur , Eric Rockwell and Margaret Rose.
According to TADA!, performances are a ordable, fun- lled musicals that are perfect for family audiences of ages 3 and above. ey are performed by talented young people who are members of RYET (Resident Youth Ensemble of TADA!).
e young actors represent New York City in all its diversity. ey come from di er-
ent neighborhoods and boroughs, di erent economic, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, have di erent abilities and are members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
On Friday, and for the second time in three months, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra visited Queens—this time for a roundtable conversation at the Glow Cultural Center in Flushing with Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and immigration advocates to highlight the importance of supporting immigrant communities through the expansion of language access programs and health care.
The event in Flushing featured officials from Queens–New York City immigration advocacy organizations sharing stories, needs and experiences of language access in health care for immigrants.
Language accessibility and culturally competent health care for those with limited English proficiency are issues that Meng and HHS have worked on for years. Meng noted that for many in immigrant communities, such as those in Queens and the rest of the New York area, the availability of information in languages other than English is essential for proactive engagement with the health care system, as well as with federal programs. This was underscored during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which many borough residents faced barriers to accessing the federal government’s COVID-19 related materials that were only available in English. Meng said
that’s why she introduced the COVID-19 Language Access Act that would require any federal agency receiving coronavirus-related funding to translate written materials into many different languages.
Additionally, Meng noted that she is working to ensure that community health centers in New York and across the country have the resources necessary to attract qualified mental health personnel that can provide in language
care to patients who would be best served in languages other than English.
Meng also secured grant funding during the last two fiscal years for the Office of Minority Health to facilitate the research and development of alternative methods of informing limited English proficient individuals of their ability to request in language services.
“Queens is known as the World’s Borough and my district is among the
most diverse in the entire country,” Meng said. “People from all across the globe reside here and we are proudly home to many different ethnicities, cultures and languages. Prioritizing and promoting equitable access to language assistance for health services to people with limited English proficiency is crucial for our immigrant neighborhoods, and I am excited to partner with Secretary Becerra on this effort. I thank the Secretary for returning to Queens to shine a light on the importance of language accessibility in our health care system. I was proud to welcome him back and look forward to continuing to work with him on this issue. I also thank all the immigration advocates who joined us.”
Becerra added, “I remember growing up and translating for my parents when they needed to see a doctor. While I am proud to have been able to help, no child should have to feel the weight of translating complex medical terminology. And no parent should have to share their private medical history with their young child. Our parents, our communities need to be able to access health care in a manner that they understand.”
In March, Becerra and Meng participated in a community conversation at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens in Jamaica to mark National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day.
LYMNOS T NSPORTATION LLC, Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 05/26/2023.
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: Michael Angelidis, 13628 62nd Avenue, FL 2, Flushing, NY 11367. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Da Feng Enterprises LLC, Arts of Org led with SSNY on 01/09/23. O . 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: e 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. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/31/23.
O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: MICHAEL LIPARI, 18923 39TH AVE. APT 120, FLUSHING, NY, 11358, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of ACELAND VAULT LLC. Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/24/23. O ce 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 GA GE LLC. Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/01/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: NEW FARRINGTON GA GE LLC, 3366 FARRINGTON STREET, SUITE 200, FLUSHING, NY, 11354, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of LIAISON
BOOKKEEPING SERVICE LLC Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/25/23. O ce 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. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/12/23. O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: CHRISTOPHER LEJUEZ F NKEN, 17505 115TH AVENUE, QUEENS, NY, 11434, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.
MONEY MEAL CAPITAL Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/07/23. O ce 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. led w/SS of NY on 6/9/23, O ce 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 SAKU 6611 LLC Arts. of Org. led w/SS of NY on 4/11/23, O ce 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. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/27/23.
O ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: e 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 led with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 6/12/2023. O ce 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, LI LE NECK, NY 11363. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
DING DONG REALTY LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/12/23. 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, 35-20 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
MYLA GROUP LLC, Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/23/2023. 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: e LLC, 27-17 154th St, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Y CLEANING SERVICES LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 06/20/2023. 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: YERSY RODRIGUEZ ALVAREZ, 19816 47TH AVE, APT 2, FLUSHING, NY,11358, USA. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
131-22 111TH AVENUE LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 02/22/23.
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, c/o Shameer Khan, 111-12 132nd Street, South Ozone Park, NY 11420. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
CAM PAN PROPERTIES, LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 6/12/20223. Ofce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: e LLC, 200-05 HO CE HARDING EXPRESWAY, BAYSIDE, NY, 11364, USA.Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
MASSAPEQUA
MINT EXPANDED CAPE ON 100X100 PROPERTY. THE OVERSIZED HOME FEATURES NEW KITCHEN, DEN WITH FIREPLACE, FORMAL DINING ROOM, FULL FINISHED BASEMENT WITH OSE AND 2 CAR GARAGE.
